From Broke to Recurring Income: My Journey with Systeme.io Affiliate Marketing

June 2020. I had 847 in my bank account, 23,000 in credit card debt, and was three months behind on rent. My corporate job had just laid me off during the pandemic, and I was desperately searching for a way to generate income from home.

Fast forward 18 months: I was earning $ 6,400+ monthly in recurring affiliate commissions, had paid off all my debt, and built a sustainable online business—all through Systeme.io affiliate marketing.

This is the complete, unfiltered story of how I went from broke and desperate to financially stable with recurring income. The struggles, the breakthrough moments, the exact strategies that worked, and the mistakes that nearly derailed everything.

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package (thousands of dollars worth) for FREE. Use these materials for your education or sell them and keep 100% profit for yourself with a full resell license.

Rock Bottom: Where My Story Begins

The Layoff That Changed Everything

March 13, 2020. The day my world collapsed. I was working as a marketing coordinator for a small tech company in Seattle. Comfortable salary. Benefits. Stability.

Then came the pandemic.

The Zoom call I'll never forget:

"We're sorry, but due to COVID-19, we're restructuring. Your position has been eliminated effective immediately. You'll receive two weeks severance."

Two weeks severance. With $ 23,000 in credit card debt and barely any savings.

The Financial Spiral

My financial situation (March 2020):

  • Bank account: $ 2,340

  • Credit card debt: $ 23,000

  • Monthly rent: $ 1,650

  • Monthly expenses: ~ $ 2,800

  • Income: Unemployment ( $ 1,200/month)

  • Monthly deficit: - $ 1,600

The math was brutal. Even with unemployment, I was going backwards every single month.

By June 2020:

  • Bank account: $ 847

  • Behind on rent: 3 months ( $ 4,950)

  • Maxed out credit cards: 2 of 3

  • Mental state: Panicked

I was drowning. And I needed a lifeline fast.

The Desperate Search for Solutions

What I tried first:

Traditional job applications:

  • Submitted 47 applications

  • Got 3 interviews

  • Received 0 offers

  • The market was frozen

Gig economy work:

  • DoorDash (made $ 340 in first week)

  • Instacart (added $ 280/week)

  • Totaled my car after 3 weeks (uninsured damage)

  • That option: gone

Freelancing:

  • Created Upwork profile

  • Spent hours on proposals

  • Got 2 small gigs ( $ 150 total)

  • Too competitive for quick income

I was running out of time and options.

Then I discovered affiliate marketing.

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package (thousands of dollars worth) for FREE. Use these materials for your education or sell them and keep 100% profit for yourself with a full resell license.

The Discovery: Affiliate Marketing as a Lifeline

How I Found the Opportunity

Late June 2020, while researching ways to make money online (my 3 AM panic-browsing habit), I stumbled across a YouTube video: "How I Make $ 5,000/Month Recommending Products I Use."

The concept intrigued me:

But I was skeptical. It sounded too good to be true. Another get-rich-quick scheme?

I spent the next week researching:

The conclusion: This was legitimate. People were actually making real money. But it required work, strategy, and the right products to promote.

Finding Systeme.io

While researching affiliate programs, I kept hearing about Systeme.io:

What caught my attention:

The commission structure:

  • Startup plan ( 27/month):8.10/month per customer

  • Webinar plan ( 47/month): 14.10/month per customer

  • Unlimited plan ( 97/month):: 29.10/month per customer

I did the math:

If I could refer just 50 people to the $ 47 plan:

  • Commission: 50 × 14.10= 705/month

  • That would cover my basic expenses

  • Recurring = stable income

If I could refer 100 people:

But there was a problem: I had no audience, no website, no marketing experience outside my corporate job.

Could I actually do this?

The Desperation-Fueled Decision

July 1, 2020. I was officially 3 months behind on rent. My landlord had been patient but was now threatening eviction.

Bank account: $ 427
Days until broke: Maybe 10

I made a decision: Give affiliate marketing everything I had for 90 days. If it didn't work, I'd move back in with my parents in Ohio (at 32 years old).

My commitment:

What I had going for me:

  • Marketing background (knew content creation)

  • Desperation (powerful motivator)

  • Time (unemployed, no other commitments)

  • Nothing to lose

What I didn't have:

  • Money to invest

  • Established audience

  • Technical website skills

  • Credibility in the space

But I had to try. It was my only option left.

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package (thousands of dollars worth) for FREE. Use these materials for your education or sell them and keep 100% profit for yourself with a full resell license.

Month 1: The Broke Beginner Phase (July 2020)

Week 1: Learning and Setup ( $ 0 Spent)

I started with zero budget, so I had to be strategic.

Actions taken:

Day 1-2: Deep platform testing

Day 3-4: Affiliate program setup

Day 5-7: Content planning

Total spent: 0∗∗Totalearned:∗∗ 0
Feeling: Hopeful but nervous

Week 2: First Content Creation

With no money for hosting or tools, I used completely free platforms:

Platform strategy:

First content created:

Blog post #1: "I'm Broke and Starting Affiliate Marketing with $ 0 – Day 1"

  • 1,800 words

  • Raw, honest, vulnerable

  • Documented my exact situation

  • Shared my plan

Blog post #2: "Systeme.io Review: Testing It Completely Broke"

YouTube video #1: "Starting Affiliate Marketing with NO Money"

  • 12 minutes

  • Filmed on phone

  • Terrible lighting (couldn't afford equipment)

  • But 100% authentic

Time invested: 35 hours
Total spent: $ 0
Results: 23 blog views, 7 YouTube views, 0 sales

Week 3: Distribution and Panic

I started sharing my content everywhere I could:

Reddit strategy:

  • Found subreddits: r/Entrepreneur, r/WorkOnline, r/passive_income

  • Participated in discussions genuinely

  • Shared my story when relevant

  • Didn't spam

My first viral moment:

Posted in r/Entrepreneur: "I'm 3 months behind on rent and trying to build affiliate income. Here's Day 7."

Response:

But: Zero sales. Still.

Meanwhile, reality was closing in:

  • Bank account: $ 186

  • Food budget: $ 7/day

  • Eviction notice: Imminent

  • Mental state: Desperate

Week 4: The First Sale That Saved Me

Day 23. I was down to $ 94 in my bank account. I'd been living on rice and beans for two weeks. I was starting to think this was hopeless.

Then I got an email:

"Congratulations! You've earned a commission: $ 14.10"

Someone had signed up for Systeme.io through my link. For the $ 47/month plan.

I cried. Not because $ 14.10 would solve my problems. But because it was proof this could work.

What led to this sale:

A person on Reddit had asked: "What's the cheapest way to start an online business?"

I replied with a detailed comment:

They signed up. And messaged me thanking me for the recommendation.

Month 1 results:

  • Time invested: 180 hours

  • Money spent: $ 0

  • Affiliate commissions: $ 14.10/month recurring

  • Blog visitors: 680

  • YouTube views: 89

  • Email subscribers: 12

Not impressive numbers. But I'd proven it was possible.

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package (thousands of dollars worth) for FREE. Use these materials for your education or sell them and keep 100% profit for yourself with a full resell license.

Month 2-6: Building Real Momentum

The Power of Consistency

That first $ 14.10 commission changed everything in my mind. Not my bank account—but my belief system.

I analyzed what led to success:

  • Genuine helpful content

  • Honest comparison (pros AND cons)

  • Personal experience shared vulnerably

  • No pressure tactics

My new strategy: Double down on transparency and value.

Month 2: The Snowball Starts

August 2020 - Still broke, but momentum building.

Content I created:

  • 12 blog posts (3 per week)

  • 8 YouTube videos (2 per week)

  • Daily engagement on Reddit/Quora

  • Started email nurture sequence

Top performing content:

"How I'm Building Affiliate Income with Zero Dollars"

"Systeme.io vs ClickFunnels: Honest Comparison from a Broke Marketer"

  • 3,400 words

  • Side-by-side feature comparison

  • Price breakdown

  • 1,240 visitors, 9 conversions

Month 2 results:

  • New sales: 18

  • Monthly recurring: $ 141/month

  • Blog visitors: 2,340

  • YouTube views: 1,680

  • Email list: 78 subscribers

Still broke. But growing.

Month 3-4: The Breakthrough Period

September-October 2020 - When things really started changing.

What shifted:

Key initiative: Lead magnet creation

"The Broke Entrepreneur's Complete Toolkit" - Free PDF

Month 3 results:

Month 4 results:

  • Monthly recurring: $ 1,087/month

  • Email list: 680 subscribers

  • YouTube subscribers: 420

  • Finally not broke

Month 5-6: Scaling Past $ 2K

November-December 2020 - Exponential growth phase.

New strategies implemented:

1. Community building

2. Content compounding

3. First paid advertising

Month 5 results:

  • Monthly recurring: $ 1,680/month

  • Email list: 1,200

  • Facebook group: 240 members

  • Paid off $ 8,000 in debt

Month 6 results:

  • Monthly recurring: $ 2,340/month

  • Email list: 1,890

  • YouTube: 1,400 subscribers

  • Built $ 3,200 emergency fund

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package (thousands of dollars worth) for FREE. Use these materials for your education or sell them and keep 100% profit for yourself with a full resell license.

Month 7-12: Reaching $ 6K+ Monthly

Creating My Own Products

March 2021 - With stable affiliate income, I launched my first product.

"From Broke to $ 3K: The Complete Affiliate Marketing Blueprint"

Launch results:

The beautiful synergy:

The Final 6 Months

Month 7 (January 2021):

Month 8 (February 2021):

  • Recurring: $ 3,740/month

  • Ad spend: $ 500/month

  • ROI: 380%

Month 9 (March 2021):

  • Recurring: $ 4,200/month

  • Course sales: $ 4,559

  • Total: $ 8,759

Month 10 (April 2021):

  • Recurring: $ 4,890/month

  • Course sales: $ 2,820

  • Started guest posting

Month 11 (May 2021):

Month 12 (June 2021):

  • Recurring: $ 6,400/month

  • Course sales: $ 4,220

  • Total monthly: $ 10,620

The Complete Transformation

June 2020 (Starting Point):

June 2021 (One Year Later):

  • Bank account: $ 18,400

  • Debt: $ 4,200 (only)

  • Rent: 2 months ahead

  • Income: $ 10,620/month

  • Mental state: Confident, grateful

Year 1 Complete Earnings:

  • Affiliate commissions: $ 42,870

  • Course sales: $ 15,069

  • Total: $ 57,939

  • Starting capital: $ 0

From broke to nearly six figures in 12 months.

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package (thousands of dollars worth) for FREE. Use these materials for your education or sell them and keep 100% profit for yourself with a full resell license.

The Strategies That Changed Everything

Strategy #1: Radical Transparency

I shared EVERYTHING:

Why it worked:

  • Created instant trust

  • People related to the struggle

  • Built emotional connection

  • Inspired others in similar situations

Most popular post: "I Have $ 94 Left – Here's My Plan" (4,200 views, 23 conversions)

Strategy #2: Document, Don't Create

I wasn't an expert. I was a student documenting my journey.

My approach:

Benefits:

Strategy #3: Value Before Promotion

I gave away massive value first:

The result: People WANTED to support me because I'd already helped them tremendously.

Conversion rate: 8.3% of email subscribers became customers (industry average: 1-2%)

Strategy #4: Multi-Platform Ecosystem

I didn't rely on one channel:

Content distribution:

Why it worked:

Strategy #5: The Relatability Factor

I wasn't a success story teaching success. I was struggling, teaching others how to struggle better.

My message:

"I was broke 3 months ago. I'm figuring this out in real-time. Come with me."

Why this resonated:

Strategy #6: Systeme.io as Foundation

Built everything on Systeme.io free plan initially:

The power of this:

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package (thousands of dollars worth) for FREE. Use these materials for your education or sell them and keep 100% profit for yourself with a full resell license.

The Critical Mistakes I Made

Mistake #1: Almost Quit Too Soon

Week 3: Zero sales, nearly no money, wanted to quit.

What saved me: Had literally no other options. First sale came Day 23.

Lesson: Most quit right before their breakthrough. Push through the dip.

Mistake #2: Ignored Email Initially

First 6 weeks: Focused only on blog/YouTube. Didn't collect emails.

Lost: 680 visitors who never returned.

Fix: Started building list Week 7. Email became highest-converting channel (8.3%).

Lesson: Build email list from Day 1. It's your most valuable asset.

Mistake #3: Comparison Paralysis

Month 2: Saw affiliate making [10K/month] (https://www.nubeginning.com/plr−package).Felt like failure at 141.

Impact: Lost 2 weeks of productivity to discouragement.

Fix: Compared only to my previous month.

Lesson: Your only competition is yesterday's you.

Mistake #4: Perfectionism Trap

Early content: Spent hours making everything perfect.

Reality: Raw, authentic content performed better.

Example:

  • "Perfect" video (12 hours editing): 890 views

  • "Raw" phone video: 7,200 views

Lesson: Done beats perfect every time.

Mistake #5: No Analytics Initially

Months 1-2: Barely tracked what worked.

Lost time: Could've optimized faster.

Month 3 fix: Tracked everything:

Lesson: Data shows you what to double down on.

Your 90-Day Action Plan

What You Actually Need

Money required: $ 0 (I'm proof)
Time required: 8-12 hours daily
Skills needed: Writing OR video
Most important: Consistency

Month 1: Foundation

Week 1-2:

Week 3-4:

Goal: First sale

Month 2: Consistency

Daily actions:

Goal: $ 200-500/month recurring

Month 3: Optimization

Focus areas:

Goal: $ 500-1,000/month recurring

The Mindset Shifts

From: "I need money to make money"
To: "I can start with zero"

From: "I need to be perfect"
To: "I need to start and improve"

From: "Results should be instant"
To: "Consistency compounds over time"

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package (thousands of dollars worth) for FREE. Use these materials for your education or sell them and keep 100% profit for yourself with a full resell license.

The Resource That Accelerates Everything

Want to skip my mistakes and fast-track your journey?

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package absolutely FREE.

What's included:

Two ways to use it:

1. Your education:

2. Resell for profit:

This is the shortcut I wish I had when starting completely broke.

Final Thoughts: You CAN Do This

One year ago:

Today:

The difference? I took action when I had $ zero to invest.

You don't need:

You DO need:

Start today. Test Systeme.io. Create helpful content. Build your email list. Stay consistent.

The recurring income will follow.

Get the Systeme.io courses PLR package (thousands of dollars worth) for FREE. Use these materials for your education or sell them and keep 100% profit for yourself with a full resell license.

Full Disclosure

This post contains affiliate recommendations and links. I only promote products and services I personally use, trust, and believe will genuinely benefit my audience. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This compensation helps support my work and allows me to continue providing valuable content. Thank you for your support and trust.

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