Several years ago, I finally settled down and decided to buy a home after spending 10 years as a renter (and living in 10 different places!). My wife and I were excited to finally have “our own place.” In retrospect, there were things I wish we would have known before we began shopping for a home. Buying a home is an intense and often emotionally-charged process. If you aren’t careful, it’s easy to spend more than you can afford. Or … [Read more...]
Budgeting for Couples: How to Adopt a Budgeting Lifestyle
Budgeting for couples may require more effort and attention than budgeting on your own. But it's a habit that many couples desperately need to learn. A recent Magnify Money survey of over 1,000 Americans revealed some alarming facts about marriage and money. One in five couples that responded to the survey regretted combining finances with their spouse. And 21% of respondents cited finances as the primary cause of their … [Read more...]
How to Invest Money: What You Need to Know to Get Started
Making investment decisions can be a scary and overwhelming process. We are constantly bombarded with conflicting information about the market. One moment everyone’s excited, and a few hours later they are all disappointed. We hear that investing is inherently risky, but also that it's the clearest path to wealth. And then there's the alphabet soup of investing lingo, from IRAs to ETFs. So just how are you supposed to feel … [Read more...]
How to Automate Your Savings (Step by Step Banking Guide)
We all want to save more money, but for most of us, that’s way easier said than done. Saving more money means you need not only the intent to save but also the discipline to follow through with it. Most of us have the good intention to save part down pat. It’s the action part that usually hangs us all up. When you automate and separate your savings, you’re setting up a system to regularly save money with automatic bank transfers to … [Read more...]
Everything You Need to Know to Get Out of Debt
Debt is a vicious cycle, and once you're stuck, it's very difficult to get out. I signed up for my first two credit cards in college (you know, to get the free t-shirt). By the time I left college I had a decent amount of debt and two worn out t-shirts. I wasn’t paying this off every month and so I was paying 20% or more in interest charges. Looking back, it’s hard to believe I left college with this debt. After all, I graduated … [Read more...]
Start a Flexible Part-Time Job Teaching English [VIPKID Review]
When I first considered working for VIPKID I had so many questions. How much would I really make? Could I really do this? Now that I have more than two years of experience teaching for VIPKID I have most of the answers, and I'm here to share them all with you. Let's start with the basics: VIPKID provides a flexible work-from-home teaching job that pays well. You can set your own work hours and you can make up to … [Read more...]
The Ultimate Guide to Payroll for Small Business Owners
Has your business grown to the point that it's time to hire help? On one hand, that's great news. But, on the other hand, payroll for small business owners adds another layer of complexity to the act of running your business. Most small business owners don't have a background in HR, accounting, or bookkeeping. So how can you set up a payroll system that keeps you on the good side of the IRS without consuming too much of … [Read more...]
How I Calculate My $6,000+ Per Year Rental Property Cash Flow aka Net Operating Income
It’s time once again to do our annual rental property cash flow analysis, aka calculate our Net Operating Income (NOI). To see previous years, see the link at the bottom. If you're like me and you have a rental property it's wise to do an annual analysis to see how well your property is performing. I perform this quick exercise once a year and it helps me make decisions about the future of my rental property. Should I get more … [Read more...]
Discover Seasonal Jobs in Unique Places [CoolWorks Review]
Have you ever dreamed of working on a dude ranch in Wyoming? Or maybe being a camp counselor, introducing kids to the wonders of nature? I was a camp counselor in my 20s and it was one of my favorite experiences. If the traditional corporate life - being stuck indoors working 9-5 and then going home and spending your evening watching Netflix - feels like torture, then CoolWorks might just have the opportunities you are looking … [Read more...]
Start Earning Extra Money with Online Surveys [Opinion Outpost Review]
If you're ready to give side hustles a try, online surveys are a simple way to get started. Online surveys are questionnaires targeted to a specific audience. They're a way for companies to gather data on their target market. But to get the data, they need people to complete the surveys. That's where you come in. Companies are willing to pay you for your opinions. Completing online surveys won't earn you six figures, … [Read more...]
50 Companies Hiring Right Now During the Coronavirus Lockdown
If you have been laid off because you were deemed non-essential but still have bills to pay then you are probably looking for a job right about now. The good news is that there are a number of companies that have actually increased the number of workers they are looking to hire because of the current pandemic. Listed below are 50 companies that are hiring right now during the coronavirus lockdown. 1. Walmart The nation's … [Read more...]
Best and Worst Ways to Spend Your Stimulus Check as a Business Owner
On March 27th, President Trump signed the CARES Act into law. It provides over $2.2 trillion of financial relief for individuals and business owners who are reeling from coronavirus shutdowns. The CARES Act is a sweeping piece of legislation that introduces a wide range of economic relief programs. But it also instructs the Treasury Department to send direct payments to United States citizens. Each eligible citizen will receive a … [Read more...]
Our Complete List of COVID-19 News & Resources for Entrepreneurs
In an effort to be the most helpful during this time, I've decided to gather together all of our COVID-19 related guides, news, and popular topics. CARES Act Changes & Updates The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – What We Know & Where to Apply How to Get Unemployment Pay if You’re Self-Employed (Including Gig Workers and Freelancers) SBA Loans: Everything You Need to Know (Including Emergency EIDL $10k Grant Info) Expecting a Stimulus Check? Here’s What … [Read more...]
Expecting a Stimulus Check? Here’s What You Need To Know
Fast FAQs About Stimulus Checks (i.e. Economic Impact Payments): Up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples and up to $500 for each qualifying child Based on 2019 or 2018 data, depending on when you file your 2019 return Deposit payments will begin to roll out on April 9th, with checks being issued April 24th Self-employed individuals should look beyond the stimulus payment at other CARES Act benefits [Read more...]
How to Get Unemployment Pay if You’re Self-Employed (Including Gig Workers and Freelancers)
Normally, there’s no unemployment for self-employed individuals. But with the unprecedented impact COVID-19 is having on the economy, the federal government has passed legislation to provide relief for small businesses and independent workers. With its passage, unemployment benefits are now expanded to cover the self-employed and gig workers like Uber drivers, freelancers, and Airbnb hosts. Under the CARES Act, unemployment … [Read more...]
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