Blogging on a Budget

Some say my blogging activities are a hobby.  Others say it's a clever way of avoiding the off-line world.  I say blogging is a way to tap into my writing passion, maybe even some form of a higher calling or ministry.  No matter what you call it, the promise I made to my family is that any dollars spent on blogging will not come from the family checking account.

If you talk to anyone who lived through the Great Depression, you will find levels of resourcefulness this new generation has never known.  Here's what I accomplished by sticking to my blogging budget:

1. Set up three blogs at a cost of ZERO DOLLARS.
2. Created a website with ZERO start-up fees and ZERO monthly fees.
3. Wrote a memoir and self-published it for under $99 including artist fees for the cover design.
4. Purchased Dragon Dictate 2.0 for $199 using donations from "Angel in the Outfield" supporters.  Dragon Dictate allows me to write my books using a microphone rather than a keypad.  There's a learning curve with this, like learning a foreign language.  Once mastered, you feel like you're a writer who died and went to Heaven.
5. Set up a distribution network with Amazon.com which includes world-wide distribution for $39.00.  Note:  The pro plan has been replaced with a new program using the same features for less investment.  Go to Createspace, a subsidiary of Amazon.com, for details.

I do have a wish list of items I would like to purchase, however, these are "wants" and not "needs."  Most blogging needs are satisfied by connecting with writing experts through social media outlets.  What ideas do you have about blogging on a budget?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.