The whole reason why my Lock will be leveling Tailoring is to make the bags that I will NEED WHILE LEVELING...
Blacksmithing, on the other hand, can wait until my warrior dings 60
Normally I would level professions along with my character, but because I have my doubts about the stability of the server during launch, I will be going full ham into levelling my mage. First aid is probably the only one I'll bother with for good reason.
When I level my warrior and the server is more stabilised I'll be taking every thing slow and getting my skills up at the same time. Things like https://classic.wowhead.com/item=6042/iron-shield-spike which are only useful early on and the time that I save later at 60 will be a big bonus.
If it wasn't brand new servers I'd be leveling my intended professions as I leveled my character but seeing how there will be zero economy at the start, it's going to make a lot more sense to pick up just straight gathering profs that can make a lot of silver just off vendoring.
Just depends. There are some professions, like enchanting, which are very hard to level up pre-60, usually b/c you need to just go ahead and vendor items for the cash.
But I'd say it's worth doing gathering professions for the money. Maybe some crafting professions are okay to do while leveling, I've known people who finished 300 blacksmithing before they were 60. But I dunno, seems expensive and you can usually just blitz the professions later with both money and power, and even a mount.
I'm planning on doing mining/skinning until around level 40, at which point I'll drop skinning and go mining/engineering. I'm hoping I'll have a decent amount of mats and money in order to level engineering to at least 175 so that I can craft iron grenades.
I will also level professions as I progress. I won't progress level wise unless my professions are up to par. Same goes for fishing and cooking.
I always had problems with gathering professions taking up too much damn bag space. But I never thought about bank alts before - the whole idea of being able to park an alt next to a mailbox as a fast way to mail mats off my character any time I'm near a mailbox should help. I think this time around I'm going to run with gathering professions to make money as I go.
I would say professions after 40, mostly using skinning/herbalism/mining to get items to sell while leveling for your mount.
How is it going?
Here is list of my "I will not be such idiot next time" things:
I took tailoring and herbalism and I did wrong thing - better combo is tailoring with skinning, because some of recipes requires leather.
My second mistake was rarely gathering flowers. So, you see flower on minimap, but you thing "meh, I'll better to the quest and don't waste time on mobs near flower to gather it" - totally wrong thing. I'm 35lvl now, but can't gather herbs in current locations, because my herbalism skill is too low.
My third mistake - learn all things from tailoring teacher - don't do that! It's waste of money, you will never craft "that sweety boots with +2 points to my stat", because you will get better one from dungeon in 1 hour and you literally never will craft that thing.
My fourth mistake - i spent resources on faction reputation quests (you know, "bring 60 wool" - that quests) and it was totally wrong. And too expensive.
I am doing something a little wonky.
I selected tailoring and skinning.
Tailoring for bags and gear and skinning for income, extra income.
Once i get high enough to farm Black Dragonscales in the Burning Steppes, I will drop skinning for mining.
I need 30 scales, I think for the epic warlock quest chain.
Then do mining to farm arcane crystals for the quest and a few extra for income to pay for the other things I need for the quest.
After that I will drop all professions and learn my end game professions which will be Alchemy and Herbalist!
That was my end game in Vanilla, I enjoyed being a chemist and made alot of gold selling flasks and potions!
I should be 60 by then and hopefully craft everything I need from tailoring by then!
Once bloodvine comes out I might drop herb to go back to tailoring then craft and drop for herb again....maybe idk...its going to be awhile till then so i will have time to think about how i am going to do it
Couple good ways to do it, really.
If getting to 60 as fast as possible is your goal, then just doing them later is what you want to do. Because even leveling gathering as you go, to keep them up with you will slow you down a tad.
If you aren't in a great rush, but want to pull in some gold on the way? Leveling gathering as you go is the best bet. Then switch to long term plans for professions 50+ or 60, or whatnot.
I am doing something a little wonky.
I selected tailoring and skinning.
Tailoring for bags and gear and skinning for income, extra income.
Friend of mine did this. Skinning helps tailoring because of income and the fact that bags also need leather!