Author of Be Ready for Anything and Bloom Where You’re Planted online course
It seems as though nary a week goes by without someone complaining about the ads on my website or the fact that I’m an Amazon affiliate. The complaints range from courteous all the way to lofty insults. Some people say it’s “selling out” and others say, “Daisy’s only in it for the money.”
Here are a couple of recent comments that inspired this article.
The Organic Prepper website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. THAT’S ALL I NEED TO KNOW. Nobody reads or investigates anything. Especially when the truth is staring you in the face.
That was on an article that contained no affiliate links whatsoever. Pretty random complaint.
And of course:
I despise all the ads. I don’t want to read peoples so-called blogs. When you have to go through 15 different ads. Clean up the page please. I won’t be back if it doesn’t get cleaned up. I’ll post on my Facebook -Twitter Instagram not to be bothered with the organic peppers.com we’re not here to make you rich we’re here to learn you’re supposed be teaching.
On the bright side, most of the comments here are positive and supportive and I appreciate that more than you know. You wouldn’t believe what a smile it brings to my face and how sometimes I make my family stop what they’re doing so I can read them a particularly kind comment.
Anyway, this is in response to all the people who think that any site which earns money deserves their scorn. As well, I thought some folks may just be interested in the way it works to run a website of this size. Most of us avoid transparency because the moment we say something about omg-I-got-a-coffee-at-Starbucks or I-went-to-NYC-with-my-kids some yahoo says “You did that on MY dime!”
But, let’s try some transparency and see how it goes.
How much money does this website make?
I’m not at all apologetic about the fact that this website nets some pretty good money. After all, I’m running a business.
Each year, the gross income of this website is between $79,000 and $110,000. That money is earned in numerous ways. Here are a few of them:
- We have ads.
- We are part of the Amazon Affiliate program.
- We recommend products we trust from a few small businesses, from which we receive a small commission.
- We sell PDF books.
- We send out one sponsored email per week.
As you can see, only one of those monetization methods takes any money from your pocket, and it’s totally up to you if you want to buy one of our PDF books. If you choose not to, it’s no big deal. We keep the prices reasonable, around $6 to $10 per book. If you want a PDF book but you can’t afford to buy it, we offer them for free, no questions asked.
If you purchase a product from Amazon through one of our links, you won’t pay anything extra but we’ll earn a 4% commission. So, if you buy a book we recommend, we’ll get 40 cents. We do not recommend any products we haven’t used or read ourselves unless there’s a caveat, like “I haven’t tried this product but it has excellent reviews and may meet your needs.:
The rest of those methods all pay for us to be able to bring you content to read absolutely free, aside from the relatively mild inconvenience of any ads being in the midst of what you’re reading. A lot of websites are putting up paywalls to fund their efforts. We’ve opted for minorly annoying ads so that you don’t have to pay anything.
How much does it cost to run this website?
Before I earn a penny myself, I cover the expenses of running the website. I went back and checked my tax return for 2018 so I could give you the exact number.
Last year, before my own pay, I spent $40,046.65 to run this website. Holy snappin’ pussycats, that’s a lot of money. You may be wondering what I spend it on. Here’s a list of what I pay for and why. It’s probably not comprehensive – these are just the larger expenses.
- Hosting – One of my biggest expenses by far is hosting. I work with a company that provides top notch service. This prevents me from getting hacked, protects the privacy of those of you who visit the site and keeps things up and running when we get an unusually high burst of traffic.
- Staff – Some folks kindly donate their articles while others write for a living. Another large expense is paying writers and for someone to help out with the emails I receive every day. Some days we get more than 500 emails, so that’s a job in itself.
- Tech support – Heaven help us if something breaks and I’ve got to fix it. I have a tech guru on my payroll because, well, something always needs fixing. I have another person who works on an hourly basis behind the scenes to keep things ticking along.
- Email service – I send out emails absolutely free to more than 30,000 people who have signed up and requested the newsletter. This costs more than $500 a month.
- Security – Even beyond our hosting company, I have additional security on the website. You can’t imagine how many times a day someone tries to hack in. The reason I need this added layer of security is that hackers like to put malicious links in trusted sites that people will innocently click on and BOOM, their computer has a virus.
- Photos – We purchase stock photos to keep things looking good on the website.
- Financial fees – We pay fees on Paypal as well as Stripe so that we can protect your personal information when you make a purchase from us.
- Odds and Ends – I have a variety of plug-ins on the site that allow it to function better for you – these help me make articles printable, they help make it easier for you to share to social media or friends, they help us catch typos and grammatical errors…the list goes on and on. We also pay the company that handles our theme and design. Needless to say, it’s not cheap. I also pay for a physical mailbox in another town to protect my privacy.
I didn’t start out spending $40K a year to run a website. When I began, I didn’t have much traffic to support and I used free themes and if stuff broke, it just stayed broken. But as our traffic has increased – we had more than 3.6 million visitors last year – our need to make our site fast, secure, and responsive has increased.
Is Daisy over here getting rich?
Lest you think I’m on my way to purchase my second yacht, let me be perfectly clear. I’m not over here getting rich off running a website. Last year, my personal earnings were $31.809. It’s plenty to get by on and I’m very grateful to be earning it, but it’s absolutely not enough to buy that mansion on the water. It’s too much to get cheap healthcare and not enough to pay for health insurance. But we live a comfortable, thrifty life.
This is my only job and it’s a full-time job. This is what I do for a living.
I work a lot of 10-14 hour days to earn that money, but some days, I work less. I can’t remember the last time I went a full day without at least checking in to clear comments on the website. Most of the time, I work 7 days per week. I do have the flexibility to choose what time of day I work my hours.
Generally speaking, I get up at about 6 am, grab a coffee, and work in my pajamas until noon. Then I have lunch and figure out what else needs doing that day. Sometimes that’s it until later at night when I’m clearing comments, other times, I bring lunch to my desk and work non-stop.
But I am SO LUCKY. I really love what I do. I love that I get to work from home. I love that I get to spend all day researching something that interests me. I love that I get to know a lot of you and that it feels like we’re a neighborhood full of real-life friends when we chat in the comments section. I love that I get to write because this is my passion.
And most of all, I love that I get to help people. If anything I’ve ever written has helped you out, made you feel less alone, or given you a solution to a problem, that is the biggest reward I could ever earn.
So there you have it.
I hope now that it’s clear why I run ads and accept commissions for my recommendations. I know that most folks have no idea what goes on behind the scenes of a website and I hope that this answers your questions. Please know that every website out there of any size has to earn some money to fund their efforts. And all of us deserve to get paid for the jobs that we do, right?
If you have other questions about expenses or anything, here’s where to ask them.
Daisy,
As one who lives this, err, “stuff”, essentially 24/4, ( I’ll be on a customer support call this evening @ 2000 EDT as a matter of fact), I’m actually impressed you can get a decent hosting service for 40k. It it NOT really that cheap to serve a decent web site. Just for grins I took a minute to track down your registrar, hosting, and e-mail services – not too shabby.
Anyways: if you can make money off it – GO FOR IT! And to the complainers: May you be sitting in Ridgecrest, CA when the 8.1 hits next week…
I’m lucky I got grandfathered in with my host when they raised their prices. Thank you for the kind words and evil curses! 🙂
That’s funny. Levity is lost on the busy bodies.
Thank you so much for explaining what it takes to run a website. I had no idea!
People & their nasty comments – you already know how to let it run off your back, since there are people who just can’t help but be negative.
thank you again for all your articles & recommendations. I know I’ve learned tons from you & the variety of your books I’ve purchased- keep it up! 🙂
You’re very welcome. I thought some folks might enjoy the peek behind the curtain. 🙂 Thank you!
I appreciate all you do Daisy. Thanks for education and serving us.
You’re so welcome!
Just to let you know. The ads on your site don’t bother me one bit. I am mostly immune to ads anywhere, like a news paper magazine or T.V.
I always knew you did this for a living and I commend you for it. I’ve bought a book or two or yours (not the PDFs) and not too long ago I got the folding binos you recommended on Amazon. These went in to my “get home bag” that I keep in the car at all times. (My husband gets put out with me if we change to a different vehicle and I insist on moving the bag. I tell him it is “non negotiable”.)
I love reading your posts, have learned a lot and I DO feel like the people here are fellow preppers that I can trust.
Keep up the good work.
Thank you for all your support – we’ve “known” each other for a long time on here. 🙂
Very enlightening! Thanks for the interesting information. You work hard and certainly deserve to earn a decent living for all that you do 🙂
Thank you!
I for one, read your column daily, have purchased a couple of your books and as stated, you always offer those same books for free if a person can’t afford one. I know of no other site that makes that type of offer. (several do publish a free report here and there, but not to the extent that you do).
Your honesty is very welcomed especially for example, I believe in yesterdays column regarding what you learned at Selco’s class and your physical fitness level(s). I’m in my 60’s, 24 years in the Army, all in combat arms and 15 of those years in Airborne (and I just had both my knees replaced this year to prove it…lol), so for those complaining armchair preppers, they need to get out and learn what it’s really like to live, survive and thrive in an austere environment, they need to get their hands dirty, whether that is in the field or working from home publishing a daily blog site.
Complainers will Complain
Takers will Take
Haters will Hate
Thanks for all you do, I will continue to read and support.
You’re very welcome and thank you for your support!
Yeah, I recall a number of posters on some of your articles, complaining about the inconvenience of the ads. Goes something like this,
Did you install a ad-blocker?
Well, no.
Why not?
I should not have too! It is too much of an inconvenience!
It takes about 2 minutes. Is 2 minutes too inconvenient for you?
But I should not have too! I am entitled to get all this information without Daisy getting any compensation whatsoever for her time, effort and energy! And it is an inconvenience to me!
And we are done . . .
I have 2 ad-blockers (sorry Daisy). I dont see 90% of the ads and stuff, on many sites. Sometimes I have to turn it off to see what people are complaining about.
Does it sometimes render a web-site inoperable, sure. But then I can go in and turn on or off images, scripts, 3rd-parties and more. Reload the page and it works again.
Technology works both ways. You just have to be willing to take the time, 2minutes, to do it.
Very true! I think that some folks just enjoy complaining. 🙂 Whenever you bring up ad blockers it takes the wind right out of their sails.
Daisy, thank you for your explanation about your website. It was more thorough than anyone else’s and you have my respect for your honesty. EVERYONE deserves the chance to make a living at what they want to do!
Thanks so much!
Daisy, I know of few if any businesses who would publish all the information you just did. Although it will never happen, I sure wish our elected official were as honest as you are. You and your
website are incredible. I am well into my “golden years” but continue to benefit from the information you put out every day.
Just understand some people would complain about a cancer cure, so keep up the good work.
Thank you!
I find it incredible, the number of people these days who have absolutely no clue the expense of providing a valuable service like reporting non-biased information to them is, or any information, for that matter, and believe everyone should be doing it all for absolutely no money at all. It’s jaw-dropping, to me, the comments many sites such as yours get from those who just can’t see it from the other side. I challenge them all to pick up an “internet hobby” and see just how much time and effort goes into producing something that the public will find worth giving their attention to. I’ve thought many times about starting my own website, and one of the prime concerns I’ve always had was setting up monetization so it could start generating the income I’d need for the expenses, and to pay for my time; most of us do need to work, after all, so either the website pays us for those hours, or there’s no website and we work a regular job, instead.
Daisy, you do an amazing job with this site. Like everyone else, I wish it were possible to do without there being ads on my page, but the fact is, ads generate critical revenue that keep websites going. The only other option is to start a Patreon, and people bitch about that, too, and it’s unreliable. I hope your readers read this article and stop harassing you about the ads, and understand that those ads make it possible for them to get the great info you provide us every day.
Well said.
Many people will just dismiss a site, and call it “click bait” because they have no understanding of what goes into hosting a site. And they completely ignore the content of article.
They all want it to be like Fakebook, or Amazon.
Their loss.
My favorite saying when writing headlines is, “It’s not clickbait if you deliver.” 🙂
Thank you.
Keep in mind that when starting a website, the expenses in the beginning are pretty low. I probably spent only $200 or so my first year. But the other thing to remember is it doesn’t bring in revenue for quite a while unless people already know you. I didn’t make much money until a couple of years in, and worked full time along with running the site until the third year.
Exactly! It’s just like any other business. I find myself having this discussion a lot with people online and I’ve come to the conclusion that many people see the Internet as purely entertainment and not as actual businesses – which is how you have to approach these projects – so they think everyone should be doing everything for free. I hate to bring demographics into it, but in my experience, it seems to mostly be baby boomers and beyond (I’m not saying ALL baby boomers, just that in my experience the majority of people I find who feel this way are), and while I get this to a point, I always ask people “what is wrong with someone making money with their product when it costs you NOTHING?” This has always baffled me. Some people are just against the idea that someone else is “getting rich” off their dime, except… there is no dime. It’s the FOLO, among other things. People need to just step back and think.
Keep up the good work!
If you were rolling in cash, there wouldn’t be any ads on this site. I’m glad that an independent website, like this one, is able to survive in these times.
Thank you! We’ll keep on keeping on for as long as possible. 🙂
I marvel that you can work that many hours. When I was your age I worked 80 hours a week plus a lot of air travel. After 2 years of that I was burned out and sold my business. You’ve been doing this several times 2 years. I don’t know how you do it. No doubt you could be making more working 9 to 5 and have insurance too. But, your doing what you love and that does indeed count for a lot!
I admit to enjoying writing the articles of mine you published last year. I was absolutely thrilled by the comments and number of hits my articles got! I can call myself a published author now (if paid blog articles count for that). The problem about that is that I wrote anonymously, so I wouldn’t make myself a target to the people local to me. So, I can’t actually tell anybody, lol. But, I know.
BTW, you got all the money you paid me back when I bought most of your ebooks and courses.
I have learned a lot from you. Keep up the good work and ignore the naysayers!
Thank you! Your articles are still getting regular traffic – they added a lot to this site!
It’s easy to scroll past any advertisements I’m not interested in. People should get the bigger picture and be grateful for all your great content. Keep up the great work!☺
Thanks! 🙂
Well said, Daisy. People have become accustomed to all the free services and information on the internet. They have no idea how much that information they get for free costs to be made available. And do not appreciate it even when they do find out.
I tried doing a website for free, without ads, links, and such, and simply could not keep it going. And the expenses were nowhere near what yours are. Of course, the site was nowhere near what yours is either. I got a great deal of uncompensated help from a couple of IT savvy friends, but still had to let the site go to hibernation. I just paid the renewal fee, but cannot get the site up until I get enough money ahead to pay to have it done. I used the be the go-to-guy for all things computer. 20-years ago. Not now. I have to have help to do a website. And professional help is, as you pointed out, expensive.
I highly respect your drive to do what it takes to provide the invaluable information and services you do. And I see absolutely nothing wrong with making money while you do it. The information itself, for the most part, is free to anyone that visits the site. Only if a person wants to get something that does have a cost associated with it does the person have to shell out anything.
Everything I have seen tells me that your books compile and make it very easy to access the information that has been here and is here, for free. All in one easy to use reference for each subject. Rather than searching through hundreds of articles to find the exact thing being looked for. Your books just make it so much easier. The articles prime the pump, so to speak, and get a person thinking about whatever it is, and after reading the article, when someone needs to verify something, just open the book and there it is.
Thank you for all the effort, time, and money you put into this site, and being a living research vehicle for adding to the large body of knowledge you already provide.
While an opinion, as usual, I must say this is also pretty much fact, too.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for being so transparent. You are an excellent writer and savvy business woman and you deserve to be paid. I’m so glad you do what you love and can spend important years with your girls. They grow up too fast. Frankly, I don’t notice the ads and read your page everyday, and I have bought several of your books. The first purchase was how I found your website. Keep up the great insight and encouragement for all.
Thank you!
Your ads ( including the weekly commercial email) are no problem. Not like we have to read them if we don’t want to.
Your way is much more efficient and agreeable than constantly soliciting donations, or going subscription.
But don’t you sometimes worry that, relatively discrete as your content is, you may eventually draw the ire of Amazon, and see them sever all financial affiliations? Google too?
I worry constantly about that, which is why I have so many different streams of income. Back in March, we fell afoul of Google and our search traffic plummeted. Fortunately, we did better with their most recent algorithm change.
This is why email lists are so important for businesses like mine. (And I back this up weekly.) All of the things we build on social media and the SEO we get with Google are really like building a house on rented land. The landlord can kick you off at any time and there you are, looking from the street at that nice house you built but can no longer access.
This coming election will be “do or die” for many websites, and I plan to limit coverage. I think the bandwidth is better spent on things we can actually do to make ourselves more self-reliant and healthier instead of focusing on politics. Will that be enough to escape the wrath of censors? I guess we’ll see. 🙂
Yeah, good idea to limit election coverage. Probably already a strong consensus among your readers on that issue. Like preaching to the choir.
Right now, anti-vaccination seem to be the most dangerous content to post. Again, easy enough to avoid that one too.
Pick your battles carefully. And keep bringing us info on new, relatively unexplored issues. 🙂
Thank you for sharing! I knew there were expenses, like every other endeavor, but the amount floored me! Thanks for all you do!
It floors me too every month when the bills roll in 🙂 You’re very welcome!
Daisy, I don’t know what folks have against capitalism but more power to you. I’ve found most of your articles interesting, well-written and informative–and I’ve been Prepping for years. The fact you’ve found a way to make your living dispensing Prepping advice is great.
I’m no big fan of ads but yours are unobtrusive. If I want to shop on Amazon I drop in on your site specifically so you can get an affiliate share. On the other hand I record TV shows just so I can fast forward through those commercials–most of which are obnoxious.
Keep up the good work.
Thank you very much, Ray! Your comments here add so much to the conversation – I really appreciate you!
Love your site, articles and emails. Ads are not pop up over text or autoplay videos, both of which i hate.
Thanks for info on what it takes in time, money and support persons for your profession.
You’re very welcome! Thank you for being a reader!
You GO lady!!! I’m proud of you and love the things on your site.
When you want a ride on a yacht, drop me a line. It was all the money I made as a ski instructor teaching inner city kids from DC. 😉
Hahaha – thank you!
Daisy,
Thank you so much for this site, one of the very best out there….
It is obvious you care about your readers and web content and put alot of time and energy and heart into this site, know that your supporters are very grateful! 🙂
Thank you!
I have been reading your website for several years – you are like my “prepper bible”. I’m always astonished at the amount of research and useful information you provide! I have a prepper website – it doesn’t hold a candle to yours because I’m lazy and it isn’t my main source of income. I share your website often on my website FB page as well as my personal FB because your information is so pertinent to today’s issues and the reasons we need to prep.
I find is easy to ignore ads on all websites because I know those sites need to make money. I prefer to buy your books (I have several) and use your affiliate links because I know it benefits you, and I want you to continue education me and everyone else.
Keep up the excellent work and ignore the whiners!
I really appreciate your support – thank you!
Unfortunately, in this day and age there are some a**holes out there who feel they are entitled to getting all their information for free. As a former a**hole in government said: “you didn’t build your business, other people did that.” So much for all the time business owners put into “building” their businesses. They all just sit back and rake in all that money. No effort on their part.
You do great things on things on this site. The information you present is well researched and presented in a way all of your readers can understand.
Keep up the good work. MOST of us appreciate all that you do!
Thank you – I’m really feeling the love today, and I must admit, these comments have made my weekend.
GUILTY! I myself have texted you complaining about a doctor’s story you posted that said it could help something (I can’t remember). It went on and on and I was aggregated because I really wanted to know the answer but I couldn’t get to the end. Now that you have explained why you have these I Get It! You have helped me so much personally with questions and ideas when it comes to Prepping. Actually now I don’t think you could do anything to get me to quit reading your posts. Thank you Daisy.
Ah, don’t worry, Marlissa. Yours was by far a very pleasant message and not at all unreasonable! In fact, we messaged that advertiser and recommended they get to the point faster. I’m not sure if they listened but I agreed with you completely. Thanks for your kind words.
I just want to thank you for everything you do for the prepper community. If you are able to make money while helping us then that is a positive. Kiddos to you!!
You are very welcome – it’s my honor to be able to help.
For what it’s worth, I started reading your blog several years ago, and have always thought your page was one of the more pleasant ones as far as advertising goes. I’m not sure why anyone would take offense to someone earning a living. You’re providing a service, and putting a lot of effort into it. We’re benefiting from it (seriously, I’ve learned so much from your writings). Sounds fair to me!
Thank you!
Update on the David vs Goliath story — to Daisy vs Google today
As many of you know, earlier this year Google blacklisted several hundred websites that offended Google’s wacko boneheaded leftwing sensibilities. Since that time, they’ve probably added a lot more to that blacklist. Having thrown their one-time motto of “Do No Evil” into the toilet, a couple of weeks ago they began trashing Daisy’s TheOrganicPrepper.com.
Those of you fortunate enough not to be using Google’s Gmail might not know that subscribing to Daisy’s news feed via a Gmail account now creates a blacklisting effect. From inside one’s Gmail account, when you click on any of Daisy’s articles, even going back many years if you’ve kept those archives, after seeing the first screen or two of any such article on TheOrganicPrepper.com (aka TOP), a blank-out covers the remaining almost left half of all following pages — including the article, ads, comments, etc.
To get around that gross censorship by Google, one must copy (Ctrl-C, eg.) the relevant article into memory or something like Notepad (if using Windows), and then shut down Gmail, pull up your browser’s Incognito Mode, and paste in that TOP article link to the Incognito Mode’s URL window, and view the complete uncensored TOP article in its full glory.
One significant difference between the Biblical David vs Goliath story and this 2019 (and counting) episode of Daisy vs Google is that David stood alone. You on the other hand number in the many thousands, and are in a position to help Daisy on a regular basis — as she works like a dog year after year to provide you with knowledge that is so well researched and written that she is regularly reprinted by such websites as ZeroHedge.com, LewRockwell.com, SHTFplan.com and BlackListedNews.com.
If you come to regard your access to those ads on TOP as a privilege, from which some small percentage might likely fit your needs, you get to help the survival of Daisy’s business — as she so accurately wields a keyboard for your benefit … instead of an ancient slingshot.
—Lewis
Thank you very much, Lewis!
Daisy – I read your blog every day and learn something or I am presented a different viewpoint that helps keep things in perspective. I have purchased a number of your .pdf’s over the last few years. I subscribe to a number of different blogs and dont click the ads on any of them. It would take me too much time to get through my emails if I did. I will click links provided inside your blog if I want to know more about your topic. I respect what you provide and the amt of research you perform to do to post your articles. Keep doing what you are doing remembering “haters gonna hate”.
Thank you, Jenni! I appreciate you!
Hi Daisy,
I have an adblocker, so I have not seen most of the ads on the site to have any idea what people are talking about. So I removed the ad blocker, and I still don’t really see what the big deal is.
I have been prepping since the 80s and this website is one of the most practical and easy to read and understand that I have encountered. My hat is off to you – that is a lot of work for $31K.
Great information, I learn something completely new at least once a week. Don’t let the haters get to you.
Thank you for your kind words and for reading!
Daisy, I’m glad to read so many comments supporting you. I’ve been a reader for a while- FB group, the forums, Prepper News, your books on PDF and even just got your Prepper’s Pantry book from Amazon for oldest kid who just bought a house. I don’t care about ads. They don’t annoy me unless something has gone wonky with the page, and usually I can refresh and it’ll be fine. Even so, the value gained from your expertise (and that of your fellow writers) is certainly worth scrolling past ads or deleting the occasional sell-something email. You provide a wonderful service for us, and for that you should be paid! Thank you, and keep up the great work.
Thank you very much! I am blown away by this support, truly.
So if those so called cheapo’s dont wanna look who care’s my guess is they are just trolls looking to harass you! Keep up the good work, love your articles if I dont. I dont read it I move on, I dont complain because I’m not paying to read your site! And even if I were I would hope we would disagree at times! some people are just clueless, don;t let them get you down…
Thanks, Dave!
On that income, I bet you saved up a while to afford the trip to the Balkans.
More power to you.
Keep on keepin’ on, as they say.
I’ll continue to read, and occasionally comment.
Your expenses were a bit higher than I thought they would be.
Sure did – but luckily, I live pretty cheap, so it wasn’t too bad. As well, costs over there are tiny compared to here. A very nice restaurant meal with wine was about $12. Getting food for the day from the market was about $5.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
I had a little idea of what the cost was by checking into doing that a few years ago. No way in hell could I afford to even start up, let alone pay the hosting fees every month. Ads have never bothered me, so I don’t mind them..People that complain about such trivial matters just show their ignorance. So, if that twit wants to post on his/her facebook accounts, she just shows her stupidity for all the world to see.
Don’t let the cost 6 years in discourage you if you have something you want to share with the world! My first year, I spent max $200. My second year, maybe $500. It wasn’t until my third year when I was able to leave my full-time job and take a gamble and start investing that things began to rack up. But by that time, enough money was coming in to cover it.
God bless you Miss Daisy.
Thank you!
Hi Daisy, You are a very good writer, I enjoy reading your stories even when I know you are not an expert in the field. I’m not a expert either but you are able to present facts and reality in a way I understand. I’m glad you can make a living doing something you enjoy. Please keep the info coming. Thanks Mike
Thanks, Mike 🙂
Thank you, Daisy. I’ve followed your site for a long time and certainly appreciate the information you provide.
Thank you!
Daisy I appreciate what you do and I’m glad you can make a living doing what you like. The ads don’t bother me, I’m just good at tuning out what I don’t want to read. Of all the writers, I like you best.
Keep up the good work.
I heard about a guy who was saved from hanging and he was mad at the guy that saved him because he ruined the rope. You just can’t please everyone but you please a lot of people.
God Bless-
Thank you so much – wise words.
Daisy, you’re awesome!! I’ve been following you faithfully for years, and have learned SO much from you! I’m about as prepped as I can get, and I have you to thank for much of that. It’s a good feeling…but I seriously couldn’t have done it without you!
I feel like you’re family, especially as I’ve gone “with you” as your girls grew up and you moved, etc. There are thousands of people across this country who have you to thank for all your solid advice, for your keen mind’s suggestions and analysis, for your tough assessments, for your “can do” encouragement and example…and for your kind and loving heart!
I appreciate you more than you can know…and I pray blessings on your life and family, and on the continued success of the business into which you pour your heart and mind! I love you, Girlfriend!
Charey
Thank you so much! I love all of you too.
Daisy, I am impressed with the information you provided, but am also embarrassed that such information was disclosed. You ARE NOT required to release your personal information, unless required to by law (and I don’t think you hold a high political position.)
I have been reading The Organic Prepper for several years, and have always been impressed with the content. The fact that you provided this all without cost to me has always impressed me greatly as there are many sites that require a monthly membership fee and their content is less than yours.
Many people do not realize how much you give to the online community. I myself have embarrassingly asked for some of the free publications because of limited income, and you never once questioned me or refused to send it to me. For that fact alone I will always be grateful to you.
Please know that there are many people who need and appreciate you. Thanks to you, Selco, and the other writers you have on staff, I have learned and put in place many prepper concepts without having to review what guns, ammo, and other devices I need to properly prepp for surviving the times coming down the pike!
Keep up the good work girl! If anything I do helps earn a little bit for the cause, I am glad to do it. Hang in there and don’t let anyone infuriate you. You deserve to make a comfortable living.
Thank you for those very kind words.
“If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”
The Joker “Dark Knight”
Great quote!
Daisy, You’re a hero! To your kids, readers, and anyone with an open enough mind to realize that none of us can know everything, but all of us can contribute. I have read your articles for years, have made an occasional purchase, and certainly don’t mind dealing with ads etc that are a necessary part of doing business in today’s society. I’m also old enough to remember that when cable first came out I subscribed to get rid of those pesky commercials … guess what? I still have the cable, and they’ve had commercials for decades.
If anything you’re overworked and underpaid … but I assure you that you’re not underappreciated!
Thank you!
Thank you!
It is hard to justify consumption and entertainment and it is worse to sanction and endorse this activity. A very old management strategy used by the ancient bloodlines to rule, especially today.
Bread and Circus, and the Ends Justifies the Means are shades of the Hegelian Dialectic that holds us in bondage.
Some people are intuitively aware of this process, most people have no clue.
Indulge …
Dear Friend,. Even though I can’t get the free PDF’s because I live at the edge of the earth, I did purchase 2 paper back books that you recommended and I love them! Working my way through Facing Violence and One Second After. I read One Second After many years ago and other than the Bible it’s changed my life more than any other book. It changed the way I look at things, what draws my attention and what I buy. Everyone should read it. In fact this is my 20th copy. When I would talk to someone about it, I would wind up giving it to them to read. I never got one back but that’s good. That book made me start noticing sites like yours. You are the best by far because you are like me and every other person with family and a job and everyday problems so it’s easy to relate to you. When I get paid next month I’m buying your book on surviving a Pandemic. The PDF’s are wonderful but when the electricity goes off (maybe, someday, possibly, I believe it) I’ll have a book to read with the light from the burning crayon. Keep up the good work! I love you!
You’re a talented writer but also a wonderful person. I don’t know anyone else who would send their books out to people going through tough times at no cost, solely to help them. I have bought two of your books off Amazon and continue to learn from you. Wishing you and your daughters health, happiness and prosperity – good things should happen to good people!!
No need to explain or justify yourself, Daisy. Entrepreneurial spirit is what we need more of. You make money by providing value. Otherwise your site would not be so successful.
I’m wishing you more financial success for the future.
Thank you for such detailed information on the income and expenses of your blog. I have toyed with the idea of starting a blog, but all the “how to” blogs just say you can make a fulltime income, never a dollar range. It is incredibly helpful to see numbers associated with your level of content. Thanks for being so vulnerable and posting this, and for all your regular educational content.
Daisy,
You are the one site I check daily. You always have excellent information and when I have used the links in an article they help me weed through all the junk. Your articles are spot-on!
We recently flew to Alaska (from the Midwest) and I was able to put together a small carry one that passed TSA without question and gave me many life saving tools to use if we needed them. My husband looked at me as I bought the stuff you recommended. I said, ‘The Organic Pepper said to take these.’ End of discussion. He wrote the check.
You are amazing.
I really appreciate seeing this breakdown. I have a small blog and have tried in the past to monetize it, though honestly, only halfheartedly. It’s good for me to see what it takes to truly operate a website as a business. Also, I want to thank you sincerely for your attention to security. That makes me feel really good about coming back to your site again and again. I’ve bought some of your books and that’s something i rarely do. Keep doing what you’re doing, and if you happen to have a Starbucks on my dime, then I expect you to enjoy it!
“Holy snappin’ pussycats, that’s a lot of money.” ???? THAT is the funniest line-ever!
Never apologize for making an honest living, as my mother used to say. I love your blog and you have provided valuable info to all of your readers. No one is forced to log on to this blog, and nothing of value is ever free; not healthcare, not college, and not an honest blog. I have purchased one of your books, and also a PDF; both were more than worth what I paid for them. Folks, what we are supposed to be doing is serious prepping-enough to protect you & yours in case of war, natural disaster, or maybe a pandemic. There is a lot of bad and wrong advice on the internet, from people who DO NOT know what they are talking about. We can trust what Daisy tells us.
In reality, I knew that it cost to run a blog, but Holy snappin’ pussycats, that’s a lot of money!! I am shocked.
Daisy,
Having read through the comments currently posted, I didn’t see anyone else complimenting you for your courage to allow people to post comments without having to log into an account.
Your writing style is warm and easy to relate to; your content is often refreshingly clear-eyed, even humorous sometimes; and your message is usually relevant and helpful. I am one who likes to add my two cents’ worth if and when I feel I can offer some insight. I post under a variety of names using different emails, not because I’m trying to defraud anyone, but because I am aware of and object to the rampant tracking and databasing of people’s thoughts, a la Disqus et al.
A long time ago, before Disqus came to dominate the blogosphere, most sites were like yours, allowing anyone to offer their comments anonymously and without being required to open an account or log in. Most sites now use Disqus, which aggregates every word one has ever offered in any comment section under that Disqus account. They then sell this data to AI data analysis companies, which also gather data from Fakebook, Goggle, Amazoom and the other evil entities who believe the”know” you through your online data “fingerprint.” BTW the preceding misspellings of certain names are intentional, to show disrespect.
Yet here YOU are, Daisy, still to this day braving the online trolls, even the paid Harmaceutical industry ones, while keeping your opinions and information honest and real, AND allowing your readers to offer their thoughts truly anonymously. You’re one of my liberty-preserving heroes, right up there with Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch. Please keep doing what you do, and allowing your readers to comment anonymously. Your voice reaches a demographic that few other voices reach.
I think you are a very talented writer. I admire your work. Sometimes I don’t read everything that you write because I don’t like worrying so much. But I keep coming back. You really are talented. Your work is both informative and entertaining. Thanks for sharing what it takes to actually do your blog. I had no idea it cost so much. I do like to know what is going on in the world.( As long as I don’t worry too much.) I like saving money. So the frugality aspect of your blog is great for me. I”m not as prepared as I would like to be. I’m glad I have your blog as a reference. I have read the personal economic collapse articles over and over. I appreciate your advice and enjoy your guest writers work as well. I too, am a writer. So, I do appreciate great talent. You are talented Daisy. I’m glad to have your blog to read every weekday. I actually miss it on the weekends.
Daisy,
Thank you for posting this article. I found it very interesting as it answered many questions I was curious about but did not feel it was my business to ask. Your transparency was not necessary but is appreciated.
Thank you also for the service you provide. Your free content is useful and interesting. Your books, of which I have purchased several, are an excellent value and packed with valuable information.
You do an amazing job and ads and advertising pay the bills! I get it ! Thanks for all you do and for helping me figure out prepping ! Some people complain about everything! You don’t need their kind of people , because when things get bad they are going to be trouble! Just keep doing what your doing!
Daisy,
Thank you for all that you do to try to help people become more prepared, thrifty and self sufficient! You provide solid information and are encouraging to everyone. You are also HONEST about your struggles and mistakes.
Unfortunately, there will always be some people who don’t realize the work and expenses involved. Try to ignore them and know they are in the minority. MANY people learn from and appreciate you.
Thank you! Wishing you the very best!
Sincerely,
Donna
I really can’t believe people think all web sites are free,a safe site especially one that deal in sales need high security.like you said,it’s free to read and share ,just the usual daily barrage if ads.
WOW!!! Sister you didn’t need to take valuable time to help people understand bc you know as well as a fellow believer in Jesus that we are living in a time that ppl who are not filled with the Holy Spirit and are walking in truth NO matter what you say they rather believe a lie,whatever the lie is that the enemy is telling them. Fellow believers can discern your true intentions and I thank you for all the time you put into helping as many as God gives ears to hear the truth and see the truth that you are working so hard to get out in such difficult days. May God bless you and yours!
Kind Regards
Ali Mae
Daisy..you provide a great service. Happily it’s one you love to do. There are Grinches in all type of groups and the Disaster Management group i.e. Prepper does too. Thank you for the services you provide. And may the complainers stub their fingers or break some letters off of their keyboards. Leave Daisy alone! Earning a living is our Capitalist system. You’re very successful Daisy because you provide a product that is desired. Thank you again for your outstanding contributions to our community of preppers.
Daisy, you rock!! Anytime you find yourself in Arizona,drop a line on your site,we’ll get together and do some coffee swinging,beer drinking,and shootin’. Don’t pay any mind to these ungrateful people. Your site is the ONLY one I follow on a regular basis in my too busy day.
Good Day,
I was clueless as to the costs you endure in running your great site. I surely don’t fault you for you’re earning for this site.
Hi Daisy,
For one , I REALLY LOVE your work even if you don’t have to explain it. You don’t have to.
Thank G_d for people like you…am humbled and honored to be connected to you.
I have learned, encouraged a WHOLE LOT by you and the team and OTHER people i may not even have a clue about.
Please keep on keeping on Daisy…We are here and APPRECIATE, PRAY for you.
You’re loved by G_d your maker and me and others that don’t explicitly say it.
I love your site…it’s pretty, clear…I don’t get bothered by ads or anything…I just want to read and learn and grow in prepping.
Thank G_d for U.S.A…it’s the best country on earth…with all its issues…The Grace of The Lord still shines on it .
As a fellow blogger, I totally get this. I think sometimes people hear of bloggers making a ton of money and think this is true for everyone, but those “big blogger success” stories are not as common as people think. You have been very transparent in this article and I commend you for that. I can tell your site is definitely a labor of love for you.
OMG! People never cease to amaze me! If a person doesn’t like ads, recommendations, or knowing the website participates in the Amazon Services Associates program, then DON’T visit the website. No one is forcing anyone to to visit any particular website.
This comment perplexed me the most:
“I despise all the ads. I don’t want to read peoples so-called blogs. When you have to go through 15 different ads. Clean up the page please. I won’t be back if it doesn’t get cleaned up. I’ll post on my Facebook -Twitter Instagram not to be bothered with the organic peppers.com we’re not here to make you rich we’re here to learn you’re supposed be teaching.”
This person obviously feels they have a great deal of influence on others via social media which I’d bet they have very little. The last sentence struck me as being written by someone who is clueless & oblivious to how life works. This person seems to think that your job is to teach us and not make any money. “You’re supposed to be teaching” says who? Teachers get paid for teaching so why shouldn’t you?
My philosophy is to support however I can any person that I gain knowledge from any way I can. You are doing research on many topics I want information on that I do not have time to to the research on myself. I have purchased all your books (love all the tips & info in the books) and use your links for amazon prime day, etc. Sadly, while you don’t earn very much, it’s my small way of showing appreciation for you, your website, forum, FB Prep Club and the articles you provide to us free of charge.
It’s pathetic that you had to itemize out your expenses since it’s no one’s business but hopefully this information will shut the complainers up. I am also self employed and it’s not inexpensive to be self employed. Self employed people pay for services and expenses out of their own pockets that would otherwise be paid by employers.
You rock Daisy!
Daisy, like the man said, “You can’t fix stupid.” What’s really aggravating (and sometimes just flat-out dangerous) is stupidity overlaid with a veneer of self-righteousness. Some poor blowhards insist that any opinion posted by a monitized blog site is automatically suspect, and yet many of these folks claim to love capitalism. Keep up the great work; success always has its detractors.