Welcome to the April business income report, where I share how I earned money online last month. This monthly update breaks down results, lessons learned, and what’s coming next.
If this is your first time reading Making Sense of Cents, you might wonder why I publish these income reports. If you’re already familiar, feel free to skip ahead.
This series began as an “extra income” report because I initially tracked only side-job earnings separate from my day job. I included every source of side income while still working full-time.
In October 2013 I left my financial analyst role and transitioned to full-time blogging. Since then, these monthly reports reflect the various ways I earn a living online.
People often ask why I share detailed monthly income publicly. Some think it’s unusual; others appreciate the transparency. I enjoy publishing these reports for three main reasons:
- Inspiration and awareness: Before I discovered blogging and side hustles, I didn’t realize how accessible online income could be. Seeing other bloggers publish income reports inspired me to try new income streams. I publish my reports to show the benefits of side hustles and to motivate others to improve their financial situation. There are many legitimate ways to earn from home, and sharing my journey helps others see what’s possible.
- Accountability and learning: The reports act as a personal business journal. Publishing monthly forces me to review results, identify mistakes, and pinpoint areas that need improvement.
- Proof that it can be done: I want to demonstrate that making money from home is achievable. If you’re researching ways to earn online, these reports, plus the Monthly Income Report Roundup that highlights other bloggers who share their income, can provide useful examples and encouragement.
I truly enjoy being my own boss and working as a full-time blogger. Waking up excited about the day is priceless, and that’s a big reason I share these updates. You don’t have to hate your job or your life—small changes and additional income streams can provide more freedom to do what you love outside of work.
How was business income in April 2018?
I earned $104,065 blogging and online in April 2018, before expenses.
April was a fairly typical month for Making Sense of Cents, though income dropped compared to March because I didn’t participate in any affiliate launches. The decline was expected and the month was still very strong overall.
I expect revenue to stay around this level for the next few months, with a potential increase around September. Factors include seasonal traffic trends for personal finance sites and my schedule, as I’ll be busier during summer.
One of my main goals this year remains improving work-life balance. I’m making progress but am not finished. My objective is to work under 10 hours per week during spring and summer months.
Note: I later launched Making Sense of Sponsored Posts in November 2018, which teaches how to earn significant income through sponsored partnerships.
I never imagined earning over $100,000 in a single month from blogging. The journey began at zero and grew through consistent effort and learning. If you think $100 or even $1,000 online is out of reach, remember it isn’t—small wins compound over time.
April was satisfying on all fronts: business, courses, and personal life. I’ve been saying “Life is really good” a lot lately because the business is healthy, income is growing, and I have many new ideas to pursue. My Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course continues to perform well, attracting many new students without extensive promotion.
If you’re interested in starting a blog, I’ve published a step-by-step tutorial that shows how to get started on a budget, including tips on self-hosted WordPress—essential for those who want to monetize and appear professional.
Breakout of April 2018 income – $104,065.67
My total blogging income for April 2018 was $104,065.67. Here’s the category breakdown:
- Affiliate income – $59,416.67:
- Bluehost – $46,800.00
- Survey companies – $6,015.25
- Six Figure Blogger – $1,258.00
- Amazon FBA-related content – $761.20
- Personal Capital – $600.00
- Ebates (estimated, tiered program) – $500.00
- ConvertKit – $441.00
- Ibotta – $315.00
- Bookkeeper Business Academy – $306.75
- VIPKid – $190.00
- Izea – $162.79
- $5 Meal Plan – $154.68
- Miscellaneous affiliates – $1,912.00 (includes some affiliate promotions with private reporting agreements and smaller affiliate earnings)
- Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course – $28,935.00
- Sponsorships and advertising – $13,100.00
- Display advertising – $2,614.00
Total: $104,065.67
The total listed is for April before fees and expenses. Some monthly expenses—roughly $5,000 when rounded—include virtual assistants, course platform fees, technical support, newsletter services, and payment processing fees (this does not include taxes). I also paid $5,765.65 to affiliates promoting my course. After expenses and fees, my estimated net was approximately $93,300.02.
Keep in mind that as a self-employed person I cover taxes (often over 30%), health insurance, and benefits typically provided by employers.
If you want an in-depth guide to blog monetization, see “The Ultimate Guide To Making Money Blogging” for many strategies and income streams.
I publish an income update every month; the income page on the site archives many past reports. Examples from previous years show steady growth and offer context for how income evolved.
Comparisons and 2018 business income total:
- Total income in April 2018: $104,065
- Total income in March 2018: $241,649
- Difference from the previous month: -137,584
- Total in 2018 (to date): $639,665
Blog news
Making Sense of Cents continues to perform well. April was a unique month personally: we drove from Arizona to Florida, visited friends and family, found and contracted on our dream boat (moving aboard this month), and sold the RV. Because of the travel and the move, I focused less on business tasks that month.
Knowing that living on a boat will keep us busy, I’m prioritizing getting more content scheduled in advance so I can shift attention to the transition and boat life.
Traffic for the month was about 400,000 page views.
Other blog and business updates:
- My sister joined as a virtual assistant in July 2017 and handles Pinterest images, Facebook group moderation, social scheduling, and other tasks. This frees time for product creation, audience engagement, and better work-life balance.
- I’m considering group coaching as a future offering to help more bloggers while making better use of my time compared to one-on-one coaching.
- The Making Sense of Cents Facebook community continues to grow and now exceeds 10,000 members, offering peer support on finance, blogging, travel, and business topics.
- I launched a new interview series featuring extraordinary people doing interesting things. The first interview highlighted someone who retired at 28 with a multi-million-dollar net worth. Suggestions for future interviewees are welcome in the comments.
- I released a free “How To Start A Blog” email course that has attracted over 40,000 signups. Based on that success, I also created the free “Master Your Money” email course, which includes worksheets and budgeting tools.
Popular new posts last month:
- Is Making Money From A Blog Actually Possible? Your Top 21 Questions Answered
- I Thought I Was Too Good For Community College
- 10 Statistics About The Money Habits Of The Average American
- How This Couple Retired In Their 30s and Now Travel Around The World: An Interview
- How I Paid Off Over $42,000 in Student Loans in 34 Months (Earning $36,000 Per Year)
- One Year Later: My Extraordinary Interview Series Roundup
- 7 Ways My Relationship With Money Has Changed
- How We Paid Off $100,000 in Debt in 40 Months: Marriage and the Military
Featured Question: How can I learn to use social media for my blog?
I highlight one reader question each month. Social media is essential for bloggers: it helps engage readers, grow traffic, and expand your audience. While mastering multiple platforms can be time-consuming, automation and scheduling tools make it manageable.
Some favorite social media resources I use and recommend:
- Pinterest Traffic Avalanche – a course focused on getting free traffic from Pinterest, covering Pinterest SEO, Rich Pins, image creation, group boards, and viral strategies.
- Simple Pin Media – a high-quality source of free Pinterest advice, articles, and podcast episodes.
- Amy Porterfield’s podcast – excellent business and social media episodes on Facebook groups, Instagram ads, and social video series.
- Facebook Strategies Worth Sharing – helped grow my Facebook page from a few thousand to over 90,000 followers; useful for building engagement and email signups.
- Flourish with Monica Louie – a strong Facebook ads course for driving webinar registrations, email signups, and traffic.
- 21 Strategies I Used to Increase My Monthly Page Views – a comprehensive guide on growing blog traffic with actionable tactics.
- Social Media Examiner – a reliable source for updates and analysis on social networks and algorithm changes.
There are many additional resources I follow to stay current with social media trends and strategies.
My plans for the blog and business
Clear goals help guide the business. Current priorities include:
- Get at least three months ahead on Making Sense of Cents content. I’m currently about one month ahead and want more buffer to focus on life events.
- Grow the site to 1,000,000 monthly page views by the end of the year to reach and help more readers.
- Create two additional products in 2018 to diversify income beyond the affiliate marketing course.
- Grow the email list to 150,000 subscribers by year-end.
- Work fewer than 20 hours per week and continue improving work-life balance.
- Have fun—enjoy the journey and the experiences that come with running a business and traveling.
Affiliate income results
In April 2018, affiliate income totaled $59,416. I value affiliate revenue for its relative passivity and its contribution to sustaining travel and lifestyle choices. Even with reduced time spent on business tasks, affiliate income remains a strong foundation.
Affiliate marketing is accessible to new bloggers as well as experienced creators. With the right approach—choosing appropriate products, building trust, and using effective promotion—affiliate earnings can grow significantly. I share these methods in depth in my Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course, which includes modules, lessons, worksheets, and an active student community.
How was April for you? Are you interested in earning income through blogging or side hustles?