This Failed Blogger Now Makes $8000 Monthly From 700 Newsletter Subscribers
She has no course, no coaching, and no affiliate links. Just one simple strategy that actually works
I met Lucy at a small cafe in Portland last summer.
She was typing away on her laptop, looking frustrated.
When I asked what was wrong, she told me she’d just shut down her blog after three years of getting nowhere.
Today, she runs a newsletter making $8,000 monthly with only 700 subscribers.
Here’s her actual story, not some made-up success fantasy.
The Failed Blog That Led to Success
Lucy’s blog about sustainable living got 50 visitors a month.
She’d tried everything — SEO, social media, guest posting.
Nothing worked.
But those three years taught her something valuable: people wanted specific solutions, not general advice.
Finding Her Real Audience
One day, while going through her blog — which she had created using Weblium because she didn’t know how to code — Lucy noticed something interesting.
The only posts that got real engagement were about saving money while living sustainably.
Her readers weren’t just environmentally conscious — they were worried about their wallets too.
The $27 Newsletter That Changed Everything
Lucy started a newsletter on Substack in January 2024.
Her twist? She focused on finding and testing deals on eco-friendly products.
She’d buy products, use them for a month, and tell subscribers exactly how much money they saved her.
She later switched to ConvertKit to grow the newsletter, manage her subscribers, and ensure her emails landed perfectly in inboxes.
Here’s what made her newsletter different:
Real Numbers and Results
“This $40 water filter saved me $127.50 on bottled water in 3 months”
“I tested 5 eco-friendly laundry detergents — this one cost $0.09 per load”
“My electric bill dropped $43 after switching to these LED bulbs”
The Price Point Sweet Spot
Lucy tried different prices:
$7/month: People didn’t take it seriously
$47/month: Too expensive for regular folks
$27/month: Just right — subscribers felt they could make the money back through her recommendations
Building Trust Through Honesty
Lucy does something most people won’t: She tells subscribers when eco-friendly options AREN’T worth the money.
Last month, she tested a popular solar phone charger and told everyone to skip it because it would take 2 years to break even on the cost.
Making Money Beyond Subscriptions
Here’s how Lucy reaches $8,000 monthly:
700 subscribers at $27/month = $18,900
Minus 30% refund rate = $5,670
Minus payment processing fees = $1,230
Minus product testing costs = $4,000
She doesn’t:
Take sponsorships
Run ads
Sell courses
Do coaching
The Marketing That Actually Worked
Lucy tried some unusual ways to get subscribers:
The Receipt Method
She asked local eco-friendly stores to slip her newsletter cards into shopping bags. It worked because people were already buying green products.
The Review Strategy
She started leaving detailed reviews on eco-friendly products on Amazon, including her real savings data. Her profile linked to her newsletter.
The Local Angle
She spoke at small community events about saving money through sustainable living. These talks usually got her 5–10 new subscribers.
Lucy tried different tools like Weblium, ConvertKit, and Aweber to create a landing page to clearly showcase her value proposition.
Why People Stay Subscribed
Lucy shared her subscriber feedback:
“Your coffee maker recommendation saved me $892 last year on Starbucks”
“My kids actually understand saving money now because of your weekly challenges”
“I showed my electric bill savings to my husband and he finally supports my eco-friendly purchases”
The Real Work Nobody Talks About
Lucy spends her time:
Testing products (15 hours/week)
Tracking savings data (10 hours/week)
Writing detailed reviews (8 hours/week)
Answering subscriber questions (5 hours/week)
Finding new products to test (4 hours/week)
I’m curious—what’s the biggest problem you’re currently facing in your writing journey (or side hustle)?
Share your thoughts in the comments or email me directly.
What She Wished Someone Had Told Her
Start with a small, focused audience
Pick one problem and solve it completely
Show real numbers and results
Be honest about products that aren’t worth buying
Test everything yourself
Keep good records
Answer every subscriber's email
The Future Plans
Lucy’s keeping her subscriber count low on purpose.
She wants to maintain quality and personal connection.
Instead of growing bigger, she’s planning to:
Create a searchable database of all her product tests.
Add video reviews of top-saving products using tools like Elevenlabs for professional voiceovers
Partner with local stores for subscriber discounts
The best part? When I asked Lucy if she missed her blog, she laughed and said, “That blog failing was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Remember, Lucy’s not special or lucky. She just paid attention to what people actually wanted and delivered it consistently.
You can do the same — just make sure you’re solving a real problem and showing real results.
Well done. A great lesson and congratulations on figuring this out.
This was great and informative. Finally not the same old stuff you can read in other places.