About Me
Hi! Hi, I’m the Person Behind Extra Income, Real Life!
I’m a stay-at-home mom who loves being a mom, but I’ve also wanted something outside of motherhood.
Something that challenges me, gives me a creative outlet, allows me to keep learning, and hopefully brings in some extra income for our family.
Over the years, my husband and I have tried different ways to earn money — from retail arbitrage and freelancing to Pinterest marketing and self-publishing through Amazon KDP.
Some worked. Some didn’t. And some required much more time, money, and effort than I ever expected.
Why I Started Sharing My Experiences
When I first started exploring ways to earn extra income, I was excited about the possibilities.
But I soon discovered that working from home isn’t always as flexible or simple as it sounds.
I spent money on courses and tools, invested countless hours learning new skills, and tried business ideas that didn’t always pay off.
And even when a business started making money, it came with its own challenges.
That’s why I started Extra Income, Real Life — to share the experiences behind the income numbers.
Not just what worked, but how much time, money, and effort went into making it work.
My Previous Pinterest Marketing Business
One of the businesses I ran was Web Marketing Project, where I provided Pinterest marketing services to clients.
At one point, I was earning around $2,000 a month managing Pinterest accounts—and that was just a side hustle, not a full-time business.
But running a service-based business also meant working around client needs, deadlines, and expectations.
Although I’ve since moved away from offering Pinterest marketing services, I’ve kept my original portfolio, client testimonials, and past work on this website as a record of that business.
View My Previous Pinterest Marketing Portfolio →
What I’m Doing Now
These days, much of my business focus is on creating and publishing new books through Amazon KDP.
It’s the business model I’ve found that best fits my current season of life, especially as a mom working around my children’s schedules.
But here’s the most interesting part about my self-publishing business.
Last year, I actually made more money even though I had completely paused publishing. I didn’t publish a single new book that entire year.
And that’s when I realized my publishing business had become a source of passive income. My older books were still bringing in money, even when I wasn’t actively creating new ones.
Through my YouTube channel, I share what I’ve learned from KDP and other side hustles, including the mistakes I made and what I would do differently.
What You’ll Find Here
Real stories about trying to make extra income, including:
- My experience with Amazon KDP and self-publishing
- What it was like to run a Pinterest marketing business
- The realities of freelancing and retail arbitrage
- Tools, courses, expenses, and lessons learned
- The challenges of running a business as a stay-at-home mom
No overnight success stories. No get-rich-quick promises.
Just my personal experiences, shared in the hope that they’ll help you make more informed decisions about your own journey.
Thanks for being here!
Come along as I share what making extra income looks like in real life.