Does anyone else have that month of the year where it feels like everyone you know decided to be born? For us, it’s May. Honestly, it’s like some kind of cosmic joke. I’m convinced the entire family tree, the neighbours, and possibly half of my daughters class all have birthdays in May. This year? SEVEN birthdays in two weeks. Seven. That’s seven cakes, seven presents, seven rounds of “Happy Birthday” (in various keys), and my bank account sobbing quietly in the background.
And yet, somehow, in between all the balloon blowing, cake cutting, and gift wrapping, I still managed to make money online. Yep. Welcome to the wild, wonderful world of affiliate marketing in 2025.
Spoiler: It’s not about working harder; it’s about working smarter.
Now don’t get me wrong—I’m not sitting around in a silk robe, sipping champagne, watching the sales roll in (although… goals). I’ve got a full-time 9-5, a family, and more birthday cards to write than Hallmark. But what affiliate marketing has given me is something I never had before: a way to build a little side income while living my actual life.
Here’s how it went down last week:
Monday: Wrapped presents at 11pm because I forgot it was Ava’s friends birthday.
Tuesday: Posted a TikTok after work, sharing how I made £6 in a referral commission and got a couple of downloads to my free guide of how to make money online- You can grab yours HERE
Wednesday: I accidentally ate 1/4 of a tub of buttercream while icing the cake but realised I’d made three commissions from my digital downloads.
Thursday: It was my husbands birthday. We had a gorgeous breakfast, worked on some exciting things to release in the near future and by dinner, another sale.
Friday: Celebrated yet another birthday, slightly dizzy from the sheer volume of candles blown out this week. Checked my stats before bed and saw my Stan Store had quietly done its thing all day.
That’s the beauty of it: affiliate marketing doesn’t have to be loud or complicated.
I’m not shouting “BUY NOW!” in people’s faces. I’m just sharing what I love, what I actually use, and how it fits into my very real, very messy life. And by having a Stan Store (which is like having your own mini online shop without needing a warehouse or a shipping label), all my links live in one easy place.
So whether someone sees my TikTok or Facebook post, they know exactly where to go to find what I’m talking about.
Because let’s be real: in a month like May, when every second person is blowing out candles, I don’t have time to answer 25 “Where did you get that?” messages individually. My Stan Store does the talking for me while I’m elbow-deep in wrapping paper.
Affiliate marketing in 2025? It’s about weaving it into your actual life.
I’m not working more hours; I’m just making some of the hours I’m already online work for me.
Instead of scrolling TikTok, I post a video. Instead of just texting my friend to tell her about a new miracle cream, I send her her a link so she can buy it too! Instead of drowning in May birthday chaos and wondering why my wallet is empty, I let my little side hustle cover the next cake (or at least the candles).
If you’ve been thinking of starting but feel like you’re too busy, let me tell you: if you can survive seven birthdays in two weeks, you’ve already got the multitasking skills of an affiliate marketing pro.
And if you want to peek at what I’m promoting (or maybe snag a few ideas for your own store), check out my Stan Store here.
Because while May might be expensive, affiliate marketing is making sure it’s not bank-breaking.
Do you share my pain and have a busy birthday month? Please let me know which month as I completely sympathies!
Sarah, This post made me smile—I totally get it! I’m also juggling a 9-5, a family, and trying to build my affiliate marketing income, so I really relate to squeezing content in between real life. I’m starting a Stan Store too and it’s going to be a game-changer—it keeps everything in one place while I focus on living. Thanks for the reminder that messy, busy life can still be profitable!
Hi Sarah,
First up – my birthday is in May, so I don’t know if I am contributing to the problem or not…
But I can relate to what you’re saying in this post. The one bit that did really hit for me was where you say you need to “weave it into your life”. That’s absolutely something that I could do better – rather than thinking of my affiliate marketing as work, I can change that up and just be talking to people I know about things that I use in my own life.
Thanks for that Sarah. It is something I will definitely keep in mind while doing my affiliate marketing activities.
Sean Street recently posted…How I Found My Why in Midlife (And Why You Should Too)
Sean you are part of the problem! lol I hope you have a lovely birthday whenever that may be.
I’ve found weaving it has made me more consistent as it’s then in my everyday rather than an extra task. I hope that tip works!
Sarah, this had me laughing and nodding the whole way through! Seven birthdays in two weeks? You deserve a medal… or at least a nap and some buttercream therapy. 😂
I love how you’ve shown that affiliate marketing doesn’t need to be overwhelming or staged—it can just fit into the chaos of real life. That line about making the hours you’re already online work for you really stuck with me. I run a blog helping people age gracefully and become their own health advocates, and so much of what I share is rooted in “real life, not perfection.” Your post is such a great reminder that done is better than perfect—and that your store, your story, and your strategy can grow right alongside the daily whirlwind.
Also, I’m now completely intrigued by Stan Store. Have you found that it performs better than Linktree or other platforms you’ve tried?
Thanks for the inspo—and may the rest of May be a little lighter on candles (and a little heavier on commissions)!
Hi Sarah,
Your blog entry really hit home! (my birthday is the 18th by-the-way LOL!)
You definitely don’t need to be loud… just consistent — and I think you’ve definitely got that down pat!
Looking forward to continuing my journey & reading yours!
Hi Sarah – That is incredible! What a month so far for you. What I see and hear are 7 ways to celebrate… yet it is still a lot of work. You have set up your business in a way where you can remain organized in midst of chaos so that commissions can still come in while you are completing the more important tasks like taking care of your family and friends. I look forward to the day when I read that you are able to do this more and more and more. I must say, my favorite part of your post that made me laugh so hard was when I read “I accidentally ate 1/4 of a tub of buttercream while icing the cake…). I love your spirit and your spunk! Have a great week!
Congratulations Sarah your almost halfway there and it will be june! I am happy to see that the Stan Store is working so well for you! I need to check it out as well. Keep moving forward as you seem to have found your way. Thanks for the inspiration as well!
Hey Sarah!
Wow, what a crazy May you had with all those birthdays! I totally get the chaos, June and July is my wild month with both my boys birthdays. Your story about juggling cakes, candles, and still making money with affiliate marketing is so inspiring! I love how you make it sound doable, just weaving it into your busy life. That Stan Store idea is genius, definitely gonna have to check it out. Thanks for sharing! How do you stay so organized with all that going on?
Meredith
Meredith recently posted…Affiliate Marketing Takes Time: How to Stay Motivated