How I Actually Make Money with My Lifestyle Blog (And How You Can Too)
Okay, real talk timee...
So I'm sitting here in my pajamas at 11 PM (again) because someone DM'd me asking how I actually make money from my blog. Like, the real numbers. The behind-the-scenes stuff. The failures, the wins, the "oh crap, did I really just quit my day job for this?" moments.
Three years ago I was working a soul-crushing marketing job, spending my lunch breaks writing about my weekend thrift finds and the oat milk latte that changed my life. (Yes, I was that girl. No shame.) Fast forward to today and that little hobby blog pays my rent, my student loans, AND funded my recent trip to Portugal.
But let me tell you - it wasn't all pretty flat lays and perfect morning routines.
What Actually IS a Lifestyle Blog These Days?
Look, I'm gonna be honest. When I started, I had zero clue what I was doing. I thought lifestyle blogging meant posting outfit photos and calling it a day. Wrong. So wrong.
A lifestyle blog is basically you sharing how you live - but the key is sharing it in a way that helps other people live better too. Whether that's showing them how to style a $20 Target dress for work, organizing a tiny apartment, or finding time for self-care when you're working 50-hour weeks.
The money comes when you solve real problems for real people. Revolutionary, I know.
My blog covers everything from budget-friendly fashion (because who has $300 for jeans?) to mental health stuff, apartment decorating on a shoestring budget, and honestly whatever I'm obsessing over that week. Last month I did a whole series on finding the perfect work bag because I was literally carrying my laptop in a tote from 2019 and my back was dying.
How I Actually Found My "Niche" (Spoiler: It Found Me)
Everyone says "find your niche" but like... how? I spent months overthinking this. Should I focus on fashion? Home decor? Wellness? Dating in your late twenties? (That was a dark period.)
Here's what actually happened: I just started writing about my life. The posts that got the most comments and DMs? Budget fashion finds, small space decorating, and "how I learned to stop being such a perfectionist about everything" type content.
My "niche" ended up being lifestyle tips for twenty-something women who are figuring it out as they go. Not groundbreaking, but apparently there are a lot of us out there.
Some niches that are actually making bank right now:
Sustainable/eco-friendly living (but make it realistic, not preachy)
Budget-friendly everything (fashion, home, wellness)
Small space living and organization
Self-care that doesn't require a trust fund
Career advice for creative types
The key is being specific enough that people know what to expect from you, but broad enough that you don't get bored writing about the same thing every day.
The Money Part (Because That's Why You're Here)
Alright, let's talk numbers. My first year I made maybe $200 total. It was rough. But last month I brought in just over $8,000. Here's how:
Affiliate Marketing (Where Most of My Money Comes From)
This is basically recommending stuff you actually use and getting a cut when people buy it. I make about 50% of my income this way.
I'm in these programs:
Amazon Associates - Everything from the ring light I use for photos to my favorite coffee maker
LTK/RewardStyle - Fashion and home stuff (this one took FOREVER to get approved)
Target Circle - Honestly my favorite because I shop there anyway
Sephora - Beauty products (smaller commissions but adds up)
Real talk: My first affiliate sale was a $12 sweater from Target and I literally screenshotted the $1.20 commission and sent it to my mom. Start somewhere.
The key is only recommending stuff you actually own and love. I learned this the hard way when I promoted a face mask I'd never tried and it broke people out. Not cute.
Brand Partnerships (The Fun but Unpredictable Money)
Once I hit about 15K Instagram followers (took me like 18 months), brands started reaching out. Now I probably do 2-3 sponsored posts per month.
My rates:
Instagram post: around $150 per 10K followers (so like $300 for my current following)
Blog post: $500-800 depending on the brand and how much work it is
Instagram Stories: $75-100 per 10K followers
I've worked with brands like Anthropologie, Target, some smaller sustainable fashion companies, and a bunch of home decor brands. The best partnerships feel natural - like when West Elm wanted me to style their new bedding collection because they'd seen my bedroom posts.
Digital Products (The "Make It Once, Sell Forever" Dream)
This took me forever to figure out but now it's like passive income on autopilot. Well, kind of passive. You still have to market the hell out of it.
What I sell:
"The Capsule Wardrobe Workbook" ($35) - My best seller
Small Space Styling Guide ($25) - Floor plans, shopping lists, the works
Monthly Budget Tracker ($15) - Super simple but people love it
My capsule wardrobe guide makes me about $1,500/month now without me doing anything. It took me THREE MONTHS to create because I'm a perfectionist nightmare, but totally worth it.
Other Random Money Streams
Coaching calls - $150/hour for style consultations or blog strategy
Affiliate programs for services - Like when I recommend my email platform or website host
Speaking at events - Only done this twice but got paid $500 each time
Growing Your Audience (Because More People = More Money, Obviously)
Pinterest is Actually Magic
I ignored Pinterest for my first year because I thought it was just recipes and wedding planning. So dumb. It's now my biggest traffic source.
What works:
Making 5-8 pins for every blog post (Canva templates are your friend)
Pinning other people's content too, not just your own
Using keywords in your pin descriptions (revolutionary, I know)
I spend like 30 minutes every morning pinning while I drink my coffee. It's actually kind of meditative.
Instagram (Love/Hate Relationship)
Instagram is where I connect with my community but honestly, the algorithm makes me want to throw my phone sometimes.
What's been working lately:
Stories, stories, stories - people want to see behind the scenes
Reels (even though I hate making them) - tutorials, outfit transitions, day-in-my-life stuff
Actually responding to comments and DMs (revolutionary concept)
Being real about the messy stuff, not just the highlight reel
Email List (The Most Important Thing You're Probably Ignoring)
I wish I'd started my email list on day one instead of month six. These are YOUR people - Instagram could disappear tomorrow but your email subscribers are yours forever.
I send a weekly newsletter with style tips, what I'm loving, behind-the-scenes blog stuff, and early access to any sales or new products. Open rate is around 35% which apparently is pretty good?
My opt-in is a free "10-Piece Capsule Wardrobe" PDF that I made in like 2 hours but people love it.
Mistakes I Made (So You Don't Have To)
Starting without collecting emails. So dumb. I had thousands of people visiting my blog and no way to reach them again.
Saying yes to every brand opportunity. I once promoted a teeth whitening kit that had nothing to do with my content. My audience was confused and I felt gross about it.
Comparing myself to bloggers who'd been doing this for 10 years. They have teams! And budgets! And probably therapy for their perfectionism!
Not tracking what content actually makes money. I was writing posts about my feelings (valid) but my outfit posts and home organization content were what drove sales.
Trying to post every single day. Burnout is real and my content quality suffered.
What You Actually Need to Start
this week:
Blog (I use WordPress, $10/month for hosting) or
Imastories ( free, i'm using it for this blog )
Basic camera (honestly, iPhone is fine)
Canva account for graphics
Time and coffee. Lots of coffee.
After you comfortable:
Email service (ConvertKit, like $30/month)
Pinterest scheduler (Tailwind, $15/month)
Maybe a ring light if your photos look like they were taken in a cave
After mastering:
Better camera if you want it
More sophisticated email templates
Possibly crying because you can't figure out why your Instagram reach is down 50%
Don't overcomplicate it at the start. I see people spending thousands on equipment before they've written their first post. Just start.
The Reality Check
Building a lifestyle blog that makes real money is possible, but it's not the passive income dream everyone talks about. I work probably 4-8 hours a week on my blog now. Some weeks more when I'm launching something new or have a big collaboration.
But I work from my apartment, in my pajamas, on my own schedule. I can take a random Tuesday off to go to a museum. I'm building something that's mine. And yeah, the money is pretty great too.
The hardest part isn't the technical stuff or even creating content. It's the mental game. The comparison trap, imposter syndrome, the weeks when you feel like you're shouting into the void.
But when someone emails you to say your budget fashion post helped them feel confident in their work clothes, or that your organization tips actually changed their daily routine? That's when you remember why you started.
Okay, What Now?
If you made it this far, you're probably actually serious about this. Here's what to do this week:
Pick your focus. Not everything to everyone. What's the one thing you could talk about for hours?
Start your email list. Even if you have zero subscribers. Especially if you have zero subscribers.
Write your first "helpful" post. Not just what you did this weekend, but something that solves a problem.
Take photos of everything you mention. That coffee cup, those jeans, your desk setup. You'll want them later for affiliate posts.
Stop overthinking and just start. Perfect is the enemy of done, and I learned that the hard way.
The lifestyle bloggers making bank right now? They started messy, learned as they went, and kept showing up even when their engagement sucked and they made $0.
You can do this. It might take longer than you want and look different than you imagined, but you can absolutely build something real.
Now stop reading about it and go write something.
PS - Seriously, start that email list. I cannot emphasize this enough. Future you will thank me.
Questions? Confused about something? Want to know more about any of this? Drop a comment below - I actually read and respond to all of them (usually while procrastinating on writing my next post).