May Income $12,747: My Small Business Breakout Story

Hello everyone! I can’t believe it’s already June, and it’s also my wedding week—time has flown. I’ll share more about the wedding later this week, but today I’m focused on my monthly income report.

May was a solid month, though I admit I feel a bit stuck. April was my best month yet, but my income hasn’t continued to rise steadily; it seems to fluctuate between months.

I won’t lie—while I’m VERY happy with my earnings, I expected my income to grow a bit faster after leaving my day job. That’s on me: I haven’t dedicated as much time to freelancing as I imagined I would. I thought I’d invest the extra 50–60 hours per week from leaving my job into building my freelance business, but that hasn’t been realistic so far.

I’m growing slowly, and income bounces month to month, but I’m happy with life. I have more time to enjoy what’s around me and to relax. I’m slowly growing my business, which beats going backward.

Once the wedding and related events are finished, I plan to get back on track and spend more time actively growing my business.

In May 2014 I earned $14,947 in business income before expenses. It was a good month!

Reading past income reports still motivates me.

I started side hustling after reading other bloggers’ income reports (Smart Passive Income, Budgeting In The Fun Stuff, Newlyweds on a Budget). Seeing their earnings inspired me to try it myself, which eventually grew into my freelance business.

I publish income reports because they help me reflect: I can see last month’s goals, compare progress, and identify where I’m slipping. That clarity helps me decide what to focus on.

From one of my earliest reports: In May 2012 I made $672 in extra income. That amount was meaningful then, and the growth over three years makes me proud. This August will mark three years of blogging—something I never imagined when I began. A reader recently congratulated me on nearly three years, and I was surprised at how quickly time has passed.

I say this often because it’s true: life is great now that I’m doing work I enjoy. My blog began as an outlet, not as a career. If you’d told me a few years ago that it would become my full-time work, I probably would have laughed.

This total reflects May before fees and expenses. Typical monthly costs that reduce the total by roughly $2,200 include payments to virtual assistants for other sites, annual hosting fees, technical assistance, PayPal fees, and similar expenses.

After expenses and fees, I earned approximately $12,747. The figure above reflects only my direct earnings for services I provide; when a site I manage earns revenue, I count only the payment I receive—not the full site income.

Self-employment is freedom, but it’s still a job and a business.

Although this may seem like a lot of “side income,” this is my full-time business and it requires many hours each day.

This is not passive income—at least not yet. I hope some income becomes passive in time, but much of this has been built through hard work. For about a year I earned no dollars while still investing full-time hours into my side projects. Also remember that taxes take roughly 30% of my income, which many people don’t consider.

As a reality check: I didn’t simply quit my job and relax. I’ve streamlined tasks and outsourced where possible, but it’s still work. For years I juggled a full-time job while building my business, which meant many sleepless nights. It was intense, but it paid off.

You can find my 2014 goals update and all past income reports on my Extra/Business Income page. If you have questions you’d like me to address in next month’s report, let me know.

Blog news

Blogging is still rewarding and fun. Some people thought I’d get bored doing it full-time, but my enthusiasm hasn’t faded. I’m learning and growing, and I remain attached to MakingSenseofCents and my other sites.

My personal finance and financial independence blog, Diversified Finances, is also progressing well. I plan to publish more on early retirement, financial independence, and passive income soon.

If you’re starting a blog, check out my posts on how to start a blog and how to make money blogging for step-by-step guidance and practical tips.

Plans for my website and business (in no particular order):

1. Start an eBook — I haven’t focused on this recently. I plan to research and begin writing in July 2014, possibly on freelancing online.
2. Build my brand — I’m working on strengthening my brand to reach the level of established freelancers I admire.
3. Promote more — I’m promoting posts more and plan to use Pinterest more strategically, despite personal finance being a tougher niche for Pinterest traction.
4. Podcasts — I’m interested but not ready to launch a podcast yet.
5. Accept more interviews — I did four interviews in May and have one scheduled for June.

Staff writing

I didn’t pick up any new staff writing clients in May, but I performed well with current gigs and have a new writing position coming soon once next steps are finalized.

Many people ask how to find more staff writing or virtual assistant jobs. There are two main approaches: have clients find you, or go out and find them. Clients finding you can be slower; if you want work sooner, proactively seek opportunities.

I recommend reading reputable guides on finding freelance work. If you want clients to find you, make it easy—add a clear Contact/Hire Me page so potential clients see you’re available.

If you need a staff writer or one-off content, I offer writing services with reliable turnaround and flexibility: regular posts, gap filling, or content for promotions.

To learn more about staff writing and virtual assistant roles, check my resources on becoming a freelance writer and what virtual assistants do.

Buying websites

I’ve purchased two websites and built four of my own, giving me six sites I own. I also manage other sites and am considering adding more to my portfolio to grow them and eventually monetize them.

Do you plan to buy websites in the future? Why or why not?

Update on blog and social media management services

In May I managed several client websites and social media accounts, and those projects went well. I enjoy blog and media management.

Some clients hire me to fully manage their sites—everything from responding to emails to updating old posts. I then help monetize through ads and affiliate programs and forward their share of the revenue. For others I provide targeted support such as email handling, site monitoring, or social media management.

I’d like to grow this service because many blog owners seek reliable help while on vacation or taking a break. I understand how personal a site can be and I focus on smooth transitions so owners can rest easy.

Pricing varies because each blog’s needs are unique. If you’re interested, email me and I’ll outline options based on your site.

Services I offer for blog and social media management:

• Manage and approve comments, remove spam, and reply when desired.
• Monitor site uptime and address hosting or technical issues.
• Handle email management to give owners a true break.
• Ensure scheduled posts publish on time.
• Write articles or ghostwrite while owners are away.
• Manage social media—find new followers and engage with the audience.

Interested in becoming a virtual assistant? I also provide resources that explain how to start and what the role entails.

Affiliate income — slow progress

My 2014 goal includes growing affiliate income because it can become more passive: create an evergreen affiliate post, maintain it minimally, and let it generate revenue. I didn’t focus on affiliate marketing in May, but it’s on my June to-do list.

How did you do in May? What are your extra or business income goals?