How Do You Justify the Money You Make Online?

[Cammie27]

Whilst some may think that justify is a rather strong term to use here, I think that it is perfectly appropriate as there are far too many people making cents online, but working themselves to death for it. If you ask me, we all need to take a serious look at what we are willing to do online for a couple of dollars, and how it translates to what we'd do offline. Remember, a 9 hour job offline pays on average $50,000, whilst online you are pleased when you receive $100 a month.

I think for many who work online, there are either barriers to that 50K/year position or significant costs that are avoided by working online. Most of the people I know who are trying to build an online business have children who would require costly daycare if they worked out of the home, or have retired and aren't interested in giving that much of their time to an employer, or live in rural areas with few job opportunities, or are disabled and can't handle the demands of most full time jobs, or some combination of all of the above. And most don't have the education required to earn 50K - around here, that takes a either 4 year degree and a little professional experience or a great deal of experience in a skilled trade. There's no real point in comparing online earnings to average full time salaries if that average salary isn't something you could command in the workforce; the better starting point is to compare what you would realistically earn after expenses from a traditional job vs from working online, and then factor in the intangible pres and cons from there.

 

[protoboard]

Not exactly. Money IS NOT "the result of your work," it's 'the result of people being convinced to give it to you.' Often it is 'your work' that does most of the 'convincing,' but never without PEOPLE WHO GIVE!

I told you 'MONEY DOESN'T CARE' because I was trying to shift your point-of-view from 'what do I get for what I do?' to 'what does the money get for what I put it through?'. Another way to try to shift your vie is to remind you that 'online opportunity'-money buys just as much as 'VA-worker'-money, as much as 'prison guard'-money.

Long ago, the American money-system (outside of the resource-industries) was based upon 'an honest day's work for an honest day's pay.' Of course that--much like online employment--also rested upon the fact that employers GAVE the honest day's pay (Granted, most workers would not work if the pay were not offered; but the employers were not FORCED to agree to the contracts.)

Online, that translates from 'honest day's work' to 'honest page-openings by fans' and from 'honest day's pay' to 'honest CPM (cost per thousand)'.

Man I just don't see how what I'm telling and what you are telling is mutually exclusive. I'm saying you should value the time you put in working online. You may be right, it does not matter how much time you put in if no body is willing to buy (or visit or whatever) but that does not means that all your time has no value.

 

[mkcookin]

You make money serving customers' desire to 'give you money'? I wish there were a niche-market of 'people who want to give me money' ... but---no, no I don't :laugh:

Yes I make money "serving customers." If person A wants the solution the a problem -- I will provide them will free helpful information to help the fix it. Along with this information, I will recommend a product that can help them even further.

For example cake decorating...

I can give someone the recipe to make a very tasty chocolate cake. For the paid product, I can give a step by step video instructions on how it is made.

 

[OniBlackMage]

To me, the economics of "do work, get paid" hasn't changed even in this online atmosphere. If Person A chooses to trade a good or service for compensation from Person B, then the world keeps turning. If there was a something for nothing deal going on, then either one side is stealing, doing charity work, or this is forced labor.

If someone has offered money for something online, that is, paying for a product or service, then that's justification enough. If I perceive their compensation as worth my product or service, then I provide. It's no different from any other job out there, though I would say its closer to self-employment.

 

[Dr. J]

Yes I make money "serving customers." If person A wants the solution the a problem -- I will provide them will free helpful information to help the fix it. Along with this information, I will recommend a product that can help them even further.

For example cake decorating...

I can give someone the recipe to make a very tasty chocolate cake. For the paid product, I can give a step by step video instructions on how it is made.

But they're not asking for assistance in 'giving you money.' They pay you more or repeat business because you give them something they do ask for.