How I Earned $5,983 Extra in February and What’s Next

Happy Monday everyone! It’s already March and I still can’t believe how quickly this year is passing. Life continues to feel better each day, and I’m excited to share a lengthy update covering income, goals, and progress—thanks for sticking with this whale of a post.

In February I earned $5,983 in extra income after expenses. If you’re new here, “extra income” refers to any earnings beyond my salaried job in financial services (which is unrelated to personal finance content I share). Extra income also excludes any earnings from W, since his pay is primarily commission-based and varies month to month.

Reaching this level of income hasn’t been effortless. I spend time equivalent to a second full-time job on my side projects, on top of my regular job. Fortunately I love what I do, and my financial goals—paying off student loans and saving for a house next year—keep me motivated. For a detailed breakdown of categories and sources, check my Extra Income page.

This total reflects February earnings after fees and expenses (expenses were just over $1,000 and included payments for staff writers, contributions to FITnancials, PayPal fees, and a deposit for a blog redesign). February’s figure also includes rent income.

February was another solid month. While I didn’t match January’s $6,523 result, that’s primarily because much of my affiliate income won’t be paid until March or April due to standard 45–60 day payout windows. I only count income once received, so some revenue shows up later. Also, higher-than-normal blog expenses reduced the net amount this month. Still, I’ve come a long way from last year when I celebrated $50 in extra income for a month.

Without those expenses, February’s gross extra income would have been about $7,000.

Blog

The blog is getting a complete redesign. I’ve hired a designer who works with fun, colorful styles because I want to refresh the site without losing the personal voice that makes this blog unique. The redesign should be ready by early April.

I have a long list of posts planned for March, including guides on side hustles, starting a small business, personal updates (including more about W), and tips on selling our house. If you have a specific topic you’d like covered, leave a comment and I’ll prioritize it.

Last month’s posts—“How To Start A Blog – Tips for a Beginner” and “Blogger or WordPress (and how to switch to WordPress)”—drove a good amount of affiliate interest. The affiliate commissions from those posts will show up in future reports when payments clear. My sister’s fitness blog, FITnancials, is also doing well; if you haven’t already, consider subscribing for her updates.

Staff Writing

My paid writing has slowed down from last fall. I turned down some opportunities, and one outlet was impacted by a PageRank change. That reduction has been beneficial because it freed up time to focus on higher-return activities. Currently I write for one personal finance site and a hotel travel blog, and staff writing contributed roughly $800 in February. It sounds like a lot, but it’s mainly due to one consistent client that pays well for quality content.

February Goals Update

Cook 5 days a week. PASS. We’ve been eating at home more and I’ve been testing new meal ideas. Eating in saves money and has been better for our budget and routine.
Run 5 times a week and lose 3 pounds. FAIL. I ran three to four times per week but didn’t lose three pounds. I need to be more consistent and mindful of portions—home cooking has given me more quick snack options that can add up.
Make an extra $5,000 this month. PASS. I hit this goal after receiving several last-minute payments mid-month.
Schedule the engagement photographer. PASS. I booked the photographer I wanted; she’s talented and I expect great photos. It was worth the $400 deposit.
Choose a wedding date. FAIL. We still need to coordinate with W’s family about using the family property. I haven’t asked yet, and it’s awkward asking for favors, but we’ll get this scheduled soon.

W made us drive in this the other day…

March Goals

Cook 5 days a week. We’re saving aggressively for a house down payment, so eating at home remains a top priority. A solid, interesting meal plan will help us stick to this.
Run 4 times a week and lose 3 pounds. I want to be back at a comfortable weight before engagement photos in early May, so consistency and better nutrition are the focus.
Make an extra $5,500 this month. I raised the target slightly from February to account for expected affiliate payouts and other income opportunities.
Choose a wedding date. We need to confirm the date with W’s family soon so other planning tasks can move forward.
Sell 25 items from my closet. Decluttering now will make preparing the house for sale easier when the time comes.
Decide a name for the new business. My friend and I have many steps to complete before launching a non-blog business. Choosing a legal name is the first priority before setting up a website, registering the entity, and acquiring products or services.

Extra Monthly Income in February

Staff writing – $800
Blog (consulting and advertising, including direct ads and AdSense, after expenses) – $4,610
Affiliate income – $200 (commissions earned earlier but paid in February)
Virtual assistant tasks – $50
Selling clothes – $0
Miscellaneous (non-blogging) – $0
Mystery shopping – $0
Rent (I rent a room to my sister) – $325

Comparisons and 2013 total