Reblog: 30 Ways to Make Extra Money

by Dave Ramsey

If you’re trying to figure out how to make extra money on the side (and who isn’t?), it can be hard to know what’s legitimate and what’s a total waste of time. We’ve done the searching for you and found 30 ways to make extra money in your spare time. And you can use these ideas no matter what Baby Step you’re on!

How to Make Extra Money Online

1. Tutor online.

If you think being a tutor means you made straight A’s through high school and college, think again. It’s all about what you know and how well you know it! Online tutoring companies like Tutor.com, TutorMe and Studypool hire tutors to share their expertise with students on a wide variety of topics.

Just make sure you proceed with caution when deciding which tutoring gig to take. Some of the users on these on-demand tutoring sites are really just looking for someone to write their essay or do their homework for them. Use wisdom when sifting through the postings.

2. Become a user experience tester.

Every business hopes their website is informative, helpful, hitting their main objective and oh yeah, making money. But if something isn’t working, the business needs to know why, and a lot of them call in user experience testers to give feedback.

Are you good at determining how user-friendly a website is just by spending a few minutes scanning the webpage? Companies like UserTesting, Analysia and TryMyUI will pay you for your feedback. Most of them boast that you’ll get $10 per test you complete!⁽¹⁾

3. Take surveys to make money.

Look into survey sites like MyPoints, Survey Junkie or Vindale Research where you’ll get paid just for taking surveys and giving your opinion. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, right? Just remember, these sites are looking for specific criteria. So you might have to wait for the right survey to come along that you qualify for. Plus, you’ll have to reach a certain threshold before you can cash out your points. It’s not a get-rich-quick opportunity by any means, but that extra cash can still add up over time. If you’re the patient and persistent type, give it a shot!

4. Get cash back from apps.

There are plenty of mobile apps out there that can show you how to make extra money just by doing simple things. We’re talking really, really easy here—like “grabbing your phone and scanning your receipt” easy. Check out mobile apps like Ibotta, Ebates, Shopkick, Receipt Hogand Dosh to score some extra cash without too much work on your part.

5. Teach English.

It’s kind of like going the tutoring route, except you’re teaching English with a company like VIPKid (a big favorite of fans in our Ramsey Baby Steps Community on Facebook). Now if the word teach makes you a little nervous, don’t worry. They’ll handle all the lesson plans and grading for you. But you do need to have an interest in helping others learn and the ability to guide a class online. Getting paid while helping others? This one truly is a win-win!

6. Get paid for your creative skills.

You’ve got the creative skills but just have to connect with someone who needs your awesome work. Why not freelance in your spare time with Fiverr? The site connects freelancers specializing in writing, editing, graphic design and voice-over work to clients needing those creative minds in their corner.

You’ll create a profile (almost like a résumé) that potential employers can scan to check out your experience, rates and specialties. Get ready to let your creativity flow!

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You could be saving even more money! Connect with a local pro to learn how.

How to Make Extra Money With a Side Job

7. Get paid for your photos.

Are you a shutterbug? Do you have photos of gorgeous sunsets and perfectly staged lattés cluttering up your camera roll? You can make extra money for your photos without having to be a professional photographer. Foap will pay $5 for every picture someone purchases from you.

Keep in mind there’s no guarantee your photos will be purchased. But even if you only sell a few, that’s some easy money for something you’ve already done.

8. Drive for Uber or Lyft.

If you’re strapped for cash but want to work on your own schedule, you might want to consider becoming a driver for Uber or Lyft. You can drive as much (or as little) as you want and set your own schedule. Plus, you get the added bonus of having interesting conversations along the way (or at the very least some colorful stories to tell of your travels with strangers).

Of course, the amount of money you make depends on your location and how often you cart people around. So if you have a free Saturday every now and again, you might want to spend it as a glorified taxi exploring your city and getting paid for it.

9. Become a food delivery driver.

Not too keen on shuttling people around? We totally get it. How about dropping off a to-go order of burgers and fries instead? Driving for Uber Eats, Grubhub or Postmates is a great way to make extra money in your free time just by delivering food to hungry clients. Bonus points: Your car is going to smell amazing. We’re already kind of jealous of you, really.

10. Join a focus group.

If you like sharing your opinion, why not get paid for it? Check to see if there’s a local focus groupyou can sign up for in your area. You could earn cash just for giving your thoughts on things like taste tests or product comparisons. Just make sure you fit the demographic they’re looking for before applying.

11. Deliver groceries.

If you love the thrill of shopping but don’t want to spend your own money, this might interest you. With Shipt, you get paid to shop and deliver groceries to clients through their on-demand service. According to the company, their shoppers make anywhere from $16 to $22 an hour!⁽²⁾Getting paid for shopping? Sign us up!

12. Take up babysitting.

One of the easiest ways to make extra money is to babysit for a couple nights a week. And it might be easier than you think to land a gig. Most parents are always eager to have a date night! But sometimes finding a qualified sitter they trust can be tricky.

Let people in your friend group, church and workplace know you’d be happy to watch their children in your spare time (they need to pay you, of course). And if it’s a little awkward for you to spread the news by word of mouth, you can always sign up for a service like SitterCity or Care.com to help you land some babysitting jobs.

13. Start pet sitting.

Are you an animal lover at heart? How about making some extra money just by taking a dog for a walk or boarding a cat for the weekend? You can advertise your own pet-sitting business on social media, put up signs throughout your neighborhood, or use a website like Rover. They let you set your schedule and adjust your fees as you see fit. If you do use Rover, keep in mind that they take a cut of what you make.⁽³⁾

14. Advertise on your car.

File this one under both super weird and the ultimate definition of the phrase passive income. The app Wrapify will pay you to drive with a business advertisement wrapped around your car. Once the car is wrapped, you really don’t have to do anything except drive like you normally do.

It sounds strange, but it’s actually pretty lucrative: The more you drive, the more you’ll earn. Wrapify says the average person who does a full wrap on their car makes about $264–$452 a month.⁽⁴⁾ If you’re paying off your car loan, that’s a car payment right there!

15. Do tasks for people.

If you’re just trying to figure out how to make money on the side with quick fix-it jobs or running errands, TaskRabbit might be your best bet. You can do all kinds of things from yard work to assembling furniture. This is the perfect way to make extra money if you like to tinker with things—you, MacGyver, you.

16. Deliver for Amazon.

There’s nothing quite like getting a package delivered to your front door, especially when it comes from Amazon. Everyone loves Amazon, so why not spend a few nights a week driving around town bringing people joy? Sign up to deliver packages with Amazon Flex and set your schedule for as much or as little as you want to work.

17. Turn your commute into cash.

Between commuting to work and driving the kids to soccer practice, most of us spend plenty of time in our cars. So why not make extra money while you’re riding around? With Roadie you can get paid just for driving a package (or even a pet!) from point A to point B along your route.

And check your area for apps that reward you for carpooling around town. Here in Nashville, we have Hytch, which lets you earn cash for each mile you carpool with one or more people. You’re already driving into work each day, so why not get paid for it too?

18. Become a photographer.

If you have a nice camera and a good eye, snapping a few photos might be just the thing you need to figure out how to make extra money. You can go as all-in with this as you want. Maybe you only shoot family sessions and birthday cake smashes on the weekends. Or maybe you decide to start a business as a wedding photographer! The choice really is up to you.

Check the going rates for sessions in your area and consider setting your prices a little lower to stick it to your competition. Let’s say you make $75–$100 a session. That can add up pretty fast!

19. Take up car washing/detailing.

If you’re a major car enthusiast, this might be a natural fit for you! And you probably already have the tools you need. It’s amazing how many people are eager to pay someone else to do things they don’t want to do. You can even make the business mobile and meet your customers wherever they are!

20. Start a blog.

If you’ve got something to say, chances are people might read it! The great thing about a blog is you can focus on nearly any topic you want to. If you’re a great cook, do a food blog. Or maybe fashion is your true love. If you’re passionate about fitness and nutrition, start a health blog.

Just be prepared with this one. You can definitely make good money with a blog . . . but you can also end up making next to nothing. Okay, maybe that’s extreme. But you get the idea. Using things like Google AdSense or affiliate marketing and even becoming a brand ambassador or influencer can really  impact your readership and the cash you make.

21. Start your own business.

If you’re just looking for a quick way to make cash on nights or weekends for a short stretch of time, then maybe this one isn’t for you. But if you’re ready to turn your dream of starting your own business into a reality, there’s never been a better time to do it! Online platforms like Etsy, Amazon FBA and Big Cartel have made it easier than ever.

22. Ask for a raise/get promoted.

This one is going to take some guts, cowboy. But if you don’t ask, you’ll never know, right? Just make sure you go in with a game plan. Set aside some time to talk to your boss about all the wins you’ve brought to the company this year. Don’t just go in asking for more money. Back up what you’re asking for with results that prove it’s justified.

If your company only dishes out raises and promotions once a year at review time, be aware of that too. Make sure you’re doing what you can to grow, engage and get results in the meantime.

How to Make Extra Money by Selling or Renting

23. Rent your home.

If you have a spare bedroom or can stay with your in-laws or friends on short notice, you might want to consider renting out your home on Airbnb. Let’s say you decide to rent out your upstairs guest room and bathroom. Here in the Nashville area, you’d have a monthly earning potential of $1,041.⁽⁵⁾ Not too shabby at all!

But what about the risks of opening up your home to strangers? Airbnb offers accidental damage coverage on your home (up to a million dollars of coverage, to be exact). They also offer host protection insurance just in case a guest gets hurt while staying on your property.

While Airbnb doesn’t screen each individual guest, they do let hosts and guests rate each other. That way you can feel more at ease about who you’re letting into your house.

24. Rent out your car.

If you have a vehicle that just sits in your garage for long stretches of time, you might find a car rental service like Turo is one of the easiest ways to make extra money. Let’s say you list your 2014 Nissan Maxima in Denver, CO. If you rent out your car for just 11 days a month, Turo says you could make around $385. That’s over $4,600 a year!⁽⁶⁾

And don’t worry: The company covers your vehicle with $1 million of liability insurance as well as theft and damage coverage. So let your renter hit the open road while you sit back and count the money they just paid you. Vroom vroom!

25. Get rid of old movies, music and electronics.

Channel your inner minimalist and get rid of all those dusty DVDs or CDs on your entertainment stand or in boxes under your bed. And make the whole process easier with Decluttr. You can scan the bar codes of items you don’t want anymore and see how much money the company will give you. Instead of waiting around for a buyer to maybe purchase your item, the company itself will buy your items outright. See ya later, Godzilla DVD.

26. Rent out your baby gear.

Do you have baby items taking up space in your garage, but you aren’t ready to part with them yet? After all, you might want another kid . . . maybe one day. Instead of selling that high chair or baby jumper, why not rent them? Oh, we’re serious. On websites like goBaby, cribs can go for $10 to $50 a day, and strollers can collect $15 to $40 a day.⁽⁷⁾

27. Sell unwanted stuff.

Sift through your hall closet, attic and garage for everything you don’t use anymore. What can you live without? Of course, you can always sell items on eBay and Craigslist. But don’t forget about apps like LetGo, VarageSale, Poshmark and thredUP that make it even easier to make extra money by selling secondhand stuff.

28. Sell your children’s clothes.

Let’s be honest. Those little people grow out of their clothes faster than you can keep up. When it’s time to get rid of the clothes they’ve outgrown, you have a few options. Put them out in your standard yard sale, sell them to a consignment store, or post them on social media. Apps like Kidizen are specially designed for selling your kid’s gently used threads. And of course, you can use other sites like Poshmark, thredUp, Craigslist and eBay to sell children’s clothing too.

29. Sell your unused gift cards.

Aunt Betsy gave you a PacSun gift card for Christmas and you’ve never even set foot in the place. Instead of letting the gift card collect dust, sell it! Websites like Raise let you sell your unwanted gift cards and make a little kickback off of them. After all, every gift card deserves a loving home, doesn’t it?

30. Rent your belongings.

Okay, we already talked about renting out your home, car and even your old baby items. What else is there? Oh, only everything else. The popular renting company, Fat Llama (we know), lets you rent out nearly any of your belongings!

Some of the in-demand items are camera equipment, projectors, lighting, and audio equipment. So if you’re a photographer, videographer or just a tech-gadget-lover you might make a good amount. But remember, you can rent out nearly anything—even your lawn mower. . . or tractor. . . or scooter. Who knew!

Give It a Shot

Try a few (or all 30) of these and see if you can generate a nice little chunk of change. Then use that extra cash to hit money goals like paying off debt, saving up for your emergency fund, or putting a little extra toward retirement. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you can do with a few extra dollars in your pocket.

No matter how you decide to bring home extra money, having a budget is essential for reaching your goals. Get our free budgeting tool, EveryDollar, to track exactly where all of those extra dollars are going.

TED Talk: How to Speak Up For Yourself

You Tube: Daniel Goldman EI

I started my Management class today. Here’s something I thought was good.

Reblog: Examples of the Best Skills to Include on Resumes

What skills should you include on your resume? Which skill set will help you get hired? As well as providing a history of your experience, your resume is the perfect place to highlight your strengthsand abilities.

A link add from PVCC.

Check this link for more on this topic.

Jamie’s Car Buying Experience

So the used car shopping is quite the experience. Thankfully we were not rushed to make a decision. We waited for the right car and after the first two months of car ownership, Jamie still loves it. God came through and I am very thankful.

I wanted to document our resources in case we ever have to do this again:

My brother pointed us to kkb.com which is the Kelly Blue Book site. That was very helpful and also carcomplaints.com which also took a lot of the guess work out of knowing one bad model or year from another. A friend also gave us Edmunds.com which is a site the used car salesman use to find internet deals from other dealerships. I contacted AAA because they have a car buying service for their customers but they didn’t deal with car in the price range we were looking. I may use them if I ever need a different car.

Congratulations to Jamie for another giant step into adulthood!

TED Talk: Melissa Marshall: Talk nerdy to me

Melissa Marshall brings a message to all scientists (from non-scientists): We’re fascinated by what you’re doing. So tell us about it — in a way we can understand. In just 4 minutes, she shares powerful tips on presenting complex scientific ideas to a general audience.

TED Talk: Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe

Recovery Girls: Detaching with Love

Chenille shares here about her experiences of detaching with love. Sometimes in relationships we can become involved in unhealthy ways, where we are trying to control or change another person. The goal is for me to take care of my side of the street and love others as they are attending to their side. It can be hard to let go of someone else when they are engaged in destructive behaviors, but we are guided by scripture to guard our hearts and trust in God’s sovereignty as we practice healthier ways of relating.

Reblog: 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do

by Dr. Travis Bradberry

We all reach critical points in our lives where our mental strength is tested. It might be a toxic friend or colleague, a dead-end job, or a struggling relationship. Whatever the challenge, you have to see things through a new lens, and take decisive action if you want to move through it successfully.

It sounds easy, but it isn’t.

It’s fascinating how mentally strong people set themselves apart from the crowd. Where others see impenetrable barriers, they see challenges to overcome.

Too many people succumb to the mistaken belief that mental strength comes from natural, unteachable traits that belong only to a lucky few. It’s easy to fall prey to this misconception. In reality, mental strength is under your control, and it’s a matter of emotional intelligence (EQ).

 

Emotional intelligence is the “something” in each of us that is a bit intangible. It affects how we manage behavior, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions to achieve positive results.

 

Despite the significance of EQ, its intangible nature makes it very difficult to know how much you have and what you can do to improve it if you lack it. You can always take a scientifically validated test, such as the one that comes with the Emotional Intelligence 2.0 book.

 

Unfortunately, quality (scientifically valid) EQ tests aren’t free, so I’ve analyzed the data from the million-plus people TalentSmart has tested in order to identify the behaviors that are the hallmarks of high emotional intelligence. This data shows that what you don’t do is just as important as what you do when it comes to EQ.

 

The beauty of EQ is that it’s a flexible skill that you can easily improve with effort. Absolutely anyone can enhance their EQ by emulating the habits of emotionally intelligent people. If you’re up for it, start with these critical things that emotionally intelligent people are careful to avoid. They consciously avoid these behaviors because they are tempting and easy to fall into if one isn’t careful.

 

1. They don’t stay in their comfort zone. Self-awareness is the foundation of EQ, and increasing your self-awareness isn’t comfortable. You can’t increase your EQ without pushing yourself to discover what you need to work on and what you should be doing differently. This is hard because when you take a really good look at yourself, you aren’t going to like everything you see. It’s more comfortable to keep the blinders on, but they make certain that you’ll never have a high EQ.

2. They don’t give in to fear. They say that bravery is being scared to death to do something and doing it anyway. Many times, that’s true, even when it comes to your career. The fear doesn’t have to come from something as extreme as rushing into a burning building; it can be a fear of public speaking or going out on a limb to try for a promotion. If you use fear as an excuse not to do something, you’ve already lost. It’s not that emotionally intelligent people aren’t afraid—they simply pick themselves up and fight on regardless of the fear.

 

3. They don’t stop believing in themselves. Emotionally intelligent people persevere. They don’t give up in the face of failure, and they don’t give up because they’re tired or uncomfortable. They’re focused on their goals, not on momentary feelings, and that keeps them going even when things are hard. They don’t take failing to mean that they’re a failure. Likewise, they don’t let the opinions of others keep them from chasing their dreams. When someone says, “You’ll never be able to do that,” they regard it as one person’s opinion, which is all it is.

 

4. They don’t beg for attention. People who are always begging for attention are needy. They rely on that attention from other people to form their self-identity. Emotionally intelligent people couldn’t care less about attention. They do what they want to do and what needs to be done, regardless of whether anyone is stroking their ego.

5. They don’t act like jerks. People who act like jerks are unhappy and insecure. They act like jerks because they don’t have the emotional strength to be nice when they don’t feel like it. Emotionally intelligent people place high value on their relationships, which means they treat everyone with respect, regardless of the kind of mood they’re in.

6. They don’t hold grudges. The negative emotions that come with holding onto a grudge are actually a stress response. Holding onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body and can have devastating health consequences over time. Researchers at Emory University have shown that holding onto stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means you’re holding onto stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this at all costs.

7. They don’t hang around negative people. Negative people are bad news because they wallow in their problems and fail to focus on solutions. They want people to join their pity party so that they can feel better about themselves. People often feel pressure to listen to negative people because they don’t want to be seen as callous or rude, but there’s a fine line between lending a sympathetic ear to someone and getting sucked into their negative emotional spiral. Emotionally intelligent people avoid getting drawn in by setting limits and distancing themselves from negative people when necessary. Think of it this way: If a person were smoking, would you sit there all afternoon inhaling the second-hand smoke? You’d distance yourself, and you should do the same with negative people.

 

8. They don’t feel sorry for themselves. Here’s the worst thing about feeling sorry for yourself, other than it being annoying, of course: it shifts your locus of control outside yourself. Feeling sorry for yourself is, in essence, declaring that you’re a helpless victim of circumstance. Emotionally intelligent people never feel sorry for themselves because that would mean giving up their power.

 

9. They don’t feel entitled. Emotionally intelligent people believe that the world is a meritocracy and that the only things that they deserve are those that they earn. People who lack EQ often feel entitled. They think that the world owes them something. Again, it’s about locus of control. Emotionally intelligent people know that they alone are responsible for their successes or failures.

 

10. They don’t close their minds. When people close their minds to new information or opinions, it’s typically because they find them threatening. They think that admitting that someone else is right means that they’re wrong, and that’s very uncomfortable for people lacking EQ. Emotionally intelligent people aren’t threatened by new things; they’re open to new information and new ideas, even if it means admitting that they are wrong.

 

11. They don’t let anyone limit their joy. When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from comparing yourself with others, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally intelligent people feel good about something they’ve done, they don’t let anyone’s opinions or accomplishments take that away from them. While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare yourself with others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within. Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain—you’re never as good or bad as they say you are.

12. They don’t get eaten up by jealousy and envy. Emotionally intelligent people understand that the happiness and success of others doesn’t take away from their own, so jealousy and envy aren’t an issue for them. They see success as being in unlimited supply, so they can celebrate others’ successes.

 

13. They don’t live in the past. Failure can erode your self-confidence and make it hard to believe you’ll achieve a better outcome in the future. Most of the time, failure results from taking risks and trying to achieve things that aren’t easy. Emotionally intelligent people know that success lies in their ability to rise in the face of failure, and they can’t do this if they’re living in the past. Anything worth achieving is going to require your taking some risks, and you can’t allow failure to stop you from believing in your ability to succeed. When you live in the past, that is exactly what happens—your past becomes your present and prevents you from moving forward.

Bringing It All Together

Improving your emotional intelligence is the single most important thing you can do to improve your life. The good news is that you can make it happen with a little determination, effort, and a good model to follow.

 

find the original post here.

Reblog: 10 of the Greatest Leadership Questions Ever Asked

by Ron Edmondson

Have you ever heard the phrase, “There are no bad questions”?

In leadership, this might be true.

I have learned in my years of leadership – I only know what I know. And, many times I don’t know much. There are often things among the people I am trying to lead which I need to know – and, for whatever reason – I won’t know unless I ask. Which means I must continually ask lots of questions.

One of the best skills a leader can develop is the art of asking the right questions – and, even better – at the right times.

Here are 10 of the greatest leadership questions ever asked:

1. How can I help you?
2. What is the biggest challenge you have to being successful here?
3. Do you understand what I’ve asked you to do?
4. What am I missing or what would you do differently if you were me?
5. What do you see I can’t see?
6. How can I improve as your leader?
7. If we had authority to do anything – and money was no barrier – what would you like to see us do as a team/organization?
8. Where do you see yourself someday and how can I assist you in getting there?
9. What are you currently learning which can help all of us?
10. How are you doing in your personal life and is there any way I can help you?

You can rephrase these for your context and within the relationships you have with people with whom you serve. You can certainly add your own questions. But, if you are attempting to lead people, may I suggest you start asking questions.

Find the original post here.

Re TED: Legos for Grownups

I’m posting this for my son, Nathan. He loves legos and at 9 years old would love to create with legos to earn a living one day. Looks like it might be possible, who knows.

Re You Tube:7 Great Ways to Start a Conversation With Anyone

A great 3 minute video.

 

Re You Tube: Ode to the Driving Instructors

I’ve just started teaching my 22 year old to drive. She has been apprehensive up to this point but doing a good job thus far.  This Bob Newhart stetch was brought to mind. He is one of my favorite comedians. ~Beth

Reblog: Ten Principles for Personal Productivity

From Desiring God
This is a 11 min. audio and transcript from John Piper on Productivity

Here’s the link.

My Re-organization of Fabrics

It took me about 2 1/2 months, working in my spare time, to finish up my quilt fabric organization. I’m so happy with how it turned out. I have several items to get quilted and then on to creating more wonderful things.

First I’ll show some before pictures:

These are the 2 basic shelves I had and all my fabrics were in these boxes labeled with color or themes of the fabrics.

I purchased acid free comic book backs from EBay to wrap my fabrics in. I had to order several times to have enough. I cut them in half for my fat quarters and half yard pieces. I also got boxes from Costco to cut down to hold the smaller bundles of fabrics. I didn’t want to buy anything I didn’t have to so cut down and turned my banker boxes on their sides to see what I have.

So after some thought, I placed my fat quarters and small bundles in front of the larger fabric lengths of the same color or theme. It’s worked out well. I have a shelf of backing fabrics and a shelve of favorite fabrics.

I hope you are inspired. This exercise has shown me I do not have to buy fabric for a loooong time. LOL.