Have you ever seen Night Train to Terror or Jaws of Satan? If you have, you’re among good company at Dollar Bin Horror. If not, you may want to catch up! ‘Cause Dollar Bin Horror is “The Blog for Horror Fans on a Budget“!

Rhonny Reaper is the author of Dollar Bin Horror a blog devoted to low-budget horror films. She features a wide variety of horror film reviews and a she recently wrote a great recap of the best horror movies of 2009. Rhonny has been featured on the Zombie Grrlz Podcast and has received a number of awards for her review writing.

I came across Rhonny when she entered (and won) a free 2010 My Zombie Pinup Wall Calendar giveaway contest I held in December. I checked out her blog and thought it was a great horror movie review blog. So…here we are!

Interview with Rhonny Reaper

Lets get some history, when did you start to really get into horror films? What was the first one you remember watching?

Well the first time I ever watched horror was when I was 4. My parents got cable and I became enthralled by Tales From the Crypt. I really got into horror, though, when I was 14 and saw the first SAW film. It got me, hook line and sinker. The first full film I ever saw though was Killer Klowns from Outer Space and I still love that movie!

What is it about horror films that you like? (blood, gore, fear, etc.)

I love it all! I love being scared and I love some quality gore. I like the feeling you get after a big scare, your heart pounding out your chest, the hairs on your neck standing on end, the repulsive feeling you get from a bloody scene…it’s like a roller coaster without the $50 entrance fee!

What is it about horror films, especially cheap ones, that you enjoy?

I love all types of horror, but the cheap ones are kinda inspirational for me. I’m broke as hell and to see a really good and really low budget movie gives me the hope that I could be making something like that one day. Also the gore and fear in horror movies is like an adrenaline rush for me, kinda like why people love roller coasters or driving fast!

In your opinion, what makes a horror movie good?

A good horror film starts with a good story. The scariest films are the ones that you feel could really happen, that make you watch your back when you turn down the street. Also, the visual aspect has to be appealing. A film with a unintentionally horrible looking setting ever does well. And the acting has to be believable. If the character isn’t really scared, why the hell should I be?

Yeah, I respect well made low-budget films too. Have you heard of or seen the $70 zombie movie – Colin? What did you think of Paranormal Activity?

I just recently heard of it. I would love to review it and have sent an email to the producer to see if that’s possible. I liked Paranormal Activity but I thought it was over hyped, which actually kind of ruin the experience for me.

When did you begin blogging? Is Dollar Bin Horror your first site?

I started my blog around 4 months ago. I had a horror review MySpace page but MySpace got all up in my ass, so I said screw you and left the site all together. I feel having my own blog gives me the freedom to get my opinion of horror out there with restrictions.

DBH is only 4 months old? Wow! How much traffic are you getting at this point?

At this point, I’m not quite sure. I have a counter at the bottom of my page and it says I’ve had over 7,000 hits and I’m thankful for every single one of them.

For a new visitor to your blog, what 2-3 posts would recommend?

New visitors definitely check out the Spotlights because the people in them are some wonderful underground horror folk who are deserving of some recognition, and also the film reviews cause they show you don’t have to break the bank to see a good movie (Unless it’s bad, then you get to read me rip them a new one, and that’s always fun!)

DBH Around The Web:

• Interview on Zombos Closet of Horror
• Dollar Bin Horror Facebook Fan Page

If you’ve read personal finance blogs, you’ve likely heard of Consumerism Commentary. It would be hard not to. Since he writes great material, Flexo’s blog has been mentioned by BusinessWeek, Yahoo! Finance, and Kiplinger.

Flexo, founder and author, launched Consumerism Commentary back in 2003 and is also well known for starting the Carnival of Personal Finance. Recently, Flexo also launched the Plutus Awards to honor personal finance blogs.

Since creating Consumerism Commentary, Flexo has improved his net worth from less than zero to over $300,000! That’s pretty impressive. The next decade will likely be even better as the economy recovers and his blog continues to grow.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Flexo!

What are a couple things people can do right now to improve their financial situation?

At the most basic level, there are only two ways to improve a financial situation: earn more money or change your expenses. Earning more money doesn’t have as much of an effect if you haven’t optimized your spending, so I would look at that first.

Track every dollar you spend for one month. Where does the money go? If any of the spending can be removed the next month, remove it. For example, if canceling cable wouldn’t have a big effect in the enjoyment of your life, or if you value improving your financial situation over the reward you get by watching cable, cancel it. The same goes for eating out in restaurants, manicures and pedicures, and hockey games.

Once you’ve tracked your spending, you can use it to create a basic flexible spending plan. Decide how much you want to spend in each category for the next month, looking for ways to challenge yourself to spend less.

I don’t recommend living the life of a hermit or monk and extracting all enjoyment for life for the sake of saving money, but for anyone who is looking for an immediate solution to improving financial situation eliminating unnecessary expenses is the best method.

From your experience, what would you say is the most misunderstood concept or principle of personal finances?

The idea that personal finance is psychological is often misunderstood. Supposed experts in personal finance have expressed difficulty understanding how people can find themselves in debt when the concept of spending less than you earn, the key to building wealth, is built on kingergarten mathematics. Personal finance is much more than spending less than you earn. Personal finance advice needs to tackle psychology and the emotional side of the brain rather than just the rational.

What 3-5 blog posts from Consumerism Commentary are must-read for new visitors?

I would start with these:

• Ten Things I Will Teach My Children About Money
• How to Be the CFO of Your Own Life
• Following Your Bliss: Good Idea or Bunk?
• 10 Steps to Break the Credit Card Habit
• The Best of Consumerism Commentary

For those who don’t know, could you explain the Carnival of Personal Finance?

The Carnival of Personal Finance is a weekly event. Each Monday, a different blog serves as the host after compiling the week’s best articles about personal finance from over 100 submissions. The complilation is posted on the host’s website, containing critiques and summaries to highlight the best of the best.

Participation in the Carnival of Personal Finance is a great way for new blogs to receive exposure within the blogosphere. I created the Carnival in January 2005 when the part of the blogosphere focused on personal finance was much smaller. The Carnival helped bring attention to writing on the web about this topic and helped to expand the community into what it is today.

You’ve been blogging about personal finances since 2003, what have been the major milestones for Consumerism Commentary?

Although Consumerism Commentary has been mentioned in the press often, I was particularly proud when Money Magazine cited the website, alongside Get Rich Slowly, as the best in the blogosphere. More recently, this past year Consumerism Commentary surpassed 10,000 subscribers via RSS feed, and that’s a number I hope to keep growing.

Quite a few personal finance bloggers have gone on to write books or appear on television but you’ve kept relatively private. Will you write a book about personal finance or maybe even your blogging exploits?

I don’t have any immediate plans to write a book through the traditional agent-publisher-distributor process. I have several ideas for a series of shorter, self-published books and I hope to have the first ready by the end of the summer of 2010. The difficulty is executing everything I’d like to do in addition to my full-time day job, but expect there will be some changes in that situation this year.

Other Interviews with Flexo:

• Moolanomy suggests that, “Although Consumerism Commentary may not be #1 in term of readership (among the handful of A-List Personal Finance Blogs), I believe you are the most influential one.“
• Money Crashers says, “…he tends to have some of the more fresh and original material covering personal finance.”

Money, investing, credit card rates, and other personal finance related topics are covered by one of the top personal finance bloggers on the web – Jim Wang of Bargaineering.com.

Over the years, Jim has appeared in Smart Money, PC Mag, Business Week and other mainstream media outlets. I remember reading his blog before the first media mention and now he’s a professional blogger, working full-time from home. For being so well known, Jim is very approachable and was kind enough to answer a few questions I had about personal finance and blogging. Be sure to check out Bargaineering.com or follow Jim on Twitter – @bargainr.

Personal Finances at Bargaineering.com

When you first started really examining your personal finances, what was the hardest thing to change?

I was fortunate to have a pretty strong financial foundation, no credit card debt, no expensive habits, so there wasn’t anything bad I needed to change. I did find it difficult to begin investing in the stock market. With the bank, I know I get a small percentage interest each month but my principal is protected. That protection is important to me, the stock market is very unpredictable.

From being involved in the personal finance community, what are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned over the years?

One important lesson in life is that your personal relationships with other people are very important, it’s even more important online when you have very few shared experiences with other bloggers. You may write about the same or similar topics but you don’t spend free time with one another.

Another important lesson is that it’s not a competition. So many bloggers feel like they have to remain insular and keep their secrets, when in reality the competition isn’t against one another. I’ve learned far more by sharing with others than I ever did just sitting alone.

The philosophy behind Bargaineering and my personal philosophy is that life is about enjoying the things you love doing and spending time with the people you love spending time with. [About Bargaineering]

In addition to your blogging, you’re very involved in the personal finance arena. Tell us about your involvement in the Money Tips Network, Personal Finance Hour and Tip’d.

The Money Tips Network was something the guys at Wise Bread created, my involved in that is very limited other than being a member. The Personal Finance Hour is something I created and now co-host with JD of Get Rich Slowly. It’s a weekly BlogTalkRadio show where we tackle financial topics for an hour and take listener questions. Lots of bloggers listen in, call in, and hang out in the chat room. Finally, Tip’d is a social media news site and I’m responsible for blogger outreach.

What 3-5 posts would you consider “must-read” for new visitors?

Rent Forever Don’t Buy A Home – This post, which is part of the Devil’s Advocate series, raises the argument that renting is better than buying, which goes against conventional wisdom. The whole DA series tackles issues like this one and I’ve enjoyed writing all of them.

How To Budget – Learning to budget can be daunting but this Foundation series article outlines some simple steps you can take to start budgeting. The Foundation series is a series of articles that cover basic personal finance topics.

40 Money Tips for College Students – Forty tips that every college student should try to follow if they want a leg up financially when they graduate.

ProBlogging at Bargaineering.com

What do you like most about blogging full-time? Was turning the blog into a business your goal?

I enjoy building onto something that is mine and that I created from scratch. It’s fun being in charge but it’s also a challenge, I alone have to make decisions about the future and while I do appreciate the benefits, I also have to deal with the consequences of those decisions. Turning the blog into a business was never a goal until several years after it started, it began as just a journal for me to write my thoughts in.

What kind of reaction do you get from people when they find out you’re a professional blogger?

No reaction really, they just seem to chuckle and tell me I’m lucky to be able to work from home. It’s not a glamorous job but I enjoy it all the same.

Thanks for your time Jim!

Coffee, mmmm! The rich brown liquid has been a favorite of people around the world for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. According to the International Coffee Organization, coffee beans were first discovered on the Horn of Africa in Ethiopia “where the coffee tree probably originated in the province of Kaffa“.

One of my favorite ways of enjoying a mug of home brewed coffee is with my girlfriend while we read the newspaper and discuss the latest developments. Of course, there’s the occasional cup at work to keep myself going.

I came across Daily Shot of Coffee a couple months ago and quickly became a frequent reader. Mike Crimmins, founder and author, writes about coffee in a way that even casual drinkers can enjoy. He reviews different types of coffee, coffee products (like the Zojirushi Fresh Brew Thermal 10-Cup Carafe) and discusses anything coffee related.

What prompted you to start blogging and why did you pick coffee as your topic?

I’ve been blogging for a while, on a number of topics – some were profitable, but none were really something that I could focus on and
want to write about every day. So it was only a matter of time before those blogs faded out. That’s when I started looking at my hobbies and passions. I love the New York Yankees, but there were dozens of blogs that do the Yankee news better than I could. However, I felt like there was a spot for me in the coffee blogging world. There’s lots of coffee blogs, but not many written from the point of view of an average coffee drinker.

“Today, I drink anywhere from a half a pot to an entire pot a day. If I see a coffee shop, it’s a safe bet that I’ll be stopping in.”

Of all the coffee you’ve tried, which one is your favorite?

That’s a hard one. I’ve had some amazing coffees in the past year. However, there’s two that come to mind. The first is a coffee from
Papua New Guinea by a roaster called Higher Ground. It’s a dark roast and I usually like the lighter roasts, but it’s full of flavor and
really made me realize that I need to check out more darker roasts. The other was a coffee called Ethiopian Yirgacheffe by Barista On
Duty. It’s a coffee that is full of flavor, unlike just about any others that I’ve ever tried.

For new Shot of Coffee readers, what posts would you recommend?

• Caffeniated London Broil
• 16 Coffee Quotes
• Marley Coffee – One Love Review
• 8 Steps To Coffee Perfection
  
• Peppermint Mocha Showdown

What are the challenges of writing about coffee? Or, perhaps, writing in general?

For me, writing about coffee is the easiest thing that I’ve ever written about. I look forward to writing every day about it and I
can’t say that about many other topics. The only challenge that I have about it, is that I can’t write about it all of the time.

As far writing in general, I think the main challenge for me is getting into the habit of writing. Even before I started blogging, I
couldn’t keep a daily writing schedule. With blogs that meant that they often failed. However, once I was able to keep a regular writing schedule, I’ve seen my writing improve and seen success with my blog.

In your interview with Coffee Hero, you mention Gary Vaynerchuk as an inspiration for blogging. Have you read his book CRUSH IT! and if so, what’d you think?

I love the book. I’ve read it a couple of times myself and even bought it as a Christmas present for one of my friends. I use it as
everything as a practical guide to blogging and social media to motivation to strive to build the best business that I can. Plus, Gary
was at least part of the motivation for me starting the coffee blog. Some of his videos really made me start to examine my passions as the topic for my next blog.

Crimmins’ approach on Daily Shot is to keep elitism to a minimum — he doesn’t profess to be a connoisseur. “I think I have my own point of view,” Crimmins said. “I’ve always considered myself an average coffee drinker.” [Interview with Coffee Hero]

Do you follow any of the political/policy/trade issues that affect coffee production?

I’m really starting to follow a lot of the issues with the way that some coffees are produced. Unfortunately, the land is often devastated and workers working in inhumane conditions for pocket change. It’s something that I’m starting to pay more attention to and I think those issues are going to be working their way into my blog in 2010.

Mike, thanks for chatting with me!

Coffee blogging is relatively new and counts among it’s writers, not only Mike, but also Robb Sutton and Michael Allen Smith. If you like coffee these are a few good blogs to explore.

Whether it’s hittin’ his keyboard at home or racing down some single-track in the wilderness, Robb Sutton is making himself known. Robb is among the most influential bloggers of 2009 (#30 of 50 on IncomeDiary.com) and is best known for getting over $100,000 of free review product for his mountain biking blog – Mountain Biking by 198.

I first heard about him after Yaro Starak interviewed him. Since then I’ve been soaking up his content about mountain biking (one of my favorite sports) and enjoying his comments on Twitter. For all his success, Robb has been very friendly and easy to work with. I was really pumped when he agreed to an interview.

10 Questions with Robb Sutton

Before blogging, what did you do and how did this lead you into blogging?

Regional Sales Manager for a manufacturing firm. I covered the southeast United States with about 11 million in annual sales. Blogging actually hit on accident believe it or not. I started a website with the goal of making it a user submitted trail review site. About a week into it, I made the realization that a user submitted site is very hard to start without traffic! I started a blog section to bring in visitors and that eventually just took the site over. What started as a passionate outlet for my hobby (been mountain biking for 14+ years), has turned into a business all its own. From that point, I branched off in to blogging, coffee and several others. Blogging is addicting.

At what point did your sites get to a point where you could blog full-time? What caused this?

Full time income hit once the traffic really stabilized and that gave me a chance to try out and test multiple monetization techniques. The trick to making money online is really diversifying your income streams so that one way does not completely dominate your income. This can be done with a very targeted following, but the larger your targeted readership…the bigger your income. I was blogging daily for about a year and a half before that kind of income started appearing. Blogging is no different than any other business…you really have to be willing to put in the work with little gain in the beginning.

What is RobbSutton.com About?
RobbSutton.com is to teach bloggers how to grow their reach through solid fundamental values instead of fly by night tricks. By finding a way to make that connection through blogging and social media, you can grow a real business online in whatever niche you decide to call home. To keep things rolling, I’ll through in motivational/life design posts aimed at combating laziness and self doubt.

I know you joined Blog Mastermind with Yaro Starak, how did that program help you get started?

I had been blogging steadily for about 6 months before I started that program. To my surprise…I had actually fell into (purely by chance) doing a lot of things correctly. Blog Mastermind allowed me to fine tune things quickly and efficiently so the learning curve was shorter. At that point, spending money on a training program also made me take my blogging more seriously. It was more making the decision to really make a run at it than training looking back on it. The program is great for beginning bloggers though…action step after action step.

What has been the biggest challenge for you (content, SEO, links, multimedia…)?

The biggest challenge….

Probably site design honestly. The content had been in my head for years…it was just a matter of publishing it out onto a screen. I have a background in video production and amateur photography, so the multimedia aspect came naturally. I am a computer geek at heart…so the SEO and technical side was something I was able to pick up pretty quickly. Site design is one of those things that you learn by doing since most beginning bloggers have zero room in their budget for anything custom.

What made you decide to write your first ebook – Ramped Reviews?

A couple hundred emails asking me how I did it! Before the 14 month point in mtbtrailreview.com, I had already received over $100k in review product and that was something pretty unique. After a lot of emails inquiring on the how and where’s of the process, I decided to write Ramped Reviews. From that, I have been able to help other bloggers see that same kind of success no matter what their niche.

Recently, you published two additional ebooks. Could you briefly describe them?

It’s actually up to three now! (and about to grow more in 2010)

Ramped Blogging – The Ultimate Blogging Guide – I was still getting a lot of emails asking how I achieved what I did with blogging in a short period of time, so I created Ramped Blogging to take any blogger, regardless of skill level, through the process. It takes you from setup to monetizing and traffic generation.

“When I set out to create an eBook for bloggers looking to build a business that generates income out of their blogging, I wanted to come to the table with something completely different. Basically, I wanted to write the eBook I didn’t have and wish I did.”

Ramped Mindset – Success is all about your thought processes. You have to think like a successful business owner far before you make your first dollar to really make it big. Ramped Mindset is that kickstart to successful thinking.

“Ramped Mindset is going to change the way you think about blogging and life. Once you change that mindset, you are ready to realize the success that other successful professionals have seen. The only thing that stands in your way is you as you continue this path to self created happiness.”

Ramped Riding – Just released on Bike198.com, Ramped Riding is an ebook that teaches you how to be a better mountain biker.

“Ramped Riding is designed to give you real world application that will drastically improve your on trail experience. From personal experience, I have seen riders increase their riding ability in a big way by making fine adjustments to their current skill set. What you might not realize is that you are much closer to that perfect ride than you first thought!“

Do you prefer downhill or crosscountry?

Downhill…but that is hard choice. I have even been known to do a couple of 100 mile rides on the road bike this year. I’ll ride just about anything that pedals.

What is your favorite place to ride? Pisgah National Forest, NC

If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would you like to go? British Columbia, Canada and Switzerland

How long have you been mountain biking? 14+ years

Thanks Robb!

Other Interview With Robb:

• On Profits Masterplan
• On IncomeDiary.com, “Today I am very pleased to introduce you an amazing guy who only started blogging last year and has done some amazing things.“
• On WP Stitch, “From out of the woods, on some dusty trail we find ourselves an avid cyclist and blogger, Robb Sutton.“

Recently, I wrote about Spellfury the fantasy web series written and directed by Travis Gordon, who I interviewed.

What is Spellfury? In brief…

Fantasy. Action. Adventure. Watching SPELLFURY is like watching a live recreation of a Dungeons and Dragons game. Evil creatures, bladed weapons and magic abound in the world of Spellfury. The web series follows an elf named Druinia and her gang of adventurers.

In this interview, I talk with Julie O’Halloran who plays Druinia, the main character of the show.

Talk with Tim Interviews Julie O’Halloran

How long have you been acting?

Wow, lets see. Officially I started acting in 1998, (about 11 years) I attended Theatre Arts at Algonquin College in Ottawa Canada and I graduated in 2000. Since then I haven’t stopped. I’ve done commercial work, four independent films and now I’m focusing on SPELLFURY. I am very excited to be apart of SPELLFURY. It’s the most challenging acting I have done so far and I’m having a great time!!

It sounds like you and Travis Gordon have known each other for a while. How did you two meet and begin working together?

I met Travis in 1998. He was in his second year of the same theatre arts program. I auditioned for a play that he wrote and was directing and I managed to get the lead part! After working with him on that play, every time he had a project that he was working on I wanted to be involved.

Can you share some background on your character Druinia from Spellfury?

Druinia at a very young age was separated from her parents. She lived in a boarding school for most of her youth. She’s knows nothing of her mother and only a little bit about her father. As the show evolves we will see her learning more and more about who her father really was and the part she is destined to play in the realm of SPELLFURY.

What challenges come with your role as Druinia?

The biggest challenge I face as Dru is the physical stuff. I have never done anything quite like it before, battling mist demons with a magical sword for example, that’s a new one for me. Or fighting off giant bats, you’ve really got to be in good shape for that!
Another challenge I face in the role as Druinia is acting against something that isn’t actually there with you on set that day. Reacting to something in the scene (like the giant bats) that will be added later in post-production is a challenge. It’s a good thing that I have a pretty active imagination!

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MoneyNing is all about becoming debt free, building wealth and demonstrating the effects of personal finance decisions. One reason I like David’s writing so much is that he approaches it from a great philosophy – “Life throws you unexpected challenges, but I promise the path to be fun, entertaining and informative.” David has also written a book called The Little Budget Travel Book.

In addition to MoneyNing, David also runs PFBuzz.com a personal finance social networking site and Investing-School.com which offers real lessons about investing.

MoneyNing.com also made my list of Top 20 Personal Finance Blogs.

Interview with MoneyNing.com

Briefly describe MoneyNing.com and what makes your site different than other personal finance blogs.

MoneyNing allows all of us to share our journey to be financially free. Unlike many other sites that try to tell you exactly what to do, I see mine as a buddy system where we can encourage each other by talking about our daily lives as it relates to our finances.

What do you enjoy most about owning/running a blog?

What I enjoy most about the blog is the reader interactions and the idea that I’m earning a living helping other people. Readers email me with questions all the time, and I’m very lucky in that I can relay that information on my site and have not only myself, but other readers provide feedback and suggestions.

When you launched MoneyNing, what were your expectations for the site and how have those been met or have they evolved?

To be honest, I had absolutely no expectations when I launched MoneyNing. I saw it as a good way to establish some accountability for my own finances, so the earlier articles were much more personal in nature. Eventually, I realized that what I write about is read by hundreds of thousands of people, and it was at that juncture that I started making sure I put enough emphasis on how responsible spending helped me, and can help others as well.

How has running a successful blog affected your life?

Having my online presence literally changed my life. I was in sales before so I was traveling all the time, not having enough sleep, not seeing my family while eating fast food everyday. Now, I work at home, my hours are flexible and I have a regular plan for my meals. One thing that hasn’t changed is the hours I put into work. People think it’s so relaxing to work at home and you can do anything you want, but it’s exactly the same as your career in that the more you put in, the more you get out. If anything, I work longer and harder now than ever before.

Within personal finances, what is your favorite topic to write about?

I like variety, so the “change” is actually what I love the most. I do however talk about my spending and frugal habits often, because frugality is what enabled me to have the courage to step out into the unknown to do this, which I love, full time. Without some level of confidence in my own ability to control expenses, both business and personal, I would never have the guts to take a crack at this full time.

From your experience, what would you say are the most common mistakes people make with their money?

The most common mistake people make with their money is not knowing how their actions affect their finances. It’s not wrong to buy a cup of coffee, nor is it to use a credit card because those are just personal choices. If you can afford it and doing so makes you happy, then go ahead. People get into trouble only because they repeatedly allow their ignorance drive their behavior.

Thanks for your time David!

Image by bdjsb7

Peroxide Mocha, the electro party duo, has released their 4th album of synthpop titled, Making Out With Strangers. While focused on relationships, the album tends toward observations about the dysfunctional ones. Other hot topics include cup size for women and Port Angeles, Washington – the town. No joke. Rachel and Pete bring a fun yet quirky attitude to their music, which I’ve really enjoyed.

I’d like to thank both Pete and Rachel for chatting with me about their music.

Interview with Peroxide Mocha

How did you two meet and start making music?

Rachel: I got Pete’s number from a friend – I can’t remember specifically why I wanted it in the first place – I was in to calling strangers at the time. I called him and bugged him and somehow it came up in conversation that we had both always wanted to be in a band. We recorded our first song that very night over the phone. We were both 17 years old.

Pete: If somebody just called me up out of the blue like that today it would seem stalker-ish and weird, so its strange to think back that at 17 it seemed perfectly normal. Those were different times. I had been making lots of experimental music and just beginning to learn to put beats together to make songs. I didn’t really have any money so my equipment was a sampler that I programmed myself using Hypercard on my Mac, a copy of SoundEdit, a Casio SK-1, a turntable and a huge library of old 45′s that I liked sampling from. When Rachel told me she wanted to make music it seemed natural to just write things on the spot and record stuff using whatever we had laying around. I guess I was doing that a lot, forming bands and various recording projects with just whoever was around at the time. Rachel and I shared a similar sense of humor and aesthetic and it just kinda stuck!

What inspires your music?

Rachel: Something will catch our attention – not usually anything big or important – and we’ll make a rhyme out of it and laugh about it. 90% of the stuff we write will never see the light of day, but we’d like to think that 10% that does is pretty good, or at least amusing.

Pete: We definitely only write to amuse ourselves – we actually have a really good writing system down, it’s almost psychic, being able to complete each other’s thoughts. We write, write, write all the time, then go back later and pick the best stuff to record after it’s all stewed for a bit. I think we get inspired by everyday activities and interactions, things that people otherwise might not stop and think about.

From CDBaby:

Cult favorite boy/girl party pop duo return with their 4th album filled with witty observations about relationships disguised as floor-filling, booty-shaking break-up anthems.

What is the relationship with your fans like? Do you derive inspiration from those interactions?

Pete: I think since the initial fan base for our stuff was just our circle of friends, and kind of extended outward from there, Peroxide Mocha fans are kind of a big giant extended family. I have a word I made up called “Frand”, which is somebody who becomes your friend after starting out as a fan. One of our “Frands” made this really, scarily complete wiki about us once – I’m not even sure where he got his info. He has old lyrics and poems and things from our website 10 years ago – things even I’d forgotten about. Outside of that we have a couple of stalker weirdos who keep things interesting. Nobody’s dressed up as us for Halloween yet that I know of, which I’m kind of disappointed about.

Rachel: I’m always excited when I get to interact with a fan who wasn’t a friend first – because I know I’m about to make a new friend. Our fan base is really awesome and we like to make it as easy as possible for fans to interact with us if they want to. I always forget how much some people are paying attention – like what Pete said about the wiki. That was so cool because I’d honestly forgotten about quite a lot of the stuff that was covered. Our fans definitely keep us in check!

Is there a story behind your latest album – Making Out With Strangers? Does that happen a lot (making out with strangers)?

Rachel: Pete and I are both in long-term-relationships with awesome people, so our Stranger-Smooching days are pretty much firmly planted in the past. It used to happen all the time though. We’re very sexy.

Pete: We like to write a lot about imaginary relationships between people that are really, really, really complicated. I think a lot of these songs are about various facets of being in said complicated relationships, and how emotions can be be difficult to explain and even contradictory sometimes. Even if said relationships are imaginary, it makes the material a little more personal than anything we’ve done in the past. “Start The Fire” is kind of about codependency and dating somebody who is mentally ill. “Ghost Of A Chance” is about stalking. “Blow My Mind” is about complacency. I guess the title “Making Out With Strangers” evolved out of these concepts – a lot can happen in 30 seconds.

Were either of you in high school bands or did you pick up your musical talent elsewhere?

Pete: I don’t really have any formal music training if that’s what you’re asking. I learned how to DJ and beat match first and then taught myself how to make music after that.

Rachel: I was in several choirs and took voice lessons in high school, but I never was very good at anything with an instrument. I played violin & piano for a while in high school, but violin is hard and I don’t like piano music.

How has your musical style, or skills, progressed since you two began collaborating?

Pete: I think when we started off we really didn’t have any idea what we were doing musically, but we didn’t let that stop us because we had something to say. Our earlier recordings had a kind of lo-fi charm that a lot of our fans really enjoy, like it was more just about the attitude and the fun and not so much about everything sounding perfect. Now days I actually know how to use a sequencer and properly record things, so we’ve made an album that sounds really well produced. Whether or not that’s a good thing is up to our fans I guess.

Also I think in the past I didn’t really have a good grasp of how to handle Rachel’s vocals to get the most out of them, so in the past most vocals were spoken or rapped or our melodies were just really simple and kind of improv on the spot. We’ve got a handle on it now – I think people were surprised when they listened to “Making Out With Strangers” and heard Rachel’s “grown-up voice”, as one of our friends put it.

Rachel: We have really come a long way since we first started. In the beginning, the vocals came before the music – which was really difficult for both of us. Eventually we figured out that it was a whole lot easier to come up with a beat and a basic melody first, which resulted in a lot cleaner sound. The end result is we sound a lot more professional, and less like two kids with a $2 microphone – but we’re still singing about the same thing we always have been.

Today, I’m pleased to introduce to you David from MyTwoDollars.com, which is a personal finance blog. David writes about his experience in getting out of debt, managing money, saving and investing. David says he launched the site, “after finding my way back from the brink…overloaded with debt, getting married, and changing careers…and decided to throw in the knowledge I have learned over the last few years.”

Personal Finance Blogger David from My Two Dollars

For those who are new, who are you and what is My Two Dollars all about?

My name is David, and after 12 years working in corporate America, I struck out on my own as a writer and web designer. It’s been almost 4 years of working for myself, and since there is food on my table, I have to say it’s been a success! My Two Dollars is kind of my take on the personal finance world – you won’t necessarily find investment advice or ways to get rich – but rather, a systematic, rational way of living a life free of debt and within your means. I hope my experience of being in debt, getting out of debt, and living a reasonable life encourages others to do the same.

Why did you decide to leave corporate America and become an entrepreneur?

I was burnt out, plain and simple. I was tired of going to work for someone else, sticking to their schedule, and earning them money and only getting a % of it. So one day I up and quit my job without a backup plan – not the smartest move, but one I think forced me into action.

What 3-5 posts from your blog would you consider essential reading for helping people get their finances under control?

I would suggest the following posts:

• You Cannot Buy Your Way To Happiness
• Paying Off Debt and Saving Money Can Be Done At The Same Time
• Things You Own End Up Owning You
• Cut Spending By Looking At Hours Of Work Put In To Pay For Stuff

What, if any, role do you think schools should play in educating young Americans about responsible financial management?

Personal finance needs to be taught in school, period. If it was, I bet less college students would graduate with credit card debt and young adults would be a little more responsible with their money. Most parents, to be honest, do not have a solid grip on personal finance, so having a qualified professional teach the basics in school could go a long way to help out.

What role has your blog played in managing your finances? Do you feel more accountable?

It does make me more accountable, sure, but even more than that it keeps me honest with myself. I wouldn’t feel comfortable writing about one thing and doing another, so I try to be as open as I can be on the site.

You’ve been blogging for a few years now, have you noticed any changes in website traffic or the types of questions asked (or anything else) since the economy started to tank?

Advertising revenue is definitely down, for sure. But I expect that to recover. However, traffic on subjects like “getting out of debt” or “saving money” or “how to find a job” is way up, which is no surprise given our economic situation.

Your blog is ranked very high, in the top 20, among personal finance blogs. Have you been surprised that MTD has become so popular?

Yea, I am surprised – but that just tells me that there are people out there who really need advice and guidance on finding their own positive relationship with money. Not everyone is into being rich or having the best “stuff” or talking about where to invest money…some just want to live a comfortable life doing what they love. I feel MTD has found that niche and filled it nicely.

What personal finance blogs do you enjoy reading?

That’s a tough one because there are certainly many. To name a few, I enjoy reading Cash Money Life, Five Cent Nickel, Being Frugal, and Lazy Man & Money because they have a solid, personal voice behind the “screen”. Too many sites make you feel like you are reading text written by a robot, so I appreciate the personal touches and stories. It keeps things interesting.

David, thank you for your time!

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