Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through a link and make a purchase, it will earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you! See our disclaimer for details.
A Year In The Making
Before we discuss the cost of running a blog, I wanted to announce that it’s officially been 1 YEAR!!
I am both excited and sad that time has flown by, but this blog has transformed so much throughout the 12 months and I am so excited for the future!
Here are a few updates:
- I’ve published approx. 75 articles
- I make regular, daily income from affiliates
- I took a 2-month hiatus in the fall due to life and STILL made steady passive income (I swear this works, you guys!)
So, with 2020 right around the corner, you may be interested in finding ways to earn, save, and invest more money next year!
Blogging is a legitimate option, but REQUIRES some upfront cost and steady effort at first.
Like I said above, I took 2-3 months without nearly doing ANYTHING on the blog and yet my profits and visitors continued to increase, thanks to my efforts I put in at the beginning.
After you read, check out these other articles!:
Why People Fail At Blogging
The biggest reasons I saw other bloggers die out this year was because of the lack of money they invested into their blog.
Now, let me tell you that blogging is one of the absolute CHEAPEST start up businesses you could ever do.
However, there still is a cost. Don’t be fooled by other bloggers who convince you that you can have a successful blog without any investment!
It’s always frustrating when unexpected costs show up down the road that you were not ready for, and I don’t want you to have to deal with that.
With that said, I created a full list of the expenses I had during the first year. Most are required expenses, some are optional.
The True Cost of Running a Blog
-
Hosting (REQUIRED) = $200
I use BlueHost for hosting and have loved it since day 1. Not only is it inexpensive but you get tons of features and incredible customer service (I had the lovely chance to talk to them a few months back when I thought my blog got hacked…).
However, this is usually the most expensive cost of running a blog. Yet, it is absolutely required!
-
Elegant Themes (Optional, but a theme is REQUIRED) = $89
I chose the Divi theme by Elegant Themes because it was created specifically for bloggers and gives you full customization of your blog.
I’ve redesigned my blog numerous times and have only been more satisfied with the product. You can’t do that with other cheaper themes!
-
Tailwind (Optional) = $100
I solely thank Tailwind for keeping my blog going on social media when life got to me this year.
Tailwind is a platform that schedules and makes Pinterest and Instagram posts for you.
Trust me, you’ll love it once you realize how difficult it is to maintain regular social media posting!!
-
P.O. Box (REQUIRED) = $80
You may not be told about this one but this one expense NO ONE TELLS YOU until you need to send emails.
Fun fact: If you want to collect subscribers and ever send emails, you are required to have a P.O. Box!
-
Make Money Blogging Course = $100
I attribute my quick turnaround to making profits to this Beginner Blogging course by Create and Go.
Alex and Lauren have become 7-figure bloggers (I cannot imagine the feeling but that’s incredible) and learning from them is everything that every new blogger needs.
If you have not taken a course of theirs yet, DO IT! You won’t regret it!!
Additional Costs
-
Email = $30+ Per Month
I chose to use MailChimp during my first year of blogging, which is free, compared to other popular options that cost ridiculous prices. Definitely sticking to free for now with this one!
Summary
Like I said earlier, a blog is one of the cheapest options for earning passive income!
It has proven itself to me when I started earning steady income a few months ago, and I am now a firm believer!
The only problem people face is getting over the initial obstacle of paying for the few things upfront. But, it’s worth it!
It’s been a great year and I look forward to what this blog provides in the future!
What expenses did you encounter with your blog? Let me know of other expenses you had, down in the comment section below!
