More shout outs.

The other day I did a post that was supposed to be about Making Extra Cash it really turned into a shout out. I wanted to continue to do the shout outs so here they are.

Another single woman (and single mom too boot) Jen at Lifestyle of a Divorced Single Mom, she not only knows how to juggle one income but doing it with more than one kid. She knows the unexpectedness that can come up and the expected that does but you just don't have it to plan for. Not only that but Jen is one of the main reasons I realized I could really do this budgeting thing, she gave me a great spreadsheet that really is detailed and works. She has been doing great at her goal setting and holding herself accountable each month, again she inspired me so look for something new from me soon.

There is Brian (oh, yes a man who happens to be married even so far he has broken the mold on my shout outs), he is the author of Over 40 Overweight and In Debt, I think he's got a correlation there indeed. In fact, I haven't read it yet but Frugal Dad (another great PF blogger) just posted an article on being overweight and in debt. Brian has just gotten back to blogging again and I hope he stays around I always enjoyed that he is just real in his posts he doesn't putz around and make excuses we are both in the same boat here overweight and in debt, maybe with some blogger collaboration we can both attain our goals together. I'm so excited to read Frugal Dad's article today and hopefully Brian will see it too.

One of the more successful single moms in the PF blogosphere is Single Ma at Fabulous Financials. She really is an inspiration about being all you can be and striving for the best. While I can tell we don't have the same career interests we do have similar mind frames. When I see that she has gotten so far and worked hard but I can go back and read that she too made mistakes along the way I'm inspired. Like Jen at Lifestyle of a Divorced Single Mom, Single Ma is a great goal setter and a true inspiration. Single Ma is a the point I could be at if I had worked things differently, while I was in a feel sorry for myself phase about being a single, unwed, teen aged mom she was out working her goals for the future and it shows. In fact, her blog is ear marked and her about me section is shared with any new teen mom I come across.

There are so many that deserve a shout out but many of you probably already know about Trent at The Simple Dollar, Weakonomics, The New Frugal Mom, not to be confused with The Frugal Girl, Spilling Buckets, Smarty Pig, My Money Shrugged and many more you can see on my blog roll.

If you know of others not on my blog roll or in my shout outs I'd love to read them, many of the people I read daily are found through others blog rolls so I encourage all of you to update yours frequently. I plan on making it a periodic thing I do.

Making extra cash

Recently, I posted about earning some extra money and starting a side business. I was really excited, and I'm still in the beginning stages of starting what Samantha Gregory @ Rich Single Momma calls a Side Hustle (I just love that name for earning extra cash).

Samantha isn't the only blogger I've been reading who posts about earning extra income Dawn at Fighting Foreclosure has some really great ideas too. In fact I'm having a garage sale this weekend, she just had one too. I was going to sell books online with what I read from Dawn's blog but decided against it, I don't have the space to store them so off they go into the garage sale. I will be selling my textbooks online though and it will be helpful to re-read Dawn's on-line bookstore posts.

I really enjoy reading blogs from other single women making it by budgeting and being financially healthy, by far because I have been a single woman making it on my own I relate far more to them. Others out there have some great advice but I have to take it in and apply it to my situation with a little more attention than that of advice or words I've read from another single blogger.

For instance, Immer at Mein Taglich Brots who is starting her journey down the Bankruptcy road, she is a little ahead of me plus its great to know I'm not alone. I'm hoping this garage sale will in part help pay for my attorney to file. Then there is Betty at Bouncing Back from Bankruptcy who has completed the Bankruptcy process and it is refreshing to read her posts to see what life is like for someone afterwards. Oddly, it just occurred to me like both of the other bloggers they are single women too. I think I may come up with a blog roll for people in the PF blogosphere that are single. I find I get the best/most applicable PF information right in those types of blogs.

I read each blog I read though because I enjoy them. This post wasn't meant to be a big shout out but it has turned into one. Perhaps I should change the name, but I think I will leave it alone for now... maybe I'll do a part two later on with more of my thoughts... yes, yes I will.

Disclaimer... if you did not make it in this blog post it isn't because I don't love reading your blog its just that its still early when I started this and the reason I'll be doing a part 2... not everyone will make it but eventually I'll likely have posted your blog at least once on mine because you all have made me think and ponder and evaluate... soon enough you'll write a post and I'll say oh yeah, how cool is that? And I'll want to shout it out to everyone who reads my blog. That's just who I am. Holy, run on sentence.... I'd fix it but if you know me personally you know I probably would have just spoken all that in one big ole run on sentence ha.

More to come on my earning extra cash and thoughts on it....

Photo by: Julie92881

I got my first bite

I think there was a time where I mentioned doing a side business of my own. Well I got my first real bite from a co-worker. YAY!!

In the past I have done some work writing resumes and cover letters for friends. This time it was a paid job, I got paid $25 for less than two hours of work doing a cover letter for a co-worker who is moving to a new state and looking for a job there.

Currently, my next phase in this business venture is to get a website up and running. I'm in the process of educating myself on that whole deal. This includes seeing what the costs are for my own website and if I can do it on my own or if I need to hire someone to do that for me.

I'm pretty excited to have my first paid job and he is extremely happy with the results. Now I will have a paid testimony as well as several unpaid testimonies to put onto my website as well. I'd like to get that going and up and running by the end of the month.

My ultimate goal with this is that I will be able to generate enough income to help support my household and purchase health insurance while I finish school. I have enough incentive to really make a go of this and try to make it work.

I found in helping people I'm good at it, I work in customer service as it is. I know what people want and how to make them happy but further I know how to help people turn things around and find resources while they are trying to do so. I was thinking with background and education one of my thoughts is I would be a really great career counselor. Its just a thought right now but I'm on my way to seeing if that is something I would love to do paid by starting this side business.

Have you found motivation?

I lack motivation lately. My last post talked about emotional spending and the problem I've had with it in the past. I'm excited to tell you I have been doing well. I did again overspend... at the grocery store, but not by much. My cupboards, fridge, and freezer were bare because I've been trying to use up stuff that was in there first.

Anyway, I think my ADD is taking me off into other posts ha!

I'm lacking motivation lately, I'm proud of accomplishments I have made but I don't feel motivated to do them. I just do them. I know I'm over scheduled and over booked and that has a lot to do with it. So I've made a decision this morning, well half a decision I need to think it through just a bit, school is out in just a couple of weeks. If I can get through that period then I can make some real progress towards some of my goals. I'll put a few of them on the back burner for now and just get through this rough patch. I'm stressed and being stressed will only make for stressed attempts at my biggest short term/long term goal right now. I'll still make little steps in these two weeks but I'm not going to jump in it full force because I know what that will do to me.

Where do you find your motivation? Do you take a step back ever for the greater good of your goals?

Photo By: Combined Media

New Business Venture

I've been toying with doing some freelance on different things.

I did some research and I know what I'm good at and have had a couple of offers so I think it is time to do some work on it.

Any tips for someone just starting out doing freelance work?