This post was most recently updated on March 23rd, 2023
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[A collaboration post – all thoughts are my own.]
Blogging is a fun activity for someone who enjoys spending time alone like me, and since I started a self-hosted blog in 2020, I’ve found this exciting feeling whenever I write content for my audience. For some people, it might be boring to do the same routine every day. But for me, I love waking up every day and opening my computer to write down ideas and share them with the world.
If you’re interested in the blogging community, you can even start your own blog now. As a beginner, you need to get a feel for the process of creating a blog and writing content you enjoy and want to share with the world. If you’re a freelance translator or writer, starting your own blog will greatly benefit you. Because there are so many people online, the Internet is generally the first place people look for information.
Every business should have a website, and this is especially true for freelancers. You see, your blog is not only a tool to become noticed and clients, but it is also a chance for you to write and earn money. Furthermore, a blog is a fantastic way to build your portfolio. I use this blog to build my portfolio as a writer and also to promote my translation service.
However, when I say ‘start your own blog,’ it means you need to be the owner of your blog.
What does it mean? This means you need to be self-hosted.
Why self-hosting?
- You own your blog – domain name (no wordpress.com, blogger.com stuff at the end)
- You can create your brand, and customize your blog however you’d like
- You can monetize your blog, with no limitations
- You have high-quality servers
With having your own blog, you have complete ownership over your blog and don’t have to follow any rules (when it comes to monetization) and you can decorate your blog with no limitations.
How much is it going to cost to start a self-hosted blog?
Starting a self-hosted blog can become a costly affair, and the question of cost arises in every new blogger’s mind. There is no upper limit when it comes to blog investment, but here, I will share the minimum amount you need to spend to create a professional blog that you can proudly share with the world.
How much does it cost to start a WordPress Blog?
Starting a blog with WordPress is free. You can register for a free blog and start your blow right away.
But, if you’re planning to add .com rather than wordpress.com, you need to purchase a hosting plan. There are many hosting providers that offer a variety of plans with different features and prices. These extra costs will depend on your specific requirements. You may also choose to invest in customization, SEO, or other elements along the way. These things may also cost money.
If you are a new blogger and plan to start a blog on WordPress, you can start with Lyrical Host for a minimal cost of $19.28/month. With the Tiny plan, you can host one WordPress site with 60GB SSD web space, ~50k monthly visits, 6 x 10GB email accounts, free SSL certificates, automatic daily website backups, 15 stock photos/month + mystery goodies.
Web-Hosting Cost: $80-$100 a year
This is one big investment that you will be making in the process of starting your own WordPress blog. I would suggest that you do not compromise on the quality of your hosting service. You should try to get reliable (and affordable) web hosting. For a new blog, shared hosting is best. Some of the best recommended for your 1st year are Namecheap ($1.98/month) and Lyrical Host ($19.28/month).
Domain Cost: $10-$18 a year
To start a self-hosted blog, the first thing you need to do is purchase a domain. Having a domain name is analogous to purchasing a home (hosting) and assigning it an address (the domain name). You must ensure that your domain name is simple to remember, type, and brand. Check out your domain’s availability with Namecheap, and you can get a domain with them for $9.76 per year.
WordPress Set-up Cost: Mostly free
There are many tutorials and resources available on the internet, even on YouTube, that will let you learn how to install WordPress. Here are some of the WordPress tutorials I’ve written, which you can use to guide you through the process of installing and setting up your WordPress blog:
WordPress Theme Cost: Free to $100
From my experience, the most challenging task is to pick the right theme for your site in terms of speed, mobile friendliness, price, and functionalities. There are many free WordPress themes, but they are missing some of the important aspects of premium WordPress themes.
If you are looking for a low-cost WordPress theme, here are some best recommendations from me:
WordPress Plugins: Free to $200
One of the major benefits of WordPress is its great list of free plugins, many of which can be found in the WordPress plugin. There are also many premium plugins that are available at varying costs.
Honestly, as a new blogger wanting to start a self-hosted blog with minimal investment, you may not need any premium plugins. But if you don’t have an investment issue, you can grab some of the premium plugins to help you increase your site’s functionality: like image optimization to increase your website’s speed.
In the beginning, you can invest only in hosting and domain because they’re the key to starting a self-hosted blog. Other than that, you may purchase a low-cost WordPress theme to create more professional looks for your blog.
Do you find this post helpful to budget your self-hosted blog? Let me know below your opinion.
