Everyone says you don’t need any funds to become a successful blogger. Okay, well you don’t need any money at the very beginning, that’s very true. Nevertheless, blogging has become a super competitive industry and saying that you need absolutely no money to shoot up to the stars within a couple of months of blogging is not entirely correct. Yes, you can take your photos on your phone. Yes, you can you an old computer at your local library. But man, that is well hard! And with the competition that’s out there at the moment (I’m talking GAZILLIONS of blogs and bloggers), it’s even harder to push through the crowd with your sharp elbows slashing everyone standing in your way. I say perhaps you need a little bit of money to start off at a decent speed. To get an alright camera (doesn’t need to a DSLR by any means!), a proper hosting for your blog and a laptop that doesn’t make the sound of a thousand thunderstorms (don’t tell me that you’ve never had a laptop that sounded like the Spartans were coming).
3 WAYS TO GET THE INITIAL FUNDS FOR BLOGGING
DON’T BE AFRAID OF A LOAN
Small business loans are nothing to be afraid of. They are in fact an easy source of funding plus they can also improve your credit drastically (when you’re paying them back as you should). A lot of companies providing loans and various funding options concentrate specifically on supporting small to medium-sized businesses (which also includes you – the blogger), which are now considered the backbone of the UK economy. Or any economy to be honest. That’s why the Government often comes up with various schemes supporting SMEs – from tax reliefs to free training programmes and business coaching seminars. Don’t be afraid to take out a small loan to kick-start your blogging career – so many bloggers are in fact doing it!
THE BANK OF MUM & DAD
Are your parents, how to put it nicely, filthy rich? Ask them for support and a small loan. I’m sure they won’t ask for no interest back and perhaps they will be able to lend you money for a new camera or a laptop. Just don’t forget that the fact that they’re your parents doesn’t mean that you can be late on your re-payments or just, you know, consider it being your Christmas present without their explicit offer. Treat them like a real bank – make a repayment plan and stick to it!
YOUR OWN POCKET
And here goes the most “obvious” way of getting funds for blogging (and just anything in life, really) that people tend to surprisingly forget about. First of all, read my 5 tips on how to save money fast. Secondly, buy the book called Kakeibo: The Japanese Art of Saving Money. I know, I know – the irony of telling you to save money by buying a book! But I’ve read so many mind-blowingly positive reviews about this gem that I’ve already ordered it myself and will be doing a review of it here on Cityscape Bliss. Have you read it yet? But back to money saving! There’s nothing easier than to set yourself monthly or yearly goals on how much you want to save and then sticking to them. Eat more fruit and veg from the local farmer’s market. Make your own morning coffee. Bake your own bread! There are trillions of little ways to keep money in your pocket!
What’s your best tip on how to get the initial funding for blogging?
You can find more useful tips on blogging in the Blog Cheat Sheet section on Cityscape Bliss.