Hello everyone! I’m hosting an iPad Mini and cash giveaway on my blog starting tomorrow—be sure to stop by. And yes, it’s true: I earned $3,700 in extra income in October. I didn’t expect to top the $3,275 I made in September, but I did—woohoo!
October treated us well. We stayed under budget despite buying a few extras for ourselves. I love that it’s November—holiday season puts me in a great mood, and I absolutely love decorating. Work is going well for me, and W still loves his job—double woohoo!
October Goals Update
- Cut the food budget to $500. PASS — We did a great job with this. We ate out occasionally, but it didn’t exceed our entertainment budget.
- Work out at least 4 times a week and lose 3 pounds. FAIL — I actually gained 2 pounds. Boo.
- Make an extra $1,500 this month. PASS — I earned $3,700. See above.
- Complete all house projects I didn’t finish last month. FAIL — I made some progress but not enough. We still need to get carpet; I’ve priced it and now need measurements for the living room. I’m also looking for a new dining room table and wall decor.
- Find an awesome Halloween costume. FAIL — I reused a costume from a previous year, which saved money.
- Plan a girls’ trip to Kansas City to visit a friend. FAIL — Another goal that didn’t happen this month.
November Goals
- Keep the food budget to $500. Our plan is to keep eating at home Monday through Friday.
- Work out at least 3 times a week and lose 3 pounds. Wish me luck.
- Make an extra $2,000 this month. I raised this goal by $500 because I’ve been surpassing targets lately. I also plan to start building affiliate income streams. If you have affiliate income, what sources do you use? Tell me about your experience.
- Start decorating the dining room. I already have a clear vision; I’m waiting for a good deal on the exact pieces I want. I’m ready for a change from our current dining set.
- Finally GET CARPET, MICHELLE. I’ve postponed this for about three years. If you’ve recently had carpet installed, how did you negotiate the price?
- Spend no more than $50 on clothes. I’m trying to avoid shopping, but I’m allowing $50 in case I find something essential.
Blog Goals (I’m focusing on progress rather than exact numbers)
- Twitter followers: My original goal was 350; I’m currently at 1,460 and aiming for 1,600.
- Alexa rank: I wanted to be under 90,000. My rank has been improving since switching to WordPress and is now around 79,000. My November aim is 70,000.
- Guest posts: Goal was to publish at least two guest posts this month. I don’t think I hit that target.
Extra Monthly Income in October
- Online income (including staff writing, after fees): $3,054
- Selling clothes: $0
- Miscellaneous: $300
- Mystery shopping: $21
- Rent: $325