How much do you need to earn online to live comfortably?
@virtualmirage (494)
United States
April 16, 2012 6:00pm CST
I am sure we can all say $5000 or more right to live comfortably?? But what I mean is an answer that is more reasonable and easy to earn. Like I know that if I at least made $1500 per month I could cover my share of rent, bills and expenses and maybe even have enough to finally start looking for a car. I haven't had a car in over 4 years because what I earn is not enough to make a monthly payment or keep up with the high cost of gas plus maintenance of a vehicle. $1500 is actually a low amount, I would be more comfortable with $2000, but because I only pay part of the rent and have help with my kids, then $1,500 would allow me to at least be comfortable.
I am very far away from making $1500 online. The most I have made, and this was last year, was $960. So far this year has been slow and I have been making $450-$550. A pretty big drop for sure.
So how much would you need to earn online per month, to at least be comfortable and not stress so much about cash?
1 person likes this
19 responses
@georgedude (1)
• United States
17 Apr 12
It's not all that hard to earn a good amount of money online. This is my main source of income since my lay off back in 09. The only challenging part is trying to keep the same amount rolling in. But I am also "working" anywhere from 25-35 hours a week but clearing about 3500 a month. You just have to stay on top and always keep looking for new ideas and stay away from the scams. There are a lot of ways you can make money online you just have to be open minded and not be afraid to take some risks once in awhile.
@virtualmirage (494)
• United States
17 Apr 12
Congratulations on doing so well!!
This week that's what I am doing, looking for new ways. I haven't done any searching in while. I think it's been about 2 years since I stopped actively searching and trying many things out. I see a lot of stuff for writing, but first of all my writing is not up to par and most places pay very little. So I need to keep looking for other ways. If I ever made $3500, I would pretty much be set!
@ericburgoyne (17)
• Canada
18 Apr 12
Around another $2,000 per month would do it for me. I make around $1,200.00 a month now was doing better than that before 2008 when things in the US got bad. Yes it does take work and more work.
I have really been doing well since I started my own membership site, although it cost me a few thousdand to get it built the way I wanted it. The key is to keep at it find a program you like and believe in and stck with it !! Jumping from program to program will get you no where.
@tammymarie37 (260)
• United States
17 Apr 12
For me it would be around a $2000 a month, although I would settle for no less then $1500. My husband has monthly income coming in to cover bills, but always leaves us broke before the month is out, so that extra money will diffently help us make it.
@virtualmirage (494)
• United States
17 Apr 12
Yeah I see a lot of us would be pretty okay with $1500. Any more than that would be a plus. The problem is how to get that much right? Sometimes I feel really down when I realize that I have been online now for four years and still have not broken through to at least $1000 per month. But I haven't. I spent 2 years of that time just really wasting time. Going from program to program and never really making anything. It wasn't until I started blogging that we actually began to see real money, but even in blogging it's hard because there are so many other blogs and it's hard to set yourself apart and bring in massive traffic every day.
If I ever got to $1500 I would have to take a vacation to celebrate!
@tammymarie37 (260)
• United States
17 Apr 12
I know how you feel, I have wasted more money on programs that guarantee you thousands of dollars. But back then I was very naive to making money online as I am sure many of us was starting out. I actually came into blogging couple of years ago, but never really jumped on the bandwagon until now. Your right, it is hard to start making good money with blogging because like you said there alot of competition and it takes alot of hard work to get the traffic you need. It doesn't happen overnight and its get frustrating at times.
Shoot, if I ever made it to $1500 a month I would treat myself to a little shopping spree and reap the rewards :)
@maezee (41997)
• United States
16 Apr 12
$400+ a month is VERY good for online earnings. Most people don't make that much. I know I for sure don't. After getting off work (my 'in real life' full time job) I rarely have the motivation to do anything online except for maybe start a few discussions here or there on MyLot. I would imagine you would have to make at least $1000 a month online to live somewhat comfortably. Even then, it's such an inconsistent earning that I wouldn't want to try to rely on it on a month to month basis.
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Apr 12
I think some factors play here, like where you live or how big is your family's needs and also how big is your family. If you live in Asia, for example and have a small family, oftentimes earning $500 may be sufficient and earning probably about $800 may help your family live comfortably. Now if you live in America or Europe, for example, with that kind of earning your family might starve...lol.
@natnickeep (2336)
• United States
16 Apr 12
If I were the sole provider it would have to be at least 3,000 dollars a month. And that is just surviving.
@virtualmirage (494)
• United States
16 Apr 12
That's how much I used to make 5 years ago when I had my last job. I was the sole provider then and it was barely enough for us to live. I mean, we were comfortable, paid the rent and bills, food and got to go on outings a few times a year. But for sure it didn't really stretch enough for vacations or extra splurges.
@flowerfest08 (1677)
•
17 Apr 12
wow how I wish I could earn at least $200 dollars a month, if that happened I could live comfortably and can bought some things that I need and want for school. I hope you don't mind, but can you please tell me how you managed to earn that big? please share some of your secrets. Thanks:)
@virtualmirage (494)
• United States
17 Apr 12
Most of my income of from sponsored posts on my blog. In all my years of working online, blogging has been the way I make the most money. Getting the blogs off the ground, a lowish alexa rating and traffic was a lot of work though. It took me about a year to really see any money on them. However it is very much worth it and I think in the future I will be making even more money with them.
@trinale (1479)
• United States
17 Apr 12
Well, I already live comfortably with my military retirement and current full time job but I would like (and will) to be able to build a monthly residual income of about $,2000-$2,500 per month so that I could retire from my current job and have loads of free time to do whatever!
Cheers,
Stan
@marguicha (215188)
• Chile
17 Apr 12
I cannot live with my online earnings and I never will. I only save my online earnings to pay for my one luxury: traveling on vacations. But if it wasn´t for my retirement pension nd other money plus a frugal living, I could not live anywhere near the way I live.
@ottona (141)
• China
17 Apr 12
Well it depends of course where people live! For me $1000 a month would be extremely comfortable.
I have on occasion met that target, but the problem I find with online earnings is they fluxuate too much - in the last two years my best month is $1,200, but my worst is just $300.
@Cherish14 (2693)
• Philippines
17 Apr 12
i can only wish for that to happen. how i wish i could earn $2000 a month LOL through online which i know is impossible. i can hardly reach my goal of 100 dollars per month 
for me, the more the better.
for me, the more the better. 
@superbadx (484)
• Malaysia
17 Apr 12
Well, for me to live in my country in my area, $2000 a month would be enough for me to live happily, get a wife, a nice car, and a house. However though, that wouldn't be enough for me to live the way of life i want. If i can get $4000 a month, it is. Because 4000 a month where i live, i can get a nice home and a luxury car. I would also get to eat luxury food and support my life and my family. Each month my spending for groceries was $300. Cars would be $200. And monthly bills like electrics, gas, water, house and etc is $600. That's like $1100. Maybe if i add other needed stuff like $900. That would only be $2000 and i have another $2000 to save and spend.
@ErinCW (37)
• Canada
17 Apr 12
I'm fairly new to the world of online earnings. I love the idea and if I could ensure that I could make enough to actually cover my portion of the expenses, it would allow me to stay home with my baby and raise him, rather than head out to work and pay for sitters when my husband can't watch him.
I live in Canada and as a family with a mortgage and car and student debts for both my husband and I, plus all the bills ect. I think that $3500 gets us through with a few dollars left over at the end of the month. Now that amount is a total and not what I would need to make online. My husband covers a decent chunk of that money. I think if I could pull in the $1500 that everyone here is talking about that we would be good to go!
@petersum (4522)
• United States
16 Apr 12
I have to agree with alberello to a large extent. I believe most people cannot even cover their Internet connection charges, and certainly not earn an amount that could be "lived on".
While you people in the USA have greater earning potential, there are also more scams there. Gaining a cheap, proven, regular income is difficult for an American. For the rest of us, with higher standards of living, it is impossible to earn a living online.
@alberello (4752)
• Italy
16 Apr 12
Excuse me for saying so, I would not seem a bit rude, but to me, if you really think so, maybe you live in a dream world! According to you, especially today, with the global crisis that is, do you mean that if there was even a remote chance of gaining a similar amount, so people continue to despair?
Come on, come on, stick in the concrete. Ok there are many sites of income (including Mylot), but in my opinion (and I would be wrong!) Will never be possible to earn astronomical amounts only having a PC and an internet connection.
I conclude my apologies if I was a bit rude, but your question, I was deeply shaking.
That said, however, we are friends?
@befrindwithme26 (5805)
• Philippines
17 Apr 12
Wow i wish i can make that 400 to 500 usd a month.
it is hard for me to earn that amount because i am not good on many online job.Like writing etc. i only have few site join and very low income and sometimes i don't receieve monthly..
So what is your work that made you 400 500 usd a month?
it is hard for me to earn that amount because i am not good on many online job.Like writing etc. i only have few site join and very low income and sometimes i don't receieve monthly..
So what is your work that made you 400 500 usd a month?
@yahnee (1243)
• Philippines
16 Apr 12
I would be more than happy with $500 a month online earning. With the rate of conversion in my country, that would seem to be a more than good amount of monthly earnings. Since the cost of goods and services in my country is a lot less than in the Western countries, $500 is a comfortable earning by my own standards. I am close to earning that amount but it really needs a lot of time, efforts, patience and determination. Online work is not easy and can sometimes be more difficult than the traditional job however, it isn't stressing and can be done according to your own hours. Earning $5000 dollars a month is a feat which I believe is next to impossible.
