How To Make Money Blogging

Today’s post is the one that many of you have been waiting for. I don’t think a single day goes by without me receiving an e-mail regarding how a person can make money blogging online and/or how to make money online. If you are interested in starting a blog of your own, I created a tutorial that will help you start…

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Last Updated: January 1, 2023

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Today’s post is the one that many of you have been waiting for. I don’t think a single day goes by without me receiving an e-mail regarding how a person can make money blogging online and/or how to make money online.

If you are interested in starting a blog of your own, I created a tutorial that will help you start a blog of your own for cheap, starting at only $3.49 per month (this low price is only through my link) for blog hosting. In addition to the low pricing, you will receive a free blog domain (a $15 value) through my Bluehost link if you purchase at least 12 months of blog hosting. FYI, you want to be self-hosted. This is essential if you want to monetize your blog as you will appear more professional and this will help you monetize your blog tremendously. 

Sometimes it’s bloggers who e-mail me, but half the time the e-mails are from readers who do not have a blog but are interested in starting a money making blog.

As most of you have seen, a big bulk of my income every month comes from my blog in some form (I made over $320,000 online in 2015): advertising, affiliate income, consulting and so on. This How To Make Money Blogging post will be all about various ways that you can make money blogging.

 

When I started my blog in August of 2011, I never thought I’d be where I am at today. Now, I blog full-time, earn a great income, and I travel full-time, as you can see from my monthly online income report updates.

My extra income from my blog started slow, but within the past couple of months it has jumped significantly. I spend all of my extra time on finding extra income methods, and it definitely seems to be working.

 

Don’t forget these other posts in my blogging series:

  1. Tips for Beginner Bloggers Part 1 – The Basics – This post is all about tips for beginner bloggers and I talk about mistakes that I made and also how you can get ahead.
  2. Blogger or WordPress – Tips on How to Move – Are you still on Blogger? There are SO many reasons why you should switch to WordPress now.
  3. How to Start a Blog – Tips for a Beginner – This post had a very similar title to the first post on this list, but this post is mainly about how to get started with your hosting, picking a domain and actually starting your blog.
  4. My Monthly Online Income Reports – I show you exactly how I earn a living each month along with valuable tips to help you along the way.
  5. How To Monetize A Blog: How I Grew A $5 Million Blog – This is a great blog post that shows you how I make money blogging.

 

How to make money online blogging:

 

Use advertising networks to make money online.

This includes Adsense, Media.net, and many, many other companies.

You can place Adsense or other ad networks (such as Media.net) ads pretty much anywhere on your blog. Usually, bloggers place them in their sidebars, but you can also place them within posts, only on your homepage, as a banner above your header or within your blog’s footer.

It’s an easy way to make money blogging as all you have to do is insert the code that is provided to you. In general, the more page views you receive, the higher your income from ad networks will be.

 

Take part in affiliate marketing to make money online.

You can sign up for the waitlist for my affiliate income strategy online course here. I will be sharing tips on how I earn over $50,000 a month through affiliate marketing. By signing up for the waitlist, you will have access to it as soon as possible!

Affiliate income is something I’ve been working on more than ever lately. I am earning around $30,000 a month from it, and I believe it will continue to grow.

Affiliate income is great because you can create a post, review, etc., and then that post may earn you money years down the line with minimal work needed to maintain that article. It can be somewhat passive, which is what I love about it.

I believe recommending products you believe in is best. A lot of my affiliate income is from my How To Start a Blog post and that is because I include everything a person needs to know about blogging in that tutorial.

There are many affiliate programs out there, and you can always check out your favorite products to see if they have an affiliate program.

Affiliate income is where you will have a link (such as with my Bluehost link) and you recommend products in your blog posts. Then, when someone clicks on your link and buys something (according to the requirements of the affiliate program), you then make money. There is usually a 30 or 60-day wait on your funds, but that seems to be normal as Adsense does something similar as well.

Max Bounty – This is one of the largest affiliate programs that exists. Highly recommend!

Avant Link – This is an affiliate company that I highly recommend. They have many different companies that you can sign up for and they are easy to work with.

Link Vehicle – This is a relatively new affiliate website, but they have several affiliates that you have probably heard of.

Flex Offers – This seems to be one of the top affiliate programs/companies out there. There are a lot of companies on Flex Offers. You just sign up for Flex Offers and then after you are signed up, you can sign up for individual companies to promote. There are numerous companies for which you can get affiliate links for, such as clothing stores, Starbucks and so on. If you like a company, I bet you will find an affiliate program on there for it.

Commission Junction – This is another favorite affiliate program website of mine.

EJunkie – I’ve promoted a couple of ebooks that I love through here. There are tons of books on this site and I’m sure you could find something to promote.

Amazon’s Affiliate Program – I just started using Amazon’s Affiliate program, but I am excited about it. You promote products from Amazon and hopefully readers click on your link. You then get a percentage of the sales.

Swagbucks – I also use Swagbucks as well. I don’t make a ton of money from it, but I do cash all of my referral points for Amazon gift cards.

Related articles:

 

Direct advertising.

Direct advertising is when a company reaches out to you and asks you to either publish a post on their behalf that they write or you write a post for them. The post may be about a product that they sell, a review of their company or product, a post about something related to their industry, and so on.

If you decide to do direct advertising, please be aware of how much you should be charging. There are numerous websites out there that have guidelines publicly available. The other day on Facebook (I won’t say who it was), I noticed that someone was offering $5 text link ads to her readers who blog as well. There were TONS of people who jumped at this and were commenting saying that they wanted in.

People, your blog is worth much more than $5!

I always recommend that a person charge at least $150 for a blog advertisement, and once your blog is more established you may be able to charge a few thousand PER post.

 

Staff writing/consulting in order to make money online.

I don’t know if this should be included in today’s post, but it does fit in. You can write for other websites and there is usually a set fee that either you or the website owner sets. It seems like many websites have staff writers, and I even have one of my own (Jordann). Read my post So You Want to Become a Freelance Writer to learn more.

Blog consulting can be a variety of things. Perhaps you can help other bloggers learn how to blog and are staying on call to pretty much be their “coach.” You can also offer market research opportunities for advertisers and companies and offer them consulting on their new products, companies or websites.

Are you interested in learning how to make money online? Are you interested in making money through blogging?

 

Please check out my article How To Start Your Own WordPress Blog if you are ready to start blogging.

How To Start A Blog Free Email Course

Want to see how I built a $5,000,000 blog?

In this free course, I show you how to create a blog easily, from the technical side all the way to earning your first income and attracting readers. Join now!

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Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Author: Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Hey! I’m Michelle Schroeder-Gardner and I am the founder of Making Sense of Cents. I’m passionate about all things personal finance, side hustles, making extra money, and online businesses. I have been featured in major publications such as Forbes, CNBC, Time, and Business Insider. Learn more here.

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  1. The Norwegian Girl

    Orginally, I started blogging just to feel more comfortable with writing everyday-English (academic papers in English differ quite a lot :-P) now I blog because it`s fun and because of the community. I have nothing against earning some extra bucks on your blog, I´m just not sure if it´s any point for me to do it as my blog is still very "young"… but I have to admit, every time you post about your extra income, I kinda wish I could do the same thing!

    1. Free Money Minute

      That is a great way to get started blogging and to improve your english. Maybe you will make some money at some point as well. Best wishes.

    2. Norwegian Girl I am in the same boat as you currently, blog is still small (but seems to be growing weekly so all good!). When you hit a certain number of page views though it seems silly to not at least slightly monetise it, pay for your hosting at least? 🙂

      Everyone has to start somewhere and while there are some sites that seem to go bonkers on the growth front within a couple of months starting, most are grown slowly by hard work and persistence. Well that is my take on so far after blogging for around 8 months, although I’ve only really put in the effort for about the last 4 months.

      It’s really good to see that effort is currently correlating nicely with blog growth, which is very motivational to keep on going.

      Michelle thanks for a great article!

    3. Claudia

      Thank you for making this easy. Ive always wanted to start a blog. I look forward to learning this process with all of your help. Im going full time in my Class A RV and Im sure it will be entertaining at least.

  2. Lots of great tips, Michelle! Our blog makes money, but not quite as much as yours. I think every month has been better than the last so at least things are moving in the right direction! Unfortunately, like you said a lot of my online income is not passive at all. It's a lot of work!

  3. Making money blogging is tough but if you get to a good spot you can make a lot of money, like Pat Flynn does. Sometimes I think you need to be able to sell a dream to make a ton of money, but if you believe in it there is nothing wrong with that. My blog brings in a decent side income which helps out in our student loan debt payoff!

  4. myfijourney

    I'd just like to get more readers at this point. Blogging has already helped me make money – but not in the way you write about. Since a major focus of my blog is on investing, my investing knowledge base has grown a lot in the 3 months I've been blogging, both through researching and writing articles and through interacting with other bloggers.

    If my blog ever got to the point where it pulled in a reasonable amount of money, that would be amazing. But I'm not really willing to become a marketing shill, who endorses products just because they pay high commissions.

  5. FrugalRules

    I started a blog for two main reasons….one to be able to help people not make the same stupid mistakes I have made and two to be able to attract some financial businesses to write for under our business umbrella. I would hope that I am accomplishing #1 and we have just started to get a few new clients in relation to #2, so that is awesome. If I do make money off of the blog, then that is a bonus for me…albeit a very nice bonus. 🙂

  6. Rachel

    I make a little a month from sponsored posts, ads and affiliate income (around $100 a month). I'd love to make more, but I need a larger audience. I'm still on the hunt for staff writing though!
    My recent post Transition Your Beauty Routine for Spring

  7. nicoleandmaggie

    Hobby
    My recent post On definitions: Retirement

  8. Been waiting for a post like this 😀 Definitely bookmarked this page :0) I blog mostly to share my journey to financial freedom and an early retirement, but also to connect with other like minded people around the world. I've done a bit of direct adverts here and there but have not gotten fully into everything like you have. Thanks for the tips.

  9. W00t w00tt! We said. Not much to add here, you've pretty much covered it. Keep doin' your thang!
    My recent post Don’t Buy A House For The Tax Deduction

  10. I think I'd be down to make money off blogging, but I don't know if I could ever pull in as much as you do! I've also thought about freelance writing!
    My recent post We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming…Koreans are coming! Koreans are coming!

  11. Affiliate marketing is better then the adsense income.It is difficult to draw attention of google to use their adsense.It is a long term process consists of several process.This is a nice post having some guideline about income through blogging.
    My recent post How to Syndicate your Blog Content with Slideshare to get more online Exposure

  12. SailFarLiveFree

    Good stuff Michelle. It seems Bluehost's affiliate program is financing a lot of bloggers these days. I'll have to see if it will fit somewhere with my blog content. I mostly blog because it's a ton of fun, but I also monetize to help pay for our family cruising on our sailboat.
    My recent post Under the Sea

  13. Great tips Michelle. I like the breakdown you've done. It's hard to believe your making as much as you are and you've only been doing this since 2011. I also agree you have to promote products that you honestly feel are great products and even own.

  14. Thanks for sharing this information! I am addicted to your extra money posts and have been wraping my head around why. Will blog about it. HEHE! I blog because I needed to express myself in ways that I couldn't at work. I also needed something else to focus on. I'm having a lot of fun with it and if I'm able to make money one day blogging I would be thrilled!

  15. Great post, Michelle! I never believed blogging was passive income for you because we all know you work hard! Like everyone else, I wanted to help people and make a difference. Right now I don't have ads on my blog. The only money I earn is through my books. I definitely want The Heavy Purse to be profitable and ads would help, but I'm just not sure where they fit in at this time.

    1. I ran across your article and am completely enthralled. I want to make money blogging and i feel like you’ve paved a very clear path but I don’t blog about finances and really don’t know where to start, what would you suggest?

      1. You can definitely blog about whatever you want to blog about 🙂 I always recommend that a person blog about a topic they are passionate about.

  16. kimateyesonthedollar

    That rocks that your blog is doing so well. I think having good things to say and being consistent makes the difference. I'm not sure how you find the time to be everywhere blog wise, but you do and then you share what you know. I'm always looking forward to see how much money you are pulling in. Gives hope to the rest of us.

  17. You go girl! I love that you're becoming so successful with something that your passionate about, but love doing as a hobby 🙂
    My recent post currently…

  18. I love your blog and I get a lot of inspiration from how well you're doing! I honestly started a blog because I love to write and my friends kept saying, "If you'd start a blog, I would read it." Guess what…they rarely do. I'm really a little lost on the whole thing. I love to share information and tell stories, but how do you get it out there?? It's a little scary, trying to promote yourself. As far as marketing and advertising, is there a time frame for how long you should wait or how many readers you should have before you start trying to monetize? Thanks for sharing so much!!
    My recent post Lawbreaker BBQ and Carolina Hot Slaw…Yum, Yum!!!!

    1. Thanks Beth! I don't think my friends read it too much either (I recently just told them all about it). I comment on other blogs, and I used to guest post, and both of those helped me get my name out there. I would comment, comment comment, network with other bloggers and guest post! And I'm not sure, just do whatever feels right when it comes to monetizing 🙂

  19. Keenyn

    This post is beyond helpful! That is eventually where I want to get my blog too. I love writing and wanted to use a blog as a way to fuel that passion as well and try and make some money from it. Thanks for the tips!
    My recent post My frugal hair

  20. Anna

    This is a very transparent and helpful account of how bloggers can make an income. You asked people to tell you why they blog. Well, I'm part of a blogging community (blogbods.com) and it's really…bloggers blogging about blogging! I've shared your post there so more bloggers read it.

    Why do I love blogging? It's very sociable…and fun (as you pointed out – it feels like a hobby), creative, accessible, and, like you, many of us like to use it as a source of income. Best career in the world! I love your frank style and I was particularly interested in your pointers on direct advertising as I've not tried it yet. I'll be interested to see what you write about next!
    My recent post Exact Match Domains Getting Nuked – ShoeMoney Internet Marketing Blog

    1. I love blogging because it's sociable also. I have met some awesome people 🙂
      My recent post Happy Memorial Day and $1,582 in Extra Income

  21. Iain

    Awesome post.

    Many people don't see the full picture when they think blogging is all fun and games. Success doesn't happen overnight.. It takes a long time for it to become a money-making website.

    I think consulting is a definite winner for some people because they will already have some expertise from their day job and it can translate into consulting easily in many cases.

    Also, affiliate income is a great way to get extra money, but the people who go through your links have to trust your, which also plays a big part.

  22. Keren

    Thanks for the great advice, as always! I'm lovin' your blog as well as getting to know myself through my own new blog!
    My recent post Overspending

  23. Work From Home

    Thank you for tips about blogging. I love bloging and I believe it might be a good way of earning money.

  24. Thanks! 🙂 I hope you found it helpful.
    My recent post Happy Memorial Day and $1,582 in Extra Income

  25. Hi there! You can advertise on self-hosted WordPress, and that is what I use.
    My recent post Happy Memorial Day and $1,582 in Extra Income

  26. Ashley Rowe

    I am new to blogging and really hope some of the ideas you’ve shared can help me. I think blogging is a great way to share knowledge with others. The confidence you get from people liking your blogs and commenting is enormous.

  27. I wish I could make 5K a year from blogging but until then I am happy blogging just for the sheer joy of it!

  28. I hope to earn a decent income someday from blogging but I just found out that someone hacked into an old adsense account that I forgot that I had when I set up my new account. It had a balance of about $65.00 in adsense but I dont recall if its from my old websites or if they made that money from my account with the 3 websites that they added to it. Luckily I was able to login and change the password and secure it.

  29. Daughter of Maat

    This is a great post. I’ve been blogging for about a year now, and have yet to make any money aside from the pittance I get from adsense. But your post has made me think of some old ideas in a new way. Like the affiliate links. I have affiliate links in my sidebar, but I’ve never actually promoted them…. oops!

    Awesome post, and so glad I found your blog. This post was pinned on pinterest by Janine Huldie, one of my favorite bloggers. 😀

  30. MikeB

    Great post! I also just started blogging around the topic of frugal living and personal finances (basically sharing about the mistakes and lessons I’ve learned from) and so far it’s been quite the adventure, and I’m looking forward to much learning to come. I’ll definitely take some of this advice here to heart – keep on blogging!
    My recent post: Save Money By Revisiting Your Bank Service Fees

  31. Faith

    Thanks for this post! Lots of great info. I have been blogging for years on the side and am really looking forward to doing it full time (which I think will be soon!).

    Affiliate marketing is my favorite way to make money from blogging. When I purchase a product or program, I enjoy sharing it with others, so it can help them as well.

    I’m always inspired by stories like yours, and I wasn’t aware of some of the affiliate companies you mentioned. Thanks again!

    Faith D.

  32. Thanks for sharing. I’m new and all help is appreciated from your end to materialize my cherished desires.

  33. clank

    good solid post thanks

  34. Hi Michelle,
    I love doing sponsored posts and product reviews. They generate quite handsome amounts for me 😉

  35. Shital Bhalani

    I agree with all of the above. This was so intriguing. I blog to have an “out” in life, to have some “me” moments, to offset being a stay at home mom. However, if I could earn an income to at least cover my costs, and make a fee extra dollars, I would be thrilled! I’d love to be able to tell my husband that I am contributing financially! 🙂

    Shital Bhalani

  36. S M Sarowar

    I think Blogging, advertising, affiliate income, consulting is big opportunity for income. I think it not only income, its also interesting task. I found so much fun on it. I am really thankful for all these information/post! I am so much interested in social media marketing and affiliate marketing.

  37. Dave

    My blog is about 7 months old and the most I’ve made from it in one month is about $9.54 but I am still happy with even such a small amount.

  38. My goal with the Phroogal Blog wasn’t to make money but to increase awareness of my brand as I build Phroogal platform. But, after meeting and connecting with so many bloggers, it only made sense to see where and how one can monetize the traffic that comes in and do it tastefully.

  39. chelsey

    I am very interested in starting a blog. And all for it I am a little concerned with earning money though do I get a check in the mail or is it through something like PayPal where I need my account number online…

  40. Melissa

    I loved this post so much, Michelle. Definitely bookmarking it. Thanks for all the helpful info – can’t wait to read the next installment!

  41. Fiona Williams

    For me blogging is just one way of earning extra income. But if you are just new to it, I will recommend not relying so much on it as your only source of income. Learn the ropes, get yourself better and better at it then decide later if this type of profession is good for you. Will it be sustainable until the end? So for me, blogging is just a part time job, I am keeping my job which gives a steady source of income.

  42. Great post and so true about the first year being the toughest, I recall reading somewhere that a majority of blogs do not continue past their first year.. infact quite a lot never post any content at all!

  43. You’re an inspiration, Michelle! I can’t believe the kind of growth you’ve been displaying on your site and through your earnings. Well done!

    Please keep up the great work. I’m thinking about breaking down my earnings month-to-month very soon.

    -Sam

  44. Mrs. Maroon

    Mr. Maroon and I are very new to the blogging world. We did a bang up job in January. And then somehow life got in the way… excuses! We have recently started back, and I must say that I’m completely addicted to it. I find myself trying to frame almost every single thing that happens in my day-to-day life into a worthwhile post.

    We have a burning desire to achieve financial independence, or more importantly, employment independence by 2020. Every day I think more and more about how I could use our blog platform to accelerate that progress. I find this article inspiring and very informative. You can be assured that I plan to continue reading and researching in my quest to leave the J.O.B. that I currently rely on so heavily.

    Thanks for all of the advice, Michelle!! I will be back again very soon!

  45. Google Adsense is a good way to monetize your blog if you are writing about how-to posts. It has worked on my blog.

    At first I have to test which ad is better (image or link) and its position. Don’t forget to dress up the ad whether you want it to stand out or blend in the content.

    Tip: ads placed inside and close to the post are clicked often = more $$$ earnings.

    Just a warning though, don’t clutter your blog and choose ads that will benefit your readers.

    Earning through blogging takes time. The challenge is will you stick to it long enough to enjoy the rewards? Say you will.

    Press on. Keep the words marching on.

  46. Gabriel Rossi

    Blogging would help me improve my writing skill and help me express myself better in english (like french and italian, I use to read a lot of things, but never try to write), but I do not have many free time, I’m always translating and studying and, sometimes, my eyes get tired =(
    Thanx for all tips and advices 😉

    1. Welcome Gabriel 🙂

  47. Linda

    Dear Michelle, I’ve enjoyed looking at your blog. I have a basic question so excuse my inexperience. I would like to start a blog about kindness and making an impact through our actions. I would like to make money on this blog and donate to my favorite charities. I you sign up for affiliates is this a guanteed income?

    My dream is to build houses thru a couple of my favorite charities. Is us ok to say their names on my blog or is that frowned upon.

    I would also like to do another blog to help my husband and I to pay off some student loans for my kids.

    Are these realistic goals? the housing that I would like to build in Latin america is only 3200 and I have some of my own money saved but this would help alot and impact a family in a great way. Your advise is appreciated!! Linda

    1. Hello Linda,

      Sounds like you have a great blog idea here. With blogging, there is no guaranteed income. You might make money, but you may not. It really all just depends on your writing skills, networking skills, and how much work you put into it. Blogging also does not bring in immediate income. It took me around 6 months to make my first $100.

      I’m not sure how a charity blog works, but I’m sure it’s fine to mention the name of the charities. You can always reach out to the charity and ask as well.

      When you are ready to create your blog, I have a tutorial that you will find helpful – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2014/08/how-to-start-a-wordpress-blog-on-bluehost.html

  48. Dawn

    Hi! Should I set up a separate page for my blog on facebook or just use my current personal page?

    1. Usually a separate page for your blog is best.

  49. Rajkumar

    Thanks for the tips shared here. It is a good article. I didn’t know anything about blogging but the post here inspires me to get started with my own.

    I think blogging is one way to get honest money online now. Can earn a few bucks and even can continue for a full-time job to set your livelihood. Thanks it really helped.

  50. Excellent post. There are lot of ways to earn money through blog. Most of renowned bloggers earn through selling their services to large firms.. Affiliate marketing and sponsored post both are another best ways to earn from blogging.

  51. Nora Miller

    Earning with blogs use to be a little easier way back but these days, the ads are not that easy to get, but it makes it a whole lot better because it pressures bloggers to write more with quality and informative content which is both for the god of the readers and advertisers as well.

    Thanks for sharing these tips by the way.

  52. I know it seems like a big no-no to most bloggers, but the amount of money you make when you put CPC advertisements such as Adsense of Media.net in the content as opposed to the sidebar is remarkable. If you can find a way to elegantly layer them into the body of your text you’ll be shocked by how much more money you make.

  53. Mr. Self Reliance

    Another great post. Will have to look up what affiliate company’s work in Canada, as well as read your blogger vs wordpress post…

  54. This information is great! Because of you I have started my very own blog. I do have a question. How do you build traffic to your site when starting out?

  55. Tamara

    Please don’t post something like swagbucks as a way to make money/gift cards, it is insulting.

    Note to others: Please don’t fall for this waste of time. Approximately a month of wasting time on that website just MIGHT yield you a $5 gift card to amazon, starbucks, etc..
    The “surveys” are a scam. There is about 5-10 “qualifying” questions, and then they tell you you didn’t qualify for the survey and give you 1 swagbuck!! after wasting your time answering the questions!!

    1. Hello Tamara. I’m sorry that you feel so strongly about this. In my post, I never said it was a way to make a lot of money, I said that I actually don’t make much from it.

  56. Joanne

    I blog about toys and hoping it will be a money making blog. Still working hard on it!

  57. Hey!
    I have blog about 11 months and 97 posts all about beauty, fashion and lifestyle. All I want I make money on my blog then I can make giveaways. Adsense didn’t accept me last year and I didn’t sign up again because my hope ran away.. What should I do? Thanks!

    best wishes

  58. Jennifer White

    Hi Michelle, I live in Australia. I absolutely love to write, in fact I quite often get told I write too much..but it’s what I enjoy, I also love decorating and am just finishing building a new home with a wonderful company that I would recommend to anyone..As I love to write and I read many other Blogs all the time..would you think I should start one of my own? Only thing is that I am not quite sure how to start it? I am always looking up Stores for Decor/Furnishings..know many good places to shop..both here and in the US as My son lives in New Jersey.. Also about to start New Decor in my own home..putting my own personal style into this new home..I would dearly love to get your advice on this if you were able to do so…I will definitely recommend your posts and Blog also. My Kindest Regards, Jennifer xx

  59. Diana

    Your blog inspired me to start creating my own blog just for fun. I still have a lot of reading to do on how to add ads onto my site. So far I just signed up for Google Adsense, and waiting on them whether or not they will want to add ads on my blog. I just wrote my first post on how I’m going to do the 52 weeks money saving challenge and see if I can make it by the end of the Week 52. Hopefully, I’ll be able to pay off my college and grad loans off by keeping track of my financial goals. :] Just wanted to say thank you for the inspiration!

    1. Aww yay. Glad you started a blog!

  60. SSCSWORLD

    Your articles are always inspiring. I like the way you weave your affiliate links smoothly and naturally within the text. That alone is a big lesson learned

  61. Wanda Mcphee

    What an awesome and inspiring post! A lot of valuable informative and very insightful. I blog because I too love to write and interact with all the beautiful people I meet daily online, but it would be nice to earn a profit as well. Thanks so much for sharing. Am siked!

  62. Chrisssi Penney

    I keep reading post after post after post from you. I’m determined not to go to work when we move next month. I had best get a move on! 🙂
    Thanks so much!!!

  63. Diana

    Awesome post. This is my first time here and I gotta say I am impressed. I had heard of Direct Advertising, but never really looked into it. Now that I have an idea what it is, it sounds like something I would like to implement into my business and blog.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Diana

  64. I’m not sure my blog has enough readers to make money, but I’ll definitely keep these links in mind for future use. In terms of hosting, do you prefer Blue Host over other companies? I have Go Daddy and I’m considering switching.

  65. First time visitor of your blog came through pinterest , its a perfect site to get ideas and learn the knowledge how to earn online through blogging … as a new blogger your blog really helps me to improve my blogging skills .. will read your all money making posts thanks for sharing..

  66. Hi Michelle my name is ally and i came across your post on pinterest. i’ve i applied for ad-sense and they denied my application due to not enough post on my blog =/ my question to you is, how long did it take for u to be approved by ad-sens?

    Thanks so much for the info. keep up the amazing work it helps us readers so much
    -Ally

    1. Hello Ally,

      Sorry, I don’t really remember. I did it in the very beginning though. Maybe their rules make it harder now?

  67. Joshua

    Hello Michelle,

    Fantastic suggestions! I’ve been noticing that many experienced bloggers make the majority of their money through Products and Services. However, you are the first blogger I see that makes the majority of money from affiliates and ads. Which avenue do you feel brings in the most money, Products & Services or Ads & Affiliate Marketing?

  68. Amanda

    Michelle, you are so inspiring and helpful! I have signed up for Blue host through your link and started my blog, but I can’t figure out where to save my affiliate meta tags so I can start using Flex offers. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

    1. Hey Amanda! I recommend contacting FlexOffers directly as they should be able to help you 🙂

      1. Amanda

        Thanks, Michelle, I will do that. 🙂

  69. Kristina

    This was a very helpful article!!! I am just starting out to blogging and I have yet to find a more helpful article!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!

    1. Welcome 🙂

      My latest income report just went live yesterday as well and it may help you out too – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2015/11/october-online-income-report.html

  70. I think choosing a niche is important, but there are MANY niches that are profitable.

    For driving traffic, I am very active with Pinterest and that drives a lot. Guest posting is great.

    I’ll cover your question more in depth in my December income report, which gets published in January.

  71. Amazing post with a lot of helpful tips. Im going to apply them to my own blog. One thing I feel I’ll need is to grow my audience. But it has been increasing over the past month so I’m taking that as a positive.

  72. Amanda

    I just tried signing up for amazon affiliates so I can promote books etc on my new blog. I am SO confused. Taxes? I don’t know anything about taxes I still live with my parents when I’m not at school! What exactly do they want me to input and why?

    1. What’s the question specifically?

  73. Zascha

    Great tips as always. It’s definitely possible to make money from blogging – I’m finally starting to make money from my blog. Best. Feeling. Ever. 🙂

  74. Kristina mercado

    Did you have to pay bluehost all at once?

    1. You have to purchase at least 12 months.