Blooms and Bugs shows you how to make a cute tiered t-shirt dress.
Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.
Summer Bucket List
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Shared Oct 31, 2012
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31 Ways to Earn Cash Before Christmas: Start Your Own Cleaning Business (Day 26)
31 Ways to Earn Cash Before Christmas: Start Your Own Cleaning Business (Day 26)
Welcome to October’s series on 31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas. In this series, I’m highlighting simple and legitimate ways you can earn extra cash in the next three months for those of you who could use a little extra cash to help you pay for Christmas — or just for your living expenses if you’re in a tight spot right now.
If you’ve found a great way to make extra cash before Christmas that doesn’t require an outlay of cash upfront, please email me your tip. I’d love to hear it and possibly share it during this series!
Guest post from Lindsey of Faithful Homemaking
A couple of years ago, an acquaintance called me and asked if I would like to take her cleaning job while she was in the South for the winter. I hadn’t cleaned professionally before, so I didn’t know what to expect. But once I started, I quickly found that cleaning can be a wonderful way to earn extra money.
Since then I have acquired three more cleaning jobs and have passed a few others on to my friends.
How to get started:
Talk to someone you know who cleans office buildings or homes. See if they have any jobs they can refer to you. If you aren’t able to clean regularly but need a little extra money, perhaps they would let you sub for them when they are sick or on vacation.
If you don’t know anyone in the cleaning business, make ads and flyers and pass them out to friends, neighbors, and local businesses.
Purchase some supplies:
Office buildings usually stock the cleaning supplies, but my residential clients prefer that I bring my own. I look for BOGO sales and coupon deals on cleaning solutions and stock up.
I make sure to have clorox wipes, clean rags, toilet bowl cleaner, Dr. Bronner’s soap, glass and window spray, bathroom cleaner, and disinfectant spray on hand. I also carry a little bucket for mopping and my Norwex cloths, which I LOVE!
Also, there’s no need to spend a fortune on cleaning tools. I use my faithful old Dirt Devil vacuum that I’ve owned for 10 years and it works great.
Hone your cleaning skills:
If I’m not sure how to clean something, I ask my fellow cleaning friends for tips or google it. I also occasionally watch cleaning videos on YouTube.
After cleaning sinks, counters, and toilets I will buff with a clean, dry cloth to make them extra-shiny. I prefer to dust with my Norwex dusting mitt and mop most floors by hand to be able to get the corners of the floor. I also try to be smart about my cleaning. If the building/home doesn’t truly need dusting every week, then one week I will dust, the next I will clean blinds.
Be choosy:
Some office cleaning jobs require that you carry insurance. Some residential homes are too filthy to handle. Some employers may expect more hours out of you than you can give or may not compensate you fairly.
Consider carefully each opportunity that comes your way. Will you have childcare during the hours you need to be cleaning? Will you be required to clean during late hours in areas that could possibly be dangerous? Will you be expected to be “on call” or will it be a set weekly time? If you have a baby keeping you up at night will you have the energy to handle even one cleaning job?
Most office jobs require that you come in when their business is not open, which means early mornings, evenings, or on weekends. Most residential clients want you to come in during daytime hours to clean when they are away at work. Figure out which option works best for your schedule. I only take jobs that allow for my husband to be home with our kids so we don’t have to pay childcare. I also don’t want to clean lonely office buildings when it’s dark out, it creeps me out!
How much to charge?
You don’t want to charge too low and be taken advantage of. After all, cleaning is hard work, it takes a lot of energy, and you are giving of your time to do it. But neither do you want to charge too high and lose all your possible-clients to other cleaners who charge less.
Figure out what the going rate is in your area. In my area people will pay at least $20 an hour. Office jobs generally pay $25-$30 an hour. Some businesses prefer to pay by the job. This is really nice because if you are motivated and fast you can get even more money per hour.
My friend, who also cleans, takes her teenage son with her and he helps gather all of the garbages. So she is able to do a 3 hour job in 2.5 hours and make really good money to help feed her 3 teen boys! Cleaning provides an excellent wage considering the flexible hours and the fact that you don’t need a college degree to do it!
If you are committed to excellence in your work, the jobs will continue flowing in via word-of-mouth recommendations. At this point I work 3-4.5 hours a week and bring in $60-$95 per week.
The kids get to spend time with Daddy while I’m gone and that little bit of extra money helps our tight budget out so much! I also enjoy being able to get out of the house and listen to music or have some quiet time while I clean.
Lindsey Swinborne is a homeschooling mom of four who lives in Wyoming. She loves photography and is thankful for her cleaning jobs which helped her fulfill her dream of having a DSLR camera. She blogs at Faithful Homemaking.
An Epiphany at Hobby Lobby
Testimony from Elizabeth of The DC Boeses
The other day I finally convinced myself to drive 20 miles and check out Hobby Lobby for the first time. Many blogs I read talk about how amazing Hobby Lobby is — not only for their craft supplies, but also for their home décor items.
I’ve seen some beautifully decorated homes with items from Hobby Lobby, so I thought I should check it out and see if I could find some cute things to decorate the little apartment we had just moved in to. I had a coupon in hand and some of my designated “spending cash” ($60 to be exact). The coupon was good for 40% off a regularly priced item.
When I walked into Hobby Lobby, I was immediately overwhelmed. There was so much stuff!
I grabbed a cart and started walking around. I saw some things that were cute and would look nice in our apartment. My favorite was a $19.99 cross that was the same shade of blue as our comforter. I threw it in the cart and kept walking.
But as I was walking, I realized something — I didn’t need anything. Why was I here? There was a ton of stuff that I liked, but nothing that I loved. I kept trying to force it. Kept trying to find something that would work.
I called my husband guessing he would tell me to buy a few things and I could always return them. He didn’t, though.
He made me think back to Crystal’s post about not having a lot of things on the walls at her home. “Honey, we don’t need stuff for the walls. I’m happy that we have some wedding pictures and I’m happy living there with you”.
When he said that I put the cross back on the shelf (in the right section, I promise!) and headed to the car.
On my 20 mile drive home, I had an epiphany: Our home is our home. Yes, we want to be comfortable (and we are), but it doesn’t need to look like a Pottery Barn catalog. I keep our apartment clean, organized, and it smells just like fall. And to us, that is just perfect.
I think sometimes everyone needs a little epiphany like I had last weekend. It puts everything into perspective and reminds you that you may not really “need” something!
Elizabeth is a 22 year-old newlywed living in our nation’s capital. She’s a recent college graduate and mom to two miniature poodles. She blogs at The DC Boeses on life as a new young wife!
Shared Oct 31, 2012
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The 21-Day Self-Discipline Challenge starts tomorrow (November 1, 2012)!
The 21-Day Self-Discipline Challenge starts tomorrow (November 1, 2012)!
Are you interested in participating in the 21-Day Self-Discipline Challenge? It begins tomorrow (November 1, 2012), so head on over to ServingJoyfully.com for all the details.
By the way, have you gotten a copy of my new ebook, 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life? I’ve been so blessed and encouraged by your excitement and sweet comments about this ebook!
If you want to join in the challenge but there’s no way you can afford the ebook right now, please email me and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of!
Shared Oct 30, 2012
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31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas: Sell Items on Etsy (Day 25)
31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas: Sell Items on Etsy (Day 25)
Welcome to October’s series on 31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas. In this series, I’m highlighting simple and legitimate ways you can earn extra cash in the next two months for those of you who could use a little extra cash to help you pay for Christmas — or just for your living expenses if you’re in a tight spot right now.
If you’ve found a great way to make extra cash before Christmas that doesn’t require an outlay of cash upfront, please email me your tip. I’d love to hear it and possibly share it during this series!
Guest post from Amy of Gabriel’s Good Tidings
Many of us can walk through our homes and find items to sell on Amazon, Ebay, or Craigslist, and we’ve read some excellent posts about how to make extra money from such items. However, if you are creative or have an eye for vintage items, consider selling on Etsy.
What can I sell?
Although I didn’t truly start selling until 2010, I have been a member of the Etsy community since 2006. Etsy requires all items to fall into one of three categories: handmade, vintage, or supplies.
- Handmade = obviously any item handmade by you, but it can also include digital items such as printables, website enhancements, etc
- Vintage = must be at least 20 years old. I’ve had good luck selling vintage clothing, fabric, sewing supplies, and books.
- Supplies = anything you would use to make something. This includes fabric, paper crafting tools, patterns, beads, etc.
I have successfully sold items in all three of these categories, but primarily focus on the handmade items.
Let’s say you have a creative bone (or two!) in your body. Think about items you’ve made in the past. What have friends requested from you for birthdays, weddings, new babies, or holidays? Are family members asking you to make them a gift instead of purchasing one? Consider making several of these items and listing them on Etsy.
Perhaps you have an eye for vintage items. Maybe you love going to estate sales and finding vintage clothing. By replacing a button or repairing a frayed hem, you could list items on Etsy in the vintage section and see a large return on investment.
When my husband’s great-grandmother passed away, we inherited a house full of vintage goodies. While I kept some sentimental items for our family, many of the items were sold in the vintage section of my Etsy shop.
Or maybe, as you’ve been cleaning your home, you’ve found some crafting supplies that are no longer being used. List them on Etsy and pass them on to someone who will bring new life to the items.
How do I sell?
Once you’ve chosen a product to sell on Etsy, set up a shop. Etsy allows each seller to have their own shop name, which correlates with a web address that allows others to type in the search bar of their browser. For example, my shop name is Gabriel’s Good Tidings, and my Etsy address is gabrielsgoodtidings.etsy.com.
I highly recommended designing or purchasing a logo for your shop as this will help familiarize others with your brand, but it is not mandatory for selling on Etsy. I would also encourage a Facebook page for your Etsy shop, as many of your Facebook friends will be interested to learn about your shop. Having a Facebook page has increased my sales and traffic tremendously. Etsy’s seller handbook and help section are outstanding resources to both the new and experienced seller.
To list an item on Etsy, it will cost $0.20. When the item sells, Etsy will charge 3.5% of the selling price. Payments are accepted by PayPal or by direct checkout (selected shops only). Listing on Etsy is easy and quick — I find it much faster than Ebay.
Photos are essential, and each listing is allowed up to five photos. Quality photos will boost sales quickly, and will likely get your items featured in a Treasury or on Etsy’s home page. Make sure to minimize background items, have good lighting, and portray accurate colors.
In the item description, write freely as if you were in a store, describing this item to someone on the phone. Give as many details as possible. Help buyers understand why this item is useful to them. Share a story behind the item.
4 Tips to Increase Your Sales on Etsy
1. Think Seasonally
Make sure that your shop follows the seasons. Although Etsy purchases can be made worldwide, 90% of my purchases are in the USA. Therefore, my accessories and clothing items follow the North American seasons.
I list leg warmers in August when the weather starts to cool off (in some parts of the country!). I list reusable snack bags in July, when back-to-school season is in full swing. I make sure to always have enough items in October and November for the holidays.
2. Keep Your Store Stocked
The biggest lesson I have learned about Etsy is to keep your store filled. The more items you have, the more you will sell.
I try to keep my shop at 100 items, and when I do, I consistently sell 10 or so items per week. When I let my inventory drop below 50, I see a major drop in sales. When others ask me the secret to selling on Etsy, I respond with this tip: Stock equals sales.
3. Price Your Items Fairly and Competitively
Etsy sellers are growing by the day, so the competition is steep. Make sure your items are not only high quality, accurately described, and include clear photos; but also make your prices reasonable and competitive.
Research similar items and how they are selling. You don’t have to be the cheapest item in a category, but a sale will be more likely if you aren’t the priciest item. Make sure your customers know that they can purchase with confidence from your store because you will provide outstanding customer service and high quality items.
4. Add Personal Touches to Your Packages
When you shop at Target, you expect the cashier to put your items in a white plastic bag. In the same way, shoppers expect a handmade item to be packaged nicely.
I wrap items in glitter tissue paper and include a personal note with each order. I’ll say something like, “Thanks for purchasing this clutch, Suzy. I hope it makes your next evening on the town extra special.”
I also always include two business cards — one to keep and one to share. Adding these personal touches help customers to connect with your shop, and makes them likely to purchase from you again!
How much will I make?
I can’t say that you will make a full-time income on Etsy, but I can’t say you won’t either. There are certainly sellers who have thousands of sales per year and support their families from Etsy alone.
But for most of us, it’s a nice supplemental income that helps to pay for Christmas or other savings goals. I was recently able to pay cash for a kitchen update thanks in part to my Etsy sales. I have also purchased a new sewing machine from Etsy sales.
While many readers of this blog get a “coupon high” when they see a receipt that shows 75% (or more!) savings, I get an “Etsy high” when my phone makes a “cha-ching” sound and I know that means another Etsy sale!
Between loads of laundry and dirty dishes, Amy can be found at her sewing machine creating items for her Etsy shop. She loves her husband, her two kids, being a nurse, and of course, selling on Etsy. Find her at her Etsy shop.
Do It Yourself: Homemade Honey Candy
TheNerdyFarmWife.com shows you how to make homemade honey candy.
Follow Money Saving Mom® on Pinterest!
Over the past several months, we’ve received many requests to create a Money SavingMom® Pinterest account in order to compile all the non-deal posts from MoneySavingMom.com in one convenient location.
So I’m happy to announce that we now have a Pinterest account and, if you’re on Pinterest, I’d love for you to follow us! (If you’re not on Pinterest, you can create an account for free here.)
We’ve created several Pin Boards to organize a many, many of the most popular MoneySavingMom.com posts and series.
For example, there’s one board specifically for bread recipes, another board for home organization, and another board for money-saving ideas.
You can follow individual boards, or you can can simply follow the entire Money Saving Mom® Pinterest account to assure you never miss one of our pins!
Frugal Photo Friday (on Monday!): Anything Goes!
Welcome to Frugal Photo Friday! All this month I have been partnering with Rebekah from SimplyRebekah.com. Each Friday we’ve been sharing pictures of simple ways that we save money. This week’s theme is: Anything Goes! For our last week, we want to see any kind of savings you have to share.
So um, I was speaking at a conference on Friday. And I was just a wee bit distracted by all the wonderful people who were there.
People like Rebekah from Simply Rebekah, who is hosting this series with me. Here’s photographic proof we were together — I just wish we had gotten her adorable little Noah in the photo, too!
In the process, my Frugal Photo Friday post never went up. Because I never got it finished. 🙂 But I figured you probably wouldn’t mind if I posted it on Monday. So here goes:
As I’ve mentioned many times in the past, we’re huge fans of oatmeal at our house. It’s quick and easy, it’s filling, and it’s nutritious. Best of all, it’s very inexpensive. I got a 25-pound bag of organic oats from Azure Standard awhile back and we’ve not gotten to the bottom of it yet!
We love to make our own homemade instant oatmeal packets as it makes it so easy for the girls to make their own oatmeal. Plus, it’s just more fun to have it all pre-measured out in a little packet.
The freebies that come in our mail are always fun. You never know what will be showing up next in the mailbox. And every once in awhile, it will be a pretty fantastic freebie like a free razor, or a coupon for a free bottle of Herbal Essence, or I’ve even gotten free Starbucks gift cards before!
The best thing about the mailbox freebies is that they cost me absolutely nothing — just 15 seconds or so a few times per day to sign up for the freebies that are available. It’s totally worth that to me for the surprises that arrive in our mailbox on a regular basis!
Head over to Simply Rebekah to see her Frugal Photo Friday post. And thanks so much for participating in this series; it’s been fun!
Now it is your turn to share the simple ways that you save. Share your link below or on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #FrugalPhotoFriday. All of the link-up details can be found here.
Shared Oct 29, 2012
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Reader tip: Earn money by teaching classes at your local community center
Reader tip: Earn money by teaching classes at your local community center
Here’s a great income-earning tip from Alisha:
I have made some extra money by teaching couponing classes at my community center. It requires no money up front and is a great way to share something that I am passionate about.
My community center pays $20/hour that I teach and will provide copies of any handouts I submit to them for free. They provide the classroom and projector for free, as well.
They also reimburse non-paper materials by having students pay instructors directly for the cost. For instance, I provide each of my students with a couponing binder, and the students pay me the cost of the binder, dividers, and baseball card inserts.
While there is no upfront cost, teaching does require some planning. I spent 2 hours laying out a lesson plan for a 2 hour course and another 2 hours putting together handouts for students to take home. I had never put together a lesson plan before, but the community center was very helpful and reviewed every detail of my class.
If you don’t have the time to plan a course, look into tutoring at the community center. Many people are interested in tutoring in Excel, Photoshop, and various blogging platforms. Tutoring requires no upfront cost and minimal planning. -Alisha
photo from Big Stock
Shared Oct 27, 2012
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31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas: Sell Items on Facebook (Day 23)
31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas: Sell Items on Facebook (Day 23)
Welcome to October’s series on 31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas. In this series, I’m highlighting simple and legitimate ways you can earn extra cash in the next two months for those of you who could use a little extra cash to help you pay for Christmas — or just for your living expenses if you’re in a tight spot right now.
If you’ve found a great way to make extra cash before Christmas that doesn’t require an outlay of cash upfront, please email me your tip. I’d love to hear it and possibly share it during this series!
Guest post from Ashley of The Thrifty Wife
Yard sales and Craigslist are both great ways to make a little extra money and clear the clutter from your home. However, I’ve found that small items don’t sell well on Craigslist, and selling at garage sales means I need to sell things for next to nothing.
Thankfully there is an alternative: Facebook. Facebook is not only great for catching up with old friends, but it is also a wonderful way to make money by selling items you no longer need.
While you can list things for your friends and family to buy, the real profits are made through local buying and trading groups. Chances are you have one or several of these groups in your area. To find a group, just search for your city in the search box and then ask to join any of the groups that look interesting to you. If you cannot find a group, you can always start one yourself, though this can be time-consuming.
I am a part of five different groups, two geared towards baby and children’s items, one towards women and men’s clothing, and two others for general stuff. I have had the most success selling home décor items.
After you find the group, just follow these steps to start selling your items:
1. Gather and take pictures of your stuff.
Chances are you have a lot of stuff that will sell. All you have to do is gather it all up and take a picture of each item. If you have several smaller items, try grouping them. I know I wouldn’t meet someone just to buy one onesie, but ten of them for $9-10 sounds like a deal.
I have listed everything from curtains to coffee mugs to baby items. I can usually sell my baby and children’s items, as well as home items. However, when it comes to selling women’s clothing and men’s clothing, I have not had much success.
2. Write a good description.
In your listing, you should include applicable sizes or measurements, the condition, the color (sometimes cameras don’t pick up colors clearly in dim lights), as well as the price and the location you want to meet at.
For example, my listing might say:“Like-new boy’s Gap coat in dark blue – size 3T – $6 – Pick up/Meet up in ‘this side of the city’”
3. Private Message the important details.
It is not wise to give out your phone number for the whole community to see, just in case there are untrustworthy people in the group. If someone wants to buy something from me, they will either give me their cell phone number and ask me to text them, or I will private message them my number.
4. Exercise caution.
Use the same amount of caution as you would with Craigslist listings. If the person looks or seems shady, you do not have to sell to them. Your safety and the safety of your family are more important than temporarily offending someone.
Ashley is a freelance writer based in California. She loves to write about everything from finances to fashion, you can check out her blog at The Thrifty Wife. When she is not writing, she is taking care of her husband and baby girl.
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Save Money on Christmas Gifts by Entering Contests
Guest post from Beeb of Contest Corner
These days, it’s extremely rare that I spend money out of pocket for birthday or Christmas presents. I have a variety of frugal strategies which I use to achieve this, but the most unorthodox one also happens to be one of my favorite pastimes: Entering sweepstakes, or “Sweeping”.
Yes, I’ve been able to utilize my hobby of entering contests to win a variety of great gift items over the years — everything ranging from camcorders to toys to MP3 players and more!
My “wins” have made for memorable and appreciated presents. But this isn’t the result of being especially “lucky”; it’s about using simple strategies to improve my odds of winning.
Here are a few tips for any novice who would like to try their hand at entering contests – and maybe even win a Christmas gift or two:
1. Think statistically.
People often dismiss giveaways thinking they’ll never win anything, but this simply isn’t true. If you enter consistently, odds are that one of these days you’re going to win something. And if you narrow down your options to sweepstakes with fewer entries, your chances increase exponentially.
2. Increase your odds.
Did you know that there are hundreds of blogs hosting giveaways that receive 200 entries or less? I’ve won so many prizes by focusing my attention on giveaways with low entries. For example, I won the computer which I am typing this from in a blog giveaway that had less than 100 entries.
So how do you find these giveaways in the first place? There are a variety of websites that list “Low-entry” giveaways – my favorite is Tight Wad in Utah, which maintains a daily round-up of giveaways with few entries.
3. Make a plan of attack.
Head to a reputable contest directory such as Online-Sweepstakes, where you can filter giveaway listings by prize and type of giveaway. For example, you could quickly conduct a search for current electronic giveaways hosted on blogs. Focus your attentions on contests for either products that your family would love or gift cards that you could use to buy presents with.
4. Use your time wisely.
You don’t need to sit around all day entering contests to win. Nowadays, I usually check out a low-entry link-up list such as the one I mentioned above, scan quickly for giveaways that I really like, and enter one or two. By focusing on more “winnable” giveaways, you make the most of your precious time.
5. Be realistic.
You are not guaranteed of any outcome when you enter giveaways, so you can’t plan on anything specific. Sweeping is one tactic that I use as part of an overall frugal lifestyle to reduce my expenses, and while I can’t plan for a specific prize the way I can plan for a coupon sale, using it as a part of my savings strategy has helped me save big over the years.
Do you enter giveaways? Have you ever won a present for somebody? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Beeb Ashcroft is a British journalist and “Sweeper” who lives on the Oregon coast. She teaches others the basics on how to enter sweepstakes and find “Winnable” giveaways on her blog, Contest Corner.
How To Self-Market for Free (or Almost Free)
Guest post from Sara of The Traveling PhoBlogWhiPher.
I am expecting a little one and am working hard to generate relatively steady income from my blog and self-published books before he or she arrives. I have found a few free (or almost free) self-marketing tips to be very useful and I think they would be useful for nearly any business.
Blogging
My blog brings me a small amount of revenue via Amazon Affiliates and a slightly larger amount of revenue through Google AdSense. Basically, non-invasive ads are placed on the sidebar of my blog and I get paid a small amount if/when a person clicks on them, a larger amount if an order is made.
I have taken advantage of free or almost free marketing by creating a Twitter account, using Pinterest to link to interesting or useful posts, and business cards.
Writing
I have chosen to go the self-publishing route and am therefore my own publicist. I know this is true for many big-six published authors as well, but they have the advantage of their books being on the shelf at Barnes & Noble or Borders!
Any time my books will be on sale, I put the sale information up on my blog and my Twitter page, as well as a Facebook page I created specifically for my books. I have also made business cards for both of my books and I find them to be particularly useful. Any time someone asks me what I do for a living, mentions in passing that they love to read, references a child named Shannon (the main character of my children’s book) I give them my card.
Additional Tips
Know Your Audience.
It doesn’t make sense to tell a college student about my children’s book, just as it doesn’t make sense to tell someone who dislikes travel about my blog. Knowing my audience helps determine which (if any) of my products I should be marketing.
Put Yourself Out There.
This is tough for me, but it’s important. I’m not a famous author. Nobody knows who I am. My own mother probably says “Who is Sara Lucinda Bell? That name sounds familiar.” It’s silly for me to expect sales to fall into my lap without putting effort into it. I have to tell people about myself and my blog/books.
I have found social networking and business cards to be a great help in this area, but a really great area that surprised me was giveaways. People are hosting giveaways on their blog all the time, and I have found that offering a giveaway is often very helpful.
Accept Rejection Gracefully.
Don’t be one of those people. You know the kind! If you start to tell someone about your business and they tell you they aren’t interested, let it be. You can always close with a statement like “I really think you’ll like it, so let me know if you ever change your mind…” but end it there. They may digest it all and come around, but I can almost guarantee that won’t happen if you continue to try forcing it on them!
Good luck!
Sara is currently finishing up an RVing adventure she and her husband embarked upon this summer. She is a full-time writer and blogger who loves to read and save money, and she is expecting her first child this spring. You can visit her blog to read more!
31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas: oDesk (Day 22)
Welcome to October’s series on 31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas. In this series, I’m highlighting simple and legitimate ways you can earn extra cash in the next two months for those of you who could use a little extra cash to help you pay for Christmas — or just for your living expenses if you’re in a tight spot right now.
If you’ve found a great way to make extra cash before Christmas that doesn’t require an outlay of cash upfront, please email me your tip. I’d love to hear it and possibly share it during this series!
Guest post from Sara of Omaha Moms
As a single parent and work-from-home mom, I can definitely attest to the benefits of working freelance with outsourcing sites such as oDesk. When I first had my daughter and my then-husband and I were trying to work out finances after our business collapsed, I stumbled across several freelancing sites such as eLance.com, Guru.com, and oDesk.com.
After creating profiles on each, I snagged my first job on oDesk within 24 hours, and have never looked back!
What is oDesk?
oDesk is a site that allows companies and individuals to post a job listing for something that can be done through telecommuting. It could be the development of an iPhone app, a request for blog postings, or a desire to have someone transcribe a few audio files.
Then, contractors (the individuals wanting to work) are able to apply for these positions, interview for them, and complete them if hired for an agreed-upon amount of money. Some jobs are fixed price, while others are hourly.
oDesk gets a cut of the pay as their commission, and both contractor and employer have the ability to leave feedback — similar to that of eBay’s feedback system.
How can I get started with oDesk?
The key to getting started working on oDesk is to have a complete and enticing profile. When you’re just getting started, be sure to complete all of the information on your profile. Add an appropriate photo of yourself, fill out your employment history and work background, and upload a few samples of your past work.
There are so many avenues on oDesk that you can take. You can be a writer, a programmer, a desktop publisher, a graphic designer, or even voice talent. Providing samples of your work can give future employers a chance to view your work and determine if you have the abilities to handle their project or not. No one will want to hire someone that touts their amazing writing abilities but doesn’t have a single piece of work to prove it!
It is also a good idea to take several of their tests. These tests are taken online in your free time and can help qualify you for certain positions. They can also show future employers your abilities in a more “verified” way.
How much can I make with oDesk?
The possibilities with oDesk are unlimited. However, if you really want to be a top earner on oDesk, you have to start small. So many newcomers to oDesk flood the site forums with questions such as, “Why am I not getting hired?” These individuals oftentimes have incomplete profiles, no resumes or samples, and are attempting to earn $20 an hour.
The key to getting your first job is to be realistic. Until you have developed positive rapport with a few employers on oDesk, you won’t have any feedback to fall back on. And in order to justify having the rate of $20 an hour, you need to have the positive feedback and work history to prove you’re worth it.
When you’re first starting out with oDesk, pick up a few smaller, lower priced jobs to get started. Pick a job that will take you just an hour or two to complete, something that you can turn around on the same day. Also, understand that you are competing against those who work overseas and will often be hired for much less than the average American.
Know that you will be working for less than minimum wage on your first few projects. However, if you step up to the plate and provide quality work from the very beginning, you will quickly be able to readjust your contracting wage after just a few jobs.
When I first got started, I was doing audio files for about $4 an hour. My employer was impressed with my work, left extremely positive feedback, and I was snagging better paying jobs soon after that.
Can I do this full-time?
There is the potential to make full-time income. When you start earning that positive feedback and working your way up the income ladder, you will find that you will do less job searching on oDesk. Instead of finding jobs that you are interested in doing, you will find that employers will be inviting you to their job postings instead.
You may begin to notice a steady increase in employment opportunities without even searching the job listings regularly. This is because, once you really get going, your profile, resume, and feedback will begin to speak for itself, and assist you in standing out from the crowd. You may be content working for hire for companies that need short-term projects completed, while you may also find a steady source of income through just one employer on oDesk.
With oDesk, the possibilities are endless. I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to freelance and work from home, which has allowed me the opportunity to make my own schedule in order to spend as much time as possible with my daughter.
It can be an amazing chance for stay-at-home moms and other parents to supplement their family income–or make it the only source of income for their household! I definitely suggest taking a peek at what oDesk has to offer, and encourage you to take the plunge!
Sara Haley is a freelance writer and desktop publisher who works from home with her four-year-old daughter, April. As a single mom providing the sole income for her household, she has found that freelancing online through sites such as oDesk.com gives her the ability to provide for herself and her daughter while being an active participant in her child’s life. Sara is the manager and writer for Omaha Moms and Happy Apping.
7 Tips for Hospitality on a Pastor’s Wife’s Budget
Guest post from Christine of Grace Covers Me
As a church planting pastor’s wife, I have countless opportunities to invite people over for dinner, host parties and showers, and give gifts. Unfortunately, because we are a church plant without a building or a large budget, my husband and I must primarily use our personal budget to carry out our ministry.
I have learned, first and foremost, that the goal in hospitality is not perfection or complexity; it is inviting people into relationships and into our heart. Our small budget has also forced me to get creative with how I practice hospitality.
Here’s what I do:
1. Perfect a Signature Dish
At the beginning of our church plant, we invited most church guests into our home for a meal. I developed a menu that I used for every guest that I felt confident in making and that was easy and inexpensive.
When items from my signature dishes went on sale, I bought in bulk. Sometimes, instead of inviting people for dinner, we’ve invited them for dessert and coffee, which is much cheaper and less labor-intensive.
2. Create a Bridal Gift and a Baby Gift
Because I get invited to most showers, I made a cookbook of all my favorite recipes on my computer that I can give to brides. After printing off the recipes, I put them into protective sleeves in a notebook that I make personal with scrapbook paper.
For babies, I use Gymboree reward bucks to buy clothes when they’re on sale or I buy diapers in bulk to give as gifts.
3. Keep Staples on Hand
For parties or larger dinners, I bought glasses, place mats, pitchers, and white serving dishes at the dollar store. I also keep paper products (including kid’s cups) on hand, as well as staples such as coffee, sweeteners, lemonade mix, and popcorn.
4. Decorate on a Dime
When hosting showers or Christmas parties, I decorate tables with things in my yard (pine cones, berries) or décor in my house (candles, wreaths, trays). I also bought inexpensive fabric and sewed tablecloths that I use over and over again.
5. Maintain a Gift Closet
Anytime I see clearance sales on gifts or cards, I snatch them up and put them in my gift closet. Then, when I need something, I can shop my own closet.
6. Make it a Group Effort
Whenever possible, I ask people to share the load. Our community group folks take turn bringing snacks, we often have potluck dinners, or we accept a dinner guest’s offers to bring a side or dessert.
7. Keep it Simple
Simplicity is the most important thing to remember when practicing hospitality on a budget.
Why meet a friend for lunch when you can meet for coffee or, better yet, have her over for coffee at your house? Why buy a cake for a shower when you can make a lovely one yourself?
Why freak out about a complex dinner menu when hosting friends? Simple works, and it enables you to concentrate on guests rather than worry about your home or the food.
Hospitality doesn’t depend on money. It depends on relationship. With a little creativity and a lot of simplicity, we can all practice it well.
Christine Hoover is a church planter’s wife and mom to three boys. She is the author of the forthcoming book, The Church Planting Wife: Help and Hope for Her Heart (Moody, February 2013), and she enjoys helping other ministry wives embrace God’s calling on their lives through her blog, Grace Covers Me.
What I Learned from Spoiled Yogurt
Jenetta emailed in the following tip:
Recently I purchased a container of non-dairy coconut yogurt. When we opened up the yogurt, it was molded and the store I bought it at was far away, so there was no way I could return it.
Instead, I sent an email to the company. They apologized and asked for my address so they could send me some coupons.
Well, my goodness, did they ever send coupons! They sent me 12 coupons for any of their products.
These are products that can cost up to $5 each. So basically they sent me what could be the equivalent of $60 worth of free product coupons!
In another instance, I purchased a container of non-dairy soy yogurt. I thought it looked funny when I opened it, but non-dairy yogurt can look different and I had not used this brand before. Then I tasted it… and immediately confirmed that it was spoiled.
Again, I wrote to the company. They apologized, too, and asked for my address. This time I received nine free product coupons — six for a large yogurt tub and three for small containers.
Lesson learned: Never just throw out food that is not good and straight from the store. Either take the food back to the store and get your money back or write to the company and let them know.
You might just be surprised at how generous they are! -Jenetta from Frugal Freebies and Deals