What's on topic?

[Matt]

So I like the idea of this off-topic area, but wondered really what is on or off topic? After all, what is the topic we are discussing on this forum?

I ask because I was thinking to start up a new section, I wanted to set up a DIY forum, things you do to save money, and perhaps a counter forum to that for things that you would rather pay money for than DIY to save time....

Is that off topic? Help!

 

[sriki]

Yeah, that can be off-topic. It would be a welcome addition, probably slow initially but depending on our member's interest, it could be spark some discussions or ideas.

 

[Matt]

Won't be that slow.. When I get my new house I won't be traveling, I'll be building

 

[Annie H.]

This?

 

[Annie H.]

 

[PatPat]

I wanted to set up a DIY forum, things you do to save money, and perhaps a counter forum to that for things that you would rather pay money for than DIY to save time....

I like all of these ideas. The most active forums here relate to the miles/points game, but what spurred, and what made me discover and become interested in the hobby, was investing time into educating myself about personal finance. Through my pursuit of self-education, I found Saverocity, GetRichSlowly, Mr. Money Moustache, etc. And THEN, I found out about travel hacking with credit cards. Without knowing how to handle my finances, I wouldn't dare bother with credit cards or care about churning or MSing.

I am in total support of other forums that help us save money in other formats and how to make a dollar go further.

Off-topic stuff that comes to mind are things unrelated to personal finance like sports, music, and simple socializing; however, I'm not sure if off-topic means other Saverocity-type topics that cannot be categorized with the forums we currently have.

 

[Haley]

Those sound more like threads or a few threads, than forum sections.

One way to manage that sort of thing (assuming the admin controls are like the admin panel I use) is to create threads and/or watch what is getting created, and then create sub forums once you hit some sort of metric. You then move the threads that caused you to see the need for a sub forum into it. This way you never have an empty area.

If you changed the name of this area from "off-topic" to "everything else" it might make it easier to decide where things belong.

A few more that come to mind:
Things you are willing to pay more for vs the things you are not?
Where do you draw the diminishing rewards line?