J.D. is a self-described middle-aged geek born and raised in rural Oregon. He studied psychology and writing in college, but when he graduated he went to work for the family business as a box salesman. Though he hated the job, he couldn't leave because he found himself deep in debt. During the 1990s, he dug himself even deeper into debt, buying computer games, books, and comics.

He's been writing for the web since 1994, and has had some sort of web journal since 1997. J.D. started his first blog in 2001. For years, he just wrote for family and friends. But in 2005 he created a post that summarized all the stuff he had learned from personal finance books. This received attention from all corners of the internet, and made him realize there was a hunger for information like this. So in April 2006, J.D. started Get Rich Slowly where he writes about personal finance and how to get more out of life.