Income from blogging

In addition to the enjoyment I get out of writing, Loonies And Sense has actually generated a (very) small amount of money for me, by way of advertising income. The idea of generating alternative income was one factor that motivated me to set up the blog last year, and I'm hoping for more opportunities in the future for the site to make me some cash.

A recent post at The Shark Investor has got me thinking about exactly what I'm expecting in terms of blogging income. The gist of this article is that, if the reason your blog exists is to make money, then

1. your blog will be boring, and


2. you won't make much money from your blog.

However, if you develop your blog out of your passion for the subject matter and a joy of writing, then you will have a more interesting blog that has the potential to earn more money.

These are great points, and I like this idea of growing an audience "organically", with income as a secondary bonus rather than the primary motivation. With over 250 posts and one advertiser, I think it's safe to say that I'm not blogging "for the money". Granted, I'm not going to turn down any reasonable advertising offers, and I have some kooky money-making ideas from time to time, but the main thing pushing me to keep writing is a desire to learn (and share) as much as I can about personal finance.

It's a nice surprise when something makes you question your motivation, and you end up happy with the answer.

To close, let me just share the best advice I've read on how to make money blogging.