Do I go full force with webmastering from home

or continue to look for a contract!

[uk_webber]

Well I was away travelling for a while and back in London now I am struggling to find a web contract - normaly it only takes a few weeks but it has been 2 months now!

Luckily I have savings and few outgoings and I am earning money from web sites. I am almost earning enough to cover rent but not quite - this is where the need for a 'proper contract job' comes in.

I am starting to think that with the progress I have made in one year part time I should go for it full-time and rid myself of the shackles of the corporate world - I would move somewhere much cheaper (and nicer) than London for a start!

Anyway has anybody else been in a similar situation and went for it full time with success? Will putting in 8 hours a day as oppose to 2 or 4 make enough difference to live on?

Thanks.

[antman]

Hi, I'm in the same exact situation. I just finished a 5 year contract for a global bank located in NYC and decided to take some time off before looking for the next contract. I'm going to use this time off to focus on my websites.

I'm really starting from scratch with the sites. At one point I was making about $300/month but after months of neglect (full time job & 2 kids tend to distract you) and some SE updates I'm down to pennies a day.

I'm a VB/C# SQL, Oracle developer so I'm splitting my time between websites and that type of work so that I'll be ready to get another contract if I have to. Writing some C# log parsers and tools that aid my website development to stay in programming shape. :)

I figure that I can create lots of content and new websites that I wouldn't have time to do with a 9-5 job. If they start making money in the next few months then I'll continue this but if not, then I'll look for a new contract and continue webmastering part-time.

The eventual goal is to work from home full-time. It might take another 6 month contract or two to get there but I'm patient.

Good luck to you.

ant

[httpwebwitch]

I've noticed a few people recently announcing their divorce from the captive contract world. Is that the new trend in webmastry: self-employed affiliatesuckage as full-time income? It's enticing, isn't it.

since it's a job that can be done anywhere you have power and cable, it would be a big advantage to move somewhere the cost of living is cheap. In Nunavut, you can sell a few books for Amazon and live like a king.

If you have the knack, go for it!

[uk_webber]

This is the idea. You can live very comfortably in Indonesia on USD 30 a day.

[webnerd]

Webmastering is a similar to gold prospecting.
For every gold prospector that strikes it rich there are a thousand that end up in property.
My suggestion is to move back with your parents while you try this.
Quotes:
Success is a journey not a destination
Webmastering should be thought of more as hobby and a occupation.

[vincevincevince]

move back with your parents while you try this

That's a very good bit of advice.

I would like to add that you must make sure you have three months income spare in the bank account, just in case.

[uk_webber]

I would suggest many on this board sees webmastering as much more than a hobby!

[httpwebwitch]

yes, you would be right

WebmasterWorld isn't a hobbyist forum, it's a gathering place for professional webmasters. Hobbyists tend to lurk and learn. The advice you get here is often from people who do this for a living. It doesn't take long to recognize who's who

[antman]

The whole wife and 2 kids thing might make it hard to move back in with the parents. :) Besides they turned my old room into a exercise room. Mom & Dad are getting in shape for retirement.

And $30/day won't cover my mortgage so I guess I had better get back to working on my sites.

Good luck to all of us who are trying to escape the 9-5 life.

ant