TPT Chats Episode 9: The Hidden Costs of Being a Teachers Pay Teacher Seller

When you think about selling on Teachers Pay Teachers, you probably picture designing fun activities, uploading them, and seeing the sales roll in. Easy, right? Some may even call this "passive income". 

Well... yes and no. 

In Episode 9 of TPT Chats, we (Annette from Count on Kupe and Malia from TPT for Beginners) talked about the not-so-obvious side of running a TPT store: the hidden costs. We don't mean just money though, yeah, there's that too, we're talking time, tools, and all the little things that pop up as your store grows. 

Here's a peek at what came up in our conversation: 

Creating Isn't Free (Even If You're Using PowerPoint)

To make a product, you usually need:

• PowerPoint (which requires a business license if you're selling -- school accounts don't count!)
• Fonts and clipart
• Design tools or memberships (sometimes Canva Pro is just easier)

We both laughed about how those "tiny" purchases sneak up on you. One font here, one clipart set there... suddenly, you've spent $100 and haven't even uploaded the resource yet! It's totally normal, and honestly, it's part of the creative fun. 

Time? Oh Yeah, That's a Cost Too

You think it'll take an hour to make something... Then it's three hours later, your coffee is cold, and you're still fiddling with margins. 

But don't worry, it gets faster as you go. In the beginning, there's a learning curve (like with anything new!), but once you get in a groove, you'll find your flow. 

Marketing (But Not Right Away)

Yes, marketing matters, but it doesn't have to happen on day one -- and it shouldn't!

Start simple: share your resource on Instagram, mention it to your teacher friends, or just focus on creating great products that people will want to talk about. 

Down the line, you might want to explore:

• Email platforms
• Reels and pins
• Maybe even investing in some stock photos or Virtual Assistants (VAs)

But none of that is urgent. You can build your systems slowly, one step at a time. 

Even Teachers Pay Teachers Comes With Fees

TPT has a premium membership that many sellers opt into (because better earnings!). And each sale has a small transaction and processing fees. 

It's good to know what those are so you're not surprised, but they're manageable and part of doing business. 

So What's the Takeaway?

Yes, there are some hidden costs, but don't let that scare you off. You can grow your store at your own pace, invest a little at a time, and build something meaningful along the way.