How I Made My First $100 Blogging
Blogging earned me an extra income of $100 in 2013, and I was on top of the world.
It may seem like nothing, but for me, that was $100 I didn’t have or knew I could earn.
Wouldn’t it be nice to make money blogging?
Heck yes, and I want to share with you how I’ve done it.
Well, today, I’m starting with my highest moment after blogging for two years.
I hope to continue my blogging series, so please send me your questions.
Blogging For Extra Money
When I created Canadian Budget Binder, it was never meant to earn extra income for my family.
That’s because I had no idea you could earn money blogging. Boy, was I ever WRONG?
All I wanted to do was share our journey to debt freedom and perhaps helps others.
Along the way, I’ve chatted to thousands of my readers through social media and emails.
What I’ve learned is that there are many similarities regarding debt.
The central core of what Canadian Budget Binder was supposed to be was guidance and motivation.
Canadian Budget Binder has done all of that and more for readers who are serious about saving money.
Although many readers of Canadian Budget Binder are silent, there are plenty who have lots to say.
I encourage readers who want to know more to communicate with me via comments, social media or email.
Who Am I?
My Name Is Mr.CBB, and anonymous Finance + Frugal Living Blogger if you’re new to this blog.
I worked a full-time job and started CBB part-time in 2012, and I continue to do so in 2021.
As I learn more about blogging, I often update old blog posts on my days off.
My family and I live in the Greater Toronto Area, and I’ve always been keen on blogging.
Why Are You Reading About Blogging?
You’ve landed on my blog because you were likely searching for something I’ve blogged about.
Many people don’t realize CBB because it’s a binder or a diary of our lives.
Everything that goes into our Canadian Budget Binder tackles life from every angle.
Canadian Budget Binder is more than just finance; it’s about everything in between.
You’ll find topics about Canadian Real Estate to recipes both keto and non-keto to debt reduction.
I wanted this to be somewhere that people could come to and vent, share ideas, network, and understand they are not alone.
You can read more about me here.
Blogging Income Reports
Looking back, I had no clue about how to blog, let alone earn affiliate income, advertising, freelancing and sponsored posts.
Then I realized that I’m earning a 5 figure monthly income from blogging, and perhaps I should share how I’ve done it.
I’ve always wanted to share with my readers my blogging income reports and how to blog.
Each month since starting CBB, I have shared our actual monthly budget and net worth progress.
So, I thought, maybe you might want to know more about blogging income.
My goal with my new Blogging Series is to engage those of you who want to earn extra income.
There is so much to talk about when it comes to blogging, but don’t worry; it gets easier as you go.
I’ve made SO many mistakes with Canadian Budget Binder, but I’ve learned from them.
I don’t think you’ll talk to any blogger who wouldn’t say they messed up or missed opportunities with their blog.
In fact, making my first $100 on Canadian Budget Binder was what triggered my extra money-making curiosity.
Why Blogging For Income Takes A Special Person
Blogging can earn you money, boost your annual income and perhaps help you to retire early.
I know of a few bloggers who have quit their day job to blog full-time because they earn so much money.
I’m not talking a few thousand each month but millions each year from finance to food bloggers.
Blogging must be a passion that’s in your blood with a desire to learn as much as you can.
Educating myself about blogging was the very first thing I did.
I read the book, Blogging For Dummies and made loads of notes.
I’m not joking, and it’s a book that changed my life because it took me from Zero to 10 in terms of blogging knowledge.
However, there’s far more to learn about blogging.
It’s more like Zero to 100, but with time you learn where you’ve gone right and wrong.
Often I shake my head at the missed opportunities, but that’s ok because I move forward.
What Ways Can I Earn Money Blogging?
This is the question I should have asked myself many years ago, but thankfully it found me.
I started this blog on a free WordPress site where I would ramble on about budgeting.
As time went on, I branched out to include all facets of topics included in a budget.
I had no idea about advertising as it was not offered to someone new like as I was.
After two years of growing my WordPress blog, they offered me advertising opportunities.
I jumped on it because paying for a domain, URL, and yearly renewals costs money.
When I learned that the free WordPress site would not make me rich, I decided to leave.
I ventured to wordpress.org, where I had full control over my blog.
That meant I could earn extra income on my terms, and I was given a platform to grow my blog further.
Below Is how I make money blogging on the Canadian Budget Binder in 2021.
Since I only blog part-time, I’m working hard to increase the amount of earning potential of CBB.
I’m not earning millions of dollars a year or even hundreds of thousands a month.
Some months are better than others, but all you can do is answer the burning questions that your readers want to know about.
This is why it’s so important to hear from my blog readers to learn about what they may need help with.
Perhaps they want me to share an experience that I haven’t yet on the blog.
Every question matters, and I do read them all on the blog and as much as I can on social media.
The four ways I earn money on Canadian Budget Binder are;
- Affiliate income
- Sponsored Posts
- Freelancing
- Advertising with Mediavine but started with Google Ads
Affiliate Income
What is affiliate income?
Affiliate income is income earned when you, the reader, click on a link affiliated with a product or service.
I only share affiliate links to products or services I have used or tested.
If you sign up on one of my affiliate links or make a purchase, this blog earns a tiny commission.
There are many affiliate companies you can sign up for, which I will share in an upcoming blogging series post.
Sponsored Posts
Not all bloggers like to have sponsored posts on their blog, but many do, including Canadian Budget Binder.
A sponsored post is when a company wants to share their product or insights on a topic related to CBB.
I’m picky about when it comes to sponsored posts and set my bar high because quality is essential.
This is why you may only see a handful each year, but the rest of the blog posts are written.
Sometimes a company wants you to write a blog post, including a writing fee of $400 up to $1000.
Believe me; you’ll get people emailing you daily about sponsored posts and links.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you to proceed with sponsored posts; however, they are big moneymakers.
Freelancing
For a while, I was doing some freelancing work for a well-known online website; She Knows Canada.
It was fun to do, but I found I didn’t have the time while working a full-time job, but the pay was nice.
I’m mentioning this as there are opportunities for bloggers to freelance and earn even more money.
You could also become an expert on Pinterest and help other blogs.
Perhaps you’re an expert at Search Engine Optimization and network your skills to earn extra money.
Advertising
What is advertising on a blog?
Once I went self-hosted, I was using Google Ads to earn money blogging.
Honestly, it wasn’t much, but I took what I could get.
Although readers may not like the ads, keep in mind it generates income for bloggers.
Over 2 years ago, I switched to Mediavine marketing, and I’ve never looked back.
It has been the best thing I’ve done for this blog and has increased my blogging income.
The thing is that as a blog gets bigger like CBB, it comes with more expenses.
I have a blog mechanic named Sara (she looks after the back-end of the blog) and paying for plugins to make the blog run smooth, hosting fees, domain and privacy expenses and so on.
This is where Mediavine has helped me SO much, and I plan to stay with them for the long term.
We help content creators build sustainable businesses. From educational tools and cutting-edge plugins to ad technology that maximizes earnings without slowing down your site, our motivation is ensuring your brand and business grow in every respect.
Mediavine (Not affiliate)
How Long Does It Take To Make Blogging Income?
If you skip the free WordPress experience, which I suggest and head to a self-hosted blog, that’s a start.
Blogging is not a get-rich-quick way to earn money as it takes time to build the layers of your blog.
Some bloggers can start earning money blogging right away through affiliate links.
The most important part of blogging is building your email list and informative blog posts.
I didn’t know what Niche I would tackle when I started this critical blog.
You want to create a blog that you have lots to talk about.
I knew budgeting and debt were going to dominate this blog, and it has along with recipes.
As your blog grows, advertisers will hit you from every direction.
Be careful, though, as some are sketchy or think you don’t know about blogging.
I’ll talk more about sponsored posts, guest posts etc., in another blog post blogging series.
Essentially if you are self-hosted as CBB is with Big Scoots (they are amazing), you can earn money right away.
You can read more about Big Scoots here.
The first $100 from WordPress advertising deposited into my business bank account was mind-blowing.
This took my blog about 5 months to generate, but I could have earned much more self-hosted.
I made money blogging, and I started to wonder how I could make even more extra money.
That’s when I transitioned over to a self-hosted blog with Blue Host, which is a great host for beginners.
You can’t beat $2.95 a month for web hosting as a new blogger.
The Importance Of Networking While Blogging
In the earlier days of finance blogging in Canada, I struggled to network.
Most of my blogging friends are American, which was fine because we tossed ideas off each other.
We guest posted on each other’s blogs to share our experiences and for exposure and still do.
Now there are many Canadian bloggers in the finance niche, all of which share a different angle to CBB.
For example, my blogger friend at My Own Advisor blogs about investing and shares his dividend updates.
He’s far smarter than I am with investing, so he’s my go-to guy for investing, and I admit I’m jealous about how well he’s done.
I’ve told him numerous times that I want to learn how to invest independently, and I know he’ll eventually get me there.
Tom Drake, who blogs at Maple Money, is another fantastic Canadian Blogger to follow.
We are all blogging, but our experiences are all different and another reason we help each other.
I’ll talk more about my favourite Canadian Finance Bloggers in another post.
Reach Out And Ask To Guest Post
Like any career, networking is important, and I encourage new bloggers to reach out to other bloggers.
I often give opportunities to new bloggers a chance to guest post on this blog.
I also encourage Canadian bloggers to share their expertise on topics I’m not an expert on.
Most importantly, it’s about having a group of people you trust in your niche to help you out.
Do You Need To Be An Expert When Blogging?
I think I’m proof that you do NOT need to be an expert when starting a blog.
Blogging is about learning and sharing, and you will make mistakes.
Definitely read Blogging For Dummies as it’s your foot into the door of the blogging world.
As you get started on your blog, there are countless blogging courses that you can pay for.
These are written by experts in their field and are a wealth of information.
I’ll touch more on this topic in my How To Blog Series, so stay tuned.
Check out my Free Blog Resources Page, where you’ll find all of the services CBB has used and recommends for all bloggers.
Discussion: What other blogging questions do you have? Comment below.
