This year on RichSingleMomma I tried to focus more on the financial side of single motherhood. It can be ugly sometimes but it doesn’t have to be a permanent state. With planning, budgeting, and a little ingenuity we can turn things around.
Here are the top 9 post on the website. Most relate to money but there are a few other top posts in there too. Click the titles to read the posts.
This is pretty self explanatory. I highlighted 7 free budget worksheets for single moms to use. Getting your money under control is top priority if you want to see more in the future.
This post has been a the top for a while. Let’s face it, sometimes we hate being single moms but it’s not because of the kids but because of the bad wrap we get in the media, the crazy remarks of family, friends, and stranger too. Check out what makes me the craziest about being a single mom. Don’t judge me 😉
A single mom wrote me needing advice about how to get some quick cash. In this post I shared a few ways she could get some quick cash. You might find a few ideas to help you in a crunch.
Sometimes we have to sell stuff to get cash in hand. This post lists 15 ways you can do that by selling your stuff. Sometimes we have to part with cherished items until we get back on our fee.
This is one of my favorite posts. I’ve seen it time and time again. Single moms gripe, complain, incarcerate, and malign their baby’s father for not paying child support. Sure it’s hard and it’s unfair, but to live in a state of constant fighting is not the way to get what you need. I am suggesting a better way to get your needs met.
This post is about me and my kids going to the Disney on Ice event. It was fun and a blast to see all the Disney Princesses. We got to see them all again at a recent trip to Disney World too.
This post is a backup post to the Ignore Deadbeat Daddies post. It’s for single moms who are new to the game because they got divorced, their husband passed away, or they were deserted by their boyfriend. The goal is to help them (and you) see that you can become self-sufficient and financially independent even though you are a single mom.
Raising a kid on $12k a year seems impossible, but with a lot of creativity and using the resources around you it can work. This post is about how to budget your money when money is very tight. I did it and you can too!
Well those are the top articles on RichSingleMomma.com. Go read them if you haven’t already and leave a comment if you have already read them. Share them with other single moms you know and come back to see what’s in store for next year. I’m declaring 2013 The Year of Living Fearlessly and Fabulously. I hope you will make that the theme for your 2013 as well.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Extra money is a constant need in any family or lifestyle. With taxes, loans, credit cards, and other unavoidable expenses, a little extra cash would be pretty helpful, especially with the upcoming holidays around the corner. Consider these following tips when finding motivation and new means of getting extra cash.
In most cases, it’s almost a bad idea not to have multiple streams of income coming in. A great way to make extra money is to utilize your skills and talents and make money off of that. Doing things that you are passionate about to make extra money is good motivation, and a rewarding side hustle. If you don’t have anything you’re passionate about, try to do services or create services that people need (or want) and fulfill them. Another way to make money is by taking a class on starting your own business through your local Chamber of Commerce; you don’t have to have an MBA to run a business.
Making extra money doesn’t have to be consistent at first as long as it’s helping to meet what you need or want. Either way, having extra money can always help towards your savings or rainy day funds like mentioned in a previous article. For more ideas check out: richsinglemomma.com/weblog/category/side-hustles.
A lot of times, we as a nation are unable to look outside mainstream products and services. We tend to end up missing better opportunities for ourselves and our family when we follow the crowd, or “do as we are told”. One of the things that America struggles with is finding a secure bank or “cheap” bank to put our money in. Putting your money in a “safer” and “free” place is to your best interest.
Joining a Credit Union can help avoid outrageous bank fees and limitations of how much money you need to have in your own account. Banks are notorious for finding a reason to nickel and dime you, and most times there are penalties and fees. This, most times, is due to the fact that banks make money off of your money by lending it out to others through loans; how unfair is that?! Sometimes a credit union may be available through your employer, your state, or your school, like Georgia’s Own Credit Union and The Delta Credit Union with Delta Airlines.
Wouldn’t it be nice to hold on to ever cent that you earn instead of handing it over to someone else? Why be charged to save money and earn money? If you follow these steps, you will be on a better track to becoming financially fit!
Well I’m back in school and I’m loving it (no this is not a McDonald’s commercial)! I just love learning and I love it when my learning increases my earning potential. This photo is of the books I am using for my Java Programming course. I will be a certified Java Programmer after I finish the class and take the exam.
Are you wondering why I’m taking Java programming of all things? Welp, it’s for a couple of reasons. First because it’s the foundation class for the mobile application development course I’m going to be taking. Second, because it’s FREE!!! Yep, I said free. I’ll get to how that’s possible a little later. But first let me answer why I’m taking this class after I’ve published a book which should increase my earning potential.
I’m an IT Geek So I Say It Loud and Proud!
I love ideas, I love graphic design, and I love technology. I’m an IT (information technology) professional in real life so this is a perfect fit for me. I will be designing mobile applications (the kind you have on your smart phone) once I complete the course. Developing mobile apps will make me giddy with happiness because it combines all the things I love. Plus, I get to earn a pretty penny (or lots of pennies) on top of that.
The Earning Potential is Phenomenal
How much? Well let me put it this way; it is rumored that ESPN paid $100k to get their Fantasy Football app created. That is not chump change. The average app cost anywhere from $5,000-$10,000 to be developed. This is for a custom app. So for me, the earning potential runs in the six-figures if I develop apps for medium to large companies. If create my own apps the earning potential is greater because I get all the profits. Some app developers are earning millions…you remember Angry Birds don’t you?
How I Get to Go to School for Free
I am confident my education will pay off in huge dividends. The best part is I get to go to school for free. I bet you were waiting for that part. Well a few months ago I wrote about losing my job. I was out of work for a year and collecting unemployment. Each week I had to submit my report so I could get the check. One day I was on the DOL (department of labor) website and decided to look into training.
I called the office and got information about the WIA (Workforce Initiative Act) training programs. I was told I may be eligible for the program and to show up at the designated place at the designated time for an information session. I went and had to complete paperwork as well as turn in other information.
That was in June or July of this year. I was told it would be a while before I knew if I was accepted because funding had to come in from the State. Getting accepted into the program meant I could choose a school and the State would pay all expenses including books and certification exams. The point is to get people on unemployment back to work by upgrading their skills.
Back in School for a Short Time to Earn More Money for a Lifetime
Long story short….I got accepted into the program. I chose the school I wanted to attend and started more paperwork. The school I chose encourages their students to start their own business so they have a session to teach and provide entrepreneurial skills. So here I am, back in school for about a 4-6 weeks to learn Java programming and mobile app development. I will get my certification and begin a new career path that will net me more money as I continue to journey toward financial freedom.
The moral of the story? Never stop learning!
Are you back in school? Do you have a technical certificate or degree?
How do you plan to increase your earning potential in 2013 and beyond?
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
I’m sure you’ve seen the latest jewelry trends on the runway and in the stores. Did you know half of the trends you see started at someone’s kitchen table? Jewelry is no different. Visit any arts and crafts show or festival this year, and next year you will see the same designs being sold for retail. If you have any kind of creativity you can design and make handmade jewelry.
Materials for Handmade Jewelry Side Hustle
To get started you need basic tools including:
Needle nose pliers or other multi-use tool
Multi-gauge wires
Chains
Charms
Beads
Closures / Findings
How Much to Start this Side Hustle
If you are starting out making simple jewelry pieces your investment can be as little as $20. It will depend on the complexity of your pieces and the quality of your materials. There are jewelry kits for beginners that you can get on Amazon, at Michael’s, or other craft stores.
Level of Difficulty of this Side Hustle
The level of difficulty for making jewelry ranges from super easy to challenging. It will depend on what you are making. A simple pair of earrings can take less than a minute to make. If you are making your own crystals it could take weeks because you have to go through an intense process and a lot of heat to make them.
Where to Sell Handmade Jewelry
The number of places to sell your jewelry seems endless. You have the choice to see at arts and crafts shows, at yard sales, on consignment, hair salons, home parties or on your own website. You can also sell on numerous craft selling marketplaces such as: Etsy
Yardsellr Art Fire Lily Shop Bonanza
Jewelry Wonder
How Much Money Can You Make Selling Handmade Jewelry?
You can make as much or as little as you want selling handmade jewelry. It will depend on the uniqueness and quality of your pieces. For example, if you see a simple pair of dragonfly earrings for $10 each you could make $100 if you sell 10 pair. Depending on if you sell on your own website or through one of the online marketplaces listed above, you may or may not have to give up a small percentage of your sales. The faster you can make jewelry and the higher the demand for your pieces the better your chance of making a nice profit. Of course you have to let people know that you have amazing handmade jewelry for sale. Do this through social media, advertising, offering specials and discounts, and using a variety of marketing methods.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Did you pick up the Single Mom Survival and Success Kit? If so you know part of the kit includes 200 side hustles to make extra money, because, let’s face it, sometimes you just need extra money. That sounds great at first but how do you choose the right side hustle or method for you?
To choose the best business for you I’ve put together a quick guide for choosing the right business for you. Download the Side Hustle Business Worksheet to come up with the right business for you.
1. Look at Your Past Jobs
In looking at your past jobs decide if you want to continue doing that kind of work. My professional career was technical writing so I decided to use my writing skills to make extra money on the side.
2. Take a Second Look at Your Hobbies
Is it something you can turn into a business? Do people rave about your knitting, cooking, photography? One of the things I enjoyed doing was baking. My mom taught me how to bake when I was 10 years old. I turned that hobby into a cake business at a young age.
3. Take Inventory of Your Skills
Make a list of all the skill you have learned over the years. You could have learned these skill on the job or in school. That skill is the thing that could bring in $1,000 or more in extra income per month.
4. Make a List of the Results
Once you think about all the jobs, hobbies, skills and natural talents, make a list and pick the top three things that appeals to you the most. Next do an informal survey of your family, friends, and network to determine if they would pay for the service you are thinking of offering.
5. See if There is a Market for Your Side Hustle
Another way to determine if the service you might offer will be profitable is to see if there are many people looking for the service online. Use Google keyword tool to do an exact search for phrases related to your service. For example, if you plan to offer dog grooming service enter the phrase “dog grooming service in [your city]” into the keyword tool. Be sure to click the exact phrase option on the left side of the screen. Your search results should be at least 10-20K or more searches for your phrase.
6. Do the $100 Side Hustle Business Test
Finally, place an ad on Craigslist or other free classified ad for your service. If you make at least $100 you may have a good service to offer. If not choose the next thing on the list and repeat the process. You will find the right business for you.
Additional Side Hustle Business Advice for Moms
Do you need more help deciding what business to start. I can help you come up with at least 5 profitable businesses to choose from. I offer Business Start-up Coaching for Moms in a 45 minute conversation. Click the link above to find out more and start making extra money now!
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Hi! Welcome to RichSingleMomma.com. I started this website almost a decade ago because I couldn't find any blogs back then that helped single moms with money. I was having some success in that area so I decided to share what I knew about side hustles, making extra money, and managing money. Read more...
, at Michael’s, or other craft stores.
