Welcome!
WantNot.net is all about “having it all with less,” just like it says up there in the masthead. Go figure. It is my hope that this site will become a resource for anyone trying to live a fulfilled life without benefit of endless buckets of money. (If you’ve stumbled upon my humble corner of the web, and you do have buckets of money? It’s only polite to share, you know. My email address is right up top there.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Okay, no one actually asked any of these questions. But these are the issues I imagine readers might be wondering about in association with this site. As people start asking actual questions, I’ll add those as well. For now, this is the Imaginary FAQ. Do not be alarmed. But please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened until the vehicle comes to a complete stop and the captain turns off the seatbelt sign.
Who are you? Yes, let’s start there. My name is Mir Kamin. I’m a 40-mumble (I’m not being coy, I’m just too lazy to update this every year) mother to two young kids teenagers, and I spent four years as a single mom.
So? That makes you qualified to write about this stuff? No, the fact that I’m an incurable tightwad qualifies me to write about this stuff. But the single parenting gig definitely changed things for me; and yes, I believe it renders me someone quite capable of setting an example when it comes to finances. Pay no attention to that pile of shoes behind me. Ahem.
In English, please? Okay, let’s break it down. Once upon a time I grew up in a middle class family and went to expensive universities and collected prestigious degrees. Although I scraped a bit through school, afterwards I was (predictably) launched right into the upper-middle-class life I’d always known I would have. I had the great upwardly-mobile job, the husband… and later, the “mommy track” hiatus while my husband made the big bucks. I was always frugal, but we were very comfortable and money wasn’t an issue.
Uhhh… wait– I’m not done yet. Then the divorce happened. Then I had to figure out how to earn a living again and still take care of my kids. Then I learned that frugal while you have cash in the bank is nice and all, but frugal when you’re suddenly broke is survival.
Oh. Sorry. But… you’re okay now? Thanks for asking. Yeah, we’re okay. It’s a different kind of okay than I maybe saw myself having, before, but that’s alright. I work from home as a freelance writer and pay the bills without having to go crying to my parents. Most of the time.
Wait, I thought you had a husband? Oh yeah! I remarried in May of 2007. Yet another life transition (in the best possible way) bringing with it a whole new host of budgetary and fiscal issues. It turns out that I never really stop worrying about money, even with two incomes in the household, now.
So you decided to start Want Not because…? Whoever said “Money is the root of all evil” was probably trying to balance their checkbook while a pile of overdue bills waited nearby. Too many people live their lives as slaves to the almighty dollar, either because they’re sure they need more stuff or because they worry about affording the stuff they need. I don’t think either mindset is healthy. And I don’t think either mindset is necessary.
That’s easy for you to say! Actually, it’s not. It’s been a long process for me, learning to put money in its place. It’s a necessary evil. A few basic changes in how I approach my finances have made a world of difference in my overall ability to keep money in perspective. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last few years, it’s that EVERYTHING is about keeping your perspective.
So, you’re going to tell me to clip coupons? Not exactly. Clipping coupons works for some people, not for others. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to budgeting and spending. This is more about figuring out what works for you. I know what works for me, but you’re not me. (Are you? That would be weird.)
But you’re gonna tell me I can’t have stuff! No I’m not. I might help you find ways to get the stuff you want for less, though. And if it all works out right, you may discover that you need less stuff than you thought.
What if I think you’re full of crap? There’s a little X at the top of this window. Feel free to click it at any time.
What if I think you’re brilliant? Then you’re smart, and probably really pretty, too. And you should leave comments, and link me, and shop through the site, and send me pie. Just kidding. About the pie. Sort of.
Do you get paid to do this? Want Not is proudly supported through advertising contracts with a couple of ad networks and affiliate relationships with a few dozen hundred online shopping locations.
What does that mean? My banner ads just sit there and I make some money based upon the traffic to the site. Being an affiliate with a store means I get a small percentage of sales made through the site when there is an existing relationship. Per the new FTC regulations that went into effect on December 1st, 2009, I have a brand-spanking-new Full Disclosure page that tells you more.
I knew it! You just promote stuff to make money! Um, no. It turns out that I need to make a living just like you do. In order to justify the time I spend working on this site, it needs to bring in a little income. But I often discuss and recommend products and deals from stores with whom I do not have an affiliate relationship, because it’s something I think my readers will appreciate. Keep in mind that I average about 4% on an affiliate sale, and the stuff I recommend is usually dirt cheap. Am I making money? Yes. Am I getting rich over here? Not exactly.
Wait, I think you’re awesometastic and I know you work hard on this site and I’d like to make sure you keep doing it. How can I help? You’re pretty and I really love those shoes. The best way to support Want Not is to not only shop through links I provide to specific deals I’ve found, but to check for store links any time you’re about to make a purchase online, and then do that transaction through the site if you’re so inclined. It doesn’t cost you anything and I get a kickback.
Whoa, that’s a lot of links and hover text and stuff in the “Shop Pretty” section. Help? Hovering over any store graphic will show you the link to that store, as well as any current coupon codes and any other pertinent information (like shipping specials, for instance). You can sort stores by category or alphabetically by store name.
I totally disagree with something you said or recommended. Alrighty, then. Feel free to leave me a (polite) comment or shoot me an email. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion and I welcome discussion amongst my readers. I will not, however, tolerate rudeness or abuse on the site. If you can’t play nice, expect your comments to be deleted and your email to be ignored. Life is too short to waste my time on people who don’t have any manners.
Do you have a mailing list or something so that I can get your updates right away and never miss a deal? Currently I don’t do any sort of mailing list. Your best bets for never missing a deal are to use a feed reader to follow my RSS feed, or to follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook. Or both! Really, take two, they’re small.
Something on your site looks wonky to me. Want Not is best viewed in Google Chrome or Safari. It’s slightly less pretty in some other browsers, and if your experience is that it’s all kinds of messed up, probably it’s time to upgrade your browser.
How come so many of the deals you post only work for Americans? Because I’m a snotty, ethnocentric American. Not really. But I live in America, and most of the deals I come across originate here in the U.S. and are intended for residents therein. I’m sorry.
I mailed you an awesome deal and you didn’t post it! Why not? Every day I get a lot of email and I comb through a ton of bargains. I try to post the deals which I feel are the best values and/or will have the greatest appeal to my readers. I appreciate all of the tip emails I receive, but it would be simply impossible to use all of them. Please don’t take it personally.
I have a question! And I have an answer! Click the Contact button up above and shoot me an email.
