35 weeks to go

I'm back!

2007-04-04T11:48:00.000Z

Hello again.

Good news - I have a new up to date PC with scanner. Forex feedback from other users continues to be positive.

Bad news - managed to lose my ebay account as forgot password and never got round to changing from old e-mail address. 60 positve feedback all gone. Due to kids holidays, no time to to do much combined with late starts so unable to do much when I get back. Don't get me started on Vista and compatability issues...

Forex is dominating things at the moment. Based on feedback and past results I may hasve the equivalent of a fulltime income by end of May, if the figures play out. With this in mind, most of my energy is on this at the moment.

I am putting articles on the backburner - not so much time as expense. With forwarding and the need for auto-submissions my finances are looking a but strained, especially with a cunk of my income going down from this month. I are, however, determined to carry on with the one project/month and so I am turning to info-publishing which can be sold on ebay (as a starter) for a a few pennies plus allows affiliate links to be added to any info as well. I'll get back later this week with figures.

See you tomorrow.

Still here!

2007-03-20T08:34:00.000Z

My old PC has died (RIP and all that). I am hoping to donate some of its components to others so that other PCs may live...

I am signing in from a work PC and this is a brief post to keep you updated.

I have ordered a new Dell PC (I'll write more later on my experiences with them later, but suffice to say their customer service, as it is laughably called, sucks).

How does this pan out for the masterplan? To keep things neat, I will hope to start again from April assuming they deliver in time. I had 8 months until redundency and 5 projects planned, so there was always 3 months room for contingencies and also replace unprofitable streams.

I should be back in about 10 days - well according to Dell anyway, but otherwise check in on the 1st April (or 2nd if you think its an April Fool!).

Ye Gods!

2007-03-08T19:41:00.000Z

I'm sure someone up there doesn't want me to carry on with this effort. Today, my PC has been cutting out and turning itself off for no reason (bangs head on desk). I have up to date anti-vitrus but not sure whether hardware or software. Yet more expense and time to get sorted. Maybe I should just become a hermit or something and forget the whole thing.

Trying to stay positive, I received my new keyboard today. Its like Christmas all over again! My hardware also arrived but no USB lead so I'll go out tomorrow and get one and hopefully, at last, start listing my collectables.

A month tomorrow since I started this. No income so far (only expenses!) but I have two streams lined up and ready to start this weekend. One scary thing is how little leisure time I have for myself recently. Will I be bitter if this turns out to be a waste of time? Hopefully I'll not have to find out.

Off to write another article now....

Hello to anyone out there - I can hear you breathing...

2007-03-06T20:09:00.000Z

Submitted blog to a few directories. Don't really know why, as its mainly for me but might of interest to someone.

If this is the first entry you're reading, then quickly flick back to the first two entries for an "introduction". Can't be bothered? Well I'm not going repeat everything here so its up to you really.

Current projects -
Collectables on eBay (awaiting hardware to start)
Articles (have two in the bag, 3 to go - all to be submitted this weekend)
3 more slots available.

Backburner/testing
Forex daytrading
Gambling.

Tomorrow is an article writing day, so nothing too strenuous, but on Thurs I'm hoping to finish all of this weeks articles and trade for a real a new Forex system I've come across.

Can it get much more exciting???

Todays' random quote - "The biggest failure is the failure to try" by someone famous, probably.

Yawn...

2007-03-05T22:04:00.000Z

Knackered today, so absolutley nothing done today. My financial freedom is postponed for a day. Must be getting old....

Should be back tomorrow - looking to submit to blog directories. Might even take my readership up to 5 ; )

A world of possibilities...

2007-03-03T21:51:00.000Z

As I have now done a few blog entries, I will looking to Adsense this site. May get a few pennies from it. I have not bothered too much with keywords on this site so I'm looking forward to see what I get. Please not click on them if not interested - I do not want to fall foul of Adsense terms & conditions as I have bigger things planned for it.

In addition, I will register this blog with a few directories next week as well. This week a few links, tomorrow the world....

One advantage of doing this type of thing is meeting like minded people. This week alone, I have been contacted by trader who found my details on a T2W site. No immediate use right now, but someone who it might be mutually useful to each other in the future. As I have mentioned before, trading is one of the two main things I am aiming for so a chance to meet and talk to a "real" trader is quite exciting. Or may be I should get out more. Just a shame about the timing.

Another contact I have picked up is holding my interest. I have an interest in property as well and while I don't have the funds at the moment, its no excuse not to keep an interest. Have a look at http://highyieldingproperty.blogspot.com/index.html. Once again, its great seeing someone in action day by day rather than yet another "I did this and made millions" type of thing. I think its sometimes just as productive to see how things arn't done properly - and I'm sure I'll have a few examples on this blog to laugh over in the coming weeks!

Tomorrow is a day off, although no doubt I'll be looking at something for future reference.

Writing hat on - I'm an author in the making!

2007-03-02T14:33:00.000Z

I am carrying on writing articles today. Hoping to upload them all next weekend. This will give me 5/wk (or £5/day/month so far hopefully). Another issue is that not every directory is overjoyed to receive affiliate links.There is a way around this but again, you've guessed it, there is another cost involved. As this is an experiment, I hope to get round this a little by doing 10 articles linked to 5 costed sites, and 10 which are "free" to upload but will not always get accepted by all the directories. I will then compare the results. I also know a few sites I definiately want uploaded to, so I'll need to check if they are on the distribution list.

Pub ebook. slowed a bit, but is a longer term thing anyway. I have something else in mind for April which is fairly low cost, and who knows, may be I'll have it funded by something else by then?

I have also ordered a new keyboard. This one sticks eveeryone now and again (as you may have noticed). There are suspicious coffee stains on it, but everyone here denies doing it. Sounds like an X-file - mysterious stains just appearing without anyone having any knowledge (theme tune plays in background). Although an expense, this should speed my writing up, instead of some of it appearing as if a trained chimp has been dictating...hang on may be I've stumbled onto something here. And it would only cost peanuts (groan).

Finally for today, I have a day off next week, a trading system that needs trying and some money in a spread betting account. I have heard good things about it so I am looking forward to trying it.

Income stream #2 for March

2007-03-01T12:45:00.000Z

Okay, so I didn't post yesterday, but I know this blog is not widely read at the moment so I don't have to beat myself up too much. So planned for march?

In February, I started on collectables. I have had to order some more hardware for the PC before I can start selling these, but everything is done as much as can be.

For March I am looking at article marketing. Lets go through figures first.
The model I am following gives various numbers - £10/day/multiple sites, Min £3/day, etc. This is per article, by the way - not total. Not going to get very far on £3/day. To build in some insurance, as before, I tend to under estimate the income. This is mainly based on experience where promised returns have been laughably short. On the plus side, if it is above then I get a nice bonus.

I am going to strip it down to £1/article/day. This means I need 20 articles a month, and probably just one sale from each. Uploading to articles is very time and yawn inducing so I have decided to use an upload service, with a view of buying my own software at a later date. This is an additional expense and should have been funded by the collectables. As this is stalled at the moment, and each project shoud be stand alone up to a point I will have to fund this out of my general income. I am aware that articles can be repeat payers, but I am going to assume that they get a little publicity when added and no more views afterwards. This, again, builds in some insurance (along with with a 20 day income month) although it commits me to do 20/month regularly.

This stream will have a testing period of 3-6 (reviewed monthly) months to allow plenty of time as this is a slow burner. I will upload once a week to get a regular stream (in theory at least!)

Time Passes

2007-02-27T23:00:00.000Z

What have I been up to? Did I watch the Superbowl? Umm - no.

Article directories bored the pants off me (not literally, I hasten to add). From my master list some links didn't work, some didn't need to register and some were mislisted. One thing I dotake from the time spent, is that it will take a long time to publish each article. If I was unemployed at the moment then I would have the time (and if everything works out I still won't have the time) to do this. In my situation I think I have to look at Article submission services. Another expense (grrr!) but should pay for itself.

Collectables next. Still having hardware problems, despite trying to borrow someone elses gizmos. Decided to bite the bullet and go out and buysome stuff. This making me rich is costing a bit at the moment. I'm sure my bank account should be going the other way....As previously written, I have stock and a plan so, while irritated, not too concerned at this stage. Would hope to start listing this weekend.

Working methods. I am looking to see if it is more effiecient doing jobs on batches rather x hours per night. I feel workflow is better. For example, rather than listing 20 items a day on eBay, I need to list 400 a month,whther that is 100/week 1, 150 the next, 75 the next and rest on week 4.

Pub ebook. Coming on, although longer than I anticpated. Kepp getting hit with flashbacks so I keep adding extra content all the time. More comprehensive, but more longer.

Superbowl. Didn't watch. You try getting the tv for 3 hours with a wife and 2 kids. Mind you, Mrs is out this Friday night. A plan methinks.

Tomorrow - stay tuned for the launch of income stream #2.

A slight tweak.

2007-02-18T15:40:00.000Z

I am having a few hardware problems at the moment.

I can't say I'm that bothered. The collectables have been bought, a target assigned and a plan reached at so all is in hand anyway. The fact I have to put it off for a week is not an issue. As long as I list 400 before end of March then all should be fine.

Remainder of this week is devoted to article directories, paper trading and writing up more of the ebook. Might even treat myself to a DVD or watch the taped Superbowl this weekend if I hit all my own targets.

Ho hum...

2007-02-16T20:16:00.000Z

I have had a bit more stock. Some looks a bit more like it, although only one way to find out.

This blog will go quiet until the first auctions end. Both of us will get bored by reading and writing "listed items, signed up to directories" for the next week.

I am on lates at work next week, which is irritating in one way. Unable to list anything as I want evening finishes. I can take advantage of the no other distractions and get these directories out of the way, write some more of my ebook and paper trade a couple of stock systems I have.

Have a good week.

See you soon.

"2 out of 3 aint bad" - try 14 from 100.

2007-02-14T10:22:00.000Z

I looked through my stock ready for resale last night. Once I had taken out the foreign ones, ones with no identifying features and ones you could reproduce today I was left with the grand sum of 14. Woo-hoo.

I bought them all at a good price but don't want to try to sell what I know won't. I'll bulk resell the rest later this week. This should limit my downside.

No more came through the post today so I just have one batch. Later today I'll photograph these and start listing.

I will list a full month (20 units for 20 days) - this should be ample time to test it. If it gets £20/day then this stays. If it doesn't, I might keep it as a "seed money generator" only if it makes something or just drop it altogether.

On other fronts the fun job of article sign ups continue. I'll be sending an e-mail to Forex system looking for some clarification later today as well with a view of paper trading in a couple of weeks when I am off midweek. Live trading should begin tail end of March.

Had a brainwave last night. As mentioned, some projects might have overlap. I thought of writing an ebook based on my previous career of managing pub/restarants. I could sell the ebook for some money. Add some affiliate links inside. Start a related e-letter with marketing ideas and "best of the net", also with affiliate links. I can also sell, at a reduced rate, an updated edition every year to previous buyers. Just hope there is enough people interested in running a pub/restarant and enough links and affiliates. I know of at least 2 publications dedicated to this sector so there at least some demand. With 10 years experience across over a dozen places it should be real value, rather than some dry old rubbish written by someone who has never run one and started from a part time basis. If I do at least 2 pages a day with a launch due in April this should be plenty of time.

Update - First setback

2007-02-13T20:16:00.000Z

I came home to discover someone was kind enough to take my parcel so I have some stock at last. Thats the good news.

On the flip side, the quality is rubbish. Much of stuff is not for British market and worst of all on the goods are pencilled dealer prices suggesting these were unsuccessfully sold and thrown together as a bulk sale just to shift them. Worst case, I can sell them myself like this but it it distracts from the magic £20/day.

Trying to stay optimistic, this is only the first of 4 sellers to deliver. Hopefully the rest will be better. I'll list many of the more likely ones anyway but the generic ones I'll just keep to one side for a bulk resell once I have seen the rest of them.

Overall, a disappointing start. Can't help wondering whether this is a good idea or not. May be I'm judging too fast. I still have the rest to arrive and may make some money out of some of my first batch.

I know I should list these straight away, but will use tonight to filter through the dross and see how many are worth listing for tomorrow.

Todays musings

2007-02-13T17:05:00.000Z

No-one in to receive the post today, so even if my sellers are on the ball, then it will be tomorrow at the earliest before I can start selling.

I trying to use the time waiting to good effect.

Today I am reviewing a forex system I ordered a little while ago. No doubt I'll have a few questions to ask and take advantage of their support offer. With only occaisional days off in the week, I have try these out on a more sporadic method than a week or two solid testing. THis would be capital growth anyway so no urgency for this.

Signed up for a few more directories. The time it is taken is longer than I would like and I am wondering how long it will take to upload to all of these. I vaguely remember reading about a company offering to do this. Will have to investigate.

If there is a company, I'll need to sell more to pay for it.

Hopefully the collectables will pay for £20/day plus financing articles. The idea is to have each income stream finance the next to pay for mistakes and set up. I just hope collectables is up to the task. Worst case I think I will make enough to fund articles, but will drop it once articles become self financing if it can't make £20/day REGULARLY. Just need to find out if it can hit those targets. Stay positive, Sam

Early days, but I try to think ahead. Who knows, it might just pay off...

Aaand action!

2007-02-12T08:22:00.000Z

I have successfully bought some stock to sell. How successful I am selling it remains to be seen.

The model I am following suggests a min. £4/unit profit with some items going for considerably more. At least 50-75% will sell. Allegedly.

So lets play with some numbers. I need £20/day. At £4/unit in theory I just need to sell 5. Hmmm.

The models worst case scenario suggests half will sell, majority still at £4 and the remaining large minority with higher figures still. All well and good, but thats not my worst case.

For my one, to build in a bit of insurance, I will assume only 1 in 3 sell. At minimum price. None higher, no resells and bulk selling. This means if I am to get 5 x £4, then I need to triple the amount on sale. This now means I will be listing a minimum of 15. To cover listing costs etc on the ones that fail to sell, I work out if I add another 5 cards (based one 1 in 3 selling) then I should clear £20 or at worst break even. Summary - I need to list 20 units a day.

As a compartive novice and the the fact I am buying almost "blind" regarding the exact type I want, I have tried to offset the risk by spreading my purchases among likely sellers and building an "insurance" selling model. Hopefuly I'll settle on a couple of companies which should make life a little simpler.

Everythings ordered now. Just a case of twiddling my thumbs until they arrive. Oh, and signing up to more directories. Yawn...

Not so easy on Sunday evening.

2007-02-11T21:13:00.000Z

Spent most of the day researching, visiting people and watching Scooby Doo with the kids (SD & Witches Ghost. Good stuff. For kids, obviously. Ahem...).

Decided on one of the collectables. Limited market. Not making any more of them. One of my gurus seems to think they are relatively easy to pick up and profit from. Lets put it to the test. I am looking out for stock and hope to order some tomorrow.

I also signed up with a few more article directories. Tedious, but necessary.

A long day, but constructive. Looking forward to putting plans into action.

Easy on Sunday morning

2007-02-11T08:14:00.000Z

Its Sunday morning, the birds are singing.

Well, actually the skys grey and its tipping it down with rain. At least it gives me an excuse to stay in and carry on with this. I hope not to "work" on a day off, but as there is lots to do I need to take advantage of the opportunity. As I work shifts, sometimes I have the weekend off, and other times I don't.

Once things settle down, I will only use my days off if I fall behind, need some extra cash or use it to help pay taxes.

Originally I hoped to start article marketing, as this would be one of slower burners so I needed a bit of a run up. In keeping with the one stream a month, I have left it too late as my rough calaculations mean I need at least 20 articles/month. Signing up for the directories is taking longer than I thought as well.

As I may post a few articles incorrectly through ignorance I used a pen name to sign up. I used one of the name generator sites - a pirate one actually. If you use this, then I suggest you knock off the "Dread" or "Bloody" prefix to the suggested name. Just a thought. (By the way, why are pirates called pirates? Because they arrrr! Sorry)

To get round this, I am substituting another stream. As long as I don't start substitiuting work for watching DVDs I should be fine.

For the remaining two weeks of the month I am starting my eBay stream and will be researching later today. Quick to set up and "instant" cash. In theory.

Wish me luck.

The Plan

2007-02-10T22:24:00.000Z

At the very least I need to make £2000 month gross. To achieve this I am dividing this figure into 5 seperate income streams.

£2000/5 streams = £400 month
£400/20 days (ignoring weekends) = £20/day/stream.

Each one of the streams have the potential to achieve the total sum, but by breaking it down I cover bad months with some streams, find out which ones are more profitable and which ones are best left to other people.

There could be see some overlap in time - e.g a product might have mini-sites, e-letters, e-books and articles all running alongside each other. Most will be online related.

I think once I get my first cash cow, everything else should fall into place. It might be tough with time issues, but I used to work 14 hour days on something I didn't enjoy so this should be easier.

As long as I stick to my £20 target initially then the time shouldn't too much of a factor. Also, if I can make £2000/month part time, I should be able to double that at the least full time.

The £2000 counts as revenue which I can draw upon. I will also be hoping to save and grow capital through trading sports and markets.

I will be adding one stream a month for the next 5 months. All comments and suggestions welcome.

Tomorrow I start with my first stream. Stay tuned...

Here we go...

2007-02-09T21:00:00.000Z

Wow - my first blog. Why am I am doing it?

A few reasons really, but first a bit of background for anyone who might have popped in.

I am due to be made redundent from my workplace in around 35 weeks (can you see where the title came from....?!). While I confident of my ability to get another job, I have an opportunity to try to break free from the wage slave existence and put to use some of biz ops I have laying around. Instead of single handedly supporting the industry, its time for payback.

This blog will show my progress. If I can do it, anyone should be able to. This blogs acts as diary so I can remember what I have done and also commits me to action. With an "audience" I can't really procrastinate or put things off. This should keep me honest and motivated if I have an "off day".

At the very least I will be able to publish an ebook showing my way to success (or "How not to Achieve Financial Independence" if it goes wrong).

It will be a bit of a slog but I'm hoping the work I put in should pay off.

Okay, thats it for today. Tomorrow - the plan.