Being a geek, in general, can get expensive quickly, and being a blogger can get expensive quickly, so being both can get overwhelming. But it is totally possible to make great geeky content without having to always buy the latest and greatest geeky things.
Make A Budget
If you are putting any money into your blogging, be it domain and hosting, buying items to review, or anything else, you really should have a budget for it. I specifically have not only a budget for A Geek Girls Guide, but it also has it’s own place for it’s designated money. I personally only budget for the things that make the blog run, such as domain, hosting, Later subscription, and Dropbox. And it’s good to have a place for the blog money if you make any revenue on the blog.
When it comes to geeky things I buy like games, collectibles, and experiences, I only buy the things I would want to own and do regardless of if I write about it. The mindset is like “I really want this super nerdy thing that I’ll love. Oh and I can write about it!” versus “I want to get this super nerdy thing to write about it”. The writing about the thing is a bonus, not the whole reason. And these things are taken out of my personal budget since they are, in the end, personal items I want. If you want to make part of your blog budget be for these kinds of items, have at it. It’s just not my own personal way of doing it.
Take Advantage of Free
This in particular works well with games, as there are tons of free games available to play and also demos to try and write about it. Mobile games in particular have tons of free options. You can also find web series, comics, fan films, and more for free online that are great writing material.
And when other free opportunities come your way, you can take advantage of making content around it. Some of these opportunities are simpler, like all of the free online cons happening right now. Others can be grander, like the time I got to go to PAX Unplugged because I volunteered to demo a game for a publisher. Of course take what you can handle and what is relevant to you, but free can be very content worthy.
Another version of free can be borrowing something your friend has, like books, comics, and games. I’ve written about board games that my friends owns and I’ve played with him. There is no rule saying you have to own the thing yourself to write about it.
Join Creator Programs
There are a few different programs and sites you can join as a creator and get access to request opportunities. Examples include NetGalley for books and Terminals for video games. There are also some simple groups that connect creators to publishers for various fandoms and industries like board gaming. In these programs and groups you can learn about upcoming books/games/etc as well as request a review/advanced copy to write about.
Make Content That Doesn’t Require Buying Anything
Reviews and first looks are very popular and involve spending money. But you can definitely create tons of content that don’t require spending any money. Some examples of content I make that doesn’t cost me anything are how-tos, recommendations, and favorite things. And there are also plenty of tags and challenges out there as well.
What on a budget tips do you have for bloggers? Share them with a comment below.