It is said that the best time to start investing is yesterday. The second best time is today.
I, for my part, see blogging as a profitable business. It’s a good source of passive income for me, especially when coupled with the other online businesses I’ve built up over the years.
The question then is, can you retire early on a blogger’s income?
This is the way I see it: there are countless options you can choose to invest. It’s your decision whether you want to focus on how to earn passively or be more proactive about it. Whichever you pick, your attitude towards your investment of choice is the one thing that will make the ultimate difference.
Here are 5 easily actionable steps towards early retirement that even bloggers can do.
1. Take note of your expenses
Take some serious time to look at your expenses. What do you spend the most on? Where do you spend the least?
The most convenient way to do this would be to make a budget plan. That way, you can list your expenses side by side with what you earn from your blog and other financial ventures. Knowing exactly how much money comes in and where the money goes will help put your finances in perspective.
You’ll then be able to better decide the areas where reducing your cash outflow will be easiest. That decision will, in turn, be able to help you direct your finances to your necessities, like food and utilities.
Now, if your budget covers all the things you must pay, why is it still necessary to reduce your cash outflow? Because of this next point.
2. Save. Save. Save.
Lately, a lot of information has surfaced regarding better personal finances management. You can find apps, courses and even blogs on how you can manage your money successfully.
Of course, your budget should be able to cover your basic needs and expenses every month. Still, your savings is one of the two determining factors of whether or not you’ll be able to retire early.
If you’re planning to retire soon, you should have a comfortable enough nest egg that you can rest on by then.
To save money, you need to have full control over your spending habits. Practice delayed gratification until it becomes second nature to you.
If you’re between 30 to 40 years old, saving 20% of your total salary should be a good place to start. Also, take advantage of any benefits your company may provide. Put that on top of your monthly savings, too.
3. Choose an actionable passive investment
Study different type of passive investment and pick one that you believe can take you to your goals. Study and research until you become your own expert in your chosen investment.
There are literally thousands of passive investment opportunities you can get into, so take your time. Take both your interests and finances into consideration when making a choice.
If you love writing but haven’t started blogging yet, maybe now is the time to improve the way you think about blogging as both an investment and a profession. It really can be a good source of passive income as long as you take care of your blog and put in the effort to help it grow.
4. Beware of peer pressure; shut down the noise when you need to
As soon as they hear about your plan, people will always have something to say. Some will try to dissuade you or divert you into other types of investment that they believe might be better.
The problem with this is if you let peer pressure make you give in, you could soon be faced with the rolling stone problem. You’ll find yourself full of stories about failed investments and nothing to show for it.
Another thing you need to watch out for is trying to match your peers’ spending habits. First of all, keeping up with the Joneses just doesn’t work anymore. Second, what works for others may not necessarily work for you.
Lastly and most dangerously of all, the noise from people around who are trying to convince you to succumb to peer pressure can also lead you deep into debt. When that happens, you can kiss you early retirement plans goodbye.
5. Keep your goal in mind
Set realistic targets and stick to them. How you invest, how much you want to save and the time to plan to retire does not necessarily have to match with that of your colleagues. Regardless, keep your eye on the prize.
Here are a few points that may help keep things in perspective:
No has as much to lose or gain from your goals as you do. That’s why no one can be as dedicated as you are to achieving them.
Every moment that you let yourself be sidetracked from your plans delays your retirement further than you planned. Every unplanned penny you spend, every but of your 20% that you decide not to put into your saving this month pushes your retirement targets back by weeks, months, or even years.
One good thing about keeping your goals in mind is that it can somehow act as a buffer against negativity from other people. For example, when people criticize your blog, ergo your main source of income, you’d be better equipped to handle it more gracefully that you would have if you didn’t have a purpose you were trying to achieve.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, my answer is yes. I do believe retiring on a blogger’s income is possible, same as with any other profession.
Same as anything else though, dedication and perseverance are the two factors that will determine how early we all can reach that planned retirement date.
I suppose, when you think about it, bloggers don’t really retire. That’s because writing is usually ingrained too deeply into a blogger’s personality, which makes it practically impossible to get rid of. I think financial independence is a much better term to use in this case.
But my answer remains the same. Yes. Financial independence while on a blogger’s income is possible and achievable. You just have to have the right mindset, be willing to sacrifice for your goals and believe that in the end, it will all be worth it.