First off all to reply to some of the misinformed comments on the last post :
I’m living at the Residences at the Village of Merrick Park, which is a luxury apartment complex. The estimated value of the apartment I’m renting is $1 million and I’m paying $3000/month rent (its discounted since it’s now low season).
Of course this is located in Coral Gables where the average home value is $900,000.
I left these details out of my last post because some dummies out there always get upset and think I’m bragging, so I thought I would tone it down a bit – big mistake on my part. My lifestyle posts are an effort to impart a bigger vision for my readers, to help them see what is possible. If you think I’m just a haggard than please stop reading this blog and wasting everyones time with your temper tantrums.
When I was poor I followed other successful and wealthy people. I was inspired by their lifestyle, and that created the vision for me. I hope this blog can do the same for YOU.
Secondly once I started actually making money I realized that lifestyle and quality of life is NOT about getting a BIGGER car or BIGGER house to impress your neighbors. Sadly that what most people do – even when they can’t afford it.
To me and my wife quality of life is all about location, amenities, and services.
Point in fact : I’d rather live in a “crummy apartment” in South California or Coral Cables than a 8000 sq ft mansion in rural Alabama.
So what do Shilpi and I spend our money on?
- Concierge Service – we found an AWESOME one in Coral Gables. They run around and do all the shopping and errands for us, which really frees up my time to focus on my business, and my wife’s time who’s on a busy rotation in Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.
- Maid Service – don’t you love people who bust their budget buying a huge home, but then are forced to clean it up themselves because they can’t afford maid service?!?
- Personal Training – As I mentioned we signed with Equinox, there’s one right in Merrick Park.
- Eating Good Food – We shop at Whole Foods, and will hit up a nice restuarant once a week.
- Night on the Town – not uncommon for us to drop several hundred to a thousand dollars on dinner and a Broadway show.
- Charity – that ones a given for me, did it before I was a financially well off. Do a lot more now.
- Travel – if you’re a regular reader of my blog you know all about that one.
- Shopping – I leave that to my wife, for the most part
I could go on but you get the idea, in total I now allot about $15k/month (not including charity) to cover living expenses. The rest goes into either savings or is reinvested into my business.
You don’t need to spend $50k a month to live a great lifestyle and if you plan to blow all your profits on personal stuff I guarantee you won’t be a super affiliate for very long.
It’s about the stupidest thing you can do.
No super affiliate I know lives an extravagant lifestyle or pays off their home in full.
Here’s the lessons I want you to take away :
- You don’t need to spend an enormous amount of money to live a great lifestyle. It’s about location and services, NOT size.
- If you want to grow a long term business, reinvest at least 80% of your profits into your business. Once you’ve build up a solid asset base you can spend more on yourself, if you choose.
PS Shilpi and I do plan to get a much bigger place once we have kids, but not now. How big a place do you need for 2 people anyway?
super affiliate lifestyle
Nice post Amit
Some of the fools commenting on your previous post were unbelievable. Why would you want a bigger condo than the one you have? I personally just can’t see why I would want a bunch of gigantic rooms that I’d just feel guilty for not using.
And you’re right Amit, your posts talking about your lifestyle ARE inspiring. I’m not an affiliate marketer – am making my money other ways right now, Adsense based websites and blogging – but I definitely want a good lifestyle. I’m going to Spain for 4 months in August and nearly all the money has been made on the net. I’m currently turning my biz into machine so I don’t have to do anything to maintain it. Damn it I want to travel and do the stuff you do it Amit!
As for the decor which some people critcised, I can see Shilpi’s hands all over that. I don’t even know her but it screams “Indian woman” at such loud decibels hehe! I have a lot of Indian friends so I recognise it so well!
“How would you suggest someone go about doing “good” keyword research?”
I use the free google keyword tool along with the free keyword discovery search tool. I can compile a big list of keywords using those two and that’s all I use. I did use paid tools but at the end its not hard to get “good” keywords using those two free tools. I wouldn’t use paid tools since the keywords I get from the free tools are good enough for me. You just need to think about what keywords users might be typing in your niche and then just expand from there.
Remember, no keyword is a “good” keyword until you test it with your own ad-copies and landing pages.
Good on you Amit! I think your seachange is a great idea. What’s the point of working so hard in this business if you don’t take advantage of the flexibility affiliate marketing offers you and take your work to some amazing places?
Myself and my other half have been in a beachfront apartment in Queensland for over 2 months now and we’re loving it! We’ve got our internet connection, our affiliate money, and the sun. What else do we need in life?
Sun and happiness – woo hoo!!
No matter how much money you have to spend (or not to spend) you need to be a true good person in order to be rich. And, since you put so much effort in what you do (and pay to charity) you have what it takes to BE rich. Thanks.
I think people commented that way only because you were pitching your condo as some sorta penthouse or something…
I like the lifestyle posts Amit because:
1) It proves that you’re the real deal. How can someone say that they are super affiliates but live in the poorhouse?
2) It gives me a vision to aim for. Someday i wish to live like yours (even if my campaigns are producing crap).
3) People who envy you need to have their head screwed on straight. Instead of opening their mouth, they should work harder to exceed your success.
So far, you’re applying some concepts I read from Tim Ferris 4 hour work week (outsourcing and travelling) and the Secret (dreamboard).
man, someday… ok, now back to PPC Classroom 2.0 and my sh!tty campaigns…