Blogging, Coffee, Payment

~ beetleypete

Whenever I look at the blog of a new follower, there are two things guaranteed to make me lose interest immediately.

1) Using the phrase “Buy me a coffee”, with a payment option box next to it.

2) Writing “If you enjoyed this blog, please contribute so I can continue to keep blogging”.
(With a payment option box next to it)

Just so you know, I am NEVER going to give any money to any blogger. Whether that’s for the usual ‘coffee’, or so that you can sit at home blogging and get paid for it.

It is not my responsibility to pay for you to be a blogger. If you want payment, please do not follow my blog. I am never going to follow you, or read any of your posts.

There are hundreds of free blogging options, many of which are used by those asking me for money. It costs them nothing to blog, so why are they asking me to pay? Is it for their time perhaps? I should be expected to pay to read their opinions, or see a photo of what they cooked for dinner last night?

Not going to happen.

If you need to make money, get a job. If you want to run an online business, set up a real website.

Blogging is not a job, and other bloggers are not here to pay you for doing it.

110 thoughts on “Blogging, Coffee, Payment”

  1. Brilliant and spot on! I totally agree with you. Thank you for being so honest and stating this point. I have funded my own domain and would feel very embarrassed to ask for donations. I have never heard of a blogger asking for a coffee though, didn’t know that was a thing, just seems rude. Have a nice day 😊

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    1. They have a little badge on their site that says ‘Buy Me A Coffee’, with a payment option. It was quite common once, but not so much now. Thanks for your supportive comment.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  2. What’s the difference between buying a creator a ‘coffee’ and tipping a waiter. Or what’s the difference between paying a creator or paying for Netflix or Hulu or some other streaming service. If I can support a creator then that means they don’t have to work a nine to five with gives them more time to make the thing that people enjoy. The content is free. No ones being forced to do anything. You like it, leave a like or a comment or a tip. If you don’t that’s fine too. That’s just my opinion.

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    1. Thanks very much for your opinion, and your comment. I appreciate you taking the time.
      I would have thought the answers to your questions were obvious.
      Waiters don’t usually get paid very much, and tips are considered to be an essential part of their salary. They have to leave home and go out to do a job to get an income. If the service has been good, I will be pleased to tip them.
      Netflix entertainment costs millions to make and to market, and provides many happy customers with a lot for their money. I don’t actually pay for a Netfix subscription, but millions are doing so willingly.
      Blogging is free to all users who choose to use a free blog. It costs them nothing but their time, and it is not my place to provide them with an income for using a free blogging platform. Whether that be in the form of ‘Buying a coffee’, or leaving a Paypal donation.
      More importantly, most of those bloggers asking for this money are not actually presenting much worth reading in the first place.
      Those are my feelings, and I doubt they will change.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Thank you for taking the time to reply Pete. I mean no harm in this little back and forth, I just want to understand where you’re coming from and maybe through this I can learn something.
        Firstly like Netflix, many blogs also provide entertainment as well as knowledge. I struggle with a lot of anxiety amongst other things and sometimes it’s nice to just sit down and read a short story, or someone’s personal story about them dealing with hardships as well. Reading personal stories helps me feel less alone. Sometimes I use YouTube as an escape or like to look at nice pictures on Instagram to make me feel happy. Sure I should seek counseling but sometimes that’s not an option. Also, I read lots of blogs about lots of different things from how to manage money, to nice little short stories. For me, if I read a good story at the end of it, I’m like ‘man, this person deserves a little more than just a like.’ They took the time to sit down and share their; experience, and or art, and I want to show them how much I appreciate that. Sure I can say it in a comment, but why not say it with a ‘coffee’? Buy Me A Coffee and other donation platform isn’t about ‘begging for money’, feeling entitled, or a ‘get rich quick scheme’. If done correctly, it’s about showing creators how much their work means to you as a viewer. Is not a requirement, it simply a suggestion. And if buying a few cups of coffee allows my favorite creators to keep making free content for me as well as those who can’t afford or don’t want to buy coffee then great. To me it’s a win win for everyone.
        Thanks so much for taking the time to read this Pete. See, now I wish I could buy you a ‘coffee’.

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        1. If you enjoy a a blog post, and want to contribute, that is very much your right to do so. I have been blogging for almost 9 years now. I post on average 3-4 posts every day, and spend something like 5 hours a day blogging. I do that for myself, and if I had just one reader, that would be nice, but not essential.

          As I said earlier, Netflix costs a fortune to make, blogging is free. If some bloggers think their effort deseves a tip, or some form of payment, then they are not my kind of bloggers, to be honest. I get a lot of readers. I just checked, and today I had 661 views so far, from 352 visittors to my blog. If every one of those gave me £2 to buy a coffee, I would be earning over £700 a day. That’s a lot more than Boris Johnson earns for being the Prime Minister.

          But then I would be blogging as a job. I am retired, after almost 35 years of working shifts in the emergency services in London. I don’t want another job, even a £700 a day one. I actually pay for my blog, to have no adverts, and more space. But it is only £3 a month, or about the price of one large cappuccino.

          I don’t expect a single one of those 352 readers to buy that for me.

          And I don’t expect people to agree with my opinions on blog posts. In fact, I respect their right to debate, and to disagree.

          Best wishes, Pete.

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  3. Agree with you 100% Pete. It irritates me more when the buy me a coffee pop up follows you when scrolling down the page, I just stop reading further and am less likely to read future posts. Some bloggers I have read to have spent in excess of £1000 on blogging which I think is stupid beyond belief. Then have the check to provide ways to pay or donate to their blog, I’m sat here like well don’t waste so much bloody money on it then. Readers are going to like you or your content, not what you spend money on like fancy graphics or plug-ins to make your content more popular or whatever. It just comes across as desperate.

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      1. Exactly, if people choose to want money for their written content then write a book, don’t complain when you’re not earning anything if you’re posting content on the Internet which is accessible to all. Not aimed at you Pete, just people who lack common sense

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  4. Made me laugh, thank you. Personally, I’d never dream of asking people I don’t know to ‘buy me a coffee.’ I just decided to follow you after a (very quick) look at your posts. Many look fascinatingly short. Mine tend to be, erm, a shade longer. I see you have 7000+ followers. I think I have about 20, although I don’t like to look, tbh. So the trick seems to be, don’t write so much. Right, I’ll see what I can do. But first, I need a coffee…

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    1. Thanks for that. I used to publish posts that were much longer. It took me quite a while to realise people rarely read anything longer than 600 words.
      I left a comment on one of your posts, as I am happy to read more than 600 words. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  5. this made me laugh- but at the same time it’s unbearably relatable 😂. personally i think that blogging should be a passion or something you genuinely want to do and it’s refreshing to see someone voice my thought. wonderful post ! :))

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    1. Not so much upset, as fed up with this. I have written about it previously, and it keeps coming back. I think it is very bad manners for bloggers to ask for money from readers.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  15. Agreed. If you want coin that badly go stand on a city corner with an open hand like every self respecting beggar. BTW can you buy me a cappuccino (hey, I have high standards). Hah!!

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    1. Yes, they have little signs that say ‘Buy Me A Coffee’, with a Paypal button next to them. Some write ‘Please contribute if you enjoyed this blog post’ at the end of every post, and add a Paypal button next to that. If you read down the comments, you will see others know about this.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  18. I’m ‘split’ on my reaction to your take – true, I don’t think the simple act of blogging can or should be seen as a way to make $ while using free services (or even paid ones) unless the content serves a purpose on inspiration, motivation, how-toing, etc. On the other hand – many bloggers I follow ALSO have shops/wares for sale – of their crafts, cards, photography, books – etc., that I may never purchase or want to purchase or need to purchase, and yet, I do so appreciate their efforts in blogging to share their ‘gifts and talents’ with me and having a ‘donation’ button allows me, when funds are present, a way to send a smallish ‘thank you’ when I don’t particularly want/need to buy what they have for sale – – so as usual – I’m on the fence over this topic! although, if they have a small button for donations and not hard sell/pop-ups, etc. of it – I guess, in the end, that doesn’t bother me….unless they do endless posts over their dismay at no one donating – -:D

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    1. TamrahJo, if you are happy with donation buttons, that okay with me.
      But I never have been, and I very much doubt that will change.
      That’s just not how I see blogging, so it doesn’t sit well with me.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  19. I must admit that I have not seen this, Pete. I must admit, however, that I never go over and check out the blogs of new followers of my blog until they have commented on a few of my posts. People need to show interest and invest some time before I reciprocate as I have a lot of followers who are very loyal and whose posts I really enjoy reading. I have to spend my time wisely.

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  21. I find it very off-putting too Pete. I’ve only seen it occasionally but you shouldn’t have to pay to read someone’s blog. If they really need the money that bad I don’t think our pocket change will support them.

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    1. I presume they are hoping that the pocket change of a thousand followers will priovide them with an easy income. They couldn’t be more wrong of course. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. People selling services and products in the guise of blogging are indeed irritating, but at least they are ‘obvious’ in the main, Don. Someone writing about his exciting holiday to Thailand and then asking me to fund his next trip, that’s a very different thing.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  23. I guess an argument could be made that a blogger provides entertaining content, just as a novelist, recording artist, sports team, or movie production company does. I also suppose an argument could be made that many people see blogging as a source of income to help make ends meet after losing their job due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, I will not fund a blog.

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    1. They could argue that, David. But then if they are good enough, they could sell those articles for publication. And if their blog is that good, it will have so many followers, they can make a very good living from advertising revenue. The last thing they should be doing is publishing two or three average posts, then asking readers to contribute money for them to continue.
      And for those people who see ‘everyday’ blogging as a source of income after losing their jobs, then they have sadly made a very bad choice of career. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  24. You always bring up such interesting issues, paying a blogger for their work? I haven’t ever paid someone to read their content and I don’t think I ever will? I follow one blogger that asks for coffee but their writing isn’t that interesting so I just overlook the request. I wonder if I really wanted to read the next post, like your series Pete, I might just buy you a cup! C

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  25. So happy you wrote about this Pete…I had followed one blogger who likes real-life murder stories, and did a nice job recapping stories from available press accounts….then that person started a”monthly fee” for their stories but planned to include “erotic thoughts” as well….oh my. The “unfollow” got used that morning to be sure, and that “buy me a coffee” button is the worst thing to happen to social media! Finally, there’s a story over here about the explosion of “Only Fans” sites…men and women posting nude photos of themselves for a monthly fee since they are stuck at home during the pandemic…oh my again…

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    1. I heard about ‘Only Fans’ on Twitter. Seems they are springing up for all sorts of things, not just nudity. One was a gamer who wanted people to pay to watch him gaming live on his site.
      There are some very good people on You Tube who work hard doing things like showing you how to set up complex cameras, or fix a problem with your car. I would pay for those tips, as that is their real full time job, and they have invested in the technology to make it accessible and useful.
      But blogging should never be like that.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  26. Point made Pete. I’ve now removed my ‘coffee cup’, from the home site, otherwise I fear loosing you and your many genuine followers. Yes, I’m getting new followers, probably drawn from your site, and many offering to show me how to blog.

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    1. You have an interesting and a genuine blog, David. You didn’t need the coffee thing, but if you chose to use it, that was up to you. The people I am writing about seem to be hoping to finance their interests and world travel by asking for donations and coffee money. You are not in that category at all,.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. Thanks, Theo. The top bloggers can earn a very good living from blogging through ad payments. But the people I am writing about rarely have more than a dozen posts on their blog. Some have none at all! They have the basic WP Intro page, and expect me to buy them a coffee for seeing that? Hilarious.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  28. Patreon is the place to live if you want people to pay for your content and you must be prepared to market it. I heard that the idea of ‘curated’ (translate paid) has found its way to Medium as well. I have never donated to anyone’s blog. Heck, I am still working on the free platform myself. Nope, nada. All well said, Pete.

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    1. Celebrity culture seems to be getting out of control. I watched an episode of (so-called) Celebrity Mastermind a while back, and I had never heard of any of the contestants. One was described as a ‘You Tube Influencer for beauty products’. That’s dragging the depths for ‘celebrities’.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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    1. I only notice them when I go over to thank a new follower. It stopped happening for a long while, and has started to creep in again. Just annoyed me this morning, Cindy, but I don’t lose sleep over it. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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          1. I feel bad I am unable to be more active. I am torn. After the third novel I was thinking of stopping and just blogging–opting for instant gratification as opposed to solitary long projects–but nomatter what side of the fence I am on, I yearn to create on the other side. Oh, well.

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  35. It’s the way of the world. YouTube, Instagram and dare I say… Only Fans! People are charging for content, and for extra content. They’re been influenced by influencers… and want to be influencers, not go to work.

    Now buy me a coffee!

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  40. That made me laugh – I think most of my latest followers have not been genuine bloggers. Some blogs you start reading then realise you are being invited to buy their course on how to be happy or rich… I am looking forward to being asked by a ‘blogger’ if I would like to pay for their Tesco home delivery!

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    1. I have had over 20 new followers in two days, and a quarter of them had that buy me a coffee thing on their blogs. I am fed up with it, and it’s not the first time I have had a rant about it.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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