Here are 3 things you should be doing in 2015 if you want to improve the amount of cash you make. These are simple, almost obvious ideas, but the reality is, so many people keep chasing ideas. Searching out new information (come on, how did you find this blog post!!), without just putting their heads down and working.
Build a Website. One Website. And stick with it.
You don't need to build 10 different websites. Start with one. If it isn't making at least $100 a month (which, come on, is nothing!), a new website ain't gonna help. Time. That is what it takes to make money. And you have to focus that time on the one project. Even if you start out with a shitty site, if you improve it a tiny bit each day, in 10 years time, you'll have a behemoth. If you give in after 6 months. You will have nothing.
Build a personal blog and post to it each day. Build an advice site and share knowledge. Build a review site, and review all the things you genuinely find cool.
Example – Many, many years ago, I built a site about a travel product. I loved this product so much so that I reviewed all the different brands. Of course, I linked to amazon to get a commission each time someone clicked through. And now, well 8 years later, I'm still getting an amazon gift card each month and I don't have to pay for books anymore. Any book I want – it's free. I make sure the site is online, I make sure the site is usable by making sure it's design is good and current. I make sure there are no broken links and occasionally I post new content. The lesson here is that I didn't sell the site as soon as it make a $. I stuck with it and it paid dividends.
Start Investing. Stop Saving
I can't stand the personal finance bloggers who live by the gospel according to budgeting. Chapter 1, verse 2: though shall live a miserable life, pinching every penny and saving every cent in order to live a miserable retirement.
Stop! I have a HISA. But I use the money in that account, not to save for tomorrow, whenever tomorrow might be…. some distant time. I save for two things – a) to buy shit (which isn't very much as I prefer to buy a few very good items rather then lots of crap. And b) investments. By investments are usually websites. And if I'm not buying websites I'm usually trading.
The point is I'm giving myself a shot. If you only buy stocks. Or only save in a bank account. You are limiting your possible returns. You might make 15% in a killer year by investing in stocks. You might make 1000%+ in a year buy creating shit like websites or building a startup. Give yourself a chance.
Focus on Creating.
Build something. If you're good at design, create logos, banners, websites etc. give them away for free. If you can write code, create jquery plugins, or ios components and make them open source. If you're good at writing, create copy content and let people use it. Get the idea. Just start creating, creating and creating some more. There will come a point where you just go – fuck – I can sell this, and you'll do that. Try not to worry to much about the business model right away. Just focus on creating for now and the rest will follow.
Stop Buying So Much Shit
Last year I probably bought too much stuff. The problem is I discovered Mr Porter and they do a great job selling me stuff. Damn you. But I am actually buying less stuff I don't need and more quality stuff that I actually enjoy. Anyway, I think this is something we can all work at improving at – stop buying shit we don't need.
My buying habits have changed a bit over the past 12 months. Instead of just go for a spray and pray approach – thinking that if I buy 10 cheap shirts, one of them will end up being good – I've started being more careful. Sure, i'm now dropping $500 on a shirt, but I've researched this shirt, I've know the quality, I know the cut. I know what I'll wear it with and I know it will last. And when I put it on, I'll look good and feel good. And I apply this approach to everything I buy – making sure it is the best for me, it will last and be quality.
