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$15,272 in September Online Income – Outsourcing and Passive Income

Last Updated: BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 120 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 $15,272 in blogging and working from home. This is a helpful list!Welcome to September’s online income report. It’s time to look at my monthly income report and track my progress over the past month.

Background information on my monthly income reports.

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 of the income I made except for what I made at 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 many ways I make an income each month.

I publicly post my income reports for several reasons:

The reason why I started side hustling in the first place is because I was reading other bloggers’ income reports and they had me interested and motivated in making extra money. There are several bloggers who publish income reports, and I love reading all of them. Since I love reading them, I figure others do as well.

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 only way to really increase your income was through your day job through raises and promotions. If it weren’t for others publishing their monthly income reports each month, I don’t know if I would have 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 and see where I am slacking.

I know I say this every month, but it is the truth. Life is 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.

It’s also been almost ONE YEAR since my last day at my day job. I will have a post going live about that within the next few days. It’s been amazing to be able to make money online from home.

Now onto my income report!

 

How was my online income in September?

September was my BEST INCOME MONTH YET. I was finally able to crack the $15,000 income mark.

I have been working hard, but I also have been outsourcing more so that I can enjoy life outside of work.

I hired my sister for more recurring monthly tasks in the past few months. It makes life a little easier on me, and she’s able to make money online from home all just using her laptop. I plan on giving her some more work as well and she plans on slowly increasing her workload.

One day, I would like to outsource even more. I know my time could be better spent, but I still find it hard to outsource at this point because I feel like I still have a decent amount of time on my hands.

It’s still hard for me to get out of the mindset of working a lot. For years I was working 100 hours per week with no breaks or days off, so working 50 hours a week almost makes me feel guilty and like I could be doing more.

So, my plan is to start outsourcing more of the smaller tasks that really do not need me so that I can still enjoy life and focus instead on areas in which I actually need to.

Anyway, in September of 2014 I made $16,621.63 in business income, before expenses.

 

Learn how to make extra money today with my monthly online income reports.

This is for the month of September and before fees and expenses (most fees and expenses that lower the amount above total around $1,350, 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 $15,272. 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.

Below are some of my other extra income updates (I publish an update every month but only included some of them below. If you go to my extra income page then you can read them all):

Blog News.

One big thing happened last month, and it was me taking part in a live segment with Huffington Post about how we bought a home when we were just 20 years old. It was a lot of fun, and it was a really good learning experience. You can watch my awkwardness here.

I was really nervous about doing this. I mean OVERLY nervous.

I debated whether or not I should even do it. I talked to a few bloggers, and Cat from Budget Blonde is really the one who motivated me to say yes. She’s been on HuffPostLive before and she said it was a great experience, so I took the opportunity and loved it.

That doesn’t mean I stopped freaking out though. I know it’s not a huge deal, but to me it was. It was live and recorded, so I was afraid of sounding like a complete idiot.

It all went well though!

I also attended FinCon last month, and it was a great time. It was a great networking opportunity, and I already bought my ticket for next year.

If you are wanting to start a blog of your own, read my post How To Start a WordPress Blog. It gives step by step instructions on starting your own blog.

 

We finally created Wes’s website.

I finally created Wes’s website and we are very excited about it. He already has a few posts ready and we plan on publishing them soon. One day I promise I will share the blog with you, but we want to wait until we are a little more ready and have something great to share.

Oh yeah, everyone keeps asking – his blog is not related to personal finance in any way. His blog will be more of a hobby blog in that he just wants to share some of the things he’s done and tasks he hopes to accomplish.

Okay, I’ll just tell you – his blog will be related to hiking, trails, biking, camping, climbing, and everything outdoorsy.

 

Working on the road.

In September, we traveled to Colorado and New Orleans. It was fun working on the road (yes, it is slightly different from making money online from home), but I do need to work on getting my work done even further in advance so that I can enjoy our trips a little more.

We are still interested in getting a travel trailer but the ones we like are incredibly expensive. I just don’t know if we’re ready to add such a huge expense to our lives. We found some for $5,000, and then some amazing ones for $400,000. The $400,000 one will definitely never happen but they sure are pretty to look at 🙂

 

My plans for my website and my online income:

  • Start an eBook. -I actually have jotted down a few ideas for a few different ebooks, and even started outlining one. I’m not sure when or if anything will actually happen with either one, but it is fun to think about. Being a published author one day would be a dream!
  • Promote more. – I have been getting better at promoting my posts. I have noticed that working on improving my images has led to more clicks from Pinterest, which is awesome!
  • Accept more interviews. – I had several interviews and mentions that took place September. I’m still taking advantage of using HARO and accepting more interviews.

 

Staff Writing.

Staff writing has been going well. I gained one new client last month. If you are looking for a staff writer, please contact me. I’m still looking to take on a few more clients as I only have a few staff writing clients right now.

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.

 

Update On My Blog and Social Media Management Services.

In the month of September, I managed a few different websites for other owners. I’m still loving it and it’s an area that I hope to continue to grow.

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, read the articles below:

 

Affiliate income – What a slooooooow process.

Affiliate income is still stuck, but I am hoping to change that. I still don’t want to be pushy when it comes to affiliate offers, so I am trying to think of other ideas in order to not transform this blog into one big affiliate advertisement.

Instead, I am trying something new on my blog that I haven’t really tried yet. Instead of just reviewing specific programs in every single affiliate post, every now and then I am going to discuss a topic, and then include a review at the end in case anyone needs further help.

I did this with my post the other day How Your Credit Score Affects Your Life + Credit Sesame Review and I hope it’s an idea that works.

$15,272 in September Income - Make Money Online

Business and Extra Income in September ($15,272, after most expenses)

  • Staff writing – $900
  • Managing websites and social media for clients – $7,075
  • Website-Related (From the 6 websites I own – advertising, partnerships & Adsense) – $6,767
  • Affiliate Income – $530
  • 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 expenses, but before taxes)

  • Total extra income for September: $15,272
  • Income in August: $14,156
  • Difference: +1,116
  • Total in 2014: $121,586

 

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

Why do you work towards making extra money?

 

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. Nicola says

    Well done for cracking the $15k mark and having your best month ever! You really are doing so well and these posts are such an inspiration 🙂

    Reply

  2. Briana says

    Great month Michelle! This has me itching to getting back to side hustling. I’m slowly but surely getting back to writing, but maybe I should consider expanding my services. But like you said, you have to cover things that employers typically take care of. Was that part of your income goal before you quit your job?

    Reply

  3. Sarah says

    That is incredible! You are defiantly my motivation for not giving up on trying to make money from home. I know you said your ebooks are in the very beginning stages, but I am already waiting in line for them (figuratively speaking, of course).

    Reply

  6. Jack Gamble says

    Hey Michelle,

    That’s a solid figure you’ve made last month! As you kinda mentioned though, much of it relies on your time, and this as you rightly identified, is what you should be working on changing.

    Creating your own digital products is the obvious solution to this, but they’re a harder sell than offering services like you do. How are your marketing skills?

    I would be inclined (if I was in your position) to opt for creating an online course instead of an ebook. Sure, an ebook is easier to create, but it’s getting increasingly difficult to persuade people that they should spend more than a few dollars on them, regardless of the content. An online course which contains video, audio and text content too, has a much higher perceived value, especially if you lock it into a membership site. You can build scarcity around the course too by saying during your marketing “only X membership subscriptions left for this month”, and that kind of thing can ramp sales up significantly.

    Bonus tip: if you create a course as described above, you can upload it to udemy.com for extra sales. There’s a big audience over there and some people are making big $$$ with that place as their only income stream.

    Just some ideas 🙂

    Reply

  7. MMD says

    Awesome work! But is there a way to break down that $7,075 in blogging services figure further? I’m stumped every month as to how you are able to do this.

    Reply

    • Michelle S. says

      Hmmm… I’m not sure how I could. What would you like to see?

      The clients for those are all signed up for website management and social media management, and a small percentage is from consulting.

      Reply

      • MMD says

        That’s where it’s a mystery to me. Let’s say you charge $35 per hour. That would mean that 200 hours were spent on this activity. To me, that’s a lot of blog management and social media. Either that or you have a lot of clients. I’m just curious.

        Reply

        • Michelle S. says

          Hey MMD!

          I don’t charge per hour for my social media and blog management clients. The social media management is a flat fee, and the blog management is on a percentage basis. The blog management is what helps me increase my income because if the blog has a good month, then I have a good month.

          My consulting is on an hourly basis though.

          Reply

  9. Mrs. Pop @ Planting Our Pennies says

    Well done Michelle – looking forward to checking out Wes’ website when you share it, too! I know he’s planning it as a hobby, but do you think you’ll help him make a business out of it, as well so you can both be pretty location independent with your work?

    Reply

  11. Kemkem says

    Another fantastic month! Congratulations on cracking that milestone. You are such an inspiration to loads of people, good luck with the e-books and how cool that you’re able to bring in your sister as well! 🙂

    Reply

  18. Michelle says

    Awesome job Michelle! The next time you two come to Colorado you should go to Hanging Lake-it’s GORGEOUS. Hanging Lake is at the top of a 1,000 foot vertical climb and it’s basically a mystical tiny lake located at the top of the climb. Then you can go to Glenwood Hot Springs and soak.

    Reply

    • Michelle S. says

      Yes, Hanging Lake is definitely something I want to do one day. We were going to on the last trip but realized they don’t allow dogs there and the hotel we were staying at didn’t allow you to leave your dogs in the room 🙁

      Reply

  20. Alicia says

    Goodness, you are kicking butt! I hope you have yourself incorporated? Here in Canada you can then pay yourself dividends so that your taxes are lower – it might be different in the US.

    Reply

  21. Katie says

    You are amazing! And very inspiring. Lately, I’ve been in a rut with my feelings towards my job. I think the hardest part is getting started. Any tips or suggestions? I’ve read a couple of your articles regarding “how-to’s”, is this the best place to start?

    Reply

  22. Bridget says

    I’m just waiting for the day when you’re like, “oh this month we made $73,458.14 in online income”

    It’s probably next month.

    hahahaha great job Michelle!!

    Reply

  25. Karen Martínez P. says

    Hey Michelle!

    Congrats 😀 it’s so exciting you achieved your goal. It inspires me to keep working haha (I’m not even close to that number yet)

    I also think it’s great Wes decided to start his own blog! Have you considered starting a blog together? I’ve seen some bloggers do it and I think it’s nice 🙂

    Great post, as usual!

    Reply

  27. Bex Smith says

    As usual, I love these posts. You are so inspiring! I am nowhere near earning what you do but am planning to add these monthly posts to my blog to make myself accountable and motivate myself to do more – last month was quite a bad month as I completely lost my blogging mojo for all of my blogs.

    Next milestone – $20,000. I know you can do it 🙂

    Reply

  28. Charlotte says

    Ahhh congrats, Michelle! I love these posts, they really are so inspiring. Reaching the $15k/month milestone is major and you look great in your HuffPost segment! Keep up the great work 🙂

    Reply

  29. DC @ Young Adult Money says

    Congrats Michelle! I still hope one day you decide to break out that number further. I appreciate you sharing your income and enjoy the posts (though sometimes I get frustrated at my own plateauing on the side hustle front), but if you broke it out further such as ($5,000 – freelance writing & blog management; $5,000 – affiliate income from owned websites, $5,000 – ad deals other than affiliate income) it would be much more valuable for those of us who are hoping to reach that level someday. Just an idea 😉

    Reply

    • Michelle S. says

      Hey!

      Maybe one day. I do already have my freelance writing and blog management amounts separated. And I do have my advertising separated from my affiliate income amounts as well. Is that what you are asking?

      Reply

  31. Brian @ Debt Discipline says

    Great video and great month Michelle! The breakout would be helpful if you are willing to share. I see a number of bloggers state they managing websites and social media for others, but what does that entail?

    Thanks,
    Brian

    Reply

  33. Myles Money says

    Almost $14k from running your own websites and clients’ sites? Outstanding! I’ve spoken to several bloggers recently who are posting some huge numbers and I want to know more: what a fantastic opportunity to be financially independent.

    Reply

  34. Erin @ Journey to Saving says

    Awesome job! You were great on the HuffPostLive show; I don’t think you have any reasons to be nervous about speaking, but I can’t say I’m overly fond of it, either. A blog about hiking and outdoorsy stuff sounds great! Might as well combine your love for that and traveling into a blog like that. I think it’s worth going for the ebook. You have so much to say, and I know you could do it well. Being a published author doesn’t just have to be a dream. =)

    Reply

  35. Sarah says

    Wow!!! You are SUCH an inspiration!! I just found your blog recently and actually just started my own last week! I’ve been freelance writing and editing for over two years now and love being able to take care of my daughters (ages 2 and 1) and work from home!! I don’t bring in near your income yet, but I’m using you as an inspiration to work harder!! Keep it up! 🙂

    Reply

  37. Katelyn @ Diaries of a Wandering Lobster says

    You are awesome and I love the fact you share your monthly income! It’s an inspiration for most of us just starting out in the freelance world. I totally think you can write a “real” book and be successful. I haven’t seen many personal finanace books for the millienial generation at the bookstore. Hint, hint. 🙂

    Reply

  38. Kim says

    Thanks for sharing. It’s a real motivation tool for those looking to get out of the 9-5. Our next goal is to buy another rental property. I am never going to be an online mogul, but we might just do OK if we can keep adding to our real estate portfolio.

    Reply

  39. Andy | Income by Example says

    Congrats Michelle! I still think you should write that ebook! It’s a great way to get some passive income flowing and it’s not too hard to do. Just make the content epic which I think you would do!

    Reply

  40. Jesselle says

    This is a very informative and realistic article! Though the figures are nerve-wrecking. 😀 It really emphasizes the truth when it comes to monetary issue. Well done Michelle!

    Reply

  41. Calin says

    What a great month! $15,000 per month… now that’s something that many of the internet “gurus” don’t manage to make per month! And going for passive income and outsourcing… that’s the true key for success, as it allows you to grow the business even more. Pretty soon, it will be an empire. Congrats again and good luck in the future!

    Reply

  43. Jayson @ Monster Piggy Bank says

    Wow. I envy you Michelle and motivated to do the same thing! You are an inspirational for many others and for cracking the 15K mark. When would I experience that as if it is the best month ever? I wonder. Keep up the good work!

    Reply

  46. Mike says

    Congrats on the milestone!

    You didn’t seem overly nervous.

    I would get a roommate, it’s the easiest income you’ll make, but then again I see you’re doing just okay without one.

    Reply

  47. Thomas Chappell says

    This is the first time I have come across all the information you have share. You have inspired me to try to get back to my blog. I really need someone to help guild me through making connections and what to to start making money. I am a stay at home dad and it can be quite stressful not being able to help with bills or being able to have my own money to buy stuff for the kids birthdays or holidays.

    I think I have the site off to a pretty good start just not sure on the next steps to make. After reading this I am definitely in need of getting my butt in blogging mode.

    Reply

    • Nichole says

      What you’ve done sounds so incredible. I just started a new blog & would really love to get some tips from such an accomplished blogger such as yourself. I am a single mom & need to make money to afford rent! Aloha

      Reply

  51. Karen Bainbridge says

    Congratulations Michelle on reaching 15k+ hope you keep reaching higher amounts monthly, you are an inspiration to us all! If only I could quit my regular job! But I like the steady paycheque and am a little chicken but way to go Michelle, who knows maybe one of these days I to can take that leap..

    Reply

  56. Gina Horkey says

    This is amazing, you go girl! This is my first time visiting your blog (saw the link in the Careful Cents newsletter) and I’m inspired!

    I’m about to take the leap into FT freelancing (after the 1st of the year) and currently am side hustling to prepare.

    Would love to connect with you further about how to monetize one of the blogs I co-founded (www.youngwidowliving.com) if you’re so inclined!

    Reply

  57. Lena @ WhatMommyDoes says

    What an encouraging snapshot! Thanks for breaking down the different buckets of income. I like seeing how different bloggers diversify because everyone is so different. I love getting ideas from others!

    Reply

  58. Teresa says

    I am so glad I stumbled onto your website. I am just getting started on my blog. Your website is a big encouragement for me. I have felt stressed out about getting my blog up and running on WordPress.org and I feel like I can get going with the directions you have provided. Starting a blog is a dream I have had for several years. Again, thank sharing the information and congratulations on increasing your income.

    Reply

  59. Andres says

    Love how much information you provide about your income 🙂 great to see the potential in self employment! Do you mind me asking what your personal websites are?

    Reply

  60. Tarence Wade says

    Glad you are enjoying your well deserved break and liking the Impressive stats for your passive income. I really must start doing some of this stuff myself. Well done!

    Reply

  62. Jackie says

    What a great month here! I wonder how much you earned after September! Surely they had dramatically increased! This is what I love most about passive income earning!

    Reply

  63. Richard says

    I don’t have any clue about blogging but I’m happy for your success and I’m motivated to be just like you someday. I’m being patient and I want my blog to grow into a thriving business. Nice post.

    Reply

  64. Shalaria LeNoir says

    You’re so inspiring!! I literally almost choked on my lunch when you disclosed your earnings!

    I also love the you encourage bloggers to create anything they want instead of telling them to stick with a single topic. You’re a breath of fresh air!

    Thank you so much!

    Reply

  65. DNN says

    You hit 5 figures monthly in just 3 years after launching your side hustle blog. Then became a [side hustle millionaire] less than 5 years. That’s awesome Michelle. I’m about to graduate to the elite freshman wealth class momentarily too. “Side hustle millionaire” mind is working at full strength! 🙂

    Reply

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