And just like that the first month of 2022 was over. January may have felt like it was never going to end, but we’ve finally made it.
So, it’s time to look back at January and reflect on what I achieved. Overall, it’s been a successful month, but there’s still a lot I want to improve on as we move into February.
I’m going to tackle this monthly update post slightly differently. Instead of looking at the month in isolation, I’m going to look at the growth I’ve experienced since January 2021. It can be hard to see progress sometimes, but I’m hoping this will make it easier to recognise the improvements.
In this post I’ll cover:
- January overview
- Freelance update
- Making money from blogging
- Other projects
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and/or sponsored links. This won’t affect the price you pay for a product or your experience on the blog, but it does help fund the content I create. I only endorse products or services I truly believe in and use myself.
January overview
Despite feeling like it lasted 1000 days, I still struggled to fit everything I wanted to into January.
Work has been very busy. It’s taking some time to adjust to my new role and to balance the increase in my workload. I’m enjoying the challenge and opportunities this role offers but hope to settle more into a routine with it in the coming months.
In person meetings and events have started again, which has meant the return of late-night train journeys. For someone who really needs their sleep, this is not ideal!
It also means I have to be more organised with my freelancing and blogging work. It’s difficult to do some freelancing during your lunch break when you’re in the office! Using commuting time and working effectively when I am at home, has helped with this.
I’ve also prioritised my health and fitness. Healthy finances are meaningless if you don’t have a healthy body and mind too.
I set a new parkrun (5km) PB of 21.16 and ran over 224km in January. If I keep this level of training up, I should be able to run a lot more PBs this year.
Freelance update
In January 2021, I made £150 from freelance writing. I was so proud of myself, as it was only my second month freelancing.
My freelancing ‘glow up’ has been quite exciting. This January, I invoiced £900.
While not a life-changing sum on its own, this amount really boosts my monthly income and gives me more financial security. Of course, this figure is pre-tax, so roughly 25% of the £900 will end up with the taxman, not in my bank account!
My main source of freelance income is still personal finance writing. This works well for me as I genuinely find the topic interesting and it’s a skill I am trying to develop for my future career.
Making money from blogging
One of my new years’ resolutions was to increase the revenue on my blog. I want to do this very carefully, as I will not compromise on the content I’m offering.
After a lot of research, I’ve discovered it is possible to do affiliate marketing and the occasional sponsored post without sacrificing your integrity or independence. The key thing is to fully “vet” the companies that want to work with you.
Having come to this realisation, I’ve started networking more and am actively looking for brands that fit my brief.
Combining this with posting more regularly (twice a week), has helped my blog grow significantly this month.
The difference from last January is amazing. More people are finding my blog from search engines, total sessions are up and so is my revenue.
When I saw other bloggers talking about the money-making opportunities previously, I used to think they were isolated instances. This isn’t the case. There are plenty of other bloggers doing the same – and far more than I am!
If there’s a topic you’re passionate about, I’d recommend considering starting a blog.
Other projects
There are a lot of other projects I’m working on – some are progressing better than others. The problem – and also the opportunity – with blogging is there are so many trends and opportunities to get involved in. It can be hard to prioritise at times.
Currently, I’m working on creating a personal finance workshop, which I will also use as the basis as a digital guide.
I am also trying to increase my social media presence. Instagram does not come naturally to me, but I’m working on it!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media @Katie20Percent to keep up to date with all my latest posts.
Did you know I offer freelance writing services and personal finance workshops and talks for schools, workplaces and organisations? I also regularly feature in the media. Get in touch via kroyalsfreelance@gmail.com or reach out on Twitter @Katie20Percent if you’d like to find out more.
If you found this post about my January progress interesting, please like it and share it on social media or with your friends. How did your January go? Are you looking forward to February? Comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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