money Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Flipping Pennies

12 Ways to Reduce Your Utility Bill

Posted on May 19, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

With warmer weather just around the corner, utilities often increase significantly as air conditioners and fans starts running almost constantly. However, you don’t need to let your bills increase just because the temperature is. In fact, whether it’s summer or winter, here are twelve great ways to reduce your utility bill. The first thing you’ll want to do is check all your doors and windows for leaks or cracks. You’d be surprised at how much a small leak can increase your utility bill! If needed, replace the whole door or window frame, but usually it’s a small fix that doesn’t take much time or money. Speaking of windows, a great way to heat or cool your home is by smartly using the blinds and curtains. During summer, it might be tempting to let the sunshine in, but you’re also letting in heat, which makes your AC have to work harder. So, when possible, keep the blinds and curtains closed during the summer and open during winter. There is one caveat to this, though. If you get a nice cross breeze in your home, then you can keep the blinds AND windows open during the summer. This can significantly cool down your home without using a lick of AC! However, you won’t be able to do this every day if you live in a place that gets pretty hot. If you don’t cook at home or only cook for a few people, then consider investing in a toaster oven. It’s smaller than your regular oven, meaning it takes less time, energy, and money to heat up! A meal or dish for two or three people can easily fit inside a normal toaster oven, saving you lots of money in the long run. If you’re a people person, then you can also call up your utility company and ask if they have any discounts or alternative plans that you can try to save money. Most companies actually have a few plans you can choose from that help you customize your utility usage to your best advantage. At worst, you get a no, at best you can save hundreds. If you haven’t already, buy energy efficient light bulbs and appliances. You can wait until your light bulbs burn out or the appliances wear down if you want, but replacing them with energy efficient ones will drastically reduce your utility bill. Somewhat along those same lines, consider investing in solar power (especially if you live in a hot and sunny place). It might cost a bit upfront, but most solar power systems pay for themselves in under five years! You’ll be saving money and saving the planet, all at once! Whenever possible, use cold water for cooking and washing things. If you use hot water, it’s going to be more expensive (because it has to be heated), but you sometimes need hot water (like washing some dirty dishes). If you get into this habit, then you can see quite a few dollars shaved off your utility bill. Some jobs and companies actually give you a discount on certain utilities if you work for them. Not a lot do this, but you can also check with your employer to see if they offer any kind of discount, even if it’s a small one. A super easy way to increase the efficiency of your air system while decreasing your utility bill is by replacing any air filters. If the filter is clogged and dirty, the air conditioner or heater will have to work harder to pump cold or hot air in. Not only that, but the dirt gets spread around your home. Change the filter and breathe a little easier (literally and financially!). I don’t know about you guys, but I used to leave a lot of my things plugged in, just because it was more convenient. However, I learned that that’s not only bad for the environment, it’s also bad for my wallet! Get rid of “phantom power” by unplugging any cords or appliances that aren’t in use. That way, they aren’t using energy when not in use because they aren’t plugged in. Another great way to decrease your utility bill is by buying a programmable and/or smart thermostat. There are tons of different brands and kinds, but you can get them for as cheap as $20. These thermostats respond to the temperature of your house, adjusting it when necessary. You can also program some from your phone, making managing the temperature that much easier.

Top 54 Side Hustles to Make Extra Money on the Side

Posted on May 11, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

We’re no longer in the era of working a day job only. There are so many unconventional but legitimate options. More jobs means more ways to make and earn money. If you have a day job, no worries, you can still earn some extra money by taking on a side hustle! Here are a few great ways to make some money on the side.

If you’re good at art and have some computer skills then try your hand at being a freelance graphic designer. You can do work for small businesses or large corporations, it just depends on your skill set and the time you’re willing to put in!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention starting a blog. While it may be slow at first, the more users the get, the more you will make on advertisements.

If you love crafting, then start your own Etsy store or Amazon distributor account. You can market your crafts and products online and make money doing what you love!

For those of you who live in a nice part of town or a town with lots of pools, become a pool cleaner! It may not be the most glamorous work, but it pays well and people with pools usually tip well.

You could also start up a small landscape or maintenance company. You can mow lawns, prune trees, trim bushes, and so much more. Plus, people pay well for yardwork done right.

If you have some accountant skills, then become a bookkeeper for a local company. It’s usually something that doesn’t require much time or effort (depending on the size of the company), and if you’ve ever balanced a budget before then you can probably do this.

Look online for a tech support position you can do! Apple and Amazon are just a few companies that hire remote tech support agents every now and then to answer their customers’ needs.

The website Upwork allows you to do virtual work in tons of different fields. You could be organizing schedules one week then making appointments for business people the next.

Put your writing skills to work by becoming a freelance writer! The work usually starts out slow (although there are some sites you can use to get started), but if you build a good reputation then you can secure big jobs and make big money.

There are numerous websites and companies that will hire you as an online tutor. It could be in a specific skill you have or, if you speak English, you could teach people in other countries how to speak English!

Try to get a part time job at a fancy golf course. You could do anything from retrieving golf balls to managing the club’s bar. The great thing about this job is the tips, since they’re usually pretty big.

If you’re able to build a reputation as responsible, you could make a nice wad of cash as a babysitter. This is a nice job because you can decide when and for how long you want to work.

For those of you with some barber or stylist skills, start cutting hair from your home. If possible, set a little room off just for cutting hair (to look more professional), but that’s not necessary.

The website Fiverr gives you the chance to complete or offer tasks for $5. It’s not a lot each gig, but you can make quite a bit if you’re able to get into a niche.

For all you pet lovers out there, become a pet sitter! You get paid to play with animals, so there’s not much of a better job out there.

Hire yourself out as a personal chef if you have some skills in the kitchen. Once you get a portfolio of clients built up, it should be pretty easy to maintain (and make money doing it!).

Lots of websites and companies are looking for cheap but qualified people to do their editing. If you have an eye for grammar and editing, then this is a good job to try.

Do you love dogs, exercise, and being outside? Then you need to be a dog walkers. It’s all the fun of having a dog to walk, but you get paid for it!

For places where the winters are bad, you could offer snow removal services. With lots of small jobs, the money adds up quickly.

If you get quick and efficient, you can make quite a bit of money through online survey sites. Some only deal in gift cards or discounts, so choose sites carefully!

Offer your spare bedroom on Airbnb and watch the money easily roll in! Plus, you’ll get to make friends from all over the place.

This is pretty traditional for college students, but you could donate plasma to make money. It actually pays pretty well, around $60 each time you donate (depending on where you live).

Become an Uber or Lyft driver and you’ll be able to make money pretty quickly. Plus, you get to drive around and see the city, which is always a plus.

If you’re a professional masseuse, you can consider turning a room or floor of your home into a little spa! You can offer your services at a competitive rate, too, since you won’t have to pay rent for a space!

Try your hand at ghostwriting to make some money! It’s like freelance, but what you write isn’t attributed to you (it’s written in place of someone else. Hence the “ghost” part).

You could be a mystery shopper and earn $10 to $30 per visit. Mystery shoppers are paid by companies to use their services or buy their product and then rate the overall shopping experience. Beware of scams, though.

Whip out your camera, take some pictures, and you may be able to make some nice cash! You can do all sorts of photography, and can even sell pictures you took on your iPhone.

Try washing windows for a few months. Believe it or not, this is actually a really good way to make money. People either don’t want to or don’t know how to professionally wash their own windows, so you can charge a good price for this service.

You can also wash cars for people, too. It’s another job people usually don’t like to do, but a well hand-washed car is worth a pretty penny.

For those of you with decorating skills, offer them up for interior decoration consultations. This job is fun because you get to tell people how to make their house look good and buy nice things!

If the weather gets really hot or really cold in your town or city and you live near a community center or a place with heavy foot traffic, then sell cold or hot beverages! It may be a small amount of profit for each drink, but you can make quite a bit with lots of sales.

You could be a pet groomer and get paid to wash, clean, and dress up cute animals! That sounds like a pretty fun job to me!

If you’re gifted in the kitchen, then consider selling your baked goods and other treats. You’ll want to keep your distribution small (and probably just to family and friends), or else you can run into licensing issues.

Did you know you can turn your car into a moving ad and make money? Places like WrapMatch will send you ads to put on your car, you drive it around, and you make money!

There are lots of people who are either unable or too busy to go shopping for things like groceries. You can become a personal shopper for them and run those errands for them!

Make some money by having an occasional yard sale. You can also go to local yard sales and find hidden jewels in other people’s things that you can touch up and sell for a profit.

Try a job as a waiter or waitress at a fancy restaurant.. While the pay might not be good, the tips are for sure going to compensate!

Become an online couch by offering up any skills or talents you may have. You can become an online counselor, therapist, pep talk giver, life coach, etc. The options are endless, as long as you have experience.

By publishing an eBook, you not only save money by not printing, you also get royalties every time someone buys your book! That’s a pretty sweet deal.

If you don’t like waking up in the morning, then get a job as a newspaper deliverer. It’s nice and calming plus you get some good tips sometimes.

Sell your cleaning services and offer to clean people’s home for a price! You can set your own terms for what kind of cleaning you do and how much your pay is, so it’s pretty flexible.

If you know a lot of nice travel tips and locations, then start a travel agency! You can help friends, families, and others plan their next vacation at the best price for a small fee (and then work up from there).

Lots of people rag on networking marketing (sometimes called pyramid schemes), but they’re not all bad. Obviously do your research first and, if you get in at the right time, you can actually make quite a bit of money in this.

Offer to teach music lessons to people in your neighborhood or others you know for a small price. You get to choose what ages you teach plus getting paid to play music should be fun.

This is a job you usually have to know the person really well for, but you can get paid to be a house sitter. You pretty much just make sure someone’s house is safe and clean while they’re away on vacation.

For those of you with web skills, become a freelance website designer. You can help anyone from small businesses to local schools or bigger. The jobs are really endless with this skillset.

Planning weddings can be stressful, so being someone’s wedding planner has a high price tag attached to you. You take care of all the details and get paid to plan a party!

If you’re bigger than the average person, you could offer your services as a security guard. You’d need to be able to actually kick or keep people out, though, so make sure you’re cut out for the job.

Lots of apartment complex owners are looking for property managers. You can offer up your services to take care of the place for a price!

There are always people moving in and out, so start a side moving business. It’s pretty easy to get the word out, and everyone appreciates not having to lift heavy boxes.

Lots of companies hire people to be website testers. You pretty much click around on a website and tell them how user friendly it was and if any buttons or links weren’t working.

If you know some sort of skilled labor (like plumbing) you can offer your services at a time and price that works for you. This is often cheaper than an actual company because you only have to worry about yourself.

During summer months, you can work as a lifeguard and get paid up to $20 an hour. That’s not too bad, considering you just sit around and tan for most of the job probably.

If you know your way around a gym, then you can become a personal trainer. You get to pick and choose your clients, so you don’t have to work with anyone you don’t want to.

How to Turn 1 Cent into 1 Million

Posted on May 11, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

I know; this sounds like a pipe dream, right? Well, it’s actually not. While you won’t see your penny turn into one million overnight, with the right investment plan and attitude, you can see your money grow! Here are some tips and suggestions that will help you cash in on that one cent investment.

The best way to turn one cent into one million is through a compound interest investment plan. Whenever I say the words “interest” or “invest,” I see most people’s eyes glaze over and they start to zone out. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! The first thing you need to do in order to make money is to get over your fear or hesitancy of investment plans. Once you can take a big breath and stare that investment plan in the face, you’re on the right track.

After you’ve gotten over your fear of investing, you need to find a good investment plan. There are tons of apps and websites out there, such as Betterment, Wealthfront, Capital One 360, and a variety more! The key is to find one that works with your timeline, with the money you can put into it, and your overall financial goals. Enlist the help of friends and family members who have a knack for this kind of stuff.

Once you’ve found your investment plan (and actually invested!), you need to be patient. Compound interest is not for the faint of heart or short in patience. If you try to withdraw your earnings from your investment after a year or two, your returns are going to be minimal. However, if you let it sit for ten, twenty, thirty, or more years, the returns will be huge and you’ll be able to retire nicely.

After you’ve changed your attitude towards investing, found an investment plan that works for you, and told yourself to just not touch it, the only thing left is to watch the money roll in! The growth will be small at first, but by the time you take it out in a few decades, you’ll love yourself for being so well prepared!

How to Make Extra Money Using Survey Sites (For Free!)

Posted on May 11, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

If you’ve used an online survey site to make some more money, you know it can sometimes be slow and frustrating. While taking surveys sounds like a good idea, if you don’t know how to use them then the benefits might not be worth the work. Here are some great tips to help you make extra money when using survey sites!

If you’re going to sign up for one survey site, you might as well sign up for multiple! Not only will you have access to a ton of different types of surveys, but most sites give you some sort of incentive just for signing up. That means you’ll get even more benefits right away!

When looking for sites to sign up for, make sure their rewards system works for you. Some sites, for example, only do gift cards or discounts on certain websites. If you’re okay with that, then sign up. However, if you only want cash rewards, then do your research before signing up for all of them.

When possible, try to find websites that have a tiered reward system. This pretty much means the more surveys you take, the more points you get for each survey. It’s really nice because you have a double incentive to take surveys!

You’ll also want to make sure you’re taking surveys frequently. There’s no point in signing up for a ton of survey sites if you only take one survey every other week. To get the most bang for your buck, you want to get into a habit of taking surveys daily.

Before you sign up, make sure you have a coupon or promo code that gives you points and/or rewards just for signing up. Nearly every survey site has these codes. If you don’t have one, look online or get in contact with someone who uses the site since they’ll probably have a code that gives you both points.

On that same note, when you sign up for a survey site, share your own promo code with others! When people use your code to sign up, you and that person will get rewarded! It’s a super easy way to make money.

Most survey sites offer more ways to earn money and points than just their surveys. For example, you can play games, do online shopping, or just search the web through some of these sites and you get points for it! It’s pretty much getting paid to do what you’d already be doing.

How I Make $100k+ Online While Working From Home

Posted on May 11, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

There are tons of ways to make money nowadays. You can have a traditional job (nothing wrong with that), work from home, and/or work purely online. If you don’t limit what kind of work you do (and where you do it), then you can grow your income to over $100k! Here are just a few ways to do that.

Some people don’t like this, but don’t be afraid to take on side jobs. Lots of jobs that I started on the side grew into full-time jobs that vastly increased my income. You can take on one side job (if it pays well or gives you a big workload), or you can take on numerous “lighter” side jobs. At first, this may just supplement your day job, but it can easily grow from there.

Online work is becoming more and more acceptable and preferred in today’s digital world. You can do anything from managing large accounts to tutoring online! The great thing about this kind of work is that it’s diverse and almost always allows you to fit it to your schedule so you don’t have to worry about cramming everything in at a certain time.

If you don’t like online work but still want to work from home, you can try starting your own out-of-home business. This could be anything from making and selling products to converting your downstairs into a spa and massage (I recommend you be a professional in either of these fields). Be creative and do something you love.

If you have online content and websites (or even a big backyard near a busy road), take on advertisers! They’ll love the space and views you’ll give them, and it’s a super easy way to make some passive income. You don’t have to do anything but reach out to advertisers to make this kind of money.

A subtype of online advertising that I think is important enough for its own page is affiliate advertising. This is when a company will pay you to write a review/talk about their product on your blog or websites. The bigger your following, the more you get paid for this (plus you can make commission for every viewer that buys the product). If you haven’t tried this already, reach out to some companies and make them an offer.

I mentioned this earlier, but passive income is one of my favorite ways to make money. Why? Because once the money flow is set up, you don’t have to do ANYTHING! This can come from things like advertisers, but it’s really common through books or something that gives you commission or royalty.

You can also try your hand at product reviews (again, if you have a lot of followers). This is different from affiliate advertising because you’re outright reviewing the product (affiliate advertising only requires that you mention the product in your posts). You get paid for doing the review and (often) for any commission from viewers who buy the product.

I think the most important thing to remember if you want to earn $100K or more is to learn new things and work hard! Technology is changing so quickly, so if you want to make money in the online game, then you need to embrace new strategies and devices. And, the harder you work, the more successful you’re going to be!

10 Useful Tips for Using Credit Cards

Posted on May 11, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

We can never be too careful when it comes to using credit cards. I have shared 10 Bad Credit Card Habits and How to Avoid Them, and 4 Good Reasons You Should be Using Credit Cards. So now that you know the good and bad, here are 10 awesome tips to using them the right way! Tip#1- Be aware Always know the balance of your credit card, and where you are at with your finances. This shows financial responsibility which is crucial in owning a credit card. This way you will never be surprised by an over due balance. It also protects you against CC theft…if you are constantly aware then you will know immediately if a charge goes onto your card that you did not make. Tip #2- Pay off your balance every month There are sometimes emergency situations where we have to charge our credit card with money we may not have…like medical bills for example. Besides those extreme cases you should not ever charge the card if you do not have the money to pay it off at the end of the month. This is where the trap of credit card debt, and ever rising interest happens. Tip #3- Never miss a due date There are a few things that you can do to help you with this one….if your due date comes on a bad day of the month then switch it! Maybe to the day after you get paid, or another day that works better for you. Another option is setting up automatic pay..now you only want to do this if you know you will have money in the account that is paying it off otherwise you’ll get charged overdraft fees. Figure out whatever you need to to make sure you get that payment in on time! Tip #4- Be aware of your own limits You don’t have to tempt yourself if you know that it will be difficult to make the right decision. Just because you can have a $10,000 limit on your credit card doesn’t mean that you have to! If keeping it small is better for you then do that! If it’s hard not to charge random “wants” then don’t carry it around with you all the time. I don’t know what your limits are, but you do. Having them isn’t a bad thing…..ignoring them is! So find ways to use your credit cards according to your limits and what works for you. Tip #5- Pay off debt It’s an unfortunate reality that a good portion of you reading this have some sort of debt, that doesn’t mean you are a horrible irresponsible person, it just means you should have a goal to pay it off! Try to pay more than just the minimum monthly payment, but make sure that you are at least paying that. I know it seems like a never ending road to be debt free, but I promise you can get there…set a goal, and make realistic plans that may need some sacrifice, but it will be well worth it! Tip #6- Find a rewards card There are lots of them out there, so figure out which one is best for you. It’s okay to have more than one, but be aware of signing up for too many credit cards. Rewards cards often have super high interest rates, so be sure to use them only if you pay off the balance each month. If you are smart though, they can really pay off and earn you free stuff! Tip #7- Don’t exceed 30% of your credit limit This will help your credit score go up. For example if you have a $1,000 credit card limit then you shouldn’t exceed a balance of about $300. This applies to all of your credit as a whole though…it’s not for each card…so if you have 3 credit cards with a total limit of $10,000 and you have a balance of $3,000 but it’s all on one card….that’s okay because it’s still only 30% of your available credit. Tip #8- Learn about card benefits Most credit cards have benefits that you don’t know about, so research the cards you have and find out what they are and use them to your advantage! Tip #9- Use it to benefit your budget Use your card for all of your purchases throughout the month, this way you can track all of your expenses and know exactly where all your money has gone. This is only a good idea if you know that you can stick to your budget and spend only what you are supposed to so that you have enough to pay it off each month. Tip #10- Be aware of hidden fees This goes for all fees associated with your credit card, but I want you to especially focus on this when traveling outside the country. Find out if you are going to be charged extra fees each time you swipe your card and what they are for. Don’t just assume that every credit card will work the same, do your homework and make sure that YOU are the one in charge NOT the credit card company.

10 Personal Finance Tips That Could Change Your Life

Posted on May 11, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

I get it; changing habits can be hard, especially when it comes to financial ones. No one changes overnight, but there are some things that you can start doing today that will change your life in the long run!

Some people advise against this, but I think it’s a good idea to get a credit card…but to use it wisely! Credit cards help you build up your credit, plus you get access to lots of perks and benefits that normal cash, checks, or debit cards don’t get you. However, don’t max out your card every month or forget to pay it off. Get a credit card, but use it wisely.

Start now to save consistently. You could put away $10 every week, $100 every month, or something else. How much you put away isn’t as important as just getting in the habit of saving money. In a few months or years, you’ll have a great emergency savings fund to rely on.

If you have a few debts you’re trying to pay off, do the snowball method. Simply put, you throw all your extra money at the smallest debt until it’s gone. Then you move on to the next biggest one. This eliminates the amount of interest payments you have to pay, which is why it’s called the snowball.

Sit down right now with whoever you share money with and make a budget. Plan out how you’re going to spend your money this month and project it out for the year. This will help you stay on course with what you spend, giving you more control of your finances.

Do your best to live within your means. If you really want a $30,000 car but can’t afford it, then don’t buy it. Instead, get the one that fits your budget. Living within your means still gives you plenty of ways to be happy and fulfilled without loading yourself with debt.

Whenever you go out or decide to buy something, ask yourself “Why am I buying this?” or “Do I really need this?” Believe it or not, stopping to ask yourself this question (and really pondering on the answer) can save you from spending money on things you don’t need.

Another good way to curb your purchases is by waiting 30 days before making any unnecessary purchases. You may want that new ottoman in the moment, but 30 days from now it won’t seem like such a big deal. And if it still is, then consider getting it!

When you go to make big purchases, make sure you’ve done your research first. It may not be very fun, but doing your research will allow you to make the smartest decision, giving you the best quality for the cheapest price.

With the leftover money you have, consider investing some of it in stocks or other financial options. Investing can be a tricky business, so talk to a friend who’s in the know or do some research to make sure you’re making smart financial investments that will give you good returns.

If you’re really serious about making some changes to your financial life, then get a money buddy. This is just someone that you will be responsible to for all your financial choices; by making you accountable to someone else, you’ll think twice before you buy anything you don’t really need. You and your money buddy can help each other be smarter spenders.

8 Survey Sites You Can Use to Make Extra Money

Posted on May 11, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

Making a little extra money is nice, but sometimes it’s hard to find a legitimate source that pays well. If you want to work from home on your own schedule, then try some of these survey sites. They each work a bit differently, so find one (or more than one) that you like, and get signed up!

Swagbucks

This is the survey site that I’ve heard the most about. I’m not saying it’s the best, just the most widely dispersed. A cool thing about Swagbucks is that it offers more than just surveys; you can get points for just surfing the web!

Pro Opinion

This is a relatively new company, so they’re looking for as many new users as possible. They want you to take surveys based on your professional expertise and opinion (hence the name), so keep that in mind. Also, this site doesn’t pay in cash, it does gift cards, but usually that’s not a big issue.

American Consumer Opinion

This is your classic survey website. It pays you for each survey you take, and the surveys have a wide range of topics. If you’re looking for something simple and straight forward, then this is your site!

VIP Voice

My favorite thing about this website is that it has a tiered system in place. That means that the more surveys you take, the more points you earn for each one. You can also use your points to enter website specific sweepstakes, which can give you big rewards!

Nielsen Digital Voice

This website has lots of different functions, so you can do more than just take surveys in order to make money. Through this site, you can even just browse the web to make money!

Pinecone Research

Lot of people say that they really like this website; it’s user-friendly, pays well, and isn’t too pushy with their information. Every now and then, the website also sends you free products to do reviews on, which is always nice!

Inbox Dollars

The name of this survey site pretty much explains what it’s all about. J Other than websites, you can also play games, do online shopping, and search the web in order to earn points and money! It can’t get much better than that!

Harris Poll Online

This website has a feature that I really like that the other ones don’t have. You get points for all the surveys you take, but if the site recommends a survey for you but you don’t qualify for it, then you can still get points for the untaken survey! That’s like free money.

If surveys aren’t your thing, here are other great ways to make money from home:

How to Make Money Blogging

How to Quit Your Job and Make Money on Instagram

5 Ways to Make Money Snapchatting

50 Great Ways to Make Money on the Side

54 Side Hustles to Earn Extra Cash from Home

10 Ways to Earn a Living on the Internet

8 Reasons You Should Get out of Debt Right Now!

Posted on May 11, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

Debt is something that all of us have dealt with at least once in our life. Whether it’s college tuition, car loans, mortgage, or something else, we’ve all been in debt before. While debt is a part of life, it’s not one that has to stick with us forever. Here are eight great reasons why to get out of debt as soon as possible.

When you’re in debt, all of your other financial investments are less impactful. Even if you’re making good money off of stocks, some (or maybe even all) of that money is going towards paying off your debts. When you get out of debt, any extra money you make on your investments goes straight to you.

Debt is stressful. The more you have and the longer you have it, the more stressed you’ll become. Managing debt for a few years may be manageable, but it can really affect your health and stress-levels if it becomes a life-long burden.

When you’re in debt, you’re not working for yourself. You’re not working for your own vacations, home improvements, or anything else. Instead, you’re working to pay your debtors; they’re making all the money off your hard work! Getting out of debt will make you feel great because you’re only working for yourself!

When you get out of debt, you’ll be a lot more stable—financially as well as in other areas of your life. Any unforeseen accidents or problems won’t cause you to stumble and fall financially like they would if you had debts to worry about.

Believe it or not, your familial relationships will improve (especially with your spouse) when you don’t have debts to worry about. Most arguments in the family are caused (or somehow affected) by money; so when you have more money coming in and less money going out, it’ll make things at home better.

Once you manage to get out of debt, your credit score will steadily improve. And, when your credit score is better, every other area of your financial life improves, too! Interest rates are lower and you’re array of financial options increases.

Prepare for the future by getting out of debt now. Once you don’t have any more money going towards debts, you can start putting money in a retirement plan, your children’s college funds, or other things. By getting out of debt today, your future will be much better.

One of the best reasons for getting out of debt is that it gives you control over your life! You won’t be subject to interest rates, late fees, loan sharks, angry bankers, etc. When you’re free from debt, you’ll feel so much more free an in control of your life.

7 SERIOUS Ways to Add $500 to Your Income

Posted on May 11, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

You’d be surprised at how much an extra $500 a month can free up your budget and make you a LOT less stressed. Whether you’re just starting to look for a job or want a side job for some extra cash on the side, here are seven great ways to add to your income.

Join a network marketing company. I know a lot of people are hesitant about these, and rightly so, since lots of them are either scams or don’t offer a good deal. However, if you can get in the right company at the right time, then you can easily add $500 to your income. I would suggest talking to friends and family members that you trust to see if they’re in a company like this (you’d be surprised at how many people actually are) and then see if you can get in on the action.

If you want to work from home but still make some money, then become a virtual assistant. There are tons of sites that you can sign up for that allow you to schedule appointments, organize meetings, and do other remote online tasks for companies that are willing to pay a pretty decent salary. And you get to do it all from the comfort of your own home!

If being a virtual assistant isn’t for you, don’t worry, there’s still tons of other online jobs you can do! One great job is being a tutor (you could also do this in real life, too). You can register for sites like Chegg that pay you $20 an hour to tutor! If you don’t have any specific skills you’re comfortable tutoring in, you could teach people to speak English since you’re (probably) already a pro.

Of course, I need to mention blogging as a great way to make an extra $500 (check out this article for tips on how to start your own!). While you may not get that much right when you start, if you put in the right amount of time and dedication, then it’s not too hard to reach. By building a solid following and utilizing advertising space just right, you can easily make $500.

Try your hand at freelance writing or ghostwriting! Freelance is when people or companies hire you to write content for them. Ghostwriting is similar but, instead, you write in place of someone else; you in essence “sell” them your writing and then they post it as their own. You can actually get some pretty good income through doing this, especially if you’re a good writer.

Another great way to make money is by starting an online shop or start a small side business. If you’re good at crafting or are an expert at making a certain product, then you can start selling them locally and online to make some money. Websites like Etsy, Amazon, and eBay all allow you to create an online “storefront” for you to sell your products.

There’s always the classic way of making a bit of extra money by getting a part time job! You could work at a library, grocery store, waiting tables, whatever you want. You shouldn’t have to work too hard or too long in order to make an extra $500.