How I Earned $979,321 in One Year — December Income Report & Annual Wrap-Up

Welcome to the December business income report, where I share how my online income performed last month. Below you’ll find a clear update on what I earned, why I publish these reports, and insights from the year.

If you’re new to Making Sense of Cents, you might wonder why I publish monthly income reports. If you’ve seen them before, feel free to skip ahead.

This began as an “extra income report,” focused on earnings from side jobs while I still worked a day job. I reported all income except what I earned at my full-time job. In October 2013 I left my job as a financial analyst, and since then these monthly reports reflect the various ways I make a living online.

Some people ask why I publish my income publicly. Others think it’s odd, while many appreciate the transparency. I publish these reports for three main reasons:

1. Before I discovered blogging and side hustles, I didn’t understand how much extra income could change your life. Seeing other bloggers share monthly income reports inspired me to try side hustling. I publish my reports to show the potential of online income and to motivate others to improve their financial situation.
2. Publishing income reports helps me reflect, learn from mistakes, and track progress. I treat these monthly reports like a journal to evaluate what’s working and what needs improvement.
3. I want to demonstrate that earning legitimate side income from home is possible. If you’re curious about other bloggers who share their income, I previously compiled a Monthly Income Report Roundup that highlights many bloggers who publish similar reports.

I enjoy being my own boss and working as a full-time blogger. I wake up excited most days and appreciate the flexibility and control that running my own business provides. These reports are meant to show that you don’t have to hate your job or your life; it’s possible to make changes and earn money in ways that let you enjoy your life outside work.

2016 Business Year in Review

Before the December update, here’s a look back at 2016. It was a transformative year for the business—here are the highlights and the actions that made a difference.

My business income grew substantially between 2013 and 2016:

• 2013: $116,519
• 2014: $163,929
• 2015: $320,888

2016: $979,321

In 2016 I nearly tripled my 2015 income. Beyond revenue growth, I traveled full-time, improved my work/life balance, focused on health, and experimented with new strategies.

Key actions that contributed to 2016’s success:

1. I tried new formats. I expanded into podcasts, webinars, email marketing, and product creation instead of repeating the same routine.
2. I diversified income. I launched my first product, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, which added a new revenue stream alongside affiliate marketing, sponsorships, and advertising.
3. I posted less but promoted more. Rather than publishing daily, I reduced publishing frequency and invested time in promotion and marketing, which improved content quality and reach.
4. I prioritized my email list. After switching to ConvertKit, I grew my newsletter effectively. By the end of 2016 I had around 30,000 subscribers. Building an email list sooner would have been one of my biggest earlier improvements.
5. I focused on Facebook growth. I grew my Facebook following from roughly 6,500 to 38,000 in 2016, which helped increase traffic, engagement, and income.

These changes helped the business evolve. With continued learning and implementation, I expect 2017 to be even better.

My 2017 business goal is to earn $1,000,000 from the business. I’m grateful to readers for helping make this possible.

Business-related goals I set for 2016 included:

• Get at least three months ahead on blog posts. Being ahead reduces stress and allows focus on other priorities.
• Grow monthly page views to 1,000,000. I aim to expand reach and engagement and planned to work toward this long-term target.
• Do more live interviews. Podcasts and webinars were goals, though living in an RV made scheduling more complicated.
• Create another product. After launching Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, I wanted to develop another product to diversify revenue further.

Now, here’s my December income report.

How was my business income in December?

I earned $91,764.63 blogging and online in December, before expenses.

December was a strong month. Since I was already more than two months ahead in content, I spent less time writing for the blog and focused on guest posts, networking, site improvements, and holiday time off.

I’m excited for 2017. The business is growing, income is rising, and I have many ideas to execute. I often catch myself thinking, “Life is really good.”

My Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course continued to perform well, with several new students joining in December. I received many positive reviews from students reporting notable increases in affiliate income after applying course strategies.

If you’re a blogger, consider my Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course, where I share proven strategies for affiliate income. If you’re starting a blog, I also created a step-by-step tutorial that explains how to start a self-hosted WordPress blog affordably. Going self-hosted was a pivotal step in growing my blogging income.

Blog news

Making Sense of Cents is doing well. Lately I’ve focused on guest posting to reach new readers; I submitted several guest posts recently and enjoyed the change of pace.

Traffic increased slightly in December, totaling around 400,000 page views. Pinterest rebounded after declines, and organic and Facebook traffic also grew.

Recent business updates:

• I launched a free “How to Start a Blog” email course; over 9,500 people signed up in the first months. It’s a simple way to get started and learn the essentials.
• In August I launched a free “Master Your Money” email course with budgeting templates and lessons, which has received positive feedback.
• I plan to create a free personal finance support group on Facebook to offer a space for people to discuss money openly and seek support.

I often get asked how I stay connected while traveling in an RV. I use a Verizon MiFi and have been able to work from most locations. It’s more reliable and secure than relying solely on public Wi-Fi.

Popular new posts on Making Sense of Cents last month:

• How My Wife and I Paid Off $62,000 in Debt in 7 Months
• The Best Way To Set Goals And Reach Success in 2017
• I Still Wear Shirts That Have Holes In Them
• 18 Ways To Simplify Your Life in 2017
• Earn $75 an Hour With a Side Hustle SEO Business
• Ibotta Review – Save Money At The Store Easily With This Helpful App
• 60+ Extreme Things People Have Done To Save Money
• Are Your Excuses Making You Broke And Unsuccessful?
• How I Earned $655 From Random Craigslist Jobs In One Month

Featured Question: Where do you get your photos for the blog?

I feature one reader question in each monthly income report. Share a question in the comments if you’d like it answered in a future report.

Photographs are used throughout a blog—inside posts, on Pinterest, on social channels, and on homepages. I rely on three main sources for images:

1. My own photos. I use these primarily for RV-related content and on Instagram, though I’m always working to improve my photography.
2. Unsplash. This is a great source for landscapes and natural photography.
3. Haute Chocolate. I often use Haute Chocolate images for Pinterest and horizontal Facebook images because the photos are clean, stylish, and tailored for entrepreneurs and creatives.

Haute Chocolate stands out for its clean aesthetic, monthly new images, and unlimited downloads during the membership period. The smallest package I used was $75 for three months, which offered strong value and access to their library.

Where do you source your blog photos? Share your favorites in the comments below.

Past featured questions include topics like increasing affiliate income, whether you need huge page views to make money blogging, blog topics, SEO, and more.

Plans for the blog and business

Having clear goals keeps the business moving forward. Current priorities include:

• Promote the blog and business more effectively. I’ve been investing more time in promotion, especially on Facebook, which has driven meaningful traffic increases.
• Diversify traffic sources. Because a lot of my traffic comes from Pinterest, I’m spending more time growing Facebook and learning SEO.
• Continue learning and improving. I’m working through additional courses on Instagram and SEO.
• Speak on more interviews and webinars. I participated in multiple interviews and a webinar in December.
• Reach $1,000,000 in business revenue in 2017. This is my key financial goal for the year.
• Grow monthly page views to 1,000,000. It’s a measurable target—my plan is to focus on Pinterest, Facebook, and SEO to achieve it.

Affiliate income results

In December 2016 I earned $55,878.63 in affiliate income. Affiliate income remains a favorite because of its potential for passive revenue that supports a location-independent lifestyle.

Affiliate marketing success doesn’t require massive page views; new bloggers can earn through well-targeted promotions and the right strategies. That’s the core focus of my Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course, which launched in July 2016 and has helped many students grow affiliate revenue.

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing includes multiple modules, detailed lessons, worksheets, bonuses, and an active student community. It covers fundamentals like selecting affiliate products, improving conversion rates, building reader trust, necessary disclosures, and promotional strategies.