It was in 2018 that I made a decent amount from being a blogger and a remote worker. It was not a walk in the park, I tell you. There were times I blamed myself for leaving my corporate job because well, as long as I go to work every day, I am paid. In case of remote work, without an output to show to your client and time billed there's nothing to be paid.
This was also the year that I gave time for love. No one really believes me that I was an NBSB (No boyfriend since birth) until I reached 33. Well, I have tried meeting and seeing other guys but no exclusivity happened. It was in 2018 that I gave up a lot of travelling to spend time with him and also to focus more on making money via my online job. The reality is the more that I travel whether it is sponsored or not, the less I make money. This thing called "adulting" hit me really hard last year also and it is not ending soon. The year 2019 will be a continuation about my goals to reach security for my life, health and future.
First week of January, I decided to backtrack my Paypal account to see how much money I made. Knowing that amount is going to help me formulate my goals for 2019 as a blogger and a top-freelancer via the world's biggest freelancing site.
See below:
Blogging and other online gigs (12 months of 2018)
January = Php 24, 929
February = Php 14, 879
March = Php 10, 000
April = Php 10, 000
June = Php 2, 970
July = Php 9, 472
August = Php 11, 585
Sept = Php 16, 127
October = Php 3, 200
November = Php 11, 978
December = Php 6, 276
Adsense: Php 5, 000
TOTAL: Php 127, 425
These blogging gigs include writing sponsored posts from different clients and managing another blog site owned by my previous boss who owns a party hostel where I worked as a social media manager for over a year. My domain authority also rose from 22 to 28 so I guess this was the reason why I got a few more.
My blog is nowhere near the rankings of the top blogs in the Philippines. I was not expecting this much amount but I always make sure that I will never stop abandon this blog which was the reason why I become the kind of person I am today.
Upwork freelancing jobs (July to December 2018)
TOTAL: Php 185, 000
January to June were the months I was to the point of begging clients to hire me for the lowest price possible just to get by and get my positive review. I did not mind the meager amount of money I will be paid, it was all about building my portfolio. I was also trying to adjust the busy lifestyle of the person I was dating thus I can say during these months my online hours were less specially during the time that I was helping him buy his condo in BGC.
All in all, I made Php 312, 425. That means my average earning per month is Php 26,000 which is not bad for someone like me who only took Upwork jobs for the past 6-7 months! I can call my "success" in finding jobs on Upwork was a miracle. You can click these links below to read why:
- HOW I REACHED USD 1, 000 ON UPWORK AFTER 74 HOURS OF TOTAL WORK BILLED
- MY #UPWORKSUCCESS JOURNEY: HOW IT STARTED AND HOW I KEEP IT GOING
Two thousand eighteen I would say is the most proud year in my entire freelancing career because I can totally say I am equipped with enough skills and client background checks to survive another year of freelancing!
So what do I do online?
Recently, influencer marketing industry has been booming. Thanks to all of us who are endlessly searching and snapping Instagrammable photos! Brands went crazy how these Instagrammers made the world look like a fairytale in pastel color. Their real followers buy what they promote, so there!
Challenges and fears
It's the amount of productivity I am constantly confused whether I am making the most or not. For someone who works alone, I tend to do excessive browsing my Facebook feed and scrolling my Instagram. It sucks but it is true! I am trying harder to focus on my client works. The more I do this, the less I am paid.
When it comes to gadgets I use for my online work, I do not have the best. The laptops are the cheap ones. The processor is Celeron - it sucks, right? I cannot afford yet to buy a Php 50k laptop. My mobile phone is Iphone 6S, second hand but it is only 16G. I do save a lot of photos and use many apps - I wish though Iphone memories can be adjusted but no!
The wifi at home sucks so bad. Since we are renting, we cannot cancel nor upgrade without the owner's consent whom we cannot find to ask permission. We are only dealing with his ex mom-in-law who seem to be cold when we ask his phone number so we can contact him.
Up to this moment, I do not and keep on saying no to clients who offer me 8 hours of work per weekday because I want to give time to blogging, joining events and other errands. Having a job with a fixed 8-hour work per weekday actually means more money and steady stream of income but as of the moment I want flexibility in my lifestyle.
The biggest fear actually is the fact that I am turning 35 next month. I am still a childless woman dating a man whom I am not sure I will end up starting a family. I am torn between spending most of my time working or start swiping on Tinder again and see if I have a chance to find another. I am fine growing old without a child but in this community we live, women like me at this age with this situation are judged.
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