On my birthday this year, after enjoying several tasty beverages with my friends, I made a confession about my career. “I want to do some money coaching,” I told them, “but I don’t know where to start.” Luckily for me, my friend Jo took me seriously, even after we all sobered up. Several weeks after my birthday, she asked if she could hire me. All of a sudden, I was a money coach with a real client. It turns out that … [Read more...]
Meet Fabric: The One-Stop-Shop for Life Insurance and Basic Estate Planning
My husband and I purchased 20-year term life insurance policies in 2014. We had just welcomed our second son--and lost my father--the year before. Prior to my father's death, my husband and I only carried the life insurance we were able to get through his workplace. His policy would replace one year's worth of his income, and the small spousal policy that I carried would pay out $15,000. But we both realized this wasn't … [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...]
23 Unique Business Ideas (That You Can Start Today!)
Small businesses are the backbone of America’s economy, no question about it. The numbers speak for themselves: 29 million = Number of small businesses in the US; 500 million = Number of patents filed annually in the US; 50% = Half of the private sector is employed by small businesses. All it takes is one unique business idea (and sometimes a little money in a savings account to get started) and you could be there too. But coming up … [Read more...]
Earn Money Taking Surveys (and More!) with InboxDollars
I am a dedicated audiobook listener. I spend hours each week listening to mysteries, romances, sci-fi novels, and business books. Though I often multi-task during these audiobook jags, I’m also frequently just sitting on the couch or lazily completing a crossword puzzle while I listen. My audiobook time is something I could use to do something productive in addition to listening to whodunit. InboxDollars is a paid survey … [Read more...]
6 Ways to Invest in Real Estate (from $10 to $100,000)
[PT's note: This comprehensive article was contributed by Eric Bowlin from IdealREI.com. I first heard Eric on this Bigger Pockets episode. He lives here in Texas with me now and we regularly get together for lunch and talk real estate and business. Here's Eric....] It’s remarkable to see how real estate investing can create so much wealth. You see it everywhere--TV, the web, or your friend who randomly decided to flip a house, it … [Read more...]
Earn Money on the Side as a Delivery Driver with Postmates
When I was in college, I’d earn a little extra money before breaks by offering rides to the airport for $30 per head. The airport was an hour away and most of the transit options were more expensive than my service. Since I had a car and some free time before exams, this was a great side hustle for me. Fast forward two decades and the sharing economy and delivery apps have opened up a wide new world. Apps like Postmates … [Read more...]
Lower Your Cell Phone Bill: Best Business Cell Phone Plans And Bill Negotiation Services
As a freelance writer, my "office" is wherever my laptop happens to be open. And my "business phone," is the same phone that I for personal phone calls and texts, or checking Facebook and Twitter--my cell phone. In my case, I only have my own cell phone bill to worry about. But if you're a small business owner, your employees may rely upon their cell phones just as often as I do mine. In fact, in many service-oriented … [Read more...]
Invest in Real Estate for as Little as $1,000 [RealtyMogul Review]
Several years ago, my husband and I decided to add "real estate moguls" to our resumes. Homes in the small college town where we lived were affordable. Also, rental prices were high and we could count on graduate students as potential tenants. Buying a rental property seemed like an excellent way to grow our portfolio and our wealth. Unfortunately, we quickly hit a number of setbacks. Qualifying for a loan on a rental … [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...]
Understanding Your Small Business Insurance Needs with CoverWallet
I have been working for myself for nearly a decade, but I have only recently started to think of myself as a small business owner. As a freelance writer, I thought I could opt out of many of the expensive aspects of traditional entrepreneurship. I thought I had no need for things like small business insurance. After all, I have no employees and an office that is not is open to the public. I always assumed there was no … [Read more...]
18 Frugal Living Tips Plus How to Beat Frugality Fatigue
It's important to live a frugal life. Why? Because we can always find a way to spend the money we earn or save. Unless we make a lifestyle change and start implementing some frugal living tips we are ultimately going to miss the mark. Remember, Michael Jackson? The poor guy owned the Beatles' collection and still had financial trouble. Living frugally means making intentional choices with your everyday spending. Decide your own … [Read more...]
Small Business Bookkeeping is a Breeze with Bench
I have been freelancing for close to a decade, which includes handling my own small business bookkeeping. Since I have no background in accounting, learning how to manage my books was not easy. And frankly, handling my own books is not my favorite part of my business. Not only does bookkeeping take time away from the income-generating work of pitching, researching, and writing articles, but I always have a nagging worry that … [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...]
Fundrise Review: Commercial Real Estate Investing for Everyone
Traditionally, there were only two ways to invest in commercial real estate. You could get started for a (relatively) low financial investment if you personally maintained the property. Or you could invest a major chunk of change into real estate development as a form of passive income. But neither of these options allowed the average Joe with a day job to invest a modest amount. Without time or serious money, real estate … [Read more...]
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