Welcome to the July online income report, where I share how I earned money online last month. Here’s this month’s update and a look at how things went.
If you’re new here, you might wonder why I publish monthly income reports. Feel free to skip ahead if you already know the backstory.
This began as my extra income report because early on it focused on earnings from side jobs. In those first reports, I listed all income aside from my day job, which was a fixed salary.
I left my day job as a financial analyst in October 2013, and since then my monthly income reports reflect the different ways I make a living each month.
Many people have asked why I publicly post my income each month. Some think it’s unusual; others appreciate the transparency. I publish these reports for three main reasons:
- Before I started blogging I knew nothing about side hustles or making money online. I assumed career raises and promotions were the only way to seriously increase income. If others hadn’t shared their monthly income reports, I might never have tried side hustling. I want to show the positive impact side hustles can have and help motivate others to improve their finances by earning more.
- Publishing income reports helps me reflect, learn from mistakes, and identify areas for improvement. I use them as a monthly record of progress, similar to a journal.
- I want to demonstrate that earning money from home is possible and that many legitimate methods exist. For readers seeking more examples, I compiled a roundup of favorite income bloggers who share monthly reports. People often ask “Can you make money blogging?” — yes. A few years ago I doubted it myself, but now I know it’s achievable, and I’m sharing how I do it.
I know I say this every month, but it’s true: life is great now that I’m my own boss. I look forward to each day and genuinely enjoy waking up each morning.
These are some of the reasons I enjoy publishing monthly income reports. You don’t have to hate your job or your life. You can make changes that let you enjoy your life more — whether that means spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, or exploring the outdoors.
How was my online income in July?
July was another strong month for business income. My revenue is growing, and I’m excited to see where things will be in a year. I’ve often heard that summer is slow and fall is busier, so I’m watching for seasonal trends.
Even as income has increased, I’ve actually been working less. Lately I’ve become better at balancing work and life, and it’s paying off.
I’ve been traveling a fair amount this summer, and being able to manage my business while having fun is exactly what I hoped for.
In July I earned $25,138 in business income, before expenses.
The figure above is for July and is before fees and expenses. Some fees and expenses that reduce this total are around $2,100 (rounded), covering virtual assistants and staff writers, technical assistance, newsletter expenses, PayPal fees, and similar costs (this does not include taxes). After expenses and fees, I made approximately $23,038.
Below are a few of my other monthly income reports. I publish an update every month, but I’ve included select examples here. Visit my extra income page for a full archive of reports from past years.
- $672 extra in May (2012)
- $6,523 in January extra income (2013)
- $11,927 in October income – I finally left my job
- $12,640 in January income (2014)
- $23,758 in February income – My monthly online income report (2015)
- $23,471 in June – My monthly online income report
Blog news – Making Sense of Cents is now FOUR YEARS OLD!
Making Sense of Cents turns four years old later this month. It’s incredible how much has changed since I started blogging in August 2011.
Some of the major benefits that followed include:
- Being able to work for myself
- Substantially increasing my income
- Having a flexible schedule
- Living a location-independent lifestyle
I never imagined back in 2011 that my blog would lead to this. That’s why I encourage anyone considering it to start a blog — while it isn’t always easy, the upfront costs are low and the potential benefits are significant.
Page views are rising, and I received about 265,000 page views in July.
I still need to update many older posts — fixing formatting, creating Pinterest-friendly images, and more. I’ve completed only around 15% of the posts, so there’s plenty left to do. I didn’t get to this work in July, but I plan to carve out dedicated time to make substantial progress.
Top new posts on Making Sense of Cents last month:
- We Bought An RV!
- A Day In The Life Of An Online Business Owner
- How I’ve Earned Over $2,500 In Credit Card Rewards
- 5 Steps You Need to Follow to Finally Start Making Money With Your Blog
- Leave Your Job On Good Terms: Don’t Make These 6 Mistakes When You Leave Your Job
- My Tips On Avoiding Online Survey Scams
Featured Question: Do I need millions of page views a month in order to make money blogging?
I feature one reader question in each monthly income report. Please leave a comment if you’d like your question considered.
This question comes up frequently. The short answer is no — you don’t need millions of page views to make money blogging.
I don’t receive millions of page views and yet I earn similar or greater monthly income than many sites that do. I also know bloggers with fewer page views who earn more than I do. Every blog is different. Once you understand what your readers want, learn how to approach companies for partnerships, and charge appropriate rates, you can generate solid income.
Don’t let page view counts deter you. Focus on producing quality content and promoting your blog; the rest will follow.
Next month I’ll cover “How do I increase my affiliate income?” If you have specific questions on this topic, leave them in the comments and I’ll try to include them.
My plans for the website, online income, and making money online:
- Create a product to sell – I’m preparing to create an ebook. Summer is busy, so I’ll likely devote serious time to it in the fall.
- Promote more – Pinterest brought around 91,000 clicks to the blog in July, and that traffic is growing again after a flat period.
- Accept more interviews – I did a few in July, but I want to respond to more HARO opportunities and plan to answer several per week.
- Stop being shy – This is a personal goal. I’m naturally shy, and pushing past that will help grow the business.
Staff writing
I worked on a few freelance writing jobs in July and have another starting this month. Two more opportunities with major brands are in progress, and I hope they come through.
I recently raised my freelance writing rates to a level I wouldn’t have expected to be accepted a few years ago. I encourage other freelancers to raise their rates too — you may lose some low-paying gigs, but you’ll likely attract higher-quality, better-paying opportunities that make it worthwhile.
Website management
Blog and social media management remains a service I enjoy offering. I plan to keep current clients but won’t take on new ones due to time constraints. Many people reached out last month, and while tempting, I’m focused on the work I already manage and maintaining a healthy work/life balance.
My goal is to grow the sites I manage and own, devote more time to blog coaching, and increase income from these areas so I can be more independent. This may concentrate my revenue more on this website and related services, but that focus aligns with my long-term business goals.
Affiliate income
Passive affiliate income has been especially rewarding this year. I regret not focusing more on affiliate programs sooner, but the timing has worked out well.
I earned around $19,000 in affiliate income in July — my best month for affiliate earnings to date. Most affiliate programs pay out 60–90 days after the earning month, so those revenues will appear in future reports.
My primary affiliate income comes from Bluehost through my “How To Start A WordPress Blog On Bluehost” tutorial. I’m working to diversify affiliate sources so revenue isn’t so reliant on one program. Last month about $5,000 of affiliate income came from programs other than Bluehost.
Breakout of the actual payments I received in July ($25,138, before expenses)
- Staff writing – $1,275
- Managing websites and social media for clients – $1,803
- Blog coaching and consulting – $790
- Website-related (from the three websites I own – advertising and partnerships) – $7,160
- Affiliate income (Bluehost as main source, plus other programs) – $14,110
- Selling items from our home – $0
- Miscellaneous (not related to blogging and online income) – $0
When you see my monthly income, remember I’m self-employed, so I cover taxes (over 30%), health insurance, and other benefits or expenses an employer might usually provide.
Comparisons and 2015 online income total (before taxes)
- Total business income for July: $25,138
- Income in June: $26,171
- Difference: -1,033
- Total in 2015: $162,523
How was July for you? Are you interested in earning income online?
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions and statements are my own; links are included to help you with your blogging journey.