2008 was a big year for us here at the NtJS ranch. We saw the birth of our second daughter as well as the birth of this blog - both had their ups and downs. We experienced adversity and extravagance. Most of all, we shared a bit of our lives with, well... more of you than we expected - which is pretty cool. Some posts did well, and some really well. Some were barely noticed. Below, you'll find a bit of each - our posts with the most hits, our posts that got lost in the ether, and our overall favorites.

Cheers to all, and we'll see you on the flip-side.

Top Traffic Earners for 2008

1. Re-Use It! T-Shirt Bags [Very popular with the Stumble crowd, more hits than the main page]
2. Re-Use It! Rice Packs [Damn that Mrs. and her Re-Use It! posts, she got the top two spots!]
3. Dumpster Diving Etiquette [MSN Moneyblog and Stumble love]
4. How To: Build a Low-Cost Rain Barrel [Instructions that don't suck, for building a barrel that doesn't suck]
5. Lunch Out VS. The Brown Bag [Not hatin' on eating out, just sayin' ...]
6. How To: Water Your Garden For Free [Who wouldn't?!]
7. Review: FreshAire Choice No-VOC Paint [Totally unbiased, see how it faired]
8. Rainwater Collection Roundup [Can't go wrong with rainwater]
9. A Dirty, Frugal Job: Cloth Diapering [Everything you ever wanted to know, and some that you didn't]
10. Our Cash Envelope System [Not nearly as difficult as some make it out to be]

Top Traffic Evaders for 2008

1. The HDTV Challenge [You'd never heard of this blog when this one posted]
2. So What's It Really Worth [A noble idea, short on material and readers]
3. Buying the Presidency [Seems that many were not quite as intrigued by presidential politics as I]
4. What Do You Think? [We asked about advertising, few of you responded, most don't care]
5. Show Your Colors [What is it that you don't like about our logo coffee mug?!]
6. Thrifty Christmas Part 11 [Yes, we did get to part 11, you didn't notice?]
7. The Price of Money is Up - WAY Up [You see, it costs money to make money and the materials and processes to do so is now out weighing the value of.... oh forget it]
8. A World Without Toys and Cloth Diapers [How did you miss this? Seriously, this is important]
9. The Outlaw Henry Paulson?! [Ahhhh, see I told you this guy was shifty, but you didn't read the article, so....]
10. The CR Money Paradox [Maybe I should have spelled out Consumer Reports in the title...]

Our Favorite Posts for 2008 (intentionally unordered)

• The Reluctant Spouse [Written by both of us, you really shouldn't miss this one]
• We're (Still) Debt-Free! [A long time ago, in a state far, far away, we got out of debt]
• Credit Reports, Credit Scores - What's the Difference? [No BS. No hearsay. This is it]
• Credit Cards Aren't Evil [There's a catch here....... wait for it...]
• Extravagantly Frugal: Friends in High Places [Fun to write, fun to read, and a tad controversial]
• Forget Dave, are YOU Bad at Math? [A little attitude adjustment]
• Patriot Pact [What can I say? I want US citizens to have jobs!]
  
• Teaching Kids to Live Green [This is a timeless post that I hope helps other families pass their values to the next generation.]
  
• Smartest Advise- Mrs. Turn [Did you think that I would not put my dad in my favorite list?]
• The Reluctant Spouse [This was the turning point in the Mr. and I's relationship. It really did take us to the next level. I hope that this post helps other couples get on the same page.]
• The Diaper Spreadsheet [I love this spreadsheet. There is nothing quite as fun as seeing how much money you have saved while keeping so many pollutants out of the environment (and your child).]
  
• How To: Garage Sale Shop Like a Pro [What can I say? I love garage sales! I think that I'm addicted the thrill of getting a great deal]