I don’t know what it is about technology, but I’m definitely an addict. There’s something exhilarating about buying a new laptop or desktop and setting it up for the first time. Everything is clean, speedy and it feels like a world of wonderful possibilities awaits me. Kind of like cracking open a new sleeve of golf balls on the first tee.
Sometimes as bloggers, Internet entrepreneurs, money making gurus, etc. we need a little something fresh to motivate and excite us about the oftentimes mundane tasks at hand. This can be especially true for those of us that work alone from home or the local coffee shop. When I came across a 2 page spread in Wired Magazine a few months ago about setting up a cheap office, it got me to thinking about how this could help us bloggers on a number of fronts.
The Newbie
I get asked ALL the time, “What type of system should I buy for my newly launching Internet business?” Let’s face it, there are WAY too many choices out there and it can be a bit daunting trying to narrow down what will fit your needs. Throw in the biggie question of Mac vs. PC and it can be enough to deter you from even starting in the first place. The great news is you could darn near run your entire operation on an Internet cafe machine and never even own a PC.
Below is a setup that would more than work for your needs plus give you portability to take your operation with you to meetings, the coffee shop, conferences, etc.
The Unmotivated
This isn’t going to instantly transform your life into a perfect trifecta of motivation, success and efficiency, but it can be exciting to invest a little in your business and ultimately yourself through a few new technology purchases. As I mentioned early, there’s something exciting about unboxing new gear and getting it set up for the first time. It makes you want to sit down and knock out tasks that have been bugging you for a long time.
The Messy Blogger
Maybe you just need to clean up your workspace to help you focus and make you more efficient. If clutter is your problem, a new setup may not be the end all, but it can help be the catalyst to motivate you to clean up your act. You may want to pick and choose from what’s below depending on what you already own and the space you have available to you.
The Cheapskate
I’m all for saving money and being penny wise, but some people just need to bite the bullet and invest in some new business tools. It drives me nuts when people spend the equivalent of a new system trying to fix an old one. I also am a fan of buying a little disaster avoidance “insurance” by keeping newer technology in your hands. That doesn’t mean you have to run out and buy the latest and greatest every couple of months. But consider the lessened risk of using gear that’s not 5 years old. The risk of something going wrong with the hardware lessens the newer your gear is.
So what’s the setup?
Here’s what I would suggest buying if you were trying to do something for under $1000. Even within these categories there are a multitude of options to consider. I’ve given an example of what I’d personally buy in each category.
- HP Mini 110 Netbook
– $350
- ViewSonic 20″ Widescreen LCD Monitor
– $162
- Canon MX860 Wireless Printer
– $160
- Western Digital 500GB Portable Hard Drive
– $106
- Logitech Cordless Desktop Keyboard/Mouse
– $40
- Optional: Flip MinoHD Camcorder
– $182
This would give you a great little office setup for $1000 even if you choose to also get the Flip HD (an invaluable resource for both bloggers and Internet Marketers). You can set this system up pretty much anywhere in your house or home office with enough space to work comfortably all day long. You also gain the great portability of a netbook making trips as close to the coffee shop or as far away as cross country productive and more enjoyable.
August 17th, 2009 at 6:35 am
[...] Cheap Blogger Office Setup [...]
August 17th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Hey Ryan,
Yes, that Netbook from HP is very cool. My wife's laptop clunked out last week. We were at the Verizon store and I saw the HP netbook with their built in wireless cards. We already pay for their wireless service and were eligible for an upgrade so I picked up the netbook for $199 with a $100 dollar mail in rebate. I couldn't believe I actually walked out of the store with a great little computer for her for only 99 bucks. It is amazing how inexpensive you can be up and running these days.
August 17th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
These are great points and thanks for putting the shopping list together. I don't need a new set up but I think this is great for getting new people the knowledge they need.
August 17th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Wow, cool site. I’ll be back to read more that’s for sure.
August 17th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Except the last item, I have got everything but equivalents. A camcorder for the moment is unnecessary for me, but I shall get one sooner than later for non business purposes.
August 18th, 2009 at 8:54 am
nice post , now i feel I am so behind than technology still working on 5 year old PC
August 18th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
That seems like a really nice set-up for under a grand. It's amazing to think that a similar set-up would have cost close to $2500 or so one to two years ago. My father recently picked up a very nice Dell desktop system with a monitor and printer. With all the available rebates and specials, it cost him about $350. What a deal.
August 19th, 2009 at 1:40 am
Well I’ll be danged, I never knew that!
August 19th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Interesting post. It's really good deal little office set up in $1000. Thanks..
August 19th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Nice advise..well certainly its the cheapest way to run a office for a blogger..In my opinion its the beauty of this blogging business you can start at any budget..
August 19th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I agree that the most important thing for a newbie is his attitude and ambition. If he wants to become very successful and he will work really hard he can succeed. In other way he will maybe earn some money but not that much. The equipment in that case is really on the secondary place of importance. Hardware need to be good and original and what company will produce it… Nowadays we have so many good parts, software and hardware that you can choose, choose and choose again. There is no one simple solution, there are many good solutions.
August 19th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Great info at this blog.
August 20th, 2009 at 1:30 am
[...] the thing, I was thinking the other day about a comment someone made in response to my Cheap Blogger Office Setup post. They mentioned having everything on the list except the Flip Mino HD video camera because [...]
August 20th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
That is a nice set up, especially the flip minoHD, you never know when an opportunity to film will come up. If you get that footage, it can be very valuable
August 22nd, 2009 at 5:59 am
hahaha nice setup
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:09 pm
If you're just starting out a simple laptop with an Internet connection is all you need.
August 24th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Great guide, people don't always take the time to write advice for the unmotivated and messy bloggers.
August 25th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
For me one of the most important things aside from spec when buying a new laptop is the keyboard. I made the mistake once and while it was a good laptop I hated using it due to a bad keyboard.
September 9th, 2009 at 3:07 am
Those little Flip video cameras are hecka cool. I got one ealier this year and love it. So small, not much bigger than my Sony Cyber-shot digital camera. Uploading images to a computer is a snap with the built-in flip out USB port.
September 15th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Yeah, I would love to enjoy my coffee at some good coffee shop while I am writing my blog post. Gives me extra energy to think. But the setup description given over here is absolutely wonderful for full time bloggers. In the beginning I would skip the CAMCORDER…lol. While I make some money in a few months' time, I may rethink about getting one.
September 21st, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Nowadays we have so many good parts, software and hardware that you can choose, choose and choose again. There is no one simple solution, there are many good solutions.
Best regards, Elena
September 21st, 2009 at 11:45 pm
There is a lot of great information from you, expert!