Blogging can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you like. If you’re a new blogger, I wouldn’t recommend ploughing loads of money into your blog until you’re sure it’s going to stick.
There are some stupid things you can spend your money on, like fake Instagram likes or a ridiculously expensive camera that you’re just going to use in auto mode.
Over the years, I’ve spent a fair bit on blogging. Blogging is a something I’ve been doing since 2012 consistently and on and off before that, so I feel like it’s justified. If you think about it, you spend money on most hobbies – gym equipment, computer games, collection lego or whatever else you might be into. Kinky.
There are some things that I believe are worth investing money into. Here’s what I think they are:
WordPress Hosting:
This website started on Blogger, after a few years I felt like I outgrew it and moved to WordPress for a bit more control over my website. WordPress itself is free, but you have to pay for hosting. I pay £2.99 a month for standard hosting and all 3 of my blogs are hosted on this one account.
Picmonkey:
Picmonkey used to be free with the option to upgrade to premium account for extra features, which I was subscribed to. Now you have to subscribe pay to be able to export photos, though you can play around with the features for free before deciding if you want to subscribe.
I’ve used to picmonkey for years and didn’t even notice when they changed it to paid only. I’ve tried a few photo editing tools and found this one the easiest to use.
Buffer:
I’ve spoken about Buffer loads in the past, so I won’t waffle on about it too much here. If you want a quick and easy way to schedule Tweets – Buffer is the answer.
Blogging backgrounds:
Having a background can make a massive difference to your photos. You can be creative and use what you have in your home – a nice wooden floor, table or white desk – or you can spend a bit of money to get that nice backdrop you want. For a few years, I used wallpaper samples I found on Amazon. This is a fab idea and the cheapest way, the problem is that the size of the samples aren’t always massive. I recently invested in two backdrops from Capturebylucy. At £30 a pop before postage and packaging they aren’t cheap but they are bigger than any wallpaper samples you’ll get and vinyl – so you don’t have to worry about them creasing and can be wiped if you get them dirty.
Blog photo props:
There are so many things you can use for props and you can get them quite cheap in some places. Amazon and Home Bargains are always a good place to look for the best value for money. Here are some ideas:
- placemats
- plates
- cups
- candles
- flowers
- scarves or other cloth
- pens and notebooks
- jewellery
- magazines and books
Camera and camera lens.
I never recommend any blogger to get an expensive camera right away – wait until you know its something you want to use long term. Which camera is best for blogging is dependant on a few things. Read the post I just linked for more info. A decent camera is the best way to improve your photography but you can still get some great images with a phone camera if you don’t want to take the plunge just yet!
What do you spend money on for your blog?
These are some great points. I do invest in some props. I currently use my phone so usually invest in some good apps.
Candice |
I will finally make the migration to WordPress one of these days. I’ve been spending money on photo props recently.
Blog hosting, blog props and now artificial lighting have been some of the best investments for my blog. Especially artificial lighting as it gives me the complete freedom to take photos whenever I feel like rather than relying on daylight and good weather.
I don’t spend much on my blog, but I think investing in a new theme can be worth it, and a good host is a must 🙂
My blog needs a serious update but struggling with time. All great suggestions Lucy x