Welcome to December’s online income report where I show you how to make money online (specifically, how I make money online). It’s time to look at my monthly income update and track my progress once again.
If you are wanting to start a blog of your own, read my post How To Start a Cheap WordPress Blog. It gives step by step instructions on starting your own blog at a super affordable price. You can also get a free domain by signing up through my link. Plus, you can email me at any time and I can help you along the process so that you can launch a successful money-making blog.
Background information on my monthly income reports.
This all started out as my extra income report because in the beginning it was all about the money I was earning from my side jobs. In my extra income reports from the beginning, I included all of the income I made except for what I made at my day job (that was a fixed amount).
However, in the beginning of September of 2013, I turned in my notice and my last day at my day job was in October of 2013.
Now, my monthly income report consists of the many different ways I make a living.
Many people have asked why I would ever want to publicly post my income each month. Some have called me crazy, and some are glad I’m so open. Whatever you think, I actually enjoy publishing these monthly income reports. I publish these online income reports for three main reasons:
- Before I started blogging, I knew nothing about side hustling and making money online. I didn’t think side hustles were worth the effort, and I thought the only way to dramatically increase your income was through raises and promotions at your full-time job. If it weren’t for others publishing their monthly income reports each month, I don’t know if I would have ever tried side hustling. This is why I like to publish my income reports. I want to help others see the positives in side hustling and how it can change a person’s life. There are many different ways to make money online, and I like to share my story each month to help motivate others to improve their financial situation by making more money.
- Secondly, I like to publish my income reports because it’s a way for me to look back, learn from my mistakes and see what areas need improvement. It’s also entertaining to go back to older income posts and read about the funny things I did to make extra money. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?
- Lastly, I like to show others that making extra money is possible, and that everything is not a scam. If you are looking for information on the many ways to make money online, I published the article Monthly Income Report Roundup – My Favorite Income Bloggers that showcases many amazing bloggers who are kind enough to share their income with the public each month.
I know I say this every month, but it is the truth. Life is great now that I’m my own boss. I look forward to each and every work day and it is a wonderful thing.
Above is exactly why I enjoy publishing my monthly income reports. I like to show others that you don’t have to hate your job and hate your life. You can make changes to your life and make money in a way that allows you to truly enjoy the life you are living. I’m not saying that you have to LOVE your job, I’m just saying that your job should at least allow you to do what you like to do outside of work (whether that be spending time with loved ones, painting, hiking, etc.).
2014 Business Year In Review
In 2014, I made $163,929 after most expenses. In 2013, my business income totaled $116,519, so this is quite the jump over just a one year period! It’s a little hard to compare the two years since I did work full-time at my day job for most of 2013 though. Nonetheless, it is a still a good increase in income over the previous year.
2014 was a great year for my business. October of 2014 marked one full year since I left my day job, and everything has been great since. I believe 2014 was the best year of my life. I was able to work on what I wanted to work on, travel when I wanted to, and more.
I am extremely motivated and excited for what 2015 will bring for us. I think it will be a fantastic year.
My business-related goals for 2015:
- Grow my income by 15% for the year. This is probably a big jump, but I want to aim high so that I can be more motivated.
- Work on affiliate income. I would like affiliate income to comprise around 35% of my monthly income by the end of 2015.
- Stop being shy. Interviews, podcasts, and more still make me nervous, and I know I need to get over my fear so that I can move on to the next step.
- Work on an ebook. This is something I either want to have almost finished or finished by the end of 2015.
Now onto my December income report!
How was my online income in December?
How was my online income in December?December was another great month. The second half of the month was almost like a vacation for me as well with everyone being on vacation. I spent most of the time fixing old posts, creating better images, and working ahead. It was nice!
Anyway, last month I made $14,972.73 in business income, before expenses.
If you are interested in starting a blog of your own, I created a tutorial that will help you start a blog of your own for cheap, starting at only $3.49 per month (this low price is only through my link) for blog hosting. In addition to the low pricing, you will receive a free blog domain (a $15 value) through my Bluehost link if you purchase at least 12 months of blog hosting. FYI, you want to be self-hosted. This is essential if you want to monetize your blog as you will appear more professional and this will help you monetize your blog tremendously.
Related articles:
- How To Make Money Blogging
- How To Become Financially Stable and Keep The Job You Love
- Becoming a Work-Life Balancing Master
This is for the month of December and before fees and expenses (most fees and expenses that lower the amount above total around $1,300, which includes VAs/staff writers for my other websites, technical assistance on my websites, PayPal fees, etc.) being taken out. I could run my website for as low as just $25 per month but I outsource a lot so that I can have more fun while I’m traveling 🙂
After expenses and fees, I made approximately $13,673. In the amount above, I do not include the amount I bring into the websites I provide services to. I only include the amounts that are my actual earnings from my services.
Below are some of my other monthly extra income reports. I publish an update every month but have only included some of them below. If you head on over to my extra income page you can find all of my monthly income reports.
- $672 extra in May (2012)
- $1,425 extra in July
- $3,275 extra in September
- $6,523 in January Extra Income (2013)
- $11,927 in October Income – I Finally Left My Job
- $12,640 in January Income (2014)
- $14,534 November Income – My Monthly Online Income Report
Blog news.
Blog news.The main areas I am concentrating on right now include working ahead with articles on Making Sense of Cents, as well as cleaning up old blog posts.
I don’t know why I waited so long to do these two things because I am already seeing improvements when it comes to a better work-life balance since I am working ahead, and I’ve also seen improvements in page views by cleaning up old posts and inserting better images.
I’m still working on building my new email list as well. I haven’t sent out a newsletter yet, but I hope to do that soon. By the way, Aweber is a must if you have a blog. It is a way for readers to subscribe to your blog posts and your newsletters. If you are currently using a free service such as Feedburner, then you should switch immediately because that is a BIG mistake bloggers make. Aweber is only $1 for your first month as well.
If you are interested in starting a blog of your own, I created a tutorial that will help you start a blog of your own for cheap, starting at only $3.49 per month (this low price is only through my link) for blog hosting. In addition to the low pricing, you will receive a free blog domain (a $15 value) through my Bluehost link if you purchase at least 12 months of blog hosting. FYI, you want to be self-hosted. This is essential if you want to monetize your blog as you will appear more professional and this will help you monetize your blog tremendously.
EDIT: In more recent income reports, I have been including featured questions from readers. Below are some of the questions that have been asked.
- Where does blog income come from?
- How do I increase my affiliate income?
- Do I need millions of page views a month in order to make money blogging?
- How do you build websites up to sell them?
- Do only celebrities make money through owning websites?
- How much money can a person make blogging?
- Is there enough room for new bloggers to make money?
My plans for my website, online income, and making money online:
- Publish an ebook – As I said above, this is an important goal of mine for 2015.
- Promote more – I have been doing much, much better when it comes to promoting. I have seen an increase in Facebook clicks and pins on Pinterest. Pinterest alone brought 19,700 clicks to my blog just in the month of December! Edit: I now use Tailwind for Pinterest and it saves me a ton of time!
- Accept more interviews. – I conducted a few email interviews in December, but not many. Most were interviews I received through HARO. I highly recommend signing up for HARO (Help a Reporter Out) if you are looking to get your name out there.
Staff writing.
My staff writing income is lower this month, as you can see from my income roundup at the end of this post. This is because most of my staff writing now is bundled in with my blog management service income that I make since I usually charge a flat fee for blog management and staff writing to my clients..
Update on my blog and social media management services.
In the month of December, I managed a few websites for others. I’m still enjoying providing this service and it’s an area I hope to continue to grow. I enjoy trying to find new ways to improve a website.
Related articles:
Affiliate income – An improving area.
December was my best month yet for affiliate income. I made $1,635 from affiliate reviews and I am extremely excited about that. It was relatively passive income and it makes me happy that the actions I am taking are actually working. Seeing results so quickly is amazing.
I am still only reviewing products that I have used myself and products that I actually believe in. I never want my blog to be annoying or untrustworthy, and this is something I always think about before I decide to review a product or service.
EDIT July, 2016: I recommend checking out my online course for bloggers, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. I earn over $50,000 a month through affiliate marketing and I share my exact strategy and tips in this very informative online course. If you’re a blogger, then you NEED this course.
Business and extra income in December ($13,673, after most expenses)
- Staff writing – $215
- Managing websites and social media for clients, as well as blog coaching- $5,382
- Website-Related (From the 6 websites I own – advertising, partnerships & Adsense) – $6,441
- Affiliate Income – $1,635
- Selling Items From Our Home – $0
- Miscellaneous (not related to blogging and online income) – $0
- Mystery Shopping – $0
- Rent – $0. We no longer rent a room in our house and won’t be adding roommates.
One question I am asked nearly every time I publish my monthly online income report is whether or not I can further break down my income. I have never fully broken everything down line by line, and I do this mainly to protect myself and those I provide services to.
Most bloggers who completely break apart their income have most of their income coming from affiliate links, while I do not. Keep in mind that a majority of my income comes from private clients that I work for so sharing their name and what they pay me wouldn’t be the correct way to run a business.
Also, please keep in mind that I work for myself. This means that I have to cover all taxes (which are around 30%), health insurance, and all other benefits/expenses that an employer would normally provide.
Comparisons and 2014 online income total (after most expenses, but before taxes)
- Total extra income for December: $13,673
- Income in November: $14,534
- Difference: -861
- Total in 2014: $163,929
How did you do in December? What are your extra/business/online income goals?
Why do you work towards making extra money?
If you are interested in starting a blog of your own, I created a tutorial that will help you start a blog of your own for cheap, starting at only $3.49 per month (this low price is only through my link) for blog hosting. In addition to the low pricing, you will receive a free blog domain (a $15 value) through my Bluehost link if you purchase at least 12 months of blog hosting. FYI, you want to be self-hosted. This is essential if you want to monetize your blog as you will appear more professional and this will help you monetize your blog tremendously.
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Leave a Reply
Michelle, your income is impressive! I must congratulate you on pulling it off. Go for your e-book this year! I know you can do it. Good luck! So excited to read it!
Thank you Jayson 🙂
I would love to chat via email as I may need more information.
You can always send me an email 🙂
Just wanted to drop a line and thank you for publishing these monthly statements. A few months back in September, it provided me with the push to try my hand at making blogging and writing my day job. Thank you.
Thank you! 🙂 How has everything been going for you?
Many congratulations Michelle! I really love what you do. I’m not your typical reader as I’m a lifestyle, travel blogger but I do enjoy reading different blogs that are written in an interesting way. Which yours is! I do actually have a corporate job that I enjoy immensly and living in Europe we get at least 50 holidays (including public hols), so I get to travel as much as I want to LOL!
As for extra income, I sometimes teach advertsing, sales techniques, and marketing-in-English to start-up professionals from time-to-time, or doctoral academics who are writing their next book project. For 6 hours work per month about $600 dollars excluding tax. The extra income goes into travelling destinations and skiing!
I think I’d like any job if I got 50 holidays a year!! At my last two jobs I hardly ever got a break or vacation and only had unpaid time off at one.
Believe you me, long holidays are the norm in Europe. The minimum European legal requirement is 24 days per year (not including public hols). In Bavaria and France, they get more! In Europe, a life-balance is considered important.
P.S. There are loads of people who hate their jobs. I’m just lucky enough to love mine. 🙂
P.P.S. Thanks for coming over to my blog. 🙂
I had no idea that there was a legal requirement, that is amazing! Here in the U.S. we don’t have that but I wish we did.
Yep! We may not earn as high a salary as in the US but we certainly get compensated in other ways and yes, 24 days is the absolute minimum all over the European Union, as well as rest breaks, and health insurance. In Germany where I live, it’s illegal not to be insured, and in the UK (where I’m from), health insurance is 100% free. In fact, every year, my company practically has to force colleagues of a certain nationality to take their holidays every year (‘cos you lose them if you don’t). And which nationality would that be?
Yep! The US!
Yep, people in the US normally do not take all of their vacation days. It’s sad but I had the same problem when I had my day job.
Haha yes, that is how I feel!
50 holidays sounds amazing. Totally jealous!
Thank you. Re your fantastic monetary achievements. Congratulations. You’re a trendsetter that we can all look up to. Incredibly well done. 🙂
Aww thank you Victoria 🙂
OUTSTANDING total to cap of 2014! Nice work.
Plus I really like the detail you have in this report. There is a little something in here for everyone.
Thank you!
Outstanding! Congratulations on a wonderful 2014! I hope 2015 is even better one. Good luck with everything. How do you get time to go hiking and all with all this much work? 🙂
Working ahead is what is really helping me out. That way I can have fun during the day 🙂
Congrats for your job, son’t worry we are all human and mperfect, a constantly work in progress…however for all results in 2014 really really congrats!!!
Thanks 🙂
What a fantastic end to 2014 for you and amazing total 🙂 you must feel so proud of yourself for achieving so much. Would you ever share your traffic stats? It would be interesting to see those numbers!
Hey Nicola! Yes, of course. I don’t receive too, too many page views, as my number has seriously been stuck at the same level for around two years. I have an action plan to change that though. I have around 150,000 viewers a month, but that is increasingly rapidly ever since I started my action plan.
Sorry, meant to say 150,000 page views each month.
Congrats! What an amazing month. December is always crazy with the holidays, as a result my income was 100% only what I made from substitute teaching. Working ahead is super important to avoid stress. I severely neglected my little blog in December. This month, however, I decided that will not ever happen again and I put a plan into place. I have blog posts planned until the end of March! (Not written, just titled, and outlined). However, I have drafts written already through the end of January.
Wow posts planned until the end of March is amazing. Good job!
December was just slightly better than November, but I’ll take it as it means that it was another increase! It was also my last month at my day job. I’m now a full-time webpreneur!! Thanks again for sharing your #’s; it’s VERY motivating for the rest of us:-)
Congrats on becoming a full-time webpreneur!
Wow, this is amazing! As a new blogger, it’s so inspiring to read your old income reports when you first started out and to see where you are now!
Thanks Kristin!
Wow! I had no idea people could make this much money doing “online stuff.” Looks like you’re doing well.
My income in Dec was about $175,000, but my bonus and equity position came through. 😉
WOW that is an amazing December income!
Congrats on a very successful year!
My December side hustle income goal was $400, and I made $425. 🙂 We also dropped our credit card debt total below the ugly $60K mark, and want to keep the momentum going on 2015.
Sounds like it was a great December for you. Good job Amy!
Great income for the month! That’s really awesome that you’ve seen your affiliate income grow quickly. That always seems to take a while but it’s nice to be able to connect people with products they need.
My goal for 2015 is to really step it up and be consistent with my blog and online income. Last year I basically just gave up halfway through because of other responsibilities and I don’t want to do that again. Consistent growth is my goal!
I think affiliate income is working for me because I waited until my reader numbers were up, and that’s why it seems to be working. Nonetheless, I am still extremely happy!
I am new to the blogging game and am having trouble finding good affiliate marketing programs. Do you have suggestions?
I highly suggest just searching your favorite companies and seeing if their have their own affiliate program. If that’s doesn’t work, I have listed some affiliates here – https://fund-rise.live/2013/04/how-to-make-money-blogging.html%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Congrats on the awesome year! I really enjoy reading your blog and appreciate all of your helpful tips. Can’t wait to read the eBook!
Thank you!
Nice work Michelle! December was a good month for me, but I took the last two weeks of the month off and tried to relax. I’m working on growing my technical management service that I provide and it seems to be growing well. It’s something I really enjoy. I have all but stopped staff writing as I want to focus on affiliate more!
That is awesome Grayson! I think your technical management service is a great service. Glad to be one of your clients.
Thank you Michelle! Glad to have you as a client.