Welcome to the January business report, where I share how I earned money online and traveled full-time last month. Let’s review this month’s update and see how things went.
If you’re new to Making Sense of Cents, you might wonder why I publish a business report every month.
This started as my extra income report, because in the early days it focused on side-job earnings. In those initial updates I included all income outside of my day job.
However, I left my role as a financial analyst in October 2013, and my monthly reports have since evolved into business reports that cover the many ways I earn a living through the blog.
Many readers ask why I publicly share what I’m working on each month. Some think it’s unusual, while others appreciate the transparency. I continue to publish these monthly reports for three main reasons:
- I want to help others discover side hustling and online income opportunities. Before I found blogging, I didn’t believe side hustles were worth the effort. If it weren’t for others sharing monthly income reports, I might never have tried. By showing what’s possible, I hope to motivate readers to improve their financial situations.
- Publishing monthly business reports helps me reflect, learn from mistakes, and identify areas that need improvement. These reports serve as a record of what I’m doing and help keep me accountable.
- I want to demonstrate that earning extra money from home is possible and legitimate. There are many real ways to generate income remotely, and I share my experience so others can see how it works in practice.
I still feel incredibly fortunate to be my own boss and work as a full-time blogger. I genuinely look forward to each day, and I love waking up excited for what I do. These monthly reports are part of showing others that you don’t have to dread your job or life. You can change your situation so work allows you to live the life you want—spend time with loved ones, pursue hobbies, travel, and more.
Quick reminder on last month’s announcement
I want to repeat last month’s announcement—How I Made Over $1,500,000 in 2018—so nobody is confused. Back in 2012 I started publishing income reports; they began as simple updates about extra income from side jobs like selling textbooks and doing surveys. At that time I was still working full-time and the reports were a private way to track goals and progress.
Over the years, the blog and the reports grew. Readers often asked me to continue sharing monthly reports, which led to my decision to change how I present them. Going forward, these will be “Business Reports” that focus on the business: what I’m working on, lessons learned, and plans—without publishing exact income figures.
Why stop sharing numbers? There are several reasons:
- I want to be more helpful. When numbers reach a certain level they can feel unattainable. By focusing on actions and strategies instead of raw earnings, I hope to make the reports more practical and inspiring.
- I want to feel less pressure. Publishing exact earnings each month created pressure to maintain or beat previous numbers. I prefer to highlight accomplishments and progress rather than just dollar amounts.
- Safety. We now live on a boat and travel frequently; broadcasting exact income publicly makes it easier to find us. For safety reasons, sharing fewer specifics makes sense.
- Privacy. I simply want more privacy than before, while still offering value through detailed updates about the business.
If you want historical numbers, I published detailed income reports for many years; you can find the archive on the site. The format change doesn’t mean the reports will be less useful—I’ll continue answering reader questions and sharing what I’m working on so these posts remain valuable and actionable.
How was business income in January 2019?
This month I tried a new approach: rather than listing exact figures, I included a pie chart so readers can see the income mix. For newcomers, the primary income sources are:
- Affiliate marketing — the largest portion of income.
- Sponsored partnerships.
- Courses — such as Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing and Making Sense of Sponsored Posts.
- Display advertising (I use AdThrive).
January 2019 was a successful month. I worked less than usual while traveling yet saw higher income than prior months. The business continues to grow, and I’m excited about plans for the year. Below are some of the monthly updates and highlights.
- I’m a bit over one month ahead on blog posts and aim to be 2–3 months ahead.
- Monthly traffic was around 500,000 page views.
- I’m developing a series of practical tutorials on basic financial tasks—opening bank accounts, finding online banks, building investment accounts, and more. I welcome suggestions for additional topics.
- The Making Sense of Cents community Facebook group continues to grow, now with over 14,000 members sharing advice on finance, blogging, travel, and business.
- I launched a free How to Start a Blog email course that has already attracted tens of thousands of sign-ups. I also released a free Master Your Money course with financial lessons and worksheets.
- Free guides such as “10 Easy Tips to Increase Your Affiliate Income” and “8 Easy Tips to Make Money From Sponsored Posts” remain available for readers looking for actionable help.
Blog / life news
January was eventful: we sailed from the Florida Keys to the Bahamas and began exploring the islands. We plan to continue discovering the Bahamas over the coming months—there are more than 700 islands to see.
Many readers asked how I work while in the Bahamas. Surprisingly, internet there has been excellent. We use MyIslandWifi (an independent service) for unlimited internet at a reasonable monthly cost—reliable speeds have made working on the boat much easier than expected.
Because we were traveling, I slowed down on regular blog work in January, though I did manage a successful affiliate product launch tied to an interview I conducted. Overall, I enjoyed the month and focused on balancing work with our new sailing lifestyle.
Featured question: Did you ever think you would earn this amount of income?
I’m often asked whether I ever imagined earning the level of income I do now. The answer is no—I didn’t anticipate it. When I first read income reports, I thought earning $100 online would be a success. Over time, hard work and consistency grew the blog from zero to what it is today.
My story is meant to show that progress is possible. You don’t need to aim for the highest possible earnings—smaller, realistic income goals can still have meaningful impact. Blogging and many side hustles require dedication; they’re not get-rich-quick schemes. That said, gradual growth and focus can lead to significant results over time.
Next month I’ll answer whether my income changed after I stopped publishing exact numbers—stay tuned for that update.
My plans for the blog and business
Goals help keep a business on track. Current priorities include:
- Get at least three months ahead on blog posts so I can focus on other priorities with confidence.
- Work fewer than 30 hours per week. I’m mostly within that limit, but I want a more consistent work-life balance.
- Be more present and enjoy life outside of the business, especially during this year of travel and sailing.
- Have fun and make time for experiences that matter.
Affiliate marketing results
Affiliate income in January improved due to a new promotion tied to an interview I published. That campaign produced five-figure results and was primarily promoted via email and the interview content. Affiliate income typically rises from February through June, and I expect similar seasonality this year.
Planned affiliate initiatives include:
- Building a higher-quality funnel to deliver consistent value to readers.
- Planning affiliate promotions for the first half of the year to stay organized.
- Working to grow traffic, which helps expand reach and affiliate opportunities.
- Analyzing top-performing affiliate posts and testing improvements.
- Exploring new products that match reader interests.
I appreciate affiliate income for its relatively passive nature—it supports full-time travel while allowing me to enjoy new places.
If you want more on affiliate marketing, I offer a free guide, “10 Easy Tips to Increase Your Affiliate Income,” and a paid course, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, which covers strategy, conversion, product selection, and promotion tactics.
Sponsored partnership results
January was strong for sponsored partnerships since early-year financial goals drive traffic and advertiser interest. I began several new partnerships with financial companies and continue to see demand for sponsored posts in this niche.
Sponsored content can be intimidating for bloggers—questions about rates, outreach, and guidelines are common. To address this, I created Making Sense of Sponsored Posts, a course that walks through pricing, negotiation, campaign structure, and how to build long-term brand relationships.
My own blog began as a hobby in 2011 and gradually grew into a business. After a first paid opportunity that netted $100, I learned how monetization could work, and sponsored content has become an important revenue stream. Today, my typical sponsored post rate is significantly higher, reflecting the growth and value delivered to partners.
If you’re interested in monetizing a blog through sponsorships, I recommend starting with education and small experiments—over time you’ll gain confidence and results.
Are you interested in earning blogging income?