Welcome to the December online income report, where I share how I earned money online last month. This update reviews my progress, income sources, and what I learned during the month.
If you’re new here, you may wonder why I publish monthly income reports. If you’ve seen them before, feel free to skip ahead.
These reports began as my extra income reports, because initially I focused on earnings from side jobs and excluded my day job income. In October 2013 I left my position as a financial analyst, and now my monthly income reports reflect the full range of ways I earn a living.
Many readers ask why I publicly share my income. Some think it’s unusual, while others appreciate the transparency. I publish these reports for three main reasons:
- Before I started blogging, I didn’t know much about side hustles or making money online. I thought significant income increases only came from raises and promotions at a full-time job. Seeing others publish monthly income reports encouraged me to try side hustling. I share my income to show the positive impact side hustles can have and to motivate others to improve their financial situation.
- Publishing monthly income reports helps me reflect on progress, learn from mistakes, and identify areas for improvement. They act as a business journal and a way to track growth over time.
- I want to show that making legitimate side income from home is possible. I regularly highlight other bloggers who publish income reports and share practical tips. If you publish your own income report and want to be included in future roundups, feel free to reach out.
I truly enjoy being my own boss. Life is much better now—I look forward to my days, enjoy the work I do, and feel fortunate to have the flexibility to pursue the things I love outside of work.
Publishing these reports is part of showing that you don’t have to hate your job or life. You can make changes to pursue work that supports the life you want—whether that’s spending time with family, pursuing hobbies, traveling, or anything else that matters to you.
2015 Business Year In Review
2015 Business Year In ReviewBefore diving into the December update, here’s a brief look back at 2015. It was a pivotal year for the business and our lifestyle.
In 2013, my business income was $116,519. In 2014 it rose to $163,929.
In 2015, I earned $320,888.
That means I almost doubled my 2014 income.
A major highlight of 2015 was launching our digital nomad lifestyle. We traveled every month and planned to live full-time in our RV. Being a digital nomad has been incredibly rewarding.
An important business milestone was scaling affiliate income. In January 2015 affiliate earnings were $1,485, while by December 2015 affiliate income reached $31,915—a dramatic increase.
I learned a lot in 2015 and feel motivated to improve the business further in 2016.
2015 business-related goals — progress:
- Grow income by 15% for the year. PASS! Income nearly doubled, from $163,929 in 2014 to $320,888 in 2015.
- Work on affiliate income. PASS! Affiliate revenue became a major component of monthly income.
- Stop being shy. MEH. This remains a work in progress; public speaking still makes me nervous.
- Work on publishing a book. PASS. I’m in the early stages of writing.
Business goals for 2016:
- Double my income. I aim to double 2015’s earnings. It’s ambitious but potentially achievable based on momentum at year-end.
- Diversify affiliate income streams. A large share of affiliate revenue currently comes from one partner. I plan to spread risk by growing other affiliate sources so no single partner dominates.
- Stop being shy. I intend to do more interviews, podcasts, and public speaking to expand the blog’s reach.
- Become a book author. I hope to complete a book this year.
- Create a course. I want to build a course to help readers more directly; choosing the right topic is a key next step.
- Increase page views to 1,000,000 per month. It’s a measurable goal I’d like to hit by year-end.
Now, here’s the December income report.
How was my online income in December?
December 2015 was my best month to date.
The business performed strongly while maintaining a good work-life balance. I earned nearly $40,000 in December, which was surprising and gratifying. It’s rewarding to grow income while doing work I enjoy.
In December I earned $39,292 in business income before expenses.
The figure above is for the month and is reported before fees and expenses. Typical monthly expenses such as virtual assistants, staff writers, technical support, accounting, newsletter costs, and payment fees reduce the amount by roughly $1,900. After those expenses, I netted approximately $37,392 for December (taxes not included).
Below are quick links to some past monthly reports and notable months if you want to see historical context. You can find all reports on the online income page.
- $672 extra in May (2012)
- $6,523 in January extra income (2013)
- $11,927 in October income — I left my job (2013)
- $12,640 in January income (2014)
- $23,758 in February income (2015)
- How I made $25,138 in July (2015)
Blog news.
Making Sense of Cents is doing well and I’m excited about upcoming content. I already have many topics planned and welcome reader suggestions—my best ideas often come from readers.
Pinterest remains a major traffic source. I use Tailwind for scheduling and analytics, which has saved time and actually increased referral traffic. In December Pinterest drove a significant portion of site clicks.
For RV travel and remote work, I rely on a Verizon MiFi device to stay connected in many locations—an essential tool for our lifestyle.
Overall site traffic rose in December to around 400,000 page views.
Top posts last month:
- We’re going to live in our RV full-time
- Setting great yearly goals — Let’s make 2016 amazing
- Dealing with money stress — It can impact your health, job, and family
- Take your side hustle to the next level: tips for success
- Consolidating and refinancing student loans — what you should know
- Tips for staying sane when working from home
- Pay yourself first — how this simple trick can help you save more
- Getting back to the basics: we were happier when we spent less money
- 58 random acts of kindness
Featured Question: What should a person blog about?
I answer a reader question in each report. There’s no single correct answer. I recommend blogging about something you’re passionate about, knowledgeable in, or simply enjoy. That makes blogging sustainable and enjoyable.
You can write about a single niche—like personal finance—or cover a range of topics. People even start blogs about very specific interests; the possibilities are wide.
Possible blog topic ideas include:
- Lifestyle
- Home
- Family
- Finance
- Crafts
- DIY
- Small business
- Outdoors
- Fitness and health
- Food
- Inspiration and advice
- Animals
- Travel
- Games
- Relationships
- School
- Electronics
That list isn’t exhaustive—your blog can be whatever you make it.
Do you need to be an expert or have a degree?
You don’t need to be an expert or hold a degree to start most blogs. Many successful bloggers share personal journeys, lessons learned, and practical experiences without formal credentials. Readers often appreciate authentic, real-world perspectives.
However, if you offer professional advice on legal, tax, medical, or other regulated areas where incorrect guidance could cause harm, you should have proper expertise or credentials.
My plans for the website and making money online
Clear plans and goals help keep a business moving forward. Current focus areas include:
- Promote more: I’ve improved promotion and seen strong results, especially from Pinterest, which generated around 150,000 clicks in December. I’m also testing Facebook ads.
- Create a book: Ongoing effort.
- Accept more interviews: I participated in a few in December and plan to increase this activity.
- Stop being shy: Building confidence for public speaking and media appearances remains a priority.
Staff writing
I wrote one article for another outlet in December and have one planned for January. Staff writing is handled selectively while I focus on my own sites.
Affiliate income
December was my largest month ever for affiliate income—about $38,000. Most affiliate payments are paid 60–90 days after the month they’re earned, so not all amounts appear immediately in payouts.
Bluehost remains a major affiliate partner through my “How To Start A WordPress Blog On Bluehost” tutorial, but I’m actively diversifying affiliate partnerships so the business is not overly reliant on a single source. About $15,000 of last month’s affiliate revenue came from other programs.
I’ve been exploring other affiliate networks and programs to broaden partnerships and reduce concentration risk.
Breakdown of December payments ($39,292)
- Staff writing, website management, and consulting – $1,400
- Website-related advertising and partnerships (from sites I own) – $5,977
- Affiliate income (Bluehost, Ebates, and others) – $31,915
- Miscellaneous – $0
Keep in mind I’m self-employed, so I cover taxes (typically over 30%), health insurance, and other expenses that an employer would normally provide.
Comparisons and 2015 total (before taxes)
- Total business income in December: $39,292
- Business income in November: $30,569
- Difference: +8,723
- Total in 2015: $320,888
How was December for you? Are you interested in earning income online?
If you want to start a blog, I’ve created step-by-step tutorials and resources to help new bloggers get started with affordable hosting and practical tips for monetization. Being self-hosted is a key step for serious bloggers who want to monetize effectively.
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions and statements are 100% mine and links are provided to help you on your blogging journey.