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9 Things I Love and Have Learned After 9 Years Of Blogging
I still remember the month I started my blog. I don’t really remember the exact first day, but I remember the first month and how excited I was.
In August of 2011, I started Making Sense of Cents.
That was exactly 9 years ago!
Back then, I had no idea what I was doing, and I also had no goals for my blog.
I didn’t even really know what a blog was, or that they could make money.
I also didn’t even like to write at that time!
In the past 9 years, so much has changed for me.
It’s crazy to think that I started my blog nine years ago, especially when I consider all of the amazing things it has done for my life.
It was something I started and worked on in addition to my full-time day job as a financial analyst, and around two years after I started this blog, I quit my day job to blog full-time.
Some numbers on Making Sense of Cents:
- My first blog post was published on August 10, 2011. You can read it here.
- I have published 1,878 articles here on Making Sense of Cents. That number was higher about a month ago, but I recently deleted several hundred articles that I thought weren’t good enough.
- I have 70,816 comments on my blog posts.
- I’ve personally replied to 21,080 comments.
- It took me 6 months to earn my first $100 from Making Sense of Cents.
First, a little backstory on how I began.
You may have heard this from me before, but the funny thing is that I created my blog on a whim after reading about a personal finance website in a magazine. It started as a hobby to track my own personal finance progress, and I honestly didn’t even know that people could make money blogging!
I knew NOTHING about running a website.
At that time, I was working as an analyst at an investment banking and valuation firm. I chugged along working the 8-5, Monday through Friday grind and didn’t see myself having an enjoyable future there. I had a stressful job filled with lots of deadlines and responsibilities that just didn’t interest me. Yes, I know this is the norm for some people, but I just couldn’t imagine myself living like that for 40+ years.
Blogging was an outlet for my stressful day job, and my interest quickly grew, even though it was just a hobby. It gave me space to write about my personal finance situation, have a support group, to keep track of how I was doing, and more. I did not create Making Sense of Cents with the intention of earning an income, but after only six months, I began to make money blogging.
A friend I met through the blogging community connected me with an advertiser, and I earned $100 from that advertisement deal.
That one deal sparked my interest in taking my blog more seriously and learning how to make even more money blogging.
I now earn a great living from my blog, and it all started on a whim, not even knowing that blogs could make money.
Blogging completely changed my life for the better, and I urge anyone who is interested to learn how to start a blog as well.
Blogging has allowed me to take control of my finances and earn more money. It means I can work from home, travel whenever I want, have a flexible schedule, and more!
Related content:
- How I Successfully Built A $1,000,000+ Blog
- Welcome To Paradise – We’re Living On A Sailboat!
- How To Start a Blog Free Course
- Should I Start A Blog? Here Are The Top Reasons You Will Love Blogging
- What is a blog post?
And, all of this happened because I started some random blog nine years ago.
I made so many mistakes, and I still make mistakes today. But, I continue to learn and improve, which has shaped this blog into what it is today.
I was so afraid to quit my job when I did, especially for a blog.
So many people thought I was absolutely crazy and making the worst decision of my life. Especially since my husband quit his job at the same time!
Today, I want to talk about the the 9 things that I love and have learned about blogging over the years. I feel like what I enjoy about blogging as well as what I’ve learned go hand in hand.
Oh yeah, if you haven’t yet – please follow me on Instagram.
Here’s what I love and have learned about blogging.
1. I love being my own boss.
When I first started my blog and realized I could make an income from it, I quickly learned how much I love being my own boss.
I love being in complete control of what I do, and becoming self-employed may allow you to feel that way as well. I enjoy deciding what I will do each day, creating my own schedule, determining my business goals, handling everything behind the scenes, and more.
I actually have a rule in my life/business where I don’t do anything unless I want to. While I still say yes to many amazing opportunities, I’m not doing anything that feels like a total drag or is against my beliefs. This has really helped improve my work-life balance, which is great because being able to choose how you earn a living amounts to making sure you love everything you do.
I honestly love each and every service I provide – writing online, promoting, networking, interacting with readers, and more.
Running an online business (and being your own boss) may not be for everyone, but it’s something I enjoy.
2. A flexible schedule is one of my most favorite things.
One of the best things about working for yourself and being a blogger is that you can have a flexible schedule.
I can work as far ahead as I want to, I can create my own work schedule, and more.
I love being able to work for a few hours in the morning, do something fun during the day (such as a hike), and then work later at night when I have nothing planned. I can also schedule appointments during the day and it’s really no big deal.
I can work at night, in the morning, on the weekends – I can work whenever.
But, this can also be something to be careful with as well, as it can be difficult to have a good work-life balance.
3. Location independence is AMAZING.
Being location independent for so many years has been great.
I love being able to work from wherever I am, and it’s allowed me some of the best experiences I’ve had, like living in an RV and now on a sailboat. All I need is an internet connection and my laptop.
The only problem with being location independent is that it can be hard to separate work from the rest of your life. You may find yourself working all the time, no matter where you are, and while that may seem great, being able to take a true vacation can be a hard task.
However, I’m not going to complain because the work-life balance I’m rocking right now is great.
4. Remember, success takes time!
Many bloggers quit just a few months in.
In fact, the statistic that I’ve always heard is that the average blogger quits just 6 months in.
I completely understand – starting a blog can be super overwhelming!
But, good things don’t come easy. If blogging was easy, then everyone would be doing it.
It took me 6 months for me to earn my first $100 from Making Sense of Cents. If I would have quit at that time, I would have missed out on so many great things!
Remember, success takes time!
5. Don’t write when you feel forced.
One thing I have definitely learned about myself over the years is that I write best when I’m not forced – i.e. when I’m on a deadline.
Instead, I always try to write content ahead of time.
I used to write content for Monday on the night before (Sunday!), and I found that to be super stressful. Even a week in advance was too stressful for me.
I like to be at least a month ahead, as then I can truly write when I feel inspired and happy to write.
6. Get ready to learn.
Pretty much everything about having a blog is a learning process.
Blogging is not a get rich quick scheme, and anyone who tells you that it is (or acts like it is) is lying.
Blogging is not easy.
And, you won’t make $100,000 your first month blogging.
Blogging can be a lot of work, and there is always something to learn. Something is always changing in the blogging world, which means you will need to continue to learn and adapt to the technology around you. This includes learning about social media platforms, running a website, growing your platform, writing high-quality content, and more.
This is something that I love about blogging – it’s never stale and there’s always a new challenge.
7. Stop seeing other bloggers as competition.
Okay, so this isn’t exactly something that I’ve learned, but I want everyone else to learn!
I have always had this mindset – that there is plenty of room for everyone in the blogging world. However, not everyone feels the same.
So many bloggers see other bloggers as enemies or competition, and this is a huge mistake.
I mostly see this in newer bloggers, and this can really hold them back.
Networking is very important if you want to create a successful blog. Bloggers should be open to making blogging friends, attending blog conferences, sharing other blogs’ content with their readers, and more.
Networking can help you enjoy blogging more, learn new things about blogging, learn how to make money blogging, make great connections, and more. If you want to make money blogging, then you will want to network with others! After all, networking is the reason why I learned how to make money blogging in the first place!
The key is to be genuine and to give more than you take, which are the two main things I always tell people when it comes to networking. I receive so many emails every day from people who clearly aren’t genuine, and it’s very easy to see.
I’ve made great friends who are bloggers and influencers, and it’s truly a great community to be in.
8. You don’t need previous experience to be successful.
To become a blogger, you don’t need any previous experience. You don’t need to be a computer wizard, understand social media, or anything else.
These are all things that you can learn as you go.
Nearly every single blogger was brand new at some point, and they had no idea what they were doing.
I’m proof of that because I didn’t even know that blogs existed when I started Making Sense of Cents, and I definitely didn’t know that bloggers could make money. I learned how to create a blog from the bottom up and have worked my way to where I am today. It’s not always easy, but it’s been rewarding!
With blogging, you’ll have a lot to learn, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It’s challenging, but in a good way.
9. You can make a living blogging.
This is probably one of the best things that I’ve learned since I first started my blog.
You can actually make a living blogging!
No, not every single person will become a successful blogger (it’s NOT a get-rich-quick scheme), but I know many successful bloggers who started in a similar way as I did – blogging as a hobby and it just grew from there.
For me, I have earned a high income with my blog, and I have enough saved to retire whenever I would like. I am still working on my blog, though, as I enjoy what I do.
What’s next?
I’ve never really been much of a planner, so I don’t want to commit to anything HUGE haha.
But, for Making Sense of Cents, I do have some plans. I am working towards improving traffic and readership, and coming up with more and more high-quality content.
I am so grateful to all of you readers, and I want to continue to help you all out by writing high-quality content.
That is really my only goal for now!
If there’s anything you’d like me to write about on Making Sense of Cents, please send me an email at michelle@makingsenseofcents.com or leave a comment below.
Thank you for being a reader!
There’s a ton of valuable free resources.
I know I’ll be asked this, so I am going to include this here.
One of the great things about starting a blog is that there are a ton of FREE blogging resources out there that can help you get started.
In fact, I didn’t spend any money in the beginning in order to learn how to blog – instead, I signed up for a ton of free webinars, free email courses, and more.
- First, if you don’t have a blog, then I recommend starting off with my free blogging course How To Start A Blog FREE Course.
- Affiliate Marketing Cheat Sheet – With this time-saving cheat sheet, you’ll learn how to make affiliate income from your blog. These tips will help you to rapidly improve your results and increase your blogging income in no time.
- The SEO Starter Pack (FREE Video Training)– Improve your SEO knowledge in just 60 minutes with this FREE 6-day video training.
- The Free Blogging Planner – The Blogging Planner is a free workbook that I created just for you! In this free workbook, you’ll receive printables for starting your blog, creating a blog post, a daily/weekly blog planner, goals, and more.
Do you have any questions for me? Are you interested in starting your own business?
The post 9 Things I Love and Have Learned After 9 Years Of Blogging appeared first on Making Sense Of Cents.
Source: makingsenseofcents.com
Chipotle to Hold Nationwide Hiring Event to Fill 15K New Jobs
Chipotle is kicking off the new year with a nationwide hiring blitz.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
Source: thepennyhoarder.com
To make headway on those recruitment efforts, all Chipotle locations are holding a âCoast to Coastâ career event Jan. 14. On-site interviews are taking place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time.
According to job listings on the companyâs career board, the main crew-member requirement is that you must be at least 16 years old to apply. All training is provided.
To participate in the hiring event, you must fill out a brief application and select an available interview time slot at your local Chipotle. Do not show up without requesting an interview.
To entice new workers, the burrito chain has been experimenting with new perks and benefits available to all employees, part- and full-time:
Job Openings at Chipotle
If Chipotle meets its hiring goals, the companyâs workforce is set to exceed 100,000.
Adam Hardy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. He covers the gig economy, remote work and other unique ways to make money. Read his âlatest articles here, or say hi on Twitter @hardyjournalism.
Compared to the overall restaurant industry, Chipotle has fared well throughout the pandemic. The company hired 10,000 new workers in July as it added new locations and built drive-thru windows at many existing locations. In November, Chipotle unveiled its first ever âdigitalâ restaurant in New York to experiment with only providing drive-thru and pick-up orders.
With hundreds of new restaurants in the works, the fast-casual Mexican food chain plans to fill 15,000 new openings, according to the hiring announcement.
- Medical, dental and vision insurance.
- 401(k) retirement plan after one year of employment.
- One free meal per shift.
- 100% tuition coverage for select degrees and universities through a partnership with Guild Education.
- Tuition reimbursement of up to $5,250 for schools and degrees outside that partnership.
- Paid time off including parental leave.
- English as a second language training.
âPlease bring a mask and follow all safety protocols while youâre in the restaurant,â the company said.
Chipotle doesnât have a company-wide minimum wage. On average, crew members earn about to an hour (or local minimum wage if higher) according to thousands of self-reported wages on Glassdoor.
As a safety precaution, outdoor and curbside interview accommodations are available.
Chipotleâs recruitment spree is focused on hiring new restaurant team members, which primarily consist of line cooks, food preppers, and cashiers. These positions are entry level.
Personal Financial Improvement With The Fruit Of The Spirit
How does love apply to money? Is it possible to be joyful even when broke? Do I have the self-control to get out and stay out of debt? Find out more!
The post Personal Financial Improvement With The Fruit Of The Spirit appeared first on Bible Money Matters and was written by Tim Kiser. Copyright © Bible Money Matters – please visit biblemoneymatters.com for more great content.
Source: biblemoneymatters.com
80+ Best Side Job Ideas To Make Extra Money in 2021
Do you want to know, “What can I do as a side job?”
Today, I have a list of over 80 possible side hustle ideas for 2021. With these side jobs, you can make extra money in 2021.
So, what is a side job? I say side job meaning something that you do on the side of your regular job.
Side jobs are sometimes called side hustles, and the idea is that you put some of your extra time towards making more money.
You can find side jobs online, side jobs from home, side jobs outside your home, and pretty much wherever else. There are many different options when it comes to finding side jobs for extra money.
Over the years, I have spent a lot of time making extra money through side hustle jobs.
In fact, I paid off my $38,000 student loan debt in just 7 months by side hustling. I did several of the things on the list that you are about to read through.
Learning how to find a side job changed my life in a crazy way — it helped me to stop living paycheck to paycheck, pay off my debt, and leave my day job to pursue my job as a full-time blogger.
And, this is why I talk about making extra money through a side job so much — because I believe that it can change your life for the better.
What I like so much about the ideas on this list is that there is something for everyone. There are really so many different options. While I have included over 80 different side job ideas, there are many, many more out there. You can find something to fit your lifestyle, interests, and the amount of time you have to dedicate towards earning more money.
Whether your goal is to pay off your debt, stop living paycheck to paycheck, start saving for retirement, plan an amazing vacation, or something else, finding a side hustle idea in 2021 can make that a reality.
Making extra money through a side job can help you:
- Save up for a big purchase, such as for a down payment on a house
- Pay off your student loan debt, credit card debt, or medical debt
- Save for retirement and even retire early
- Leave a job you don’t love to pursue something else
- Diversify your income sources
- Save for emergencies
- And more!
What some people don’t realize about making extra money is that it doesn’t have to take all of your time. You can dedicate as much or as little time to it as you want. I started this blog on the side of my full-time job. It took a lot of work, but I was in control of when I worked.
That’s one of the reasons I love blogging and many of these other side jobs. Many of them are very flexible and let you pick your schedule. Below you’ll find great options if you work full time, are a parent, are in school, etc.
Besides starting a successful side hustle, there are some great small ways to earn extra money. The point is, there are so many ways to make money on the side with a full-time job that there is no reason not to start now.
Related content on how to make extra money:
- How To Start and Launch A Successful Money Making Blog FREE Course
- 12 Work From Home Jobs That Can Earn You $1,000+ Each Month
Below are over 80 different side job ideas.
Find an online side job.
There are so many side jobs that can be found online these days. The internet has introduced more possibilities, many of which have extremely flexible schedules.
Working an online side job allows you to create your own business in your spare time or work remotely for a company. These are some of the flexible options for 2021.
For me, I love being able to work online as it allows me to have a flexible schedule, there is no commute, and I simply enjoy working from home more than working in an office.
Below are ways to work an online side job:
- Create a money making blog – This is the first thing I recommend to anyone interested in learning how to make money with an online side job, and this is because it’s exactly what I did! I have a Free How To Start and Launch A Money-Making Blog Course that you can join, and it will help you start and launch a successful blog!
- Teach English online to kids – Did you know that you may be able to make money from home by teaching English online to children? VIPKID is a company that allows you to work from home, create your own schedule, and earn $18-21 per hour (many teachers are earning over $1,000 per month) all while teaching English online. You don’t need a teaching degree, but you do need to have a four year degree in something. This is a great option for anyone who has a passion for teaching and looking for ways to earn extra money online. I recommend VIPKID and Education First.
- Answer questions online – Course Hero is a website that helps high school and college students with course-specific questions. Please read How To Make $300+ Weekly Answering Questions With Course Hero to learn more.
- Get paid to answer surveys – Answering surveys online won’t make you rich, but it is one of the easiest ways to earn extra money online. Even though it’s a small amount of money, you can put it towards your debt payoff or savings goals. Survey companies I recommend include American Consumer Opinion, Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, ProOpinion, Pinecone Research, and Harris Poll Online. These survey companies are free to join and free to use! You get paid to answer surveys and to test products. To receive the most survey opportunities, it’s best to sign up for as many survey sites as you can.
- Join a focus group – You can get paid $50 to $100 per hour by joining a focus group with User Interviews.
- Write an ebook – Writing your own eBook is a great way to earn extra money online, and there is probably something super helpful that you could write about (even if you think otherwise!). In fact, my friend Alyssa self-published her first book and has sold more than 13,000 copies. She is now earning a great passive income of over $200 a day from her book ($6,500 in one month alone!). Learn more at How Alyssa is making $200 a DAY in book sales passively.
- Run Facebook advertising for local businesses – Bobby Hoyt, a former band teacher who now runs the successful website Millennial Money Man, started running Facebook ads for local businesses to help him pay off $40,000 in student loan debt in only 18 months. In our interview you can learn about how Bobby got started, why businesses want to run Facebook ads, and how easy it is to start this flexible side job. Also, Bobby has free training on this too. His free email course (you can sign up here) will teach you how to start this business even if you’re brand new, how to find paying clients, and more. Read the full interview at How To Make $1,000 Extra In Your Spare Time With Facebook.
- Edit content for others – Websites, books, courses, and more all need editors to help them improve the quality of their content. No matter how many times a person reads a piece of content, something will usually slip through. If you’re a grammar-nut, then this can be one of the best side jobs from home ideas.
- Sell printables online – Creating printables on Etsy can be a great side hustle. Because you are creating PDF files, you can create and sell them an unlimited number of times. You can learn more at How I Make Money Selling Printables On Etsy.
- Manage social media accounts for businesses – Being a social media manager can be a fun job for the right person. If you have social media skills and don’t mind spending more time on social media sites, then it might be something to look into. Learn more about How I Started a Pinterest Consulting Side Hustle and why it’s more than just sharing random content online.
- Get paid to search online – Swagbucks allows me to earn Amazon gift cards with very little work. Swagbucks is just like using Google to do your online searches, except you get rewarded with points called SB for the things you do through their website. Then, when you have enough points called SB, you can redeem them for cash, gift cards, and more. You’ll receive a free $5 bonus just for signing up through my link!
- Proofread for a living – In just one year, Caitlin made slightly over $43,000 as a freelance proofreader, while also going on several fun vacations. If you are looking for a new job, or just a new way to earn extra money on the side, this may be something to look into. Learn more at Make Money Proofreading By Becoming A Freelance Proofreader.
- Help job seekers improve their resume – A few years ago, I interviewed a reader who ran a resume business. She showed me how others can earn money by helping people create the kind of resumes they need to land their next job. Because having a good resume is an important part of getting the job you want, this is an in-demand option. If you are constantly reviewing resumes for your friends because you’re so good at creating them, then you may want to turn your skills into a paying job!
- Post on social media – If you have social media accounts, even just a personal Facebook account, it’s possible to earn extra money by posting small ads on your account. One popular company that I recommend is Izea.
- Become a freelance writer – A freelance writer is someone who writes for a number of different clients, such as websites, blogs, magazines, and more. These writers don’t work for one specific company, rather they work for themselves and contract out their writing. Learn more at How I Earn $200,000+ Writing Online Content.
- Moderate forums – Some online forums will pay you to moderate their message boards. If there is a forum you visit often, you might want to see if they are hiring.
- Become a transcriptionist – Do you know what a transcriptionist does? They take audio files and turn them into a text format. You can learn more about what this side job takes and how it’s possible to earn extra money on the side as a transcriptionist at Make Money At Home By Becoming A Transcriptionist.
- Become a scopist – A scopist is someone who works from home and edits legal documents. Yes, this is a skill that you can learn. You can find a free course to learn more about how to become a scopist by clicking here.
- Become a virtual assistant – Virtual assistant tasks may include social media management, formatting and editing blog posts, scheduling appointments or travel, email management, and more. Basically, you get paid to do any task that needs to be done for someone’s business but doesn’t need to be done by them. You can read more about how Kayla is earning $10K per month working from home as a virtual assistant.
- Become a bookkeeper – Ben, founder of Bookkeeper Business Academy, explains how becoming a bookkeeper may be a possibility for you. Ben helps people start and grow their own online bookkeeping business with his online bookkeeping course. And, guess what? You don’t have to be an accountant or have any previous experience! You can read more about how becoming a bookkeeper at Make Money At Home By Becoming A Bookkeeper.
- Create an online store – Did you know that you can create your own online store to earn extra money? Jenn, a reader of mine, started her online business a little over four years ago and since then she has developed and grown three successful online ecommerce stores earning an average of $19,000 per month. Learn more at How Jenn Makes Over $10,000 A Month With Her Online Store In Less Than 10 Hours Per Week.
- Become a Google Rater – This is when you help Google improve the quality of their search engine results. You can learn more about this at Help Google Better The Internet And Make $1,000+ A Month From Home.
- Build a course and teach others what you know – Before you think that you have nothing to teach, I want to tell you that you most likely do! Online courses are extremely popular right now, and you don’t need to have a blog in order to be successful with an online course. I use Teachable for my online course platform, and I highly recommend it. Here’s How I’ve Made Over $1,000,000 From My First Course Without a Big Launch.
- Podcast editing – Podcasting has grown a lot in the past few years, and it’s estimated that there are now over 850,000 podcasts. Podcasters need help editing their audio and adding music, so if you have audio editing skills, this could be a fun side job. Listing your service on Fiverr could be a great way to find clients who need your service. Learn more at How I Make $1,500 A Month As A Podcast Virtual Assistant.
Build a side business (or even a full-time business!).
If you’re looking for a side job, one possibility is to create a side business for yourself.
The ones you just read about above are online side jobs, but many of the ones in this section require in-person work. Not everyone wants to work online, and these side jobs will get you outside of the house and earning money.
For me, my side business of creating a blog actually turned into a full-time business for myself. And, I am so happy that I made that choice!
Here are some side business ideas:
- Pick up garbage – This might not be the most exciting way to make extra income, but did you know that you can get paid $30- $50 an hour to pick up trash in your local area? Please read Get Paid $30 – $50 Per Hour To Pick Up Trash to hear more about this side hustle idea.
- Sell on Amazon – If you want to learn one of the many real ways to make money from home, then you may want to start an Amazon FBA business! Jessica Larrew, of The Selling Family, explains how selling on Amazon may be a possibility for you. She is a friend of mine, and I am blown away by her success! In the first year that Jessica’s family ran their Amazon FBA business together, working less than 20 hours a week total, they made over six figures profit! If you are looking for a new job, or even just a side hustle, this may be something that you want to look into. Learn more at How To Work From Home Selling On Amazon FBA.
- Maintain and clean yards – You can make money by mowing lawns, killing/removing weeds, cleaning gutters, raking leaves, and so on. Because every season offers the opportunity for some type of yard maintenance, this can turn into a year round job.
- House sit for others – House sitting is becoming more and more popular these days, and there are many websites out there for house sitting. You may be paid to watch someone’s house, take in the mail, water plants, and so on. House sitting doesn’t just have to be in your own town either. It can be something you do while taking amazing vacations. You can read more about it at How We Became Professional House Sitters In Europe & Saved Over $5,000.
- Rent out your RV – Many RVs sit unused in storage lots, driveways, and backyards, so why not try to make a little extra money while you’re not using your RV? Learn more at How To Make Extra Money By Renting Out Your RV.
- Share your car – Did you know that you can share your car with travelers on a daily, weekly, or even on a long-term basis and make extra money? I’m talking about listing your car and making money on Turo, which is like Airbnb for cars. It takes as little as 10 minutes to list your car, and you can earn up to 90% of the trip price.
- Walk dogs and/or pet sit for extra money – If you love animals, then this is one of the best ways to make money on the side! Walking dogs and pet sitting can be a lot of fun because who doesn’t love animals!? With this side hustle, you may be going over to your client’s home to check in a few times a day, you may be staying at their house, or the animals may be staying with you. Rover is a great company to sign up for if you’re interested in becoming a dog walker and pet sitter.
- Groom pets – This is yet another animal related side business, and it could be a good one for you. With a mobile pet grooming business you will go directly to the pets rather than needing to find and set up a permanent business location.
- Become a local tour guide – Do you love showing off your city to friends and out-of-town guests? If so, you can earn extra money as a tour guide in your city. You can create any kind of tour you like — touring restaurants or bars, historical tours, bike tours, and more. Tours By Locals is a great site to connect with if you’re interested in learning more.
- Become a landlord – Whether you rent out a room in your home or start buying up properties to invest in and then rent out, this could be one of the more lucrative ways to earn extra money on the side. Check out my blog post to learn more: How This 34 Year Old Owns 7 Rental Homes.
- Shovel snow – We no longer need to have our snow shoveled, but it was definitely something we didn’t enjoy doing while we were living in St. Louis. If you get snow where you live, then you may be able to knock on your neighbors’ doors to see if they would like their driveways and sidewalks shoveled. If you want to go a little further, you could even invest in a plow and market your services.
- Become a Tasker – TaskRabbit is an online platform where people list odd jobs that they need done, like assembling furniture, running errands, or cleaning. You can find one-off jobs in your area using TaskRabbit to earn extra money.
- Babysit and/or nanny children – When I was just 14, I was making $10 an hour babysitting for a neighbor. I babysat 40 hours a week and it was a great way to make extra money! If you have any special skills or can provide extra work, such as cleaning up around the house, teaching the child how to speak another language, picking up the child after activities, and so on, you will most likely be able to charge more than $10 an hour.
- Become an Uber or Lyft driver – Spending your spare time driving others around can be a great money maker, and many rideshare drivers earn $15-$20/hour. Read more about this in my post How To Become An Uber Or Lyft Driver.
- Help people fix things around their home – If you are a handy person, this could be a great option for you. Word of mouth is big when it comes to finding clients, but you can also post your services on Craigslist, post flyers to bulletin boards around your town, and more.
- Clean homes – Cleaning is something that many people dread. If you are good at cleaning and enjoy it, then you may be able to find clients who want you to come to their home to clean. This can pay around $20 an hour or more in some areas. Because cleaning for others is such a personal job, you will often find loyal customers who want you to come back over and over again.
- Help people move – Moving is another task that many people dislike. Movers can earn a broad range when it comes to hourly pay, but it’s usually somewhere around $25-$50 an hour if you run your own business.
- Become a photographer – Do you love photography? Then this is a great way to earn extra money while doing something you love to do. Learn more at How To Make $25,000 – $45,000 A Year As A New Photographer.
- Write and self-publish romance novels – This definitely isn’t something that most people will think about, but it is a growing and profitable industry. You can learn how Yuwanda Black, a freelance writer, started writing and self-publishing short romance novels in this interview. She earned over $3,000 in one month alone!
Find a part-time job.
Online side jobs are becoming more and more popular, but you can still make good money with more traditional part-time jobs.
I know many people who have part-time side jobs, and they love that they are low-commitment ways to make extra money.
You can find a part-time side job on sites such as Snagajob, Craigslist (yes, I’ve found a legitimate job through there before), and so on.
- Deliver items through Postmate – Postmates is a service that lets people use their phones to order food, drinks, and groceries. Delivering those items is where you come in! Because the holidays are a busy time, many people are looking to make their life easier with delivery services like Postmates. And, you can deliver for Postmates with your car, scooter, motorcycle, or bicycle. How much can you make with Postmates? Postmates says that you can earn up to $25 an hour with their platform. Click here to check out Postmates and sign up.
- Deliver RVs to dealerships – RVs are huge, and the majority of the time they can’t be transported by semi-trucks because of their size. Due to that, someone has to drive them from the manufacturer to the RV dealership. We met a couple who did this for a living, and they both loved what they did. They were able to travel a lot, earn a living, and got to see new RVs all the time. To make extra income doing this, you can contact transport companies in your area, RV manufacturers, RV dealerships, and more.
- Find a part-time seasonal job – If you have a job that gives you the summers off (or whatever season), then finding a part-time seasonal job could be a good way to earn extra money during your time off. Employers like Starbucks, REI, and Costco even offer part-time jobs with benefits, which adds even more value to these side jobs.
- Bartend – With bartending experience, you may be able to find a bartending job at a bar, restaurant, catering company, and more. Since the hours for this are usually later at night and on the weekends, it could easily fit with your regular 9-5 job schedule.
- Work at a restaurant – You could be a host, wait tables, bus tables, and so on. You may even get to eat delicious food and receive a discount when dining out at the restaurant you work for.
- Substitute teach – I know quite a few people who substitute teach both part-time and full-time and love it. Sometimes the schedule can be tricky as you may be called at the last moment, but other times you may secure a long-term position. In some places, substitute teaching can pay around $100 per day.
- Teach during summer school – If you are a teacher, then spending part of your summer teaching summer school is a great way to make extra money. My brother-in-law is a teacher and he earns around $3,000 for three 4-day weeks of work, and they aren’t even full days. He and his wife use that money to fund their summer vacations.
- Work at a hotel, motel, hostel, resort, etc. – There are many jobs in the hospitality industry. If you love meeting new people who are visiting your area, this can be a great way to earn extra money. When we were RVing, we met several RVers who make money at RV parks and campgrounds while they are full-time RVers.
- Work at a retail store – I worked in retail for over five years and made lifelong friends in the process. The income is okay, but you usually receive a good discount when working in retail.
- Deliver pizza – Pizza delivery drivers make $15/hour or more delivering pizza in their spare time. It might not be the most glamorous side job, but it’s a good way to make extra money.
- Lifeguard – You could be a lifeguard at a community pool, a private pool, a water park, and so on. You don’t have to be a teenager to be a lifeguard either!
- Work as a referee – Did you know that soccer refs for local community centers can make around $25/hour or more? You’ll have to know the rules to work as a referee, and you can learn more by contacting the community or sports center in your area.
- Deliver newspapers – Delivering newspapers can be a good way to make some side money. You may have to wake up early, but maybe those are the hours you are looking for.
- Run errands for others – Being someone’s assistant can be an interesting way to earn extra money. You may get paid to do someone else’s laundry, clean their home, pick up their food, answer phone calls, and more.
Sell items to make extra money.
There are so many different types of items that you can sell to make extra money.
You may be able to find things around your home that you can sell, or you may even search for items online or in-person to buy and resell for a profit.
- Flip items – Melissa’s family was able to make $42,875 in one year through buying and flipping items for sale, and they were only working about 10-20 hours per week. Learn more in How Melissa Made $40,000 In One Year Flipping Items.
- Sell/donate eggs and sperm – Yup, both of these can be sold for a price, and you can definitely earn extra money by doing so. Depending on your characteristics, women can earn anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $10,000 or more for their eggs. Egg donors are typically under the age of 30 and healthy. African American women and Asian American women usually make the most money as there is a larger need for their eggs. This is not easy money, though. There are a number of doctor visits, and extracting the eggs requires a medical procedure. For sperm, the average donation pays anywhere from $50 to $100, and some men donate as often as 2-3 times each week.
- Sell items on eBay – Whether it’s clothes, a car, electronics, and so on, eBay is a great place to sell all sorts of things online. eBay also has a worldwide reach, which can be great if the market in your area isn’t large enough for what you specialize in. I know many people who earn extra money selling on eBay, and it’s very easy to get started.
- Sell items on Craigslist – Craigslist has gotten a bad rap in the past, but I have always had great success when I have bought or sold things through this platform. Craigslist can be a great way to sell your items, while often earning a higher value for them too. However, be safe, because you will have to meet with strangers to complete the transactions.
- Sell things on Facebook Marketplace – Facebook is a great place to sell your items to earn extra money. You can find buyers in your area, but for larger items, like cars and furniture, buyers are often willing to travel. Plus, because you are probably already on Facebook, this is one of the easiest ways to sell your stuff, and it’s free.
- Sell on Poshmark – Poshmark is one of the most popular places online for people to buy and sell gently used clothing, shoes, and more. You should always be honest in your listings, take great photos, and ship items out as soon as they sell.
- Sell to second hand stores – There are many second hand stores out there that will take your clothing and shoes. Stores like Plato’s Closet, Hut No. 8, and Buffalo Exchange will pay you upfront for on-trend young adult clothing, and they take all of the legwork out of selling items, which is really helpful. There are also second hand stores for designer items, women’s clothing, children’s items, and more. Some pay upfront, whereas others may not pay you until after the item has sold.
- Sell your gently used sports gear – Play It Again Sports is one of several second hand stores that buys and resells sports equipment and workout gear. These kinds of items also sell well on eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace.
- Sell on Etsy – Etsy is a great place to sell handmade items, vintage finds, and craft supplies. If you are a crafty person, definitely check out this website if you are looking for ways to earn extra money.
- Sell your gift cards – If you have gift cards that you aren’t going to use, why not sell them to earn extra money? There are many, many websites out there that will pay you cash for your gift cards. Gift Card Granny, Cardpool, and Raise are just a few.
- Sell items through a garage sale – A garage sale can be an easy way to make extra money because people come straight to your house. The only downside is that you usually don’t make as much for your items as you would if you were to sell them on sites such as eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace.
- Sell your old books – Back when I was in college, I sold my textbooks as soon as the class was over. This helped me regain the amount that I originally paid for the book. You can sell your books online, and most university bookstores have a buyback option.
- Flip cars, mopeds, or scooters – In addition to teaching summer school, one of the ways my brother-in-law makes extra money is from buying vintage moped and scooters, fixing them up, and selling them for a profit on online marketplaces, like Facebook or Craigslist. In one flip, he made more than $900 profit. This is a very specific skill, but worth looking into if you know what you’re doing.
Make extra income at the day job you already have.
If you’re already employed and not interested in starting a side hustle, by starting an online business, or taking on a part-time job, you can still learn how to earn more at your current job.
- Work overtime – One way to earn extra money at your job is to see if your company will allow you to work overtime. In many cases, overtime is welcomed, and you can earn a decent amount of money by doing so. Plus, what’s an extra hour or two when you’re already there?
- Ask for a raise – Asking for a raise may be the best way to earn extra money at your current job, as the work is the same and you most likely won’t be adding additional hours to your work week. Many people never ask for a raise, which means you might be leaving money on the table. Over numerous years, this can add up to a significant amount of income! If you’ve just successfully completed a big project or taken on new responsibilities, then it might be time to ask for a raise.
- Get a promotion – If a raise is not possible, then you may want to try for a promotion that comes with a pay bump. Sometimes companies can only pay you so much for the job you currently have, but perhaps a promotion with different and/or additional job duties, a possible move, etc. may result in an increase in pay.
- Earn bonuses – Depending on the industry and the company you work at, you may be able to earn bonuses. Bonuses often come in large chunks which makes them ideal for paying off large amounts of credit card or student loan debt. Or, you could even invest your bonus to earn even more in the long run.
Miscellaneous ways to make extra money in 2021.
Of course, I can’t include every single side job in this blog post, as there are way too many options to list in one place. But, here are some more that didn’t fit one of the categories above.
- Cuddle with strangers – Did you know that you can get paid to cuddle with people that you don’t even know? Surprisingly, there are many cuddling companies out there, and this option seems to be growing more and more each year. Some people even make a few hundred dollars a day by cuddling with others.
- Scoop poop – Okay, like picking up trash, this isn’t going to be the most glamorous job, but someone has to do it.
- Place advertisements on your car, home, or even on your body – Yes, there are companies out there that will pay you to place an advertisement on your car, home, or even your body (such as a tattoo on your forehead). If there’s space on your car or fence that you don’t mind placing an ad on, then look into this! Carvertise is one company I recommend checking out if you’re interested in advertising on your car — they pay around $100/month.
- Help crew a sailboat delivery – Because you need sailing experience to do this, this won’t be for everyone. But, if you know your way around a boat, then you may be able to earn extra money delivering sailboats. Wes actually helped out on a couple of sailboat deliveries in the past few years, and he traveled to many amazing places along the way, such as visiting several European countries.
- Be an extra in a movie or TV show – If there’s a movie or TV show that is being filmed near you, you can apply to be an extra to make some money on the side. You won’t have to do much, and it could be a lot of fun, especially if you are able to meet someone famous!
- Start investing with spare change – Investing through platforms like Acorns makes investing even more approachable. You simply link your bank or credit cards and Acorns rounds every transaction up to the next dollar. Read more at How To Start Investing With Little Money.
- Sell breast milk – Only recently did I realize that some women do this as a side job. If you are breastfeeding, then you may be able to sell your breast milk to make extra money. Breast milk often goes for $1 to $2.50 per ounce, and sometimes it sells for as much as $4 per ounce. There are many people who are looking to buy breast milk, not just mothers.
- Receive bonuses and rewards for using a credit card – There are many credit cards out there that will give you cash back just for using them. If you are good with credit cards (please skip this if you are not), this is something to look into as you can make money without having to do much. Read more at How To Take A 10 Day Trip To Hawaii For $22.40 – Flights & Accommodations Included.
- Take part in medical research studies – Medical studies allow you to help with the research and study of diseases, medicines, treatments, and more. To find paid medical research studies, I recommend checking out your local Craigslist, contacting universities in your area, and seeing if there are any medical testing companies around you. Most cities have these options, and you just have to look for them.
- Enter contests and giveaways – There’s no guarantee that you will win anything when entering contests, but if you get lucky, this would be a really fun way to earn extra money. You may win cash, gift cards, vacations, electronics, and more. The key here is to enter as many as you can. And, many stores and restaurants post drawings and giveaways at the bottom of your receipt.
- Mystery shop – Yes, you can actually get paid to shop at stores and eat at restaurants. A few years ago, I mystery shopped a lot to earn extra money. I made anywhere from $150 to $200 a month mystery shopping and received free meals, makeup, and more as a mystery shopper. I used Bestmark for mystery shopping, so I know that they are a 100% legitimate company. Learn more at Want To Make An Extra $100 A Month? Learn How To Become A Mystery Shopper.
- Use InboxDollars – InboxDollars is an online rewards website I recommend if you want to find ways to earn extra money on the side. You can earn cash by taking surveys, playing games, shopping online, searching the web, redeeming grocery coupons, and more. Also, by signing up through my link, you will receive $5.00 for free!
- Travel the world and be an au pair – In 2016, my sister was an au pair in Italy. It was an interesting experience, and she shares how you can become an au pair and travel the world in her blog post How To Become An Au Pair And Travel The World.
- Open a high yield savings account. Savings accounts at brick and mortar banks are known for having really low interest rates. That’s because they have a much higher overhead — paying for the building, paying the tellers, etc. Betterment Everyday is an online option, which means they have lower costs, then passing the savings on to you. Simply click here and sign up.
How do I make an extra $1000 a month?
If earning $1,000 a month or more is your financial goal, there are lots of different approaches.
You can run Facebook ads for small businesses, deliver food for Postmates, start a freelancing side job, and more. Or, you can combine several smaller side jobs.
If you are willing to put in the work, starting a blog is something that can help you earn $1,000 a month or more. It takes time to grow your blog, but with time and effort, you can well exceed $1,000/month in blogging income.
How can I make money on the side?
There are so many different ways to make money on the side in 2021, and I just gave over 80 different ideas.
Look through the options above and make a list of the ones that interest you. Think about what skills you have, how much time you want to dedicate to your side job, and how to get started with each option.
There are honestly options for anyone, no matter how much time you have to spare. And remember, even just a $100 extra a month can begin to make a dent in your debt, can be invested for your future, or help you stop living paycheck to paycheck.
Have questions about finding a side job?
If you have any questions about finding a side job, I recommend heading to 10 Of The Most Common Questions About Having A Side Job.
Some of the questions I answer in that blog post include:
- How do you find a side hustle?
- How much money can I make from a side job?
- How do you get paid with a side job?
- How can I find time for my side job idea?
- How can I balance my day job, side job, and life?!
- How can I grow my side income? How can I find clients?
- What is a good side job?
- Should I tell my boss about my side hustle?
- Do I have to pay taxes on a side job?
- How do I avoid side job scams?
Out of the side jobs listed above, which one interests you the most? Which side job would you like to learn more about?
The post 80+ Best Side Job Ideas To Make Extra Money in 2021 appeared first on Making Sense Of Cents.
Source: makingsenseofcents.com
Creating a One-Year Savings Plan
A lot can happen in a year. (Donât believe us? Go check out your Timehop.)
While many of the changes we see as we make our way around the sun arenât exactly planned for, it is possible to create and implement long-term savings strategies in order to achieve specific financial objectives. A one-year savings plan that can give earners the opportunity to save for substantial goals that may seem overwhelming at first.
Which is to say, yes: a year from today, you could be richer than you are now, or potentially have a better cash cushion. If you play your cards right, you might be on your way toward funding that dream vacation or finally replacing your kitchen counters.
Of course, creating a plan that will actually work does involve some upfront effort which is exactly what weâre here to help with.
Decide What are You Saving For
Before you even glance at your budget, itâs important to get clear about exactly what youâre saving for. Creating a specific objective can give you the information you need to create a solid plan to make it happenâit might also help motivate you to stick to that plan once youâve made it.
reach your goals if you take this simple actionâso itâs worth picking up your pen!
How To Create a One-Year Saving Plan Youâll Stick To
Now that youâve got a goal in mind, you still need to figure out how to turn it into a reality.
Here are some ideas on how you could do it..
Start with Your Existing Budget
You canât make any big changes to your finances if you donât know what they look like in the first place. And that means the first step toward revamping your budget is to take a closer look at how it looks right now.
If you donât have a budget yet, take a month to track exactly where all your money is going. Be sure to include both regular, fixed expenses, like rent and insurance, as well as more flexible, discretionary spending like food and transportation. Be brutally honestâtracking every cent will give you the best chance at figuring out how to spend less.
Which leads us to our next step…
Get Creative with Budget Cuts
There are really only two ways to save money: make more of it, or spend less of it. And while asking for a raise or starting up a side-hustle might be smart moves, you only have so much leeway with your boss and time in your day. In other words, you likely have more control of how much you spend than how much you earn.
Since this is an elevated, short-term savings goal, you might be able to make more substantial cuts than you would if you were planning on implementing this savings strategy for the rest of your life. There are simple ways to cut down monthly expenses. For instance, could living without cable at home for a year be feasible? What about cutting off all your streaming services or quitting dining out or drinking?
Even without these extreme measures, you can likely find wiggle room in your discretionary spending. For example, a young couple might spend as little as $405 per month on groceries or as much as $805, according to the latest numbers from the USDA .
How can you dial down your own living expenses? You might quit buying overpriced, pre-packaged convenience foods or find ways to get creative with ramen. Maybe you can start doing your own oil changes rather than taking the car in for service. Think of this as an opportunity to learn some new life skills while also stashing some extra cash!
Regardless of how you get there, your goal is to be able to set aside the monthly amount youâll need to meet the one-year savings goal you wrote down and pinned to your bulletin board. So get out your calculator, and donât be afraid to get creative.
Make a Plan for Your Investments
No matter how much money you save, it wonât go as far as it could if you just stash it under your mattress. Figuring out where to put your savings is an important step in your planning.
Different kinds of savings accounts are used to help individuals save for different goals. For example, a long-term goal like retirement may be best suited for an investment vehicle like a Roth IRA, which offers some tax advantages. But for shorter term goals like starting an emergency fund, an account that offers more flexibility and has less restrictions, like a high yield savings account, may be a better option.
Keep it Simple
Having a plan is one thing. Sticking to it is another. But if you keep a simple savings plan, youâll stand a much better chance of actually making it work.
money goal, your one-year savings plan is going to take some grit to get to. But having the right tools at your disposal does make the process a whole lot less painful.
SoFi Money® offers you an easy birdsâ-eye view of your finances, and its Vaults feature allows you to set aside savings for specific goals and purposes.
Best of all, there are no account fees, and youâll earn rewards when you spend and save.
To learn more about how SoFi Money® might help you achieve your financial goals, click here.
Third Party Brand Mentions: No brands or products mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.
SoFi Money®
SoFi Money is a cash management account, which is a brokerage product, offered by SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA / SIPC . Neither SoFi nor its affiliates is a bank.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
SOMN20052
The post Creating a One-Year Savings Plan appeared first on SoFi.
Source: sofi.com
God’s Benefit Package: Review Your Biblical Benefits
It’s open enrollment time once again. A time when employees review their benefit packages and make changes as needed. How about your bible-based benefits?
The post God’s Benefit Package: Review Your Biblical Benefits appeared first on Bible Money Matters and was written by Tim Kiser. Copyright © Bible Money Matters – please visit biblemoneymatters.com for more great content.
Source: biblemoneymatters.com
What Is A Blog, How Do Blogs Make Money, & More
What is a blog and how does it work? Can you really make money blogging? How much do bloggers make?
Over the years, I have received many questions about blogging. People want to know what is a blog, how they work, is it really a way for people to make money, and so on.
I completely understand all of the questions. While blogging has now been around for more than a decade, it’s still a fairly new way to earn money. I still have people give me funny looks when I tell them what I do for a living.
But, I didn’t really know what a blog was when I first started mine. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.
I didn’t know how people made money from blogs or anything else like that.
Pretty much everything I learned about blogging was through trial and error, and I made a lot of mistakes over the years, haha! Honestly, it’s because of those mistakes that I’m where I am right now.
My life has completely changed because of blogging. I was able to quit a job I didn’t love, I travel full-time, and I can retire pretty much whenever I want.
It’s funny to think about how far I’ve come, especially since I had no idea what blogs even were.
Back then, I also never realized that you could learn how to earn money blogging. I don’t think I even looked into it because that was never my goal when I first learned how to start a blog. I certainly never thought blogging would drastically change my future, but I’m so glad I gave it a shot.
I had so many questions when I started my blog, and I learned 99% of what I know the hard way – by making mistakes.
I know that many new bloggers probably have some of the same questions I had because I receive hundreds of emails a day from readers asking how to start a blog, how to make a living through blogging, and more.
Today, I’m going to help you by answering some of the most common questions I receive about blogging.
Some of the questions I talk about include:
- Is 2021 too late to start a website/blog?
- How do I come up with a blog name?
- What blogs make the most money?
- How do you design a blog?
- How many views do you need to make money blogging?
- How many blog posts should I have before launching?
- How do I get my blog noticed by Google?
- How long until a blog makes money?
- How do blogs make money?
- How do bloggers get paid?
I know that blogging can seem scary in the beginning, but remember that most other bloggers were in the exact same place you were when they started.
Blogging, just like any other hobby or job you start, takes time to learn what you’re doing. You have to do research, read about what other people have done, and learn as you go.
For some people this can be frustrating at first, but good things always do take time.
Blogging isn’t as easy as it looks from the outside. Even the most successful bloggers still spend time learning how to do new things. I am constantly signing up for new courses and learning from other people.
Even though it takes time and can feel difficult, blogging is something you can do. You can earn money blogging so that you can work towards living the life you want.
One of the reasons I love blogging so much is that you can do it all on your own time. You don’t have to learn everything at once. You can start your blog and grow it at your own pace.
While there is no 100% guarantee that you will be able to earn a full-time living by blogging, I know many bloggers who are full-time and are very happy with it.
Content related to what is a blog:
- 12 Free Resources To Grow Your Blog Fast
- How I Successfully Built A $1,000,000+ Blog
- How To Quit Your Job And Become A Full-Time Blogger
What is a blog? And your other top questions about blogging.
What is a blog?
Before we begin, I want to go over what is a blog definition and some other basic blogging questions.
A blog is a website.
Google’s definition of a blog is, “a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.”
A blog is content that is written on a website. It usually consists of articles, like the one you are reading right now.
What is a blog used for? Blogs can vary from person to person.
You may create a blog to journal, to teach on a topic, to sell something, to tell a story, and so on. There’s no exact rules about what your blog has to be used for.
What is a blog post? Blog posts are individual entries on a blog. Blog posts usually include text, but they can also have photos, videos, infographics, and more.
An example of a blog post is what you’re reading right now. There is a title, its own URL (that’s the web address), and text where I share in depth information.
Is 2021 too late to start a website/blog?
No, it’s not too late, and you haven’t missed out.
The online world is still so new, and each year there are new ways to monetize and grow your blog.
For example, it wasn’t until the past few years that companies and advertisers started realizing the value of online influencers, such as bloggers, and that means even more opportunities to earn money blogging.
Before that, companies mainly wanted to advertise with celebrities, but it is shifting to bloggers and other online influencers (such as Youtubers and Instagrammers!).
The online world is a huge place and it is just going to keep growing. Every blogger earns a living in slightly different ways, and everyone has a different message and story. Plus, there are so many different ways to earn money blogging, and the options have continued to change and grow since I started blogging.
Of course, because the blogging world keeps changing, there will constantly be new things for you to learn, but that will probably always be the case for managing any kind of business.
So, if you are thinking about starting a blog, today is the day. Don’t let your fears hold you back any further! You can find my free How To Start a Blog Course here.
How do I come up with a blog name?
Deciding on a name for your blog is probably one of the hardest parts of blogging.
Even if you know exactly what you want to blog about and have some articles written, deciding on your blog’s name may be stopping you from actually creating your website and launching it.
I don’t remember how I came up with Making Sense of Cents, but I’m glad I did. It is still catchy, and I receive compliments on it to this day.
Coming up with a blog name shouldn’t lead to stress, so here are my tips for deciding on a blog name:
- Make it easy. My blog name isn’t the easiest for people to spell, and even I sometimes jumble it when I’m spelling it. So, my top tip would be to make sure that your blog name is easy for people to type or spell out loud. I’ve seen blog names that are extremely long, contain words that are difficult to spell, and so on. Instead, you should make it as easy as possible for your readers to find you.
- Think about what you’ll be writing about. Think about the topics you want to write about, who your target audience is, and more, and then jot down descriptive words that are related to each. Brainstorming like this is a good way to come up with a blog name!
- Use a thesaurus to find similar words. If your first or second choices are taken or if you want to see if there are some catchier sounding blog names, using a thesaurus can help you with some new ideas.
- Make it catchy. You may want to think of something funny, use alliteration, or something else to make your blog name catchy and memorable.
- Use your name. If you don’t want something catchy and/or if you think you’re not creative enough, then just use your name. It’s super easy that way, and more and more people are starting to do this.
See, creating a name for your blog can be easy!
What blogs make the most money?
There are many different types of blogs that make money, and you can monetize nearly any kind of blog.
So, how do you determine what to write about?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. I always recommend creating a blog around a topic that you are passionate about, that you are an expert in, that you like, or something else along those lines.
This can make blogging feel fun instead of like a chore.
You can blog about several topics or you can blog about one specific thing, such as personal finance. For me, I cover a ton of different topics here on Making Sense of Cents. I talk about personal finance, life, travel, RVing, sailing, self-help, and more.
Some things that you may want to think about when choosing your blog topic include:
- What are you passionate about? I always recommend that you start by thinking about what you love doing. Perhaps it’s a sport that you really love, crafts, cooking, managing money, travel, or something else. Whatever it is, blogging about your passion is great because that will show in your writing, and your readers will enjoy reading your posts.
- What blogs do you enjoy reading? If you are thinking about starting a blog, I’m assuming it’s because you probably enjoy reading blogs yourself. If that’s the case, then you may want to think about which blogs you really enjoy reading and possibly blog about something similar.
- What are you an expert in? Now, you don’t need to be an expert in your blog’s topic to earn money blogging (more on that below in the next section), but if you are an expert at something, then this could be a topic that you blog about. There are many successful “How-To” websites because people love to learn new things through blogs. And, there is probably something you could teach (everyone’s an expert at something, even if you don’t realize that yet!). Think about the questions your friends and family are always asking you about, topics that you enjoy helping others with, and so on.
- What things do you like learning about? Like I said above, you don’t need to be an expert in a topic to blog about it. People LOVE reading blogs from people who are learning or trying new things. This is because everyone has to start somewhere, and people love following the journey and seeing how something is actually done. So, if you are learning how to earn money blogging, for example, that could be where you start your blog. You can write about all of your mistakes, talk about what you’ve learned, show how you have tried and reviewed different options, and so on.
To learn how to make money with a blog, your blog can be about anything and/or everything. It’s entirely up to you.
Below is a list of possible blog examples and blog topic ideas. The list doesn’t end here either. Choose one, all, or some. It’s all up to you.
- Lifestyle
- Home
- Family
- Finance
- Crafts
- DIY
- Small business
- Outdoor activities
- Fitness and health
- Food
- Inspiration and advice
- Animals
- Travel
- Games
- Relationships
- School
- Electronics, and more!
That’s the beauty of having a blog – it can be about anything and you can still earn money from it.
There are a few topics I would avoid if you aren’t an expert, like blogging about legal issues, tax issues, or medical advice. You could get someone in a lot of trouble if you gave them the wrong information.
What is the best blogging platform to make money?
Your blog should be self-hosted if you want to earn money blogging. This is actually one of the first things you should do.
I recommend that you start on self-hosted WordPress (this tutorial will help you start your blog the correct way). I cannot say this enough, but I do not recommend Blogger or WordPress.com (you want the self-hosted version, which is WordPress.org – confusing, I know). Buying that $10 domain name from Blogger or GoDaddy does not mean you are self-hosted either.
Unless you self-host your blog, advertisers, companies, and readers will still know you are on Blogger or free WordPress, and that can look unprofessional. Plus, your blog can be deleted at any time and for no reason if you are using a free version, which actually happened to me. Even though you may save some money in the beginning, not being self-hosted can hurt your chances of earning money through your blog.
Seriously, just trust me. Go with self-hosted WordPress, and it will significantly increase your chances of monetizing your blog.
If you want further proof, take a look at my past income reports. You can tell that my blogging income didn’t take off until I switched to WordPress. That right there is a lot of proof that being self-hosted on WordPress is the way to go!
To recap, the positives of being self-hosted on WordPress through Bluehost include:
- Your blog will look more professional meaning you will increase your chances of making money online.
- You will have complete control over your blog.
- You own your blog, and it can’t be deleted for any reason.
How do you design a blog?
To create your blog, I recommend heading to my tutorial: How To Start A WordPress Blog On Bluehost.
After that, you will have three options when it comes to designing your blog:
- Designing your blog on your own
- Paying someone to design your blog
- Purchasing a premade theme (the quickest option and surprisingly affordable)
I usually recommend that a new blogger purchase a premade blog design, such as through Beautiful Dawn Designs. She provides great premade designs for just $45 and this is probably the easiest and quickest design option.
How much do I have to spend before I can earn money blogging?
When I first started my blog, I spent almost NOTHING on blogging expenses.
I spent less than $100 the first year and not too much more in the second year.
In fact, I probably went a few years when I was only spending about 1%-2% of my revenues on blogging expenses.
Now, some of my expenses include:
- My computer
- The actual blog (design, hosting, etc.)
- Courses, guides, and ebooks
- My email (newsletter) list
- Virtual assistant and editor
- Technical management
- Transaction fees
But, you do not need to spend money on all of these things to earn money blogging.
Learn more about my expenses at My Complete List of Monthly Expenses for a Multi Million Dollar Blog.
How many views do you need to make money blogging?
You do not need millions of pageviews per month to earn money blogging, but if you want to increase your income, it will be important to increase your page views.
Every blog is different, and it isn’t always the blogs with the largest number of readers that make the most money. That’s because once you understand what your readers want, understand how to effectively reach out to companies for partnerships, and know how to charge the correct rate, you can make a good income online in many cases, regardless of the amount of pageviews you receive.
But, if you want to increase your pageviews, here are my tips:
- Publish high-quality blog posts. Readers come back to blogs with high-quality and helpful posts. I recommend that your blog posts be at least 750 words, but more wouldn’t hurt either. The majority of my blog posts are around 1,500 to 3,000 words (this one is close to 5,000 words!).
- Be active on Pinterest. Pinterest is one of my top traffic sources. To increase your pageviews with Pinterest, I recommend creating great images, making sure the description and title of your images are catchy, pinning regularly, and only pinning long images. I use Picmonkey to edit all of my images and Tailwind to schedule them.
- Be active on other social media sites. Social media lets you interact with your audience more and can help you expand your audience. Besides Pinterest, you may want to check out Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube, and others.
- Post regularly. If you want to earn money blogging, you should publish something at least once a week. Going for weeks or months at a time without a blog post can lead to readers forgetting about you.
- Network with other bloggers. You should look at other bloggers as friends and colleagues, not competition. This means you may want to interact with them on social media, reach out to them via email, attend conferences, and more. Of course, be genuine and give more than you take.
- Guest post. Guest posting is a great way to reach a new audience and helps build partnerships with other bloggers.
- Make sure it’s easy to share your content. I love sharing posts on social media, but it gets frustrating when some blogs make it more difficult than it needs to be. You should always make sure it’s easy for readers to share your content. This could mean making your social media icons easy to find, having all of the info input that is needed for sharing (title, link, and your username), and so on. Also, you should make sure that when someone clicks on one of your sharing icons the title isn’t in CAPS (I’ve seen this too many times). No one wants to share a blog post when it sounds like you’re screaming at them.
- Create catchy headlines. The title of your post is a major factor influencing whether readers click over or not. I like to use the CoSchedule Headline Analyzer to help me with my headlines.
- Learn SEO. SEO (search engine optimization) is not something I could teach in such a small section, but I recommend doing your research and learning more about what it is and how it can help you.
- Make it easy for readers to browse. If you want more pageviews, you should make it as easy as possible for readers to read your other blog posts. Readers should be able to easily find your blog homepage, categories, tags, search bar, and so on. Also, I recommend including links for related posts in every single one of your blog posts.
How often should I blog?
I recommend publishing a blog post at least once a week.
This is because consistency is important when it comes to blogging.
I started out publishing short blog posts a few times a week. Now, I try to do just one long blog post each week. I find that works best for me and Making Sense of Cents.
Others may decide to blog every single day, and some may try every other day. It all depends on what you would like to do.
How many blog posts should I have before launching?
I recommend simply just launching your blog with one blog post. You can continue to add more as you go.
I recommend this because you won’t have a ton of readers in the beginning anyways, so just getting started is going to be your best plan of action.
Too many people overthink this question, which just delays them from actually starting their blog.
What is the ideal length for a blog post?
The ideal length varies. I usually recommend that a blog post be at least 750 words.
For Making Sense of Cents, my blog posts are almost always at least 2,000 words, and I have written some huge whoppers (like this one) that are around 5,000 words too.
The ideal length for your article will depend on your niche, and the topic that you are writing about.
How do I get my blog noticed by Google?
For your blog to be found on Google search results, you’ll want to learn about Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
You can sign up for The SEO Starter Pack (FREE Video Training) – Level up your SEO knowledge in just 60 minutes with this FREE 6-day video training.
- The exact template that helped my site earn $95,000 in affiliate income last year
- How I grew my blog to over 80,000 page views a month in 14 months
- How to Optimize a Blog Post for SEO
How long until a blog makes money?
This is a hard question to answer, and it’s also one of the most common questions I receive.
As you can tell from my past income reports, it took me nearly a year of blogging to start earning a few hundred dollars a month from my blog. After two years of blogging, I was earning several thousands of dollars a month, which was all on the side of my day job.
I know some bloggers who were making thousands of dollars a month after just a few months of blogging. There are bloggers out there who began a year or two after me and are making hundreds of thousands of dollars a month. There are also other bloggers who aren’t making any money at all.
As you can see, blogging is not a get-rich-quick scheme and there isn’t a timeline for when you will start to earn money blogging. However, if you are serious about it, you never know what it may turn into.
It all depends on you, the effort you put into your blog, whether you have the time to learn how to monetize your blog, and more.
How do blogs make money?
There are several ways to earn money blogging, including:
- Affiliate marketing – I recommend signing up for 10 Easy Tips To Increase Your Affiliate Income to learn more
- Blog sponsorships
- Display advertising
- Product sales
- Staff writing
I go in depth on each way monetization method here – How To Earn Money Blogging: Your Top Questions Answered.
How do bloggers get paid?
Many of you are interested in blogging, but you aren’t sure where the income actually comes from.
How does the money actually get to you?
You receive blogging income from whoever is paying you.
- If it is affiliate marketing you are providing, then you are paid by the company that makes the product or service. When someone buys something or signs up through your link, that’s when you get.
- If someone is paying you to place an advertisement on your website, then you get paid by the company who you are advertising for.
- If you are publishing a sponsored post, then you are paid by the company who is sponsoring that post.
- If you have display ads on your website, such as with Google Adsense, then you are paid by Google or by any number of other companies.
There are many companies and blogging networks out there that you can use to earn money blogging, and they usually pay you through PayPal or with a check in the mail.
What blogging ebooks and courses do you recommend?
It takes a lot of work to grow and build a successful blogging business!
If you want to earn money blogging, then you may want to look into buying ebooks and/or courses that will teach you about the topics that will help you become a better blogger from the very beginning. Plus, there are many blogging secrets that you just can’t find by searching the internet. So, by taking a course or reading an ebook, you will learn the exact steps to take to help you succeed.
I’m almost always taking new blogging-related courses because I know that there is always something new to learn.
Here are the ebooks and courses that I recommend for bloggers:
- Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. I share my exact strategy and tips in this very informative online course. If you’re a blogger, then you NEED this course. I show you exactly how to make passive income from blogging, even while you’re sleeping.
- 21 Strategies I Used to Increase My Monthly Page Views from 17k to 400k+ in 10 Months. Lena Gott’s guide is full of great information on how to increase your blog’s page views. If you are feeling stuck or if you are a new blogger, check out this resource! Lena went from 17,000 monthly page views to 400,000 and shares all of her best tips in this guide.
- Making Sense of Sponsored Posts. I launched this course with my sister, Alexis of Fitnancials, in 2018 to help bloggers earn money through sponsored posts. Between the two of us, we earn around $20,000-$30,000 a month from sponsored posts. We teach finding sponsorship deals, maintaining partnerships, and how to always make sure that you are helping your readers.
- My favorite Pinterest course is Pinterest Traffic Avalanche. This course shows you how to get free traffic from Pinterest to your blog. You’ll learn about Pinterest SEO, how to set up Rich Pins, how to create viral content, how to make Pinterest images, all about group boards, and many other valuable Pinterest strategies.
- If you want to learn about Facebook ads, I recommend reading How One Blogger Grew His Blog to Over 2 Million Visitors In A Year.
The blogging ebooks and courses above will help you to create a successful blog. They will show you how to master Facebook, get crazy traffic from Pinterest, grow your blogging income, and more.
If blogging is so great, then why doesn’t everyone do it?
I hear questions like this pretty often. I also get a lot of people asking me, “If it’s so easy, why don’t you just start multiple blogs and make even more money?”
Blogging is not printing money.
It’s not a scam, and it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme.
Learning how to earn money blogging is work, and just like with all jobs – not everyone wants what you want.
And, for every successful blog out there, there are probably hundreds of bloggers who will never earn money blogging. While you can earn money blogging, not all bloggers will.
It would be like saying that 100% of people who start a business will see success. That is just never going to happen – businesses fail, business owners have a change of heart, and others just don’t find it enjoyable.
I know I am always talking about the positives of blogging, but I also like to mention how it’s not the easiest.
After all, if blogging was easy, then everyone would do it and everyone would make thousands of dollars a month.
But as you know, that’s not the case.
Not everyone is going to earn money blogging because it is WORK! Most new bloggers quit just a few months in. A few months is not enough time to see if your blog will be successful. It took me six months before I started to earn money blogging, and I only earned $100. Now, I have made over $5,000,000 from my blog over the years.
It’s funny/weird to think about what life would be like if I would have quit back then.
Just like you, I went from asking “what is a blog?” to where I am now. And, I’m constantly learning new things about blogging and that is one of the reasons why I enjoy it so much.
Once you realize that blogging is hard, you will be ahead of 99% of everyone else in the game. Don’t assume, like most people do, that blogging is easy money.
Starting a blog can be difficult. But, all bloggers start at the same point.
I remember being so lost when I first started my blog. I had to learn everything the hard way – it sure was difficult at times.
But, I have always really enjoyed blogging. I think that is so important when it comes to this type of business – you either need to have passion in your blog and/or passion in what your blog allows you to do in your free time (such as travel or spending more time with your family).
Have other blogging questions?
Don’t fret!
I have other blog posts similar to this one where I have answered many other blogging questions.
Please head to How To Earn Money Blogging: Your Top Questions Answered for answers to questions such as:
- How does a blogger network with other bloggers?
- What processes do you have with new blog posts?
- In what ways can I start making money from a blog?
- What is affiliate marketing?
- What are sponsored posts?
- What is display advertising?
- Can I create my own product to sell on my blog?
- Do you have to pay taxes on blogging income?
- Where do you get your photos from?
- Why do I need an email list for my blog?
- How do you think of ideas for new blog posts?
I was going to include all of those questions here but that would have made this blog post well over 10,000 words!
What other questions do you have about blogging?
The post What Is A Blog, How Do Blogs Make Money, & More appeared first on Making Sense Of Cents.
Source: makingsenseofcents.com
The Best Apps to Save You Real Money
Saving money has never been easy, and some would say modern technology has made it even harder. Where consumers once had to go out of their way to buy clothing and household supplies, or even splurge for something fun, technology has made it so you can shop on your phone and have anything you want delivered to your doorstep. And then you have subscription services, which get you to pay a monthly fee in exchange for a box of âstuffâ you may not even need.
But technology can also be used for good, and thatâs especially true when it comes to our finances. With money saving apps, for example, you can set up your finances in a way that helps you save small sums of money that are set aside and even invested on your behalf.
Donât get money saving apps confused with budgeting apps. Where budgeting apps like You Need a Budget (YNAB.com) and Qube Money help you manage your finances and create a spending plan, money saving apps actually help you save more money each month, although often in different ways.
We profiled the top money saving apps to find the best options that are made to work for the broadest range of consumers. Acorns came out on top in our ranking due to its ease of use and the fact it makes saving and investing money seamless. However, the additional apps that made our ranking are worth considering if you want to boost your savings goals this year.
The Most Important Factors for Money Saving Apps
- Cost: You should never pay an arm and a leg for an app that is supposed to help you save money. For the purpose of this ranking, we looked for money saving apps that charge small, manageable monthly fees.
- Growth Potential: When youâre saving money each month, you want that money to grow. Consider money saving apps that make it possible to invest your savings or grow it over time with a generous promised return.
- Flexibility: Consumers should look for apps that can be tailored to their needs, or at least ones that let them set up their preferences. Mobile apps that aim to help you save should make it easy to set specific savings goals or even separate savings âbuckets.â
- Safety: Before you sign up for a money saving app, check for security features like encryption and multi-factor authentication.
The Best Money Saving Apps
The top money saving apps have something for everyone without charging exorbitant fees. We compared more than 10 mobile apps that were created to help consumers save money to come up with our list of favorites. If youâre hoping to boost your savings this year and think technology might help, this is the perfect place to start your search:
- Best for Investing
- Best for High-Yield Savings
- Best for Setting Goals
- Best Savings Bonus
- Best for Automation
Before you choose a mobile app that is geared to help you boost your savings, you should understand how it will work as well as the long-term costs. Our app reviews can help you decide which money saving app makes the most sense for your goals and your budget.
Acorns: Best for Investing
What We Love About Acorns: Acorns earned the top spot in our ranking for a few reasons. First, this app lets you invest using your spare change, which makes it easy to save small sums of money you may not even notice. Second, all three plans you can sign up for â Lite, Personal, and Family â include an investing component that makes it easy to grow the money you set aside, and even save for retirement.
The âPersonalâ version of Acorns is the most robust version for individuals. This plan includes all-in-one investment assistance, help with retirement, a checking component, a metal debit card and more. You can also save money with no account fees and reimbursed ATM fees, and you can earn more with up to 10% in bonus investments.
Further, this app gives you the chance to invest automatically with built-in retirement options, and you can tailor your plan to your retirement and investing goals. Generally speaking, an Acorns portfolio is typically made up of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) ranging from conservative to aggressive.
What Holds it Back: The stock market doesnât guarantee positive returns â especially in the short-term. In other words, you could wind up losing money if you only invest for a short amount of time.
Reviews: 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google Play
Cost: $1 per month for a Lite plan, $3 per month for a Personal plan, and $5 per month for a Family plan
Simple: Best for High-Yield Savings
What We Love About Simple: Simple is a mobile app that offers savings tools that work in conjunction with a free checking account and a special debit card. This app lets you set up notifications that inform you each time a transaction is made, and you can use it to set financial goals, manage your expenses, and set aside âSafe to Spendâ funds for whatever you want.
Simple also lets you round up your debit transactions to the nearest dollar then transfer the difference into a high-yield Protected Goals subaccount with a 1.00% APY.
One major benefit of Simple is the fact that itâs normally free to use. Fees you may have to pay include $5 for paper checks, out-of-network ATM fees, and foreign transaction fees if you use your debit card abroad.
What Holds it Back: Simple doesnât offer the same robust investing options as Acorns and some other apps that made our ranking.
Reviews: 4 out of 5 stars on Google Play
Cost: Using the app to manage your money is free
Qapital: Best for Setting Goals
What We Love About Qapital: Qapital is another money saving app you can use to reach your savings goals and invest for the future. This app lets you automate your savings and round your purchases up to the next dollar. Youâll receive a debit card that is free to use for purchases and transfers, but youâll have to pay a fee to use an ATM. You can use the app to create separate savings buckets for various goals, and you can even set up your own spending rules.
Qapital also has its own pre-built portfolios that can make investing easy. All you need to do is choose an investing timeline (such as how many years you have until retirement) and the app will automatically choose a portfolio that is diverse and tailored to the amount of time you have to keep your money invested.
What Holds it Back: Qapital is considerably more expensive than many other apps that are geared to helping you save money. The savings account component also comes with an unimpressive APY.
Reviews: 4.1 out of 5 stars on Google Play
Cost: A Basic plan is $3 per month, a Complete plan is $6 per month, and a Master Plan is $12 per month
Digit: Best Savings Bonus
What We Love About Digit: Digit is another app that was created to help you save money automatically. According to the app creators, Digit âanalyzes your spending and automatically saves the perfect amount every day, so you don’t have to think about it.â The money you save is then transferred to a Digit savings account. You can also set up separate savings buckets, which can be geared to specific goals you have like a vacation fund, a debt payoff fund, college savings, or something else.
We also like the fact that Digit offers a .5% annual savings bonus that is paid out every three months. This bonus helps incentivize users to save even more over time. Finally, donât forget that Digit offers a 30-day free trial, which makes it easy to try it out before you make a commitment.
What Holds it Back: Digit is not really geared to consumers who want to invest for the long-term. This is a true money saving app that is focused on helping you save money instead.
Reviews: 4.6 out of 5 stars on Google Play
Cost: Digit is free for 30 days, then $5 per month
Stash: Best for Automation
What We Love About Stash: Stash is an investing app that also comes with a savings component. This makes it a good option for people who want to start setting aside small sums of money that they invest to reach their long-term financial goals.
Stash lets you invest your savings in your choice of thousands of stocks and funds. You can also invest using fractional shares, which let you get started with a relatively low balance in your account.
The savings component of the app, called Auto-Stash, also makes it easy to automate your savings. You can set up automatic transfers from your bank account to your Stash account, and you can also round up purchases to the nearest dollar and automatically invest that money as well.
What Holds it Back: At $9 per month, Stash can be expensive if you pay for their most generous plan.
Reviews: 4.0 out of 5 stars on Google Play
Cost: Stash is only $1 per month for a Beginner plan, $3 per month for a Growth plan, and $9 per month for a Stash+ plan
How We Found the Best Money Saving Apps
The best money saving apps are geared to helping you save more money than you might otherwise, usually through automation. To find the apps for our ranking, we considered the following criteria:
- Monthly Cost: We looked for money apps that offer low monthly fees ($5 or less per month), with the exception of comprehensive plans that offer a major investing component. Ongoing cost is important since apps that aim to help you save money shouldnât cost an arm and a leg over the long-term.
- Automation Features: Saving money automatically is the best way to grow long-term wealth. With that in mind, we looked for apps that have an automation component, either by allowing automatic transfers to your account, a feature that rounds up all of your purchases, or both.
- Safety Features: We looked for money saving apps that offer 256-bit encryption or better. We also looked for secondary safety features like multi-factor authentication and notifications.
- Reviews: Finally, we compared all the apps on this list in terms of their user reviews. Each app that made our ranking has a minimum ranking of 4 out of 5 stars on Google Play.
How to Make the Most of Your Money Saving App
Downloading a money saving app is an excellent first step toward building a better financial future, but youâll need to do more than that if you want to boost your savings rate and stay safe in the process. Before you commit to any of the apps weâve profiled in our ranking, consider these tips that could help you get the most out of the experience.
- Take advantage of special security features. All of the apps that made our ranking offer industry standard encryption protection. However, if your app offers additional safety features like multi-factor authentication, you should take the time to set this up. With Stash, for example, you have the option to add biometric recognition using a fingerprint to access your account.
- Utilize automation to its fullest potential. Make sure youâre making the most of automation features, whether they include the option to round up all of your purchases or the chance to set up automatic transfers to your account. Remember that automating your savings is the best way to have your money grow automatically, and that you should strive to âset it and forget itâ as much as you can.
- Get your spouse or partner involved. Saving money on your own can be fruitful, but you have the chance to double the impact if you get your spouse or partner on board. Some money saving apps like Acorns offer a Family plan, which makes it easy for you and a partner to get on the same page when it comes to your goals.
- Invest your money for the long haul. Some of the apps we profiled focus mostly on helping build a savings account, but others like Acorns and Stash help you invest for the long run. If your goal is saving for retirement or other long-term financial goals, youâll want to focus on options that let you invest your money into stocks, ETFs, or portfolios that are tailored to your investment timeline and appetite for risk.
- Leave your savings alone: While thereâs nothing wrong with setting up savings buckets for vacations, a kitchen remodel, or another short-term goal, money saving apps can also help you save for retirement and other long-term financial needs. You should really commit to leaving some of the money you save alone to grow over time. That way, your savings will be there when you need it.
Summary: Best Money Saving Apps
| Money Saving App | What Itâs Best For |
| Acorns | Investing |
| Simple | High-Yield Savings |
| Qapital | Setting Goals |
| Digit | Savings Bonus Potential |
| Stash | Automation |
The post The Best Apps to Save You Real Money appeared first on Good Financial Cents®.
Source: goodfinancialcents.com
Donating Plasma For Money: Best Places To Donate Plasma To Make $300-400 A Month
Donating plasma is a legit way to earn some extra cash while helping others. You only need 2-3 hours a week to donate plasma and make $300 to $400 a month.
The post Donating Plasma For Money: Best Places To Donate Plasma To Make $300-400 A Month appeared first on Bible Money Matters and was written by Lorraine Smithills. Copyright © Bible Money Matters – please visit biblemoneymatters.com for more great content.
Source: biblemoneymatters.com
12 Jobs Working with Animals That Pay Good Money
Love the idea of working with animals, but don’t have the resources or desire to go through vet school? You can still put your love of pets or wildlife to work in your career. Here are twelve jobs working with animals that can pay the bills for any animal lover.
1. Groomer
Groomers help pets look their best by cleaning them, trimming fur and providing other services. Pay depends on skills, certifications, experience and which state you work in. The highest pay in each region typically going to specialists who provide boutique grooming services.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $34,702
- Salary Range: $22,666 to $51,323
- Minimum Qualifications: high school diploma or equivalent
How to Become One: Typically, animal caretakers must have at least a high school diploma or GED. Most training takes place on the job, but some choose to study at a grooming school. Employers generally prefer candidates to have some experience working with animals.
2. Pet Sitter and Dog Walker
Pet sitters and dog walkers care for pets while owners are traveling or unavailable. You might choose to work through a service that pays you as an employee or hire your own services out as a freelance dog walker or pet sitter. In the latter case, you may make more money per job but will also have to handle your own marketing and business administration expenses.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $31,095
- Salary Range: $20,211 to $45,826
- Minimum Qualifications: varies
How to Become One: Employers may require a high school diploma or GED and some training or certification. However, if you want to freelance as a dog walker, you may just need experience and references, so concerned pet owners can learn more about you.
3. Veterinary Assistant
Veterinary assistants work in a vet office, clinic or animal hospital helping veterinarians with animal care. They are responsible for assisting with routine tasks, which might include checking in patients or helping as the vet provides services.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $30,898
- Salary Range: $19,431 to $43,072
- Minimum Qualifications: high school diploma or equivalent
How to Become One: If you want to become a veterinary assistant, you should at least have a high school diploma. Most veterinary assistants learn their trade on the job. Certification isn’t always required, but it could help you get promoted or obtain an advanced position.
4. Research Animal Caretaker
Laboratory animal caretakers work in labs with animal scientists, biologists or veterinarians. They feed, care for and monitor the well-being of lab animals.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $37,890
- Salary Range: $35,215 to $46,105
- Minimum Qualifications: high school diploma or equivalent
How to Become One: Laboratory animal caretakers are required to at least have a high school diploma. Most laboratory animal caretakers learn their trade through on-the-job training. Certification isn’t required to become a laboratory animal caretaker, but some employers prefer it. Having a certification could also help you get promoted.
5. Animal Trainer
Animal trainers are responsible for training animals for tasks such as riding, performance, obedience or assisting the disabled. They can also help animals become more comfortable with human interaction.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $30,430
- Salary Range: $20,810 to $59,110
- Minimum Qualifications: no formal education requirements
How to Become One: There are no formal education requirements to become an animal trainer. Those who train animals usually receive on-the-job training. In addition, animal trainers can receive education through organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States and earn certificates or other credentials to help them move up in their careers.
6. Veterinary Technician
Veterinary technicians perform medical testing with the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. They help diagnose an animal’s injury or illness and may also perform some routine procedures, such as ultrasounds, catheterization or EKGs, and administer anesthesia.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $35,308
- Salary Range: $24,619 to $48,002
- Minimum Qualifications: an associate degree
How to Become One: Typically, you must complete at least an associate degree or get a certification from an accredited program. Depending on the state, you may need to pass an exam and become registered, licensed or certified. Many employers look for techs with at least some experience in the field, which means many vet techs start in an assistant position.
7. Animal Control Worker
Animal control workers help ensure the proper treatment of animals, investigate cases of mistreatment, may help locate abandoned animals and may be called on to deal with nuisance animals of certain types.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $38,490
- Salary Range: $23,160 to $58,220
- Minimum Qualifications: varies by location
How to Become One: Animal control workers are required to have a minimum of a high school diploma or the equivalent. Additional training usually takes place on the job. The National Animal Care & Control Association offers training programs. In addition, some states require certification in animal control.
8. Conservation & Forest Technician
Conservation and forest workers help keep track of wildlife, gather data, suppress forest fires and work to improve the health of forests. They may lead guided tours or help train others in managing natural habitats.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $39,180
- Salary Range: $26,160 to $56,410
- Minimum Qualifications: high school diploma or equivalent
How to Become One: In many cases, all you need is a high school diploma. You receive on-the-job training, but you can potentially advance your career with certifications or degrees in various sciences.
9. Breeder
Breeders select and breed animals according to characteristics and genealogy. They may use artificial insemination equipment and need to keep meticulous records on animal health, genetics, dates of birth and family history.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $46,420
- Salary Range: $26,030 to $69,550
- Minimum Qualifications: high school diploma or equivalent
How to Become One: Animal breeders are required to have a minimum of a high school education. In addition, breeders learn their skill through short-term on-the-job training. Those who want to breed zoo animals are required to have a bachelor’s degree in veterinary science and, depending on career goals, may also want to pursue postgraduate study in zoology.
10. Biological Technician
Biological technicians help medical scientists in the laboratory. They are responsible for the setup, operation and maintenance of laboratory equipment. They also monitor experiments.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $49,110
- Salary Range: $29,540 to $73,350
- Minimum Qualifications: bachelor’s degree
How to Become One: Biological technicians generally need a bachelor’s degree in biology or a similar field. Technicians must also acquire laboratory experience and a working knowledge of computers and lab equipment.
11. Zoologist & Wildlife Biologist
Zoologists and wildlife biologists study how animals and wildlife interact with their environment. They may also help care for animals in captivity.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $67,200
- Salary Range: $38,880 to $101,780
- Minimum Qualifications: bachelor’s degree
How to Become One: A bachelor’s degree is necessary for those seeking entry-level positions. A master’s degree is usually required for advanced or scientific positions. Those who want to lead independent research or work at a university might want to consider a doctoral degree.
12. Conservation Scientist
Conservation land managers work with conservation groups, landowners or other entities to protect specific wildlife and land. Often, they do so because the area is a habitat for certain animals, particularly endangered animals.
Here are the job details:
- Median Salary: $67,040
- Salary Range: $39,270 to $98,060
- Minimum Qualifications: bachelor’s degree
How to Become One: Conservation scientists usually need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, preferably in natural resource management, agriculture or another related field. Experience can be gained through internships and volunteer work. Some states require those desiring to become foresters to obtain a license.
Start Working Now to Land a Job Working with Animals
First, check out Monster.com‘s resume services and bring out the most relevant facts in your work history. Get tips and help polishing your resume so it shines when it hits employee inboxes or application systems. Then, upload your resume to ZipRecruiter and start connecting immediately with employers who are looking for people with a passion for jobs working with animals.
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