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.

WWYD Wednesday: Buyouts

Around here many face taking a buyout or face possible layoff, as a matter of fact many have already chosen one over the other.

I have many friends who have made one decision over the other. Some have had success with leaving the state after taking a buyout, those that have stayed have not fared well. Others have stayed only to be laid off later without the option of the buyout but have unemployment. Some have opted not to take a buyout and have done well doing so but may still be in danger now.

I work at the airport and I am seeing many taking buyouts from Delta and Northwest and some who are staying as well. My company is contracted and I do not have that option but we face possible layoff as our contract is up for bid now.

I read an article at DetNews.com on this very subject. Many families are facing the decision on what to do.

WWYD if you were faced with the possible fate of the Auto workers here?

If you took a buyout how would you plan so that you don't fall to the fate that others have?

If you would ride it out what would you do to protect yourself financially?

Photo By: Forbes.com

Utilizing Employee Benefits

I have pretty craptastic health and dental insurance fairly good dental and vision. Dental is good because of the orthodontics plan and we are majorly utilizing this. My daughter got braces in September of 2008 and they are mighty expensive if you don't have coverage. In fact, she has 3 dental plans on her until these braces come off. We are lucky in that sense that instead of parenting married we parent jointly, which means my daughter has a step-mom who also carries her on her insurance as well as her father and I.

While those benefits aren't the best I do have benefits at least. However, I also have a ton of other benefits I haven't ever really used. I've decided I'm going to start utilizing them especially the EAP (Employee Assistance Program).

Some of my available benefits in addition to insurance and salary are:

401k - They match. They also contribute even if you aren't contributing how cool is that? I'm not utilizing it to its full potential and I am not contributing at the moment. I think its safe to say that most people have a little anxiety after so many lost so much of their retirements my mom who is 55 lost almost $200k that's a lot of money for someone nearing retirement to loose in their plan. Heck its a lot of money for anyone to loose.

Auto/Home Insurance - This works like a group rate type of thing, you get a discount just for being an employee and other discounts for getting automatic deductions from your paycheck. At the moment I am not eligible for this because the insurance company said they didn't give a reason but you know what I'm going to find out (I think my credit score just sucks enough they don't want me).

Employee Discounts - Too many things to list, hotel discounts, car rentals, cell phone plan discounts, attraction discounts, vehicle discounts (supplier benefit), various home repair discounts (HVAC, plumbing supplies) as we provide these services as well, and really many other items. This will really help whenever I finally buy a home.

Foundation - This is a charity part of the organization I work for, if I do a fundraiser and apply and get approved for a charity of my choice my company will match it. I'll be utilizing this for my 3-Day Walk.

Savings Bonds - I know wha??? That's what I was thinking too but apparently I can purchase them and have a weekly amount taken from my check until they are paid off. Kind of neat, I'll have to check that out more

Scholarships - This is for the children of employees, I don't plan on being here that long but its nice to know if I am my kid can apply and maybe get a scholarship out of the deal

Stock Purchase Plan - I think this has been offered everywhere I've ever been. I've never really participated but one day I will.

Thanks program - This is an employee incentive/recognition program. I don't see it being utilized to its potential at my branch though.

The EAP though, I'm going to utilize that on Thursday to get help financially. They have financial advisers and I think I could benefit even from just a small bit of help here. So many things I can get from the EAP. I'll let you all know how it goes.

What are your benefits you aren't using to their full potential? I urge you to find out what they are and see if there is something offered to you that you aren't using.

Photo By: mathowie

WWYD Wedensday: Leaving a job

In these economic times leaving a job could be a grave mistake. Sometimes though it could make a whole lot of sense.

This is our last Fiscal Year where our contract is valid, and the first time ever the customer is bidding it out. There have been problems with the head honcho here and the customer satisfaction. It really does look like we may be out of here and we aren't hearing a thing about it.

I decided not to actively look but to wait it out and save money just in case (this is what is funding my emergency fund). I also decided after doing the simulator on paying some old stuff off to up my credit score not to do that for now and just work on my emergency fund.

The reasons for this are simple, the job market especially in Michigan is pretty scary and it isn't likely I'll find a decent job. I make better money here than I would someplace (really anyplace else at the moment) I can ride it out here and hope the economy is better in a year to find a job or my emergency fund can float me while getting unemployment to finish school like I wanted when I got laid off a while back.

Don't get me wrong I have my feelers out, I'm working on something to earn extra income, and I'm updating my resume. I'm being proactive but not jumping the gun quite yet. Who knows we could win the bid if I left I could have left a decent paying job (for what I do) for a crap paying job because I was in a panic about something that hasn't happened yet.

WWYD?

Photo by: Amarendra Bhushan