Changes…

I hate change. I am officially not tolerant of ambiguity. I’d rather watch movies I’ve already seen, re-read favourite books than crack open a new one, and order the same dish at a local restaurant. However, I’ve learned over the last few years that change is not only to be expected; it is constant.

So I’m coping, probably better than expected. And although I really haven’t learned to welcome change, I am certainly embracing it on a weekly, daily, and sometimes hourly basis (those are usually bad days).

When I started Listen to Lena!, it was simply a central place to post some sales that I thought my girlfriends would be interested in. The deals were specific to the likes and consumption patterns of the circle, and generally featured makeup, fashion, and some parenting deals.

Then, through word of mouth, the blog grew in readership (nice). All of a sudden I had readers e-mailing me with tips, questions, and praise for my efforts. It was gravy, and I pushed to publish more deals, established a review component, and pretty soon, a giveaway feature as well. And that’s how things have been for the past year or so.

Well, a lot has happened in the past year. And without going into the details of my daily responsibilities (Google “Mom” and you’ll figure it out) I’ve decided that I need to relax some aspects of my blogging life so that I can find more time for myself. On the chopping block? Daily deals.

Now I’m not abandoning this aspect totally, because as a frugal mama, I live for the sales, coupons and freebies. But I’m reverting back to the original Listen to Lena! format, which includes posting only those deals that I wanna chat about; the sales that make me want to write a story. How I love writing stories! So here’s fair warning: going forward, you’ll see far fewer deals and more personal entries for the ones that I do showcase.

Does that mean you won’t get your daily fix of sales? No way. I’ve been sourcing out websites over the past few weeks that I feel comfortable referring my readers to. Of course you’ve probably heard of Red Flag Deals and Smart Canucks, and while they’re a valuable resource for deals, the layout can be very busy. So unless you’ve been waiting for a sale on Raid Ant Traps (and have a coupon for it that would make it $0.39!) it’s not always pleasing to navigate through them.

Then I came across Canadian Daily Deals, an awesome new blog that takes the best deals and dishes them out in an uncomplicated, simple to read format. A bonus? The author, Justine, posts the kind of sales that interest me and talk to the shopping habits of many of my readers. I’ve been following her for a few weeks, and noticed that her sales are posted before RFD and SC get a hold of them – which makes me confident that she’s got the scoop on how to save you money! And, be sure to tune in throughout the day, as she updates her blog as the deals roll in.

So once again, this isn’t the end of Listen to Lena!, nor will I cease to post some of the hottest deals. But you will see changes – a different direction if you will – and I’m taking it back to Blogging 101. You’ll see more personal accounts, reviews, random rants, tips for saving money, etc. You know, more reasons to Listen to Lena.

In my next post, I’ll introduce you to Justine and Canadian Daily Deals. In the meantime, why not link over to her site – today she’s already posted some pretty sweet deals!

Click here to visit Canadian Daily Deals.

p.s. Show here some love by following her!