This newest post in the series on how to use your tax return to start a business at home is about… blogging! Of course, this one is near and dear to my heart since I’ve been blogging for about 20 years and love it. If you’ve ever wondered how to make money at home blogging, read on.

The women I interview below are fellow members of a private membership forum of students who have taken a class called Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. I’ve gotten to know them over the last few months and share their stories below.

Their answers to the same four questions are below, with my own thoughts in italics. Don’t forget, if you are interesting in making money from a blog, be sure to visit this page to download my free Making Money Blogging Course.

How to Make Money at Home Blogging

I first spoke with Kecia Hambrick of Mama Refreshed. She provides practical solutions for busy work at home moms that need help finding balance in their lives. Kecia is a mom of two and is practically my neighbor – she also lives in northwest Georgia, USA.

How much money does it take to start a blog?

You can start a blog for less than $50 for the first year. This includes purchasing a domain name and signing up for web hosting. There are options to start a blog for free, but I recommend investing a little money to get a professional set up from the beginning. You may also want to invest in a professional theme or design as soon as you can, but it’s not a requirement to get started.

Who is blogging right for? Does it take a certain personality to make money with a blog?

The beauty of blogging is that just about anyone can financially benefit from it! With such a small investment, blogging can be perfect for anyone wanting to earn an income online.

(I would add that a blogger needs to love writing and be willing to improve their skills as a writer. And nowadays, with the internet becoming more visual, some skill in photography and/or graphics is necessary too.)

Right off the bat, I would say that blogging is great for stay at home moms that want to earn supplemental income for their household. Working moms can also blog for extra income. Understand that blogging is a time investment, so you would need at least 5 hours per week to create content and promote your posts to be successful.

What is the income potential with blogging?

The sky is truly the limit! I know bloggers who make just a couple hundred dollars through blogging, as well as those that make 5 figures per month. It’s all about how much time and effort you put into growing your blog. Please understand that blogging is a “long game,” meaning you may have to work at it for several months before you start to see a good profit for your time and investments.

You need to create quality content to meet your readers’ needs, great photography (whether your own or stock photos), and to consider growing your income with your own products, courses, or ebooks. Most bloggers earn with advertising, sponsored posts, and *affiliate marketing when they first start out.

(*Note: Kecia and I have both graduated from a course called Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, which teaches bloggers how to monetize their blogs. We both highly recommend it!)

What do you love most about blogging?

First and foremost, I would have to say I love the freedom that blogging has given me to stay home with my children. I don’t miss a field trip, party, or parent-teacher conference at my kids’ schools. Also, I love that I get to share my opinion with the world through opportunities with my favorite brands! With affiliate marketing, my favorite thing is the passive income. Once you create a post and put your affiliate links inside, you can continue to earn from that single post for years to come.

Next, meet Sireesha Narumanchi – a mom of two who resides in Melbourne, Australia. In 2008, when Sireesha began looking online for legitimate work-from-home job opportunities, she quickly realized she had her work cut out for her.

After landing a great position, she started a blog, CrowdWorkNews, to offer work-at-home job leads. She gives tips and advice to help other people looking for legitimate job opportunities avoid pitfalls.

How much money does it take to start a blog?

Starting a blog does not cost much. I started mine with Bluehost for only $3.95 per month. Apart from the hosting, you will need a theme (if not opting for a free one), an email marketing service like *Aweber or Convertkit. All other things like auto schedulers are optional.

(*note from Carrie: Aweber is my preferred email management company, I’ve been with them for years and am very happy. As all 3 of these ladies mention, up-front costs with blogging are quite minimal. Your costs increase as your traffic and audience grow, but so does your income. Blogging has a very high profit margin!)

Who can make money at home blogging?

Blogging is perfect for anybody who wants a flexible income stream. Whether you are a stay at home mum or someone who needs a side hustle, this can be the right choice.

What is the income potential?

This the best part!! The income potential is really infinite. It totally depends on your hard work and the strategies you implement. I started my blog 7 months ago and now I am making around $4000 a month from my blog.

(Note from Carrie: obviously no one can make guarantees or income predictions. Success with blogging depends in many factors: writing and marketing skill, the particular niche you choose, how much time you have to devote to it, etc. However, Sireesha’s experience is not unusual. One thing I know about Sireesha and the other bloggers interviewed here? They are willing to invest in their education. Instead of going it alone, they learn from other full-time bloggers.)

What do you love most about blogging?

Blogging has given me the freedom to do things that I love and still make money passively. I believe the flexibility is the biggest factor for blogging.
I love affiliate marketing. Most of my income every month comes from affiliate marketing. Of all the ways of making money from blogging, I prefer affiliate marketing as it is totally passive.

*****

My next interview is with Emma Healey of MoneyCanBuyMeHappiness. Emma is a mom and world traveler.

Her blog helps people optimize their income (no matter how small) to achieve their dream life, whether that be long-term travel, early retirement or becoming a stay-at-home mom.

How much money does it take to start a blog?

It cost me well under $100 for a years’ worth of hosting which included my domain name and a basic theme. After I started earning money from my blog, I paid around $500 for a professional design, but you can certainly start with a basic theme.

(My host, Reliable Webs, also costs about $100 a year. They offer free blog installations. All you do is buy your domain name (about $8), and Reliable Webs does the rest to set things up. The customer service is incredible and I’ve never had issues with downtime!)

Who is blogging right for?

I’m not gonna lie, it doesn’t suit everyone. You have to love writing, be passionate about helping others and have patience. Because making money from blogging takes time. I know others get there faster, but it took me three years of casual blogging to start making money. Now, I make between $500-$1000 per month from my blog, and I’m so glad I didn’t quit a year ago.

(I love Emma’s answer! I agree that blogging is not for everyone. When bloggers say this, I think what they actually mean is that anyone with a passion for a topic who loves writing can earn money from a blog, no matter what the niche.

Blogging takes patience and hard work on the front end. It requires creating good-looking graphics and a bit of technical skill.

Also, a recent survey of bloggers found that most were more on the introverted spectrum. People who need to be around people all day might do better with a different type of business. For example, people who love to make things with their hands and are crafty may prefer an Etsy business. Etc.

Bloggers also need to have a talent for writing and a commitment to ongoing learning in order to navigate the constantly changing field of internet marketing.)

What’s the income potential with blogging?

Unlimited! Really, once you dig into all the different ways to make money blogging, you realize the massive opportunities. That said, it’s fine to create a part-time income also. I have 2 little boys and a business to run so my blogging time is limited. I’m also traveling around the world with my family at the moment. I’m writing this from a hotel in Mexico. I love that I am still making an income for my family, even while we travel!

(Carrie here. I see this as one of the greatest advantages of blogging. All you need is a laptop and you’re in business! You don’t even need an internet connection full-time. I know some bloggers who do all their writing at home offline. Then, they load their articles into their blog once they get a connection at a coffee shop or wherever. Some do this because they can focus better without the internet, others do it because they’re traveling and the wifi is spotty. But obviously, blogging is a location-independent business!)

What do you love most about blogging?

The community! All the amazing people I get to meet virtually through Facebook groups. Everyone is so supportive and welcoming. I also love that I get to work from home or anywhere, whenever suits me and make extra money for my family.

For more information about how to make money at home blogging, see my free Making Money Blogging course.