When did you take the plunge?
I did a search for this but didn't see anything related to it yet but I was wondering when everyone who does strictly cams decided to do strictly cams, if they did something else beforehand. I have been nervously edging closer and closer to the idea of giving up my original job which I've had for 8 years...and focusing mostly on cams. I guess I'm just scared because I'm relatively new to camming and haven't been able to dedicate all that much time to it, so therefore I don't know how much I'm even capable of making...what I do know is that so far, I usually average at least $15 an hour on cams and average probably $10 an hour, sometimes less, in my original job...and I'm struggling to pay bills. I also do phone sex, but that is definitely NOT reliable. I never know how much I will or will not be making with phones.
I feel like I need to really optimize my time as wisely as possible and make as much as possible because I go back to school in August (I'm also a full time student) and I have two kids in elementary school (hello, astronomical before and after school program fees). I actually got into camming in the first place because honestly, no matter how shy I am, I had no other choice at the moment I chose to dive in :P I came to the realization that something had to be done or I'd be facing an eviction and unable to pay my bills for the first time in years, so I signed up for every cam site I could find and here I am now, wondering if maybe I should try to phase out the other job and focus more on this one. What scares me the most is the "what ifs"...I'm leaning towards cams, honestly. But my gut instinct doesn't always lead me in the right direction, either...
Was there any one moment that anyone here decided they were ready to take the plunge and give up other sources of income to make cams their main source of income?
Re: When did you take the plunge?
If you're currently making more from camming than your regular job then you should switch over. Even if you've already hit your full potential (and you haven't - there's always ways to improve) then camming is still more profitable.
Edit: To answer your question I jumped straight into camming full time from stripping full time, which I also jumped straight into. I knew I wanted to do sex work so I didn't see the point in keeping up with vanilla life.
Re: When did you take the plunge?
Yup, as soon as I realized it was viable for me. That was 2 months in. I'd already been working from home for over a year, and was used to juggling different sources of income. Camming was the opportunity I had been waiting for!
I wouldn't recommend going straight into camming full time or as their only source of income straight away ,ESPECIALLY if you've never worked for yourself, from home before. You could do well and be popular right off the bat, but if you can't work a consistent schedule and get your ass on cam often enough, you won't make enough to cover your bills and will eventually find yourself having to look for "regular" work again. Besides, if you're going to cam i.e. get your bits out for all the world to see, risk being outed and ostracized from society, and have images/ vids of yourself out there FOREVER on the internet, you better be in it for more than just paying the bills! THAT takes commitment, organisation, and a thirst for money x
Re: When did you take the plunge?
I made camming my sole source of income when I was forced to by my real job. When I moved cross country a couple of years ago I was told by my "real" job that I would be able to transfer to one of the locations in my new city. However, my former boss was vindictive and immature and never bothered to transfer my paperwork out here because she wanted to "get back at me" for leaving her high and dry. Even though I gave appropriate notice that I was leaving. So, I was technically fired for failing to show up for work three days in a row without giving notice, which is completely bullshit. I gave notice, but my boss "lost" all of my paperwork. Way to go. I had to find a way to support myself and I was unsuccessful at finding another job out here so when my savings started to run out I had to start camming more and now it's pretty much all I do (other than some small freelance writing jobs I dabble with).
I can't say that I'm unhappy that camming is my only source of income, but I really do miss having a reliable paycheck, and also health insurance and paid vacation time. I don't miss limited opportunities to earn more (caps on amount of hours/overtime you can work in a straight job), and I don't miss having my career be limited by spiteful people such as my former boss, and I don't miss being forced to stick to a schedule regardless of my own needs and wants. It's a huge decision to give up a steady job for camming; please don't take it lightly. I can't ever see myself going back to an outside job, but I'm honestly not sure that I would have chosen to cam full time if someone else hadn't made that decision for me.
For me it's different, because I am single with no one relying on me except for my cat. I definitely don't think that camming when you have kids is irresponsible, but until you know for a fact that you can make a steady amount month after month with camming alone you might want to hold off? Especially if you get any incentives through your other job that your kids benefit from, such as family medical/dental/vision. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.
Re: When did you take the plunge?
Re: When did you take the plunge?
wow I love all of the replies Ladies thank you for sharing :D it definitely helps seeing people who have such different stories being able to make camming work for them...or in some cases, not really having another choice. The job that I have that is my main source of income is an "at home" job, and is sex related but its pretty much all typing and the money is just NOT there in it like it used to be...before the economy went bad, I could easily pull in 20 dollars an hour sitting here typing filth :) now I'm lucky if I pull in 10 an hour...I guess I've just been doing it for so long and I just feel scared to take that jump because it's saved my ass many times...I've been able to put a roof over my kids heads and take care of them and get out of a rather horrible relationship all because of the current job...it just isn't enough anymore. After the economy took a shit I started doing phone sex. That helped for a long time. Then that slowed down also...and I didn't even question giving camming a try I honestly dove head first into it :bouncey: (SO glad that I did!)
My only issue I might run into is scheduling...I mean, it isn't hard to log in and cam for me at all...whenever I have some free time, kids aren't around and my boyfriend isn't here (which is becoming more and more rare btw) I get my makeup on and cam.
My boyfriend doesn't know I cam...and I'd like to cam whether he is here or not. He knows about the phone sex, but we haven't been together for more than a few months for one...and although I do love him, and he loves me, camming might freak him out a bit, although he's offered to do couple shows :P I did bring up camming to him a few times and each time he has a different reaction so I am just trying to figure out if he will get mad enough to honestly be done with me or if he will just be sorta upset, see it as actually cheating, etc or be like, I WANT IN TOO!
I started cleaning up my office which I've been using as storage, so that I can cam in there and lock the door :D I can always pass it off as phone sex because honestly no one would know the difference if I was behind closed doors and they couldn't actually see me lol I actually don't want ANYONE in my real life to know I'm doing this...and I'm definitely not ashamed of it, I just honestly don't feel like dealing with the commotion it would bring lol especially considering how my jobs in the sex industry have progressed, people would think my next stop is escorting, which I wouldn't have the balls to do anyway lol.