Every now and again, I begin to doubt my success as blogger. In a some ways I’m successful, but sometimes it’s not so obvious to me. For instance, I make some money from advertisements, but I could probaly make more at a Starbucks. I have around 600 readers of my RSS feed, but how many of them robots indexing it instead of people reading it? I don’t know. I seem to have about 800 people visit my site each day, but how many are really getting the information they are looking for? How many are just accidentally passing by on a cyber-surfing mission? I get a number of comments (and many from regular readers) – this may be the best measure of success. I love getting comments.
The only thing better than the comments is when bloggers emulate me. It makes me feel that I’m doing something right. If nothing else I’ll know I’ve contributed to something. It seems that I’ve contributed to at least two bloggers out there with my focus on alternative income streams.
Divorce to Financial Freedom found my site and written one of the most glowing reviews I’ve ever read of my site. You can read her methodology here. You can follow her progress here
The other example is Tight Fisted Miser’s Alternative Streams of Income. He didn’t have a job when he started. You can track his progress, including one year where he made an extra $11,000, with this link.
I am one of those that subscribe to the RSS feed and read it every day, but comment very infrequently. I think the thing that drew me to subscribe to your feed was your ‘lazy’ attitude towards money. I love that. Keep up the good work.
I love your site, and I read it quite regularly. I like the way you think about money, and your character in dealing with financial matters comes through (and, believe it or not, everyone in this world does not share the same sense of strong character).
success is a hard thing to measure. If you had a small company generating $1 million/month in revenue, would you consider it successful? Probably not, if you compare it to Microsoft. But that doesn’t take it away from your achievement.
Building $1 mil/month is a great acomplishment and you shouldn’t let anyone say otherwiser. Same thing with your blog. I don’t think you’re generating $1 mil/month in alternative income, but your current $616 is still quite an achievement and you shouldn’t let anyone tell you otherwise, even you.
Everyday reader as of a week ago…
$616/mo is nothing to scoff at.
Where I live that’d pay a good apartment rent, and even though Bay Area isn’t that way, someday you could move and that $616 would be pretty meaningful. Anyway, keep it up!
Thanks for the link. Now that I’m working I’ve let my alternative income slide but I plan to start building it back up.
I also read your site daily, one of the best. It’s great that you update so often, hope that you keep with it. I do not do the RSS feed though, for some reason I’ve never liked them. Guess I’m old school.
I don’t think alternative income every goes out of style. For me the ideal is alternative residual income.
Hi there,
Love your site and I’m not just some “Robot” saying that. Keep up the good work. I check for new post at least twice per week, sometimes more. BTW, I also have a blog at: http://www.foundmoneyjar.blogspot.com Mine is less informative, more of a niche/curiosity spot in the financial blog circles.
Thanks for all your good advice.
ANDY
I think your blog’s great, too. It’s one of my half-dozen ‘must reads’ that inspired me to start blogging. I think if you have any alternative income at all, you’re already ahead of the game. I don’t make much other than through dividend income, but every little bit counts. I think I’ve made about $3 off my blog so far, too, which feels better than $3000 made off my job.
Lazy Man,
I read your blog every day. You inspired me to start my own blog. Hope you are having a great honeymoon!