When you launched your community, what was your budget?

So, when you launched your community, did you have a budget? We all know paid software costs money, and free software is free - but how big was your budget?

I know my software was paid for by my sponsor, Aywas, so I was fine, my other friend sponsored the hosting for a while until I was able to move on and pay for my own hosting costs - what about you? Share with us the budget that you had.

 

My domain was sponsored to me by JosephC (You can see him in Forum Promotion). I got an unlimited hosting account in Hostable.com when they offered it for $1 per 3 year.

I downloaded a free theme for wordpress blog, and developed my own theme for MyBB forum based on the wordpress theme.

So, the budget of my forum is $1. lol

 

To be honest, when I opened AdminBB I had no budget at all. My intention was to let it grow, and have nothing to hold me back from making it successful. I bought everything myself such as hosting, the license, domains, and other important things I have paid for, I have spent a good amount on AdminBB in the past 5 months it has been open.

 

I aint done forums for a long time but finance was no problem; my parents covered the costs while I was irresponsible

 

I didnt have a budget. I was just wanted to run a successful forum.

 

Same here, I will put in as much money I need to into AdminBB to help it grow. I pay for everything out of my pocket.

 

Same here, as not having a budget, I just work hard with what I get every month, and flush it back into the community. If it wasn't for my sponsor, I'd have a tough time working so freely.

 

Always great to have a financial backup, unfortunately I dont have one but I prefer that as I dont want anyone to have a say over my forum since they help with the financial side.

 

I spent around $200 on launching my forum and not to pat myself on the bat but I think my forum is awesome. I would post a link but I don't know what the rules are for posting links.

 

You are more than welcome to have it in your signature, and you can make a thread for your forum in our showcase section.

 

I typically don't have a budget, pretty much the forum software is all I worry about.

 

I tend to not have a budget at all. I always buy my own hosting and domain at the very least. if I think a paid piece of software or a plugin/theme is worth it, I'll buy it. Most of the time though, I use free tools where possible.

 

Same here, I dont have a budget either, I use/buy whatever I think will benefit my forum. Its not even funny how much I have invested in it so far for a forum this size.

 

There's far more hidden expenses in running a forum or blog than just the price paid for software.

Guess I could estimate how much money I've spent staying online in search of 'the dream.'

For one thing, there's DSL now, (though it was broadband before) and that comes in at $50 a month. And, if you don't think that is included in the price of running a forum or blog, think again, cause I don't know anyone who can get online without paying for Internet access. Well, unless the cost is borne by one's parents or other person. And, I don't have that luxury.

So, if you average that out over seven years, add in three full years (past tense) of hosting account at $10 a month plus the cost of five domain names in that same time, then you have an idea of how much money has gone into the effort.

Let's not forget the cost of 4 replacement computers bought during that time. And, two of them were brand new. All these things add up.

If I'm now making ANY money back online at some things like Hubpages or blogger or affiliate programs, then it's only repaying me a fraction of what I have already spent.

When people ask why I prefer the freebies and free software and free advertising methods, I just shrug my shoulders. They couldn't possibly understand that I've already spent a small fortune coming this far. Haven't we all?

 

I don't have a budget, but I used to with my old forum HCNET. At one point I felt like I was putting too much $$$ towards it so I laid off of it and things crumbled slowly but surely. It became a waste in the long run and I realized afterwards that forums are a huge hobby of mine. I'll always be involved with them and there's a reason why I have been since 2004. Now with GamerBB I'm making sure I do it right. I've actually spent less on GamerBB than HCNET but still, I'm more geared to making GamerBB successful than I was HCNET.

 

You are doing a great job with your new forum, just to clear up things money is not needed in running a successful forum, there are so many forums out there doing fantastic just by using freeforum hosts and the owner hasn't invested anything into them. And if you do have the money to invest, and its not a problem than why not?