Funding a Desktop: Part One

Lately, I’ve found myself wanting something more than anything else. I want (need, I suppose) a new desktop computer. My current laptop is fantastic for writing articles and browsing the web, but it’s useless for anything more advanced than that. Like, for example, making games (or playing them for that matter). I had to rent a laptop for my Computer Graphics class in university because my laptop cannot handly any graphics more advanced than 2d sprites.

So I resolved to construct my own PC. A desktop preferably, I can sacrifice the mobility afforded by a laptop in exchange for saving a few hundred dollars. Desktops are easier to upgrade as well, and I can save a lot of money by building my own instead of buying a pre-built ship.

Unfortunately, I’m a student which means I don’t have a lot of spare time on my hands. I’m also unemployed, a factor which is exarcebated by not having time for a job, and also the dreadful economic climate my home country find itself in. There’s just not enough jobs to go around. So I need to think of other ways to raise the money for my desktop. That’s where my online empire comes in (not much of an Empire but still…). Through goal setting, and using Triond readers to hold me accountable to those goals, I hope to have funded a complete desktop build to the tune of some $800 within the next few months.

Goals

• Write More Articles: I’ve been incredibly lax about writing articles on Triond lately. Here, right now, I resolve to write at least one article every two days for the month of February. That should mean at least 14 new articles before the month is out. I’ve noticed when an article is published my number of views shoots up. I don’t know why that is, but I intend to take full advantage of it. Goal: 14 Articles.
• Postloop: I’ve described Postloop before, and it’s been doing wonderfully so far. Even with my lax posting frequency and only being a member of three active forums, I’ve managed to make a huge….$15. Not much, but I figure if I join more forums and become a better, more frequent poster on them, I can manage to make at least that much every week. Hopefully more. I’ve seen people who have managed to make $10 every two days. That’s my dream, but baby steps. Goal: $25
• Publish Some Stories: There are numerous ways to make money by writing short stories or flash fiction online. Online magazines are happy to pay you for quality stories, even if it can take a while for them to decide whether or not they want to accept your story. With any luck, I’ll be able to get one or two stories published within the next 3-4 months or so. Finger’s crossed. Goal: Long term, but finish at least one story by the end of the month.
• Paid Blogging: Much like I’ve failed to keep up with my Triond article writing, so too have I failed to keep up with my blog. In the past, when I was more dedicated, I made about $80 a month with paid articles on my blog. Reviewing websites and services are awesome ways to make some quick money. I’ll need to get back into that. Goal: 1 blog post a week until month’s end (4 blog posts).

That about does it for goals for now. I fully intend to add new goals to the list as time goes by, adding to my reserves of income. As it stands, this should be enough to get me started. I hope to achieve all of these by the end of February (even allowing for my birthday). So let’s get started.
If you have any other ideas, any ways I can raise money for my new computer, please let me know in the comments below. Follow me on Twitter for constant updates as to how I’m doing, and for when new articles in this series are completed. Message me, leave a comment, or send me a tweet if you want to help somehow (become a referral, give me ideas and so on). And, of course…
WISH ME LUCK!