Since my strength is writing and blogs, I always thought I could get a blog set up to “run” itself. I never had a complete plan or got started. I finally did!
Here is the plan
GOAL-Have a blog with 365 posts (yes…that is one post everyday)
CHOOSE TOPIC-Daily general living inspiration
CHOOSE NAME-Go Forth Today
SET UP
- Create a sub-domain on one of my general use domains
- Add Wordpress
- Chose a WP theme
- Change the code to remove the year from each post
- Add Adsense and Shopping Ads
PROCESS
- Write 12 posts (one per month) before beginning anything
- Write 3 more blocks of 12 posts until I have 365 posts
- Evaluate
- Fine tune
REPEAT
- Use final process to make another blog
- Add to the process
- Keyword research
- Traffic
- SEO
- Once money is being made I will repeat with blogs that have their own .info domain
- The blogs that are the most successful will be used as a starting point for related websites and blogs with .com domains
Today I have 4 articles written. I just wanted to get started on something and I can write fast on the topic I chose. I am resisting doing anything else right now so that I can finish up some crafts by Sat and fulfill current writing orders.
Not only was Wal-Mart a good move for the advancement opportunities, training, and raises…..it fits with becoming self-employed! I got the OK from the assistant manager that is over the department that I work in to go to 4 days. It will go into effect in about 2 1/2 weeks.
While I was waiting I got a weekly and monthly writing job. 
I am focusing on my one day a week that is dedicated to self-employment, mainly writing.
These steps will be fine tuned for one day a week and later I will use the same process to add other days and later apply the same process to passive income. Income is the money AFTER expenses. With writing I don’t have hardly any expenses since I already have a computer. The only expense right now is the small fees that Paypal charges to do my payments through them.
THE STEPS OF PHASE ONE
- Return to writing (May 2008)
- Promote writing services (June and July 2008)
- Updated my writing services page on blog
- Put link in my signature on Wickedfire forum posts
- Wrote a package of 5 related articles with researched keywords and offered for sale on Wickedfire (sold in less than 24 hours)
- Helped other writers (3 threads started to benefit all Wickedfire writers)
- Received orders and delivered articles (July 2008)
- Added to iTrader of clients and received iTrader points (July 2008)
- Decided I had enough work to replace one day pay a week at wage earning job (August 2008)
- Brainstorming about other self-employment income to cover one day pay-photo taking idea (August 2008)
- Create secure income (Currently working on)
- (one day wage earning pay X 2) X 12 = savings needed before I repeat process on another day per week
- Have steady and regular income from writing that equals two days pay for 3 months
- Begin plans for secondary self-employment stream
I will have the income for that one day backed up by 4 other sources of income and a 5th one in the works.
Initial day of pay will be covered by the income from writing. This is how I will make sure I have additional income to cover that SAME day in the event any income fails or drops:
- Flexible/relief shift at a second wage earning job
- Enough article writing orders to cover twice what is needed to replace the income for one day at wage earning
- Savings that is equivalent to 3 months of pay from that one day
- Secondary writing income (pre-written article packages)
I will develop my photo business plan and test it out.
This provides 5 income streams for one day and another one in the works. I could loose any one of them and my level will not change. What will I do if more than one income stream brings in money? I will enjoy 1/3 of the excess income, save 1/3 of the excess income, and reinvest 1/3 of the excess income back into self-employment business development. Once I have 3 months of savings to cover that one day, I will move towards a second day of self-employment and repeat!
Financial freedom to me is having choices about how, when, and what I do (if anything) to bring in income. The ultimate goal is passive income. I want my internet projects to make money for me with minimal amount of my time involved and I want my money to make more money for me through investments.
Yesterday I took a step towards that goal, by taking the first steps towards working 4 days at Wal-mart. I spoke to the department head and filled out the paperwork. I hope the assistant manager for the department will be in today so I can discuss it further and have him sign my request.
Before taking this step, there was some events that occurred, some thought, and some planning.
THE EVENTS:
- I applied for an office job that would have paid more than what I make at both jobs-I did not get the job.
- I’m behind on bills
- Bob Schmuck encouraged me to start Jan’s Writing Services up again
- Instead of waiting for writing jobs, I researched some keywords, wrote a 5 article package and offered it for sale on Wickedfire affiliate marketing forum that I am an active member on
- The article package sold in less than 24 hours (and other writers from the forum offered packages on the same thread)
- Bob Schmuck had a writing related internet project he wants to start with me
- I received several requests for writing
- I really enjoyed writing (and the money it has brought in) the past couple weeks-it doesn’t feel like work!
THINKING…THINKING…..THINKING
- Not sure with my current schedule I can develop Jan’s Writing Services
- I like the flexibility of creating my own schedule to write
- There is no way I can afford my income to drop
- I need my income to increase
- If I work less at wage earning, I would need backup income to cover a slow week of writing
- Wal-mart’s hours are not flexible, the hours are flexible at my other job
THE PLAN
- I will work 1 day less at a wage earning job-I chose Wal-mart because of the inflexible hours.
- I asked the department head what 4 days she wants me there and accommodated her. (bonus-I will have Friday nights off even if I work at my other job a full shift)
- Gathered information and started the process to change my schedule. I will attempt to keep full-time status at Wal-mart and continue with the process of finalizing it.
- Backup income-I totaled what I make in one shift at Wal-mart and can earn that with the additional of one additioanl shift at my other job. I can decide week by week what hours I will work at the other job.
- Bob and I will continue to develop our project.
- I will work to build my writing services.