A little transparency, because you deserve to know how this blog works.
Welcome to SOK, where I share the things I’m making, trying, learning, buying, loving, questioning, and occasionally wondering why I thought that was a good idea in the first place.
Sometimes the things I share can make me a little money. I believe in being upfront about that, because I want you to know when there’s a financial relationship behind a recommendation.
Affiliate Links
Some posts on SOK contain affiliate links.
That means if you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission from the sale at no additional cost to you.
Affiliate programs help support SOK and allow me to keep creating tutorials, project inspiration, reviews, recommendations, and the occasional questionable crafting decision.
When a post contains affiliate links, I will disclose that relationship clearly within the post, generally near the beginning of the content and/or near the relevant links.
A link being an affiliate link does not mean I recommend something simply because I can earn a commission from it. I only share products, services, or resources that I believe may genuinely be useful or interesting to my readers.
And if I don’t like something? I’m perfectly capable of saying so.
Sponsored Content & Brand Partnerships
From time to time, I may work with a brand or company on sponsored content.
If I am paid, compensated, given a product or service, or otherwise have a material connection with a brand in connection with content I publish, I will disclose that relationship.
Sponsored content will be clearly identified as such.
Being compensated does not mean a brand gets to buy my opinion. My opinions are my own, and I will only share opinions and experiences that are honest and reflect my actual experience with the product or service.
If I haven’t personally used something, I won’t pretend that I have.
Products I Receive for Free
Occasionally, a company may provide me with a product to try or review.
A free product is still compensation of value, so I’ll disclose when a product was provided to me.
Receiving something for free does not guarantee a positive review. In fact, sometimes the most useful thing I can tell you is that something wasn’t worth your money.
Product Reviews
When I review a product, my goal is to give you my honest opinion based on my actual experience.
I don’t promise brands that I’ll give them a favorable review, and I don’t accept payment in exchange for a predetermined opinion.
Any material connection I have with the brand—such as receiving a product for free or being compensated for the review—will be disclosed.
I also won’t claim to have used or experienced something I haven’t actually used or experienced.
Advertising
SOK may display advertising provided by third-party advertising networks.
Those advertisements are separate from my editorial content. I don’t personally select every advertisement you may see, and the appearance of an advertisement does not necessarily mean that I endorse the product or company being advertised.
Your Purchase Is Your Decision
I do my best to provide accurate information and honest opinions, but ultimately, what you buy (or don’t buy) is up to you.
Prices, availability, product specifications, policies, and other details can change. Before making a purchase, please verify important information with the retailer or manufacturer.
What About Things I Recommend That Aren’t Affiliate Links?
Not everything I recommend is an affiliate link.
Sometimes I simply like something.
If I bought it myself, received no compensation, have no material connection to the company, and just happen to think it’s fantastic, I don’t need to pretend otherwise—or put a disclaimer on every mention of it.
The FTC does not require a disclosure simply because someone recommends a product they genuinely like when there is no material connection with the brand.
My Promise to You
I want SOK to be a place where you can find useful ideas without having to wonder what’s really going on behind the recommendation.
So I’ll do my best to:
- Clearly disclose affiliate relationships.
- Clearly identify sponsored content.
- Tell you when I received a product or service for free or at a discount.
- Give you my honest opinions.
- Never claim to have used something I haven’t actually used.
- Never let a paid relationship require me to give a positive opinion.
- Correct mistakes when I find them.
Basically, I’ll tell you when there’s money involved—and I’ll try to keep the legalese to a minimum.
Because transparency matters.
Thank you for supporting SOK, whether you click an affiliate link, try a tutorial, read a post, share something with a friend, or just hang out here for a while.
It all helps.
A Note About FTC Compliance
This disclosure page is intended to explain SOK’s general disclosure practices. Individual posts, reviews, social media posts, videos, or other content may contain additional disclosures when required.
The Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guides require material connections between endorsers and brands to be disclosed clearly and conspicuously. The FTC also recommends that disclosures be placed close to the endorsement or recommendation rather than relying solely on a general disclosure page.
For more information, see the Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guides.
Last updated: August 2026
