Back in 2009, I had one resolution: start a blog. I loved to write and I was eager to share my newfound knowledge of saving money using coupons with others. Completely green to the world of blogging, I headed to the library and returned with a small armful of books on the subject (of course these days, Google and YouTube would suffice for most things!) I had absolutely no idea about the adventure I was about to embark on, the people I was about to meet, the places I was going to go. What started as a small side hobby turned into a small business!

However, I’ve been sensing for awhile now that this chapter is drawing to a close. I’ve been feeling tugged that there’s something else, something next for me. In order to step into whatever that may be, I needed to say goodbye here first. Please understand that while I know in my heart I need to move on, it’s not been without a lot of emotion! This blog has meant everything to me. It’s enabled me to stay home and watch my kids (who you’ve watched grow up!). It’s been a fantastic outlet for my writing. I’ve learned to find my wings as an entrepreneur. I’ve had fun excuses to go to Costco, write about sales at Fred Meyer, and visit places like New York. All told, I personally published over 12,000 posts during my time here at The Coupon Project. (Can you believe that?!)

Thank you!

It feels most appropriate to say thank you, and there a lot of folks I owe my sincerest of thanks to! First, thank you, dear readers. Thank you for reading this blog, sharing the posts, leaving comments, sharing deals you like on social media, or dropping me an email. When it comes to the web, sometimes it’s hard to remember that there is an actual, real live person behind the screen. That person has been me, and I’ve read every comment, every email. You’ll never know how much it’s meant to me to see a comment left about how a deal helped save your family money.

Thank you to all the people who have ever contributed posts or assisted me with posts on the blog – Mike, Tricia, Lori, Rachelle, Abby, Alix, Kelly, Keri, Shawn, Dawnie, Eric, Brandon (I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting!) – thank you. I’d like to thank Nina for her contagious optimism and knack for finding deals people love (I mean, how would you survive the busy week without her Olive Garden takeout deal?) and her enthusiasm for growing the Instagram account.

Of course, my biggest, heartfelt thanks to Laura (I’m tearing up just thinking about this!). Laura has been my right hand gal for over 5 years, and I don’t know what I ever did to deserve her help! Even just yesterday as I found myself overwhelmed, she dropped what she was doing to help make sure we had posts up at the site. Laura’s always been there to help me brainstorm content ideas, update posts, find new deals and of course – manage the Subscribe & Save post!

Finally, thank you to my wonderful family. My husband has been my biggest fan and supporter from day one, often believing in me when I didn’t believe in me. (He frequently tells me, “Don’t worry about it, Ang!”). And my sweet kids have been such troopers. They will no doubt have very unusual childhood memories of Mom dragging them to the store, coming home and spreading out groceries on the hallway floor to photograph for the blog before putting them in the pantry!

What’s next?

You need to know that while I’m saying goodbye, the site is not. In fact, I believe it’s about to enter a very new, exciting growth phase.

Effective today, I’ve handed the keys over. The new owner has fantastic plans for growing the site and expanding the content. I will absolutely be continuing to follow the growth and progress of the site and am hopeful for many good things to come. (And hey, I still love a good deal so I will be here for that, too!)

While it’s sad to say goodbye, handing the keys to an owner that has such a great vision and is more than capable has made things much easier for me. I sincerely wish the new owner and The Coupon Project team all the success in the world. May it be a blessing to you as it has been for me!

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Last week, I spent some time going through all the posts on the blog. (It took several days, because there are many!) I came across posts I’d forgotten I’d even written, like the time the neighbor’s pigeon roosted in our garden or why I actually enjoy going to the laundromat. It occurred to me that what I was doing was walking through the house one last time, pausing to remember the memories made in each room as I passed through. And now I’m downstairs, and my suitcase is at the front hallway, friends. I take a deep breath, grateful for what these last 10 years have meant for me … and close the door.