Rules In Life: Money and Writing and Getting Out of Debt

I am a writer. By definition this means I have no real break or holidays. My money and my income ( my business) depend on me and if I slip... well my finances do as well. It isn't bad really but life as a writer does take time when dealing with personal finances.

Want to make money fast? There are plenty other ways to do so much faster than in the writing and publishing industry. You could probably make more money with hubpages some days. You need to be focused, and income is slow, and the publishing industry is notorious for being equally as slow, it is a business after all.

This is about personal finances, writer style. When you have debt, well it is debt death or no more business or writing. Which for writers is death anyways. This can also be used by others but as the focus is for writers, it is kept to their creative juices to pay the debt down.

Debt and Getting Out of It: There is the easy way and the hard way to get out of debt. the easy way is not to get into it. Face it, now in these days that doesn't happen much. So the next thing is make money to bring down the debt.

Increase that Income as they say. Pay down high interest credit cards. All great in practice, but....

Sometimes you cant even make enough money to make rent, so what next? This is easy, pay the rent, buy food, and put something on each of your credits cards. Oh and no ready made dinners. That's called luxury.

Starbucks coffee? Not a chance. Movies? No. Dining out? Not yet. A lot of hard work and writing? Yes.

I think of my friends, we all had debt at one point or another, and face it, when we need to go shopping to get out, that is an addiction. Don't go shopping if you are going to spend. That's the hard part, is facing up to the fact that you made the debt, and you need to get out of it.

What ever is left over, put it towards your debt. Keep that job you dislike, and find reasons to like it, for now. Dreams will come, but like writing and money, they take time.

I don't Have a Job (or a variety of reasons there):I am a writer, that is one of my jobs, and that needs to provide me with work. Hubpages is a good beginning, but there are other ways to get writing jobs, work as a freelance writer, and find freelance writing sites. Yes, writing is a job.

If you love movies, I know of a place that can put both in play, work at a movie theater, which sometimes offers free movies to their employees.

Libraries are wonderful thing, not only can you get rentals on books and DVDs, but it's free... unless it's a overdue book.

Still, in these hard times, I won't suggest that there are many jobs out there, but if you look hard enough something will come your way. it just takes time, until then go through your personal finances and see what you can cut, Not everything, but cut out things, that you should this list includes: high speed Internet, movies, eating out, ready to eat food, gym club memberships, ipods, iPhone, malls, cable, books, Starbucks coffee. And more.

Even cutting back ten dollars to pay debt is good, it's not much but it's a beginning. just find what you can cut.  Cutting is important but that is one part.  Don't blame yourself for getting into debt in the first place, but focus on the extras you can do to make a few more dollars each month.

Hubs, Ezines, Squidoo and Blogs: While this might not seem a whole lot of fun, this really means a couple or a few extra hours at the computer, say in the evening or morning. Still for the writer this is a good source to look at. This is important since when you write and you want to write, well it does promise a bit of money.... Or does it?

Many people who read hubs or lens or online articles, aren't there to pay you, but some just might come. But be warned this won't get you a lot of money to begin with so don't quit any job you might have at this point.

Remember that google and amazon and other online affiliate programs can change the rules at anytime, so you might have highs and lows, which aren't much fun. So the more you get your name out to the world the better... but this means extra work for you.

Plan to create something that makes you one dollar a day, and this way you can count on at least $30 a month to begin with, of course, when you get teh money put it on your credit cards. Ever bit helps.

Remember balance is the key so also plan to publish books and anything else during this time. Even if you get an advance of $500 dollars it is still money that you can pay down a credit card or a phone bill or something else.

This sounds boring, as you've worked hard, and deserve a rest.  We all do, but you've got so much debt, so as the old saying goes "all work and no play..."

Pay it off but have fun: The biggest thing I learned during my time in debt was this: cycles. One person can cut back on everything, never go out, and never have fun, and then have their debt payed off in couple of months ( I exaggerate, but the point remains).

If you pay it off and then find yourself burnt out and wanting to treat yourself, you will go back into debt. So, I set goals, write say two articles or a few hubs each week and then McDonald's as a treat.

As my debt goes down my goals become higher and then I give myself more things, but a better treat, say make ten dollars from my writing in one week, and write two more hubs, and fix up my blog, and then off to IHOP.

It grows from there.

Beware of one thing, no goals and a lot of treats breaks this method down as well. Don't know what to pay? pay something small, a overdue fee from a video store or from the library. Or, pay say $20 more than the minimum on your credit card bill. One thing that did help me a lot was to focus on the small things, and then make my writing work for me.

Work on getting traffic online, work on making a bit of money and put some effort on your other jobs you might have.  All this is time, but it is worth the effort.

IT takes longer I know but as writers it is a slow process. So take time and energy to do this and you will find not only your debt has gone down but your writing and your reputation has gone up.

Keep writing and publishing.