What It's About
An avid bargain shopper teaches others how to get the most bang for their buck.
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
Though Alison has stiff competition, as it seems everyone has a blog these days, she says she’s been able to stand the test of time by bringing a unique voice, having great content and photography, and posting consistently. She’s also put lots of time and effort into it spending anywhere from five to ten hours each week, writing and scheduling posts, and creating accompanying graphics.
Fun Fact
Alison Zaccone, creator, and author of NYC Recessionista, a bargain shopping and fashion blog, has found ways to make her side hustle work for her day job. She’s been able to leverage her blog expertise, relationships, and networks to find donations and potential fashion partnerships for her nonprofit employer, which assists underserved women to reenter the workplace.
Notes from Chris
Episode 161
Alison Zaccone was a 34-year-old living in one of the priciest locations in the US—New York City. A fashionista at heart, Alison wanted to keep up with the latest trends, but also had to keep up with her daunting bills. Luckily for her, she had a natural knack for bargain shopping, deal hunting and getting the most out of clothes by mixing and matching. Around the same time, the term “recessionista” started becoming part of the lexicon, slang for a woman who can remain fashionable despite financial difficulties. This seemed to perfectly describe Alison. Her then-boyfriend, who was constantly subjected to being the recipient of Alison’s clothing and fashion revelations, suggested she reach a bigger audience than just him, by pouring her passion into a blog. And so she did. She launched NYC Recessionista—a bargain shopping and fashion blog—to share her savvy with the world. Alison’s goal was to show people that just because they have limited means doesn’t mean they can’t have unlimited style. For a while, the blog was just a hobby, but she slowly realized she was getting more and more readers. So after attending a blogging conference where she learned about different ways to maximize her site, she monetized the blog and created dedicated social media pages for it. From there, things quickly picked up. Now, NYC Recessionista has between 30,000 and 50,000 visitors each month. Since beginning it, Alison has made roughly $13,000 in side hustle income, with her month-by-month profit remaining steady.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- NYC Recessionista: Learn more about Alison and her budget-friendly, fashion savvy side hustle on her blog
- Bottomless Closet NYC: The nonprofit Alison works at that assists underserved women reentering the workplace
- rewardStyle: One of the affiliate marketing companies that Alison partnered with
- The Shelf | How to Choose a Fashion Affiliate Network: If you're interested in trying your hand at a fashion blog check out this guide that breaks the process down
- Honeymoon in Nepal Becomes Fashion Accessories Business: A multinational love affair turns into a global side hustle in the fashion world that also raises money for charity in Nepal
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Resources
CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE
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To infinity and beyond,
