Do not go off of what free downloads are showing, I've had free add-ons that had 10x's the number of downloads as the number of purchasers, and the downloads were useless without the product.  Some people are just compulsive downloaders - many actually.

As for income, you also need to remember that it can take a long time, sometimes years to earn income you can live off of, then things like this recession occurs and sales go down.  Sales also go down in the Summer.

3D content is my full time job and I have been able to live off it and support my kids if need be, but our expenses are low.  Part of it has to do with where you sell, what you sell and who your customers are and potential commission work.  That said, sales have taken a hit and my income has dropped considerably this summer.  I've also been doing this for over 8 years.

I find it hard to believe that AS makes less than $500.00 a month consistently, looking at my own income there is no way that  I average more a month then they do, perhaps that number if they shared it was not in USD or it was for a particularly bad month?

When I look at my sales I do not count any brokerage income,  just my personal product sales. I also do not count my store here at Rendo which has the lowest sales numbers for me - hence the point regarding customer bases, the who and where.  I also do not count any additional income from commission work and buyouts because those throw my averages way off.  Those are just additional income.

However I also put in far more hours than I would in a regular job. 

Since I have fibromyalgia and a daughter that  is bi-polar with severe depression (that occasionally requires complete overseeing)  and I care for my 6 month old grandson as well I don't mind the hours because I can keep them when I am able to instead of having a specific time requirement.  The chronic pain also keeps me from sleeping well, haven't slept well in years, so I don't mind working when others are in bed.

However, it can take years to earn enough to live frugally on.

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I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.
-Galileo