I'm Well on My Way...

Woo hoo hoo!  I'm well on my way!

To where, you ask?  To financial freedom!!!  Woo hoo!!

See, today I got my FIRST paycheck from Clickbank.  I know, you're probably asking yourself "What is Clickbank and why does it matter?".

Well it matters because just about a month ago I discovered Affiliate Marketing because I was working on a contract that I was not happy with.  When I'm not happy with situations or jobs or most anything, I tend to start seeking my escape.

So back to the story.  During my little crisis, I stumbled on the concept of promoting other people's products for commission and I got so turned on by it that I literally did just that. I signed up for Clickbank and a few other affiliate marketing sites (these are ALL free to join, mind you!  If they want you to pay to join, it's probably a network marketing company trying to disguise itself as an affiliate marketing program) and I started promoting other people's products.  In fact, I actually sold some products through my efforts which I thought was (and still is) very cool!  Oh and did I mention that I got PAID?  Yes, I got paid and I am super happy! It's such a wonderful thing.

See, I wasn't happy with my network marketing business.  I had not really been happy or excited about network marketing in a long time (yes, I was in denial) and I was looking for a way to make money from home that didn't involve having to talk to a lot of people everyday, make friends with them and then hope and pray that they would join my 'opportunity', stay active, and build their own business. 

For those of you that don't know this about network marketing, the truth is that bringing people onto your team is the main way to make money. It doesn't matter what the compensation plan is or the buy in. It doesn't matter what product you are selling. If you cannot recruit heaps and heaps of people successfully and consistently and keep them in your organization, you are sunk. It's that plain and simple. 

Another hard truth (one of the ones that no network marketer likes to admit) and the main reason why most network marketers are always begging and pleading with everyone to check out their opportunity and join because they aren't making any money. 99% of the network marketers you meet are not making money. Most of them will tell you stories about this so-and-so guru mastermind in their upline that is making 20k a month, but if you ask them about their income, they go dead quiet. Truth is they are not making money.

Now most of them are really awesome people and I can't fault them for being this way because they really are trying their best and just want to make some money because they've probably spent (and still spend) so much money per month to stay active and commission qualified.  Don't believe me, ask one. For now, I'll just leave it at that. One day I'll tell you my network marketing story.  (It's a really long one!)

Anyway...I stumbled on Affiliate Marketing and I was sold!  No more autoship.  No more monthly minimums.  No fees. No more terms and conditions.  No more commission schedule. No more upline or downline!  No more recruiting! Yay!!! It's like I've died and gone to heaven!

And the best part is I get to represent and promote products that I like, use and want to buy!  Oh, and I've made money. Yes. I've made money and I will make heaps more! That's the beauty of affiliate marketing.  The sky is the limit and I am no longer bound by one company or product!

I am well on my way!

Calm Before The Storm

Sunday, Fun-Day!!

So I got up early this morning and the cats were waiting for me in the kitchen.  Sunday's are wetfood day for them and like clockwork, they were waiting.  It's hard to believe that people think cats are stupid. They know the sound of a cat food can being placed on the counter and the swoosh of the lid when I tear it off.  They know the clink and clatter when I get out the little glass dishes I serve their food in and put them on the counter.  Cats are not stupid in the least.  They just choose to pay attention to things when it suits them.  They are very discerning little creatures.

Five Very Happy Felines

Do you own a Cat or Dog?

Anyway, so I gave them their wet food treat and then I started puttering about the house.  I'm doing some laundry and I cleaned up the bedroom a bit.  Eventually I'll make my way to the couch and finish knitting G's scarf cause I'm on the homestretch with it and cannot wait for it to be finished.  He is gonna love it. 

Now I was looking at my schedule for my part time job and shaking my head because I'm on the schedule for nearly 30 hours this week.  It's the holidays and retail so it's not that surprising.  I'm just so used to setting my own schedule that when I actually HAVE a schedule like this, I shake my head. This is the calm before the storm.

Don't get me wrong.  I appreciate the money and the job.  I really do enjoy working in retail, but the rush of holiday shoppers and the craziness that ensues is NOT my idea of fun.  The one thing that made me quit retail years ago was holiday shopping and the rude assed people shoving and pushing and destroying my shop all for a 5 dollar teeshirt.

Stop Yur Shoving!  IT's just a FIVE DOLLAR TEESHIRT!!

See, I used to be in retail management years ago and I remember that for several years, I would get maybe 2 days off between the first of November and the end of the year.  Guess what days I got off?  If you guessed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, then you guessed correct. Two days off!  I remember missing holiday parties and family gatherings because I was always working.  In fact, most days were 10 hours or longer because our part-time help was always calling out sick and as a manager, we had to have coverage.

Anyway...I have the rest of the day off today before the week starts. I am definitely thankful for that.

And I beg and plead with you my readers to stay home on Black Friday.  Stay home!!  Shop in your PJ's on the internet!!  There are heaps more deals online and they don't run out of stuff like they always do in the store!!

Here are some good deals and ideas for at home holiday shopping!

Yessss.....It's Friday!!!

So it's Friday.....Friday, Friday, Friday!   Woo hoo, right?  Do you feel like this today?

I do too!  Well, sort of.  I really want to blow off doing any sort of real work and do nothing, but knit and watch movies.  I can't do that though cause I have work to do.  I just launched a new ad campaign with a new agency and I need to keep an eye on it to see how it performs.

I also need to find some information on editing HTML (yes, I am still shaking my fist about HTML).  My fiance says it's not that difficult, but then again, he is the computer whisperer and went to school for that sort of thing.  Me, not so much. I'm a retired microbiologist, remember? One day I will have to tell you the story of how I retired from the lab at 40!

My fiance, the Computer Whisperer

Anyway...so I'm here at my computer writing a blog instead because I really don't want to look up HTML stuff cause it confuses me, and checking my metrics for the day.   I know it sounds crazy, but since I started this adventure in affiliate marketing, I'm really enjoying myself.

Unlike Network Marketing, Affiliate Marketing is such a breeze!  I don't have to talk to a million people and try to convince them to purchase from me or join my opportunity.  I don't have to spend a minimum per month to stay commission eligible.  It's great!  OH and I've made money!!!  Yep, in just a few weeks, I have made money by promoting other people's products.  Not heaps of money yet, but I have made money.  It is awesome!

Now I still believe in Network Marketing, but to do Network Marketing right without burning a lot of people by making huge income promises and having to chase your friends and family, you have to talk to a lot of people, make friends with them and then maybe they will join you and your opportunity. I stress the 'maybe' part, because most of the people I made friends with were already in another company and were happy.  To be honest, I never had much success with it even when I was working it full time.  My business never even paid for my products per month which was a bit disappointing.

That's how I ended up doing affiliate marketing. I was tired of spending all of my time looking for people and promoting a free product to find said people. Now I market and represent real products and companies such as BestBuy and PetSmart to name a few and I'm having fun!  Oh and I'm making money too....

If you're interested in learning more about Affiliate Marketing, check out ClickBank! It's free to join and there are heaps of products you can represent.  That's where I got started and where I made my first money online.

So Happy Friday everyone!

From BestBuy:
Beat the Black Friday Rush: 6 Deals, 3 Days, Ends Saturday; Plus, See Our Black Friday Ad

What Day is It Again?

Does anybody know what day it is? 

Ha ha ...I couldn't resist!

SO it's Wednesday.  I used to love Wednesdays because it meant that my work week was half over and I could look forward to the two best days of the week: The Weekend.

Now that I work from home, the weekends are just another part of the week. In fact, I don't really like to go out on weekends because that's when traffic is the worst and all the shops are crowded. Usually I spend my weekends cleaning and hanging around my house.  Sometimes I do research for my work.  Other times I spend the day cooking and watching movies.  I swear, they are the best weekends! 

Many of my friends find that strange, but I don't. I work from home. For me, it's normal. 

Granted, working from home has its' own challenges like staying motivated and focused, but I used to struggle with that in my normal job too.  The difference now is that I don't have a boss breathing down my neck and reminding me everyday that I am doing something wrong.

Today I am thankful that I am able to make enough money from the comfort of my home.  I am thankful for the internet and for all the people I have met along the way who have helped and supported my dream of working from home.  I'm thankful that I am my own boss.  Gosh darn it, I'm thankful for it all!

And for Wednesday too as a reminder of what my life used to be like: Working for the weekend.

 If you'd like to know more about working from home and being your own boss, check this out. 

Be Your Own Boss!