Blogging For Money Full Time
I am at a crossroad in my life, whereby I need to decide whether I want to end my full time job. I work with a very good company but sometimes, it is the people that makes the office environment miserable. The perks are great, the salary is nothing to shout about but I’m satisfied and I like the fact that I am reporting to my HQ instead of locally. This allows me some freedom and flexibility in doing my job.
However, lately I am burdened with a lot of big tasks like presentation to management which requires a lot of “homework“, no appreciation from the boss and the final straw was the fact that I will need to travel to HQ every alternate week (each time for one week) from Sept-Dec. That means, I will be away from the family for 2 months out of 4 months.
To say the least, I am stressed. VERY! The first two dissatisfaction, I can handle but not the traveling. Anyway, as I’ve mentioned before, I only blog for money part time. What I earn from blogging is not even half of my current salary. So, I do not know whether I can survive with this income. Do you guys believe that this can be an alternative to working full time? I would like some input as it’ll help in my decision. Thanks!
June 15th, 2007 at 4:07 am
Hmm… if ur not dependant on yr income to make a living then it could be good to take a break from the hectic working life. I know there are a lot of successful SAHM bloggers who are earning big bucks from paid postings, so it is feasible imms. Let us know your verdict ya.
June 15th, 2007 at 5:27 am
Yvonne, thanks for your feedback. Yeah, I know those SAHMs too
But I do not want to sit in front of the PCs everyday knowing that if I do not write or grab a big opp, I will not be able to make ends meet. That is an extra pressure. Look at the frequency those SAHM blogs, I can’t even compete. If I do leave my job, I want to be able to spend time with my kids and probably Mei Mei will stay at home after school instead of going to the babysitter. So, you see the free time I have to blog 4 money is very little 
Howleh?
June 15th, 2007 at 6:32 am
Hi, mind if i comment? For me, if I’m financially stable(support from hubby), then, I will quit. Reason: I’m happy if I could handle all my kids daily task and in the meantime, when I free, I do some blogging to earn extra income(ME time)….For me, as long as my kids grow up to be a successful person, I’m more than happy liao…it depend on your personal goal…whether you like to have peaceful and happy life with kids or hectic life juggling between work-pressure/kids/schedule/etc…health & happiness is the most important issue for me…I bet your hubby and kids would like to see your smiling face everyday
June 15th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Hi Mamajo, comment by all means ;)If you are wondering whether the hubby can support the household without my income, I believe it’s Yes. But if you’re asking whether I will be able to drive a big car, go for hair wash & blow, pedicures & manicures, I believe that will be a No No or perhaps once in a blue moon, like on my birthday
Personally, I hate putting out my hand to ask from money even if it’s from the other half. Call me egoistic, ha ha..but it’s too long a period of being a FTWM. I believe if I do opt for this route, it is going to be a drastic change for me. Yes, I do want more time to spend with my kids and who else can take better care of them than myself. And hell, I AM SCARED!!!
June 15th, 2007 at 8:14 am
my boss was a SAHM once, she said can wan. Half is good enuff. Just need to cut down on yr spendings. I’m considering to be SAHM and will be given 1 K only. That’s like errrmmm 30& of my current income ? (i think my calculation not accurate eh). You can also travel and buy some stuff to seel via internet. Not only blogging la. otherwise the mata also juling.
June 15th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Hi Sasha, thanks for taking your time to drop some comments. I know you have your own worries too
Actually, I plan to ask for 2k from the hubby. Lol. This one pending discussion tonight! Ya, u are right, blogging only already make my eyes sakitlah but I’m no good at ebay
Btw, over here if decide to go back to work again, don’t expect it to be so easy to get a joblah. This is not KL wor….
So, what about you? Still thinking? Let me know, ya?
June 15th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Just put my 2 cents here.Hmmmm..for me i’m not good in writing, so ask me blogging for money definetly a no no.And ask me to become SAHM, i can’t i rather work. As u know i also work in MNC, a lot of stress, even me just on a “kuci miu” post.Now i rather to work in a small co, can earn the same , and less working hour, and less stress, y not? And i know there’s no “future” for me, but i just want to spend more times with my boys and yet i still got a job.Don’t stress urself ya.
June 15th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Can you still come to KL or Penang if you leave your job???
I think you really have to sit down and think of all the pros and cons… i can tell you, it’s not easy to switch from full time outside to inside…
Why don’t you give it a go to the new arrangement and decide later? The thing about blogsphere… can things stays and improve over time? Remember the .com bubble burst once so it could happen on blogsphere too.
Unless you really want to gamble on that… do you have any contingeny plans beside going for blogging full time?
Hope what i said make sense…
June 15th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
I used to travel a lot too but after having Belle I’ve opted for a lower position but with same pay. If you’ve been your company for some time, why not discuss this over with your manager?
Another option is to work part-time, which I’ve been comtemplating. I’ve read somewhere that it is easier to get a part-time position in a company which you’re already working for than trying to go out there getting a part-time position. It also depends on your job position whether it allows p/t function. I know for my current job, my boss already said no. No hope for me there. Mebbe for your case it might be different.
June 16th, 2007 at 3:03 am
AnnieQ - Actually, I am quite like you. I prefer to work, at the very least part time but where can find part time jobs here except kopi tiam. Lol. I understand why you are in a low profile job. I prefer it that way too but lately, work have been pushing me towards bigger tasks
Angeleyes - 1st Q = Nope! I was waiting to hear from you coz you have first hand experience to share. Lol.
U r right, I am definitely worried about how long this blogging will last.
Vien - I have a hopeless manager and being in this dept for 3 years only, I’ve already changed 3 bosses!!! It is not the same here, if I even dare to suggest part time, my boss will tell me to resign sajalah
June 16th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Hey Immomsdaughter, first time here. I’m a SAHM after working for more than 15 years. My girl is only 2
It’s really not easy being a SAHM…I’m going crazy soon. I’ve just started blogging to make $$ and that too is not easy..mata sakit, kepala sakit and I become pretty impatient with my daughter because I want to hurry to grab opps. If you are financially stable, then go ahead and quit your job 
Pros - spending more time with family. Cons - you hv to depend on your hubby. I hate it when mine say things like I don’t know how hard it is to go out and work, stress, etc now that I am a SAHM. That’s why I want to make money thru blogging and depend on him less. Good luck to you 
June 16th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Hi Mommy To Chumsy, thanks for dropping by and giving your point of view. I am glad to hear your honest and frank answer. What you are currently experiencing is one of the reasons I am afraid to be SAHM. Don’t our other half understand that being SAHM has equal or even more pressure than woking full time?
Another thing, can blogging 4 money be a long term income, no one knows. I also agree with you that if we set our goals too high and wanna grab the good opps, we’ll neglect the kids too
I know I’ve been through that.
June 18th, 2007 at 4:24 am
Ok. I think it’s time to bring structure to your priorities.
Here’s my suggestion (feel free to vomit blood and ignore it).
1) keep your job (whether u stay of get a new one)..just keep a job.
2) give yourself a goal (for money blogging). Say, USD50-150 a week. If you are very happy with earning USD200-600 a month..then good.
If you want to aim higher, then do so, but be prepared to face this same kind of pressure/stress, if you want to keep working.
Sit down and ask yourself what is the true objective of your blogging for money? To make bigger bucks than your current job? If you truly want to quit, have a real plan, a short term and long term plan. Have a flashing indicator (esp when household funds are too low) where u tell yourself, you’ll have to get a steady flow of income.
Even if you quit..be prepared to spend heaps of time in front of the PC…and the possibility of ignoring Mei-mei at times (becoz SAHM is full time job also!).
That’s just my humble 1sen. I know if I’m a WAHM, there’s no way I’ll manage all this…without a maid!
June 18th, 2007 at 7:50 am
Hey Mott, I’ve had a chance to think over it during the weekends (though I haven’t mentioned it to the Big Kid yet). I’ve made up my mind to stay put until I really cannot tahan. Currently, pressure is up to my neck. When I start to drown in it, then I’ll resign
Thanks for drumming the instruction into my head. Appreciate your “Keep Da Job” reinforcement *grins*
P/S When I run to you with requests to help me set up many domains, you’ll know I’m ready to resign. Lol.
June 19th, 2007 at 5:47 am
u know that i’m thinking to do the same too..be a SAHM and full time bloggers.
when i think back, if i become a full time blogger, i don’t think i hv time for my children. must face the pc at least 8 hours a day..like WAHM.
frens and relatives told me to just tahan until kenot tahan…meantime, earn as much as you can blogging and save.
at least when the time comes for me to resign i still have some back up savings.
June 19th, 2007 at 7:18 am
Miche - Yeah, agree with you that we have to “yan yan yan” first. To earn our current income through blogging really takes up a lot of our time too. That’s why my plans are on KIV
June 19th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
First of all, how does your hubby think/feel about you having to travel more Sept-Dec? I know it sucks to travel when you have a family (esp a loving home).
Secondly, is it possible to change job? I am not sure how is the employment situation like in your place. Perhaps, go for a more low key sort of company.
Thirdly, the financial situation of a one income family.
I for one, prefer to work. As irony as it may sound, I think I can give better as a mum to my children if I work than staying at home. Of course, too I enjoy financial independence which I think you are finding it hard to lose right?
Anyway…good luck on your decision.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
Hi IMMS,
The ultimate question is always the money issue. Discuss with your husband if both of you are comfortable with a full-time single income in the long run. You said you don’t feel like taking some “pocket money” from hubby if you dont work and there’s no financial freedom in that. Well, let’s look it that way - let’s say he pays you some “salary” for looking after the kids full time versus having to spend that money for baby sitter. What about that? The other thing is to cut down on spendings. I’m not much into the vanity affair thing of doing weekly facials, pedicure and manicure, so having to forego my working salary and these beauty perks do not have much difference in me.
Well, I personally like being a SAHM than FTWM. At least, apart from looking after the kid and manage the household, I can get to do things that I don’t have the time to do when I worked. I get to explore the creativity side in me and I feel happier because of less stress / pressure. That’s the part you have to look inside yourself and ask what do you need to achieve emotionally.
Good luck in deciding your choice, and let us know your verdict. Take care.
June 20th, 2007 at 1:27 am
WMD - My hubby has always hated my frequent traveling but he bears with it for my sake. I on the other hand try to compromise by limiting the trips to once a month (where possible).
There aren’t many low key position in the market unless they pay $1k++ only. I dun really know but I’m gonna start searching the job market. Thanks for your 2 cents
Binky - Best person to talk to as you know how your ex-company functionslah. Heh heh…not much changes.
Actually, hubby doesn’t want me to be SAHM. We had a discussion last night and he prefers me to take up an easier job. It’s not the money but he believe that I should be more exposed rather than stay at home and look after the kids. No offence to SAHM but I do agree with him on this one.
Another thing is I hate not being financially independant. I can’t imagine myself going “Lou Kung ah, today I need $50 to buy vege”. Heh heh..it’s a jokelah. I wanna be able to flash my own credit card. Lol.
June 22nd, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Yupe, we both know how that company operates! Heheee!
Well, whatever you decide eventually, I understand you know what’s best for you and your family.
For me, I have flashed enough of those credit cards and have lived through to see the dark side of it, and trust me, it’s not pretty! Hahahaa! Right now, we only have one credit card for our household, and I always drive sense into my husband’s head when he asks if we should get another card (coz’ the marketing promotions attached to every cards are always too attractive to resist).
Anyway, I see your husband’s point of view of urging you to stay on as a FTHM. Besides being able to keep abreast with the outside world, there’s nothing much to do in Kuching if one would to become a SAHM in that little town, would it?
My eldest sister, a SAHM, has 3 kids (Primary 5 and 2 and a little 3y.o. toddler), and other than becoming their taxi driver to schools and tuition centers and other extra-curricular outlets (which takes up about 90% of her time), she practically doesn’t have other “alone” time other than a weekly 1hr yoga… and she is not that IT literate. That’s in Kuching
But if you were to live in a bigger city, you’ll probably have more things to do as a SAHM - for instance, like me, taking up photography, and at the same time, going to Mommy&Baby groups to socialize and learn singing, reading, etc to babies.
And on the money part, it’s funny in my case because my husband goes out there to work and earn the money, and he lets me manage the household financial 101% with the aid of internet online banking and stuff. So, being the Interior CFO, he gets pocket money from me while I use the money to pay expenses, loans, for savings, and the remaining for my retail therapy. I guess in my case, I rely heavily on internet banking and having and using it is a very useful tool - it helps me a lot because I get to see how much our money goes to where and how it is manage every minute and seconds of the day. That’s the reason I’m also appointed the Interior CFO apart from being a SAHM (and also thank heavens for it, I have full control of the household financial). Now, I don’t think you have that tool in Kuching, do you? For me, I can’t live without internet banking not knowing where and how our money is managed, so to avoid overspending a single income by 2 individuals, my thinking is, it’s best to have 2 separate incomes for expenditures. In a way, for my case, I’m not financially dependent because I don’t ask for the money from my husband - it’s him who asks from me…!
(Uh-oh, I’m starting to babble and straying away from subject now, and I hope you understand what I’m trying to say! Bleh!)
June 23rd, 2007 at 4:09 am
Your hubby’s wonderful lah. You are full time CFO, tough job you know. That’s why you are well paid. Lol.
As for activities in our small city here, you are right, they are limited. So, its kinda stressful if you stay at home with the kids 24/7. No outlet to release stress. That’s my personal opinionlah.