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From the outside, blogging can seem like a fast way to make a lot of money. There are bloggers out there who post about how they make 10k a month and ways you can do the same. Read everything about making money and building a great blog in my Ultimate Guide to Blogging. But, even when you apply their principles, you find that you’re nowhere near those earning stats. Hence why many budding bloggers keep their day jobs for at least a year or two.
The trouble is that keeping up with a full-time career and a time-consuming hustle can get stressful. Not to mention that you probably started this because you hate your day job. As such, the idea of sticking at it for even another six months may drive you wild. And, it may not be necessary after all.
I’m not going to lie; the idea of making 10k a month straight off the bat, if at all, is unrealistic. But, that’s not to say you can’t give up the day job sooner than you think. All you need to do is put the following plans in place to make it happen.
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If you’re taking a chance with blogging, it’s essential you have plenty in the bank. Your income is about to get unreliable, after all. As a general rule, it’s worth saving at least 5-10k so that you can weather months when you don’t earn much. Once you hand in your notice, then, set about saving as much money as you can. If that means working overtime and going in at weekends, do it. Remember; it’s all for a good cause, and it’ll be over before you know. After a few weeks of backbreaking work, you’ll be able to give your blog everything you’ve got.
It’s important to note that you aren’t going to be earning much straight off the bat. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t still uphold your lifestyle. By getting advice from a financial advisor, you should be able to work out where best to spend and save. If you want to think in the long-term, you could hire a budget analyst with an online mba accounting concentration or other qualification who can even help you to make financial plans. These are small steps which can help you get by, and also keep you on the right path. And, that could see you earning more much sooner than you would otherwise.
If you want to scrap the day job, you also need to get proactive. Bloggers who are playing the long game are usually approached with earning opportunities, but you don’t have the luxury of time. The moment you start contacting companies about affiliate programs and advertising opportunities, though, you may start to see returns. Of course, you’ll need to build up a decent readership to appeal to an outside company. Get that in the bag, though, and your earnings here could soon start to exceed those of the day job you left behind.
Also have a look at the Ultimate Guide to Extra Income