In every one of my monthly blogging income reports, I include not only my earnings but also my monthly expenses. I don’t usually go into great detail about business costs because they don’t change much month to month. Today, however, I’ll dive deeper into the expenses required to run my blog so you can see exactly what it takes each month.
Every blog or online business is different, so your expenses may not match mine. When you’re starting out, you don’t need to spend much — I spent almost nothing in the beginning. I created Making Sense of Cents six years ago, and since then the blog has generated over $1.5 million in revenue, including about $979,000 in one year alone.
When I started the blog, I spent very little on expenses — for a few years I probably spent only 1%–2% of my revenues on running the site. The blog itself began as a hobby after I read about personal finance in a magazine. At first it was a place to track my finances and connect with others; I didn’t even realize people made money from blogging until later.
One of the first income moments came when a blogger friend connected me with an advertiser and I earned $100 from that ad. That deal sparked my interest in monetizing the blog and learning which expenses were worth investing in. Blogging has changed my life: I work from home, travel full-time, enjoy a flexible schedule, and earn thousands of dollars a month doing something I love.
Now that the blog earns a solid income, I spend a bit more each month on business costs. I still keep expenses relatively low—less than 5% of monthly income—but 5% of a much larger revenue stream is significantly more than the 1%–2% I paid in the early years. Note that these expense figures exclude taxes, which vary by person; for me taxes run around 30% as mentioned in my business income reports. Every business is different, and the right expense mix is what works best for your goals.
Below are the main categories where I spend money to run my blogging business.
My computer
A reliable computer is one of the most important tools for running a blog. People often assume you need an expensive machine, but that’s not true. Since starting the blog, I’ve owned only two laptops — both MacBook Airs (first the 11-inch, then the 13-inch). My sister uses a $600 Acer laptop and finds it works great, which shows you don’t have to overspend to run a successful blog.
Blog design and hosting
Paying for reliable hosting transformed my business. If you want to monetize a blog, start with a self-hosted WordPress site (WordPress.org), not Blogger or WordPress.com. Self-hosting with an entry-level host like Bluehost is a good way to begin; as your site grows you can upgrade to a managed host such as BigScoots. Switching hosts is straightforward, but beginning self-hosted from day one increases your professional appearance and control.
Benefits of self-hosted WordPress include:
- More professional presentation, which can help attract advertisers and partners.
- Complete control over your site’s design, functionality, and monetization.
- Ownership of your site—your content can’t be removed by a third-party free platform.
In my experience, income growth accelerated after switching to self-hosted WordPress, so I strongly recommend it if you plan to grow your blog as a business.
Blog images
I use three main sources for images: my own photography (often taken with my iPhone while RVing), Ivory Mix for subscription-based styled stock photos, and DepositPhotos for affordable bulk image purchases. After sourcing images, I edit them with PicMonkey and use Pinterest’s scheduler to plan distribution. Occasionally my husband uses a GoPro or a Canon DSLR to capture higher-quality travel photos; I’m also considering adding drone footage in the future.
Interviews and podcast gear
I participate in many interviews via email, phone, and podcasts. For podcast appearances I use an Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB microphone, which offers much better sound quality than a laptop mic. If you’ll be doing frequent audio interviews or podcasting, investing in a professional microphone is worthwhile.
Courses, guides, and ebooks
To grow as a blogger and learn monetization strategies, investing in education—ebooks, courses, webinars—is important. I use several resources to improve the blog and my skills, including my own course, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, and other courses focused on traffic-building and monetization. Each resource covers different aspects of blogging; taking the time to learn from multiple reputable sources helped me scale the business.
Creating my own product
I launched my first product, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, in July 2016 and earned approximately $434,698 in the first year. I chose Teachable as the platform because it’s user-friendly for both creators and students; many students have commented that they enjoy the platform. I pay $99 per month for Teachable and find it a worthwhile investment for hosting and delivering course content.
Email list and newsletter
My biggest blogging mistake was waiting years to build and prioritize an email list. After switching to ConvertKit, I realized how valuable an email audience is. Unlike social media, your email list is yours: subscribers opted in to hear from you, and email remains one of the best channels to promote products and affiliate offers. ConvertKit also allows me to create automated free email courses and drip content to subscribers.
I currently pay for the ConvertKit plan that supports up to 65,000 subscribers, which costs $439 per month. Smaller lists cost less; ConvertKit’s entry-level plans are much more affordable for beginners.
Virtual assistant and editor
I outsource many daily tasks to a virtual assistant who helps with Facebook group moderation, scheduling Pinterest and social posts, replying to emails, approving affiliates, and more. Hiring a VA freed up my time and increased productivity. I also work with an editor who reviews my posts before publication. Having an editor’s fresh perspective saves time and improves content quality.
Technical management
I outsource WordPress maintenance and technical work to a developer who handles web host transfers, malware monitoring, uptime checks, database backups, caching, and other technical issues. Having a reliable technical partner means I can focus on content and strategy while they manage backend problems quickly and efficiently.
Transaction fees
I receive payments in four main ways: PayPal, Stripe, checks, and bank transfers. Course payments typically come through PayPal and Stripe; affiliate income often arrives via PayPal, checks, or bank transfers; advertising and sponsored work commonly pays via PayPal or check. PayPal and Stripe charge transaction fees, while checks and bank transfers usually have no fees. These processing costs are part of doing business online.
That covers the major monthly expenses for my blogging business. Each blogger’s needs are different, but these are the areas where I’ve found it valuable to invest as my site has grown.
Did anything surprise you? What do you spend money on for your business?