Welcome to the September business income report. Each month I publish an update showing how I earned online income and what I learned. If you’re new here and wondering why I share these reports, keep reading. If you’ve followed along for a while, you know the purpose: transparency, education, and accountability.
This series began as an extra income report focused on side hustles while I still worked a full-time job. In October 2013 I left my role as a financial analyst, and these monthly breakdowns have since reflected the full range of income streams I run as a business owner.
I publish these reports for three main reasons:
- To inspire others. Before I discovered side hustles and blogging income reports, I assumed the only way to grow income was through raises at a full-time job. Seeing other people publish their income reports opened my eyes to new possibilities, which is why I share my results and lessons to encourage readers to explore ways to improve their finances.
- To track progress and learn. The reports act as a journal where I review what worked, what didn’t, and which areas need attention. That reflection helps me improve and make smarter choices going forward.
- To demonstrate that making money from home is possible. There are legitimate, scalable ways to earn online. I highlight different income approaches and point readers to examples so they can learn from others who publish their results.
Being my own boss and running a full-time blog has been life-changing. I genuinely enjoy my work and the freedom it brings. These reports also show that you don’t have to love every moment of your job, but your work should let you live the life you want outside of it—spending time with family, pursuing hobbies, or traveling.
How was business income in September of 2017?
I earned $113,267.08 from blogging and online business in September 2017, before expenses.
September was another strong month. With a virtual assistant in place since July and a routine that keeps my work under roughly 10 hours per week, the business ran smoothly and mostly passively. The upfront work done in prior months continues to generate income while allowing me to focus on balance and efficiency.
This was my ninth consecutive month of earning over $100,000. I started from zero and built this over time through consistent effort, so don’t be discouraged if your initial goals are modest. Every large outcome starts with small steps and steady improvement.
The September results were driven by a mix of strategies I’ve emphasized recently:
- Diversified income streams. Since launching my first product in 2016, the business now earns from affiliate marketing, a paid course, sponsorships, and advertising. Diversifying reduces risk and creates more stable revenue.
- Investing in email marketing. I switched to ConvertKit around April 2016 and began treating my email list as a priority. That decision, combined with consistent newsletter campaigns, helped grow my list to over 60,000 subscribers and significantly improved conversions.
- Growing social reach, especially Facebook. Expanding my Facebook audience helped increase traffic, email signups, and course sales. My focus on social growth has paid off in traffic and revenue gains.
Overall, September was a highly positive month. The business is healthy, I’m excited about future plans, and I continue to prioritize a sustainable work-life balance.
My Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course continues to attract new students, and I’ve received many success stories from students who significantly increased their affiliate earnings after taking the course. Hearing those results reinforces why I created the program—so bloggers can learn practical, repeatable strategies that work.
If you’re interested in starting a blog, I offer a step-by-step tutorial on how to begin with low-cost hosting and a self-hosted WordPress setup. Being self-hosted is important if you want to monetize professionally and scale your site.
Breakout of September 2017 income – $113,267.08
September income totaled $113,267.08. The breakdown across categories was as follows:
- Affiliate income – $54,590.08. Major contributors included Bluehost ($37,100.00), survey companies ($5,971.25), and various courses, tools, and smaller affiliate partnerships that together formed a substantial portion of monthly income.
- Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course – $36,509.00.
- Sponsorships and advertising – $20,050.00.
- Display advertising – $2,118.00.
Total: $113,267.08
The figure above is gross income for September before fees and operating expenses. Some expenses that month — including virtual assistants, course platform fees, technical help, newsletter costs, and payment processing — reduced the total by roughly $4,000. Additionally, affiliate payouts for promoting the course totaled $17,953.15. After expenses and partner payouts, the approximate net was $91,313.93. Remember, as a business owner I also cover taxes, health insurance, and benefits that an employer would otherwise provide.
For a full overview of how blogs make money and practical tips, see my guide on ways to monetize a blog.
Comparisons and 2017 business income total
- Total income in September 2017: $113,267
- Total income in August 2017: $135,110
- Month-to-month difference: -$21,843
- Total so far in 2017: $1,162,987
Blog news
Making Sense of Cents continues to grow, and September focused more on travel and life than major site changes. Key updates:
- I completed the site migration to HTTPS and implemented an SSL certificate to avoid browser warnings. My technical lead handled the work quickly and affordably.
- I switched from Shareaholic to Social Warfare Pro to preserve social share counts and improve reliability on HTTPS.
- Traffic for the month was around 400,000 page views.
- My sister joined as a virtual assistant in July and handles tasks like scheduling, updating images on older posts, and managing Facebook groups—freeing my time for strategy and product creation.
- I launched a Facebook community group that now has thousands of members where readers ask questions and support one another on topics like finance, blogging, and entrepreneurship.
- I started an interview series profiling people with interesting stories—retirees, full-time travelers who run businesses, and others—with more interviews planned.
- I released a free “How To Start A Blog” email course that has enrolled tens of thousands of people, and followed it with a free money management course as well.
Featured question: What are typical blog expenses?
Blog expenses vary widely, but a blogging business can start very affordably. Early on I spent almost nothing beyond hosting. Over time, as revenue grew, I invested more in tools and support. Today my expenses are still a relatively small percentage of revenue—under 5% in many months—but they include:
- Computer hardware (I’ve used MacBook Air laptops).
- Website costs: hosting, design, and maintenance.
- Microphone and recording gear for podcasts and interviews.
- Educational resources: courses, guides, and books to learn new strategies.
- Email service provider costs (I use ConvertKit and pay for a plan that supports a large subscriber base).
- Outsourced help: virtual assistants, editors, and technical contractors.
- Taxes and insurance, which vary by individual.
Most new bloggers don’t need to spend much at first—hosting and a domain are enough to get started. As your business grows, reinvesting in tools and people can accelerate progress.
Plans and goals for the blog and business
Goals help maintain focus and momentum. Current priorities include:
- Hit $1,500,000 in business revenue for 2017. I adjusted this target after tracking progress and believe it’s achievable with continued focus on passive income and smart promotion.
- Improve work-life balance. This remains a top priority—earning more while working less or more efficiently.
- Build content buffer. I aim to be several months ahead on published posts so I can better manage travel and time off.
- Grow traffic and reach. Long-term growth to higher monthly page views while maintaining strong engagement and email list growth.
- Create another product. Launching additional offerings will continue to diversify income.
- Do more live interviews, podcasts, and webinars when scheduling permits.
- Keep learning and improving. I regularly invest in education and enjoy hearing recommendations from readers about valuable courses and tools.
Affiliate income results
In September I earned $54,590.08 in affiliate income. Much of this came from older content that continues to convert passively. I plan to publish more affiliate-focused articles going forward to provide helpful reviews and product recommendations readers have asked for.
Affiliate marketing is one of the more passive and scalable revenue streams for bloggers. New bloggers can succeed with affiliate income by learning how to choose relevant products, write helpful content, and build trust with their audience—topics I cover in depth in my Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course.
The course includes multiple modules, lessons, worksheets, and a private community. It covers how affiliate marketing works, how to choose programs, how to increase conversions, compliance and disclosures, and promotion strategies. Over 3,300 students have enrolled so far, and many report substantial improvements in affiliate earnings.
How was September for you? Are you working toward earning income from blogging or side hustles?