Tag: News

• April Schultz and her husband struggle financially despite a $130,000 combined income.
• The couple, once stable with one income, now work four jobs and feel financial strain.
• They spend $200 a week on groceries for their family of seven and cut most subscriptions.

April Schultz, 40, and her husband Kevin, 45, bring in $130,000 a year in gross income combined between their four jobs and side gigs. Still, Schultz said it shocks her that such an income "feels like poverty."

"With $100,000, I feel like we should be able to do a little extra with it," Schultz said. "We should be able to have a little bit more entertainment. We should be able to shop at Costco and not worry about it."

She said a few years ago, her husband was the sole breadwinner while she stayed home with the kids, and there were few financial worries. However, now they don't have enough to comfortably pay for a Netflix subscription, which costs $15.49 a month for a standard subscription.

"We shouldn't have to have four jobs in one family," Schultz said. "I feel like that's crazy when, in 2017, we had one income and we were doing just fine."

Despite making much more than the federal poverty line — which is $47,340 for a family of 7 — Schultz and her husband are considered at the higher end of ALICE — or asset-limited, income-constrained, employed. This population often makes above the income limits to quality for government social benefits like food stamps but not enough to comfortably afford their daily expenses. Many are living paycheck to paycheck and are forced to cut back spending on some essentials to afford others.

"It's hard to get in data the frustration, the stress, the ongoing day in day out, having to make some really bad choices," Stephanie Hoopes, national director at United For ALICE, previously told BI. "Are you going to get the medicine for your kid, or are you going to have dinner tonight? Are you going to keep the electricity on? Are you going to go to childcare?"

Simpler, less expensive times

For her first two kids, finances were very tight, and they relied on assistance like Medicaid. After her husband got a government contractor job with the Department of Defense, she said finances were much more stable, even after having three more kids.

For 12 years, she was a stay-at-home mom, and she returned to work after her youngest started school in 2016. She's held bookkeeping and secretarial jobs for the last six years while the family moved around for her husband's job to states including California, Arizona, and Minnesota.

"We were able to make those moves on our own dime, and it was really comfortable living," Schultz said. "We made less than we do now."

Her husband took a second job at the airport last year, helping load and unload planes a few nights a week. Schultz took a day job at the local school, a coaching role, and she temporarily held a bookkeeping position.

In October 2023, the family sold their home in Idaho and bought a home in Mascoutah, Illinois, a small city about a half hour from St. Louis and near the Scott Air Force Base. Most residents are either in the military or are married to someone who is, she said. Still, she said the topic of affordability is a "constant conversation" in her city, as she's noticed home prices in her area skyrocket recently.

Her husband makes slightly over $100,000 before taxes between his two jobs, while she makes around $30,000. She said that while there are job opportunities in her area, most don't pay enough for the area's cost of living. She's content with her current role, which allows her to be in closer proximity to her kids.

She said some of the financial burden comes from their decision to live in Illinois instead of Missouri and to have a larger family. They pay $600 a month in property taxes in Illinois, which has the second-highest effective tax rate of any state. Still, she said the last few years have been jarringly more difficult for them.

"We can pay our bills, but there's never anything extra," said Schultz, noting that they don't go out to dinner, see movies in theaters, or travel. "We've never been on a vacation with our family."

Cutting back on extra costs

They cut cable and canceled subscriptions to platforms like Amazon Prime and Netflix. Their cars are over 15 years old and have over 200,000 miles. While they don't have car payments, they're worried one of them will break down, and they won't be able to buy another one. Additionally, they purchase clothes and furniture secondhand.

They're both still paying off student loan debt, and they've been forced to use credit cards for everyday purchases, which she said they hate doing. They mostly use an all-cash system to budget every single dollar, to see what they can save for an emergency fund. However, there hasn't been much left over, especially with rising utilities costs that are controlled by the city.

Schultz said she's desperately trying to bring food costs for the family down to just $200 a week — less than what the USDA recommends a family of four spend for a thrifty food plan. She shops at Aldi and often watches YouTube recipes for inexpensive meals. They canceled their Costco and Sam's Club memberships since they calculated that they would spend more there even though they would buy ingredients in bulk.

"Ever since COVID, we just never have been able to get ahead," Schultz said. "It's just constantly trying to struggle to get to a place where we can live without always worrying."

A few years ago, she had a cancer scare that cost $500 to get checked out. She said she shouldn't have to take a large amount out of her savings to make sure she's healthy.

She said they will not budge on investing in their kids' sports, which quickly adds up. They will always buy their kids equipment or clothes for cheerleading or choir to allow them to excel academically. However, she's told her kids they have to get scholarships to college if they want to attend or figure out a way to pay for it themselves, as they have no way of paying for any college funds.

She's not too worried about retirement, as her job has a mandatory 401(k), though her employers don't put in anything beyond their requirements. Her husband will receive retirement benefits from the government, which gives them peace of mind. They both anticipate downsizing once their kids have moved out and relocating to a more rural and cheaper place.

Still, she fears they won't be able to give their kids much down the line. She's encouraged her kids to look for ways to make money through odd jobs, as she doesn't give them an allowance and only buys them gifts for their birthdays and Christmas.

"Trying to think of 20 years down the road when we've got kids about to go to college next year, it's kind of a 'future us' problem, unfortunately," Schultz said.

Are you an ALICE struggling to make ends meet? Are you worried about retirement? Reach out to this reporter at nsheidlower@businessinsider.com.

• We spoke to interior designers to learn the common mistakes people make when decorating a bathroom.
• Shower curtains and liners that don't fit properly can distract from your room's overall design.
• Most bathrooms should have multiple light sources, including one in the shower. 

You spend a decent amount of time in the bathroom, so it's important to make it look good. 

Unfortunately, it's pretty easy to stumble upon a few design mishaps while planning out this much-used space.

Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when decorating a bathroom, according to interior designers. 

A bathroom that doesn't have sensible storage options could just become cluttered.

Gena Kirk, vice president of design at KB Home, told Business Insider that sometimes a customer's "design aesthetic" can prevent them from actually thinking practically about their bathroom, especially when it comes to storage. 

She suggests using a medicine cabinet that incorporates lighting, electrical outlets, and integrated mirrors for a space that's both beautiful and functional.

She also suggests adding extra storage through built-in cabinetry near the sink or toilet.

Ideally, bathrooms should have multiple light sources.

Proper lighting is a must throughout your home, especially in your bathroom, Kirk told BI.

"We all do a lot of close-up work in the bathroom, from brushing and flossing to plucking and applying. If you do not have proper lighting this could go horribly wrong," she said.

Ideally, she sai,d you should include three forms of it in your space — overhead, close-up, and task lighting, which can be moved or adjusted so you can use it for specific activities.

Not incorporating a universal, functional design into your bathroom could be costly down the road.

Jessica Lagrange, founder and principal designer of Jessica Lagrange Interiors, told BI that low toilets and high tubs are just a few of the design faux pas that can cause problems in the bathroom.

"These things can be lethal to not only older household members or guests but anyone who isn't being cautious every moment they use the bathroom," Lagrange said.

She said that it's important to have a bathroom that's safe and sustainable, especially since major renovations can be expensive — so you may want to be especially careful when choosing the height and measurements of your most-used bathroom pieces. 

Short mirrors are impractical and they can make your space seem smaller.

Many people spend time in the bathroom styling their hair, applying makeup, and getting dressed — all of which require the right mirror. 

"My pet peeve in any bathroom are mirrors that are too short," Ami Austin, principal designer at Ami Austin Interiors, told BI. "It is always best to take the mirror to the ceiling or crown molding from the vanity. It allows for a more spacious bathroom.

Shower curtains and liners that don't fit properly can distract from your room's overall design.

If your shower curtain is too long or too short it can distract from the room's overall design, Austin told BI.

She said she prefers hanging shower curtains high up to help add depth to a room, which can also be a wise idea if you've bought a shower curtain that's a bit too long. 

 

 

Shiny floors might look nice, but they're often too slippery for a bathroom.

Gail Barley, principal designer at Gail Barley Interiors, told BI that bathrooms often get wet and slippery, which can be a safety hazard. 

Because of this, she said you should avoid slick finishes on your bathroom tiles, opting for rough or matte ones instead. If you already have a slippery floor, try topping it with washable rugs that can be held in place with carpet tape. 

Not having storage solutions in your shower could lead to a cluttered mess of bottles on your floor.

Without proper storage solutions, your shower can quickly become cluttered with bottles and sponges. 

"When designing your shower, you should always consider where your shampoo bottles and other bathroom accouterments will go," Barley said.

Even if you are unable to redesign your entire shower, you can use a caddy or adjustable shelf to affordably add more storage to the space. 

If there are no lights in or near your shower, your bathroom may be less functional.

"No one wants to shower in the dark, but so many people neglect to place lights in their showers thinking that a central fixture will put out enough light," Barely told BI.

Because of this, you may want to invest in having a light fixture installed in your shower, especially if your space has a dark shower curtain or no window. 

A themed bathroom with too many colors can be overwhelming, not relaxing.

Colorful bathrooms can be fun, but you might be better off adding pops of color with art instead of using vibrant tiles, tubs, and sinks that can be costly to replace. 

"Unless you are decorating for a child's bath, themed baths are also busy and uninviting," Austin told BI. "Instead, use neutrals with a pop of color from art to bring out the best look."

This story was originally published on December 30, 2019, and most recently updated on May 16, 2024.

• The UK has unveiled a new radio frequency-directed energy weapon under development.
• The Ministry of Defence said it could take out a swarm of drones for just $0.12 a shot.
• Countries are racing to develop these kinds of weapons, to try to combat drones and missiles.

Britain is developing a new radio-wave weapon designed to take out a "swarm" of drones for just $0.12 a shot, the UK's Ministry of Defence said in a press statement.

According to the MOD, the Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon, or RFDEW, uses radio waves to detect, track, and disable electronic components at a range of up to 1000 meters.

It touted it as a far more affordable option than traditional missile-based air-defense systems and said that thanks to its high level of automation, it can be operated by a single person.

"The war in Ukraine has shown us the importance of deploying uncrewed systems, but we must be able to defend against them too," James Cartlidge, the UK's Minister for Defence Procurement, said.

According to the MOD, the weapon can be mounted on a range of military vehicles and produces pulses in a beam that can be expanded to engage multiple threats or quickly fire sequential bullets at specific targets.

Soldiers will field test it over the summer, it added.

The conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the growing importance of unmanned aerial vehicles to modern warfare.

Ukraine and Russia have both deployed thousands of drones, and in an interview with Foreign Policy last month, a NATO official said that Ukrainian drones were responsible for two-thirds of recent Russian tank losses.

Ukraine has also sent drones far into Russia to target oil facilities.

Drones have also been used by Houthi rebels against ships in the Red Sea, and last month Iran used drones and missiles in a thwarted attack on Israel.

Paul Hollinshead, the CEO of one of the companies developing the new weapon, said the system will provide the UK armed forces with a "decisive" operational advantage, saving lives and neutralizing "deadly" threats.

Directed-energy weapons, including high-energy lasers and high-power radio frequency or microwave devices, have taken on renewed importance as they are considered the future of anti-drone and anti-satellite warfare.

The Pentagon is spending $1 billion a year on directed-energy weapons to counter drones and missiles, according to a report published by the Government Accountability Office last year.

Other countries, including France, China, Germany, Russia, India, and Israel, are also racing to develop their own directed-energy weapons.

In January, the UK MOD tested-fired its DragonFire, a powerful laser cannon that can shoot drones out of the sky.

Turkey was the first country to use directed-energy weapons in combat, to destroy a combat vehicle in Libya in 2019, according to the military and defense website Army Recognition.

• Business Insider spoke to a former Costco employee to learn how to get the best deals at the store. 
• Robinson said price codes will tell you if the item has been discounted or not. 
• She also said to check the Costco app for coupons and to split bulk items with friends and family.

There are plenty of killer deals to find at Costco, but shopping smart is key to saving the most cash. 

Business Insider spoke to Tess Robison, former Costco employee, to figure out how to get the best deals at the members-only wholesale giant. 

Here are some of the top ways to save money at Costco and maximize your membership.

Learn the price codes Costco uses.

Robison told BI that savvy shoppers can often tell if a product is a good deal by paying attention to the last digit of the price. 

She said that if a price ends in 99 cents, this means it's the regular wholesale price, and a price ending in 97 cents is the final discount price, meaning the item won't get any cheaper. 

"Whether you barely shop at Costco or you're there every day, it's helpful to know this tip so you can save some money," Robison said. "Plus it's not that difficult to memorize."

If a price sign has an asterisk on the upper-right corner, this means that the item will likely not be restocked, and you may want to stock up. 

Watch out for rotating monthly sales.

If your favorite brand of window cleaner or frozen pizza isn't on sale this month, it may be worth waiting a few weeks to catch an upcoming price reduction.

"My biggest piece of advice to just wait until an item goes on sale. Costco rotates which brands will be on sale just about every month," Robison told BI. 

 

Learn the layout of your local store to prevent impulse buys.

Robison said Costco stores are actually organized in a way that can force shoppers to walk through as many aisles as possible. 

"Costco stores are designed to make you wander around, so try not to get caught up in doing that," she said. "If you are trying to stick to a budget, I would definitely recommend heading straight to the aisles you want."

Noting where your favorite products are shelved can also help you optimize your next shopping trip and avoid unplanned purchases. 

Always stock up on items after the holiday season.

Though many people may try to give their credit card a break after the holidays, you can actually score steep discounts on items at Costco if you shop during the first few weeks of January. 

"Costco gets so many returns after the holidays, and the returned items are usually discounted by 50%, so they will sell quickly," Robison said. 

January is also a great time to stock up on seasonal decor at Costco due to the post-holiday sales.

Opt for Kirkland products when possible.

Costco stocks many name-brand products, but it also carries its own line of goods under the Kirkland label.

"The Kirkland brand is almost always cheaper and almost identical to the name brands on the shelf," Robison said.

But, she said, not every item is worth saving on. 

"The only thing that I have noticed that isn't the same, or as good of quality as other brands, is the toilet paper," she told BI. "It's not the cheapest thing you could buy, but it's not the greatest quality either."

When possible, grab a deal booklet instead of asking an employee about current deals.

If you want to quickly identify the best bargain buys, Robison recommends picking up a current sale booklet on your way into the store. 

"I wouldn't recommend asking an employee about current sales, as they won't know every single one in the store," Robison said.

If you want to go paperless, checking the price history of a Costco item with an online price-tracking tool or using the Costco app are good alternatives. 

 

Calculate whether the cost of membership is worth it for you.

Costco may be a great place to pick up discounted products, but the price of a membership may outweigh the savings if you don't do enough shopping there. 

"If you never or rarely shop at Costco, or if you live far away from one, then it's just not worth it," Robison said. 

 

Split bulk items with friends and share the cost.

Buying in bulk at a wholesale store like Costco means that though the cost of each individual item may be lower, you can end up with more items than you need. 

Robison told BI that divvying up larger sets of items, like mega-packs of toilet paper or batteries, with other people is a good way to reduce waste while still taking advantage of bulk pricing. 

 

Check out the gift cards to get "free money" at other stores.

It's worth checking out the gift card offers to see if you can leverage your Costco membership to net savings outside the store. 

The company often sells gift cards to other chain stores and restaurants at discounted prices. For example, you may be able to buy a gift card worth $80 for just $50 or save big on a multipack of event tickets. 

This story was originally published on July 23, 2020, and most recently updated on May 16, 2024.

• At the SBC Summit in May, gambling influencers broke down how they make money from content.
• They described their revenue from affiliate marketing and YouTube advertising.
• The creators also opened up about the challenges of promoting gambling and working with operators.

The expansion of legal gambling in the US has kickstarted the growth of gambling influencers who play and promote sports betting, slots, and other casino games online.

Josh Duffy, known for his gaming channel Slotaholic, plays slot machines on YouTube for his 27,000 subscribers. Kelly Koffler, who has nearly 60,000 subscribers across her YouTube channels Casino Kelly and Beyond Blackjack, plays casino games such as slots and Blackjack. And, Jon Della Terza, also known as the "NJ Slot Guy," creates content on high-limit slots.

On Wednesday at the SBC North America Summit in New Jersey, the three gambling influencers broke down how they make money from their content and the challenges of promoting gambling online.

The creators said they generated revenue mainly from affiliate-marketing deals with gambling brands and advertising on their YouTube channels.

Unlike some other content niches, restrictions on gambling content can limit the ways influencers earn and how much they can make. Platforms like YouTube and Twitch restrict gambling on certain sites, while others, including Instagram and TikTok, limit how gambling content is distributed.

With affiliate deals, where influencers are paid for referring customers to gambling operators, the creators said they preferred to be paid flat fees instead of signing revenue-share agreements. They said they did not want to profit directly from someone's losses.

"It's a flat rate for me," said Koffler. "I did not personally want to take a rev share or a per click because I just felt gross about that. I felt like it would be me preying on my audience."

Even with flat rates, the influencers said affiliate contracts typically brought in more revenue than YouTube, which requires creators to have at least 1,000 subscribers and a certain number of watch hours to earn a cut of the ad revenue from their videos.

"You typically get maybe $8 to $12 per a thousand views, depending on your content and what commercial ads get placed," Duffy said.

While YouTube can be a steady revenue source, the revenue these influencers generate from the platform doesn't always cover the cost of creating the content — they're gambling, after all.

Duffy said he has two affiliate deals to supplement his YouTube income, for example. He creates game-review videos for Light & Wonder's SidePlay, which makes instant-win games for lottery and gambling operators. He also does weekly livestreams where he plays casino games on sites like McLuck.com and Wow Vegas, which pay him a flat monthly fee.

The pros and cons of affiliate deals for gambling influencers

Duffy said he likes doing affiliate deals because he can be a positive influence in the industry.

"It shows us that we're appreciated in this arena, that they can rely on us to be a good influence and market their product," Duffy said. "I feel like I'm doing a service to the industry that's respected and my viewers understand it's coming from a good place."

But, while affiliate jobs can be fruitful, the influencers said some contracts could promote activities that are ethically murky.

For example, the companies often include time restrictions in contracts that dictate how long the influencer has to spend gambling, which could encourage harmful gambling behaviors.

"It takes away from the responsible gaming aspect, for sure, because let's say you lose within 30 minutes your full bankroll that you started with, you're having to keep rebuying and rebuying. And as a gambler, we all know you can't predict the outcome," said Koffler. "So putting those time restraints on whoever you are working with is not the best idea."

Koffler said gambling companies should instead trust their influencer partners more to create content that benefits them, the brand, and the audience.

• Mark Zuckerberg turned 40 this week.
• The Meta CEO hung out with Bill Gates in recreations of his old bedrooms for his birthday bash.
• Zuckerberg isn't the only billionaire to celebrate with a lavish — and slightly bizarre — party.

Mark Zuckerberg marked turning 40 this week by channeling his inner Eminem, squeezing into recreations of his old bedrooms, and hanging out with Bill Gates.

The Meta CEO isn't the first billionaire to celebrate his birthday with a lavish — albeit slightly bizarre — party.

The ultrawealthy's penchant for the weird and wild was even parodied several times on HBO drama "Succession," most notably in a season three episode where Jeremy Strong's Kendall Roy hosts an over-the-top bash featuring an enormous replica of his mother's birth canal and a kids-only version of the Wu-Tang Clan.

From Zuckerberg to Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, here are a few examples of how some of the world's richest people celebrate their special day.

Mark Zuckerberg showed there's a reason for the "mid-life crisis" trope.

Zuckerberg donned a gold chain and an oversized T-shirt featuring the Latin phrase "Carthago delenda est" to celebrate the start of his fifth decade on Earth.

At what the billionaire Meta CEO described as a "little party" on Instagram, his wife Priscilla Chan arranged for him and various guests — including Microsoft cofounder Gates — to hang out in tiny replicas of his bedrooms over the years.

There are also signs that Zuck extended the celebrations to his new superyacht called Launchpad.

Jeff Bezos invited dozens of A-listers to his 60th in Beverley Hills.

Earlier this year, the world's second-richest person celebrated his 60th birthday with a lavish bash at his Beverley Hills mansion, which featured a replica of Bezos's first Amazon office.

Page Six reported that Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Ivanka Trump, Kim Kardashian, and Gates were among the guests who attended the party. Partygoers were served McDonald's and caviar, and Usher and the Black Eyed Peas both performed at the bash.

Bill Gates knows how to party, too.

In addition to attending Zuckerberg and Bezos's birthdays, Gates has hosted lavish events of his own.

In 2021, the Microsoft cofounder celebrated turning 66 by hosting guests, including Bezos, on a $300,000-a-day rental yacht in Turkey before taking them by helicopter to an elite beach club.

Blackstone boss Stephen Schwarzman splashed millions on his 60th.

Schwarzman, the private-equity billionaire with a penchant for $400 crabs, spent $5 million on a party held at the Upper-East Side's Park Avenue Armory in 2007, per The New York Times.

Rod Stewart and Patti LaBelle both performed at the do, which drew criticism as an example of unnecessary Wall Street excess.

India's Ambanis tend to host massive family events.

Mukesh Ambani is Asia's richest man — and that shouldn't be a surprise when you see how his family celebrates big occasions.

Ambani's wife Nita hosted a lavish 50th birthday bash back in 2013 that cost an astonishing $26 billion, per GQ. The Ambanis hired a palace, chartered dozens of private planes, and paid Priyanka Chopra Jonas and "Slumdog Millionaire" score composer A.R. Rahman to perform at the event.

Blue Ivy Carter may have had the most lavish first birthday party ever.

To celebrate their daughter turning 1, Jay-Z and Beyoncé held a massive princess-themed party in New York — and gave her a one-of-a-kind, diamond-encrusted $80,000 Barbie as a gift.

XXL Magazine reported that the celebration cost $200,000 overall, with guests being given goodie bags that included concert tickets and gold pens.

A Japanese tycoon hired Palermo's opera house for a party last year.

Eccentric Japanese billionaire Kaoru Nakajima flew thousands of friends halfway across the world to Sicily for his birthday party last year, BBC News reported.

Nakajima hired out Palermo's iconic opera house, as well as several other venues in the city, for an event believed to have cost hundreds of thousands of euros.

The Sultan of Brunei's 50th birthday celebration featured Prince Charles and Michael Jackson.

Hassanal Bolkiah, who's ruled the tiny and but oil-rich southeast Asian nation since 1967, hosted one of the most expensive birthday parties of all time for his 50th in 1996.

The two-week event, which reportedly cost $27 million, included a polo match between the Sultan and Prince Charles and a concert for 60,000 people headlined by Michael Jackson.

Spare a thought for Elon Musk, though.

The Tesla CEO doesn't appear to share other tech tycoons' love of partying.

In 2018, Musk said that rather than celebrating with friends and family, he'd spent the entirety of his 47th birthday holed up at Tesla's offices overseeing production of the delayed Model 3 sedan.

He did find time in 2022 to attend Heidi Klum's Halloween bash in New York City, however.

• Content creators can earn money in many ways.
• From partnering with brands to teaching online courses, creators can build multiple income streams.
• Business Insider spoke with influencers about how to make money as a creator on social media.

In the past few years, earning money as a content creator and building an influencer career have become more accessible.

Many creators on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram are now earning six figures or more annually through a variety of income streams.

How much creators earn can depend on factors like follower count, audience engagement, and the type of content they post. But it's now possible for creators with smaller followings to make consistent and lucrative income by building a personal brand on social media. And as the creator economy has matured, the ways influencers can make money have multiplied.

Personal finance YouTuber Reni Odetoyinbo, for example, has built seven income streams with just 19,000 YouTube subscribers and has made up to $34,000 a month. (Read more about how she built her business.)

Here are 12 common ways influencers earn money, based on conversations with dozens of industry insiders.

Brand deals

Partnering with brands for sponsored content is the most widespread way for creators to make money. 

Depending on the size and engagement of an influencer's following, they can get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars (or even millions) to advertise products or services.

But it's not just influencers with millions of followers who can monetize their content this way.

Micro influencers — those with less than 100,000 followers — can be especially appealing to companies, as they often appear more authentic, have more engaged audiences, and tend to charge less for partnerships. 

And sponsorships are not limited to social-media platforms: creators can also land brand deals on their newsletters or their podcasts. Simran Kaur and Sonya Gupthan, cohosts of the podcast "Girls that Invest," have made podcast ads a cornerstone of their thriving million-dollar financial literacy business.

Here's how much influencers earn from brand partnerships on different platforms:

• How much 13 TikTokers make from brand partnerships and what they charge per post
• How much 11 Instagram micro influencers earn from brand deals
• Tej Patel, a TikTok creator with 55,000 followers, shares how much he makes from three income streams
• Kirsty Ip, an Instagram influencer with 42,000 followers, breaks down what she earns
• Nate White, a fashion TikTok creator with 1.8 million followers, reveals how much he's made from brand deals
• Joel Bervell, a med student and TikTok creator, explains how he makes six figures from brand deals
• Gabby Beckford, a travel influencer, makes over 85% of her six-figure income from partnerships with brands

Affiliate marketing

With affiliate marketing, creators can earn a cut of the sales of certain products.

When signing up for an affiliate program, the creator generally receives a personalized link. They then get a percentage of each sale that is driven through the link. The percentages vary based on product type and program.

Some of the most popular affiliate programs include Amazon, LTK (formerly known as RewardStyle), and ShareASale. (Read more about the top affiliate programs for influencers.)

In recent months, creators have been scoring big paydays from TikTok's affiliate program, which pays commission for products sold on the platform's feature Shop. Some creators are earning thousands of dollars a month from it.

Another core affiliate program for creators is the Amazon Influencer Program. Here's a breakdown of how to join the program as a creator and how much it pays.

Here's how much creators have made through affiliate marketing:

• How influencers use affiliate marketing programs to make money and how much they earn
• How much money influencers make driving sign-ups for investing apps like Robinhood and Acorns
• Manny Ortiz, a photographer and YouTuber with 660,000 subscribers, shares how much he earns from affiliates
• Sal Farzin, who makes videos reviewing tech products, made six figures in a year through affiliate commissions on Amazon
• Creator Keesh Deesh shares how she made over $200,000 from affiliate marketing on her Facebook group
• How a laid-off former marketer made over $100,000 from affiliate links and how she got started

Online courses

Starting a course can be a way for creators to supplement their income by sharing their knowledge of a specific field or industry. 

When pre-recorded, courses can also become a source of passive income.

Some creators also update and strategically time the launches of updated versions of their courses to generate more interest among their audience.

"The idea of doing launches, instead of an evergreen model where it's always available, is that you are creating scarcity," said Catarina Mello, a travel influencer who made over $1 million in course sales. (Read more about Mello's business.)

Here's how much creators have made through online courses:

• Alika Bhatt, a painter and YouTuber with 700,000 subscribers
• Debra and Barry Benton, 2 full-time RVers
• Rob Lennon, a creator who sells courses about AI 

Products

When it makes sense for their brand and there's interest from their audience, some creators turn to making products.

This can mean merchandise — personalized branded items, usually apparel that can range from hoodies to plush toys — but also other types of physical or digital products that fit within a creator's personal brand.

For example, Aisha Beau Frisbey, a full-time lifestyle content creator with 36,000 Instagram followers, launched a deck of affirmation cards. 

Apps can also be lucrative digital products. Tessa Barton, a fashion influencer with over one million Instagram followers, built a photo-editing app that had $32 million in projected revenue in 2023.

And in recent months, a new avenue has emerged for creators and brands who want to sell products directly on social media — TikTok Shop. The feature allows creators to build a storefront on their own profiles and sell their own products. Writer Adam Beswick, for example, was able to quit his job as a nurse and become a full-time writer after he began selling his novels on TikTok.

Here's how much creators have earned from products:

• Sooraj Saxena, a TikToker with over 3 million followers, shares how much he made in sales from an apparel line he launched
• Matilda Djerf, a Swedish fashion influencer, built a clothing brand that made $34 million in yearly sales
• Bianca Ingrosso, a Swedish influencer, founded a beauty brand that made $50 million in revenue in 2023
• How much 2 influencers earned in a year selling bucket hats, hoodies, and other merch — including $40,000 in a single day
• Jack Neel, a true-crime creator with 8.5 million TikTok followers, shares what he's earned from products
• Aisha Beau Frisbey, a lifestyle creator with 34,000 Instagram followers, reveals what she's earned selling affirmation cards

Ad-revenue-share programs

For the past 16 years, the "gold standard" of ad-revenue-share initiatives on social media has been the YouTube Partner Program. Creators can earn a cut of the revenue from the advertisements that appear before and during their YouTube videos.

Recently, other platforms have started following YouTube's example. Snapchat now shares advertising revenue with creators who are part of its Snap Stars program, and Facebook does the same on Facebook reels. TikTok also offers a cut of its advertising revenue to top-performing creators, with a program called Pulse.

For some creators, Facebook is proving a particularly effective avenue to repurpose content. Some say it's an overlooked "cash cow." Creator Shaniece Brown said she was making an average of $700 a month from the platform's ad-revenue-share program in June 2023. For food creator Wasil Daoud, ad revenue on Facebook is as lucrative as YouTube.

Read more about how six creators are making thousands of dollars a month on Facebook.

Snapchat is also seeing a resurgence is creator interest with its Snap Stars program. Some creators are posting up to 400 times a day to maximize revenue, and making thousands in the process. (Read more about how some Snap Stars are making millions.) Smaller creators have also been able to rake in some serious cash. Creators AJ and Grey made six figures in 2023 and even decided to leave behind brand deals on other platforms to focus on posting on Snapchat. Here's how they got into the Snap Stars program.

On YouTube, the Partner Program has expanded to include creators who reach 10 million views in 90 days on shorts — YouTube's short-form video offering — as well as 1,000 subscribers.

Here's how much YouTubers earn from advertisements on their videos:

• 8 YouTubers explain how much money they earn per 1,000 views
• 19 YouTube creators reveal how much they get paid per month for their videos
• How much money a YouTuber with 1 million subscribers earns, according to 4 creators
• How much money YouTube pays for 1 million views, according to 3 creators
• 7 YouTubers explain how much money they earned during the first month of the new shorts monetization program

Platform creator funds and bonuses

Some platforms offer bonuses or "creator funds" that pay influencers money for the views they receive on their content, primarily short-form videos.

These types of payout structures have long been a pain point for creators — some expressed frustration with these programs paying very little, being an unreliable income stream, or being unavailable in many countries.

Recently, platforms have also started rethinking the creator fund model.

The funds Meta offered for Instagram reels and reels on Facebook have been put on pause, while YouTube replaced its creator fund for short-form content with a revenue-share program in early 2023.

TikTok rolled out in 2023 a new version of its fund, specifically for longer-form videos over 60 seconds. Some creators reported making tens of thousands of dollars from this fund, called the Creativity Program Beta, now known as the Creator Rewards Program, but it's unclear how long its benefits will last.

Here's how much creators have earned from platform bonuses and funds:

• 11 influencers reveal how much money Instagram and Facebook paid them for reels
• How much money the TikTok Creativity Fund pays, according to 7 influencers

Consulting

As companies and brands recognize the power of having a social-media presence, they are increasingly looking to gain expertise on how to leverage social media from the influencers themselves.

This can become a valuable income stream for creators, who get paid by companies to provide support as consultants or advisors. 

UCLA quarterback and influencer Chase Griffin, for example, has been consulting for companies on how to get involved with athlete creators and name, image, and likeness campaigns after scoring over 30 NIL deals.

Here's how much creators have earned consulting for companies:

• Jack Neel, a true crime creator with 8.5 million TikTok followers
• Tejas Hullur, a TikTok creator with over 500,000 TikTok followers
• Kirsty Ip, a food influencer with 42,000 Instagram followers

'User-generated content' (UGC) ads

In recent months, TikTok's immense growth has led to a newfound interest from brands in acquiring the rights to "user-generated content" that they can repost on their social channels or use for paid advertisements.

UGC can be a lucrative income stream for creators who have expertise in crafting content but don't have the following to land big brand deals or want to avoid flooding their audience with sponsored content. In fact, some brands prefer creators with small followings because their content costs less and feels more authentic. 

Unlike sponsored content that gets posted on a creator's personal page, this UGC is used on brands' channels. 

The boom of this type of content has enticed many creators to try their hand at it. Here's the advice of some seasoned UGC creators on how to set rates as a beginner.

For those who are just starting out with UGC, TikTok offers the Creative Challenge program, which allows creators to participate in UGC campaigns advertised by brands directly on the platform. Creators called it one of the platform's "best-kept secrets." One creator, Joseph Arujo, said the program provided some much-needed income when his film-related sponsorships ground to a halt during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

Some creators shared how they got started on the program and made money from it.

Here's how much creators have made creating user-generated content for brands:

• TikTok has led to surging demand for 'UGC' ads. Here's how creators are cashing in.
• How much money 6 UGC creators charge brands to make videos and images
• Erin Confortini, a personal-finance TikTok creator with 180,000 followers, shares what she earns from UGC
• Salha Aziz, a nano influencer with 5,000 TikTok followers, breaks down her UGC earnings

AR lenses

The messaging app Snapchat announced Lens Studio at the end of 2017, which enables Snapchat creators to make augmented reality lenses for the app for free.

Some creators are building careers by focusing not on posting content, but on making tools others can use to help power virtual experiences. Creators can earn money by creating branded augmented reality lenses that others can use on Snapchat.

TikTok also launched a $6 million fund in May 2023 to help augmented-reality creators earn up to $50,000 a month.

Here's how much creators have earned building AR lenses:

• Cyrene Quiamco, who earned $750,000 in a year making augmented reality lenses
• Philip Walton, who created Snapchat's viral potato lens
• AR studio Paper Triangles, which made $4 million from AR lenses in a year

Speaking engagements

Some creators receive a payment when they are invited to events or conferences to speak, both virtually and in person.

DIY creator Emma Downer said she has been invited to speak publicly about how DIY can improve people's problem-solving and build a sense of personal autonomy, as well as how to use TikTok effectively, both for paid and unpaid opportunities.

Here's how much creators earn from speaking engagements: 

• Matt Upham, a software engineer and tech creator with 500,000 TikTok followers
• Reni Odetoyinbo, a personal finance YouTuber with 19,300 subscribers

Subscriptions

One way for creators to generate a consistent income stream is to use subscription models where fans can pay to access exclusive content.

One of the most popular platforms to publish subscription content is Patreon — but there are many other ones like Fanfix, Fanvue, Fourthwall, or OnlyFans. Some creators even build their own websites to host exclusive content.

Subscription platform OnlyFans has become prominent among adult content creators, some of whom have become millionaires thanks to their presence on the platform. (Read more about how seven OnlyFans creators price their content to earn millions.)

Here's how much creators have made from subscription programs:

• Anela Malik, a food creator with 38,000 Instagram followers
• Jake Tilk, a YouTuber with 18,000 subscribers
• Mrs Robinson, an OnlyFans creator with 1,600 fans
• Steph Mi, an OnlyFans creator with 50,000 fans

Experiences

On top of selling digital and physical products, it's become increasingly common for creators to sell experiences.

These can range from online or in-person events to classes or trips. For example, travel influencer Tia Cooper built a lucrative business as a travel agent and sold $119,000 worth of trips in eight months in 2023.

Podcaster Ariana Nathani hosts in-person events in New York connected with her popular dating podcast. The events were her biggest source of income in 2023.

Here's how creators have made money selling experiences:

• 5 travel influencers explain how they're building businesses beyond content, from planning group trips to becoming certified advisors

• The 148th Westminster Kennel Club dog show concluded on Tuesday night.
• During the show, seven groups of various breeds each crowned a winner.
• Photos show the seven winners, including this year's Best in Show.

The Westminster Kennel Club dog show, which wrapped up in New York on Tuesday, is the country's most prestigious dog competition, and one of the world's oldest.

More than 2,500 dogs competed for the coveted Best in Show crown. Each year, the competitors are divided into seven groups based on their breed's traits and original purpose, such as sporting or herding. They are then judged on how well they meet their breed's ideal standard, and a winner is selected for each group.

From those top seven dogs, a Best in Show is then chosen — the culmination of years of careful breeding, costly grooming, expert handling, and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

But whoever wins the titles, chances are they're really, really adorable.

Photos show the pups that were deemed the best of the best at this year's competition.

Best in Show: Surrey Sage, a miniature poodle

Sage, as she's known, won both Best in Show and the Non-Sporting Group. She's the fourth miniature poodle to win Best in Show in Westminster's history.

Herding Group: Kaleef's Mercedes, a German shepherd

Mercedes was not only this year's winner from the Herding Group, but was also named the Reserve Best in Show winner, essentially the runner-up.

Toy Group: Hallmark Jolei Out Of This World, a Shih Tzu

Hallmark Jolei Out Of This World, who also goes by Comet, is a 3-year-old Shih Tzu from Ohio. She won Best in Show at the American Kennel Club championship in December 2023.

Sporting Group: Rejoices To The Point, a black cocker spaniel

According to the American Kennel Club, Westminster recognizes cocker spaniels by their color. This year's winner Micha (or Rejoices To The Point), is black, but there are also parti-color and ASCOB, which means "any standard color other than black."

Working Group: Hearthmore's Wintergreen Mountain, a giant schnauzer

Monty, as he's known, hails from Ocean City, New Jersey. He also won the Working Group in 2023.

Hound Group: Sunlit's King of Queens, an Afghan hound

Sunlit's King of Queens, better known as Louis, was named the best of the Hound Group, which consists of 35 breeds, including the Basset hound, the beagle, the greyhound, and the dachshund.

Terrier Group: Grabo Frankie Goes To Magor, a colored bull terrier

And last but not least is Frankie, a bull terrier. As the American Kennel Club noted, there are two types of bull terriers: white and colored. Frankie is a colored bull terrier.

• I ordered the same burger meal at McDonald's and Chili's Grill & Bar.
• The meals cost exactly the same, but one came with way more food.
• The Chili's combo also had a bigger, better-tasting burger and was a better value.

The value wars are in full swing, as chain restaurants are trying to lure in customers with meal deals and burgers inspired by fast-food favorites.

Chili's is a prime example. In April, the chain launched its Big Smasher burger, a dupe of the iconic Big Mac that comes with shredded lettuce, minced onion, and Thousand Island dressing.

The burger is bigger than a Big Mac, which has a pre-cooked patty weight of 3.2 ounces, and the chain is desperate to prove to customers that chain restaurants can deliver just as much, or even better, value than their competitors as fast-food prices rise.

I put both chains to the value test by ordering the same burger meal at McDonald's and Chili's, and the winner surprised me.

I ordered a large Big Mac meal from a McDonald's in Dayville, Connecticut.

I live in New York City but stopped by a local McDonald's while I was visiting family in Connecticut.

The large Big Mac meal cost $10.99, excluding tax and fees. This was the same price as Chili's $10.99 "3 For Me" deal, which is how I tried the chain's new burger.

It was interesting to see just how much food you could get at each chain for the exact same price.

The price of the McDonald's meal will vary by location, and could actually be more expensive than $10.99, as it is for me in New York City.

A Big Mac comes with two 1.6-ounce patties, shredded lettuce, two pickle slices, minced onions, Big Mac sauce (similar to Thousand Island), American cheese, and a third bun.

The Big Mac is a staple on the McDonald's menu. Created by a McDonald's franchisee, Jim Delligatti of Pittsburgh, in 1967, the first "Big Mac" featured a triple-decker burger and sold for 45 cents.

The burger rolled out across the US in 1968 and quickly became the chain's signature burger.

The burger was about the size of my hand.

The cheese was only partially melted, and, to be honest, the burger wasn't hot. I ate the burger inside the restaurant, so I was surprised it was already room temperature when I started eating it.

It's worth noting the preparation and temperature of McDonald's menu items, like those of any other restaurant or chain, can vary by location.

Business Insider reached out to McDonald's for comment.

I liked the Big Mac sauce but was honestly underwhelmed by the rest of the burger.

The Big Mac sauce was perfectly creamy and tangy, but I thought the other ingredients lacked flavor, especially the burger patties. They were very thin and dry — there was no juiciness to this burger.

A problem I've consistently encountered with McDonald's signature burger is that, in my opinion, the ingredients are extremely bottom-heavy. The cheese and Big Mac sauce are layered beneath the first burger patty and bun instead of on top, resulting in a lack of flavor and moisture as they come into contact with the roof of my mouth.

Although I recognize the Big Mac as McDonald's flagship burger — it's been reported that the chain sells 900 million Big Macs a year — it isn't my personal favorite.

I also got a large order of fries with my meal.

I'm a fan of McDonald's fries, which I find to be crispy and deliciously coated in salt.

While they're quintessential fast-food fries, I'm not sure one could describe them as restaurant-quality.

I paired them with a ranch dipping sauce and was left feeling satiated, but not quite blown away.

I also got a large drink, which I think was a great deal.

The 32-fluid-ounce soft drinks at McDonald's are truly massive, and there was a soda machine that allowed me to pour the drink myself. There is simply nothing better than a crisp Diet Coke from McDonald's. It hit the spot.

I ordered the new Chili's Big Smasher burger as part of the chain's "3 For Me" combo.

The Big Smasher starts at around $12.99 on its own, but the price differs slightly by location. At my local Chili's in New York, the burger cost $14.39, excluding tax.

I ordered the burger as part of the "3 For Me," which starts at $10.99, excluding tax. The deal is only available for a limited time.

With the meal deal, you get an appetizer like bottomless chips and salsa, a drink, and a main, and you can add things like a margarita or a different entrée for an added cost.

The burger comes topped with shredded lettuce, diced red onions, pickles, American cheese, and Thousand Island dressing.

The burger, which is smashed down on the grill, was much bigger than the Big Mac — I needed two hands to hold it comfortably, and I actually ended up cutting it in half to eat it.

I chose fries as my side, but you can also choose from options like mashed potatoes, rice, and steamed broccoli.

Unlike on the Big Mac I tried, the American cheese on the Big Smasher was completely melted and coated every square inch of the large beef patty. There was also sauce on both buns, which I hoped would prevent the dry feeling I got from the fast-food version.

Chili's smashed burger blew McDonald's out of the water, in my opinion.

The burger patty was juicy and pink in the middle but had a delicious caramelized crust on the outer edges. It was also much thicker and more filling than the Big Mac.

This burger had nearly twice the meat, which made an immediate difference, and I thought the ingredients tasted higher quality.

The cheese was thick and gooey, and the lettuce tasted fresh — although the lettuce on the Big Mac was comparable. I also thought the red onion added a sharper flavor than the white onion that McDonald's puts on its burger.

I also loved the tangy Thousand Island dressing, but I could have used a little bit more of it.

Chili's won in terms of sheer value when it came to the added appetizer.

Both burger meals came with fries, a burger, and a drink. However, the meal from Chili's also came with an appetizer. The options include a side salad, soup, or bottomless chips and salsa.

I went for the bottomless chips and salsa.

The chips were delightfully thin and crispy, and the salsa was the perfect consistency. It was flavorful, and not too watery or chunky.

This appetizer was also bottomless, meaning they'll keep refilling it if you wish. This gave Chili's the edge in terms of value and the sheer amount of food I received.

I was also impressed by the fries, though they could have been a touch saltier.

Maybe I'm just used to the tasty salt-bomb that are McDonald's and other fast-food fries, but I thought these fries were a tad underseasoned.

However, salt shakers provided on the table fixed that problem.

I had to give Chili's the win in terms of value and taste.

I thought Chili's delivered a larger, better burger and more food for the same price as McDonald's. I loved the addition of the chips and salsa and the perfectly charred and juicy smashed burger. I left feeling stuffed.

Not only did I get a cheap, high-quality meal at Chili's, but it was also a better overall experience. You're rarely going to get the same service at a fast-food joint as you do at a sit-down restaurant with table service.

If I had to choose which chain was a better use of my $10.99, I'd opt for Chili's based on the amount of food I received and the taste of the items.

I'll definitely be back, and I hope the Big Smasher gets a permanent spot on the "3 For Me" menu.

• A storied hedge fund exited its GameStop wager last quarter, before the meme stock's epic surge.
• Paul Tudor Jones' firm held call options on 44,300 shares and puts on 27,800 shares in December.
• GameStop stock soared as much as 550% between late April and Tuesday, but has now pared those gains.

A legendary hedge fund exited its GameStop position before the meme stock surged as much as 550%.

Tudor Investment Corporation, founded and led by billionaire trader Paul Tudor Jones, held bullish call options on 44,300 GameStop shares at the end of December, SEC filings show. The options had a notional value of about $777,000.

Tudor Jones' firm also held bearish put options on 27,800 GameStop shares with a notional value of around $487,000. Neither position appeared in the hedge fund's first-quarter portfolio update on Wednesday, indicating it exited them by the end of March.

GameStop shares had sunk to around $10 by late April, but skyrocketed to an intraday high of $65 on Tuesday. The catalyst was the return of Keith "Roaring Kitty" Gill, a key figure in the GameStop saga, to social media. However, the stock fell nearly 20% on Wednesday and tumbled another 15% in premarket trading on Thursday.

This week's surge was reminiscent of January 2021, when GameStop's stock price went from under $5 to north of $80 on a split-adjusted basis. The buying frenzy was fueled by retail investors and whipped up on social media to squeeze short sellers, get rich fast, and have fun in the process.

Tudor Jones seemed skeptical of the episode during a CNBC interview in June 2021, but he wished those involved the best.

"I would probably not be pursuing the investment theses they are," he said. "I don't think I'm smart enough at this point in time to judge whether they're right or wrong. More power to them. I hope they succeed."

Tudor may have closed out its GameStop bet before the stock soared this week, but it's worth noting that quarterly portfolio updates only provide a snapshot of a fund's holdings on a certain date and exclude shares sold short, private investments, and overseas bets. As a result, they don't always paint a full picture of a firm's overall positioning.

Tudor runs a sprawling portfolio with well over 2,000 holdings, so it's not hugely surprising that it counted GameStop among them in the fourth quarter.

After all, Tudor has owned GameStop shares in at least 40 different quarters since the company went public in 2002, SEC filings show.

It was also not a big position compared with its direct stakes in Splunk and Nvidia, worth $254 million and $65 million, respectively, in December.

Tudor Jones' firm trades actively too, meaning it could easily have bought or sold GameStop shares or options last quarter and even during this week's frenzy.

Regardless, it's notable that Tudor dropped its GameStop wager before the company's meteoric rise and dramatic fall this week.

In contrast, Renaissance Technologies, a quant fund founded by the late Jim Simons, amassed 1 million GameStop shares from scratch last quarter.

Tudor didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.