Every now and then I stumble upon a blog that has not been monetized at all. No ads; no Google adsense, no affiliate links; nothing. And while, of course, I, like most people, hate to be bombarded by ads, it also makes no sense to me why someone would work so hard on a blog and yet fail to create any opportunities to generate some income.

Earning money with your blog shouldn't be your only reason for blogging, but you still should find sensible ways to earn money with your blog.

If you're working diligently to provide quality content that helps others in some way, there's no reason why you shouldn't make an effort to earn money for your time and trouble. This is not a license to go buck-wild and turn into a drooling sales-demon, but should instead be viewed as simply creating an opportunity to earn.

That means if someone runs across something on your blog that they're interested in learning more about or purchasing, then you're simply making that option available to them - not browbeating them or creeping them out with strange pop-ups.

For new bloggers, if you're just starting out these opportunities may not bring in much at first, but in the long run, a few dollars here and there can add up.

By the end of my first couple of months of blogging I had earned about $200 (not saying this is typical). That's not a lot of money, but it came in handy when it was time to buy school clothes for my children

When you're deciding on how to monetize your blog, however, you definitely need to take into consideration how well it will fit in with your niche. Wouldn't it be odd to visit a Parenting Tips blog and find tons of ads about dating and male enhancements?

Any attempts to monetize your site, should gel naturally with what you're already writing about.

Here's 5 sensible ways to monetize your blog

Google Adsense

This is the quickest and easiest way to generate a little extra income for your blog. Google does all the work by posting ads based on your content. All you have to do is find a good place, such as in your sidebar, at the top, or bottom of each individual post. You can even configure Google Ads to display in your blog's feed.

Just be sure to adjust your settings so that the font color and size blend in with your existing text.

Affiliate Links

Whenever what you're writing about is directly related to a product that you own and are very familiar with, you may want to include a link to an affiliate program that you've joined. The products or services you promote should vibe naturally with your niche and should NOT be blatant "buy now" sales pitches.

Paid Reviews

Paid reviews take displaying affiliate links to the next level and are actually more effective than simply displaying an or a text link. A review provides insider information about a product that should be intended to help others as opposed to simply making money. Paid reviews can help your readers make an informed decision about a product or service they were considering. People want to hear from real people how things work.

Selling Adspace

This method doesn't work well for new blogs, but well-trafficked blogs could charge $20 a month and up for 125×125 ad blocks.

Create your own product or service

People often under value their own skills and knowledge, but believe it or not, there are people who are willing to pay for what you know or what you know how to do. Don't overlook your own gifts and talents. Create a ebook, a step-by-step tutorial, a physical product or craft, etc., and set a fair price.

Create a page on blog that spells out details of what you do and how much you want to charge.

You don't have to settle for using just one of these methods, I actually use a combination of all of these. These are just a few ways you can monetize your site, but really, you are only limited by your imagination. Don't be afraid to experiment and explore until you find the method that works best for you.

These are not quick, get rich schemes and in the beginning the earnings may be small, but eventually they could grow into full-time income. Who knows?

Which of these methods could you put into place today?

Photo credit: The Truth About...

This is a guest post written by Kiesha Easley. Kiesha is the author of WeBlogbetter and she has a new e-book entitled "A Step by Step Guide to a Better Blog."