...there is a lot more to it then spending our days looking to get rich. A lot of this information being produced is taken with a "grain of salt" because those of us who work at it full time, know it is a lifestyle choice. Recently I explained it in this way:

"I guess it is likely common sense... but some people don't get it...

There are a lot of us (most people you will never hear about) that make a living from running an online business. We aren't gurus... we don't sell info-products telling you how you can get rich... 'cause if we knew how, then I expect we would be rich. But we get by, just the same.

Christmas, 2003, I made a total of $988.00 for the month. That was the worst month I've had since December 2000.

Still, I paid all of my bills, bought a used car for $4000 and spent $1000 on Christmas.

I was able to do this because, as an entrepreneur I know if I am to survive I have to live well below my means.

OK... so in December of 2003 I wasn't living below my means, but for the 11 months before... I was.

My ex wife made fun of my truck. Yes... I have two vehicles... paid cash for both.

Between her and her new man they are spending $1500 a month for two new vehicles, financed through the bank, (that's including insurance) and last year, besides child support, I was loaning them money almost every month.

Let me tell you about my cousin Harry. Harry is a millionaire and entrepreneur.

A few years ago on a trip he and his wife were taking, their car needed repair. Actually... the frame broke. The garage where he took his car looked at the problem. After seeing that the frame had already broke and been welded 5 times in the past, they said there wasn't any solid metal left so the car could not be fixed. So Harry had to part with a car that was 20+ years old and bought another one.

Lot's of people have a problem with this type of thinking. My friends and family constantly say to me "Why don't you buy another house?" or "Why don't you buy a new car?"

I'm not here to impress anyone.... heaven forbid! What if I have 4 or 5 bad months in a row?

It has been my experience that this isn't likely, but I would be fine.

Being an entrepreneur isn't about money. It's a lifestyle choice. When you choose this lifestyle then you have to be able to adapt your finances to match this lifestyle. This means finding the ability to live well below your means so the money will be there when you need it. "

Sure... getting rich might be OK (can't say for sure how much I would enjoy it because I've never been rich) but it might complicate things a whole lot more which I tend to think would go beyond my vision for my lifestyle choice.

I use the Internet to research and/or buy things I'm interested in. I've bought books related to my business in the form of programming manuals and books, researched hotels and bought air-line tickets. One time I bought an eBook from Paul Myer's whom I've known more or less since 1996 when he used to moderate a business discussion group on the USENET.

For anyone considering buying anything on the Internet they need to be encouraged to perform a little due-diligence and discover for themselves the truth behind some of these publishers.

You have to applaud the efforts of people like John and Paul whose passionate posts would probably not be available if they had to markup a webpage to put it up. (the time it would take to markup a webpage might take a little of the edge off) And you have to applaud blogs and RSS that keeps us informed of posts like this that otherwise we would likely never stumble across. Who knows? Eventually we may discover the real truth in marketing.

OK... spit it out! It's your turn. Don't hold back! Tell me what you've been buying on the Internet.