Tax season is the perfect time to invest in your blogging career. Why not use your tax return to help further your blogging career and get you started on the road to blogging success?
For some people, tax season is the only time they have a little extra money coming in. Putting it to good use by investing in tools and resources will help take your blog to the next level.
Here are 10 ways your tax return can help further your blogging career.
1. Blog Set Up and Website Fees
Whether you’re a new blogger or already established, you have fees associated with having a blog. As a new blogger, you will need a domain name, hosting, and a theme for your blog. If you already have your blog up and running, tax season is a good time to pay your hosting and domain renewal fees in advance if possible. If you need help setting up a blog, have a look at this post.
2. Office Supplies
I’m old school; I can never have enough notebooks, pens, and Post-it notes nearby. I like to shop sales and stock up when I can. I’m always writing down ideas and jotting quick notes to remember, so having enough office supplies is crucial for me, and for many bloggers, I know. The small things add up, so purchasing paper clips, legal pads, highlighters, printer paper, and anything else you might need will mean you won’t have to worry about it for a while and can focus solely on blogging.
3. Education
Books and blogging courses are something that all bloggers purchase at some point. Education is always a good investment no matter what career you have. Blogging is no different. There is so much to learn, and it’s important to keep learning as things are constantly changing in the blogging world.
Side note: It’s all too easy to become a course junky. Only purchase if you know you will have time to go through the material. Then make sure you’re implementing what you learn before going on to other courses. Yes, education is a good thing – if you use it. Purchasing courses and then not completing them is probably the biggest way I see bloggers waste their money. Trust me on this one, I speak from experience.
4. Subscription Tools
There are many tools that bloggers use, from social media schedulers like Tailwind to picture editing tools like Photoshop and Canva and writing and editing tools like Grammarly. Some of these are paid yearly, and some have the option of paying monthly. Either way, using your tax return to make sure you have the tools you need available is a good idea. That way, you’ll have helpful resources when you need them without having to stress over the cost.
5. Update Your Computer
Whether you have a PC or Mac, at some point, you might want to upgrade and get a new model. Technology is another area that is constantly changing, and since as bloggers we make our living by using this technology, we want to make sure we have a reliable computer.
6. Update Your Office Space
An organized and pretty office space can be so motivating. You might not think a disorganized and cluttered office space does any harm, but it does. According to this article from Inc., a messy desk can have a negative impact on your productivity. Think about purchasing a few things that will help keep you more organized: File organizers, letter trays, desktop supply organizers, and drawer organizers. Anything to help keep your office space clean, orderly, and free of clutter. Make sure you surround yourself with things you love such as inspirational wall art, beautiful photos, and a comfy office chair.
7. Blogging Conferences
A great way to learn and get to know other bloggers is to attend a blogging conference. There are many different conferences held all over the world. Some bloggers swear by them and have learned many valuable lessons that have helped them go from hobby blogging into earning a full-time income with their blogs.
8. Pay Other Debts
Blogging can take a while to become profitable, so paying down other debts you have will alleviate some of the financial pressure you might feel until your blog starts earning a regular income. You might even want to take your tax return and pay a few things ahead like your insurance, cable, phone, or garbage service. Having a few months without as many bills will allow you to focus more on growing your blog without the stress of trying to earn money right out of the gate.
9. Hire a Blogging Coach
Blogging has its ups and downs. If you feel yourself getting stuck, you might consider hiring a blogging coach. What exactly does a blogging coach do? A coach will help you set realistic goals for your blog, and then will hold you accountable to meet those goals. A good blogging coach is one who has had success in the blogging world and will be able to offer you insights on what works and what doesn’t work. Blogging can also get very lonely at times. Having a coach to chat with and run ideas by is invaluable and a worthwhile investment to help further your blogging career.
10. Hire an Assistant
If you find that you’re not able to get as much work done by yourself as you used to, it might be time to hire a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant can help with many blogging tasks, from email management and photo editing to social media management and content writing. A tip from the pros is if you have a task that you don’t enjoy doing or it doesn’t play to your strengths, it’s usually worth the investment to hire an assistant to help with those kinds of tasks. Learn more about how to hire a virtual assistant here.
Can you think of more than 10 ways your tax return can help further your blogging career? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments!
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