For many of us we start a small business in order to provide ourselves with a family flexible working environment and to contribute to our family finances. For me my main priority is being able to drop everything when I need to (like the summer holidays) just be a mum. I most definitely am not thinking about life after 50, but at the same time in 12 years time I don’t want to me working like I am now.

What provisions, if any, have you made as a self-employed person for your future/retirement/old age?  Do you worry abut the future? Have you made a plan? Or are you playing it by ear?  Although I pay my NI contributions, I’ve not really thought about putting money away but what I do know is Daddy Moo and I are on the same wavelength and planning towards the same future.

More of this.

Less of this.

By the time we hit 50, the children will be 23, 22 and 19 years old ie. Uni students or earning a crust themselves and therefore less reliant on us parents. The goal is that Daddy Moo and I will live half the year on a Greek Island and then spend the winter back in the UK.  I plan to be like an old lady digital nomad, but one that doesn’t travel the world just lives in 2 places, haha!

Multiple Income Streams : 

The key to being a digital nomad seems to be in multiple income streams something I’ve been chatting with my networking chums a lot lately.

• Saleable Skills Set : You need to have something to sell online, whether that be copyrighting, graphic design or social media management. Or maybe you are able to write e-courses in your chosen genre.
• Affiliate marketing : This is one of my main goals for the next 12 months. Increase my passive income through affiliate marketing. It’s time to admit joining Awin and adding banners to my blog posts isn’t enough. I recently read “She Means Business” by Carrie Green and she talks about how in the early days when she wanted to do something she became an expert through google and you tube. It made me remember those early Charlie Moo’s days when I’d stay up late working out html, not only did I feel nostalgic for the chaos and smells of sick (only kidding) but I missed myself that one who moved mountains to make things happen.
• Sponsored Content : Love it or hate it sponsored content is one the most common ways to earn money using your blog.  Brands, PR’s and SEO companies will approach you to write content and link back to their client/business in someway. Payment varies greatly and there a a few do’s and don’ts but generally I work to the rule of providing useful content to my audience there are certain things I won’t promote and I have to feel comfortable with what is going on my blog.
• Blogger Outreach : As a blogger there are lots and lots of outreach programmes out there matching brands and bloggers. It’s worth signing up to as many as you can as payment will vary from company to company as will how often you are offered work etc ..

I think there is also an air of working smarter and in that working time working hard. I sit in my office from 9am-2:30pm and easily get distracted by the goings on around me …. however I’m pretty sure if I was given 2 hours to work before heading off paddle boarding then I’d work my derrière off.  Which is really the attitude I should have now towards working. Have you got any tips for working smarter or passive income in particular affiliate marketing? I’d love to hear.

This post complies with my Disclosure Policy and contains affiliate links.

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