Episode:81: How Much It Really Costs to Become a Full-Time Content Creator in 2025
May 2, 2025
Discover the real costs of becoming a full-time content creator. Learn how to start your journey with just $30 and the must-have gear that can elevate your content with just a smartphone. Dive into hidden expenses like taxes and insurance that many overlook. Get inspired by a couple's success story that turned a honeymoon into lucrative revenue. Plus, explore budget strategies and the vital time commitment necessary for building a thriving creator brand.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Start With Just Your Phone
You can start content creation with just your phone and a $30 tripod.
Phones have advanced enough to produce high-quality videos without needing expensive cameras initially.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Bootstrap Travel Content
Use local spots and day trips to create travel content before investing in expensive trips.
Save on travel by cooking your own food and sharing costs to stretch your budget.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Spend Smart on Software
Start with basic professional software tailored to your current audience size.
Avoid overspending on multiple platforms before establishing a profitable base platform.
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In this episode of The Creator Passport Podcast, we’re breaking down the real cost of becoming a full-time content creator, no fluff, no BS, just the actual numbers, tools, and sacrifices it takes to build a travel creator business from the ground up.
Whether you’re just starting out and bootstrapping your journey with $30 or scaling to a six- or seven-figure brand with employees, software, and taxes galore, we’re walking you through everything we’ve spent (and what we’d do differently) so you can budget smarter and grow faster.
We're diving into:
The true startup cost of becoming a travel content creator (spoiler: it can be under $50!)
The must-have gear to start creating high-quality content, with just your phone
Our go-to editing apps, photo tools, and where to save vs. splurge
A full breakdown of the software stack we use (and which are actually worth it)
How we reinvested early income to scale our business sustainably
Hidden costs most creators don’t talk about: taxes, insurance, employee benefits & more
The mental + physical toll of full-time travel and how to set healthy expectations
Our top advice for making travel content when you can’t afford to travel yet
How we turned a $20K honeymoon into thousands in blog & YouTube revenue
Plus, we’re sharing the time commitment it really takes to build a successful creator brand, and how to know when it’s time to invest in help or go full-time.
The Creator Passport Podcast