As an affiliate marketer or media buyer, finding ways to save money and increase your profits is always a priority. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or running an agency, optimizing your expenses can make a huge difference in profitability. Luckily, there are many simple money-saving hacks and strategies you can employ to cut costs and even earn extra.
In this article, we'll look at some of the top money-saving tips shared by experienced affiliates in one of the top affiliate marketing forums.
Tip 1: Take advantage of credit card rewards
One of the easiest ways to save money and even earn some extra cash is by using credit card rewards. Look for credit cards that give you the best rewards for your biggest expenses, like online advertising.
For example, some cards offer points or cash back for your ad spending. These rewards can really add up and might even get you perks like free flights for business trips, free hotel accommodation, and so on. This is particularly helpful if you are interested in attending various affiliate marketing events and conferences across the world.
Now the credit cards you can access really depend on the country you are living in or operating your business. If you are in the USA for example, here are some of the best credit cards you can use for online advertising:
1. Ink Business Preferred Credit Card:
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months.
- Rewards rate: 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each year; 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Best for: Business expenses, including advertising.
2. Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card:
- Sign-up bonus: Earn $900 cash back after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months.
- Rewards rate: 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Best for: Flat-rate cash back on all purchases, including ad spending.
3. American Express Business Gold Card:
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months.
- Rewards rate: 4 points per dollar on the two categories where you spend the most each month (including advertising), up to the first $150,000 in combined purchases per year; 1 point on other purchases.
- Annual fee: $375.
- Best for: Flexible rewards structure customized to business needs.
4. Capital One Spark Cash for Business:
- Sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time cash bonus of $2,000 after spending $30,000 in the first 3 months.
- Rewards rate: Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase.
- Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year; $95 after that.
- Best for: Simple cash back on all business expenses.
To make the most of these rewards, use your credit card for all your business expenses, and pay off the full balance every month. This way, you won't pay any interest charges that could eat into your savings. Also, check for cards that have good sign-up bonuses. These bonuses can give you a nice chunk of points or cash back if you spend a certain amount in the first few months. Just remember to consider any annual fees when picking a rewards card, as they can affect how much you actually save.
For more detailed information about these cards and their current offers, you can visit sources like NerdWallet , The Points Guy , and Bankrate. Also depending on your country, you can consult a banker to understand the best options available for your online business.
Tip 2: Hire from universities
Recruiting talented employees is a challenge for any business, especially if you're working with a tight budget. One smart way to save money is by partnering with local universities to hire recent graduates. Many colleges have programs that help cover a big part of a new grad's salary for the first few months, making it easier for employers.
This setup is a win-win: you get talented workers at a lower cost, and the graduates gain valuable work experience and a chance to start their careers. To explore these opportunities, contact the career offices of universities near you and ask about their recruitment events, job boards, and employer partnership programs.
The career office can help you reach a large pool of motivated graduates, promote your job openings, gather applications, and even screen candidates. This can save you a lot of time and effort in the hiring process. Once you build a good relationship with the career office, you'll have a steady stream of affordable talent to help your business grow.
This strategy was shared by KJ Rocker, who has his affiliate marketing business based in the UK which focuses on lead generation for life insurance. KJ says that many UK universities have programs where they subsidize 50% or more of a new grad's salary for the first 6 months.
How to access these programs
- Contact university career offices: Reach out to the career services or business engagement offices at these universities to inquire about specific programs, available funding, and application processes.
- Recruitment events: Attend recruitment fairs and networking events organized by these universities to meet potential candidates and learn more about available support.
- Employer partnerships: Establish relationships with university career offices to gain access to a pool of motivated graduates and ongoing recruitment assistance.
By partnering with local universities, you can reduce hiring costs while providing valuable work experience to new graduates.
Tip 3: Optimize payment methods
Payment processing fees may seem small, but they can quickly add up, especially if you handle a lot of transactions. To keep these costs down, always choose the payment method that is the cheapest for each ad platform or service you use.
For instance, some advertising networks charge extra fees if you fund your account with PayPal or a credit card, but they don’t charge anything for ACH bank transfers or e-checks. Others might have high fees for wire transfers. When you sign up for a new platform, be sure to ask their support or billing team about the different payment options and their fees, so you can select the most affordable method.
If you’re dealing with international payments, using a service like Wise (formerly TransferWise) or Payoneer is often cheaper than traditional bank wires, which can have high fees on both sides. These services also let you hold accounts in different currencies, so you can avoid conversion fees by keeping your funds in the original currency until you need to withdraw them.
By taking the time to optimize your payment methods across all your partners and vendors, you can drastically reduce transaction costs and keep more money in your pocket. Even a 1-2% savings on payment fees can translate to thousands of dollars per year for high-spending media buyers.
Tip 4: Profit from traffic source special offers
Many ad networks run promotions like deposit bonuses or discounted rates a few times a year, often near the end of a fiscal quarter or year as they look to boost their numbers. These specials are a golden opportunity to stretch your ad budget and get more bang for your buck.
For example, if a traffic source is offering a 20% bonus on deposits up to $5,000, it's wise to put in the full amount if you can swing it since you're essentially getting $1,000 in free ad spend. Even if you don't need all the credits right away, you can use them gradually over future campaigns.
To keep up with these offers, make sure you subscribe to the email newsletters and follow the social media accounts of your main traffic sources. You can also ask your account manager to let you know about any upcoming promotions.
Sometimes, networks provide exclusive deals to their top advertisers, so building a good relationship with your representative and increasing your spending can help you qualify for special perks and bonuses. The key is to stay proactive and jump on these opportunities when they arise, as they can make a big impact on your profitability.
Tip 5: Buy software in bulk
For solo marketers and small teams, the costs of necessary software subscriptions can add up quickly, taking a big chunk out of your monthly budget. One easy way to save money is by choosing annual billing instead of monthly plans whenever you can.
Most business tools, such as tracking platforms, landing page builders, and SEO software, offer huge discounts for yearly commitments—often between 20-40% off the monthly price. By paying for a year upfront, you’re essentially buying in bulk and getting a better deal for being a loyal customer.
Of course, this means you'll need more cash upfront and have to be sure you’ll use the tool for the entire year. However, for software that is crucial to your daily work and isn’t likely to be replaced anytime soon, choosing the annual plan is usually the smarter financial choice.
Before signing any long-term contracts, check if the software offers a free trial. This allows you to test it thoroughly and ensure it meets your needs. Also, look for any restrictions on the annual plan, such as limits on users or features. Once you’re confident it’s a good fit, go ahead and lock in those savings for a worry-free year ahead.
Tip 6: Go all in during sales
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other major shopping events are a bonanza for scoring deep discounts on marketing software and educational resources. Many tools and course creators offer their steepest price cuts of the year during these sales, making it the perfect time to invest in new subscriptions or level up your knowledge.
To maximize your savings, prepare a wish list of tools and training well before the sales hit. Research each item's typical discounts during previous year's events and set a target price you're willing to pay. This will help you quickly spot great deals and avoid impulse buys.
In addition to holiday promotions, many software companies also run special offers throughout the year, like 40% off for their birthday month or 2-for-1 subscriptions for a limited time. Follow their email lists and social feeds to stay in the loop, and don't be afraid to reach out and ask if they have any upcoming sales planned.
Another tip is to look for group buy opportunities or coupon codes on forums and deal sites. While not always legitimate, you can occasionally find steep discounts this way, especially for one-time purchases like courses or ebooks. Just be sure to vet the source and terms carefully before handing over payment info.
Tip 7: Move to slash costs
For affiliate marketers with a location-independent business model, strategically relocating can be a game changer for both slashing living expenses and keeping more of your hard-earned revenue. By setting up shop in a country with a low cost of living and favorable tax rates, you can drastically increase your profit margins without sacrificing quality of life.
Popular destinations for digital nomad marketers include Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Bali), Eastern Europe (Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine), and parts of Latin America (Mexico, Colombia). In these regions, you can often enjoy a comfortable lifestyle for a fraction of the cost of living in the US, UK, or Australia.
Before making the leap, thoroughly research the visa requirements, tax laws, and business regulations of your target country. Look into the availability and reliability of essential infrastructure like high-speed internet, co-working spaces, and international banking services. Network with other expats and online entrepreneurs to get the lay of the land and uncover the best cities and neighborhoods for your needs.
Keep in mind that as a US citizen, you'll still owe federal income tax on your worldwide earnings, although you may qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion or foreign tax credits. Some countries also have specific visa programs for entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals, which can provide a path to long-term residency and more favorable tax treatment.
While the digital nomad lifestyle isn't for everyone, it's a powerful way for lean startups and solopreneurs to keep costs low while building a profitable affiliate operation. With some careful planning and an adventurous spirit, you can design an international lifestyle that supports your business goals and personal freedom.
You can use the website NomadList.com to browse through different locations and see if their conditions will favor you.
Tip 8: Use free stock content
While custom content like logos, images and videos are ideal, they can get expensive quickly. Luckily, there are some great free and low-cost alternatives for common content needs. Websites like Pexels offer professional stock photos you can use in ads and websites at no cost.
For simple graphic design, Canva has a robust free plan that will meet most needs, with thousands of templates for social media posts, ads, logos, and more. Their paid plans are quite affordable too if you need more features. You can also find good free video clips and music snippets on sites like Pixabay and Bensound to add some multi-media flair to your campaigns.
For written content, try repurposing creatives you already have into fresh copy and angles with the help of AI tools like ChatGPT. These tools are rapidly advancing and can be great for brainstorming and remixing winning copy. Just remember to fact check their output and adhere to copyright law.
Tip 9: Hop on the AI revolution
Speaking of AI, there are now some powerful tools that can greatly improve your campaigns’ performance and results in affiliate marketing. These tools can help you at every stage of a campaign, from research to brainstorming to optimization. By analyzing huge amounts of data, they reveal hidden opportunities and help you scale successful campaigns faster.
On the creative side, platforms like Jasper and Copy.ai can help you quickly draft ad copy, landing pages, blog posts, and product descriptions. For images and graphics, tools like Craiyon (DALL-E mini) can create impressive visuals from text prompts, which you can sometimes use in your ads. As these tools continue to improve, they will likely become essential for affiliate marketers.
The best part is that many AI tools offer strong free plans, and some, like ChatGPT, are completely free for now. So, give them a try and see how you can incorporate AI into your affiliate marketing efforts. The time and money savings can be significant as you grow your business.
Tip 10: Find free learning resources
If you're newer to the affiliate game, investing in quality learning resources is one of the highest ROI moves you can make. While some paid courses, masterminds and coaching programs can be worth their weight in gold, there are also tons of free and low-cost resources out there.
Communities like the STM Forum are a gold mine of knowledge, with detailed guides, case studies, and advice threads from experienced marketers. Blogs like Partnerkin, iAmAttila, and Servando Silva's are packed with tactical tips. And of course, events like Affiliate World Conferences often offer free or discounted tickets if you look out for them.
YouTube is another learning jackpot, with countless free tutorials, strategy breakdowns, and expert interviews. You can even use YouTube's auto-caption feature to get written transcripts of videos to study.
Tip 11: Use free tools
Why pay for software when you can get the job done with free tools? Thanks to businesses offering free versions to attract paying users, there's a wealth of powerful software with $0 price tags for affiliate marketers.
For analytics and optimization, Google Analytics and Google Optimize are hard to beat, with robust free plans that meet most needs. Google Data Studio is great for building custom reporting dashboards to monitor your key metrics.
On the SEO front, tools like Ubersuggest and Answer The Public provide tons of keyword and content ideas at no cost. Screaming Frog offers a free version of its popular SEO spider tool for site audits and analysis.
For competitor research, SimilarWeb and Alexa have limited free plans that can still display useful data. Facebook's ad library and TikTok's creative center showcase top performing ads you can draw inspiration from.
When it comes to landing pages and websites, page builders like Leadpages and Clickfunnels offer free trial plans that work well for simpler pages. WordPress is still the gold standard for custom websites and landing pages, with countless free themes and plugins.
Free proxies and VPNs are also useful for research and testing. While paid ones are generally faster and more secure, free options work in a pinch.
The point is, before shelling out cash for a tool, check if there's a free solution that's good enough. You may be surprised by how much you can do without cracking open your wallet.
Tip 12: Barter and trade services
If you have a skill or resource that could help a fellow marketer, consider trading services or tools instead of paying cash. As digital entrepreneurs, affiliates tend to be savvy dealmakers who are open to creative partnerships.
For example, if you're a wiz with Facebook ads but struggle with SEO, try to find an SEO pro who needs help with their Facebook Ads campaigns. If you've built a profitable email list in a niche, you could promote someone's product to your list in exchange for a free subscription to their SEO tool.
There are online communities dedicated to these kinds of swaps, but often the best opportunities arise from your personal network. Don't be shy about mentioning what you're looking for and what you can offer in return. Mutually beneficial barter arrangements can save you a ton.
To get started with this, simply sign up on friendly affiliate marketing forums like STM or Blackhat World Forum.
Tip 13: Hire contractors over employees
For lean affiliate teams, contractors are usually more affordable than full-time hires. Without the added burdens of payroll taxes, benefits, equipment, and office space, your labor costs can be 20-30% lower or more.
Hiring globally is now easier than ever thanks to freelance job boards and remote work platforms. You can often find skilled designers, developers, writers, and virtual assistants willing to work for much less than local talent. Many are happy to trade a bit of income for the flexibility of freelancing from their home countries.
Popular places to hire affordable contractors include Upwork, Freelancer.com, Onlinejobs.ph, and Fiverr. For repetitive tasks, check out virtual assistant agencies in the Philippines, India, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. With a little trial and error, you can build a reliable team that's a fraction of the cost of local employees.
A word of caution
While it's important to cut costs, don’t be so cheap that you hurt yourself in the long run. Skimping on certain things can backfire.
For example, paying for quality traffic instead of the cheapest options usually leads to better results and a higher return on investment. Investing in good spy tools can really help you stay ahead of your competitors. Plus, having experienced mentors can save you a lot of time and effort in learning.
So, be smart about where you save money and where you spend it. Focus on cutting unnecessary expenses while still investing in the people, tools, and resources that make a real difference. With the right mix of saving and smart spending, you can build a lean, profitable, and scalable affiliate operation that rockets past the competition.
