Making Sense Of Cents

Learn how to make extra money, how to save money, how to start a blog, and more.

JOIN OVER 300,000
MONTHLY READERS!
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • Make Money
    • best online jobs
    • passive income ideas
    • paid online surveys
    • How To Make $100 A Day
    • 80 side job ideas
    • More Extra Income Ideas
  • SAVE MONEY
    • Free Amazon Gift Cards
    • 16 Alternatives To Cable TV
    • best rewards credit cards
    • How I Paid Off My $40,000 Student Loans
    • More Money Tips
  • Categories
    • Income Reports
    • How To Save Money
    • Extra Income Ideas
    • Blogging Tips
    • Career Advice
    • College
    • Pay Off Debt
    • Retirement
    • Self-Employment Tips
    • Travel
  • BLOG COURSES
    • AFFILIATE MARKETING COURSE
    • MAKING SENSE OF SPONSORED POSTS
    • HOW TO START A BLOG
  • Contact
    • About
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Recommendations

$13,673 December Income – My Monthly Online Income Report and Annual Wrap Up

Last Updated: January 1, 2023 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 126 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.

65747 shares
  • Facebook26
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

$13,673 December Income – My Monthly Online Income Report

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!

 

December income reportHow 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 I Make Working From Home Work For Me
  • How To Become Financially Stable and Keep The Job You Love
  • Becoming a Work-Life Balancing Master

 

$13,673 December Income – My Monthly Online Income Report

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

 


$13,673 December Income – My Monthly Online Income ReportBlog 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:

  • How To Become a Virtual Assistant
  • What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

 

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.

 December Monthly Online Income Report

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. 

 

How To Start A Blog FREE Email Course

In this free course, I show you how to create a blog easily, from the technical side (it's easy - trust me!) all the way to earning your first income and attracting readers. Join now!

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive regular updates and get access to the free course.

Success!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Powered by ConvertKit

Related Posts

  • 75+ Ways To Make Extra Money75+ Ways To Make Extra Money
  • Living Life To The Fullest Is Something Everyone Should Start DoingLiving Life To The Fullest Is Something Everyone Should Start Doing
  • How To Live On One IncomeHow To Live On One Income
  • 4 Interesting Ways To Make Side Income Including Sleeping and Selling Your Poop4 Interesting Ways To Make Side Income Including Sleeping and Selling Your Poop
  • How To Monetize A Blog: How I Grew A $5 Million BlogHow To Monetize A Blog: How I Grew A $5 Million Blog
  • What Is A Blog, How Do Blogs Make Money, & MoreWhat Is A Blog, How Do Blogs Make Money, & More
65747 shares
  • Facebook26
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

126 Comments
Filed Under: Blog, Business Income, Extra Income Tagged With: Blog, Extra Money, Self-employment

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. Jayson @ Monster Piggy Bank says

    January 5, 2015 at 3:49 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:06 am

      Thank you Jayson 🙂

      Reply
      • Tiara Landers says

        January 17, 2016 at 7:50 pm

        I would love to chat via email as I may need more information.

        Reply
        • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

          January 17, 2016 at 8:09 pm

          You can always send me an email 🙂

          Reply
  2. Kari says

    January 5, 2015 at 4:54 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:11 am

      Thank you! 🙂 How has everything been going for you?

      Reply
  3. Victoria@ The British Berliner says

    January 5, 2015 at 4:57 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Fig @ Figuring Money Out says

      January 5, 2015 at 10:35 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Victoria@ The British Berliner says

        January 5, 2015 at 11:01 am

        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. 🙂

        Reply
        • Michelle S. says

          January 5, 2015 at 11:13 am

          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.

          Reply
          • Victoria@ The British Berliner says

            January 6, 2015 at 3:41 pm

            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!

            Reply
            • Michelle S. says

              January 6, 2015 at 4:02 pm

              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.

              Reply
      • Michelle S. says

        January 5, 2015 at 11:12 am

        Haha yes, that is how I feel!

        Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:12 am

      50 holidays sounds amazing. Totally jealous!

      Reply
      • Victoria@ The British Berliner says

        January 6, 2015 at 3:43 pm

        Thank you. Re your fantastic monetary achievements. Congratulations. You’re a trendsetter that we can all look up to. Incredibly well done. 🙂

        Reply
        • Michelle S. says

          January 6, 2015 at 4:02 pm

          Aww thank you Victoria 🙂

          Reply
  4. MyMoneyDesign says

    January 5, 2015 at 4:58 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:13 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  5. Kemkem says

    January 5, 2015 at 6:18 am

    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? 🙂

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:14 am

      Working ahead is what is really helping me out. That way I can have fun during the day 🙂

      Reply
  6. Thomas @ i need money ASAP! says

    January 5, 2015 at 6:38 am

    Amazing Michelle. Making $163,000 in a year from your own work is something to be incredibly proud of. Congratulations and thanks for sharing! I for one find it quite inspiring. Would you ever consider sharing some more of your traffic stats? I’m interested to learn more about how your trying to drive traffic from Pinterest and other sources.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:15 am

      My biggest referrer right now is Pinterest every single day. I mainly work hard towards creating pinnable images.

      Reply
  7. G says

    January 5, 2015 at 7:04 am

    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!!!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:16 am

      Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  8. Nicola says

    January 5, 2015 at 7:34 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:23 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Michelle S. says

        January 5, 2015 at 11:24 am

        Sorry, meant to say 150,000 page views each month.

        Reply
  9. Sarah says

    January 5, 2015 at 7:36 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:25 am

      Wow posts planned until the end of March is amazing. Good job!

      Reply
  10. Gina Horkey says

    January 5, 2015 at 8:00 am

    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:-)

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:27 am

      Congrats on becoming a full-time webpreneur!

      Reply
  11. Kristin says

    January 5, 2015 at 8:50 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:28 am

      Thanks Kristin!

      Reply
  12. Elroy says

    January 5, 2015 at 8:56 am

    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. 😉

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:30 am

      WOW that is an amazing December income!

      Reply
  13. Amy says

    January 5, 2015 at 10:34 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:30 am

      Sounds like it was a great December for you. Good job Amy!

      Reply
  14. Fig @ Figuring Money Out says

    January 5, 2015 at 10:34 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:31 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Christy says

        February 10, 2015 at 1:45 pm

        I am new to the blogging game and am having trouble finding good affiliate marketing programs. Do you have suggestions?

        Reply
        • Michelle S. says

          February 10, 2015 at 2:01 pm

          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://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2013/04/how-to-make-money-blogging.html

          Reply
  15. Harmony says

    January 5, 2015 at 10:34 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:31 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  16. Grayson @ Debt Roundup says

    January 5, 2015 at 11:12 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 11:32 am

      That is awesome Grayson! I think your technical management service is a great service. Glad to be one of your clients.

      Reply
      • Grayson @ Debt Roundup says

        January 5, 2015 at 11:34 am

        Thank you Michelle! Glad to have you as a client.

        Reply
  17. Michelle S. says

    January 5, 2015 at 11:14 am

    Thank you 🙂

    Reply
  18. Michelle S. says

    January 5, 2015 at 11:20 am

    Thank you Catherine! I hope you are able to meet your saving goals.

    Reply
  19. Michelle S. says

    January 5, 2015 at 11:33 am

    Thank you Jenna!

    Reply
  20. Michelle S. says

    January 5, 2015 at 1:03 pm

    Thank you! I think affiliate income will be amazing for me in 2015. I’m already off to a VERY great start! 🙂

    Reply
  21. Melissa @ Sunburnt Saver says

    January 5, 2015 at 1:18 pm

    Blog coaching?! Is this new?! How did I miss this?? 🙂 I’m so thrilled for you, Michelle! That’s a great income for 2014. You’ll be able to buy a totally cool house in Denver for that amount of money! 🙂

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 1:37 pm

      I’ve been doing blog coaching for a little over a year now, but in the beginning it was mainly just for St. Louis small businesses. I’ve never really been too open about it but I plan on talking about it more soon 🙂

      Reply
  22. Shannon @ Financially Blonde says

    January 5, 2015 at 3:00 pm

    Great month and amazing year Michelle!! It’s hard to make the leap to going into business for yourself; however, when you are motivated and have the drive like you do, your upside is really limitless. Congrats!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 6:51 pm

      Thank you Shannon for the amazingly kind words. Appreciated 🙂

      Reply
  23. Brian @ Debt Discipline says

    January 5, 2015 at 3:00 pm

    Wow, what a month. Congrats! I’m looking to redesign my site in 2015 to increase traffic and hopefully revenue.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:02 pm

      Thanks Brian! And I hope your redesign goes smoothly. Can’t wait to see it.

      Reply
  24. Jason B says

    January 5, 2015 at 3:25 pm

    Congrats on great 2014. I am working on creating more traffic to my website and also making more affiliate sales.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:06 pm

      I hope 2015 is a great year for you!

      Reply
  25. Kim says

    January 5, 2015 at 3:39 pm

    Congrats on a great year. I hope this one is even better.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:19 pm

      Thank you Kim!

      Reply
  26. Anne @ Money Propeller says

    January 5, 2015 at 4:04 pm

    I was going to mention that I am loving your new images. I have been redoing old ones as well, sometimes more than once, to see which ones perform better on Pinterest. I love pinterest traffic, too, it’s so much more direct and reliable than other sources, with the ability for it to trickle in for ages and ages.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:20 pm

      Yay thanks Anne! That makes me happy to know that someone has noticed the hard work I am pouring into my images now.

      Reply
  27. Jessica says

    January 5, 2015 at 4:19 pm

    Great job, Michelle! It seems like 2014 was a really great year for you. I look forward to seeing what’s in store for 2015!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:21 pm

      Thanks Jessica!

      Reply
  28. Taylor Lee says

    January 5, 2015 at 5:21 pm

    Wow congrats on your online income! Your goals this year look awesome and I bet you’ll hit every single one. Looking forward to the ebook. Happy 2015!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:23 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  29. Michelle says

    January 5, 2015 at 5:34 pm

    Good job Michelle!!!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:23 pm

      Thanks Michelle!

      Reply
  30. Mark @ BareBudgetGuy says

    January 5, 2015 at 6:45 pm

    Wow. Consider me inspired!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:25 pm

      Happy to inspire you Mark!

      Reply
  31. Kara @ The Daily Whisk says

    January 5, 2015 at 6:51 pm

    Congrats on a successful year!!!
    I’m shy too, and working on it! 🙂

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:39 pm

      Thanks Kara!

      Reply
  32. Michelle S. says

    January 5, 2015 at 7:07 pm

    Thanks!

    Reply
  33. Michelle S. says

    January 5, 2015 at 7:24 pm

    Yes, you should definitely start publishing an income report. I highly recommend it.

    Reply
  34. Dan @ Our Big Fat Wallet says

    January 5, 2015 at 7:28 pm

    Wow, congrats on the awesome income amounts! Looking forward to reading more about the income in 2015. One thing many people don’t realize is how long it’s taken to get to that point and how much work is involved. I can only imagine!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:39 pm

      Thanks Dan!

      Reply
  35. Katelyn @ Diaries of a Wandering Lobster says

    January 5, 2015 at 7:45 pm

    Congrats! You clearly worked your ass for that money. I love reading about the potential earnings of freelancers. It’s nice to be able to show the skeptics that it can be done with hard work and passion. I’m sure 2015 will be even better for you!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 7:48 pm

      Thank you Katelyn! I hope 2015 is a great year for you.

      Reply
  36. Michelle S. says

    January 5, 2015 at 8:25 pm

    Hello!

    Some of the websites I run include FITnancials.com (it’s my sister’s website that I help her run), DiverisifedFinances.com, and, of course, this one. The others are websites that I’m still working on but will share eventually.

    Here are some of my posts that relate to time management 🙂 :
    -https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2014/12/10-ways-to-squeeze-side-hustles-into-your-busy-schedule.html
    -https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2014/09/how-im-a-work-life-balancing-master.html

    Reply
  37. Michelle S. says

    January 5, 2015 at 8:36 pm

    Thank you Kassandra! i hope 2015 is a great year for you.

    Reply
  38. Katie @ Your Richest Life says

    January 5, 2015 at 9:51 pm

    Hi Michelle! Congratulations on the stellar year and thank you for publicizing your income report. It’s scary to take the leap from a safe, secure job into the unknown world of self-employment, and it seems like you’ve really flourished. I know I also REALLY enjoy being my own boss. 🙂 I’ve really enjoyed following your blog this year and I wish you the best in 2015.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 5, 2015 at 9:57 pm

      Thank you so much for your kind words Katie. I hope you have a great 2015 🙂

      Reply
  39. Victoria Virgo says

    January 6, 2015 at 6:11 am

    Congratulations on the progress you have made in 2014. The numbers are so impressive. I look forward to being able record similar results in the future.

    You mentioned that you are updating some of the images you use for older posts. Would be great to see a couple of before and afters – I am terrible at images and any hints, tips and examples would be fab.

    Have a great 2015 🙂

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 6, 2015 at 11:21 am

      Great idea! I will try to remember to take a before and after before I update the next image.

      Reply
  40. Holly@ClubThrifty says

    January 6, 2015 at 7:36 am

    Cheers to another great month!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 6, 2015 at 11:21 am

      Thanks Holly!

      Reply
  41. Chonce says

    January 6, 2015 at 10:45 am

    Woah Michelle! Congrats on increasing your income this year and still taking the time to travel and do the things you love! Sounds like you had an amazing year, and I hope 2015 is even better 🙂 I’m glad that you post these income reports and like you said they really motivate others (self included) to get out there and side hustle more.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 6, 2015 at 11:21 am

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
  42. Jessica | The Budget Savvy Bride says

    January 6, 2015 at 12:23 pm

    I’d be interested to know how much of that website revenue comes from each individual site… even if you didn’t disclose what each site was, just listing Site 1 — $x, Site 2 — $x, etc. As well as the amount of traffic for each website to give a sort of general idea.

    I also feel like it would be helpful to know how much of the earnings for each site is passive (aka through an ad network) and how much is through directly sold ads, sponsored posts, etc.

    I honestly can’t wrap my head around how you’re able to run six websites. I have one, and it is my full time gig at this point, and I can barely do all I want to for my one site. Maybe I need you to coach me 🙂

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 6, 2015 at 12:50 pm

      That’s a great idea Jessica! I honestly have never even thought about breaking it out. Makingsenseofcents is the largest income generator out of my sites, and earns around 40% of the income listed in “Website-Related (From the 6 websites I own – advertising, partnerships & Adsense) – $6,441.”

      Running 6 sites is hard, but I have a few people who I have outsourced many tasks to. That makes it much easier!

      Reply
  43. Sarah says

    January 6, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    WOW!!! Holy crap you are AWESOME!! Great job with your income for the year and the fact that you’ve been steadily increasing your income month after month! Proof that hard work really does pay off!! I read through some of the comments that Pinterest is your main source for traffic and that you’ve been re-doing some of your older images (they look GREAT, btw!!). Can I ask – do you pin a certain number of posts per day or do you have some sort of schedule you follow? Pinterest can be confusing! All I’m doing is pinning my new posts to a few groups that I’m in and that’s it. I’m not quite sure how to get more visitors from Pinterest. Ok, this is getting long…maybe this could be a blog topic for you haha!!

    Anyways, great job!!!! Can’t wait to keep following along!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 6, 2015 at 6:50 pm

      Thanks Sarah!

      I don’t have any schedule that I follow for Pinterest. I’m still learning all about it, so right now I am just messing around with it to see what will work for me. I’m sure there is a better way to learn though haha!

      Reply
  44. Squirrelers says

    January 6, 2015 at 9:04 pm

    Congrats on a great year, and best of luck for January! Let’s all have a great year. So far so good for me, with the very healthy diet 🙂

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 6, 2015 at 10:09 pm

      Thanks! I hope 2015 is a great year for you 🙂

      Reply
  45. Kasia says

    January 6, 2015 at 10:04 pm

    Congrats on a fantastic 2014 and may 2015 be even better!
    It’s awesome that you’re able to earn so much doing what you love.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 6, 2015 at 10:13 pm

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  46. No Nonsense Landlord says

    January 6, 2015 at 10:16 pm

    Great job!! I always like to hear entrepreneur success stories. Nothing comes for free, it all takes a lot of work.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 6, 2015 at 10:27 pm

      Thanks! 🙂

      Reply
  47. Pauline says

    January 7, 2015 at 8:08 am

    Great month! best of luck with your 2015 goals!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 7, 2015 at 9:27 am

      Thanks Pauline!

      Reply
  48. Barry @ Moneywehave says

    January 7, 2015 at 11:35 am

    Michelle this is awesome!

    Oddly enough I found many similarities to “dilemmas” I’ve been going through with my blog. I started to post my RRSP (Canadian retirement plan) numbers so people would see my progress as well as know that they can do it too.

    I also updated all my old blog posts and gave my site a fresh look. I’ve only been blogging for a year and I learned so much, when I look back at my old writings, it reads like a totally different person.

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 7, 2015 at 1:51 pm

      Thanks Barry!

      Reply
  49. Christina @ Embracing Simple says

    January 10, 2015 at 8:16 pm

    Wow Michelle, this is incredibly impressive. This probably sounds strange, but as someone around the same age as you (I’m 25), I feel so proud of you and your accomplishments in working for yourself. So often people look down on our generation, assuming we all think the world owes us something…and here you are totally rocking your own business and not being afraid of the hard work required to succeed. Way to go, girl!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 10, 2015 at 8:52 pm

      Thank you so much for your kind words Christina! Appreciated 🙂

      Reply
    • Natalie says

      May 24, 2015 at 8:41 am

      I completely agree Christina with you “young and entitled” statement. And, from working at the welfare department in my city, I can sadly say most of those comments are true. Which is why I strive to be the better statistic and I’m glad other young women are successful, too.

      Reply
  50. Allan says

    January 11, 2015 at 7:51 am

    Wow Michelle, this is great!
    I was happy to make 30$ from adsense last month ahah 🙂
    I’ll have to come back here to understand how you did that.
    Best regards

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 11, 2015 at 12:13 pm

      Thanks Allan!

      Reply
  51. Tennille says

    January 11, 2015 at 3:08 pm

    I’m just in awe of your income reports every month. Congratulations on such a sucessful 2014! Good luck on reaching your 2015 goals!

    Reply
    • Michelle S. says

      January 11, 2015 at 3:17 pm

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
  52. Vern Lovic says

    January 29, 2015 at 12:03 am

    You’re smashing it! I loved reading about your income for December. Now I want to go back to the beginning and see how it was going when you first started. Must be some wisdom to be found in there for me! I have some online projects that are making a few thousand per month, but nothing like yours. Congrats and best in 2015!

    Reply
  53. Gen Y Finance Guy says

    January 29, 2015 at 2:44 pm

    Great job Michelle! I only recently started my blog about 4 months ago. But it is bloggers like you and Pat Flynn and John Lee Dumas who are truly inspiring. You guys really show people what earning money online can be like.

    Looking forward to following your future posts.

    Cheers!

    Reply
  54. Bharath says

    February 2, 2015 at 3:37 am

    Thanks for the Report. I love your Income reports. They are inspiration for Bloggers like me. I have also published my Income report of January 2015. If you find time, please have a look at it

    Reply
  55. Martin says

    February 3, 2015 at 8:24 am

    HI Michelle, I found your site via Matthew Woodward and I must say this income report is a real inspiration. I’ve been blogging for a few years now as a hobby but I feel I know enough now to look at making some money by my efforts. Have signed up for yr newsletter. Cheers!

    Reply
  56. Varun bhati says

    February 6, 2015 at 1:13 am

    congratulation admin you done a fabulous job i just able to add $1500 wana grow more..

    Reply
  57. Jackie says

    February 23, 2015 at 10:48 pm

    Thank you for this post! I have a blog and have a wonderful mentor (Chantelle from the popular Fat Mum Slim blog). I have a 2 year old, I stay at home every day and also run my online crystal business. I get 1.5 days alone per week to really focus my energy but I’m feeling like my dream is impossible.. I want to make blogging profitable for my family, and initially wrote down a goal of $400 a week. That’s honestly what my goal is to earn through my blog. But I’m still struggling, I just feel lost! So thank you for breaking it down for all of us. Congrats on such great earnings! xx

    Reply
  58. Alejandra says

    March 7, 2015 at 10:01 am

    First time on your blog, found you via Pinterest, it works!!, thanks for sharing this post, one that I found you I want to read more and learn more from you.

    Reply
  59. Joanna says

    April 6, 2015 at 7:10 am

    Wow! Impressive! Both- the money you made and the honesty! 🙂 Keep it up! 🙂

    Reply
  60. Natalie says

    May 24, 2015 at 8:20 am

    Wow! This is everything I wanted to know in a nutshell. I’ve been working 10+ hrs of overtime at my job every week to live comfortably and I’ve been hating how much that takes me away from my daughter. I, also, just found out that I will not be able to work as much overtime and I’m looking for a way to make up that extra money at home.

    As a single mom (and a successful one 🙂 ), I have seriously been thinking about starting a blog to help and inspire other single moms out there. I’m good with a computer but I’m shy from anything new so I’ve been dreading starting a blog for the last year.

    Your post makes it look so “do-able”! I will definitely be checking out your link on how to start.

    Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
  61. Casey says

    December 11, 2015 at 6:58 am

    Wow! I am so inspired and amazed by your blog income. Thank you for posting and showing the different sources your monthly income comes from. 🙂

    Reply
  62. Alysa says

    December 16, 2015 at 10:58 pm

    I guess I don’t get it…how does blogging create income? What’s the service? Who’s paying?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 16, 2015 at 11:00 pm

      Hey!

      I answered this question in a recent blog income report. Scroll down to “Where does blog income come from” in this post https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2015/11/october-online-income-report.html

      Reply
  63. Greghouse says

    January 29, 2016 at 3:47 am

    Hey really great Blog, inspires me to put way more work into my own Projects.

    Reply
  64. Matthew DeSandre says

    January 31, 2016 at 9:58 pm

    You provide me with a sense of pride in what I want to blog about, also that its not as hard as my mind is making it out to be! Greatly appreciate it! My site isn’t up just yet but it will be! Thanks!

    Reply
  65. Ashleigh says

    March 13, 2016 at 5:25 pm

    Thank you for sharing this! Your whole site is very informative and I feel like I’m ready to get my rear in gear and start working for myself! 🙂

    Reply
  66. Chris says

    March 18, 2016 at 6:46 am

    Wow! I’m very impressed, and inspired. I started my blog only about a couple months ago with the plans to monetize it and make some extra money. Your post inspires me to keep pushing forward. Since I’m seeing this so late, my plans for 2016 are to have a consistent income coming from my blog.

    Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  67. jennifer says

    April 14, 2016 at 3:21 pm

    This is the inspirational post I needed this morning!! I’ve been blogging for a little over a year now, and I’m just starting to see a little money from it from affiliate links.

    What do you think is the best way to go about getting more email subscribers?

    Thanks for the great post! 🙂

    xx, jen
    @jensav11

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Making Sense of Cents welcome page photo
Hello and welcome!
My name is Michelle and I'm the author/owner of Making Sense of Cents. Learning how to save money and make more money changed my life. It allowed me to pay off $40,000 in student loans, start my own business, and I now travel full-time.

As Seen On

as seen on
How To Start A Blog
making sense of affiliate marketing for bloggers
My Monthly Online Income Reports
My Student Loans Are Gone - How I Paid Off $38,000 In Student Loans
How To Prevent Financial Fraud From Happening To You
Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
How To Make Money Blogging Picture
How To Save 50% Or More Of Your Income Picture
How I Graduated From College In 2.5 Years With 2 Degrees AND Saved $37,500
75+ Ways To Make Extra Money

 

HOME
ABOUT
CONTACT
FREE FB GROUP

PRIVACY POLICY
TERMS OF USE
DISCLAIMER / EARNINGS DISCLAIMER
Copyright © 2011 - 2023. All Rights Reserved.

© 2023 Making Sense of Cents
Design by Lennox Creative Co.