The Credit Writedowns fundraiser begins today

Happy Monday!

Today in this last week before Thanksgiving, we are launching our fundraiser to help pay for this site’s maintenance. I have had the distinct pleasure of funding this site out of pocket for the last three years. I am asking you today to help me keep it going as a free site, welcome to all who are interested in what’s going on in the markets and the economy.

One key lesson I think we have all learned over the past three and a half years since Credit Writedowns began as “Ed’s Forum” is that global macro issues matter. For years, we had been told that all was not just well but better than ever before. We were supposed to be in a period of unprecedented economic nirvana brought on by the captains of industry and finance and the economic technocrats piloting our global economic ship. And we were all living our lives, doing our work, raising our children, and paying our bills when… bang, we got run over by a runaway freight train called the global economy.

So, global macro matters. And that’s why I write on this blog and I hope that’s why you keep coming back to see what we have in store for you. Here’s the thing; these are very serious issues – existential for some people, literally the thing that can decide if you have a job or not, whether your retirement plan is on track or underfunded, and whether or not you can live in peace and tranquility or in a permanent state of stress. So make no bones about it, this is sobering stuff. But, when I can, I try to take the edge off. I want you to feel like Credit Writedowns is a place you can go and feel comfortable, relieved and entertained.

Here’s what I am asking of you. Help make this a better site, a go-to destination for news and information about finance, markets and the economy. Me, I want everyone to participate in this effort. So beyond donating your money, I want you to donate time:

1. to tell us why you come to this site and what you expect to get out of it.
2. to tell us what works about our writing style and what doesn’t, what is clear and not so clear.
3. to comment on posts and add your voice to the growing Credit Writedowns community; we learn from that!
4. to inform us where and how you read our material and how we can make that an even more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

So this is not just about a fundraiser; it’s about bringing this site to the next level. I want our audience to grow. So, the first thing I would like you all to do is to spread the word on Twitter, Google, Facebook, email, where ever. More and more, this site depends on viral traffic that we get through social media.

Beyond that, this site needs some serious work on it. i think we need a better and faster server, a web designer (especially for mobile), dedicated site troubleshooters and a new mobile web app. Those are some of my thoughts on how to make things better, based on suggestions you all provided us with over the last week or so. First and foremost, of course, that means giving not just your time but some money as well to help pay for this.

We now have a donate button in the upper right hand corner of the site for you to donate to the site via PayPal using your credit card or PayPal account. The default amount is $100. But, I don’t care what amount you give or whether it’s over a few months or just once as long as you do. It’s kind of like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City where they have a ‘suggested’ donation amount to enter the museum. I know some of you are cash-strapped, students or just have taken a big financial setback. If you can only make a small contribution, I totally understand and we appreciate that. Some of you cam make much bigger donations. Please do.

My goal is to get 100 donations over the next week. In fact, we are already getting there. We got 15 donations last week before we even started the fundraiser! Wow. Thank you. Let me say this: If you decide to donate or have already donated, I’ll make a deal with you, you will get 30% of the retail price of the newsletter I will be launching soon and count any donation you have made to our site toward that subscription price. I haven’t finalised pricing,timing, or format on this newsletter, but it is coming soon and will be a mixed web, email format based on feedback to date.

Anyway, that’s my piece. I wish you all the best and I look forward to your donations, comments, and suggestions.

Yours,

Edward

P.S. – if you want to ping me in private, my e-mail address is Write an E-Mail. I especially want your thoughts on the newsletter. Cheers.