WOW!! So much has changed since I wrote in September - solar wisely is up and running (little traffic), but no monetization so far. Meanwhile, I also tried out another online lead generation business. Let me tell you a bit more about that adventure...
This time the adventure was related to immigration. Basically, I built a website migrationquotes.com.au and using google adwords, drove traffic to the site. The idea was simple - aim high CTR on adwords, generate leads looking for migration agents, pass on the leads to highly qualified registered migration agents and get paid for the lead.
As of today, I am still generating leads. It has been over a month. After $500+, ~100 leads, 4 different Migration agents, I have signed up exactly 1 lead. I am expecting to get paid about $200 from that. Generating leads is not hard but most these leads are looking for quick answer to their immigration questions and then deciding to do the application process on their own. This is not good because I only get paid IF the leads sign up for the paid service with the agent.
So, looks like I am going to have to drop this project as well because the ROI is too small. However, I will keep the website up and running. SolarWisely.com.au will stay up as well (I haven't blogged for over 2 months now on solar).
That leaves me with 2 websites that are live, with little to no traffic, generating no income, but with some potential if I put more time on it.
Now, let me update you on what has happened in my personal life...
In November, Bijaya and I decided to move back to the US. Why? Because, as Bijaya said, I wasn't happy in Australia. Why wasn't I happy? God knows...or may be because I wasn't earning $$ (solar wisely and migration quotes both taking too long to generate ANY revenue).
We are both hitting our mid-30s. We have a daughter and we live in a two bedroom apartment in Brunswick, Melbourne. Our net worth? whatever is in Bijaya's checking account. Last time I checked there was about two thousand dollars. My $8000 toyota corolla is paid off, so that's something.
Bijaya is working full time and making about weekly that translates to $75-$80k per annum. It is not bad if she was in her 20s, single, and no kid. But she has a husband and a daughter to support. Because her husband doesn't earn anything, that income alone was not so significant.
Bijaya and I both know we'll HAVE to HAVE another kid real soon. But with this situation and no income on the horizon for me, things were getting tough, really tough.
We were also nearing the end of two year out of country stay "grace period" on our american permanent residency status. What it meant is, if we didn't enter US before that period expired, we were risking to lose our Green Card forever.
So, our stay in Melbourne could be summarize as followed: (i) we were broke (almost), (ii) with no prospect of additional income in the near future, (iii) expiring green card (iv) I wasn't happy (according to my wife).
In a way, the decision to move back to the US was pretty straightforward. However, it wasn't an easy one. I specially opposed the idea initially, primarily because my wife and Yahvie (our daughter) were having good times with families. Bijaya has 3 sisters, 1 brother, and 2 cousins in Melbourne. You can imagine how we spent each weekend. Going to the US meant leaving everyone behind. More than Yahvie, I was worried about Bijaya. "Family" was the reason we left America in the first place, two years ago. Now, going back again didn't make any sense to me.
But priorities have definitely shifted. Being stone broke sometimes helps put things to perspective. I will no longer believe that money doesn't buy happiness. It does, when you don't have money.
So, on Dec 3rd 2016, Bijaya and I flew to SFO, California. My cousin Rajan lives there. Bijaya had a scheduled on-site interview on the 5th in the city, and I have applied for few jobs in Milpitas/Silicon valley area.
Yahvie is back in Melbourne with her aunties (see how easy it was). Bijaya will return to Melbourne this week and if all goes well, she will sell/throw-away/clean-out our space in Melbourne, and bring Yahvie back to US to live with us. Together. Forever. In.The.USA.
To be continued...
This time the adventure was related to immigration. Basically, I built a website migrationquotes.com.au and using google adwords, drove traffic to the site. The idea was simple - aim high CTR on adwords, generate leads looking for migration agents, pass on the leads to highly qualified registered migration agents and get paid for the lead.
As of today, I am still generating leads. It has been over a month. After $500+, ~100 leads, 4 different Migration agents, I have signed up exactly 1 lead. I am expecting to get paid about $200 from that. Generating leads is not hard but most these leads are looking for quick answer to their immigration questions and then deciding to do the application process on their own. This is not good because I only get paid IF the leads sign up for the paid service with the agent.
So, looks like I am going to have to drop this project as well because the ROI is too small. However, I will keep the website up and running. SolarWisely.com.au will stay up as well (I haven't blogged for over 2 months now on solar).
That leaves me with 2 websites that are live, with little to no traffic, generating no income, but with some potential if I put more time on it.
Now, let me update you on what has happened in my personal life...
In November, Bijaya and I decided to move back to the US. Why? Because, as Bijaya said, I wasn't happy in Australia. Why wasn't I happy? God knows...or may be because I wasn't earning $$ (solar wisely and migration quotes both taking too long to generate ANY revenue).
We are both hitting our mid-30s. We have a daughter and we live in a two bedroom apartment in Brunswick, Melbourne. Our net worth? whatever is in Bijaya's checking account. Last time I checked there was about two thousand dollars. My $8000 toyota corolla is paid off, so that's something.
Bijaya is working full time and making about weekly that translates to $75-$80k per annum. It is not bad if she was in her 20s, single, and no kid. But she has a husband and a daughter to support. Because her husband doesn't earn anything, that income alone was not so significant.
Bijaya and I both know we'll HAVE to HAVE another kid real soon. But with this situation and no income on the horizon for me, things were getting tough, really tough.
We were also nearing the end of two year out of country stay "grace period" on our american permanent residency status. What it meant is, if we didn't enter US before that period expired, we were risking to lose our Green Card forever.
So, our stay in Melbourne could be summarize as followed: (i) we were broke (almost), (ii) with no prospect of additional income in the near future, (iii) expiring green card (iv) I wasn't happy (according to my wife).
In a way, the decision to move back to the US was pretty straightforward. However, it wasn't an easy one. I specially opposed the idea initially, primarily because my wife and Yahvie (our daughter) were having good times with families. Bijaya has 3 sisters, 1 brother, and 2 cousins in Melbourne. You can imagine how we spent each weekend. Going to the US meant leaving everyone behind. More than Yahvie, I was worried about Bijaya. "Family" was the reason we left America in the first place, two years ago. Now, going back again didn't make any sense to me.
But priorities have definitely shifted. Being stone broke sometimes helps put things to perspective. I will no longer believe that money doesn't buy happiness. It does, when you don't have money.
So, on Dec 3rd 2016, Bijaya and I flew to SFO, California. My cousin Rajan lives there. Bijaya had a scheduled on-site interview on the 5th in the city, and I have applied for few jobs in Milpitas/Silicon valley area.
Yahvie is back in Melbourne with her aunties (see how easy it was). Bijaya will return to Melbourne this week and if all goes well, she will sell/throw-away/clean-out our space in Melbourne, and bring Yahvie back to US to live with us. Together. Forever. In.The.USA.
To be continued...
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