If you’re like me and run a business or side hustle from a home office (or just work remotely sometimes), then you understand the need to have a clutter-free, minimalist home office environment. Growing up, my Mom always told me, “clear space, clear mind.” That little nugget has always stuck with me. I believe it. My friend Joshua Becker just authored a new book, The Minimalist Home: a room-by-room guide to a decluttered, focused … [Read more...]
The Best Passive Income Ideas That Actually Work
If you're like me you're always in search of the best passive income ideas. Honestly, though, passive income sounds a little bit like a leprechaun: a mythical creature that provides you with money without you having to work for it. But passive income--otherwise known as residual income or investment income--is the real deal, unlike magical bearded men with pots of gold. I have several passive income streams going on in my own life … [Read more...]
Liberty HealthShare vs MediShare: Which One is Better for You?
With the explosion in the cost of health insurance in the past few years, Christian health sharing ministries are becoming increasingly popular. Two of the most popular are Liberty HealthShare and MediShare. Which is the better of the two? It really comes down to your personal circumstances, and the specific types of coverage that will work best for you and your family. In general, Liberty is better for monthly costs but … [Read more...]
Save Money on Healthcare Without Using Obamacare [Our 2018 Liberty HealthShare Review]
Stratospheric health insurance premiums have become practically cliche in recent years. So much so, that even eight years into the rollout of Obamacare, millions of Americans continue to go without health insurance. If you can get health insurance through your employer, that is usually the cheapest option. But if you are self employed it can be difficult to find affordable options. Christian health sharing ministries are one of … [Read more...]
How to Become a Ghostwriter [and Make >$150 Per Article Ghostwriting]
If you possess writing skills and are looking for ways to earn extra money (like these 52 ideas), ghostwriting is a great option. Whether you work as a freelance writer already or you’re thinking of making the leap straight into ghostwriting, you should know that many people and businesses (including this one) will pay writers to ghostwrite content for them. In short, to become a ghostwriter (and make decent money - more than … [Read more...]
9 Part-Time Jobs for Teachers (After School & In the Summer)
I used to be a high school English teacher and so I've had a lot of experience thinking about part-time jobs for teachers. Although teaching provided me with the highest salary I'd ever earned to date, it was still a relatively low wage. So it came as no surprise that many of my teaching colleagues worked side gigs. They did this either throughout the year after school or just during summers. Did you know...teachers are 5x more … [Read more...]
11 Apps (and Websites) to Make the Most of Black Friday
My husband, who has been known to fake the flu to avoid going shopping, has one shopping weakness: bargain hunting. And nothing thrills bargain hunters quite like the words Black Friday. It's awash in the promise of incredible deals for those willing to wait in line (and only occasionally willing to shove other shoppers). But over the years, it's become more and more difficult for ordinary individuals like my husband to find the … [Read more...]
Betterment vs. Vanguard: Both are Great, but Which is Best for You?
Betterment and Vanguard have each positioned themselves as leaders in the passive investing movement. Betterment is a robo-advisor that offers an automated service to build a customized investment portfolio, with the goal of giving you the best results while saving you both time and money. Vanguard is the premier low-cost investment vehicle. Investing with Vanguard means following founder John C. Bogle's commitment to low-fee … [Read more...]
PeerStreet Review: My $10,000 Real Estate Crowdfunding Experiment
Are you an accredited investor looking for a way to get involved in real estate investing without actually owning and managing a piece of property yourself? I have my own rental property, but I can't imagine taking on another one at this point. And the turnkey stuff either seems shady or too involved. So I've been looking at all of the various options, and asking some friends. Coach Carson, author of Retire Early with Real … [Read more...]
Protect Your Family and Enter to Win $50,000 with USAA Life Insurance
This post is brought to you by USAA. While this is a sponsored post, all content and opinions expressed here are my own. Life insurance can get a bit of a bad rap. It can feel like a major downer to think about the possibility of dying and leaving your family financially unprepared. Then there is the stereotype of hard-selling insurance agents (like Ned Ryerson who tries so hard to sell Bill Murray a policy in Groundhog … [Read more...]
Earn Free Gifts Cards With Microsoft Rewards
As I mentioned in our Swagbucks review, your options to earn extra money has expanded to simply signing up for programs and getting paid for what you already do online: search. Microsoft Rewards is a program offered by Microsoft that enables you to earn rewards by simply searching with Bing and trying new Microsoft features and products. You earn credits when you search and those credits can be redeemed for gift cards as they … [Read more...]
A Low-Cost Alternative to Health Insurance [Medi-Share Review]
Joining the Christian medical expense sharing community, Medi-Share, for around $250/month has been a fantastic financial move for my family. Prior to joining this healthcare expense-sharing community, I was paying $1,100 per month for a health insurance plan with Humana! Medi-Share is not insurance (nor is it charity as you'll see). But it's a great alternative for some, and it does count as coverage in regards to the Obamacare … [Read more...]
Greenlight Can Help Your Kids Build Good Financial Habits
Did you ever wonder why personal finance was not taught in your K-12 years of school? I certainly did! Not once in my early education was I offered the opportunity to learn about personal finances. It was up to my parents to teach me. Parents are the ones ultimately responsible for providing every aspect of a financial education--from giving children an allowance to helping them start their own business. Unfortunately, not all parents are equipped to help their … [Read more...]
How Much Cash Should You Keep In Savings? (Plus Where to Keep It)
They say everyone should have three-to-six months’ worth of expenses in an emergency fund. Unfortunately, if you follow this rule you probably have quite a bit of cash earning almost nothing in interest--and losing money to inflation. Where you save your money can be just as important as how much you have saved. Here’s what you need to know about where you should be stashing your rainy day money: Cash Savings at Home Anyone who … [Read more...]
A Fee-Free High-Interest Checking Account For Small Business Owners: Spark Business [Review]
I have been banking with Capital One for many years now—ever since Capital One purchased ING Direct in February of 2012. Though I have always been very pleased with Capital One’s higher APYs for savings accounts (at least compared to traditional brick-and-mortar banks), their ease-of-use, and their excellent customer service, I still only have those same personal savings accounts with Capital One that I started with so many years … [Read more...]
