Welcome to the November business income report, where I share how I earned money online last month. Let’s review this month’s update and the results I achieved.
If you’re new to Making Sense of Cents, you may wonder why I publish monthly income reports. If you’re already familiar, feel free to skip ahead.
This began as my extra income report because, at first, it focused exclusively on money I made from side jobs. Early side income reports included all earnings except my day job income.
I left my position as a financial analyst in October 2013, and since then my monthly income reports have reflected the various ways I now earn a living.
Many people ask why I publicly post my income each month. Some think it’s unusual, while others appreciate the transparency. I publish these reports for three main reasons:
- Before I started blogging, I knew little about side hustles and making money online. I didn’t think side jobs were worth the effort and believed raises at a full-time job were the main path to higher income. If it weren’t for others publishing their monthly income reports, I may never have tried side hustles. I publish my income reports to highlight the benefits of side hustling and to show how it can change someone’s financial life. There are many ways to make money online, and sharing my story each month can inspire others to improve their financial situation.
- I use my income reports as a personal record to reflect, learn from mistakes, and identify areas for improvement. Treating these reports like a journal helps me track progress and plan strategically.
- I want to show that making extra money from home is possible through legitimate methods. If you’re curious about the many ways to earn online, I’ve compiled a roundup of monthly income reports from other bloggers that demonstrates how varied and achievable these income streams can be.
I truly enjoy being my own boss and working full-time as a blogger. I look forward to each day and find great satisfaction in the work I do. I believe your job should at least allow you the freedom to enjoy your time outside of work—whether that’s spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, or traveling.
My new course – Making Sense of Sponsored Posts
Before the income details, a quick note about my new course.
Making Sense of Sponsored Posts is now available. In it I explain how I started earning from blogging and how I now generate $10,000–$20,000 per month from sponsored partnerships.
Whether you’re a blogger unsure how to monetize or you’ve been blogging for years but haven’t succeeded with sponsored partnerships, this course provides a step-by-step guide to creating a successful sponsored partnership strategy. It covers pricing, finding partners, rules, and best practices for working with brands while maintaining authenticity and trust with your audience.
I began Making Sense of Cents in August 2011 as a hobby and later earned my first $100 from an advertiser, which motivated me to grow the blog. Over time my blogging income expanded, and I now typically charge around $5,000 per sponsored post and earn approximately $10,000 to $20,000 per month from sponsored partnerships. These partnerships don’t take a lot of time to produce; I often spend 10 hours or less per month on them.
The course covers everything about sponsored posts—from developing brand relationships and legal considerations to promotion strategies—so bloggers and online influencers can monetize while staying genuine.
How was business income in November?
I earned $159,592 blogging and online in November, before expenses.
November was a fantastic month for Making Sense of Cents. I worked hard to complete and launch my new course, and the launch performed very well—earning nearly $40,000 in just four days without heavy promotion. Several students have already reported securing lucrative sponsorships after taking the course.
Although I launched the course, I haven’t fully implemented funnels or marketing for it yet; my focus was on getting it out to readers. I plan to increase marketing efforts in the coming weeks.
I never expected to reach over $1,000,000 in annual revenue when I started blogging. Growth like this results from starting at zero and steadily building through hard work. If earning $100 or $1,000 seems out of reach, remember that many of us started small and scaled over time.
Overall, November was excellent across the board—blogging, product launches, and personal life. The business is thriving, and I’m excited about future plans.
My Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course continues to perform well, with many new students joining recently. This has been steady even without guest posts, webinars, or heavy promotion.
Breakout of November income
In November I earned $159,592.42 from my blogging business. Here’s how that total breaks down by income category:
- Affiliate income – $57,946.42, including top contributors such as Bluehost, survey companies, Six Figure Blogger, ConvertKit, Bookkeeper Business Academy, RVShare, Ebates (estimated), $5 Meal Plan, and miscellaneous affiliates (some figures withheld for privacy).
- Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course – $38,018.00
- Making Sense of Sponsored Posts course – $37,833.00
- Sponsorships and advertising – $23,500.00
- Display advertising – $2,295.00
Total: $159,592.42
The figure above is for November and is before fees and expenses. Estimated fees and expenses that reduce the gross total are around $4,000 (including virtual assistants, course platform fees, technical assistance, newsletter expenses, transaction fees, etc.), not including taxes. I also paid $8,347.00 to affiliates who promoted my course. After expenses and fees, I earned approximately $147,245.42.
Keep in mind that as a self-employed business owner I cover taxes (which are over 30%), health insurance, and other benefits normally provided by employers.
Below are a few notable past income reports and summaries for context; full archives are available on my income page.
- $672 extra in May (2012)
- $6,523 in January (2013)
- $11,927 in October – I finally left my job (2013)
- $12,640 in January (2014)
- $23,758 in February (2015)
- How I made $300,000 online in 2015
- How I made $979,321 in 2016
- How I made $1,536,732 in 2017
Comparisons and business income total:
- Total income in November: $159,592
- Total income in October: $145,319
- Difference from the previous month: +14,273
- Total in one year: $1,510,040
Blog and life updates
November was intense: we built the course from start to finish, prepared our boat for December departure, and handled a long list of boat repairs. We also traveled to Nashville for a family cycling event supporting diabetes research.
We bought SV Paradise in May and have been busy with continuous boat-related projects. To manage the transition to boat life, I’m focusing on getting ahead on content so I can devote more time to living on the boat when we move aboard.
My goal for December is to finish writing posts and hand them to my editor through the end of Q1 2019, which will allow me greater freedom to focus on sailing life.
Overall site traffic for the month was around 400,000 page views.
Other updates:
- I’m planning a new series that will answer practical financial questions and provide step-by-step tutorials (bank accounts, writing checks, opening investment accounts, etc.).
- The Making Sense of Cents community Facebook group continues to grow and now includes over 13,000 members.
- I released a free “How To Start A Blog” email course that has helped over 50,000 people get started.
- I also launched a free “Master Your Money” email course focused on money management lessons and financial worksheets, which has received a positive response.
Popular new posts last month:
- The Best Money Advice I’ve Ever Received
- Reclaim Your Day With These 12 Time Saving Tips
- Cut The Cord And Save Over $1,000 Every Year
- Need Some Quick Cash? 10 Ways How To Make Money Fast
- How To Save Money This Holiday Season
- How I Repaid $65,000 In Student Loans and Invested at the Same Time
- 12 Strategies I Used To Avoid Getting Buried in Student Loan Debt
Featured Question: Can a new blogger start with sponsored posts?
I feature one reader question in each monthly income report. If you have a question, leave a comment to suggest it for a future issue.
The most common question recently is whether a new blogger can start with sponsored posts. The short answer: yes—new bloggers can pursue sponsored partnerships immediately.
I know several bloggers who secured high-paying sponsored partnerships early in their blogging journey by sending a simple pitch and understanding how to approach brands—topics covered in my sponsored posts course.
Brands increasingly work with bloggers and social media influencers because sponsored posts can deliver targeted, authentic customers. As companies recognize the value of influencers, opportunities for sponsored partnerships continue to grow.
Industry data supports the growth of influencer marketing: most marketers find influencer marketing effective, many plan to increase influencer budgets, and ambassadorships are seen as highly effective. This trend indicates sponsored partnerships are likely to expand, creating room for both new and established bloggers.
If you want to learn more about sponsored posts and how to approach brands, my course Making Sense of Sponsored Posts provides actionable guidance and strategies to grow a profitable blog through sponsored partnerships.
Affiliate income results
In November I earned $57,946.42 in affiliate income. I plan to optimize affiliate revenue over the coming months by building funnels, planning promotions for 2019, growing site reach, analyzing top-performing posts for improvements, and finding new affiliate products that match my audience’s interests.
Affiliate income remains valuable because of its passive potential. Even when I spend less time on the business, affiliate revenue helps maintain a steady income while allowing more flexibility for travel and life changes.
As I always say, blogging income doesn’t solely depend on page views. New bloggers can earn through affiliate marketing when they use the right strategies—content, trust-building, and appropriate product selection. These tactics are covered in depth in my Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course, which includes multiple modules, worksheets, bonuses, and an active student community.
How was November for you? Are you interested in earning income through blogging?