Week 6 of My $250/Day Challenge: No Big Wins, But Something Important Happened

This is my first post of the new year.

2025 is officially behind us now. No do-overs. No rewinding. And at some point, regrets stop being useful anyway.

What is useful is deciding what happens next.

So during the holidays, I did what I rarely give myself time to do:

I paused.

I looked back at what I’d actually accomplished so far in this $250/day challenge, the lessons I picked up along the way, and—more importantly—what wasn’t really moving the needle.

And just to be clear, this wasn’t some monk-like retreat.

I ate too much. I drank more than usual. I enjoyed the time off. Let’s not pretend otherwise.

But with the day job on hold for a few days, I also had something I don’t usually have much of:

mental space. Time to think instead of react.

That’s when something uncomfortable became obvious.

Why TikTok Wasn’t the Right Organic Traffic Strategy for Me

When I stepped back and looked at my online business honestly, one thing stood out right away.

I wasn’t promoting my blog—or my business as a whole—efficiently enough.

The structure was there. The strategy existed. The “machine,” so to speak, was already built.

But it wasn’t getting enough fuel.

That one’s on me.

For a long time, TikTok was my main traffic strategy. I leaned into it hard. I posted consistently, learned how the platform works, experimented with hooks, scripts, formats… and I stuck with it for more than a year.

And while I don’t regret trying, the truth is simple: the return didn’t match the effort.

For me, TikTok was expensive. Not in money—in time.

Writing scripts.
Filming videos.
Editing.
Re-editing.
Watching videos flop because the algorithm felt like it woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

When you’ve got one hour a day—maybe two on a good night—efficiency matters. And eventually, I had to admit something that wasn’t easy to admit:

A video-first strategy wasn’t the best fit for me right now.

At least not as my primary traffic source.

A small pivot that made a big difference

So I asked myself a different question.

Where does my audience already spend time… and where does writing actually work?

That’s when written platforms came back into focus.

And ironically, the answer was sitting on my phone the whole time.

Reddit.

I hadn’t used it seriously in about six years. The last time I opened it regularly was because my son told me it was the best place for memes.

But during the holidays, I opened the app again and thought: why not?

I refreshed my account. New avatar. Clear, simple bio. A basic banner.

Then I did something that changed everything.

Instead of winging it, I asked ChatGPT to help me build a clear Reddit plan—based on my niche, my persona (Alex), and the actual goal of this challenge: building sustainable affiliate marketing income.

No spamming. No link-dropping everywhere. No “growth hacks.”

Just a plan I could execute daily, within the time I actually have.

And then I followed it.

What I actually did on Reddit

Nothing flashy.

I focused on learning how Reddit really works—especially the culture. I commented more than I posted. I aimed to be useful. I shared experience when it made sense.

Over roughly three weeks, I made about 50 contributions.

Only five were actual posts. The rest were comments.

And that’s where things got interesting.

The results after only three weeks

Those few posts alone generated over 13,000 views.

That’s more total exposure than all the TikTok videos I posted over the last six months combined.

But the views weren’t even the best part.

People replied. They asked thoughtful questions. They checked my profile.

And unlike TikTok, Reddit doesn’t require you to hit some arbitrary follower count before allowing a clickable link.

From day one, my blog link was visible.

And people actually clicked it.

In the last two weeks alone, my blog traffic increased by 42%.

No viral content. No paid ads. No tricks.

Just consistent written contributions in communities where my audience already exists.

The quiet lesson most people miss

I’m not abandoning TikTok.

But for now, Reddit has earned the top spot in my organic traffic strategy.

Not because it’s trendy. Not because someone promised fast results.

But because it fits my strengths, my time constraints, and my reality.

And that’s the part I think matters most.

Progress doesn’t always come from doing more. Sometimes it comes from doing the right thing—more efficiently.

This week didn’t come with a big win.

No income screenshots. No breakthrough moment.

But something important happened: clarity.

And at this stage of the $250/day challenge, that’s a win I’ll take every time.

A quiet next step (if you’re curious)

If you’re following this journey and wondering what exact system I’m using to build this the slow but sustainable way, I’ve shared it on my blog.

It’s the same beginner-friendly affiliate marketing path I’m personally following—no hype, no pressure.

You can find it through my site if you want to explore further, or click here: The Beginner’s Business Blueprint.

Once you know the system, you will want to learn how to apply it efficiently inside the niche you decide, with all the help that will guaranty your success. That’s what the Internet Profits Academy is for. Read more about it here and see if this is for you: The Internet Profits Academy.

More updates coming soon.

P.S. My Reddit account: u/lefm99