Making money from blog?

For me making money is not the primary purpose of my blog. If it was I would be doing things very differently I'm sure! I'm the person who lost a couple of grand trying to make it as an Internet Marketer remember!

It has been interesting to see the different types of blogs that catergorise themselves as 'personal finance'. Some of them are just sites filled with articles. Boring! I like the 'personal' in finance blogs. It helps me stay the course I have set.

I also notice some blogs have donation links so that people can help them pay off the debt they are blogging about. Thats just not me. If anyone feels an overwhelming urge to make a donation while at my blog visit Kiva where $25 can change a life, and you get it back! I would never ask for money in the offline world so I am not about to online.

Instead I have added some afiliate links and some ads to the site. If they make some money, great! it will go straight off my mortgage. If not, it's no big deal. My goal is to pay off my mortgage through my own efforts. My blog is kind of an online diary that lets me make contact with others. I find writing each day helps my stay focused on my goal.

Recently I started looking at some of the pay to post sites that have popped up on some other blogs I read. I have been to a few sites and one thing I didn't like is that most of them say you can't write anything negative about the site/ product. Not my style. If I am going to review or talk about something I have to be able to be honest about it.

I came across Blogvertise a few days ago and have been thinking of applying, mainly because I can say whatever I like and possibly add a few dollars to my mortgage reduction plan. I have been through the site and I like what I see. Here is Blogvertise in a nutshell;

• free to join
• initial rates are $4 - $25 per post
• after 10 approved posts payment rates may increase
• paid through paypal 30days after completed
• you do not have to endorse the product / site *

At one stage I did add text ads to the blog but I soon took them off. They annoyed me no end when I was trying to read entries! I have decided to try Blogvertise and see how it goes. If I am approved the extra dollars will go straight off that mortgage. I will post any updates on my application and earnings here.

I would be interested to hear others views on paid posts and donations for debt reduction.