Short-term lender Money3 suffered a 16 per cent fall in earnings in the December half-year, after investing in a store expansion that added little revenue.Money3 yesterday reported net profit of A$1.03 million for the six months to December - down from $1.24 million in the previous corresponding period.Revenue of $7.1 million was 5.6 per cent up on the previous corresponding period. But operating expenses were up 13 per cent over the same period.Money3 chief executive Robert Bryant said in a statement that there were significant one-off expenses in the half that affected the result.However, the statement of comprehensive income shows that the biggest increase in expenses was employment.The company opened nine new stores during the December half. Four were greenfield sites and the others came via the acquisition of Personal Finance Co.  Bryant said the company would see the benefits from this expansion in the June half.