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OVER THE PAST SEVEN years, HumbleDollar has become my professional life’s passion. Cancer means I have maybe another year in me—and then it’ll be up to you. My hope: The site will have a life beyond me.
On the site’s homepage, just below the latest articles, you’ll find a new feature dubbed Forum. Will HumbleDollar have a lively future, rather than fading into a dusty collection of old articles? That all depends on whether readers and writers embrace the Forum, and start initiating discussions and responding to others’ posts.
As I envisage it, the Forum offers folks a chance to recount their recent financial experiences, describe their money journey, ask questions and post observations about the financial world. Found a great place to buy certificates of deposit? Upset about the latest change at Vanguard Group? Trying to figure out how to minimize your Medicare premiums? Got an interesting strategy for generating retirement income? I’m sure other readers would love to hear more and, in return, share their wisdom. To start a new discussion thread, head here.
The Forum will, I hope, be more than your run-of-the-mill online discussion board, for three reasons. First, HumbleDollar has a reputation for civil discourse, avoiding the nastiness and tiresome political posturing found elsewhere. This is a rarity these days—and, I believe, helps explain why the site’s readers are so loyal and engaged.
Second, thanks to both the writers and commenters, the site has become a place where folks talk honestly about money. Instead of hollow boasts about purportedly great investment performance and supposedly smart financial moves, readers regularly use the comments section to talk about their financial mistakes and struggles.
Finally, as I step back from the site to focus on my health, I believe the Forum could become the vehicle for folks to continue posting longer articles. Those articles won’t be edited by me, but I suspect readers will still find them valuable. Indeed, earlier this week, I emailed regular writers for the site—both past and present—encouraging them to post longer articles in the Forum.
You’ll already find a healthy number of discussion threads within the Forum. The reason: I had HumbleDollar’s ever-diligent web developer transfer the old Voices questions into the new section. With the Forum now launched, the Voices section has disappeared from the site.
What about the site’s regular articles, which for now I’ll continue to edit, with help from my deputy, Greg Spears? Next month, instead of a dozen articles and two weekly newsletters, the site will be cutting back to four or five articles a week and just one weekly newsletter. My hope is to keep up that publication schedule through at least February 2025.
Observant readers might have noticed one other modest change to the site. On the homepage, under the “Get Educated” banner, there’s a slew of short items dubbed Act, Think, Truth and Manifesto, as well as previews of sections from the site’s money guide. I’d long been planning an additional feature known as Humans, and my diagnosis has spurred me to get that wrapped up. I’m in the midst of writing and loading into the publishing system 75 of these short pieces, which describe our various financial foibles.
But the big change is the Forum. So, what are you waiting for? Please check out what’s been posted, and perhaps add a comment or even launch a new discussion thread. To post, you’ll first need to register to comment, if you haven’t already. Go here to find out how.
Jonathan Clements is the founder and editor of HumbleDollar. Follow him on X @ClementsMoney and on Facebook, and check out his earlier articles.
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Jonathan, I am a fairly new reader of your wonderful newsletter and I was so sad to read about your health problems, others have said it much more eloquently than I ever could but I just wanted to say thank you and wishing you and your family peace and strength over the coming months. Very best wishes.
Jonathan, all I can do is echo the multitude of comments that have been shared by so many. Yes, I too started reading you back in the 90’s, in your WSJ days. In fact I recall emailing you (which you graciously replied to) when you were leaving that gig, just to express my appreciation for all that you had done to improve my financial knowledge/life – even at that early point. Obviously your contributions through HD have only added to that, as I currently find myself in a glorious state of both financial security and retirement bliss.
And now you have again passed on more wisdom and influence – unfortunately under terrible circumstances – that will also undoubtedly prove to be very significant and long-lasting: greatly reinforcing what was already a very strong appreciation for where I am in life, and for all that I have. Thank you, Sir. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you as you fight the good fight.
Jonathan I enjoyed your columns in the WSJ for years and found Humbledollar after seeing a story abut your latest book, which I bought. As someone who quietly became the millionaire next door I always am fascinated by people’s financial stories. That is what I like about your site. I never posted or commented on anything but I agree with you that to keep this site going it will help to have people like me who are on the sidelines to occasi