Welcome to my Money Making Blogger interview series where I interview bloggers who are making money from their blogs! 

Read on to discover how they make money from blogging and the steps they took to monetize their blogs.  Feel inspired and learn something new from this series.  Also learn how many hours they spend on their blogs per week and what sort of income this provides.

I get to write every day and make money by doing what I love.  It’s amazing and still amazes me each day, even two years into making money from my website.  It’s not without a lot of hard work though, so don’t be fooled into thinking you simply set up a website and voila, income starts rolling in.  If only!  I work more hours per week than I did in any full-time employed job!

In this series I am going to interview other bloggers who also make money from their blogs to hopefully inspire people to start a blog if they wish or to make that leap to monetizing content.  I also find it so interesting to learn what other bloggers are up to.  Even full time bloggers can learn from each other and inspire one another.

Tell us all about you and introduce your blog.

Hi, I'm Alberto Restrepo and I write about games and family activities at GameroomVault.com. I have two boys and we spend a lot of time playing games and having fun, so I really enjoy writing about these topics on my blog. We're always looking for new ways to spend time together, and when I was looking to make some extra money I thought this would be a great topic for a blog!

How long have you been blogging and when did you begin to make money?

I've been blogging about a year and a half. I think I started making money after about 3 months, but the dollar amounts were pretty small for a while. In the fall of 2018 things started to pick up and I've been making more money the past 4 or 5 months.

How much money do you make each month from blogging?

I guess I'd classify it as pocket money for now, but it might be in the part-time income range pretty soon. The fact that it's on an upward trend encourages me to keep going.

How do you make money blogging?

All of my income so far has come from affiliate marketing. That's what I started with because it's easy, but I may try some other things in the future. I've thought about display ads, but I'm not sure what impact they would have on my affiliate earnings. I like using affiliate links because I can tell people about products that me and my boys like, other people can get a great product, and I can make some money. It's a win-win as long as you're promoting good products and not just telling people to buy something that's junk.

How did you prep your blog to make money? Has it been easy?

The two keys for me are traffic and affiliate links. I use affiliate links in a lot of my content, so all I need to do is get the right visitors to the content (which is not always so easy). Aside from actually writing the content, trying different products and researching in order to write something useful is a big part of the process too.

What are your aims for your blog in the future?

I do plan to increase income, and I plan to do that by getting more traffic and continuing to use affiliate links. Google is my biggest source of traffic. I'd like to continue to increase that traffic, but I'd also like to do better with social networks. I'm especially interested in Pinterest, but I don't have that much experience with it yet. I plan to try using display ads on my blog, but if the affiliate revenue drops as a result of the ads, I'll take the ads down. I'm not sure when I'll try that, but probably within the next few months.

If someone is new to blogging, what should they focus on if they want to monetize?

Know your target audience. Don't publish random articles on lots of different topics because people aren't going to care about all of the things that you care about. Stick to one main topic and keep everything relevant. With that approach your blog will appeal to your target readers, and you'll be able to make money.

Can you think of 3 pros and 3 cons of blogging as a career choice?

Pros: 1) it's fun! 2) a lot of different ways to make money, and 3) it can open doors to other business and career opportunities. Cons: 1) it takes a lot of time, 2) you won't make money right away, 3) sometimes it feels like no one is reading.

What inspires you and what is the best thing about blogging?

My boys! I love having fun with them, and I get to write about many of the things that we enjoy. I'm also inspired to do the best I can to make money for them. I'd like to be able to make more money from my blog so I can work less at my full-time job and have more time at home.

Would you still blog even if you couldn’t make money doing it?

Yes, I would. I've had a few other blogs for fun over the years (they're not live anymore) and I've always enjoyed it. My current blog has lasted longer than my others because making money from it helps to make it worth my time, and it keeps me from jumping from one thing to the next.

Do you think blogging is here to stay?

Definitely! There are so many new blogs launching every day and I don't see that changing anytime soon. People love to be able to write about the things that they enjoy.

 

Thank you so much for taking part in my Money Making Blogger interview series and best of luck with your blog!

 

 

More helpful articles if you want to monetise your blog:

Make money from your blog with Awin affiliate marketing
Make money from your blog without Google ads 
4 ways to find paid blog opportunities
How I save hours every week scheduling tweets with Social Oomph
How to improve your domain authority (DA)

Make money blogging with Link Monster
Make money blogging with Get Blogged (even as a new blogger)
Make money blogging with Considerable Influence
Make money blogging with Press Loft
Make money blogging with Bloggers Required
Make money blogging with Bloggerwork

6 secrets to make more money from your blog
6 handy tax tips for bloggers
Online resources and blog posts to make money blogging
Blogging tips

Blogging resources

Take part in my money making bloggers interview:

Do you make money from your blog?  Take part in my interview to help others learn how to make money blogging. 
Click here for the interview questions.
Read the interviews here.

How to make money from home:

More ways to make money from home:

5 tried and tested ways to make money as a UK stay at home mum
Easily make money from home by testing websites with Whatusersdo
How I earn up to £50 per hour matched betting from home
Get paid doing simple tasks from your phone with Streetbees
Earn cashback on things you already buy
Not sure about Matched Betting? Make £40 now to see if it’s for you!
Make money in your free time with RedWigWam (perfect for busy mums)
Make money online with OhMyDosh!
Make money at home from receipts with Receipt Hog and Shoppix
Make extra money online with YouGov
How to make money from your phone with Roamler
20 ways to make and save more money in 2019
How I made £35000 from home  in 2018
Make money at home searching the web 
Make money at home with Prolific Academic

Welcome to my latest blog giveaway!  I regularly give prizes away to my blog readers.  This week the prize is a £10 UK Amazon eGift voucher to spend on whatever you like.  Good luck!

Almost every week I like to give back to my readers and blog supporters by giving away a £10 Amazon voucher or something else that is great!  Simply check the giveaways tab regularly to see the newest prizes and giveaways. 

Or sign up to my newsletter here  and you'll be sent all recent money making, money saving and giveaway blog posts every Sunday to your email inbox.  Just make sure you add me to your safe senders list and you'll never miss a giveaway!

It takes only a few moments to enter the giveaway and there are lots of entry options so you can choose the quickest or the options that you like best.

A gift voucher is the ultimate prize as you can choose whatever you like with it.  You can also pop along to my giveaways section for lots more chances to win vouchers.  I try to post a new giveaway once per week so do bookmark my website.  I've had a few lucky entrants win more than once, so it is possible!

So, thank you very much for taking the time to come and read my blog.  I hope you find lots of great ways to save money and to make extra cash from home.

I really do appreciate your support :)

Some of my favourite blog posts to make and save more money:

One of the entry options is to read another one of my blog posts.  Here are some great suggestions. You can also discover my top blog posts at the bottom of my website or visit my main blog page to read my latest blog posts. 

You can find an archive on the side bar of my main blog page to browse all my blog titles. 

There are also lots of great blog posts in my menu at the top, especially if you are interested in making money at home and saving more money.

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Never pay more for your energy bills than you have to

Get 100% renewable energy with Bulb, £50 off your first energy bill and a cheaper tariff than the Big Six

5 tried and tested ways to make money as a UK stay at home mum
Easily make money from home by testing websites with Whatusersdo
Get paid doing simple tasks from your phone with Streetbees

Earn cashback on things you already buy
Not sure about Matched Betting? Make £40 now to see if it’s for you!
Make money online with OhMyDosh!

Make money at home from receipts with Receipt Hog and Shoppix
Make extra money online with YouGov
How to make money from your phone with Roamler
20 ways to make and save more money in 2019

How I made £35000 from home  in 2018
Make money at home searching the web 
Make money at home with Prolific Academic
Make money online with Crowdville

Enter here:

The full terms and conditions are below, but simply enter using one or more of the entry methods in the Rafflecopter widget below and remember, if you win your delivery address must be in the UK.  Best of luck!  Don't forget to pop back regularly to check for my newest giveaways!

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• There is no cash alternative

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It’s always a great idea to learn how to check the tyres ourselves on our cars.  This will save us costly garage fees and breakdown costs associated with inadequate tyres.  It will also ensure our cars are safe and roadworthy in-between MOT tests and servicing, particularly if you use your car on a daily basis.

Here are some of the ways you can cut costs and maintain your car’s tyres:

Replace worn tyres

If your tyres look worn and tired, then they probably are.  Don’t drive with worn-out tyres.  It’s not safe, legal or fuel efficient.  You have two options for getting new tyres – either online or in-store:

·        Order new tyres online

If you need to replace your car tyres then it could be a lot cheaper to source them online.  With so many online options and companies competing for your business, you could find a really great deal compared to buying in-store.  Plus there’s the availability of online voucher codes and cashback to reduce your purchase even more.  You can order tyres online from Elite Direct Rainham Essex Branch and many other online retailers.  Just remember to factor in delivery costs when working out the cheapest option for you.

·        Haggle in-store

If you are buying in-store then don’t always go for the first price you are offered.  Ring around a few tyre garages and ask for a quote for your tyres and fitting (if you need them to be fitted professionally).  Share the best price you receive with each garage to see if they can beat it.  Many garages will want your business and will be prepared to make a deal so you don’t go elsewhere.

Keep your tyres inflated

It’s really easy to inflate your own tyres at home with a tyre pump that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket.  These cost as little as £10-£20 and mean you can do it wherever you are or without leaving home.  This will save the cost of driving to a garage or fuel station and paying each time your tyres need more air.

Driving with deflated tyres increases the risk of a burst tyre and increases the risk causing of an accident.  If you over inflate them you will have less traction on the road.  You should regularly check the tyre pressure is correct as this will improve fuel efficiency by up to 3%.

To find the correct tyre pressure for your car, simply search online for a tyre pressure checker, enter your car registration and see the recommended pressures.  The figures may be different for the front and back tyres.

Check the tread

Whilst new tyres might seem costly, it’s going to be a lot cheaper than driving around with tyres under the legal minimum tread depth.  The minimum legal depth is 1.6mm, but you’ll want to change once you’re nearing this.  In bad weather you’ll want to change your tyres once the tread reaches 3mm to ensure your car is safe in wet conditions.

You can use a 20 pence piece to measure the tread on your car by yourself.  Place the 20p into the tread groove of your tyre.  If the outer band of the 20p piece is covered then your tread depth is sufficient.  However, if you can see the outer band then your tyres may not be legal and need to be checked immediately by a professional. 

Learn how to change a tyre

Whilst you want to go to a garage to change the tyre properly and professionally to ensure the wheel alignment and everything else is perfect, it’s still a good idea to be able to change a tyre yourself.  If you wake up to a flat tyre then it’s going to cost a pretty penny for a tow truck to take you to a garage.  If you are able to learn to change a tyre yourself then you’ll be able to switch the damaged tyre for the spare and get yourself to a garage.

Check for objects

It’s good practice to check your tyres regularly for objects that may be stuck in them.  These can cause slow punctures or even worse, a full on puncture whilst driving.  It’s important to address any objects you do find by seeking professional help with a tyre specialist. 

A good look at your tyres once in a while will show if you have any objects stuck in them. If you find anything, such as a nail, embedded in the tyre then the best advice is to leave it there.  It is probably plugging the gap for now and it may be safer for you to leave it there whilst you drive to your nearest tyre centre.

How to save money by maintaining your car tyres

Keeping your car tyres in good nick will keep you safe, but it will also save you money.  Here’s why:

• No costly breakdowns or recovery – Under-inflated tyres can cause blow outs, objects in tyres can cause punctures and too little tread is not safe in bad weather.  Driving in any of these circumstances can increase the likelihood of a breakdown which will result in recovery and breakdown expenses.
• Better fuel efficiency – Under-inflated tyres increases your fuel consumption! 
• Invalid insurance – If your tyres are not roadworthy or legal then your insurance policy will be invalid in the event of an accident.
• Spot other problems – Uneven wear on tyres can flag other car issues like an issue with the suspension.  Noticing these signs could prevent some major repairs or breakdowns in the future.
• Avoid fines for illegal tyre tread – There’s a £2500 fine per tyre that is below legal tread depth if caught.  That’s £10,000 if all four tyre treads are less than 1.6mm.

 

Keeping your car tyres roadworthy will ensure your safety and save money at the same time.

 

Related

Mustard car insurance comparison promises to beat your cheapest online quote 

Save time and money with Look After My Bills

 

Our fixed deal was coming to an end and so we applied for a new mortgage at the end of last year to lock in a great new fixed rate.  It was the first time I had applied for a mortgage since starting matched betting two years ago and so I was slightly nervous to whether matched betting affected my credit score and if my mortgage application would be denied. 

Will matched betting affect my credit score?

I’d read plenty of online guides saying that matched betting won’t show up on your credit report.  Online bookies do a soft search on your credit file, but nothing that a mortgage lender can see.  Phew.

Still, I wasn’t 100% sure how true everything I read online was, so I was still really nervous putting through our mortgage application.  What if it was all lies?! J

One thing I did know about mortgage applications already, having previously been through the whole process, is that they want copies of around three months’ worth of banks statements.  I guess this is so they can see what’s coming in and out.  It proves your incoming income and also shows how you manage your money and where your expenditure goes.

Should I stop matched betting if I want a mortgage?

Some people suggest stopping matched betting before applying for a mortgage, but I followed a better idea which was to open a separate bank account.  Not only that, but I recommend opening a separate bank account with a different bank, just to be safe!

I have a ‘matched betting’ bank account with a bank separate to where all my main current accounts are for incoming salaries and bills.  I kept totally shush about this bank account during the mortgage application and only shared statements of my main current account where all the normal household activity is, as well as my credit cards.

Keep a totally separate matched betting bank account

I’d also not recommend transferring money from your main bank account to your matched betting one.  We transfer money to our savings account each month and also both our children’s savings accounts from our main account.  The mortgage lender wanted to see statements from all the different accounts that we had been transferring money to for the past three months!  Madness!  We were never asked this when we first applied for a mortgage around five years ago.  I just thought it was super nosey!

Luckily I never transferred any money into my matched betting account or else I would have been rumbled!

Do mortgage lenders even care if you are matched betting?

I’m not sure whether lenders would accept matched betting as an excuse when they see an entire bank account only with transactions to and from online bookies, but I didn’t want to risk it.

And to be honest, they might not even care.  It’s not up to them how you spend your own money; rather they are looking to judge whether you are capable of paying back their loan.  If they think you have a gambling addiction then I expect this could be a problem, but of course I’m not an expert.  

I, myself, simply didn’t want to take any risks of having my mortgage application denied because I’m a matched bettor.

I did panic when our application and all our copied of statements were sent off, that they’d somehow be able to see I had another current account at another bank and they’d demand to see it!

My mortgage application was accepted even though I am a matched bettor

As you can imagine, I was very relieved when I got the call to say everything had been accepted and our new mortgage was going through!  Phew!

So, to roundup, here is what I did.  I have no idea if the banks really care or whether this helped hide my matched betting from the mortgage lender, but I’d still do it the same way in the future, just in case!

• Keep a separate bank account for matched betting
• Have that bank account with a different bank
• Don’t transfer any money from your main bank account to or from your matched betting account
• Don’t mention matched betting or the account when applying for the mortgage
• Do not include matched betting earnings as part of your income on your application
• Only use matched betting to make a profit and keep records of this (if they had seen the account then I had proof I used it as a money-making venture only)

And finally, what is matched betting?

Matched betting is a way of making a profit from the free bet offers that bookies regularly present.  In short, you cover all outcomes in order to extract a profit from the free bet. 

It sounds complicated at first and I started without fully understanding it myself, but I simply followed all the instructions on Profit Accumulator to a T and was amazed I made profit.  Over time I figured out how it worked.

Matched betting is a great way to make some extra income on the side in exchange for some of your time.  I made around £1500 in the first couple of months as the sign up offers are really profitable.  You can then continue to make money with reload offers, but they’re not quite as lucrative.  In two years I made over £5000 doing it on the side, sometimes for only half hour a week depending on the availability of offers.  Not sure it’s legit?  It was featured in The Guardian here.

This is the company I use and recommend if you want to try matched betting:

 

Read more about matched betting here:
One Year Review: How I earn up to £50 per hour matched betting from home 
I’ve made £300 tax free cash from home in 2 weeks and you can too!
£753.62 Matched Betting Profit Month One (and silly mistakes)
Not sure about matched betting?  Make £40ish now to see if it’s for you!
Matched Betting Profit 2 Months: £1341.81
Matched betting profit after 3 months: £1706.81

Click here for all my matched betting blog posts

Save time and money with Look After My Bills

 

The job market is full of offers, but you should not always fall for the hype or the scams.  If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is.  Do your research and make sure the company is legit.  There are many businesses that you can start without an investment, and there are companies that hire remote workers, so you don’t have to take unnecessary risks.

Virtual assistant tasks

If you have an admin background, are extremely organised and have experience in using different software, then you might think about getting a job as a virtual assistant.  You will need to differentiate yourself in the marketplace which is full of busy mums and semi-retired people, but you will make it if you find a way to stand out. You have to showcase your skills and expertise to get people to trust you.   Building up trust and a reputable portfolio in any profession is a great way to land clients.  Once you have clients and your work is proven then you can ask for testimonials to share on your website to land even more clients.

Social media management

If you are looking to improve your skills as a blogger or simply help businesses grow, the best route for you to go down is offering social media management services. You will have to gain industry knowledge and become skilled at digital marketing automation, but the value you will provide to your clients will be worth it. Most business owners are too busy getting things done and would rather outsource their social media projects to someone reliable and more knowledgeable than themselves.  There are lots of online courses in this area to equip you with the skills you need if you don’t already have them already.

Digital marketing

If you have a degree in digital marketing, or you’re always interested in how to engage with people online, then you may wish to become a digital marketing expert to help clients reach their target audience. If you don’t yet have the experience then you can look for available positions on metmarketing.co.uk where you can find out about the industry requirements and training available.  You might even find an entry level role that allows you to learn and develop your skills on the job.

Accounting

Those coming from the administrative and finance background may get more job satisfaction and flexibility working from their home office. As long as you have a decent computer or laptop and a reliable internet connection, you can work as an accountant from your own home.  It’s possible to even create projects and collaborate with your clients using cloud technology without ever leaving your home.

Blogging

You can certainly make money blogging, but it will not happen overnight. You will need to be patient and consistent. There are plenty of ways you can monetise your blog, such as selling your freelance services, adding affiliate links, and selling your own information products. Updates and reader interaction, as well as your social media integration will help you rank your blog higher in search engines and connect you with your target market.  There are lots of ways to make money blogging and if you are serious about doing this as a career choice then you simply need to get started and begin working on content creation, building an audience and developing your social media accounts.

 

Nowadays there are lots of different ways to work from home whether you are employed or self-employed.  With some hard work and dedication, the possibilities are endless.

 

How to make money from home:

5 tried and tested ways to make money as a UK stay at home mum
Easily make money from home by testing websites with Whatusersdo
How I earn up to £50 per hour matched betting from home
Get paid doing simple tasks from your phone with Streetbees

Earn cashback on things you already buy
Not sure about Matched Betting? Make £40 now to see if it’s for you!
Make money in your free time with RedWigWam (perfect for busy mums)
Make money online with OhMyDosh!

Make money at home from receipts with Receipt Hog and Shoppix
Make extra money online with YouGov
How to make money from your phone with Roamler
20 ways to make and save more money in 2019

How I made £35000 from home in 2018
Make money at home searching the web
Make money at home with Prolific Academic
Make money online with Crowdville

How to get free money

Collaborative post