In my monthly blogging income reports, I not only share my earnings but also my expenses. Typically, I don’t delve deeply into my business costs as they don’t change much month to month. However, today I want to give you a closer look at what it takes to run my blog each month.
Running a successful blog or online business can come with different expenses, and you don’t need to spend a lot initially. When I started Making Sense of Cents six years ago, I spent almost nothing on blogging expenses. I created the blog on a whim after reading about personal finance in a magazine. It began as a hobby to track my finances, and I didn’t even know people could make money blogging.
My first income came from an advertisement deal, which earned me $100. This sparked my interest in monetizing my blog and understanding necessary blogging expenses. Blogging has since changed my life, allowing me to work from home, travel full-time, and have a flexible schedule.
Now that I earn a substantial income from my blog, I spend a bit more on expenses, though it’s still less than 5% of my monthly earnings. Note that this doesn’t include taxes, which can vary and are about 30% for me.
Here are the main areas where I spend money on my blogging business:
**1. My Computer**
A reliable computer is essential. I use a MacBook Air, and my sister uses a $600 Acer laptop, showing you don’t need a high-end device.
**2. Blog Design and Hosting**
Paying for blog hosting transformed my business. I recommend starting with an affordable service like Bluehost and upgrading as your blog grows. Self-hosted WordPress is crucial for a professional look and better monetization opportunities.
**3. Blog Images**
I use my iPhone for photos, and sometimes a GoPro or Canon DSLR. For additional images, I use Unsplash and Haute Stock, with Haute Stock being my favorite for its clean and appealing photos. I edit images with Picmonkey and schedule them with Tailwind.
**4. Interviews**
I participate in interviews via email, phone, or podcasts. For podcasts, I recommend the Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB microphone for better sound quality.
**5. Courses, Guides, and eBooks**
Investing in learning is key. Some of my favorite resources include Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, Building a Framework, and 21 Strategies I Used to Increase My Monthly Page Views from 17k to 400k+ in 10 Months.
**6. Creating My Own Product**
I launched my course, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, on Teachable, which has been very successful. Teachable is user-friendly and makes course creation easy.
**7. Email List**
I regret not starting my email list sooner. Now, I use Convertkit, which costs $439 a month for up to 65,000 subscribers. It’s worth the investment as it helps in promoting affiliate products and building a loyal audience.
**8. Virtual Assistant and Editor**
I recently hired a virtual assistant to help with daily tasks like managing social media and emails. I also have an editor to improve my posts, saving me a lot of time.
**9. Technical Management**
I outsource technical maintenance to Grayson at iMark Interactive. He handles issues like web hosting, malware monitoring, and backups, allowing me to focus on content creation.
**10. Transaction Fees**
I receive payments through PayPal, Stripe, checks, and bank transfers. While checks and bank transfers have no fees, PayPal and Stripe do.
That’s a rundown of my monthly blogging expenses. Did anything surprise you? What do you spend money on for your business?