This page may contain affiliate links. See my full disclosure here.
As I build more pages in my bog, I thought it would be useful to build a resource page to group all my suggestions in one place.
Blogging Recommendations
Since starting my blog, I’ve learned a lot. This includes what services are worth the money and what are not. I’ve also included several blogging courses that I’ve gotten incredible value out of and highly recommend.
Services
- Hosting – I use and enjoy Bluehost for my hosting service. If you ever want to monetize your blog, it’s imperative that you choose a host with your own domain. With a free service, you DON’T OWN your content, and it can be deleted at any time! Bluehost is what most bloggers use and recommend and it was an easy setup and launch for me. Using my link, you get a discounted rate of $3.95 a month plus FREE domain registration!
- Image editing – I’ve used and loved PicMonkey for years. You can do simple image editing (think Photoshop but way easier). You can also create Pins, and even create a collage and do graphic design. It’s incredibly easy to use and have tons of resources for making your images the best they can be. You can start with a free trial to make sure it’s really what you need.
- Pictures. I like Pixabay for free images and Haute Stock for paid images. Pixabay has excellent outdoors and camping images for my articles on RVing and other outdoor activities. Haute Stock is good for more professional-type posts (such as this one). The pictures are light and bright and good for catching the eye on Pinterest.
- Pin automation – I use Tailwind to automate my pinning, saving me hours of time each week. They also have a new feature called Tribes that is a great way to connect with other bloggers to find content and get your content shared. Tailwind has a free version with limited scheduling, and then tiers of subscriptions, depending on how much you need.
Courses
- Affiliate Marketing – Michelle makes over $100,000 a month from her blog and she tells you exactly how she does it in her Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course. Affiliate marketing is when a user buys something on your recommendation, you make a commission on that sale.
She gives great strategies for using and marketing your affiliate links to your readers. She encourages a genuine, authentic way that will make people want to buy what you recommend. When you look at the potential for income through affiliate marketing, this course will repay it’s small fee very quickly. - How to Use Pinterest to Increase Traffic – Pinterest is an invaluable FREE tool that savvy bloggers use to increase their traffic hundreds of times over. Carly at Mommyonpurpose.com uses manual Pinterest pinning to get over 200k page views a month on her blog. I’ve taken her course and implemented her strategies and my Pinterest traffic is climbing as a result. This course is well worth the fee!
Travel Services
- Flights – I love how easy Skyscanner is to use to find flight options. They have an easy to use app too!
- Rental Cars – Sixt is a European company that is making a name in the US. They’re known for much more fun cars than your normal car rental company. Use my code and get up to 25% off your booking!
- Guide Books – Lonely Planet is the travel authority. They’ve been around for almost 40 years and have print and digital guides. You can even just buy a digital chapter or two if that’s all you need!
- Airport Shuttle – If I’m not parking at the airport, SuperShuttle is my first choice for getting to and from the airport. You make a reservation so you’re guaranteed a ride and you can choose one-way or round trip. It’s most cost effective than Uber, and they even load your bags for you!
- Travel Insurance – I can’t express how important it is to have travel insurance! Anything can happen, and the peace of mind is worth the small price alone. Allianz Travel is cost-effective and well-respected and the only travel insurance company I use when I travel.
- Lodging – When I travel, 90% of the time I stay in an Airbnb. It makes you feel like a local and really lets you enjoy the places you visit. Read the reviews to make sure the house will work for your needs. Use my link and get $40 off your first stay of $75 or more!
- Hop On Hop Off Tours – Whenever I get to a new place, I always start my visit with a tour. I love Hop On Hop Off tours as they’re a really easy way to get around, give interesting historical detail, and are (usually) a good bargain. City Sightseeing has Hop On Hop Off bus tours in 110 cities around the world! Use my link and coupon code to get 10% off any Hop On Hop Off tour! Coupon Code: CJSUMMER
Financial Services
- Check Credit Score – I like Experian for quick and easy access to my credit report. They offer a free subscription, and then several tiers of membership to get more information and credit monitoring. Use my link to get a 30 day free trial!
- Payoff – the benefit of Payoff is that it’s super simple to use. When I was looking to consolidate a while back, they had the best rate available for the best monthly payment. They have better rates than credit cards, and allow you to have one, simple monthly payment. Checking your rate doesn’t affect your credit score and takes just a few minutes!
- Tally – Tally works a little differently. Tally is entirely app based. It automates the process of paying your credit cards, and works with a line of credit to pay down as much as possible at a lower interest rate than your cards. The system knows all your interest rates and will pay down your cards in the most fiscally-responsible way. I was skeptical at first, but I really love the ease of letting the app make all my payments for me and all I have to do is pay the one bill to Tally each month.
- Upstart – Similar to Payoff, Upstart is a consolidation loan you can use to pay down higher-interest debt. It’s peer-funded and takes more than your credit score into consideration, so it could be a good option if your credit is less than stellar. Upstart is a good option if you have less than stellar credit, but decent education and experience!
These are all companies I use and love. I would not recommend any service or company I have not personally used and been happy with. I hope you find these recommendations useful!
Do you have services you use and love not listed here? What would you add?