I've got $5,000.what should I spend it on?

A web investment question

[JPigford]

This is somewhat hypothetical, somewhat not. But say I had $5,000 to spend on anything web releated...what should I spend it on? (ie a website, ecommerce, whatever)

I'm not looking to blow this money...but make the money back and then some. So a solid return on my investment is a must.

Ideas?

[zomega42]

Step 1. Make website
Step 2. Buy adwords with your $5000
Step 3. Profit

(Step 1 is the important part)

[LifeinAsia]

I think your question is almost as vague as saying you have $5,000 to invest in securities, what should you buy?

Help us find out some more about what you want. Are you looking to spend the money and then do nothing except wait for the money to roll back in? Or are you looking for an initial investmet of $5K to get you started on a business that will be your full- or part-time job? In other words, are you looking to be a passive investor or do you want to get your hands dirty?

If you just want to be an investor, then put your money into Google stock or some other company (it doesn't even have to be a public company).

Otherwise, "investing" in e-commerce or other web-related items requires continual involvement in the project. You contantly need to change things and tweak campaigns and develop more. Otherwise, it is doubtful that you'll ever get much for your investment.

[JPigford]

Alrighty, clarify...I'm perfectly okay with having to "work" with whatever I bought with the $5,000. I'm not so much looking for passive here. I'd like to sort of maybe fund starting up a new site I'd be involved with.

I do web design/development full time from home and could possibly use this cash to start up something to help bring in more income.

[arran]

Spend 50% or more on content.

arran.

[moltar]

Buy an established website.

[Heartlander]

How many "stickies" did you get from people willing to help you part with that 5 grand?
I bet there were more than a few?

[seanpecor]

Assuming you only have a modest equipment setup at the moment and you are at present making an income as a consultant, I would take the $5,000 and purchase upgraded equipment. A new nicely equipped notebook computer for $2,000. A data backup solution to protect your intellectual property for $500. A 24" widescreen LCD to plug into the notebook for $1,000, plus an array of additional peripherals like bluetooth mouse and keyboard so you can make your new notebook perform ergonomically like a desktop computer while at your desk ($500), but still have the ability to take your notebook to where you feel most creative at the time. With the $1,000 you have left, buy a Herman Miller Aeron chair. Your back will thank you. Then you can take that equipment and more enjoyably earn your millions most creatively with the proper equipment. Just a suggestion :)

Sean

[walkman]

Pay me $4900 to tell you :)

in all seriousness: $5,000 is not a lot, but it can more than enough to develop a site or two. Pick a niche, get a domain, let google see, and go for filling it with pages.

[joaquin112]

Agreed. I recently sold a good site for 7.5k I am now going to invest that money in a better one with real content and a good domain name. My advice: plan from the beginning. Whatever you do, look at it long-term. If you want to create a new site, get a good brandable domain name, SEO, good content. Start with a good vision in mind right from the beginning. It took me years to learn that.

[joaquin112]

Also, Sean knows what he is talking about. In the long run, you will be benefited from a good computer, a good monitor and a good chair. To his list, I would add a good book on being "organized" - it may sound a little childish, but there are MANY books out there that will offer you precious advise. One other thing I have learned is that optimizing your time is very important. It's very easy to make 10 times what you are making now by simply being efficient. The most effective guy is he who can make others work for him.

[aspdaddy]

I agree but I would lease/purchase the kit over 3 years and take a 5K holiday :)

[JPigford]

I've actually totally got the equipment side covered...Dual 2.0GHz G5, 3.5GB RAM, nice office chair, and a fish tank :)

[percentages]

Making good money on the web now requires a large investment.

$5k may seem like a decent amount to some, but, in reality it is peanuts unless you have a very valuable unique idea worth a great deal more to go with it!

You can't buy much advertising for 5K, you can't buy a good site for $5k, you can't buy a good business for $5K.

With $5K the best thing you can do is to invest in a stable life for a few months and learn.

If I determined that I wanted to attack a new market today, an established market, I would have to be prepared to throw at least $2 million at it, most often $10-$20 million to even make a dent worth discussing.

There are still some cheap markets available, but, cheap is now measured in millions ;)

[arran]

If I determined that I wanted to attack a new market today, an established market, I would have to be prepared to throw at least $2 million at it, most often $10-$20 million to even make a dent worth discussing.

There are still some cheap markets available, but, cheap is now measured in millions ;)

I was under the impression this thread was about the investment required to create a site that earns, say, $500-$1000 / day.

$5-10k investment + 1 year + some blood, sweat and tears can achieve this goal. I'm sure some of the webmasters on WW have built high earning sites without any inital investment other than hard work.

arran.

[steve40]

percentages
I do agree with you to a certain extent not sure about millions but honestly to get a web presence nowadays with sandboxy thing by both G AND Y i do think it is not easy with 5,000 suspect 50,000 is a better starting point to make some impact and possibly 2 to 3 years before any returns on investment

big business is moving in and the days of a guy putting up a website and getting loads of free traffic within the week are long long gone

steve