Earned $9,554 in August: How I Built Affiliate Income Quickly

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing long weekend. In my August Goals and Life Update I set a target of earning $10,000 from side hustles.

I came close. Before fees and expenses, I hit that target, but after accounting for costs I fell short.

August was slower than usual and I took a vacation, which reduced my available work time. On the positive side, I increased the number of bids I submitted and received many inquiries from business owners interested in hiring me. I’m hopeful several of those leads will turn into projects.

Because August was quieter, it gave me a small taste of what running my own business full-time might feel like. I took time off and still almost reached my income goal, which was encouraging.

In August I earned a total of $10,310 in extra income before expenses. By contrast, last August I made $1,603 in extra income. I’m proud of the progress—what a difference a year can make. For a long time I wondered whether other freelancers who shared income reports were just lucky. Consistent effort matters.

Please keep in mind that this “extra income” is the result of many hours of work every day. It’s not passive; I invest significant time and effort. For about a year I worked full-time hours on these side hustles without earning anything, and taxes typically consume roughly 30–40% of this income. That’s an important reality to remember.

Below I list expenses for the month. If you’re new here, “Extra Income” includes all income I earn outside my office job in the financial services industry. It does not include any income my partner (W) earns.

As I mention each month, this is still work. I devote enough time to make it effectively a second full-time job. Fortunately, I enjoy it, and the goal of eventually transitioning to self-employment keeps me motivated. For more details see my Extra Income page.

If you have questions you’d like me to address in next month’s update, let me know.

 

This snapshot reflects August earnings before fees and expenses. After accounting for expenses—about $755 for staff writers, a collaboration with FITnancials, PayPal fees, and similar costs—the net figure changes.

August’s total also includes a rent payment from my sister. After expenses and fees, I made approximately $9,554. These numbers represent only my personal earnings from services; revenue I help generate for other blogs is not included.

Blog News

There isn’t much new to report; the blog is doing well. Last month marked my two-year blogging anniversary and I still find it surprising how much my life has changed since I started. Blogging has opened doors I didn’t expect.

My sister’s blog is also performing well. She’s planning a move to Chicago and is sharing updates on FITnancials—consider subscribing if you’re interested in her journey.

If you’re thinking about starting a blog, check out my guide on How To Start a Blog for step-by-step instructions. One of my most popular posts this month was How To Make Money Blogging, which many readers found useful.

Staff Writing

Staff writing income has dipped recently, but I’d like to increase it again. I enjoy writing and have many topic ideas. Many readers ask how I earn about $600 a month from staff writing—one steady, well-paying contract makes that possible. Don’t undersell yourself.

If you need a reliable writer—whether for ongoing posts or a one-off article—I’m available for hire. I can deliver timely, consistent content for blogs, advertising, or editorial needs.

For those interested in freelance writing, I wrote a post titled So You Want to Be a Freelance Writer? that covers the topic in more detail.

Update on New Side Hustles — Blog and Social Media Management

My blog management services are going well. I handle various tasks for multiple blogs, and those services have helped increase my income in recent months. Offering these services brings me closer to the goal of working full-time for myself. I still have capacity to take on additional clients and genuinely enjoy this work.

I’ve also started bidding on social media management roles and hope several of those opportunities materialize. Social media is an area I’m particularly interested in expanding.

Many readers and fellow bloggers have reached out asking about blog consulting. I get multiple requests weekly and am thinking about offering consulting again. If you’ve considered hiring a blog consultant, what value would you expect? What services or outcomes would be most helpful?

I’m also considering building a niche site. The technical side seems intimidating, but I’m curious whether I can create a successful niche project. If you have experience or recommendations about starting niche sites, please share your insights.

Finally, if you’re curious about becoming a virtual assistant, I have posts outlining what a virtual assistant does and how to get started.

Affiliate Income — A Focus Area

Affiliate income has been on my mind lately, though I haven’t actively pursued new affiliate content in some time. I appreciate readers who click older links, but I’d like to grow affiliate earnings by creating fresh reviews and recommendations. I’m exploring additional affiliate programs and will only promote products I genuinely find useful.

What would you like to see reviewed? Budgeting tools, online classes, credit cards, or something else? Your feedback will help me prioritize topics that are most useful to readers.

Offline Side Hustles

I’ve been thinking about offline side hustles as well. There are several ideas I’m considering that would start as hobbies but could bring in some extra income. After I transition to self-employment, I plan to expand these efforts and promote my freelance services more aggressively.

What offline side hustles have you tried?