Q: What are known business expenses for bloggers?
A: One way to increase your blog profits is to sit down and make a list of all your known expenses for the year. It will take about 10 minutes, but it can help you save quite a few dollars and make sure you have plenty of green saved to cover your costs.
Here’s an accountant’s list of potential business expenses for bloggers:
- Domain name and registration fees
- Internet access fees
- Font, photo, or music downloads for your site. (Music? We know. But there are quite a few professional photographer sites out there that have background music playing with their main page slideshow.)
- Hosting fees
- A portion of your computer, iPad, or iPhone (whatever tool helps you blog/do your job) Read more about deducting your computer here.
- A fancy new camera or even your point and shoot.
- Software programs – time management or appointment software, Photoshop, etc.
- Purchasing ad space on other sites and blogs.
- Self-sponsored giveaways
- SEO services
- Books, magazines, online subscriptions that relate to your blogging topic
- Transportation to blog conferences, blogger meet-ups and the hotel fees that go along with it.
- Up to 50% of dining charges that are blog-related – meals while you’re at a blog conference, coffee dates, etc.
- Blogging conference attendance fees
- E-book purchases, online class fees – if it helps you learn more about your blog topic or business – it counts!
- New office furniture
- Marketing materials – business cards, letterhead, etc.
- Fees for professional licenses – maybe you blog about hair and you’ve got fees to keep up your stylist license.
- Giving away products and services
- Mileage – if you’re running errands that are blog-related, keep track! (i.e. you sell product that you ship to your customers – those trips to post office count)
Looking for more tax and catch-up bookkeeping tips for bloggers? You’ve come to the right place. Check out our FREE Taxes & Accounting for Bloggers 101. You’ll find useful tips and ideas on making your blog finances a breeze. Still have questions or want to hire an expert? We can help with that too.
Check out our other Tax & Accounting FAQs for bloggers here:
What is the biggest tax mistake bloggers make?
How do I figure out if I deduct all or part of my new computer?
If I have an LLC, must I pay for all my business expenses with my business account?
Can I count digital products I give away for review as expenses?
What can I deduct for this blog conference? Are clothes deductible?
What is the best way to keep track of the little expenses that add up over the year?
What potential business expenses might I have as a blogger?
What do you suggest bloggers do when given free stuff as compensation?
What percentage of my work time do you recommend I spend on accounting?
