The question of “how to make money working online from home” is one I get regularly. Even though I rarely talk about the business side of blogging anymore, this question continues to pop up in my inbox and social media DMs.
Since we’re all stuck at home right now, looking for tips and ideas to make money working from home, I figured it was a good time to share a bit more about HOW I started making money from home… and what the last 13 years of working from home have looked like for me.
I also share a few tips and (FREE) resources to help you start an income-earning at-home gig (if that’s something you’re interested in!)
The Beginning of my Work-At-Home Career:
When I started my in-home organizing business back in 2007, my dream was to support our family WITHOUT working a traditional 9-5 job or having a traditional “boss”.
I literally went into people’s homes and organized their things — it was awesome!
I also taught organizing and time-management workshops and spoke for various local events and seminars.
From 2007 through 2010, my work-from-home business goals were:
- build a healthy pool of in-home organizing clients
- expand my workshop offerings
- add more speaking engagements to my calendar
However, by 2009, I was getting daily requests to start some type of website where clients could go for more information.
At the time, Dave and I didn’t even have the internet at home (I know — crazy!) so the idea of running a website from home was pretty much impossible. Also, I don’t think I even knew what a “blog” was.
We eventually decided to “splurge” on home internet, and I started a free Weebly website.
About a year later, I paid Dave’s cousin’s company (Agathon Group — they are amazing) to design my very first website and blog in June of 2010.
My First Experience Working Online From Home:
In the beginning, my goal for being online was simply to offer resources for my own organizing clients… and to hopefully acquire a few new clients too.
The idea of actually making money online wasn’t even on my radar. I’m not even sure I realized it was possible!
I NEVER could have imagined that in just a few years, my business model would flip upside down… but that’s what happened!
By the end of 2012 (Nora was 1 year old), I was making a good full-time income working online from home — both via my own blog and as a virtual assistant.
Due to the fact that my in-home organizing business was becoming increasingly difficult to manage with a fussy 1-year-old, I decided to completely “walk away” from that income stream and focus all my time and effort into working online from home!
So HOW Do I Make a Full-Time Income Working Online From Home?
I don’t have a nice-neat answer as it has morphed so much over the years. However, in true Andrea Dekker fashion, I made a list! 🙂
Also, I want to clarify that this is what works for ME — there are a bazillion other ways to earn a living from home that don’t involve running a blog or even working online.
Affiliate Sales:
Almost immediately after starting my blog, I realized I could make a small amount of money each month by signing up for various affiliate programs and promoting products and services I used on a daily basis.
I joined the Amazon Affiliate program and a few other affiliate programs and made a few bucks a month.
Eventually, as I learned about more and more affiliate programs, I’ve grown my affiliate revenue to hundreds, and even thousands of dollars each month. All just by sharing the things I buy and use in my own life!
NOTE: You can still sign up for affiliate programs and promote them on social media, even if you don’t have a blog or website.
Google Ads:
About 6 months into my blogging career, I created a Google Adsense account. This allowed me to display a handful of advertisements in the sidebar, header, and footer of my blog.
In the beginning, I only made about $10-$20 per month, but after a couple of years, I was making thousands of dollars per month just from Google Ads.
NOTE: I no longer use Google Ads as I work with a different ad network (see below). HOWEVER, even if your blog or website is SUPER small, you can still use Google Ads to monetize. There are no pageview requirements, so it’s a great starting point to help you make money from home.
Virtual Assistant Work:
Working as a Virtual Assistant (VA) starting in 2011, I finally saw the possibility of supporting our family via my online work.
It was my first realization of just how much money I could make working online from home. In fact, I made over 50% of my online income from VA work in the first few years.
Meanwhile, I kept writing on my own blog every day and growing my readership, allowing me to make a little extra income from selling ad space on my blog (I literally sold it to people — this was before ad networks), doing a few sponsored posts, promoting affiliate sales.
NOTE: I no longer offer Virtual Assistant services as I’m primarily focused on my own website now.
Sponsored Posts:
As my readership and influence grew, I got more opportunities to write sponsored posts for other brands and companies (many of these are also accompanied by a giveaway).
Sponsored posts are A LOT of work, and while they do pay well, I personally won’t share something unless it’s a product I actually use regularly in my own life.
So while I have shared several sponsored posts and giveaways over the years, I’ve turned down 20 times the number of sponsored posts I’ve shared — simply because they aren’t products or services I feel comfortable promoting.
NOTE: I write very few sponsored posts now. This isn’t a large source of my income anymore.
Ad Networks:
A few years ago, Google ads weren’t doing nearly as well for me anymore, so I joined the MediaVine ad network to more-easily monetize my blog traffic.
I know advertisements are not ideal (seriously, I hate them too), but they are by far the easiest way to make money online from home IF you have enough traffic to your online space.
I could write sponsored posts or sell products or promote other people’s products (all of which I do in MODERATION) but the fact of the matter is, MY preference is just to share helpful tips, simple recipes, organizing ideas, and simple-living inspiration on my blog.
I prefer to give my content away for FREE, and the only way to do that is to display ads on my blog.
NOTE: I share LOTS more about my decision to use advertisements in this post.
Product Sales:
Despite the fact that every other blogger in the history of the universe sells products and courses and masterminds and eBooks and workshops and “swag”, I haven’t gotten to this point in my business yet!
It’s not that I think selling digital or physical products is bad (it’s an excellent monetization plan, that’s for sure). I’ve just never been willing to invest the time to create a premium product I feel confident selling at a premium price.
Now that our children are getting older (and will hopefully go back to school eventually) I plan to devote more time and energy to this type of “premium” content and extra opportunities for readers who want and need MORE than what I currently share on my blog.
I’ve always loved the idea of hosting online workshops — similar to when I taught weekly workshops within my community (2007 – 2009). It’s a much different dynamic than sharing something for a mass audience online. Plus, the rate of retention is SO much higher when you invest time and money into something versus just glazing over a run-of-the-mill freebie.
There are 3 or 4 really fun ideas I’ve been mulling around for a while now (one involves hosting a full-day workshop at our house this summer!), but so far I haven’t implemented any of them.
Let me get my kids back in school, and I’ll get back to you on this!
NOTE: If there’s an opportunity, a product, or a topic you would LOVE to see me share more in-depth on (for an additional fee), please share it with me!
How I Get Paid:
Due to all the different affiliate programs I participate in, there are months when I get 20-30 payments and other months when I only get 4 or 5 payments.
The payments are almost always directly deposited into my business bank account or my PayPal account. Some deposits might only be $2.57. Others are significantly more (thank goodness!)
Often the payments are 45 to 90 days out — the money I make today doesn’t actually show up in my account for 2 to 3 months.
My income can (and does) vary widely each month.
Do you need a blog to make money online?
The short answer is “no”.
Of course, a blog is a great place to draw in readers. However, nowadays, you can set up an email subscription and link it to an Instagram, YouTube, or podcast channel and become an “Influencer” that companies will pay (really well!) to promote their brands and products.
Personally, I enjoy writing, so a blog format makes the most sense for me. If you prefer social media, videos, or audio, there is a huge market for it all!
My Favorite FREE Resources to Help You Get Started Working Online From Home:
The internet is saturated with high-priced resources that promise to teach you exactly “how to make money working online from home”. I’ve taken several of the courses and read many of the workbooks — mostly out of sheer curiosity!
At this point, I wouldn’t “strongly recommend” any of them (especially not for the price).
However, if you’re interested in how to make money working online from home, I have 3 really fantastic, totally FREE resources for you!
They are all resources I’ve personally used in my own online business and have found HUGE value in.
1. Amy Lynn Andrews (formerly “Blogging With Amy”)
Amy shares my business mentality EXACTLY — she’s all about “minimalist business” and keeping things really simple and streamlined. She’s not into high-priced courses, hiring a huge staff, or lots of bells and whistles.
She KNOWS HER STUFF!
If you are interested in starting and monetizing a blog in 2020, you need Amy! Her website will walk you through EVERY step of the process… FOR FREE!
I have learned a ton from her over the years and continue to enjoy her weekly emails packed full of helpful tips and information.
2. Your Blogging University (with Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom)
Crystal is another blogger who I totally relate with and admire. I’ve actually worked with Crystal for 8 years now, and she truly is as kind and generous as she comes across online.
She is also an amazing business woman who TOTALLY knows her stuff when it comes to starting, running, and monetizing an online business.
She is currently offering her “3 Steps to Start a Blog” course completely free!
She also has many other courses on branding, growing your email lists, Facebook Live strategies, and more — all for very reasonable prices!
3. YouTube:
Seriously, if you want to learn how to make money working online from home, you will find more information than you can even fathom by doing a quick YouTube search.
And everything on YouTube is FREE!
While you’re there, head on over to my newbie YouTube channel and subscribe! 🙂
My Top 3 Tips to Make Money Working Online from Home:
I am far from an expert in monetizing the online world — but I’ve been around long enough to know a few things!
Before I wrap up this monstrous post, I want to share my personal top 3 tips for building an online business you’re proud of — one that serves as a helpful resource for your readers, and (most importantly) one you can earn a living from!
TIP 1. Find your own voice.
Don’t try to write or talk or cook or decorate like your favorite blogger.
Just do your own thing and do it with passion. Eventually, people with the same passion will find you, and you’ll build your own community of people who are all interested in the same thing.
This is SO much easier and more enjoyable than trying to act a certain way online just because you think that’s what people want.
Find your own voice and be yourself!
TIP 2. Act with integrity.
Making a quick buck is never as important is your integrity. Never!
Your audience WILL eventually see your true colors — and if your main goal is money, your audience will eventually find the information they want elsewhere.
TIP 3. Be consistent.
This single tip has been the MOST beneficial for me over the years.
For almost 10 years I shared a blog post at 6:01 every weekday morning… and my readers KNEW they could count on new content from me each morning.
Only recently did I switch to 2 or 3 posts per week — but my email still goes out daily just after 6 am.
No matter what type of online business you create, no matter what platform or medium you choose, BE CONSISTENT so your audience knows what to expect from you.
The online world definitely is not for everyone. It’s also NOT the easiest or fastest way to make a living. However, it can be very rewarding and very lucrative if you’re willing to put in the time and effort.
If you’re interested in making money working online from home, I hope some of the ideas and resources in this post are helpful for you.
Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section — I’ll do my best to answer them and link you up with helpful resources 🙂
Chris says
Thank you for this great post!
(Something I miss on your updated blog are dates on the comments).
Andrea says
You’re welcome Chris!
And yes, I’ve removed the dates and hyperlinks from all my comments. Now I’m legitimately curious… why are dates on comments important for you? 🙂
Chris says
I can tell if it’s an updated post. Plus, it’s just interesting to me, I guess. I think it’s interesting even on an old post when newer comments are on, also.
Andrea says
OK thanks — good to know 🙂
Sam says
Hi Andrea
If you sign up for money saving mom’s free course, it immediately asks you afterwards to sign up for more and more courses at a cost.
Do you vouch for this person’s courses that aren’t free ? I know you mention them in your blog above.
But I’m wary of people online that I don’t know selling courses that may or may not be helpful.
I’d love your feedback on her expertise as you say you’ve known her for 8 years.
Thanks!
Andrea says
oh guy — sorry about that!
Seriously though, Crystal is a gem! She totally knows her stuff and all her prices are super reasonable. I’d just start out with the free course and see where that takes you. If you have more questions or want to learn more, then consider signing up for some of the paid options!
Charisse Kaufman says
Hi there! Thank you for the great information, and the reminder that if you work hard, stay focused and diligent, we CAN make this happen for our families too! You made my night!
Mina Price says
thank you for this post. I will be a certified coach by the end of the year. I am doing free coaching right now to finish my hours but will be transitioning to paid clients soon. I work as a full time therapist but plan to retire once I get my coaching career going. I would like to learn more about how to profit from blogging and will begin to work more on my blogs once certified. Right now it is a balancing act. Any help you can give me to organize my business strategies would be awesome. Thanks for your post.
Mina Price
Loa Coach
Krista says
This was a fantastic, informative post! Thank you SO much for sharing!
Maribel says
Andrea,
how did you begin your organizing business? Did you have previous training? Any websites you recommend to browse for someone who is interested in generating income by organizing for others? Thanks 🙂
Kaycee says
Thank you so much! Working on building my blog right now, and while my background is in PR/Advertising (so I understand all the theories and how things “should” work), it is still absolutely wonderful hear it from someone who’s actually done it themselves!
Aysh says
Very informative post! Now… just one question: How do I increase my readership? Is there already a post on that or will you please write on that? 🙂
Thanks Andrea!
Diana K says
I have had to dabble online for sources and resources for alternative ways of making money. I like your blog site and all the great info you dedicate to sharing for the sake of growing. I have a world of knowledge from all the online researching, I just lack the implementation. I’m going back to my old wordpress blog site and hope to plug something into action. My first test project will be selling my RV resort lot on a golf course in the very southern tip of Texas. This should be interesting as there are tons of lots for sale there, and it too is a buyer’s market. I believe that if you make a place attractive enough, others will be interested – or so I hope. Following your lead of selling your house, I remain confident that with the right formula I too can sell my lot! Thanks for your blog and posts and all your good info. I will bookmark your blog for the future and who knows, maybe I will be needing some of your services in the near future! Best regards –
Rhonda Wylie says
Thank you so much for sharing. My daughter and I are working together on our small blog (for now). I hope it grows to make decent money one day, but for now we are enjoying what we do. We are both passionate about it. Great article!
Norma W says
Wow! Thank you for sharing your experience. It is truly inspiring!
Sharon says
So at first advertising didn’t generate much at all then it became 40% – is this because your page views got much bigger? Just curious. :]
Andrea says
yes Sharon, adverting is often directly correlated with pageviews, ad impressions, and click-through rate — so since my blog traffic has grown tremendously over the past 3 years, my ad dollars have also grown. However, I also learned a lot more about advertising and how to best utilize and implement the different ad codes — so that is part of the increase as well.
Karyn says
WOW! Thank you for the breakdown. I have seen organizers with blogs and affiliate marketing sites and I have wondered, is it full time? Is that possible? I appreciate all the tips, and LOVE your site.
Emily K says
Andrea,
I really apperciate your sharing the information you did today. It is helpful to get an idea of the overall timeframe of your success.
I have often thought I would like to set up a coaching session with you. I recently (earlier this year) stated my own blog. I blog and share the tips and ideas I get from following blogs like yours. However, I know I would be very successful as a VA. I worked for a short time in 2011 (about 6 months) as a VA for TAGvirutaloffice.com. I found the company by chance through elance.com. I know what skills I have and what things I enjoy doing when it comes to being a VA. I know about how the process works. I struggle most with how to get my business going. Finding clients. The marketing part I guess. For example, I know there are people or business here locally who might hire a VA, I just don’t know how to go about getting myself out there. Also, I struggle with the same aspect online.
Do you have any other information or resources you could share other than The Bootstrap VA? Thanks in advance for any advice and/or tips you can share.
Andrea says
Hi Emily, Congrats on the new blog!
At this point, I really don’t have a ton of great VA resources. As I mentioned in this post, I honestly didn’t even know what a VA was until Mandi from Life Your Way contacted me. I’ve gotten all my other VA jobs through blogging relationships so I’ve never actually sought out VA opportunities (yes, I feel lucky!)
You could try contacting Lisa (the author of the Bootstrap VA). She might have more resources as she’s been doing the VA thing longer than I have!
Oh, and I’d be more than happy to set up a coaching appointment with you if you want to talk about some of your business questions 🙂
Mary says
Great post Andrea. I love your honesty with certain topics and that is why you are still one of my favourite bloggers and a big inspiration. Thanks!
Jennifer says
I’ve thought of starting online counseling/wellness coaching, student coaching, etc. I’ve also thought I could blog about wellness topics–physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, health issues, healthy living, healthy eating, family wellness, wellness for couples, children, etc. I’m currently a school counselor with an 18 mo old in day care and I hate it! I don’t hate my job, just having him in day care and feeling out of control with multiple people raising/teaching him, a lack of routine, stress from work, etc. I have 17 years experience in education, elementary and high school, and have worked 12 years as a certified part time personal trainer. I’ve counseled individuals, couples and families outside of school. I love discussing wellness and helping people with all types of wellness issues. I think I could easily write blogs related to a multitude of wellness topics that I have researched and on which I have so many notes. In addition to blog posts, I could make up weekly workouts, give training advice specific to certain sports or personal goals. My mind is full of ideas. The question is what are the chances of it being successful? Do you already know of many bloggers hitting wellness in the manner that I’ve stated above? Is there info overload about wellness already or would I be serving a need? I just don’t know what’s already out there and if I could be that unique. Any thoughts or advice?
Andrea says
Jennifer, I personally don’t follow any health/wellness blogs — but there are literally hundreds of thousands of blogs, so I’m certain there are many health and wellness blogs out there. However, just because there are other blogs on the same topic, doesn’t mean there isn’t room for one more 🙂 There were loads of simple-living and organization blogs when I started but that didn’t stop me.
If you’re interested in talking more about what is all involved in starting a blog — or just picking my brain about potencial ideas, I’d love to set up a coaching appointment with you. Blogging is a lot of work, but if you’re passionate about your topic (and it sounds like you are) it can also be very rewarding!
Jennifer says
I’m going to take a first step and write some posts during my three whole weeks off this summer. When I have several and feel a little more confident I think I will take you up on the coaching session/s. Thanks! In the mean time, I’ll just keep following yours for inspiration. Hopefully you’ll remember me, the passionate wellness rambler.
Beth says
Hi Andrea,
Thanks for sharing about how your business works! Ever since you posted about your VA work I started thinking that it would be something I would enjoy and have the skill set for. I have always thought I would be a good personal assistant, but first with college plus work and then taking care of our first child I haven’t had time or the desire to work outside of our home. Do you have any recommendations on where to start VA work? I know your blog led to those opportunities for you, but having a blog is not a passion of mine. I’m wondering if it is possible to get started in the VA world without a blog? My husband is at a job he loves, but doesn’t pay as much as we need. I’m hoping to increase my income, while continuing to be a stay at home mom which has always been my dream ultimate job! I enjoy all your posts, but especially like the ones about Nora, since she is about 6 months ahead of my son. It is fun to share this crazy and awesome season in life. Thanks for any help you may be able to offer!
Andrea says
Beth, since I basically “fell” into doing VA work, I honestly have no ideas of where to start looking. All the VA jobs I’ve gotten are a direct result of my blog — and I wouldn’t have the skills to do most of my VA work without prior knowledge of how blogs work and function.
Here’s a great resource (ebook) I recommend to anyone interested in venturing into the VA world. It’s inexpensive and should answer a bunch of your questions!
Krisna says
Hi Andrea.
Thanks a lot for the helpful info. I now have something to think about. Since I started a blog for the simple reason of doing something different and having an outlet to share the things I love, I’ve also been exposing myself into fantastic blogging experts who seem to make it all so easy. I often wondered how did they do that? Well, I thought that’s really out of my league. And besides, they’re just so talented and they know what they’re doing from day one.
But with you, since I felt that I know and trust you 🙂 I now have a valuable input about this matter, much like a trusted friend’s experience. So I’ll begin to inch my way into that direction and see how it can work for me.
Michele says
I was first introduced to your site when I was scouring the Internet for farmhouse pictures. So I am just curious, where does farmhouselove.com fall in your history? And was that ever a means of making money for you?
Andrea says
Haha — well FarmhouseLove.com was just going to be a little side blog where we posted all the pictures of our home renovations. But then I found out I was pregnant about 3 months into those renovations and I was too tired to update 2 different blogs. I never intended or tried to make any money from Farmhouse Love… but I have integrated some of our renovations into the “HOME” category on this blog. Obviously, I don’t post every little update we do around our house… more like the bigger projects.
I still continue to renew the domain name and keep the site live because I think it would be cool to do something with it in the future… I just don’t know what yet 🙂
Melissa says
How do you get started with google adsense and how does it work? I am thinking about adding it to my blog, but not sure how it works. Please let me know. Thanks for your help.
Andrea says
Melissa, you’ll definitely want to check out Amy’s blog for that. The main purpose of her blog is to help others to monetize their blogs. She has lots of posts all about AdSense.
Kim says
Would you say that, if God gives you a second or a third or more children, that it would be your goal to continue to make a full-time income? Or, would you lower your goal (to 75% income or some lesser amount) for a few years and then as the children head off to school, for example, gradually increase it back up?
I see that you are gifted with an extraordinary amount of energy, but do you see varying your goals throughout the “multiple pre-school age children” years?
Respectfully,
Kim
Andrea says
Honestly, I have no idea. At this point, I would say yes, I’ll keep working as much as I can no matter how many kids we have. I’ll make sure my work fits into our family’s schedule and with more kids and older kids, I’m sure I’ll have to continually rearrange things — but that’s relatively easy to do when I set my own schedule.
Of course, I can’t be certain though. Who knows what the future hold — I might come across a different income earning opportunity, I might decide I don’t want to blog any longer, we might have a super high-needs child that requires tons more attention… and if that’s the case, then our plans will change.
However, for now, I’m just happy that love what I do and that I can create a work schedule that fits best for me and my family. I don’t foresee changing that any time soon 🙂
Melissa says
Are you paid for your giveaways? I have a lot of giveaways lined up, but I find that they’re time consuming and aren’t often worth the time that they take.
Andrea says
Yes Melissa, I’m usually paid for the giveaways I offer — plus I get some or all of the products I give away. However, over the past 3 or 4 months, I’ve really scaled back on the number of giveaways I host on my blog — mainly because they ARE so much work!
Mrs. Bridges says
You have NO IDEA how amazingly well this post is timed! I was just talking with my hubby yesterday about how much I want to get back to blogging and find a way to be self-employed doing things I love instead of slaving away for “corporate America.” His encouragement coupled with this blog post might be just the oomph I needed to pick it back up (I’ve sort of taken an unplanned hiatus from blogging…for the past 6 months…oops!). At some point, would you mind sharing a little more about how the advertising and sponsorships work on your blog?
Thank you so much for all you do, for your transparency and your ideas, and for keeping it simple–not rocket science! 😉
Sharla says
I have been blogging for friends and family for about 8 years now. It began as a way to keep them in the loop about our adoptions and then I found that it was a great way for me to keep track of our homeschooling. I then became interested in blogging as a way to share with others things I had learned about managing a larger family, adoption, craft projects, recipes, and money saving tips. Then in November, doors began to open up and it seemed as though God was directing me towards blogging as a way to provide much needed extra income for our family.
I was able to go to BEECH Retreat, which motivated and propelled me to take blogging to another level. I am now making money off my blogging, just a few months later. It has taken A LOT of time and A LOT of work and it is not yet a full time income, though it is full time hours but I’m working towards that.
So many people make it sound easy, so thank you for being honest here about how long it took you to make substantial money. It’s also really interesting to me how much of your income comes from being a VA as that is something I’ve been considering. I’ve certainly experienced that blogging income has to come from a variety of sources, but it all adds up!
Thanks again for being so open and sharing this information!
Chantel says
Thank you for this! I just launched my own VA business a few months ago. It is slow going, but I love what I do and look forward to being able to earn a real income in the (hopefully!) near future! It is so encouraging to see that others have done it and are doing it!
🙂
Andrea says
Yay for a new business Chantel. Just keep in mind that it took me 5 full years of working full-time hours to earn a full-time salary. Of course, you might grow your business much quicker than I did, but don’t let yourself get discouraged if it feels like you aren’t going anywhere those first couple of years.
Tammy Skipper (@Tammy_Skipper) says
Every time I have asked a blogger how they make money OR how they got started in VA work, THIS is the answer I was looking for. Thank you for sharing with us. I didn’t realize how ‘new’ to blogging you were when I found your blog. Your work has always been helpful, positive, and professional. Wishing you many more years of success.
Andrea says
Well I’m happy to provide you with the answer you’ve been looking for Tammy 🙂
Oh, and thanks for the kind words!!
Erica says
Which affiliate companies do you use? I can’t use Google Adsense or Amazon Associates because of North Carolina’s laws, but I am trying out Clickbank.
Andrea says
Oh boy Erica, there are SO many different affiliate programs, I’m not even sure I could start to list them all. I’ve never heard of Clickbank before — but here is some helpful information about affiliate programs from Amy’s blog.
Debbie says
Hi Andrea, This was an excellent blog. So very informative. I really like several blogs; however, this is the first one I have seen that addressed the info I needed. I wondered just as you did, how in the heck do you make money from a blog? I could see of course, companies that advertised on your blog. I would love to do this because I have always loved anything to do with decor. You are great at so many things – multi talented. I am a horrible cook, organizer (I love things organized but just getting to that point) purger. Please don’t think I am just a dodo because there are things I am good at but not sure about blogging – really scary. There is still a lot I need to learn before I attempt it. The computer is not always my friend either. Oh, I also can’t sew, crochet or knit. I am blown away by how talented so many of you are. Love your blog and keep up the great work – I wish you nothing but the best. Thanks for letting me vent a little.
Siobhan says
Hi Andrea,
I have to tell you as I was chasing around my 2 year old this morning and straightening up the house I was also thinking about emailing you a financial question. So funny that this was your post today! I started reading your blog about a month ago, as I said in a previous post, I stumbled upon it when I was looking for ideas to help with organizing my daughters baby clothes. Now I look forward to the few minutes or seconds of quiet I usually get around 2 pm before I pick my 4 year old up from preschool to read your daily posts 🙂
You mentioned in one of your posts this week that Dave teaches online courses during the summer. Would you mind sharing how he was able to get a a job doing that?
I’m on leave from my teaching position and I’m looking to make some extra money. As I also mentioned in a previous post our home was badly destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. We were lucky in that we were able to rebuild. Unfortunately some of our neighbors homes are still condemned or had to be knocked down. We had flood insurance but the amount they gave us was just barely enough to rebuild. We could use some extra income to make our home comfortable again. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I could make some extra money and keep up with my teaching…as I will probably be back to teaching full time again in the next couple of years. When you mentioned teaching online courses I was like hmm maybe I could do that. Thanks again for all of your hard work. Your blog is enjoyable and helpful!
Andrea says
HI Siobhan, Dave got his online teaching job through a local Christian School organization — so I’m honestly not sure where to direct you. He did have to go through a decent amount of training during the school year, and I assume that’s the case with any company you work with. I’d just try Googling “online schools” for your area and see what pops up.
Siobhan says
Ok thanks 🙂
Jennifer says
Siobhan, try http://www.connectionslearning.com. It is an online school with home bases all over the US and in other countries. They post online and on site jobs.
Siobhan says
Ok great thanks 🙂
Kayla H says
Hi Andrea :). I just wanted to tell you how inspiring this post was! You and I are the same age, so it is very easy for me to relate to where you are in life. I am trying to surround myself with people [by reading online] such as yourself that are doing what they love and making money at it. Then it is more of a calling or a career instead of a job. My husband and I have just started a home business doing something that we love, and we hope that it turns into a full-time income for me. Crystal Paine is such an inspiration to me, I am slightly jealous that you get to have so much interaction with her :). You two ladies are much appreciated!
Andrea says
Thanks Kalya — and yes, Crystal is an awesome lady 🙂
Kelly says
Thank you so much for this post Andrea and thank you for staying modest. I hate it when people get on and brag about how much or whine about how little they make. It’s not about what you make; it’s about getting paid to do what you love and that is exactly you! You are very talented and its been so much fun to watch you grow from Farmhouse Love (I think it was?). My blog is more of a diary and way to stay in touch with family but the more I post the more I can see myself enjoying sharing projects and my life with others. Thanks again for all you do and sharing your life with us. Truly an inspiration!
Barb says
Thanks for this post, Andrea. I am a stay-at-home mom and have been thinking about ways to generate income from home. Before my daughter left on an internship I threw out the idea of starting a blog together when she returned. She looked at me with her big, beautiful eyes and said, “YES!!!!”. Grant it she is 21 and I’m 49 BUT I am excited to continue the discussion (since it was on her way out) when she gets back! I will check out Amy’s blog. 😀
Susie says
I can’t imagine how organized you have to be to keep up with all of this! Although the idea of the blog and VA sounds wonderful I know I don’t have that skill set. But I do enjoy reading your blogs, seeing your ideas and learning in general!
CJ says
Thanks for posting your percentages – it helps to show other bloggers that may be frustrated with their current earnings how long it actually takes to build your online business (many months basically without pay, just like starting any other business in life) and your post helps to show that there are other ways to make money online in addition to having your own blog.
Andrea says
Yes, I often get emails from other bloggers wondering why they can’t sell advertising or how they can make money from blogging. The truth is, it’s really hard to make money from your actual blog — especially in the beginning. I hope this post offers a reality check to new and seasoned bloggers who are frustrated with the lack of income from their blogs.
Ree Klein says
Hi Andrea,
Thank you for being so open with how you are monetizing your blog. I’m really new to blogging and putting myself “out there.” It’s a bit scary but oh so exciting! I landed on my branding idea in June 2012 while still working for a wind-down company. I did a lot of the ground work during the time I was still working (drafted a book proposal, had art work made, dipped my toe in “social media,” learned WordPress, etc.). Oct. 31, 2012 was my last day going into Corp America and I dedicated myself to my blog full time.
My launch date was March 1, 2013. It took me much longer to launch than I thought. I could have done it earlier but I think fear held me back. I love blogging, the community of bloggers whose sites I visit (yours included) and the idea of being able to make a difference in peoples’ lives while earning an income.
Thanks for all you do!
Ree ~ I blog at EscapingDodge.com
Barb says
Andrea,
Thank you for writing this post! It answers so many questions that I’ve been wondering about.
I want to start my own blog, but feel that my 10 start up posts (per Amy’s advice) lack focus. I haven’t found my niche yet in how to “be helpful”. Do you have any ideas on how to narrow down what my strengths are and how I can be helpful through my blog?
I would appreciate any advice you may have. Thanks!
Andrea says
Hi Barb! First of all, you’re doing the right thing by following Amy’s blog — she has tons of helpful information.
As I mentioned in my post, it took many months (and years) before I was making any sort of income from blogging — so I literally types hundreds of posts! I think that’s one place that you can start. Just keep writing — about anything you feel like writing about about. After you have a bunch of posts (like 50-75) look back and see if there are any topics you frequently posted about or anything you loved writing about more than other topics. If so, you may have just found your niche 🙂
Barb says
Thanks for the advice Andrea! I’ll be typing away. 🙂
Laura says
Hi Andrea, I totally agree with you. Blogging takes time and lots of it. I just celebrated my 7 year blogging anniversary (yes that makes me a blogging gramma!!) and my full time income comes from a variety of different sources as well. Diversifying is key. Also having a passion for what you are doing helps too. If you don’t love your niche, it will never last for the long haul.
You’ve done a great job growing your business, congratulations!
Laura
Andrea says
Thanks Laura — and I think 7 years DOES make you a “blogging Grandma”! However, you’re a pretty young looking grandma 🙂
Laura says
Hahahaha…you are too sweet! I cleverly had my head shots taken after I died my grey hair lol.
MommieDaze says
I love this post! Honest, true and a very good answer for all those people who want to make a quick buck at what they think is an easy job. I really admire what you’ve done with your blog and you’re career. Bottom line, like anything else blogging takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be successful.