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$14,156 in August Business Income

Last Updated: BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 114 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Find out how I made $14,156 in August from blogging. This is a great list!Hello everyone! Welcome to August’s business income (and a little bit of extra income) report. It’s time to look at my monthly income report and track my progress over the past month.

Background information:

This all started out as my “extra income” report because before October of 2013, I still had my day job. In those extra income reports, I included all the income I made except for my day job.

In September of 2013, I turned in my notice at my day job as a financial analyst, and my last official day at that job was in October of 2013. Now, my income reports consist of the main way I make an income each month, which is through my freelancing business.

Some think I’m crazy for publishing my income report each month and being so public about the whole thing. I even received some flack recently from someone who sent me an email telling me I’m crazy! However, I don’t think I’m crazy (well, I hope I’m not). I publish my income reports each month for many reasons.

The main reason why I started side hustling is because I was reading other bloggers’ monthly income reports and they had me interested and motivated in making extra money. Now, it seems like there are several bloggers out there who publish their income reports, and I love reading all of them. I read income reports from Smart Passive Income, Retire By 40, Matthew Woodward, and more.

Before I started blogging, I knew nothing about side hustling and making money online. I didn’t think side hustles were worth the time, and I thought the main way to increase your income was through your day job. I believed the only way I could make money money was through raises and promotions.

Oh, was I wrong!

If it weren’t for others publishing their monthly online income reports each month, I don’t know if I would have even ever attempted side hustling.

Also, I like to publish my income reports each month because it’s a way for me to look back, learn from my mistakes and see what I need to change or improve the following month. Just sitting here and typing up this month’s income report is a great way to keep track of my business goals. It also gives me motivation because if I can see that nothing has changed in a few months I know what I need to start working on.

I know I say this every month, but it is the truth. Life is just so great now that I am doing what I want to do. I look forward to each and every day and it is a wonderful thing.

 

How was August?

August was another great income month, and it was my second best month after expenses. I did think August would be slightly better, only because I feel like I’ve been working a lot of 16 hour days lately. It was still a great month, and I hope it pays off in future months.

I have a lot of plans and I feel like I’ve been all over the place lately.

One area I need to work on is better time management and finding more time to enjoy myself. Instead, I usually feel like whenever I spend time doing something else, that I actually should have been working.

UGH! But that’s the life of someone who works from home. It’s hard to stop working.

That’s really the only downside of working form home though. Everything else is very positive and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

 

In August of 2014, I made $15,051 in business income, before expenses.

 

August Business Report

This is for the month of August and before fees and expenses (fees and expenses that lower the amount above total around $895, which includes VAs/staff writers for my other websites, technical assistance on my websites, PayPal fees, etc.) being taken out.

After expenses and fees, I made approximately $14,156. In the amount above, I do not include the amount I bring in to the websites I provide services to. I only include the amounts that are my actual earnings from my services. So, if a website I manage makes an income of $3,000, I only include my payment for my services- not the full $3,000.

To read my posts about extra income, click here. Below are my other extra income updates:

 

I love self-employment, but this is still a job, a career, and a business.

One thing I have to remind others is that my freelancing business is still a job. I spend many hours every day, every week, and every month on my business.

This is not passive income, although one day I hope that much of my income is passive.

Taxes also take approximately 30% of my extra income. I also have to provide for my own retirement, health insurance, vacation time, and more. This is something not everyone thinks about.

This is my full-time job, and for a few years I was working my full-time job while having my business as well. There were many sleepless nights! I was a major workaholic, but thankfully it all paid off and worked out for me in the end.

You can find my 2014 goals update here.

As always, if you have any questions about my monthly business income you would like me to include next month, please leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

 

Blog News.

I don’t have anything groundbreaking to share on Making Sense of Cents. I finally made my Instagram public, so if you want to follow me, click here!

One thing related to blogging I am excited for is FinCon though!

FinCon is this month and the conference is in New Orleans this year. We went to New Orleans last year and had a lot of fun. Wes is coming with me as well, but he won’t be coming to the actual conference.

I’m excited to see everyone again from last year and to meet bloggers I haven’t met yet. FinCon is also great because there are a lot of great sessions so I can improve my blogging skills.

Are you going to FinCon?

If you are looking to start a blog, don’t forget to read my post How To Start a WordPress Blog. It gives step by step instructions on starting your own blog. Also, read How To Make Money Blogging.

 

We’re in the process of creating a blog for Wes.

We are still in the beginning stages of creating his blog, but we are chugging along. He has created a list of post ideas, he has written a few already, and we bought a domain name. Other than that though, we haven’t done much.

We are hoping to have his blog ready soon and hopefully start publishing some posts. His blog is not personal finance related in any way, but that’s all I’ll be sharing for now 🙂

 

Working on the road.

I went on one trip in August, and that was to Colorado again. We still love the idea of living there, but we plan on visiting a few more times before we start to look for homes. We want to be sure with our decision because selling a home honestly gives me nightmares. I don’t even want to think about selling the one we already have. If you haven’t noticed yet, I get stressed easily haha!

We are still thinking about getting a travel trailer so we can travel more. That will most likely wait until 2015 though so that we can save more money for it.

Working on the road has still been great. There has only been one bump in the plan so far, and you can read about that in Monday’s post When Being Cheap Backfires – My Hotel Mistake.

 

My plans for my website and my business:

  1. Start an eBook. – I haven’t done much for a future eBook yet. This is on hold for now.
  2. Build my brand. – This is still slowly happening.
  3. Promote more. – I have been getting better at promoting, but I would really like to work on this more. I have noticed that working on improving the images I use has led to more clicks from Pinterest, which is good! I received a little over 4,000 clicks from Pinterest last month which is my best ever.
  4. Accept more interviews. – I had five interviews in August. I’m still taking advantage of using HARO and accepting interviews.

 

Staff Writing.

Staff writing was slightly better in August. I am in the process of securing a new client and I am hoping to get it. I still have not actively searched for any new clients though, and that is something I would like to change.

 

What should I do to find more staff writing or virtual assistant jobs? 

This is now a permanent feature in my monthly business income posts because it is such a popular question every month.

There are two main ways for you to find staff writing and/or virtual assistant jobs – either they find you or you find them.

A client finding you can be more difficult, as there is nothing really too active that you can do to speed up the process. So, if you want another job sooner rather than later, then you should go out there and try to find a new staff writing or virtual assistant position yourself.

If you are wanting new clients to find you, then there are actions you can take. Usually website owners find me through my Contact/Hire Me tab above, and this is something that I think all bloggers should have on their website. Start one now! That is my number one tip! No one can hire you if they don’t even know that you are looking for a freelancing job.

You also might want to post in related forums. There are online job forums out there, you just have to search for them. You need to let your services be known and possibly even ask others to spread the word.

Here’s my monthly shameless plugin: If any of you need a staff writer or just a one-time content writer, please let me know. Whether you need a couple of articles every week, or just a single post with no ongoing relationship, I am your person. I can write regular content and be hired as a staff writer, content to fill in gaps in your writing schedule, content for advertising and so on. My turnaround time is quick and I am reliable.

I created the article titled Do You Want to Be a Freelance Writer, so please read further about this topic if you are interested in staff writing as a way to make money online.

 

Buying websites.

I have bought two websites and built four. That means I have a total of 6 websites I own myself.

I also manage a handful of other websites. I am thinking about adding a few more websites to my portfolio so I can grow them and hopefully one day make an income from them. If you have a website for sale, feel free to shoot me an email because I may be in the market again soon.

Do you plan on buying websites in the future? Why or why not?

 

Update On My Blog and Social Media Management Services.

In the month of August, I managed a few different websites for other owners. They all went well, and website/social media management is a service I enjoy providing.

For some, I completely manage the website (everything from e-mails to fixing old articles) and I try to make money for the original website owner through advertising and affiliate income, and then I forward their share of what their website made. I am in complete control of these websites, and the blog owner sits back and enjoys some passive income.

For others, I manage just a few aspects. I might help them answer emails, monitor their website to make sure nothing happens, or I handle their social media.

Pricing is on an individual basis because no two websites/blogs are alike. If you are interested, send me an email and I would love to help you out. If you are interested in the different services I provide, you can find them here.

If you are interested in being a virtual assistant, I recommend you read this past article of mine. Don’t forget to also read about what exactly a virtual assistant does.

 

Affiliate income – Still slow.

I am starting to get more and more into affiliate income, but it has been a very slow process. I am afraid to review too many programs because I don’t want this blog to turn into one large advertisement where all I’m doing is pushing products onto my readers. I want a healthy balance.

Would one review each week be too much? What would you like to see? 

$14,156 in August Business Income

Note: I did not start tracking my business income in November of 2012. The chart can only be so big until it is overwhelming, so I cut some of the earlier months out.

Business and Extra Income in August ($14,156, after most expenses)

  • Staff writing – $965
  • Managing websites and social media for clients – $6,498
  • Website-Related (From all 6 of the websites I own – advertising, partnerships & Adsense) – $6,240
  • Affiliate Income – $415
  • Selling Items From Our Home – $38 (I sold some clothes!)
  • 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 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.

I know some of you are waiting for me to break it apart down to the very exact amount from the very exact source, but I do like to keep it private for now because I do need to protect the income that I am making since this is my livelihood.

Also, most of the 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.

 

Anyway, Website related income includes all of my websites I own. So, if I provide social media management or blog management for someone, that amount gets put into the “Managing websites and social media for clients” income instead and not in the “Website related income” category.

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 that an employer would normally provide.

 

Comparisons and 2014 Business Income total (after expenses, but before taxes)

  • Total extra income for August: $14,156
  • Income in July: $14,937
  • Difference: -781
  • Total in 2014: $106,314

How did you do in August? What are your extra/business income goals?

 

 

Related Posts

About Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Michelle is the founder of Making Sense of Cents, a blog about personal finance and traveling. She discusses how her business has evolved in her side income series. She paid off $40,000 in student loans by the age of 24 mainly due to her freelancing side hustles. Click here to learn more about starting a blog!

Comments

  1. Ricky Willis says

    Another brilliant income report! You’re smashing it! I’m still contemplating whether I should start doing income reports on Skint Dad but I’m unsure. Apart from Matt Woodward, there are not many bloggers who do it in the UK so it could be popular.

    I really wish I was going to Fincon14 but funds don’t allow it this year. I found out yesterday I’ve been shortlisted for a Plutus which is really exciting!

    I’m sure you will have an amazing time and good luck with the Plutus catergories you’re in. It would be well deserved if you pick up an award!

    Reply

  2. Jayson @ Monster Piggy Bank says

    I envy you because you’ve monitored your business income since 2012. I hope I can do it also for my savings in monthly basis. I have data for three consecutive months, which I think is a good start. You are very detailed oriented person.

    Reply

  3. Mrs. Frugalwoods says

    Congrats on another great month, Michelle! I’m so impressed by the diversity of your income streams. Just curious–do you work from your home all the time or do you ever go to an office/desk share spot? P.S. Congrats again on your Plutus Award finalist nominations!

    Reply

      • Leslie Beslie says

        You could also put it in a category like “Sponsored Post” then configure Word Press to never put that category on the main page, and to never send posts in that category to your rss feed. (I did that for my drawings)

        Reply

        • Michelle S. says

          Interesting. That would be a good way to get more affiliate type posts out there. I really need to work on my SEO skills then (I suck) so that search engine visitors can find the post and click on the affiliate links.

          Reply

  5. Gretchen says

    Congratulations on another great month! Your diversification get broader each month and I love reading about it! I’m thinking about doing income reports as well (since I finally have some – LOL) and will probably model them after yours. Love the detail!

    Reply

  6. Charlotte says

    Woohoo!!!! Congrats on your highest month yet! I’m impressed you managed to earn so much especially if you were on a road trip to Colorado. Definitely makes those crazy 16 hour days worth it 🙂 Keep up the great work, Michelle! It’s very inspiring & motivating to see these numbers.

    Reply

  7. Kirsten says

    Thank you for taking the time to do such a thorough post. I’m hoping to be able to stay home in 5-6 months by doing freelance and VA work, plus teaching a few exercise classes a week. The figure I need per month really is small potatoes compared to what you make each month. Of course I balance that out with the knowledge that you’ve been at this for a while and have way more work than I could handle as a work from home mommy, but it still seems to put things within my reach.

    I hope you enjoy FinCon – I hope to be there next year 🙂

    Reply

    • Michelle S. says

      Thanks Kristen! You can do it! It’s hard work (and definitely much harder as a mom), but I’m sure you will get there. I used to tell myself the same – that I wouldn’t be able to… 🙂

      Yes, you must go to FinCon next year!

      Reply

  8. Taylor Lee says

    Super impressive! You seem to have a very diverse range of income streams coming in related to the blog, and I find that to be amazing you can juggle so many projects at once.

    My business/side hustle goals are still in their early phases– getting readers, monetizing, etc. I’ve definitely made no income in the past month nor do I expect to next month from the blog, but slow and steady I go.

    Reply

  9. Alicia says

    Every time you post these updates, I am absolutely floored on what you’re able to bring in in one month 🙂 I’m sorry you no longer have your sister’s rent money, but you’re still doing awesome!

    I agree with NicoleandMaggie – if you do start going sponsored posts that are a little “iffy”, just push them back a day so they’re not the first in the list. Alternatively, just use affiliate income links as you see fit, rather than taking the posts (that’s my preference) 🙂

    Reply

  10. Robin says

    I personally think it’s awesome that you post these reports. You killed it in side income, then turned it into a primary income. You should be very proud of what you’ve turned it into and others can be motivated by your reports. I know I am!

    Reply

  14. MomCents says

    Great job! I love your breakdowns because they not only include the financial portion but the hours you pour into it.

    You asked if we (the readers) would take a job as a staff writer — for me, the answer is YES. I reached out to one site, and hopefully I’ll hear from them when they are ready to bring someone new on board. In the past, I’ve been a staff writer (years ago) and sites reached out to me.

    Seems like you’ve found a solid niche in website/social media management!

    As always, thanks for sharing and motivating!

    Reply

  19. Trish F says

    Wow! Who knew running a blog could be so lucrative. You go girl! Sounds like your doing just fine. Don’t work yourself to death though, make some “me” time occasionally and thanks for sharing to all of us. You are truly an inspiration.

    Reply

  20. Tish says

    Tracking the income really helps! I thought that I was stagnating only to see that I am making improvements in key areas. As long as I am hitting my goals then I am ok with that.
    Congrats on another great month and good luck with the house shopping!

    Reply

  22. Sky says

    I love reading income reports. They provide a ton of inspiration. I love seeing how others make money and it makes me consider things I probably would not otherwise think of as viable income sources.

    Depending on what you are reviewing, one review a week may be too much – however if you vary the products and are doing it with products your readers would actually be interested in, it may be just enough.

    Reply

  23. Erin @ Journey to Saving says

    Woohoo, awesome as always! It’s interesting that Pinterest clicks are up with re-formatting your pictures. I only recently started on there, as I figured it was worth a try. Good to know! I think it’s great you’re helping Wes with a blog. I’d love to work on a blog jointly with my boyfriend, but he’s a horrible writer =).

    Reply

  24. Jen @ Save to Splurge says

    Congrats on an amazing month, Michelle! I’m a new reader of yours and just started my own blog this week! I love your posts. They keep me motivated!

    Reply

  26. Nicola says

    Another great month for you! I love reading these posts as they’re inspiring. Looking forward to see what Wes’ blog is 🙂 and I wish I was going to FinCon! Maybe one day 🙂

    Reply

  27. Leslie Beslie says

    Great to hear you’re doing well on Pinterest! Reading “4,000 clicks” doesn’t mean much out of context. What percentage of your monthly sessions were referred from Pinterest? That would be an interesting stat to know! Mine was 18% in August but I don’t put in any effort to make my posts pinterest-friendly. Maybe sometime in the future.

    Reply

  28. Chelsea says

    Another incredible month, you are so inspiring as always!! I’d love to know more about buying/selling websites and what kind of sites to buy to make money from.

    Reply

  30. Mel @ brokeGIRLrich says

    Michelle, you are definitely a freelance blogging inspiration! I love reading your updates, although they seem so far from reality to me, it’s ridiculous 😛

    I love Colorado too and it would be my favorite place in America to live. Maybe someday…

    Reply

  34. Andrew @ Budgetopolis says

    I was reading another blog where they choose not to share the income they make. They were asking if people were ok with that.

    I can understand the privacy issues and wanting to stay private, especially with your income figures.

    However, I am SO glad you shared your monthly income information. You were the primary inspiration for me beginning my blog last month. Sure, the Sandeen’s, the John Chow’s, they make MEGA-money. However, when I first started looking at blogging for income, when I saw their sites, I thought it was “too good to be true”… “that kind of lifestyle from blogging?!”

    Your site was realistic, in large part, because your archives showed your humble beginnings. I could see the progression of income and business growing each month. You were “more believable” and more relatable. Thank you for being willing to share openly. You inspired me to begin.

    Reply

      • Andrew @ Budgetopolis says

        “I bet you had a lot of fun reading my embarrassing posts from the beginning LOL!”

        🙂 Who… me?! 🙂

        I’m sure I will be able to look back in a year and see my progression in writing skills (and hopefully, in income!) Anyway, keep up the great work, and keep sharing about the money. I like having guidebook to follow. 🙂

        Reply

  35. Dan @ Our Big Fat Wallet says

    Wow, every month the income just gets higher, congrats! It’s been fun following your journey and it must be even more satisfying to know that you’ve done it on your own and don’t have a day job to rely on like most. I’m curious to know what the topic of Wes’ blog will be?

    Reply

  37. DC @ Young Adult Money says

    Wow six websites! I have enough trouble with two. I may start working on a third one with some other people (they already have it built, I would just be looking to optimize it and contribute content). Side hustles are fun but draining.

    Reply

  38. M.Clark says

    I see nothing wrong with you publishing your monthly income. We can see that there is a definite progression and you are increasing your monthly income, congratulations.

    Reply

  39. lyle @ the Joy of Simple says

    Wow Michelle. Truly inspiring and so well deserved given all the work you do. You are so right that even though you are self employed, you need to work a little harder to keep things going. And you obviously do!

    Way to go.

    Take care and all the best.

    Lyle

    Reply

  40. Melissa @ Sunburnt Saver says

    $106k and that’s only up to August?! Girlllll if I didn’t know you, I would think you were kidding! Just kidding, I know you’re not. Can I just mention once again what an inspiration you are?! You need to start a consulting service, stat 🙂

    Still really excited for your Colorado move, whenever it will be. It’s an amazing state!

    Reply

  41. Brad @ How To Save Money says

    Wow! I am so very impressed by your results. You continue to be an insipration to me. Keep up the great work.

    Reply

  42. Myles Moneyou says

    Wow! It sounds like you work *really* hard, but you seem to love what you do and clearly it’s paying off. What are your other sites? Are they related or different fields?

    Reply

  45. Sahil Arora says

    As I have seen this is your second highest income, the highest one was in previous month. I would only like to say Good Luck to you for future and may you earn more income. 🙂 Stay blessed!!

    Reply

  48. Kipp says

    That is a very detailed report Michelle, wow on the 6 figure self employment income, good job! I would almost say with that income you should plan on higher taxes… probably all new income will be at the 40% range (15.3% FICA and 25% Federal, plus State… if you have a state tax). Just don’t want that to hit you like a ton of bricks.

    Good comments on the freelancing stuff. I may consider it in the future, I am just slowly working up on building my blog. It is still a baby really being less than 2 months old.

    Reply

  49. James Salmons says

    Congratulations all around. You have a lot to be proud of and I hope your life continues to get better in every area. You are certainly inspiring a lot of people.

    I am impressed that you have only 6 domains in total. I confess that I have about 25 registered although I do have only a half dozen hosted. The last is a site on garden tool maintenance. I was asked to teach a class on that not long ago. I had all that material gathered so there you go. I keep finding topics that are personally interesting but I know I can never get around to developing them all. Staying focused is a challenge even though I do keep most of my time on my financial site.

    What I find helpful about your monthly reports is not so much how you are personally making money although that helps understanding opportunities, but how you share your thinking. You can learn a lot from seeing how people think and adjust their approach when it works out and even when it doesn’t.

    Good Success!

    Reply

  52. Squirrelers says

    Very impressive! Looks like you’re building your own blogging empire with your services and now 6 blogs 🙂 Great stuff, and it’s cool that you share this much detail.

    Reply

  53. Victoria Virgo says

    I am happy that you publish an income report. I find them very inspiring. I also like that we can see the progression from way back when to now.

    I have just published my second income report. I hope that it will help motivate and inspire others that they can also make money doing their own thing.

    Thanks Michelle – Have a great September 🙂

    Reply

  54. Syed says

    Incredible job! I’m starting to get my feet wet with freelancing so it’s great to see how much potential is out there. I don’t ever plan to quit my day job full time so if I could make even one thousand a month every month, that would be life changing. I really appreciate you posting your income reports they’re very motivating.

    Reply

  57. DNN says

    Three years after starting the blog you achieve a $10,000 monthly at “side hustle millionaire” income.this is surely ironclad proof anyone can do this and achieve [side hustle millionaire] status, stay focused with blogging as a side hustle continue the journey of doing the transformation business work. Thank you for all you do Michelle of keeping this motivated and believing we too can achieve this level of success 🙂

    Reply

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