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
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.
Giving Thanks for Government Spending
Thank goodness the government has money to spend. The current administration is trying to stay afloat by throwing money at every large company that gives a hint of bankruptcy because we all know that the best way to teach a spendthrift how to become responsible with money is to give the person more money.
There are many different economic theories, one of which is budgeting. Some say that the best way to teach someone how to manage money efficiently is to give the person a budget and if they use up the money before paying for all their bills, they will know better next time and be more careful with their money.
However, large corporations in the United States don’t have that problem. Every time they looked close to running out of money, they would sell an asset, borrow from the bank, or issue more stocks. Now, those options just aren’t available. Money is tight so there are less people and companies with the money to buy stock and even those who do have the money are scared.
Look at Warren Buffet, considered a market genius. He purchased a large stake in Goldman Sachs last month and now, just a month later, their shares are trading at half what they were. If someone of Warren Buffet’s caliber can lose money in this market why should I think I can make something? Why risk my future and retirement buying stocks that might be worthless next week.
Obviously the companies aren’t going to make money issuing new stock, instead that will likely make their current stock prices drop even further so what’s the next option. Oh yeah, borrow money from the banks. Except for one little problem, the banks aren’t lending money. Yes, they claim they are. In fact there are even reports that some entrepreneuring banks are even lending money for home purchases, but is that just an urban legend? Besides, banks are scared silly right now because of all their bad mortgage debt so do you really think they are going to lend money to a business in this economy where nobody can afford to buy more than the necessities.
The companies could also try to sell off some assets, perhaps gets rid of a division that isn’t as profitable. But once again, nobody’s buying. Unfortunately, this vicious cycle will keep repeating itself unless there are some major changes. Yes, keeping the companies in business now will save some jobs but that isn’t enough. While saving jobs is great, we need to concentrate on ways to create more jobs to really kick start this economy.
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.
My Money Journal
I started keeping a journal about money so I can track down where I am spending the money. I always carry my money journal wherever I go. Every time I spend for something, I write it down on the journal and it makes my monthly budget planning easier.
Some may find it tedious or time consuming but still it is the best way tracking your expenses.
Money Saving Tips
It seems like we’re all looking for ways to save money these days. With the constant rise of gas prices and even food increasing, it’s no wonder many of us are struggling to get ahead and stay there. But there are a few little tips and tricks that work over time to save you more.
Many drivers may not realize that you can actually get better gas mileage by only filling up half a tank at a time. When I first read this I thought it couldn’t be that big of a difference. However, filling up on 2 half tanks saved me $15 compared to filling up the whole thing at once. Try it! Not only that, how you drive really plays a part in your fuel consumption. Burning rubber and squealing tires will not do much to save you gas or money. Or tires for that matter.
For many of us, we’re trying to accommodate the new rising costs while battling the debt we’ve already acquired. With the insane interest fees charged this can seem impossible to break free from. Often the money earned monthly is gone before you even see it. If this is something you experience try following advice from shows like “Til Debt Do Us Part”. There is plenty of helpful advice and real life couples that learn how to make a change in their budget.
Cut out things you can do without. We all have something. Whether it’s coffee out at a coffee shop daily instead of at home or that name brand item rather than generic, it can be changed. Quit smoking or take a walk to the corner store instead of driving. These things will add up faster than you may think. Saving money starts with you. What are you willing to change?
Pay a Little Extra Each Month
Do you have a mortgage? Is it 25 years, 30 years or even longer? The majority of mortgage companies will allow you to pay extra each month if you can. The idea is to make certain to pay on the principle and not the interest. The principle determines the amount of interest that you pay. If you pay a little on the principle each month that is extra, you will in the long run end up fixing your finances and paying a lot less in interest.
Make certain that you pay a minimum of $5.00 extra each month. On the month’s that you can afford to do so pay as much as $100 extra toward the principle. Doing this every month will greatly reduce the amount of interest that you end up paying on the mortgage.
Retirement Planning to the Future
With the state of the economy, it is imperative that you think about retirement planning. Retirement planning is the way of the future. It is important to think about your retirement planning so that you are ready for the future when it gets here.
Put money aside each day. There are little things that you can do without daily that could be set aside for retirement. If you put just a little bit back each day, the amount will greatly increase.
Build your savings account. Do all that you can to build your savings account. When the savings account gets big, invest in a certificate of deposit. Move from there to an IRA or annuity plan. You can save without having in risk involved with your money. This is a great way to fix your finances for the future.
Talk to Debtors
When it comes to paying bills and having trouble with finances, one solution to fix finances is to talk to debtors. Often, they will set up a reasonable payment plan with you. Some credit card companies will even let you take a huge percentage of the debt off if you can pay it off. For example, if you owe a thousand dollars but can pay off $600 they might consider the debt paid and clear the account.
Don’t just not pay. Call the debtors and talk to them. Explain to them that you are out of work or that things are slow. Give them a time that you will be able to send them something. This shows that you are trying to get out of debt and fix finances. It will save you headache and they will know that they will get their money.
Take Advange of Coupons
One of the first things I learned when I went to fix my finances was the great use of coupons. You can save a great deal of money with coupons. One way to help fix your finances is to take advantage of coupons. It used to be that you would have to purchase the Sunday edition of the local newspaper to get coupons. Now there are numerous sites on the Internet that you can print out coupons to use at your local stores.
Use coupons on items that you would already normally buy. Just because you have a coupon for sardines, does not mean that you have to use it. If you normally don’t eat sardines, then throw that coupon away. Yet, if you have a coupon for peanut butter, go ahead and take advantage of the coupon and use it.