📲🤯 Boston influencers make HOW much!?

🤑 Are your favorite deals not hitting like they used to? I.e., Are shrinking savings making you more willing to shop at Whole Foods over Stop & Shop? Buy new clothes instead of thrifting? Fly over taking a bus or train? Share your take here for an upcoming Globe story, or email [email protected].

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

Let’s be real: We’ve probably all thought about becoming influencers at some point. After all, being your own boss and enjoying an endless flow of freebies sounds pretty appealing. But apparently, it’s not always as glam as it seems.

Boston magazine anonymously surveyed 36 of Boston’s buzziest content creators about what *really* goes on behind the screens. Here’s what they said: 

🤑 Influencer money is NO joke. Real talk: This video made us question our life choices. For some, it’s a lucrative side hustle that pads their day job. Boston creator Emi McSwain (@emimcswain) told us she makes ~$2,000 from social media in a good month. But for others, it’s a six-figure income that competes with their 9-to-5 salary. Keonte Henson (@wannabestayathomedad) recently quit his consulting gig to go full time as a food content creator (and he’s making almost the same $$$).

💸 But don’t expect a *normal* paycheck. Payouts from brand deals can take months before they hit creators’ bank accounts. And in some cases, they’re hounding down brands to make sure they get their coin. That inconsistent paycheck = lack of stability = *anxiety*.

🤫 Not all of their content is ~authentic~. Yes, that includes some of their “Boston accents.” Other influencer scams include: Giving rave reviews to a mid restaurant in exchange for a free meal, “buying follows or likes,” and “blatantly copy[ing]” other people’s posts. Tea!

🙋‍♀️ Working for yourself is a double-edged sword. The freedom and flexibility are definitely perks, but being your own boss comes with a lot of pressure. As one influencer said: “You are the only thing holding you back from being successful.” Even worse: No matter how hard you work, your content’s performance is “at the mercy of the platform’s ever-changing algorithms,” another said, which can be the difference between 2,000 and 2 million views.

📲 Scrolling all the time takes a toll. Whereas some friends and families are cool with the tradeoffs of an online presence, others struggle to balance their online presence with their actual life. “My kids think I spend too much time on my phone, which breaks me,” one said. “Whenever they say, ‘Mom, put your phone away,’ it’s an immediate wake-up.”

💭 Many don’t want to be an influencer forever. When asked about their five-year goals, most said they wanted to be authors, entertainers, actors, or musicians … not necessarily content creators. “I started this journey to figure out how to use social media and to generate a platform so that when I put my own music out, I’ll already have some people interested,” one said.

🤳 Want more insider info? Check out Boston mag’s full lineup of stories on Boston’s creator scene here.

⛷️ Get discounted gear for the snowy season with a 25% off ticket to Snowbound Ski Expo on Nov. 14-16. Expect a lively weekend of inspirational speakers, the latest gear and apparel up to 70% off, and even a trampoline show all under one roof. Snowbound Ski Expo is the PERFECT winter kickoff whether you’re browsing for gifts and accessories or if, like us, you’re still using your high school gear and need a quick refresh. Tickets are 25% off, so click here to get one before they’re gone.

🏘️ Greater Boston’s housing report card just dropped. And once again, we’re NOT hanging it on the fridge. According to the 100+ page report, Boston’s rental market is only getting tougher to navigate thanks to its super-low 3% vacancy rate and sky-high rents — nearly half of renters spend over 30% of their monthly income on housing. Meanwhile, the housing market doesn’t look much better, with rising prices and a big drop off in new construction that’s putting homeownership further and further out of reach. Let’s just say, these D’s do NOT get degrees.

🥦 Think twice before you sign that random pot petition. ‘Cause some Greater Boston petitioners have been accused of tricking voters into adding their signatures to a ballot question that would essentially repeal recreational marijuana. Apparently, these folks lure voters in by implying their petitions are for affordable housing or same-day voter registration when really, they’re for the controversial ballot Q. FWIW, the folks behind the question say they don’t support the tactic. That said, the AG’s office recommends double-checking any petition you sign (and if you did sign a bad petition, you can undo it!).

🌠 Mass. was giving Iceland this week. We’re talking about Tuesday’s STUNNING Northern Lights display, ofc! While the Northern Lights have popped up around New England quite a bit recently, thanks to some extra strong geomagnetic storms, Boston has never had a better view than on Tuesday night. Despite the city’s light pollution, a lot of folks could see the green, blue, and pink streaks with the naked eye (though they look even better on camera). You can check out all of the gorgeous pics here!

🥐 Boston’s *sweetest* race is BACK! Enter: Flour Bakery’s Holiday Window Half Marathon. You know, the iconic fun run where participants hit all 11 Flour Bakeries, cover 13.1 miles, and get a box of pastries instead of a medal? Well, Flour announced it's coming back for a third year. Details like the date and course are still TBD, but sign-ups drop Nov. 14 at noon on their IG. And if we were you, we’d set our alarms because last year sold out quick. Here’s a peek at last year!

Elin Hilderbrand Nantucket book girlies (and everyone) … this one’s for you. Want to win your way into an exclusive conversation between Elin and Love Letters columnist Meredith Goldstein? If so, send a question about relationships to the Love Letters advice column before Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. All questions are anonymous. The event is Tuesday, Nov. 18. 

If you’ve ever wanted to live inside the pages of “Goodnight Moon” … you can! A new suite at the Sheraton Hotel in Back Bay is inspired by the iconic children’s book, and we have to say, it looks shockingly accurate.

True to form, the room is modeled after the book’s “great green room,” including a telephone, red balloon, and, yes, a picture of the cow jumping over the moon. It also has bright green walls, a fake fireplace, a tiger rug, and even a “bowl of mush” (spoiler: it’s instant oatmeal). The only difference? We’re pretty sure the OG didn’t have this stunning view of the Charles. 

So how much does it cost to live inside a book? About $789 a night before taxes and fees. But, to be fair, the room does come with a few perks, like complimentary milk and cookies upon arrival, a copy of “Goodnight Moon,” a bunny plush, free tickets to View Boston, and a $150 daily food and beverage credit.

Check out the room here!

— Written by Gia Orsino, Emily Schario and Claire Nicholas

🌛 Thanks for reading! Thankfully, the “old woman whispering hush” is NOT included.

🎥 The results are in: B-Siders were split between whether “Mistletoe Murders,” and “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story” was the fake Hallmark holiday feature. But guess what? They’re BOTH real! The impostor was “Christmas Kiss.”

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].