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- Is there a hobby that you want to get into?
- Is there something you want to become great at?
- Is there a goal you want to achieve?
Then why not start a blog about it?
You have heard me mention many times that it is easiest to write about something you are passionate about… but that does not mean you have to be an expert at it. What it does mean is you need to have the drive that enables you to research out relevant and worthwhile information for your readers and one of the great things about owning a blog is it forces you to stay up to date on current news in that industry, you need to understand the latest technologies, it makes you accountable to others (your readers) and…
THIS IS THE BEST PART
…the supplies, equipment and training can most likely be TAX FREE!
Blogging about Hobbies
Say you would love to take up woodworking as a hobby… well then why not start a blog about it? This will give you the drive to research out the information and because you will need to get certain tools and equipment in order to understand the hobby and write about it and because this is for your online business, it most likely can be a business expense.
So not only does having the blog encourage you to learn the art of woodworking, it also will help you save a lot of money on the supplies, equipment and training.
How Does it Save You a Lot of Money?
Say a woodworking course costs $700, then the average person would have to earn at least $1000, pay the tax man 30% (could be more or less depending on your current situation) and then you will hopefully have enough money left over for the course BUT if it is a business expense you can pay it directly from your business account and save the $300 in income tax!
Blogging About Travel
Do you love to travel?
Why not start a blog about traveling and you can post about your experiences with different airlines, different rental car companies, different hotels, booking through different online booking services, tourist attractions and of course destinations. You can blog about the planning steps and the experience while it is happening and so on and again… IT CAN BE A BUSINESS EXPENSE!
That means you can pay for the tickets, hotels and even luggage from your business account. Heck you will need to take pictures on your vacations for the blog and so your business will also need to provide you with a camera and a laptop 
Blogging About a Goal You Want to Achieve?
Say you want to get out of debt, lose weight, run a 10k marathon, raise money for a special cause or become a professional MMA fighter (MMA stands for Mixed Martial Arts)… why not blog about your journey to achieve that goal. What a great incentive to cause you to focus on that goal daily… you will always have it in front of you and you will also have readers that will not only help keep you accountable to your goal but will also encourage you to achieving your goal and again any supplies, equipment or training you need can be a business expense
So What Can You Start a Blog About?
Karate, diet, book reviews, model cars, painting, weight lifting, home renovations, investing in real estate, scrapbooking, playing guitar, video games, restaurant reviews, restoring cars, hockey, movies, becoming a better golfer, TV shows, camping and the list can go on and on!
So, what would you like to blog about and what comments do you have about this post?
DISCLAIMER –> I am not a lawyer, accountant or tax professional. I am giving you my view point on this topic only and you NEED to discuss this with a tax professional to ensure you are doing everything according to your specific tax requirements.
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I have a blast with my blog. It has morphed into being more about music than anything else. I love music. My hubby is a photographer so I always have original photos to use. I also include posts about roller derby though my team (LA Derby Dolls) has been on haiatus so I haven’t posted about it recently.
http://sherizampelli.com/blog
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Those three questions are enough to encourage people about blogging… just should people start with couple of blogs to see which they will enjoy? or just one is enough…???
http://www.webgirisim.com
If you have time, it is good to start with 3 blogs and then see which one takes off. If you have more time then do more blogs
Good idea about starting a travel blog and writing the expenses off. I am sure this can be done with many different niches.
Blog about something you have passion for is what I tell bloggers. People can tell if you really like what your blogging about.
Great advice, but I’m not sure the tax thing works the way you think it works… but I’m willing to admit I’m wrong. I don’t think you can claim expenses for your “hobby”, as you have it detailed, as business expenses. Otherwise I’d be writing off my monthly groceries for my “cooking” hobby which is nothing more than me simply sustaining my own life. You might get away with it for a year or two, but with no activity to demonstrate you are trying to actually earn an income from it, I don’t think you can continue to do that. So in the case of your woodworking example, it sounds great, but unless you’re getting into woodworking as more than a hobby, and have an intent to get income from it, I don’t see how you could claim those expenses as a deduction.
Take, for example, someone that likes to collect art with no intention of reselling the pieces. Lets say you start a blog about it, and post the art online in a gallery for everyone to enjoy. How would you claim the expense of the art as a deduction when your “hobby” site doesn’t make an income?
You do not understand. The hobby no longer becomes a hobby… it becomes your job. Your business is to blog about that hobby which makes the hobby no longer a hobby but a legitimate part of your business.
A business also does not have to make a profit in order to be considered a taxable expense.
Gotcha cow.. I guess I’m just thinking farther ahead with this than your article mentioned. Your business doesn’t need to turn *profit* for a taxable deduction, but it does need to demonstrate progression towards income. That is to say, you can lose money every year for x years, and still write things off, as long as you are trying to bring in money. If you don’t demonstrate effort to bring in money, you won’t be able to write off the expense… at least that’s what my tax guy tells me (having been down this road before).
Good post, I understand your point entirely.. I was just getting caught up on your example of someone starting up a hobby (i.e. “taking up woodworking” as you put it) and writing off expenses for something that’s not actually a business.. maybe in 5 years you start writing some of that stuff off because it has become a business, but certainly not it’s your hobby, and not just after you’ve ‘taken it up’. It won’t work entirely like you have it here, but your post is more about the motivation than the execution, and it’s a good post for that.
Yes that makes perfect sense.
Great post. I totally agree. You must be passionate about your blog subject. Otherwise, It will show in your writing. Those three question definitely define why you should be blogging.
Great article! I really love the part about writing about a goal that we may have! Thanks for reminding me that I can do that! Helps me a lot
Razvan Dobre
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Hi.
I have used this technique, and you are very right. It needs to earn an income and be a real part of your business.
You probably could do food, but you would have to take photos, describe how you prepared it, etc. etc. Would it be worth the savings? No.
For example, I could start a blog and review every DVD I rented. It could be a legit write-off, but to save 30 cents I would have to spend a half hour writing.
Another thing Senior Cow does not mention is that you can hire family members as writers. But they better really be writing, and on a blog that really has a monitization strategy.
I am not a tax expert. I love this topic but it is scary to write about in public. If you document things well and have a clear strategy and reason, you can do a lot of things that can save money.
Great Tips Cow. I would love to see a tax expert on your site
Taxing times…
Just another ‘cow strategy’ to keep the Income Tax department away from my pocket..
Btw.. great effect just noticed the ‘race car’ in the comment box!
Good advice, always helps to be blogging about something you have a passion for. Now I just need to find a hobby - unless being lazy and getting as much sleep as possible count as a hobby?
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If the expense is for a business that is making the effort make money, it is probably tax deductible. I purchased a bunch of books to help with my programming, design, database, etc. Those are legitimate expenses.
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Great post. It’s amazing all the benefits blogging actually has.
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Good stuff CowMan, I loved it! It makes sense and really can get those creative juices flowing. Good stuff as usual man.
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Great post. In regards to getting rolling with blogging you stated “it is good to start with 3 blogs and then see which one takes off”. My question is what to do with the blogs that are not terribly successful? Over time they acquire a small following but are time pits. Let them roll or swing the ax? (Let’s also assume they are not terribly profitable.) Finally, how much time do you allow before determining if a blog is successful?
Great question and there are a few things you can do. You can put the blogs for sale at a place like sitepoint.com or you can use them to filter traffic to your good blogs.
Great post. I am blogging about how I want to make loads and loads of money being an entrepreneur. I am tracking my journey and writing about the things I am learning. I love my blog
You’ve just given me a brilliant idea. And I promise to link back here once it launches.
Cool… keep me updated!
Hi John
There are things I’m curious about that I’d like to learn and blog about - that I don’t have that much experience of. I’m really taken by your comment about writing as you learn. It does make sense. After all, there are people out there who are in the same boat as me so I guess they’d be learning along with me.
So thanks for that.
take care…
DonkeyBlogger…. too funny, love the name!