5 (Must-Know) Tips for the New Blogger

You’ve heard everyone talking about it on Pinterest, and like most people, you may be a little skeptical. Blogging is becoming one of the top paying stay at home jobs. Seriously. On average, successful bloggers make between $1000-$5000 dollars per month. Of course, there are blogs that  make up to $30,000 per month. If you are looking to bring home some extra money every month, blogging is absolutely a great way to do so!

Related Articles:

How to Start A Blog

How to Make Money Blogging

7 Easy Ways to Make Money Blogging

Blogging is known for being the most flexible way to bring home big bucks. Seriously, the flexibility is what inspired me to begin blogging! I started this blog as a “side hustle” while working a normal 9-5 desk job. I loved that I could hop on the computer before bed and make money writing! Eventually (after many many intense google research sessions) I was able to support my family solely off my blogging income. I cannot tell you how incredible it was to quit my desk job! Blogging has truly allowed me to be involved in my family members lives. I am no longer missing out on important events due to work! Of course, my journey to blogging success wasn’t always a walk in the park. Here’s what I’ve learned!


It is impossible to blog without a hosting company. Okay, well, it is impossible to blog well. A hosting company is what allows your site to stay online 24/7. Even with heavy site traffic! When you register for Bluehost through my link you get a free domain name (mine is flippingpennies.com). You will be astounded at how much more traffic your blog gets when your pair WordPress with Bluehost!

Use Pinterest. Pinterest is becoming quite a tool for small businesses. Use Pinterest to promote your blog to other readers. Pick a “pin style” that corresponds well with the style of your blog. The pin style is the image pinners see , and picking one is crucial!  When developing a “Pin Style” for your blog images, I recommend using longer images to create a long pin. Only pick the best pictures from your article to pin! Comment and interact with your favorite bloggers through comments, and shared pins! Group boards are a fantastic way to get your content out there (check out mine, here. I am always looking for new contributors!)

Affiliate marketing rocks. An affiliate is when you have an advertising partnership with a company. For example, if you joined the Amazon affiliate company, you would insert links to products bought on Amazon throughout your blog posts. You get a percentage of money each time someone uses your link to complete a purchase. There are so many companies with affiliate marketing programs. You are sure to find something that works for your blog. TIP: When using affiliate links, make sure that you are advertising high quality products that you love. After all, everyone is trusting your opinion.

Check out Google Adsense. Adsense is my best friend. Seriously. Sign up for Google Adsense after you have filled your blog with content, and created a following on Pinterest. Place Adsense ads throughout your blog, and get paid by Google! Bloggers will either get paid through PayPal, or will get a monthly check in the mail. The more traffic your blog receives, the higher your payout is!

Be Patient. Blogging is not a way to “get rich quick.” It takes time to build a following, write quality posts, and figure out what exactly works for your blog. While all of this could take longer than desired, it is important to keep in mind that great things take time.

Have any of you tried blogging? Share your success stories in the comments! I would love to hear how you did it!

5 (Must-Know) Tips for the New Blogger

10 Monthly Habits of the Super Wealthy

If you ask any wealthy person, they can tell you what the long term plan is for their business, their investments, and their finances. Wealthy people focus on the big picture, and not just what they want/need right now.

You can’t get wealthy if you’re in debt. Wealthy people go into debt when necessary (modest home, education, etc.) but get out as soon as possible. They put all their extra income into erasing any outstanding debts in their name.

Once they’ve gotten out of debt, wealthy people invest in things. They don’t just let their money sit, but they put it to good use. They also invest in things they know well and trust. You won’t ever see a wealthy person invest in some shady “get rich quick” scheme, even if it is their uncle who’s doing it.

Wealthy people know how to save, and lots suggest that it should be at least 10% every month. By saving, you not only build up your money, but you can prepare for emergencies and other unforeseen incidents.



Even if they’re given a raise, wealthy people live within their means. Don’t purchase items that are too expensive and put a strain on your finances.  This prevents debts from building up and money getting spent too fast.

Most wealthy people will look at their short term and long term financial goals every day, maybe even multiple times. By looking at goals, seeing if you’re on track, and keeping them in mind, it gets easier to achieve them.

A recent study showed that wealthy people actually watch less TV than the poor; they only watch about one hour of TV a day. This doesn’t mean watching TV is inherently bad or will make you poor, it’s just that wealthy people engage in more productive activities.



Along those same lines, wealthy people know how to spend their time well. With everything they do, they ask themselves, “how will this help me achieve my goals?” With this level of focus, they are able to make and keep money.

Wealthy people also know the value of patience. By waiting for good deals or until the price of something they want drops, wealthy people are able to get more bang for their buck, saving them money.

Wealthy people understand the importance of education. They usually have a high level of education and, if they don’t, they go out and get one. Wealthy people are proactive in learning as much as they can so they can make the smartest financial decisions possible.

10 Monthly Habits of the Super Wealthy

How to Make Extra Cash Using Ebates

Promo codes, coupons, discounts, rebates. These are just a VERY small portion of the ways that you can save money when shopping and buying things. Ebates is another great way you can make extra cash back on your purchases. Here are some great ways to get the most out of your Ebates.

How to Make Extra Cash Using Ebates2

It’s super common for Ebates to offer deals and bonuses when you sign up for them. You can get up to a $10 gift card if you sign up at the right time. If there’s no offer right now, you can either check around and see if any of your friends have personal codes you can use to get points for signing up!

How to Make Extra Cash Using Ebates

If you are using Ebates, you definitely want to shop at their registered stores and online shops. To the best of your ability, change your shopping routine so that you are using sites that have Ebates. It may take some time, but, in the long run, it’ll save you money.

If you sign up with Ebates, then make sure you’re using it consistently. Remember that the more consistently you use it, the more money you’ll make back.  So try to use it every chance you get and keep growing your account!

How to Make Extra Cash Using Ebates4

When shopping through Ebates, be patient! Prices and offers can change so, if the thing you want right now doesn’t have an Ebates offer or isn’t a good price, then wait a bit. If things haven’t changed in a month or so, then you’re probably good to buy it since it most likely won’t change.

How to Make Extra Cash Using Ebates5

A lot of people don’t know this, but you can stack your Ebates with coupons and promo codes. Some people lose out on great deals because they didn’t realize Ebates work with most other promotional offers. Do this trick and you’ll see the money come rolling in!

When shopping with Ebates, do your research. Don’t just buy the product you want on the first site that offers an Ebates deal. Instead, look around at their other sites and see if the price and Ebates offer is better. Doing your research like this can save you hundreds (if not thousands) by the end of the year.

20 Ways to Turn Crafts into a Profit

The first thing you want to do is make sure you’re making your craft as unique and marketable as possible. If you’re selling the same exact craft as 50 other vendors, then you’re going to have to try even harder to set yourself apart.

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Find ways to make your crafts unique and memorable so people want yours above other similar products.

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Make sure that you go into this with a business perspective. Lots of crafters want to sell their crafts but don’t take it seriously and either don’t make any money, or barely break even. While you should love making the crafts, you also need to accept that it’s a business; and that means doing the boring stuff like marketing, branding, advertising, etc. Don’t let those fly under the radar just because you don’t want to do them.

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Find a local store or two (or multiple) that agree to sell your item. Usually you can get a pop-up stand somewhere in the store to place your craft. You’ll have to pay for this space, but if your target market shops at that store, then it could be a good investment.

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You should have a website.  You can learn how to start your own wordpress website on my previous post.  First, you need to chose a domain name and find a hosting service.  Bluehost is offering my readers a very special price on all hosting right now through my link.  So, if you are considering it, this is probably your best chance at a great hosting plan for only a couple of dollars a month.   You’ll also want to set up an online shop on a site like Etsy (or one similar). The more you can get your name and product out there, the more crafts you’re going to sell. Starting a blog is a great way to get your name and brand out there.  Don’t be shy, and pin your ideas to Pinterest and share them on your social media accounts.  This is a great way to launch your new business.

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You’ll also want to set up an online shop on a site like Etsy (or one similar). The more you can get your name and product out there, the more crafts you’re going to sell. Starting a blog is a great way to get your name and brand out there.  Don’t be shy, and pin your ideas to Pinterest and share them on your social media accounts.  This is a great way to launch your new business.

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In the beginning, the book keeping shouldn’t be too complicated.  Hopefully, as your business grows, you will need to learn how to do all the financial stuff like managing budget, inventory, and managing your books. You can hire someone to do that, once you get busier and have a lot of business, but it is extremely helpful if you can figure this stuff out in the meantime.  It will also save you a lot of money in the startup phase.

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Do some research and figure out what time of the year your product sells best. If it’s Christmas, then push big and spend a bit more on advertising that time of year to really sell your product. If you can find out the market surges for your product and plan accordingly, you can make a big profit.

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Find all the conferences for crafters and attend them! There you will learn how to be a better artist/business person as well as have the opportunity to sell some product. You’d be surprised at how much you can learn (and sell) at these conferences.

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Also look for craft fairs that you can sell at. TONS of people go to those things, and they go with the desire to spend money, so this is a great opportunity.

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Offer your customers incentives for spreading the word about your business. Give deals like a free craft when they get five friends to buy one of your products, or something similar. Positive word of mouth is great for business.

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This should go without saying, but make sure that your product is actually good quality. No one is going to come back to you if the craft you sold them breaks quickly. If needed, spend a bit more money on materials to make a good product.  Retention of your customer base is as important as new customers.  You want them to come back to you, and to tell their friends.  So make a product worthy of that!

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Don’t be afraid to embrace social media and use it to let others know about your product. Take pictures, write posts, and share messages about your craft to everyone on your social media outlets. Hopefully something will stick!

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Get a booth at a local business fair. Not only will your craft be out there, but you’ll also be able to reel potential customers in and tell them all the great things about your craft.  This is good for business, as well as networking with other people in similar industries.

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Offer free (or cheap) workshops to the community. You don’t necessarily have to teach them how to make your signature craft, but if you can get the word out about your products by engaging with the community, then people are more likely to buy your crafts.

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Really get to know your market and feel out what they want. If you can do that, then you’ll be able to discover new crafts they may love, which can increase your profits drastically.

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You’ll want to make sure that your website is clean, professional, and easy to navigate. If it looks like your website came from the early 2000s, then you’re going to lose a lot of potential customers right away. Make sure it looks good.  If you don’t already have a website, see my step by step tutorial on how to set up a website for super cheap.

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Build a brand that people will recognize. That means designing a memorable brand.  This starts with a great name, colors, logo, font, etc. If people can see a certain design and recognize it as your craft, then you’re on the right path.

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In order to keep costs low, especially in the beginning, never waste material.  Try to be as efficient as possible and use your scraps if you can.  Everything you throw away =$, so be as smart as you can be about reusing your resources.

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Don’t be afraid to experiment with the crafts you sell. If you think you have a good idea that your market will like, try it out and sell a few of them. If they go fast, you know they’re good. If not, then you know it wasn’t a good idea. Lots of popular products were experiments at first.

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Make sure that you’re building a good rapport with your customers. Treat them well, make sure they get their product on time and in good condition, and take any of the questions or concerns seriously. If your customers know you care about them, they’re more likely to spread the word about your business.

Here are a few other ideas on how to make money from home:

How to Start a Blog

How to Make Money Blogging

8 Legit Ways to Make Money From Home

50 Ways to Earn Extra Money on the Side

10 Ways to Earn a Living on the Internet

How to Get Freelance Writing Jobs

15 {Legit} Ways to Make an Extra $1500 a Month

7 Easy Ways to Make Money Blogging

20 Ways to Turn Crafts Into a Profit

15 Work at Home Companies that Pay $12 an Hour (Or More!)

Working from home is a great option and today, there are more companies than ever that offer these opportunities.  Working a job from home saves time on your commute, as well as money on gas, among other great perks.  If you’re looking for a work from home job, but don’t want to make minimum wage, here are a few work-from-home jobs that pay $12 or more an hour!

Executive Scheduling Associates

If you get a job here, you’ll work as an appointment scheduler for financial wholesalers. If you love organizing things and setting schedules, then this is a great job for you! Pay starts at $12 with potential to get a raise.

Extended Presence

This is the same idea as above (appointment scheduling), but it also consists of telemarketing work, too. If you’re looking for something that isn’t solely monotonous, then this may be a good job.

Apple

If you live in the US and have internet, then you can work for Apple! You can become an Apple chat agent, which helps customers with any needs that they may have. Pay varies per employee but it’s usually over $12.

Carlson Wagonlit Travel

If you have a gift at finding great travel deals or ideas, then this is a job for you! You would work as a remote travel counselor, which entails helping people figure out their travel plans, whatever they may be!

Blooms Today

While this company usually only hires at-home-workers seasonally, it can still be a great way to boost income when needed. They pay $15 an hour and you’ll be doing mainly customer service work for any clients that call or message in.

Doctors on Demand

This might sound intense, but it’s not too bad. At this company, you would work as a customer support agent. However, they do require that you have at least 2 years of healthcare experience and the pay ranges for $16 to $18 an hour.

Blue Zebra Appointment Setting

This company pays $15 an hour for their at-home workers. Your job would consist of cold calling other businesses to try to get deals and meetings set up. They do like you to have some sort of experience in B2B cold calling, however, so take that into consideration.

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Brighten Communications

This job is relatively the same as the one mentioned above: you’d mainly be doing cold calls for them. They pay around $12 to $18 an hour, depending on experience and quality.

eModeration

At this company, you would work as a social media moderator. This entails lots of jobs, but basically, you would be monitoring their social media accounts and making sure that everything was running smoothly and that customers were being responded to and helped appropriately and in a timely fashion.

Intermedia

If you’re tech-savvy, then this is the job for you! You’d provide remote tech support for any of their customers, so you’ll need to know your way around a computer. However, they pay $18 an hour, so it’s a pretty good deal.

Ginger.io

To work here, you have to have some sort of counseling and/or therapy experience. Basically, ginger.io provides remote counseling for anyone that calls in needing help. Remember, though, that this isn’t a crisis or suicide hotline, it’s just an outlet for people who need someone to talk to and listen.

Appen

This company provides website evaluation jobs for at-home workers. At this job, you will check their websites and make sure things are working properly and that there aren’t any issues or bugs.

Chegg Tutoring

This is one of the better tutoring websites that I’ve seen. They pay $20 an hour, but you have to have experience in the field you’d be tutoring (in other words, you can’t say you’ll tutor in math if you don’t really know what you’re doing). You also need a webcam so that the students can video call if necessary.

Elevate K12

This tutoring site doesn’t seem as rigorous as Chegg, but it also doesn’t pay as well. However, if you want to be an online instructor or virtual tutor, try your hand here. They pay $12 an hour and you can choose your hours.

Leapforce

This is one of many companies that provide search engine evaluation. When working from home, you’d be in charge of making sure that search engines are functioning properly, the SEO works, and that no one is trying to cheat the system. They pay about $13 an hour.

If none of these positions interest you, here are some other ways to make money from home:

How to Start a Blog

How to Make Money Blogging

8 Legit Ways to Make Money From Home

10 Ways to Earn a Living on the Internet

50 Ways to Earn Extra Money on the Side

How to Make Extra Cash Using Ebates

5 Popular Ways to Make Money From Home on Amazon

How to Become an Amazon Product Reviewer

15 Work at Home Companies that Pay 12 an Hour (or more!)

10 Ways your Teens Can Earn Money

The classic way that lots of teens earn money is by babysitting. Plus, if your teen is already babysitting for a few families, they can ask for referrals from their friends to get even more jobs! It’s actually a pretty good way to make some money.

Lawn and yard maintenance is a job perfect for young teenagers. Not only does it teach them how to work, but your teens will also gain valuable skills they can use in the future. They can offer services from simple mowing to bush trimming and flowerbed maintenance.

If your child has a particularly artistic skill, then help them make money off it. Nowadays, there are tons of ways to set up online shops and sell homemade crafts and art projects. You’ll want to help with the budgeting and contacting, but selling products online is a great job for some teens.


Good writing is getting harder and harder to come by, so if your teen has a talent or passion for writing, then let them flourish! They can do anything from ghost writing to freelance or even enter essay contents.

There are also lots of survey sites out there that, if you allow it, your teen could subscribe to and make a bit of extra cash. It just involves them taking surveys online about tons of different things (it depends on the survey).

I know lots of people who are looking for good but cheap photographers. Whether it’s for family photos, real estate pictures, or something else, if your teen has an eye for pictures, then maybe they can do some photography.

The same goes for videography. Filming events like graduation and weddings is becoming more and more common, so it’s definitely a lucrative business. If your teen already has a camera and some editing equipment, then maybe it’s just the job for them.


Teenagers seem to have a natural skill with technology, so they might as well make some money off of it! I’m sure you know tons of people who struggle with technology, so put them in touch with your teen who can help fix a problem or teach them how to work a piece of technology.

Cleaning jobs are pretty common among the teens I know. In fact, when I was younger, my dad paid me to clean his offices. Not only will it teach good skills to your kids, but it also gives them some cash.

Depending on where you live, it’s possible that your teen can get a pretty good job as a waiter at some local restaurants. Help them look around and find a place you’re comfortable with them working at and that will give them the money they’re looking for.

10 Ways Your Teens Can Earn Money

5 Online Jobs Perfect For College Students

Being in college and being broke are pretty synonymous with each other. Although it can be hard to be making money and going to school, it is possible. You just have to find the right job that is flexible, one of which is an online job. I’ve compiled six great online jobs you can work while in college.

Start a Blog

Blogging is the perfect way for college students to make extra money.  It is flexible.  You can work on your own time and be your own boss.  I can’t think of a better job for a college student that is trying to fit everything in between classes, tests, and studying.  If you are interested in how to make money blogging, or how to start a blog, read my step by step tutorials to help you get started.

Freelance Writer

Since you’re probably writing so much in school already, you might as well make some money off of it! You can write online content and actually make a pretty good earning from it. Plus, you have lots of options. You can start your own blog, freelance, ghostwrite, or anything else really. The more you write, and the better you are, the more you can make!  You can read more about How To Get Freelance Writing Jobs here.


 

Tech Support

Lots of companies hire remote tech support workers to help their clients. If you know your way around technology then you should consider this job. You just log on whenever you’re free and questions are directed to you.

Data Entry

Data entry is another online job that lots of company hire for. It’s pretty straightforward (and sometimes kind of boring), but hey, it pays the bills. Look around at different companies and try to find one that you like, offers good pay, and gives you a flexible schedule. You could even work your way up in this position for future jobs.


Accounting Books

If you’re an accounting or finance major, then balancing and keeping books will not only give you money, it will also give you experience! Usually local companies are looking for someone to take care of their finances. Once you get the job, it’s pretty much all online work!

Become a Tutor

As a student, you know what it’s like to be taught. So you might as well become a tutor! There are tons of educational websites that hire people to be an online and virtual tutor. You could tutor in your specialty, or even just English if you’re a native speaker. It’s a pretty sweet gig, actually.

Well, look at that.  I gave you 6 ideas!

Some other great ideas are to sell your old books online, selling crafts or becoming an online distributor, using survey sites and more!

Here are a few other ideas on how to make extra money side hustling while you are in college:

How to Start a Blog

How to Make Money Blogging

8 Legit Ways to Make Money From Home

50 Ways to Make Extra Money on the Side

10 Ways to Earn a Living on the Internet

15 {Legit} Ways to Make an Extra $1500 a Month

7 Easy Ways to Make Money Blogging

6 Online Jobs Perfect For College Students

5 Ways to Save $500

Making money is virtually everyone’s favorite pastime. However, sometimes saving money is so much more satisfying than simply making money.  Just relax for a moment, and imagine what you could do with an extra $500 dollars every month. If you chose to save it, you could be on your way to a vacation in paradise. Or maybe, the extra $500 can be used towards getting out of debt. Sometimes, it can even be used to do fun activities with your family. Because lets face it, what’s life without a little fun? If you’re interested in saving a little cash each month, here are five ways to cut your spending, and increase your savings.

Avoid The Grocery Store

I know, this sounds completely insane, but it isn’t as crazy as you’d think! For one week every month, forgo your trip to the grocery store. Your family members probably think they’re going to starve, but with a little creativity, that just isn’t possible! Use this week to fully use any items you have leftover in your pantry or freezer. Make meals with the leftover pasta, those frozen fruits and veggies, and all of those soup mixes you swear you’d make (but never did). Find fun recipes online to put your old items to good use, it will be so much easier to get through the week if your meals are yummy! At the end of the week, your savings should be anywhere from $60-$100 depending on the size of your family.

DIY IT! 

Summer is here, and a pedicure may be hard to scrimp on. This can be an expensive luxury, especially if you’re getting multiple a month! Instead of spending upwards of $25 on your next pedicure, try doing it at home! Pick a fun polish, and have a girls day with your daughters or friends! Don’t worry if your painting skills aren’t quite up to par, you’ll be a pro in no time! Hair cuts are another source of monthly expenses, especially if you’re adding hair coloring into the mix! Instead of dropping $150 at the salon, consider making an appointment at a hair school instead. The students are professional, and always have supervision. You can get a cut and color for under $50. Seriously, and all for a cut exactly like the one from your salon!

Sell Something

Bring a little more money into your home by selling something you don’t use much anymore. This could be things like clothes, furniture, or old electronics. You know that old iPod that is sitting in the drawer, broken, because it was dropped in some water? Most times, many parts are salvageable, even if it does have water damage. You can sell old Macbooks (that are broken) for $475. What an easy way to make some money! Not only does selling these items help cushion your bank account, but because many of the parts are being used in other models, you’re recycling and cutting down on contributing these items to landfills.

Prorate Utilities

If you notice that your utility bill seems to spike during certain months or seasons, it may be time to prorate your service. When you prorate your service, you are able to predict your monthly utility bills. This allows you to budget more effectively, and gives you a heads up when there is a spike in your bill. Depending on the time of year, you could save hundreds with this method.

Cell Phone 

Don’t worry, we aren’t telling you to completely ditch your cell phone. We are telling you to ditch the expensive phone plans! It sounds like a headache, but it could really be worth your while. Downgrade to a lower plan that could save you between $10-$20 every month. This is perfect if you find that you aren’t using all of your monthly data, why pay for an expensive plan if you don’t even use all that is allowed? There are tons of plans out there that cost $30 per month for a basic phone plan and data limit. Also, don’t upgrade your phone every two years. While this seems like a killer deal, there are tons of hidden fees!

Saving $500 a month has never been so easy with these tips. What are some other ways you save money every month?

5 Ways to Save $500

5 Ways to Make Money Snapchatting

Use your phone camera to make some extra money! Seriously, even if you don’t have any idea what Snapchat is, it’s easy to learn and you can make a lot of extra money while doing it! If you love sharing your life with your friends and family, this could be just the gig for you. Really, it is completely possible to make money Snapchatting all day! Here is a comprehensive list of companies looking for photography and video gurus to run their company owned Snapchats. According to a representative, you can make $40,000 working for FabFitFun as a Snapchat coordinator. FabFitFun is a  company based around the health and beauty needs of women. Users can subscribe to a monthly box filled with makeup, nail polish, hair products, and more fun items. Some experience is needed, as this company is looking for someone who has at least a year of experience managing social media accounts for businesses. Job responsibilities include maintaining a content calendar, and of course, Snapchatting. PopSugar is looking to hire a Snapchatting guru with at least a few years of hands-on video experience. Workers will make between $40,000- $50,000 every year, and be responsible for creating “stunning” video content that is posted daily. Those interested can apply here. Of course, you could always work for the company in charge of the madness! Work for Snapchat as a Story Editor, and make a whopping $60,000 every year. A college degree is required, and they are looking for an extremely visual thinker to help manage content for the company’s account. Apply here! If you are based in Los Angeles, and have always dreamed of working for Time, apply for this gig.  Time is looking for a content producer to make and create short form videos for various social media outlets (like Tumblr). The estimated salary is between $40,000-$60,000 yearly. The job will be centered in the people and entertainment categories, and there will be a lot of celebrity news.  The company promises room for growth, so this could be perfect for anyone! Fashion lovers rejoice! If you love fashion and the icons behind the designs, this job working for Hearst (Cosmopolitan) would be perfect for you. Employees would be expecting to create diverse, unique, and fashionable content for it’s Snapchat discover channel. Seriously, how cool would it be to say that you worked for Hearst magazines?

If you want to make money online, there are a million ways to earn a living on the internet.  Here are a few related posts that can help you decide which direction is right for you!

How to Start a Blog

How to Make Money Blogging

8 Legit Ways to Make Money From Home

How to Get Freelance Writing Jobs

20 Ways to Turn Crafts into Profits

10 Ways to Earn a Living on the Internet



5 Ways to Make Money Snapchatting

Blogging Basics- Starting From Scratch

Blogging has gone from a hobby, to a 6-figure income for me, in less than a year.  It has allowed me to pay off student loans, pay down our mortgage (and hopefully pay off!), travel with my family, quit a miserable job, and be my own boss.  It has far surpassed my wildest imagination, and because  of that, I want to share what I have learned. When I started, I was at the very bottom.  I had no knowledge about how to do this and I was starting from scratch.  I would say that one of my strengths is that I have persevered and spent hours and hours researching, testing and learning new things.  This is the reason that I have been successful.  I literally googled “What is hosting” when I wanted to start a blog.  The reason I tell you this, is to give you the hope you need to get started.  I am no genius.  I do not have a background in web development and I am not a web coder or master marketer.  Everything I have learned, I have googled, researched, tested, tried, read and learned on my own.  So, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s start at the beginning. You want to start a blog.  You have no idea where to start.  You have read blogs and you enjoy blogs, but you don’t know how to start a blog.  Let’s start with some simple vocabulary. You need a domain name.  This is what your website is called, or your URL.  Mine, is FlippingPennies.com.  When choosing a domain name, pick something easy to remember.  Avoid hyphens, misspellings and anything that is hard to tell people.  You will be hopefully saying it often, and telling your friends, so make sure you like it:) Bluehost is giving my readers a FREE domain right now, if you sign up for hosting!  This is at least a $15 value, and they have been soooo easy to work with.  If you are considering starting a blog, this is a great deal!  You can also read more about starting a blog and walking through the process step-by-step on my previous post, How to Start a Blog. First, if you ever want to make money on your blog, you need to be self-hosted.  This means, that you must purchase a hosting package.  PLEASE resist the urge to use free platforms, such as Blogger.  Every blogger I know that started there, has had to go through the laborious process of switching to a self-hosted WordPress blog.  You do not have the freedom with advertisements on a free blog that you do on a self-hosted blog. Hosting: This is a little piece of the internet.  You are literally buying space on a server to store the data from your site, so that your website can be accessible via the internet.  Your hosting service stores a database with your website files and keeps it online at all times, so that your website is accessible online.  These plans start out at anywhere on the low end ($7-$8 a month) but right now, Bluehost is giving my readers a special price of $3.49 a month and a FREE domain.  This is only available through my link so act now if you are interested.  This is a super low price and probably won’t last for very long. Next, you need to install WordPress.  There is a reason that most bloggers use WordPress.  It is the most user-friendly platform out there.  It is free to download through your Bluehost hosting plan. What is WordPress? This is the platform in which you will make your posts, add the pictures to your site, etc.  It is the software you use for your blog.  As I mentioned before, it is free and very user-friendly. Once you have your domain registered and hosting package, you can download WordPress.  It is super easy to do and I walk you through it step by step in my post, How to Start a Blog. Once you login to your website through WordPress, you are ready to start blogging!  First things first, I would choose a theme.  “What is a theme?” you ask?  It is a template that determines what your site looks like and how it is laid out.  Do you have a sidebar on the right?  on the left?  both?  How are your menus set up?  Is there a large slider at the top?  What does it look like?  Now, keep in mind, that even when you choose a theme, there are still quite a few options within each theme that will help you organize your blog the way you want to. Wordpress offers many themes for free.  There are a lot of other paid themes as well.  Genesis Theme is a pretty popular theme and it has a lot of options.  I have also used free themes and have been very happy with them. Next, on the right side of your WordPress interface, you will see “Posts.”  This is where you will write and publish your blog posts.  It is very intuitive and easy to figure out.  There are options such as bold, italics, bullets, etc., just as you would see in a Microsoft Word document.  You can add links by highlighting words in your post and clicking on the link on the menu above and pasting the URL in which you want to link to.  You can choose headings, numbered lists and so much more.  I would recommend getting familiar with this page and all of your options. When you are ready to publish your post, you can find the “publish” button on the right of the screen.  Be sure that as you write your post, you “update” or “save” it all along the way.  I have had plenty of situations where I am halfway done with the post and the power goes out or a toddler turns off the computer.  NO!!  So, now I am trained to save them as I go.  There is a backup save on WordPress, but it is easier to just be sure that your post is saved as you go along. Now that you know a few basics, you are ready to go!  If you are interested in starting from scratch and want to start blogging, get step-by-step instructions on my post How to Start a Blog!  I hope this changes your life like it has changed mine.  Also, if you have any questions along the way, feel free to contact me or email me and I will help in any way that I can. What other “Starting From Scratch” questions do you have?  Fee free to post them and I will do an update and answer all of your blogging questions!

To learn more about How to Start a Blog, read my step by step tutorial to get you started.

Here are a few other good reads to help in your blogging adventures:

How to Make Money Blogging

8 Legit Ways to Make Money From Home

10 Ways to Earn a Living on the Internet

How to Get Freelance Writing Gigs

7 Easy Ways to Make Money Blogging