Erik’s Blog: Board Shorts and Business Suits

As most of you noticed, I haven’t really been blogging on any of my blogs for the past 2 years.  I’ve been consumed by my 9-5 which hasn’t allowed me to write, link, promote, or stay in the web too much.  Back when I was going strong, blogging daily, linking daily, and build my blog network, I was net about $600 per month.  Not too bad considering I was still working full-time and would do all my blogging in the evening and mornings.

But, even with the dry spell, not doing much of anything, all blogs losing pagerank completely, I’ve still managed to make money.  Every month I get a little bit in my paypal account and bank account via various advertising agencies.  So how much am I making still…

I’m happy to report that I’m still netting about $300 a month!  That’s right, doing nothing, still making about $300 a month.  Not too bad, and it shows you that even if you’re spending all this time on building an online presence, it can still provide you with much needed income.

This is just another reason that I’m giving it another go.  Hopefully smarter and wiser by hiring and editor to help me manage freelance bloggers. As well as focusing my efforts on one blog. I’m hoping this new focus will allow the figure to grow, at much more rapid pace, and with less effor than I put into it before I took my break.

In a year when most stock portfolios are down at least 30% some much more than that you find that most people are adjusting their spending and work habits accordingly. Reports are coming in of shoppers preparing to spend less this year on holiday shopping. Travelers are planning to travel closer to home. And investors are looking to savings accounts and CDs before the Fed lowers rates so low banks practically can give money away for free.

Even with all that, has the economy affected your day to day patterns?

For me, I can say that my wallet hasn’t been affected yet. My wife and I don’t pull income from our stock portfolio which is good, it’s down almost 50% on the year, and we’re still able to get student loans for her and my paycheck is still getting signed. However, psychologically we’re both looking for ways, just like those people I mentioned above, to save money “just in case.”

Save money on gas, which, although it’s coming down in price, still has us trying to plan our routes better to conserve gas. We’re eating in rather than going out. We’re putting more money away in savings every month for a rainy day. And lastly, I’m starting to blog again.

That’s right, I’ve been away for so long I almost didn’t remember how to float images, or transfer blogs between servers, or… But the major difference between last year and this year is that I’ve decided to spend a little more time building content on my many blogs to see if I can increase traffic and get a little extra cash every month for those just in case moments.

It’s not that I have much more time to do so. My 9 - 5 is still a 24/7 job, meaning I’m always thinking about, answering phone calls, or emails (from my phone too), for work. But now I’m trying to make time to blog a little more and get back into the internet thang.

This means blogging early in the morning when I wake up, or blogging late at night before I go to bed. At these times I may read a regulatory document here and there for work just for fun, or gasp… even try to spend some quality time away from work. But, now I can fill that time with creating content that will build my blog network and hopefully increase traffic and earnings as I’ve done in the past.

I think this change will ultimately be good for America. Rather than people expecting to get things now or feel entitled to high salaries, bonuses, and stock options, credit that can buy them whatever they want NOW!, they’ll see that working hard, saving and then getting your reward is how you get ahead and feel success.

So, How has the Economy Affected You?

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

This book is by far the most important book anyone seeking financial freedom should read. The concepts contained within the pages are so simple yet most people I know, including myself, never have looked at their financial world the way Robert Kiyosaki explains you should look at them. The basic idea is that assets aren’t assets until they are creating money for us. Once reading the first few chapters I guarantee you’ll be hooked.

There are some people out there who have rad the book and been disappointed. People I have talked with exclaim that the book doesn’t really tell you anything about how you should get rich. And that’s just it. There isn’t any set way to become rich, no real estate or stock tip that is going to send you from the poor house to the mansion. The idea behind Rich Dad, Poor Dad is that you begin to look at you financials for what they are, most likely a bunch of liabilities and opens your eyes to what an asset could be. You then have to use your mind and your ambition to discover what helps you make money and get out of the rat race!

If you’re looking for a great book to get you motivated to become financially free then START WITH THIS ONE! You’ll then want to further your knowledge with more books, asking questions, and trial and error. The idea behind Rich Dad, Poor Dad is to allow yourself to think about money differently and begin to see ways that money or lack there of can make you RICH.