This post is brought to you by Experian. While this was a sponsored opportunity, all content and opinions expressed here are my own. Have you ever wondered exactly what it takes to build a good credit score? Maybe you've made some credit mistakes in your past and you're wondering how to fix them. Or perhaps you've wondered if your credit score even really matters. No matter what questions you have about credit, you're sure … [Read more...]
5 Tips for Making Extra Money
Are you always wishing you could find a way to make extra money? When your budget is tight, and it's harder to stretch just for essentials, making extra money can feel like a pipe dream. Where do you find the time and opportunity? Seriously, how can you really go about making extra money? A lot of people would say "Get a second job"--but that means more hours away from your family and hobbies, and besides, it can be hard if your … [Read more...]
How to Find Virtual Assistant Jobs You Can Do From Home
If you're a good fit for the work style, and know where to find the best jobs, being a virtual assistant has plenty of benefits, including great pay. There are now more than 4 million administrative assistants in the U.S. according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of those are now virtual assistants at home. The outlook is good for the profession and the barrier to entry is low. A virtual assistant typically works … [Read more...]
18 Frugal Living Tips Plus How to Beat Frugality Fatigue
Frugality is having a moment. A lot of us are embracing frugal living these days, and for good reason. Frugality can open up a lot of opportunities in our lives. It puts us more in control of our money and helps us to determine what’s most important to us. Living frugally means making intentional choices with your everyday spending. It means mapping out your financial—and life—goals and then aligning your spending to help you … [Read more...]
Teaching Kids About Money [The Complete Guide]
If you're like me, you want to teach your kids about money so that they can create a life of freedom and independence for themselves. Maybe you struggled with money a bit when you were younger, like me, and you don't want them to have to go through the same problems (credit card debt, not getting ahead, etc.). Here's the thing. You have the ability to help your kids succeed. By learning about money yourself, you're giving your … [Read more...]
What You Can Expect from a Financial Planner [Plus How Much They Cost]
The world of investing and financial planning can be confusing. If you've heard about certified financial advisors, you may be wondering exactly what do they do and whether or not you need one. Even as a CPA myself, I've found this world a bit confusing. But I spoke with some friends who are advisors, did my own research with an advisor session, and I'm here to share what I learned with you. A financial planner can do anything … [Read more...]
Should You Participate in Your Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan?
A few years ago I was given the opportunity to participate in my company's employee stock purchase plan (ESPP). After some research, I discovered these plans can be a huge benefit if you do them right. Most people who have access to an Employee Stock Purchase Plan should definitely use it, max it out, and flip it immediately. Doing so will almost guarantee an almost 30% annual return on your money. Are you considering your … [Read more...]
The Complete Guide to 529 College Savings Plans
Have you been thinking about saving for your child's future college expenses? Are you curious if you should get started with a 529 college savings plan? It took me three years from the time I started thinking about setting up a 529 college savings plan to actually open one up. It's one of those big financial check-offs that just seems to elude us...till it's too late. If you're like me, you're probably wrestling with … [Read more...]
How to Make Money from Home with a Bookkeeping Business
If you’re good at organizing financial information for business owners, consider starting a bookkeeping business. Bookkeepers build a business’ financial foundation, helping entrepreneurs make decisions about the future success of their business. Good bookkeepers are always in demand since many business owners don’t have the time or inclination to run this side of their business. Learning how to start a bookkeeping business … [Read more...]
Should You Payoff Your Mortgage Early? Yep! Here Are 6 Strategies to Pull It Off!
My wife and I are 38 and 43, respectively, and we just paid off our home mortgage - a home we purchased seven years ago. It feels great to own our home outright and not have the risk of that big debt in our life. Making the decision to pay off our mortgage early is a decision we’ve gone back and forth on. We’ve wrestled with it. But, ultimately, our financial successes and inertia pushed us to go forward with the payoff. If … [Read more...]
How to Make Money Blogging [10 Important Questions Answered]
Instead of an actual interview with someone else today, I thought I'd share a bit of my own knowledge about making extra money from blogging. Blogging can be a great way to make money on the side. It’s a perfect side hustle because it’s flexible and doesn’t require much in terms of start-up costs. You can earn money through affiliate partnerships, sponsored posts, and display ads. Once you get the hang of building a successful blog, … [Read more...]
7 Things We Did to Grow Our Small Business from $89,000 to $524,000 in 5 Years (Without Investors or Paid Marketing)
In 2011, my conference business had a total revenue of $89,000 (see my first profit and loss statement here). By 2015, just five years later, the revenue had grown to $524,000. The team and I did this without receiving investment money, without taking a loan, and without spending money on marketing. We've no doubt benefited from an expanding market (more bloggers, podcasters, etc) and a rising economy (affecting our exhibitor … [Read more...]
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