Comments on: Gimmie $ Gimme $ Gimmie http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/ Backpacking around the world on my income from the internet. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:33:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Cecilia http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-668 Sat, 27 Oct 2007 08:00:45 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-668 Thanks Kirsty...never thought of adding the blog in our site. I thought there will be more potential exposure with drumblogger.word press.com than with xzyllardrums.com --don't you think so? If you ask me about blogging before last summer we went back to the Phillipines, you won't get anything more than a blank stare from me. Imagine the cramming that I have to do? If there is some kind of vocabulary test, I'd surely fail it. I had to do a lot of contextual reading. LOL! (It doesn't feel like 'me' using this.) As for the buying power of the mighty $ based on webjourneyman's calculation, you'll probably have as many burgers in the Philippines as you would have in China if not more...although I can't assure you about the size (bite-size or snack size?). Besides, the exchange really came down from P56=$1 almost 3 years ago to only P54 or less now. You really have to time the exchange since it fluctuates almost daily, sometimes even from am to pm...or worse, you're standing in line and when you get to the teller it's 10C less. It's even less if you convert it here from the U.S....$1 = P53.40 only. Approach Philippines with a grain of salt, you could still enjoy it. Thanks Kirsty…never thought of adding the blog in our site. I thought there will be more potential exposure with drumblogger.word press.com than with xzyllardrums.com –don’t you think so? If you ask me about blogging before last summer we went back to the Phillipines, you won’t get anything more than a blank stare from me. Imagine the cramming that I have to do? If there is some kind of vocabulary test, I’d surely fail it. I had to do a lot of contextual reading. LOL! (It doesn’t feel like ‘me’ using this.)

As for the buying power of the mighty $ based on webjourneyman’s calculation, you’ll probably have as many burgers in the Philippines as you would have in China if not more…although I can’t assure you about the size (bite-size or snack size?). Besides, the exchange really came down from P56=$1 almost 3 years ago to only P54 or less now. You really have to time the exchange since it fluctuates almost daily, sometimes even from am to pm…or worse, you’re standing in line and when you get to the teller it’s 10C less. It’s even less if you convert it here from the U.S….$1 = P53.40 only. Approach Philippines with a grain of salt, you could still enjoy it.

]]> by: Kirsty http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-456 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 08:55:51 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-456 Interesting article WJM but if the US buck keeps tanking the way it is it might not look so good. Ya $40 a day is loads, I agree! If you would have told me a year ago that's what I'd be making I would have jumped for job but now that I'm on the verge of taking the leap it doesn't seem quite so good. But I know it is... I think I'll make it my goal to only spend as much as I earn the previous month just as a little challenge and so I don't have to touch my savings. I'm looking forward to putting myself to the test... I'm really good at saving and budgeting at home but once I start travelling I usually spend like a maniac for the first while and only start budgeting when money is tighter. Will be interesting! Scribetrotter I plan on being away for several years as well and I know what you mean about the more we earn, the more we usually spend. Thanks WN, things have gone a bit crazy for my over the past 10 months but before that it was an endless struggle to $100/month. Rene it takes a lot of time but stick with it and maybe branch out a bit from only the one blog and things will keep improving. Cecilia I like the new site but have you thought about just adding it to your other drum site as a blog section keeping the same domain as the other one? Having your own domain is always better than a Wordpress one. I think your idea is really great though and it seems like you've got a lot of experience in the area that people will want to read about. Stick to it! Patience is definately a key trait you need. Interesting article WJM but if the US buck keeps tanking the way it is it might not look so good.

Ya $40 a day is loads, I agree! If you would have told me a year ago that’s what I’d be making I would have jumped for job but now that I’m on the verge of taking the leap it doesn’t seem quite so good. But I know it is… I think I’ll make it my goal to only spend as much as I earn the previous month just as a little challenge and so I don’t have to touch my savings. I’m looking forward to putting myself to the test… I’m really good at saving and budgeting at home but once I start travelling I usually spend like a maniac for the first while and only start budgeting when money is tighter. Will be interesting!

Scribetrotter I plan on being away for several years as well and I know what you mean about the more we earn, the more we usually spend.

Thanks WN, things have gone a bit crazy for my over the past 10 months but before that it was an endless struggle to $100/month.

Rene it takes a lot of time but stick with it and maybe branch out a bit from only the one blog and things will keep improving.

Cecilia I like the new site but have you thought about just adding it to your other drum site as a blog section keeping the same domain as the other one? Having your own domain is always better than a Wordpress one. I think your idea is really great though and it seems like you’ve got a lot of experience in the area that people will want to read about. Stick to it! Patience is definately a key trait you need.

]]> by: Cecilia http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-454 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 06:09:56 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-454 Seeing in print what seems to be foremost in my daily thoughts, the terrifying reality of giving up both our jobs, scares me more than the novelty of starting another facet of our lives...even if somewhat carefully planned. An ounce of uncertainty is a pound of discouragement. It's overwhelming to have all the ideas still floating in the air. My husband and I finally made our first baby step 2 days ago, www.drumblogger.wordpress.com (frustrating...can't even do the link on my own). Enough is enough...I guess! At least you're already so much ahead, and you know what you're capable of doing. Me? Many times I feel life would be a lot easier if I could just grab my pencil and paper. Patience, patience, patience...it's the age of the amazing web...a tangled web! Seeing in print what seems to be foremost in my daily thoughts, the terrifying reality of giving up both our jobs, scares me more than the novelty of starting another facet of our lives…even if somewhat carefully planned. An ounce of uncertainty is a pound of discouragement.

It’s overwhelming to have all the ideas still floating in the air. My husband and I finally made our first baby step 2 days ago, www.drumblogger.wordpress.com (frustrating…can’t even do the link on my own).

Enough is enough…I guess! At least you’re already so much ahead, and you know what you’re capable of doing. Me? Many times I feel life would be a lot easier if I could just grab my pencil and paper. Patience, patience, patience…it’s the age of the amazing web…a tangled web!

]]> by: Rene http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-426 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 23:50:05 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-426 Wow! Congratulations, it gives Jim and I hope that <a href="http://www.liveworkdream.com" rel="nofollow">our blog</a> will help us stay on the road longer than we first thought. Keep up the fantastic work! Wow! Congratulations, it gives Jim and I hope that our blog will help us stay on the road longer than we first thought. Keep up the fantastic work!

]]> by: Working Nomad http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-414 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:43:16 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-414 Always knew you would get there Kirsty and do you know why? You are talented and most importantly you are no quitter! Getting to where you are now is the hardest part done in my opinion. Always knew you would get there Kirsty and do you know why? You are talented and most importantly you are no quitter!

Getting to where you are now is the hardest part done in my opinion.

]]> by: Scribetrotter http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-385 Sun, 21 Oct 2007 20:02:45 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-385 To me $1300 a month seems an absolute fortune on the road! I had a total of $11,000 to my name when I went RTW, and I was gone three years. I worked along the way and managed to keep some of that cash intact but I can't imagine what it's like to live on $40 a day, unless it's in Europe or Japan. But I do understand the issue of security, which plagued me as I set out to travel. I got used to having no fallback, and to living in the moment. My need for security dwindled as I traveled, until it nearly disappeared altogether. I felt empowered and self-confident, and as long as I had medical and accident insurance premiums paid up I felt safe. It's amazing how spending can expand to fit income. I'm earning far more today than I was ten years ago yet I don't live as well... my needs have expanded and maybe money isn't the issue - it's my attitude to it. Congratulations on the AdSense income. I felt the same way when I made my first $1 on my site - just happy that the system actually worked! To me $1300 a month seems an absolute fortune on the road! I had a total of $11,000 to my name when I went RTW, and I was gone three years. I worked along the way and managed to keep some of that cash intact but I can’t imagine what it’s like to live on $40 a day, unless it’s in Europe or Japan.

But I do understand the issue of security, which plagued me as I set out to travel. I got used to having no fallback, and to living in the moment. My need for security dwindled as I traveled, until it nearly disappeared altogether. I felt empowered and self-confident, and as long as I had medical and accident insurance premiums paid up I felt safe.

It’s amazing how spending can expand to fit income. I’m earning far more today than I was ten years ago yet I don’t live as well… my needs have expanded and maybe money isn’t the issue - it’s my attitude to it.

Congratulations on the AdSense income. I felt the same way when I made my first $1 on my site - just happy that the system actually worked!

]]> by: Lissie http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-383 Sun, 21 Oct 2007 02:11:28 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-383 I wouldn't worry too much about security at this stage - once you get out on the road $1300/month is a lot more than most backpackers are earning. In fact $40/day will keep you very nicely in Thailand - and that's not even spending your savings ! I wouldn’t worry too much about security at this stage - once you get out on the road $1300/month is a lot more than most backpackers are earning. In fact $40/day will keep you very nicely in Thailand - and that’s not even spending your savings !

]]> by: webjourneyman http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-351 Sat, 20 Oct 2007 20:18:58 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-351 But are you starting to take into consideration the different buying power of those dollars? In the U.K. $100 gets you 26 Big Macs, 46 in S-Africa, 56 in Thailand and 71 in China! http://www.economist.com/markets/indicators/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8649005 But are you starting to take into consideration the different buying power of those dollars?

In the U.K. $100 gets you 26 Big Macs, 46 in S-Africa, 56 in Thailand and 71 in China!

http://www.economist.com/markets/indicators/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8649005

]]> by: Kirsty http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-348 Sat, 20 Oct 2007 12:47:43 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-348 I wouldn't say I'm cheap or even frugal... I definately don't mind spending money to have a good time. But I'm not at all materialistic which will help me keep expenses down. Plus I'm good at budgeting when I really need to. It's funny you mention the $1 a day milestone. When I started earning that with Adsense I was so happy and told all sorts of people... they didn't seem to share my enthusiasm. I think there were several scoffs, actually. Sure, it's only a buck a day but I think was made me so excited was that it was passive income and it also sparked that motivation in me to keep at it and push for $2 then $5 and now I'm aiming for $10 a day. I wouldn’t say I’m cheap or even frugal… I definately don’t mind spending money to have a good time. But I’m not at all materialistic which will help me keep expenses down. Plus I’m good at budgeting when I really need to.

It’s funny you mention the $1 a day milestone. When I started earning that with Adsense I was so happy and told all sorts of people… they didn’t seem to share my enthusiasm. I think there were several scoffs, actually. Sure, it’s only a buck a day but I think was made me so excited was that it was passive income and it also sparked that motivation in me to keep at it and push for $2 then $5 and now I’m aiming for $10 a day.

]]> by: Steve http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-347 Sat, 20 Oct 2007 12:18:01 +0000 http://www.nerdynomad.com/2007/10/20/gimmie-gimme-gimmie/#comment-347 Kirsty - who knows, you might be making big bucks next year or barely scraping by, but my guess is that you have the determination and drive to keep pushing so you'll be likely to earning more and more, baring any catastrophic events. That being said, as long as you strive to live "below your means" and always put something in savings, it will help with feeling more secure about your finances. When you are relying on your own means to earn a living, as opposed to working for someone else, it is amazing how "cheap" (better word would be frugal :) ) you become. Check out www.spendingwisely.com for some good ideas on living on less. It is funny how the stages progress from being excited about earning 1$ a day/ month to $1000 a month to the big bucks. Kirsty - who knows, you might be making big bucks next year or barely scraping by, but my guess is that you have the determination and drive to keep pushing so you’ll be likely to earning more and more, baring any catastrophic events.

That being said, as long as you strive to live “below your means” and always put something in savings, it will help with feeling more secure about your finances. When you are relying on your own means to earn a living, as opposed to working for someone else, it is amazing how “cheap” (better word would be frugal :) ) you become. Check out www.spendingwisely.com for some good ideas on living on less.

It is funny how the stages progress from being excited about earning 1$ a day/ month to $1000 a month to the big bucks.

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