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Oh my goodness! I have 587 subscribers and my last video had 4.1K views in a day!!!!! 😱 It's rather overwhelming and very unexpected. It seems to have appealed to a lot of people.
As much as I really love watching American frugal channels, I always feel we don't get the same level of deals and coupons here in the UK. I also watch a lot of shopping and batch cooking videos but their target audience is feeding your family on a budget. And since I retired I've watched retirement videos too.
There aren't many UK channels about older women living on their own, on a budget (by choice) and enjoying it!! I think I've found a gap in the market! Mean Queen springs to mind and I've found a couple more but haven't watched many of their videos yet.
I have a new found respect for YouTubers. It clearly takes A LOT of time to put together their videos. Yesterday I tried to photograph and film some of the prepping and cooking of the veg box contents. I have tons of footage and photos and that took the best part of a day. But I quickly came to realise that even a 5 min video clip takes up to an hour to upload on Clip Champ. It's the free editing software on my laptop. It has a paid upgrade option which I suspect is much quicker but I really don't want to pay (atm) to make videos. And I don't want to be tied to my laptop all day either!
Roast butternut squash and apple soup
I thought it would be a good idea to show everything I made from the £1.76 shopping trip (and a few folk thought so too) but it's going to take me hours and hours of uploading and editing. So I've come up with a quicker video idea of a week's meal plan showing what 'could' be made with the contents plus a few storecupboard essentials. I'm hoping that with editing in a few photos (they upload really quickly) it will still be a useful video. What do you think?
Huge big thank you to everyone who has subscribed and commented on my videos. I haven't promoted them or even told my friends and family about them yet. So it's all down to you guys kickstarting the process that seems to be getting them noticed! I never thought much would come of it so wasn't prepared. I really need to work out a way that I can keep blogging (not giving up on the blog!!) and making videos that are useful and still getting on with my life of doing up this house and garden on a teeny budget!! 😊
I'm really pleased for you Ali that your new venture is doing well. Please continue blogging though, I've noticed that some Youtubers give up their blogs . I would very much miss your posts.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Don't worry I won't be giving up my blog! :-) xxx
DeleteHi Ali,
ReplyDeleteyou seem to have struck a chord with so many of us. There aren't many retired uk frugal bloggers of our age , (I'm 63 )
It's right what you say about not getting so many deals and coupons as our US counterparts. I know a lot of those sites are now saying that the coupons, deals etc are not as good or as plenty as they used to be or are for junk food .
We bought our house in Kilmarnock in February, only moving up her e because of family needs. My salary was going to pay the mortgage off in 5 years. We took out a very small mortgage but it's still a debt.Our jobs allowed us to move from Birmingham and still work from home.
At the end of March, 3 days after we moved in, our employer pulled the plug on that arrangement, not just for us but for all their homeworkers.
We can just about live on my husbands salary. It covers the bills and not much else. My very small pension has to do the rest . Sometimes there's more month than money. I've learned to squeeze every penny until it screams since I got divorced in 1991 (remarried in 2020) but there's always more to learn.
Keep up the good work, Sorry for waffling on.
I'll be following your blog and You tube with interest
Thanks, I love reading long comments. I'm from Kilmarnock and still have close family there so visit often. I know what you mean about squeezing the pennies. Without the buffer of savings any more I'm watching each one very carefully!! :-) xxx
DeleteSmall world. I love Killie! I'm looking for part time work although the jobcentre insist thvat I look for full time work. I ha
ReplyDeleteoops. I have some health issues and just can't work full time. At the moment I'm selling everything that's not nailed down on Marketplace, Vinted or Fleabay and doing Repairs and alterations for folk. We'll get there.
ReplyDeleteHopefully something part time will come up soon :-) xxx
DeleteWell done. Clear and concise video, unlike my waffle, ha ha. Yes, it does take a lot of time to put it all together, but I cut that down by not editing my videos. Have you see Frugal Queen in France? All things money saving.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I have a new found appreciation for all the work Jane and Mike do on Frugal Queen, they're so professional! Maybe I should try and do videos that need less editing but I'd need to be more organised and plan what I'm going to say in advance! LOL!! :-) xxx
DeleteI enjoy your waffle @Meanqueen. You are honest and straight speaking. I used to enjoy Frugal Queen but over the years have found her becoming more "do as I say, not as I do". She speaks of frugality and their lifestyle but has never answered people when they ask if they are renting out their UK home, did they sell it, how much of their inheritance went into their new life in France. Over the years other bloggers have fell out with her and there is just something off in her narrative. I've given up watching her.
DeleteAli, it was a good watch and like with everything it will get easier and smoother.
FQ used to be a school teacher so she often reverts back to that role. A lot of yoootooobers start off sharing information in a simplistic way. Then as the numbers build up they become more polished when they realise they could be making a lot of money from it. If you start with one idea, like money saving, then you may find that your readers only want videos about that, so you are stuck with it. It then becomes a job, and you run out of steam and regurgitate old videos with a new slant to them. People still expect me to lay out my shopping in the kitchen to show what I have bought. I have moved on and like to cover a range of subjects. I can do what I like because my channel is a hobby, not a job.
DeleteI think mixing in photos, as you suggested, perhaps along with the 'here's one I made earlier' shortcut of tv cooks would free up a lot of time for you to do other things with your day.
ReplyDeleteI love a good old-fashioned coupon much more than the carry everything around on your phone version, but I do wish Boots would keep theirs simple. Every time I get a book of them I think that it needs someone with a PHD in Mathematics to work out which combination best suits any possible spending I might do!
I gave up on the Boots one ages ago. My DIL uses it and every now and then she'll ask me if need something that's on offer. Yep I think doing the 'here's one I made earlier' will make life simpler. I'm not a chef showing folks how to make something, there are other better channels that can do that! :-) xxx
DeleteYou have made a great start on the videos. If you haven't seen their videos than you might want to check out Karen at Prime of Midlife (semi-retired and lives in Scotland) the other one I watch is Be Free Be Frugal - English retired woman. I enjoy both of them for different reasons. Good luck with your efforts.
ReplyDeleteYes I follow Karen, she actually lives near me. Her focus is more on prepping. Don't know Be Free Be Frugal but will go check her out. Thanks! :-) xxx
DeleteThe videos are coming along fantastically well, and your viewing figures are impressive. I think there is a definite gap in the market for what you are doing, keeping it clear and concise with no long rambles straight to camera is always appreciated if you read comments on other YouTubers channels. I think you are filling the little gap left by Frugal Jo, who is greatly missed.
ReplyDeleteKeep a note of your video titles and see which ones garner the most views, a good snappy 'frugal' title along with a neat thumbnail will draw even more people in. You could also try just filming yourself cooking from a couple of different angles and then do the voiceover later, this means that the film will be pretty unbroken and will load a bit quicker.
I think Jane and Mike's channel is great, although you have to remember that they share all the work between them and that cuts down on the time it takes to make, produce and publish the finished videos. You could steal an idea from them and always include a little clip of Luna at the end, this gets people watching right up to the end and helps your YouTube algorithm.
Gosh, sorry that went on a bit!!
DeleteThanks! I miss Fugal Jo, she was so sensible! My £1.76 video has had 11K views in 3 days, it's just crazy!! So I know there is a need for budget shopping and menu planning. I did wonder if putting Luna in at the end was cheeky of me copying them. Who knows how the YouTube algorithm works?? :-) xxx
DeleteGood idea to bring doggie into it now and again. I watch caravan and camping Andrew, and he always brings his two, Dougal and Ted, in at the end to give them a cuddle. If you watch Neil Oliver. He records at home and you often get a glimpse of his two hairy monsters in the background.
DeleteHi
ReplyDeleteDon’t often comment, but have enjoyed your blog for a number of years now. The videos are great too. Not sure how often you’re uploading a video, but many if the ones I follow seem to do a weekly video. Maybe best not to feel pressurised to do too many too often?
Karen S
Aww thanks. I don't have a plan at all, it's all blown up so quickly in just 10 days!!! But I think I need to work out one now :-) xxx
DeleteIt’ll be interesting however you progress Ali! Glad it’s started off so well.
ReplyDeleteLaura in France
Thanks! It's all a bit unexpected :-) xxx
Delete