Category: Earn Extra Money

Let’s face it: some people aren’t built for the nine to five.

Maybe you don’t like waking up and battling through rush hour traffic. Maybe your eyes are constantly drawn to the clock and you don’t like being tied down to a schedule. Maybe you just don’t like putting on pants in the morning.

Fortunately, there’s no shortage of opportunities to work from home no matter your motivation. More Americans are working from home than ever before. In fact, 43 percent of employed Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely.

We live in an age where it’s possible to support yourself financially without ever leaving your bedroom. Are you ready to ditch the office life? Here are 10 ways to make money from home!

1. Online Surveys

Everyone has opinions. It’s easier than ever to find a platform to express your views, no matter how insane they might be. I’m looking at you, Twitter.

Have you ever thought of getting paid for providing your opinion? Online surveys are becoming a popular method to make money from home.

Research companies are always looking for insights from consumers. You can make a few dollars in a matter of minutes simply by answering a few questions online.

Sites like InboxDollars, The Opinion Panel and OnePoll offer daily surveys to a number of demographics. You can even sign up for Swagbucks, which gives you money for taking surveys and surfing the web.

You might not make a full income taking online surveys. But they are a fast and easy way to make some extra cash.

2. Fiverr

Have you ever done someone a favor for $5? That’s the essence behind Fiverr, an online marketplace where people sell their services to others.

Fiverr is full of people looking to pick up extra work. All you have to do is sign up, offer your services, and wait for someone to take your offer.

You can offer anything from writing to graphic design to simple chores. You only make $5 per task, but you can bundle multiple tasks to earn some extra money.

3. Freelancing

The digital world has made it easier than ever to connect with job opportunities all over the world. Case in point: freelancing.

Freelancing is a great option for people with a specific skillset. Writers, web designers, graphic designers, editors, and virtual assistants can all freelance to make money from home.

Freelancing lets you sell your services to a number of clients across the globe. You can find clients via freelance marketplaces like Upwork.

You can also create your own website or blog to attract clients. Struggling to attract people to your blog? Here are tips on getting more blog traffic.

4. Investing

You don’t have to work on Wall Street to get in on the stock market.

Nowadays, there are tons of opportunities to invest your money online. There are countless online brokers like E*TRADE that let you buy and sell stocks.

Not ready to invest big bucks? You can get started on Stash. This app lets you start making investments for as little as $5.

5. Airbnb

Forget about hard work. You can make money from home simply by renting out your extra rooms.

Airbnb is an online marketplace and hospitality service where people can rent short-term lodging. Many travelers use this service to find places to stay whether it’s a crowded apartment or private cottage getaway. You can make hundreds of dollars per night using Airbnb.

Want to make the most of your rental? Make sure your home is clean. You should also make sure your home’s exterior is appealing. Small things like using a Cookson garage door or cleaning your windows can make a big difference.

6. Sell Old Items

Let’s be honest. You don’t need a Nintendo 64, 10-year-old shoes, or that shoddy old bike.

You don’t have to throw all your old items away. There are plenty of services that let you sell your used items for money.

You can make a trip to a local thrift store to get rid of some old clothes. You can also use the online marketplace.

OfferUp is an application that lets you find and connect with local buyers. Simply post your item, add pictures and a description, and wait for buyers to message you.

7. Earn Credit Card Points

Look: I’m not saying you should open up a bunch of credit card accounts. But there’s no denying that credit cards offer juicy rewards to loyal members.

Find a credit card that offers monthly rewards or a sign-up bonus. Some credit cards also offer cash back on purchases or free travel points.

You can earn money while making your normal purchases. Just remember to pay off your card in time.

8. Drive

Do you like driving? You might as well get paid for it.

Ridesharing applications like Uber and Lyft are constantly on the prowl for reliable drivers. You can work flexible hours, meet new people, and make some extra money.

Yes, you have to actually get out of the house for this one. However, the average Uber drive makes $15.68 per hour before expenses. Not bad for a side gig.

9. Mystery Shopping

You can make money and get free items as a mystery shopper.

Mystery shopping lets you get out of the house and visit retail stores. Your team will give you instructions on where to shop and what to ask. You will follow up and give them feedback on your shopping experience.

It helps your wallet and businesses. The free retail items are an added bonus.

10. Focus Group

Are you passionate about the products you buy? You might want to join a focus group.

Focus groups let you give your feedback to companies on products and services. The companies use your opinion to fine-tune their product development.

Many focus groups are done face to face. There are some available in the online marketplace. You can make a trip to Find Focus Groups to get a list of available focus groups.

Make Money From Home

There’s no shortage of opportunities to work from home. Use this guide to explore and find the right job for you. You can avoid the office, make some serious money, and enjoy your newfound freedom.

Are you looking for more moneymaking tips? We can help. Check out more ways to earn money on our blog.

Around 60% of the working-age population in the United States is employed. The unemployment rate tells us that about 4% are classified as unemployed.

That leaves 36% unaccounted for, many of which are self-employed.

This is indicative of a significant trend.

Millennials are going to work for themselves instead of employers. Workplaces are changing as a result.

In today’s challenging job market, you may decide to work from home full time whether or not you are self-employed. Here are some tips to make sure you’re successful!

Create a Schedule

A frustrating thing that happens when you work from home is you must repeatedly reinforce your business hours.

In a perfect world, working hours should be a time when you are not disturbed.

But short of taping a “DO NOT DISTURB” sign onto your back, popping in your headphonesaddict earbuds and hoping for the best, that’s probably not the reality of your situation.

If you have other people living with you, it’s important you carve out some special time for working. To do this effectively, you must create a schedule.

Creating a schedule does a couple of things for people who work from home:

1. It helps you time block your day so you know what needs to be accomplished and how much time you have to do it.
2. It can be printed or added to a shared calendar with housemates. It lets everyone know that you are working.
3. In the event that you have to work in a ruckus environment, it helps you prioritize which items can be completed in that atmosphere and which work items need to be completed during a time when you are able to focus.

Having a schedule is good business. It’s not just for people who work in the office.

Break Habits That Are Too “Homey”

Have you dreamed of the day you will work in your pajamas with an oversized mug of coffee in your hand?

Well, if you work from home full time, keep dreaming!

People who work from home should break habits that remind them of how comfortable they are with their daily home-life routine.

This includes:

• Wearing pajamas instead of getting dressed
• Doing chores during your scheduled work hours
• Tending to the needs of others, when possible leverage family or daycare to assist with children
• Sleeping in
• Working in a comfortable space

We are creatures of habit. And it’s easy to fall back into ones that make us less productive at home. To avoid this, be aware of what habits make you feel “at home” when you are working and break them during your work day.

For best results when you work from home full time, avoid the comfortable spaces like your bed or a couch. Instead, set up an organized workstation and make it the focal point of your workday.

Work From Home Full Time and Love It!

Working from home is rewarding in any profession. In many cases, it comes with benefits like setting your own schedule, an increase in time spent with loved ones and flexible, unconventional work hours.

But when you work from home full time the struggle is real. You’ve got to stay focused if you are going to submit quality work.

By creating a schedule, sticking to it and breaking cozy habits you will be on your way to freedom from micromanagement.

For more tips like this, follow my blog.

Who wants to live the rest of their life making someone else rich? The only way out of this conundrum is to go into business for yourself.

And what better way to do so than by starting a home cleaning business? If you have experience as a housekeeper, maid or are really great at cleaning your own home, then this could be for you.

What’s great about this industry is that it’s very lucrative. After all, people will always need their homes cleaned and most lack the time to do it themselves. Plus, landlords require your services when tenants move out.

So there’s definitely a market for it.

Back in 2010, there were over 824,000 cleaning workers. The 50 largest cleaning companies made up about 30% of the revenue. Yet only 7% of cleaning workers were self-employed. So that means less competition for you in the small business sector.

Now, let’s review what you have to do to jump-start your home cleaning business.

Do Your Own Assessment of the Industry

There are many factors that play a part in determining whether starting a cleaning business is a good idea. For instance, the area you live in and your own skill set.

What makes this an attractive option is the low overhead required to start a home cleaning business. All that matters is that you and your employees work hard to maintain a happy customer base.

You’ll need to be in good physical condition, which means having the ability to stand, kneel, reach and bend repetitively. However, if you’re not fit, this doesn’t exclude you from being a business owner.

In this case, you can open up shop and then supervise employees who can handle the cleaning tasks.

What Office Skills Do You Have?

The more office skills you have, the fewer employees you’ll need to hire. For instance, you’ll need to know how to answer phones, schedule appointments, file paperwork and do your bookkeeping.

Then when tax season comes around, you’ll have to file accordingly. It’s also important to be very detailed, so you know exactly what your customers need to provide satisfactory cleaning.

Write Up a Business Plan for Your Home Cleaning Business

Once you’ve assessed the industry and your ability to run a cleaning business, it’s time to start planning. And the best way to do this is with a business plan.

This is mainly for your own use unless you need a loan to get equipment and vehicles to operate your company.

In your plan, go over details about the type of cleaning services you’ll offer, what demographics and locations you’ll target and whether you’ll have a niche. For instance, you can offer a “green” cleaning service for eco-friendly customers.

Next, go over your pricing plans – will you charge by the hour or per sq ft? Research what your competitors are charging and how, so you can gain a competitive edge.

Now, you don’t have to lower your rates to compete. You can offer greater quality or a different range of services to attract customers.

Set Up Your Accounting System

This has to be set up well before you begin operating. It’s important to keep track of all invoices, expenses, sales tax, payroll, and income.

Keep your business finances separate from your personal expenses. This will only muddle things when it comes time to file taxes for your company.

You can use an online software, such as Quickbooks to make things easier. Or you can work with an accountant. Either way, it’s good to keep track of your finances in the physical, so keep a record book on hand.

Apply for Insurance and Bonding

Customers like to work with businesses that are licensed, bonded, and insured. If you advertise this in your promotions, then it’ll help build trust.

There are different types of coverage you can seek. For instance, you’ll need liability insurance (depending on where you live). Options include yearly or quarterly payments, and bonds are readily available at local insurance companies.

Make sure to renew your bond annually. Do note that each employee you hire will hike up your insurance rates. So make sure you’re hiring people who are trustworthy and careful.

It’s also important to know that you can only cover employees under your insurance, not sub-contractors. However, you can check your policy to make sure.

Purchase the Supplies You Need

The products you purchase for your home cleaning business depends on the type of services you offer. For instance, if you boast eco-friendliness, then you need to acquire natural cleaning products.

It’s good to go with brands your customers heard of. This way, they already know and trust the products you have. Otherwise, you’ll have to educate them on why it’s healthy, good and reliable.

Make sure to ask whether the customer has specific cleaning supplies for certain appliances.

Then you’ll have to decide whether you want to use the customer’s vacuum or tote around your own.

Begin Advertising Your Services

Now, it’s time to get the word out about your new home cleaning business. You can easily do this with a mix of online and offline marketing. For instance, you can use social media, pay-per-click ads, fliers and feather flags.

Make sure the business logo, name, numbers, rates, and services are consistent on all your marketing collateral. You can choose to post your rates are only disclose it to prospects who call (to keep competition down).

Get Transportation and Uniforms

Presentation and consistency are everything in business. So you need professional cleaning uniforms and a reliable means of transportation.

You have to determine whether you want employees to use their own vehicles or supply them with one.

Continue Learning About Becoming an Entrepreneur

There’s a lot you can learn when you find the right online resources. At Thrifty Momma Ramblings, you can find tips and advice for running a thrifty business and living frugally.

If you’re looking to start your own home cleaning business, then browse through Thrifty Momma Ramblings blog for more thrifty business tips.

The gig economy in the United States is now approximately 34% of the workforce. By 2020, it’s expected to be 43%, and likely to continue to grow in leaps and bounds in the future.

This includes full-time gig workers, along with part-timers, and of course, hardworking mommas.

The internet has changed the way we work and opened up a range of opportunities for busy moms. Now, you can work at home while the kids are playing or asleep. That means keeping one foot in the workforce, contributing to the household, and maybe even running your own business.

Here are a few options for part time jobs online:

Part Time Jobs Online Freelancing

Freelancing is becoming more popular than ever. Not only can you pick your own hours, but you can work as much, or as little as you like. Instead of working for one boss, you’ll have a number of clients, giving you flexibility and the potential to raise your rates after each project.

Did you feel a surge of accomplishment whenever you finished a high school or college paper? Maybe you know you’ve got the writing chops to keep people entertained? As long as you know the difference between “their” and “there”, freelance blogging could be for you.

If you have a background in marketing, or experience writing copy, copywriting can be a lucrative way to earn a side income.

Other freelancing jobs include:

• Virtual assistant
• Web designer
• Web developer
• Consultant
• Social media manager
• And more

Teaching

As a native English speaker, you have access to one of the best part-time jobs online: Teaching.

Whether you need to brush up on your verb tenses or you’re a grammar nerd, there are plenty of companies available which allow you to teach English online through video conferencing tools like Skype.

Here are some companies you can check out:

• italki
• Verbling
• Toshuo
• Cambly
• Preply
• And more

Start A Blog

If you have a particular set of skills or knowledge, why not teach others? There are plenty of platforms that you can use to build your blog, but the most popular by far is WordPress.

Once you have your domain, hosting, and theme, you can get started building your blog. This is a great option for moms- it can be lonely spending all day at home with the kids, and blogging allows you to build a business around your passions- whatever they may be.

Here are some options if you’re thinking about starting a blog:

• Travel
• Finance
• Health and fitness
• Cooking
• Animals
• Parenting
• Finance
• Lifestyle
• And more

Whether you want to show readers how you managed to afford your home on one income or review the best dustbuster around, blogging is a great option. Keep in mind that there are currently more than 440 million blogs online. That means that you won’t shoot into internet fame in the first few months.

Blogging is hard work, and it takes time to build a loyal audience. But once you’re getting regular visitors, you can monetize your blog with sponsored posts, advertising, and more.

Sell Your Creations

If you’re the artistic type, or you simply love doing things with your hands, this could be a great opportunity for a side hustle. Whether you create funky iPhone cases, cute kids toys, or wearable fashion, there’s a market out there for your creations.

While you may want to visit come craft fairs to get your name out there, the internet will allow you to work entirely from home. Websites like Etsy are a great option, so put your best foot forward and turn your passion into moolah.

Home Parties

Are you one of those people who seems to know everyone? Maybe you have a large group of loyal friends or a clique of moms who like to hang out together?

Home parties a fun way to socialize without needing to leave the house (win/win). But they’re also a great way to earn income on the side. Ok, these aren’t strictly part time jobs online, but the internet has changed the way these parties work.

No longer are they just for small groups of people who know each other. Instead, you can set up a website, social media accounts, and do some serious marketing. That way, you’ll attract plenty of people from your city, and seriously boost the amount of money you can make for each party.

Tutoring

Tutoring is another great way to earn some extra cash, and once word gets around, it can turn into a part-time job. This is another way you can earn money through Skype or Google Hangouts, and you can do it from the comfort of your own couch.

There are plenty of Facebook groups and online forums for high schools and colleges, so why not target your potential clients directly?

Reseller

You can make some serious money selling stuff online. Once you run out of selling your own things to sell, you can make a commission selling other people’s pre-loved clothes, furniture, and more.

Most people are time poor, so you can offer to sell their items for a commission (say 15%). You then arrange for clients to buy these items off you, and once they’re sold, you take your cut.

There are plenty of ways to sell these items, including Craigslist, eBay, and Facebook Yard Sales. You can find clients through family and friends, use your local newspaper, and share your ads through social media.

You may even want to create your own website, which could eventually turn into your own online platform.

Have You Tried These Part Time Jobs Online?

The above jobs are all great ways to earn extra income while you’re a stay-at-home mom. We all need a little extra money, and these are the types of jobs that you can do while the kids are napping, at school, or playing.

Are you looking for part time jobs online? Maybe you’re planning to launch your own business? Check out some of our top blog posts to help you get started.

Should you cut corners when it comes to protecting your precious information?

We don’t think so, and nor should you!

Starting a home business already comes with its challenges.

From an array of possible cyber attacks, natural disasters, and human error, it’s definitely important to consider the best data backup system for your home business.

Are you prepared?

What Is Data Backup?

Data backup is a virtual necessity when running any sort of business with a technological backbone.

By storing files and folders away in a data backup, your information is protected from any outside source that could damage or destroy your hard work. The main purpose of the service is to give you the ability to restore any lost data.

Great data backup is protected and encrypted, keeping any hackers out of your business (literally).

Not only that, using a data backup provides you with more space on your hard drive, sending documents into a cloud network to lighten the load.

A Home Business Essential

As mentioned before, every business needs a data backup, and with storsimple prices honing in on the right service for you, it’s simple.

However, if you’re still unsure why you should own a data backup for your home business, here are three good reasons:

1. Your Hardware Isn’t Indestructible

Everything is capable of failure, and if Amazon is disposed to system wide shut downs (losing nearly 2 million dollars in 30 minutes!), so are you.

Anything and everything is possible.

From natural disasters to even spilling some water on the keyboard, without a proper data backup you’re risking irreparable damage to your reputation, security, and revenue lost. Why take the risk?

2. You’re Human

And accidents happen.

Face the facts, hard drives fail, emails have viruses, and your butter fingers might happen to delete some important information. Oops!

With a data backup, there’s always a second, third, and thirtieth chance.

These sorts of opportunities alone can’t be missed, and with storsimple prices, you’re given a variety of estimates for many different price ranges.

The systems have interfaces which frequently take snapshots of your system, reducing your chances of making a mistake with its ability to restore information at any moment.

3. You Need to Secure Your Data

This is not open to debate.

The most significant force against your home business is a cyber attack.

A recent study shows that 9 out 10 breaches are designed for smaller businesses, putting your home business facing the odds of being hacked.

A great data backup provides you with the peace of mind with innovative data encryption.

This is important for new and already existing home businesses on the market. With you’re information free to grab, you could lose tons of revenue.

What Do You Think?

A good data backup isn’t just obligatory to have, it’s your friend. It can save you hours of your precious time.

Protecting your business needs to come first if you want to continue participating in the eCommerce market, and it doesn’t have to be scary.

Do you have any experiences with data backup systems?

Be sure to leave a comment below to tell us about your story!