10 February 2026
Affiliate marketing has been my side hustle now, apart from freelancing. I never imagined myself doing this before, until I realized how I could incorporate it into vlogging, like hitting two birds with one stone. Indeed, there are many opportunities in the world if we will only explore. Based on testimonials from many Filipinos, this kind of side hustle is just one of those that have given them financial freedom with determination and consistency. I said to myself, "If they can do it, why can't I?" without leaving my family.
This is quite a change in my career now. But I guess nowadays, a degree is just a title, not a basis for your future success. Because, honestly, many rich and successful people built their wealth through hard work, perseverance, and effective strategy, not a diploma. What I'm trying to say is, the world is evolving. There are a lot of things we can do to thrive and succeed; just don't slack off and do nothing.
Doing nothing isn't my forte. So while at home, I explore every opportunity I can with technology, and I'm willing to learn and grow. I knew affiliate marketing back then, but didn't mind it. But social media changed my perception, and I eventually ventured into it. I started months ago, and I'm now seeing progress.
Things Affiliates Must Have
In today's topic, I'll share some must-have simple things for affiliates. Don't worry, they are budget-friendly. I started with a single phone, but eventually bought some useful things and built my minimalist affiliate backdrop. Maybe this can help new affiliates.
TRIPOD
We all have a phone, so we can simply use it. But for a more stable shot, we need a tripod. Although some phones have great camera stability, others don't. My phone's camera keeps getting worse each day, so I use a tripod to get a stable shot. I've been using this tripod for years now because I bought it in Hong Kong. I can say that its quality is really good. It's also very flexible, as it can be extended up to 5 ft and brought anywhere. It's not just for affiliate vlogging, it's for personal use too.
TRIPOD WITH LIGHT
This is one of my favorites, the tripod with a light for better brightness. It wasn't part of my plan to buy a new tripod, but when I saw a video about it with a light, I liked it right away. My room, where I usually shoot my videos, has poor lighting, so I decided to buy something to brighten it.
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What I like about it is that it has an adjustable phone holder that I can pull and push, raise and lower, and rotate 360°. The light has 3 modes that I can adjust to day, night, and warm. This is perfect for those with an imperfect camera.
NOISE CANCELLING MICROPHONE
I seldom use this microphone. It's useful for someone who wants to make a voiceover, but the surrounding is noisy. In my case, we have many roosters behind our house, which is too near to my room. They are even annoying when I have a Zoom meeting with a client.
But in my honest review, this model doesn't have 100% noise cancellation. At least, it lessens the background noise. The TNW brand is good, though. The one I bought is just quite a budget-friendly model. The more expensive ones have better quality and perfect noise cancellation. I probably add one to cart once I have a budget.
Including the camera, these 3 items are the must-haves for affiliates. The rest are just accessories.
DIY AFFILIATE BACKDROP
Speaking of accessories, I recently built my affiliate backdrop. Filipino affiliates definitely know what that is. The purpose of having this is to make the photo and video backdrop more aesthetic for consistency and better visuals. It is optional, but many affiliates find it effective in attracting more viewers.
This is DIY, and I only use an illustration board. The flower vase is just a DIY as well. I have a video of making it, which you can find here. The candle was from Hong Kong, and the mini plastic succulent is just our home decor. Meanwhile, I ordered the wooden book stack and the wooden calendar online. They have budget-friendly prices as well.
This backdrop won't only give me an aesthetic background, but will also allow me to make better shots like this in the photo above. As if it were shot in the studio, but just on an illustration board, lol. But if you have a better background at home, you don't need this.
KNITTED LONG SLEEVES
This is so optional, but I saw many affiliate videos with these, and I found them pretty to look at. I don't always use these; I only do when I am shooting a specific niche. I do have winter clothes with sleeves like these, but they are too hot to wear, so I prefer using these sleeves.
The advantage of making this DIY backdrop is that I can easily install it on my working table. So from a working space, it becomes an affiliate space during my break time when I need to shoot videos.
What I realized is that affiliate marketing doesn’t require a perfect setup or expensive tools. What matters most is starting where you are and being consistent. We just need to be creative, willing to learn, and make the effort to improve day by day. The simple resources we have can lead to progress. This journey may still be new to me, but it is proof that exploring opportunities and taking action can open doors we never thought we’d ever try.
Thanks for your time.
Jane is a Filipina wanderer in a foreign land who finds comfort in nature and freedom in writing. She loves watching raw picturesque landscapes, listening to the symphony of nature, breathing in drops of sunshine, walking through scenic trails and cityscapes, tasting new culinary flavors, capturing pretty little things, venturing into hidden gems, and dancing with the flow of life.
Her new experiences, adventures, challenges, lessons, small successes, and joys are colorful paints that fill up her canvas of life. She hopes to see it beautifully painted while she can.
Join her on her quest for self-discovery and wanderlust. If you like her content, don't hesitate to upvote, drop a comment, reblog, and follow for more wonderful adventures.
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