Welcome to October’s online income report, where I share how I made money online last month. Let’s dive into this month’s update and see how things went.
If you’re new to Making Sense of Cents, you might wonder why I publish my income report each month. Initially, I started with extra income reports to track money from side jobs, excluding my day job income. I left my financial analyst job in October 2013, and now my reports cover all my income sources.
People often ask why I publicly share my income. Some think I’m crazy, while others appreciate the transparency. Here are the main reasons I do it:
1. Before blogging, I knew nothing about side hustles or making money online. I thought the only way to increase income was through job raises. Seeing others’ income reports inspired me to try side hustling. I hope to show others the benefits and potential life changes side hustling can bring.
2. Publishing income reports helps me reflect, learn from mistakes, and identify areas for improvement. It’s like a journal for tracking my progress.
3. I want to demonstrate that making money from home is possible and there are many legitimate ways to do it. I even created a roundup of successful bloggers sharing their income reports to inspire others.
Life has been fantastic since I became my own boss and a full-time blogger. I love waking up every day and enjoying what I do.
Now, let’s talk about my October business income. I earned $99,607.18 from blogging and online activities before expenses. October was great for blogging, courses, and life in general. Being ahead in my posting schedule allowed me to relax and focus on other tasks like learning more about SEO.
October 2016 also marked three years since I left my day job. In these three years, my income has reached six figures per month, I travel full-time in an RV with my dogs, and I have a better work-life balance. Self-employment isn’t for everyone, but it’s been amazing for me. If you’re interested in being your own boss, explore ways to make it happen.
My affiliate marketing course, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, continues to do well. Many students have seen significant income increases after taking the course. If you’re a blogger, I highly recommend checking it out.
My business is growing, and I’m excited about the future. I have many ideas for the rest of 2016 and 2017. Life is truly good.
If you’re interested in starting your own blog, I created a tutorial to help you get started cheaply, with hosting starting at $2.95 per month through my link. You’ll also get a free website domain if you purchase at least 12 months of hosting. Being self-hosted is essential for monetizing your blog and appearing professional.
Here’s a breakdown of my October 2016 income:
– Affiliate income: $54,432.18
– Bluehost: $35,040.00
– Survey companies: $10,565.25
– Amazon FBA: $2,168.03
– Ultimate Bundles: $1,110.10
– MOTIF Investing: $1,104.00
– Credible/SOFI: $1,050.00
– Ebates: $1,000.00
– Bookkeeper Business Academy: $573.50
– Uber: $340.00
– $5 Meal Plan: $258.60
– Izea/SponsoredTweets: $200.80
– ConvertKit: $162.90
– Facebook growth strategy: $155.20
– Freelance proofreading: $126.08
– Page view strategies: $88.00
– Digit: $65.00
– Pinterest strategy guide: $55.20
– Amazon: $50.52
– Miscellaneous affiliates: $319.00
– Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Course: $30,987.00
– Sponsorships and advertising: $12,275.00
– Display advertising: $1,913.00
Total: $99,607.18
After expenses and fees, I made approximately $87,358. Remember, I work for myself, so I cover taxes, health insurance, and other expenses.
If you’re curious about making money through blogging, check out The Ultimate Guide To Making Money Blogging. I also have a list of past income reports if you’re interested in seeing my journey.
For October, my traffic remained steady at around 400,000 page views. Pinterest traffic dropped, but organic and Facebook traffic increased. Despite lower page views, my income stayed strong, showing that blog income isn’t solely dependent on page views.
I’m currently focusing on promoting my articles better, diversifying traffic sources, learning more about SEO, accepting more interviews, and aiming to double my business income. I also hope to reach one million page views per month by Summer 2017.
Affiliate income remains a significant part of my earnings, and my affiliate marketing course has been successful. If you’re interested in affiliate marketing, my course covers everything you need to know.
October was a fantastic month, and I’m excited about the future. If you’re interested in earning blogging income, consider starting your own blog and exploring affiliate marketing.