Why I stopped declaring my income *

Affiliate links in this post will be clearly marked with a *. Clicking one of these links means I earn a discount or receive payment.

Years ago I used to share income reports, my exact earnings from just about all the ways that I make money online. Then I decided to stop. Just like that. In specific terms anyway! I want to share with you why that was.

When I started blogging, back in 2014, it was to try to share a little information with people about some of the ways that I was making money online. Then things expanded. I started to share parts of my life on my Instagram, and then I started to share recipes and things expanded from there.

Now my blog is an extension of me, lots of posts on a variety of topics, different things that I am interested in. I like to share information, product reviews, recipes, details about making money and a lot more.

In the past I have written posts about my favourite survey websites, ways to save for Christmas and even how I made £15,000 in just 4 months from matched betting. My topics are definitely varied, that is for sure!

I have quite a few posts that DO talk about finances, and are very open, and while I’m not going to stop that I’m just going to stop sharing specific details really.

A few months ago I was talking to a friend online about money making. She told me that she was making £500 a month. I was really proud for her, and her hard work, and told her so! She responded back to me ‘it’s nothing in the scheme of things’, and that made me feel really sad!

When I first started blogging, back in 2014, I was working part time for around £500 a month, and to double that income would have been fantastic. I was also earning more than that online already, and sharing quite openly about that.

I asked her to elaborate on this she advised that it was nothing compared to the sort of money that I am making. Now yes, I am making good money, from a huge variety of income streams, however, I still think £500 is a huge sum of money. This is pretty much when I stopped declaring my income online. 

I work HARD for the money that I am making. I have some money that is passive income, such as income from blog posts, affiliate income etc. This is great, obviously, and I’m very grateful for this. However, I’m not the sort of person who is ever going to put all of my eggs in one basket.

I juggle my working life around two daughters, and a family, plus hobbies, spending time with my lovely husband and seeing friends too.

Diversifying my income is really important, more so than ever in 2022, and has really helped me to worry less when some income streams dry up, or things change.

Recently an affiliate scheme that I love changed their terms, and in real terms this meant a drop of about £5,000 of income for 2022. This is a significant amount of money of course, but having lots of income streams means I can double down elsewhere and hopefully make that money back.

I think this diversification is the key to ensuring that there is always spare money for fun times with my family and for ensuring that we are financially secure. I am proud to make money online, and help others, but I’m no longer declaring my income. 

When I started my website, back in 2014, I was making £100s per month, sometimes in the low £100s, specifically from blogging. I have always been honest, from day one, about whether or not a website can allow me to earn £20 a month or £20 a day. It really varies, and I think it is important to let people know that!

I’ve spoken about the low paying surveys on websites such as Viewsbank, Onepoll and Valued Opinions and I’ve spoken about the higher paying surveys on websites such as Prolific.

Honesty is something that has always been what I’m about. This is true whether I’m talking about what I’ve been up to recently, if I’ve achieved a goal I set myself or what I’m making from a particular website.

That is why when I declared my BIG WIN of £7,906.12 I included a screenshot. I even went as far as to tweet the company who confirmed when my winnings would be hitting my bank account. By no longer declaring my income it isn’t about not doing those things, it is about not making people feel inadequate who aren’t as fortunate as I am.

Going forward I will still be declaring things related to my life, and setting goals for myself. I may even still have finance related goals, such as to earn £500 from surveys one month.

What I won’t be doing now is specifically listing the amounts that I am earning overall.

I’m still happy, as always, to share specific details of earnings with a website for people who choose to contact me, or who have questions.

I just don’t really feel that my earnings, which are boosted by the fact that I am a blogger, are relevant to the everyday person who is searching my website for tips on making and saving money online, or off.

Whether you make £50 a month or £500 a month you are still enriching the lives of those around you and helping to give your family a better life. That is something that should be applauded. I don’t want to be someone contributing to making people feel inadequate.

I don’t want anybody visiting my website to feel that their online earnings are insignificant compared to mine. Sometimes in life you get a little lucky. I’ve done that, in part, and part of it is down to consistent work.

The amount of effort you put in online doesn’t always equal the amount of money that it should do.

While I will still talk about some of the ways to earn money online, as well as larger ones, I won’t be specifically detailing all of my income.

Also, lets be honest, anyone could be declaring a large amount that they are earning online. It doesn’t mean anything really.

Nobody knows if 1. the amount declared is true 2. the amount of hours that were put in to achieve such figures or 3. exactly what the person is doing online for money.

Not all people declaring their income are declaring exactly what they have to do, and what levels they have to sink to just to earn their money.

The reason for me no longer declaring my income isn’t because I hate people who do it is just because for me it isn’t what I am about anymore.

I am not selling blogging courses, so don’t need to declare my income to show people what is possible. I’ve nothing against people that do declare. Each to their own. 

I write about such a varied mixture of topics here on Katykicker that I just don’t feel they are needed. For me personally, on my website.

In general I think they can be a fantastic way to show others what you can achieve. Although at the same time perhaps they make someone else feel inadequate, or just a bit rubbish about their own income. 

*Don’t worry – I’m still declaring to the taxman and you should be too!

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