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My heart is just sick that this happened today.
A few hours ago I was working on PPP and went to grab coffee down the street with a blogger friend of mine ~ we literally walked away from our computers for all of 12 minutes.
As we walked down the road, I noticed my good friend & blog manager Jamie called twice ~ when I answered she quickly told me Passionate Penny Pincher had been been hacked, and was showing porn whenever anyone clicked anywhere on the site.
I was sick to my stomach and at a loss as to what I could do with only my phone in my hand.
Thankfully I have an amazing team of helpers on PPP and even though I wasn't there, they immediately contacted our hosting company to close down the page, quickly began fielding questions from readers as fast as they could type, and did all they could do to fix the issue until I could race back.
All I could think when I sat down five minutes later was that I was just sick that even my own team had seen the pictures they'd seen. (Y'all, we have one of the sweetest girls on our team who I just adore and almost feel like she's my own. Thankfully her spam blocker was on and none of the pictures came through, but the thought of her or anyone on our team seeing that mess along with the sweetest PPP readers and possibly even their kids if they were nearby just made my stomach sick.)
Here's the truth behind the picture you see online that you might not really know.
I never-ever-never planned to create a blog that would have over a million folks visiting each month, and sure never thought my safe little happy corner of the internet would get hacked with porn.
So today for a moment I considered just throwing in the towel.
I took a deep breath, ate one too many cookies for dinner, polished off the container of Brandless Nutella that I'm supposed to “unbox” on Facebook Live, and folded a load of laundry or two.
For the most part people were incredibly gracious as they sent in messages letting me know exactly what they'd seen on PPP, but the few not-so-happy-readers-who-don't-know-my-heart broke my heart a wee bit, because if they knew me at all they'd know I was more sick than they were about the whole mess.
(I mean really ~ there are days we'd love to share Victoria's Secret bra deals but I don't want to send you to the site because I think it's a wee bit too risqué ~ so this just about did me in today!)
Thankfully in almost nine years of blogging I've only had something like this happen one other time (thank heavens!), but things do happen sometimes on the internet that are simply beyond our control. Thanks for taking the time to keep up with PPP, for supporting PPP by clicking on and using our affiliate links, and for being my very greatest cheerleaders each day.
I'm so crazy thankful for you I can hardly stand it ~ I know there are precisely 500 million other blogs you could choose to visit each day. So the fact that you hang out here every once in awhile means more than you could ever know, and you're just a crazy gift to me each day.
Please know I'm so very sorry if you happened to see anything you should have missed ~ and that we're constantly watching to make sure that things like this don't happen.
Now, go watch some March Madness basketball, take a peek at this awesome Lowe's coupon ($50 off? Yes, please!), check out the HUGE list of Walmart deals this week, and don't miss this Sam's Club FREE MEMBERSHIP Groupon or crazy fun deal on Dick's Sporting Goods Polos & Pullovers too.
(And don't miss this Jane blouse tank deal too~ I just ordered it in ivory to wear under sweaters this Spring!)
Thank you again for being part of the PPP community. You're the one reason I didn't just quit it all today, and I sure do appreciate you!
Hugs from this side of the screen,
Laurie
P.S. Are you keeping up with our More Money in March Challenge? Here's my one HUGE HUGE HUGE TIP TODAY~ I promise it's a game changer and will save you SO MUCH MONEY if you'll commit for the rest of this month to this!
I’m so very sorry this happened to you. I found you about a year ago and have enjoyed every single live !! I’m so grateful you didn’t throw in the towel!! I love all of your ideas and I’m learning so much form y’all !! You and your team bless us every week and I’m very thankful to have found the PPP team !! Many blessings to all of you. Sending love kathie
SO sorry this happened!!! Sadly, with technology so advanced–it is just beyond our control…and even more upsetting, that it can happen in just less than a few minutes…everyone that has followed you for even a week, KNOWS, that is NOT you–or anything that PPP stands for….I believe that is WHY PPP is so BLESSED….you would have absolutely crushed all of your followers if you happened to throw in the towel…we come here for more than just deals….because you are just another great mom, wife, lady …like everyone else here….
Laurie, This can happen to anyone unfortunately , it is a sick and sad world sometimes, but people like you and what you do makes up for that! I will never leave! God bless you always, and please don’t let this discourage you, but I do understand what you must have gone thru! Will say a prayer for you and your people!
Laurie-you are a complete joy to watch and bring fun to the side of saving bucks in households daily. It is so evident how much you care about what you do and it’s a shame people think it’s okay to knock you down despite the initial breech. I’m so glad you took some moments to take a breath and decide to keep things going. I love all you and your team do here. You’re without question a gift to us here and we will stay as long as you keep it going. Hugs mama!!
We have things that happen that are beyond our control every day. I am glad that you and your team handled it quickly and with the love and care that you handle everything. I check in with you all every day on FB, Blog, IG..ect. I can tell you that your advice, printables, budget help, and everything you do is of great help to me. Especially Crocktober! You and your team are an inspiration to this Mom of 6 and I could totally see us as being great friends if we were neighbors! Keep up the great work and I will keep checking in every day to see what’s new. Have a blessed day, see you tomorrow!
I saw a post that someone put up saying “they were disappointed in this site” and I thought to myself what on earth is going on? See I have been a follower for years and I know the people on here running this site love The Lord so they must have the wrong site or something. You all live a life that when something like this happens true followers know it was not you. I am sorry it happened and thank you for not letting evil win. Keep fighting the good fight PPP team!
We appreciate you all ( the whole PPP team) so much. You all are a crazy gift to all of us too. Hate that this happened today.
You can’t be accountable for the awful things people do . I am so addicted to your site . You have helped me cope with having to take over finances after my hubby suffered a stroke . He took care of everything and I lived in panic mode but slowly gaining confidence by not spending , learning how to save by using menu planning, freezer meals and crockpot dinners. Now I’m so thrilled with my new financial binder and keeping track of our money . You literally brought peace back into my life . My husband even enjoys all your recipes and tips . Thank you Laurie from the bottom of my heart for what you bring to us
Oh Deb – thank you for your kind words! You totally made my night and I’m so glad PPP has been a blessing for your family. Hugs!
Stuff happens each and everyday. .my son in law was hacked by someone last week…it’s not what happens to us that defines us…it’s what you do after it happens. .so head held high..chin up…take a knee and say a few prayers it could have been a lot worse..hugs
Thank you Roxann for your kind words – that means so much to me!
Please don’t throw in the towel because some jerkfaces are stupid and ugly! YOU didn’t create this mess – they did! Many, many people come to your website for your gentle humor and great stories. Please don’t give up, because then the IDIOTS who did this will win! Don’t let the bad guys win! Just glad you are still with us!
Aw – thank you Kimberly! I needed that reminder and am so thankful for you!
Laurie,
I’m so sorry that happened. You are the sweetest, loveliest person. People come to PPP for you! Please don’t ever let evil win and derail the gifts you are meant to share! Tomorrow will be a better day! ❤️
Terri
Thank you Terri – you are the kindest and I appreciate your sweet words so much. Hugs!
I am so thankful you didn’t throw in the towel! You are such a blessing to so many people & I’m so glad I found you several years ago. I did see some not very nice things on facebook about the situation before I knew what happen & my heart ached for you, not only about what happened but how they responded. I’m so sorry. Thank you for all you & your team does sending hugs & love
Thank you Karen for understanding – I know some folks don’t know how all of the behind the scenes stuff works ~ I’m so thankful to have such a large group of cheerleaders on PPP’s side though each day! Thanks so much for being such an encouragement to me!
I’m so glad that discouragement didn’t win! I really appreciate your wisdom, creativity, and kind spirit. Thanks for all that you do.
Thank you Carrie – that means so much to me!!! Hugs!
I’m so sorry this happened. It hurt my heart just reading this post. I have been following PPP for almost a year now and I can’t tell you how thankful I am for you, your team, and this blog/fb lives!!! I know that you and this site is safe and I don’t ever have to be concerned about seeing anything inappropriate. Please be encouraged to stand strong against things like this in God’s strength! Much love
Thank you so much for your sweet words Kendra – goodness that means so much to me! I feel so incredibly blessed to have the sweetest readers ever!
Laurie, sometimes things like this happen, and I certainly didn’t feel it was your fault! I am also glad you didn’t quit because I enjoy your Lives so much. I am an Alabama girl myself and wish you were still here–I think I would love to have a tea break on the porch with you! Hugs, Sabrina
Thank you so much Sabrina – I love that you’re an Alabama girl too! Goodness, a cup of tea sounds just lovely right now ~ one of these days we need a PPP front porch meeting somewhere! 🙂
I am so sorry. Thank you for being so gracious about it. God bless you!
Hugs Dina – thank you for your sweet words, goodness I’m so thankful for you!
I’m so sorry this happened to you guys. I know how you are and how this made you feel. I don’t know why these hackers do what they do. They need to get a life. Glad you didn’t throw in the towel. ❤️
Thank you so much Alice – it’s crazy what goes on out there but so very thankful it was fixed quickly! Thanks so much for reading PPP!
Laurie if anybody who follows you didn’t realize there was something going on they shouldn’t be following you. Give yourself some grace, this was out of your control ~ some sick person thought it would be funny. I for one love everything about PPP and everything you do. I don’t know you personally but I’m a good judge of character and the way you present yourself I know you are a good decent woman who’s everything is her kids and hubby. Laugh about it with hubby tonight and move on, tomorrow is a new beginning.
Thank you Diane – I’m so thankful that folks see the heart behind the site! Thanks so much for taking the time to read PPP – I’m so blessed by you!
I’m so sorry that this has happened to our community of groups. I enjoy going through the post every day and learn lots of new ways to make nd clean things. So please know I know that these groups nd people mean so much to you. God bless nd many prayers to you and your family.
Thank you so much Nannette – that means so much to me! We love sharing here and even days like today are still worth it ~ thank you for being a part of the PPP community!
I’m sorry there are sick people out there who think sharing their sickness is funny. They need to get a reality check and join the human race. And I am also sorry to hear that any of your followers would ever think you had any control over hackers. Must be in their perfect bubble they have never been subjected to the seedier side of life for which they have no control of.
Laurie, give yourself some slack and take comfort knowing you have reached numerous people with your helpful hints and life changing ideas. I’m glad you have such a great team who took action immediately.
God bless you; He knows.
Thank you so much Nancy! I am so incredibly thankful for an amazing team and know there wasn’t much more we could do (they were totally on top of it!) Thanks for your kind words and grace – I’m so blessed by you!
Laurie and the PPP team,
Let me tell you how disappointed I would have been had you decided to throw in the towel. I have gotten many valuable tips from this site and would hate to see you give everything that you have built because some jerk on the internet has nothing better to do with their time.
Over the last couple months I have been hit with several hefty bills that were unplanned but needed to be paid but some of the tips I have gotten here has made the financial part a little easier.
So you ladies keep up the good work and those of us that have come to know you a little through this blog are behind you.
Thank you so much for your kind words Corinna – goodness, that means so much to me! I’m so glad you take the time to hang out on PPP, and thankful we can help make life just a tiny bit easier for you. Hugs!