Need money? Start shopping!
With so many people out of work or just looking to make some extra money to help with the bills you may have considered clicking on one of those advertisements for mystery shopping. Here’s the good news, you don’t have to. Those advertisement require you to pay before they give you the lists of who offers mystery shopping. Save that money and read this blog instead.
I have made extra cash as a mystery shopper for several years and I can give you the real scoop on the industry. First, don’t waste your time paying for lists of companies that offer mystery shopping, instead check out the link at the end of this blog and you can get the information for free.
Second, don’t expect to get rich from mystery shopping. While it can be a nice way to make a couple of extra bucks or get a free meal every now and then, don’t expect to make enough money to pay your car payment. If you make friends with the people who choose which person gets the job and you show that you are a reliable and conscientious shopper you can make some nice money. However, when applying for shopping positions you need to consider how much you will make and how far you will have to go to get to the shop. As these shops are all over the place, there might not be one close enough to where you live to make it feasible to accept. After all, you have to consider the gas money, the amount of time it will take to complete the shop, and whether you have the access to internet, a camera, and a fax machine, which are often required to complete the shop.
While mystery shopping can be a nice way to make some extra bucks, don’t expect to make a career change. However, if you are still interested in checking it out, stop by this website to get the list of available shops for free!! www.volition.com
Extra cash now
There are plenty of people looking for ways to pay the bills now and while some people are saying that the economy is showing signs of turning around, I haven’t seen them yet. However, just because time are hard doesn’t mean that you can earn some extra cash to help with paying the bills or just to have some spending money. In fact, there are still plenty of things you can do to make some extra money.
1. Handyman.
Whether you are an out of work carpenter or just someone who knows his way around a hammer there are plenty of people out there who need an extra hand. Right now, if you are lucky enough to afford your house you want to keep it in good condition so that it will last. As a result, people are trying to keep the house looking nice and updated. Some people I know are even taking advantage of the cheap labor available right now and getting that porch built they always wanted.
2. Auto mechanic
Again, you don’t have to be a professional to know your way around a job. While the car dealers are trying like crazy to make a sale these days, people just don’t have the money to buy a new car on top of all their other expenses. Instead of buying new, they are paying to repair their current vehicles and keep them running for a few more years, after all, it is cheaper to pay a $500 or $1,000 repaid bill than it is to purchase a whole new vehicle.
3. Gardner
As prices for food goes up just like everything else, people are turning more and more to having their own garden so that they can grow their own fruits and vegetables. Instead of planting one tomato plant for your family, spend the extra $2 or $3 and plant an additional 2 plants and then you can sell your extra produce to your neighbors.
4. Blogger
Its true, some people do make money from writing blogs. While I have not hit that level, for people who have a specialty or passion that they just love to write about and share with others there can be some money in writing and promoting you blog. If you figure out how to make millions doing this just please remember little old me and help me out with a link or two. Seriously though, blogging can be a great way to spend a few hours each week writing about something you enjoy and hopefully making a few dollars at the same time. While it takes time and patience to develop a following and enough money pay a bill or two it can a very relaxing and enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours.
What You Need to Know Before Starting a Business
Many people who have been laid off due to the poor economy have decided to take this as an opportunity to follow their dreams and start their own business. While most Americans might not realize it, America runs on small business. Yes, we have the big boys like Wal-Mart, Ford, Bank of America and many others, however, the majority of Americans work at small businesses with less than 25 employees that makes less than $5 million dollars a year. I have personally worked for a few such businesses and have spent time working with others to help them get started.
There are many benefits from working for a small company. However, if the company isn’t run properly, be careful. The first thing that new business owners need to do is decide the type of business form.
If the business is going to be a corporation, LLC, or partnership you need to set up a separate business banking account to use for the business. This is extremely important but is often overlooked by small business owners just starting up. If you don’t maintain a separate account for business purposes, it will be difficult to maintain proper books for the business which will really hurt when tax time rolls around.
Owners also need to maintain proper accounting books for their business. This allows the owner to see where the money is going, which products are making money, and whether the business is actually making a profit. Just because a business is bringing in money doesn’t mean that it is actually making a profit. To have a successful business you need to know what is happening to your cash.
Be Your Own Boss
It’s a great time to take a bad situation and make it into something good. Many people are using this economic downturn as their opportunity to fulfill dreams of starting their own business or changing careers. But can I realistically make a career change like that in this economy and still be able to pay the bills?
Where Should I Get My Training?
Colleges across the country are reporting record enrollments as people of all ages are going back to school to enhance their current degree and knowledge or to learn an entirely different set of job skills. Many local community colleges and technical schools are offering great courses that allow students to get the training necessary for certification in areas such as beautician, computer technology, auto repair and many more for a fraction of the cost of attending state or private schools. In addition, many also offer evening courses so you can work during the day and still attend classes.
What Areas Should I Focus On?
1. Repairs
At the moment money is tight. As such, people are going to be more likely to repair their vehicles and appliances than spend the money for brand new items. Anything along this line should be a safe bet for the next few years.
2. Necessities
While I may not have the extra money to get my nails done, my hair keeps growing. While people may not come in as often for haircuts and longer hairstyles may come into fashion, people will still need haircuts and trims. Thus, some beautician fields might be worth considering.
3. Fountain of Youth
Also, I think botox injections and other fountain of youth areas will continue to flourish as women will try to look younger in order to snag the jobs they want. In this market it is going to be a tough fight for jobs and women are going to want every advantage they can get, whether real or artificial.
4. Niche Markets
Many larger firms may try to save money in this economy by outsourcing. Thus, smaller firms that handle payroll and customer relations may increase. If these firms will handle these areas for less than the larger firms are currently paying in space to house their staff, salaries and benefits, etc., the firms are going to consider outsourcing as a way to save money.
Retiring a Millionaire
Americans like to spend, we like to live comfortably, but we also want to enjoy life and be able to retire someday. So how can we do both? Every once in a while you hear stories about a person who made around $30,000 a year and then when he died donated a million dollars to some charity. So how did he do that and can I do the same?
Yes, if you are saving. Many of these stories about surprising wealth at retirement are from people who started saving early in life and saved continuously. If you set aside some money each paycheck and invest it in the stock market or other investments and don’t touch the money until retirement you can live very comfortably.
The key to saving is to not spend money on things you don’t need. Yes that sounds obvious but have you ever stopped to consider what you are spending your money on and what you are actually getting for the money. Instead of spending $30 taking your wife or girlfriend out to a movie, you can spend $1 and rent a movie at the local RedBox at your McDonald’s or Wal-Mart and microwave your own popcorn or just watch a movie together on the television. You aren’t slumming but you also aren’t wasting money either.
Also, the earlier you can start saving for retirement, the better. The earlier money is put into a savings or investment account, the more time it has to increase through interest, dividends, and appreciation. True most 20 year olds are not thinking about retirement but when they reach 55 they will wish they had though about it more as a 20 something.
Alternative ways to pay for Christmas
Many stores are touting their layaway plans this year as well as store credit cards. While these are both ok options, I prefer to stay away from credit cards and thus avoid the temptation to overspend. So this year, instead of throwing Christmas on your credit cards or putting something on layaway, check out these great ways to save or make a few extra bucks that you can put towards the Santa fund.
1. http://www.volition.com/
This site offers information on getting paid to surf the web, freebies from a variety of websites, coupons, and much more. I often use Volition to sign up for mystery shops when I have some free time. While mystery shops will not pay the bills, they are great if you want some extra cash. Many sites make you pay to have access to this information but with Volition you get it all for free. So if you are interested in making some extra money shopping or eating out, don’t pay for the info, check it out here instead.
2. http://riveroffers.com/?cogid=frend&refid=
This site offers everything you can imagine, If you are tired of your current cellphone provider, check this site out. You get the newest phones free from all the name brand providers plus free shipping and accessories as well! My husband and I don’t shop anywhere else when it comes to cellphones because nobody has been able to beat these deals. They also offer over 25 different credit cards sorted by what you want out of your card, ie points, low interest rate, cash back, etc. They also offer web hosting, domain names, high speed internet and much more. The best part, you can become an agent for free and then purchase what you need from yourself for additional discounts. Check it out.
3. www.couponmom.com
While not as exciting as the other two, this website offers a variety of ways to save money on your grocery bill and nights out on the town. Their weekly emails give you the best sales in town and options to print out coupons for additional savings.