Who Has Affiliate Marketing as their only job?

[babyann]

What is the big deal about health insurance?

I am over 35 ... I pay only $130 a month for a great plan ... it has a $4,000 deductible, but so what? I only go to the doctor 4 times a year ... if I get injured, I have to pay up to $4,000 .... That's fine.

This is for only $135 a month, including dental. There are lots of deals out there.

Don't let "benefits" influence your decision to work for yourself, unless your company has huge 401k matching or something -- or you have an entire family you need to ensure or something.

What's the big deal with medical insurance? Are you serious? I have 3 kids...my first two were born perfectly healthy. My 3rd was born with esophageal atresia and an imperforate anus. By the time he was 3 he had already had 10 surgeries with medical bills totaled in the millions. He is 7 now and is tube fed 5 times per day. Supplies and formula run around $500 per month and in addition he has to get esophageal dilitations several times a year which are over $10,000 each time. That's the big deal. Not every one is fortunate enough to be healthy and you can forget about getting a private policy for yourself or your kid if there is a pre-existing condition. As far as state sponsored insurance programs go those are usually based on your income so if you make over $35000 per year you don't qualify. That being said, I'm fortunate enough to have a spouse who does the 9-5 thing to keep us insured.

As to the original question of "can you make a living doing AM"...yes, you absolutely can. I ran a successful internet based mortgage brokerage for 8 years while doing AM part time on the side. My affiliate income grew every year and I was able to quit my mortgage brokerage and do AM full time. I've been at this full time for over a year now with no regrets. I'm not in the 6 figure league yet (working on it) but I currently have 3 sites which brought in over $50,000 last year. I don't do ppc, all of my traffic is from organic search so all of the income generated, save for hosting fees, was pure profit. I only wish this AM shit was around when I was 18 or 19 as I'd be a fucking millionaire by now.

 

[GrassIsBlue]

Can affiliate marketing become a carreer? Can this be your only source of income or do many people have part time jobs to get benifits. Im very interested to here others responses.

It can surely be done, but I would suggest building a solid business by diversifying your income to multiple sources. That way you will be assured of a good income for a long time.

 

[ImagesAndWords]

My wife and I are thinking about moving back to the US, but the whole healthcare thing scares the shit out of us. She's from there and she knows how bad it is. The movie "Sicko" shows a lot of it. (Like how even if you DO have insurance - you can still get screwed bigtime).

I mean, I want to settle down somewhere in the US and do affiliate marketing full-time. Nice money, low taxes, in sunny California.
But then we think about the healthcare....

We're spoiled here in Norway with free healthcare and college so it makes me dread the move. I'd love to hear some more positive things about the US healthcare from people here. Give me some reassurance folks!

 

[Lucidity]

My wife and I are thinking about moving back to the US, but the whole healthcare thing scares the shit out of us. She's from there and she knows how bad it is. The movie "Sicko" shows a lot of it. (Like how even if you DO have insurance - you can still get screwed bigtime).

I mean, I want to settle down somewhere in the US and do affiliate marketing full-time. Nice money, low taxes, in sunny California.
But then we think about the healthcare....

We're spoiled here in Norway with free healthcare and college so it makes me dread the move. I'd love to hear some more positive things about the US healthcare from people here. Give me some reassurance folks!

Take these two figures:

A: After-tax income in U.S. minus high quality health insurance premium minus allowance for out of pocket health costs
B: After-tax income in Norway

There comes a point where A will be greater than B when your income reaches a high enough level. Move to California when that happens .

P.S. Michael Moore is a propagandist, he over exaggerates the shit out of everything.

 

[jclem]

Or get married to a partner that does the 9-5 thing

I second this motion.
with a bottle of lotion

 

[invisible777]

My wife and I are thinking about moving back to the US, but the whole healthcare thing scares the shit out of us. She's from there and she knows how bad it is. The movie "Sicko" shows a lot of it. (Like how even if you DO have insurance - you can still get screwed bigtime).

Scares the shit out of you to move to the US? Wtf? That's why everyone in all these 'free healthcare' countries have to hop on planes to the US when they need big, serious surgeries because your lackluster, freebie, kindergarten doctors and healthcare don't cut it.

 

[motivebrendan]

affiliate marketing is a great career

affiliate marketing can be a great career, but like anything it take hard work. not so long ago i worked as a webmaster and affiliate marketer at night as i slaved away all day at the 9-5. The day i made the choice to go in 100% was the last day i ever worked for someone else that was 8 years ago.

 

[ImagesAndWords]

Lucidity;
You have a good point there, thanks.

I guess what I want is just the same security I have here. Paying for the insurance is no problem, I can deal with that. I just want the comfort of knowing that no matter what may happen to me or anyone in my family (be it unexpected illness, cancer, accidents, any kind of disease, etc.) - that I won't go bankrupt due to insanely high bills or "non covered" conditions.

Scares the shit out of you to move to the US? Wtf? That's why everyone in all these 'free healthcare' countries have to hop on planes to the US when they need big, serious surgeries because your lackluster, freebie, kindergarten doctors and healthcare don't cut it.

Hey... I never said it scared the shit out of me to move to the US. I'm actually excited to move there, and I've lived there for almost 6 years in the past.

What scares me (like I said) is the feeling of insecurity when it comes to health insurance. Sure - you may have the most advanced medical staff and equipment in the world, but it also comes with a hefty pricetag.

I never claimed healthcare was perfect here in Norway either. Just that we have 100% security in knowing that no matter what happens - we will be taken care of without paying a penny. No questions asked.

But like Lucidity pointed out - I'm sure you guys have great high quality providers as well that can give the same security. And if you're a super affiliate - who cares what the monthly premium is, right?

 

[tombo100]

To be honest, if you are looking for security why are you playing in the AM waters?

Security is great if that is your goal. Get the 9-5, sit in your cube all day and have your insurance and pension.

But if you want to win big you have to toss a good part of the security out the window and take some risks.

 

[lubber]

images - free health care in Norway, really? So who pays for it? Oh right you do with insane tax rates. How long are the waiting lists for operations?
sure you can find fault with any system but I am sorry I would take freedom of choice over socialism any day.
On Americas worst day it is still 100 times better than any other country in the world!
The problem you have is you are conditioned to think the government will take care of you. I am glad I live in a country that gives me the freedom to take care of myself.

 

[gopher]

Brain washed much?

OMG ZE SOCIALIZED MEDICINE WITH ITS COMMUNIST, BABY EATING DOCTORZ

Hint: The US has the second worst newborn death rate in the developed world. And the average life expectancy in the US is also considerable worse than in any other first world country. But I'm glad you are glad to live in a country that gives you the freedom to die quicker.

And this comes from someone who is quite "sympathetic" to the US, but come on, your health care system is seriously fucked.

 

[lubber]

gopher - is that the best you can do? What system could not use improvements? We have "socialized" medicine in this country, they are called county hospitals were nobody is denied services based on the ability to pay.

 

[gopher]

Of course universal health care isnt the perfect answer and could definitely be improved. This doesnt change the fact that the US system is broken. And like I said, there is a reason that the US health care system compares so unfavorably as it does.

 

[ImagesAndWords]

To be honest, if you are looking for security why are you playing in the AM waters?

Well.. duh... I'm a big risktaker when it comes to financial independence and gain economically. I'm devoted to AM for life.

Security is great if that is your goal. Get the 9-5, sit in your cube all day and have your insurance and pension.
But if you want to win big you have to toss a good part of the security out the window and take some risks.

Dude - we're talking health here. Who wants to have insecurity and "take risks" on their own and their family's personal health?

And by the way - I'm not knocking the US in general. In fact, I love the country. But your guys' healthcare is known worldwide for being fucked up. That's not just my personal opinion.

 

[ImagesAndWords]

images - free health care in Norway, really? So who pays for it? Oh right you do with insane tax rates. How long are the waiting lists for operations?
sure you can find fault with any system but I am sorry I would take freedom of choice over socialism any day.
On Americas worst day it is still 100 times better than any other country in the world!
The problem you have is you are conditioned to think the government will take care of you. I am glad I live in a country that gives me the freedom to take care of myself.

Yes freedom of choice is the better option and in theory that is better than socialism any day. I totally agree. However, it appearantly fails in practice when thousands of americans every year are left untreated or dying with serious conditions and/or drowning in impossibly high debt (that they will NEVER get out of) because of something that the greedy corporations didn't want to cover.

As far as debt though - we as internet marketers have the benefit of being able to make lots of money to make up for it. So that gives me some comfort.
Bring on the $1 mill. hospital bills, here I come!