What does a single mom do when she is sick and has small kids? That is the question that was asked on Honoree’s blog. The mom in question was sick and didn’t have anyone to help her. She says her poor kids were being ignored all day but she couldn’t do much for them because of her illness. She wanted suggestions about how to prepare her kids for life’s curve balls, like being too sick to care for them. This is the comment I left:
“Wow! I’ve been there and done that so I know how torturous it is. I think that single moms have to start training their kids to follow instructions for times like these.
When my daughter was four I began training her to do simple things like fix a sandwich, pour milk, answer the phone, and give her baby brother a bottle. By making her a little helper she willingly did what I needed her to do (within reason).
Isolation is a big problem for single moms and it’s so important to be able to call someone. It could be a matter of life and death (or at least days of sickness). We feel so proud and don’t want to burden others but that is counter-productive. You may call a daycare provider, a co-worker, the landlord’s wife, or anyone you deal with everyday for a quick favor.
Tell the kids that you are sick and encourage them to read, watch a DVD, or play quietly. Try to keep plenty of individual snacks, juice boxes, and easy to reach cups for water. Also teach them to clean up after themselves. That will cut down on the mess you will have to clean up later.”
I think it is very important for single moms to be proactive in training their kids to take care of themselves early. It is the fallout from being the child of a single parent, but the payoff is priceless. You will end up with very capable kids who know how to take care of themselves.
I started the practice early with my kids so now they do the basics without much prompting from me now. They both can prepare a basic meal (yes even my 8-year-old son) when they get hungry and I am swamped with work or doing other household chores. I decided early on that I didn’t want them to be crippled with dependence on me. I also knew I would never get anything done if I had to do everything.
In addition to preparing a simple meal, I’ve taught my kids how to clean their bathroom, do the dishes, wash their clothes (or at least put them in the washer), and iron. These tasks have progressed in difficulty as they’ve gotten older. I make sure they do age appropriate things.
I am just about ready to send my daughter to the store now but she has four more years before she can drive. So I’ll just settle for letting her run in for something quick while I wait in the car.
How do you prepare your kids for life’s curve balls?
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.
During this time of year, everyone has to report how much income they made last year. You will probably receive a tax refund of a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars. Hopefully, you are not one of those people that blow the money on useless things, worst yet on things that will not make you any money for the rest of the year.
The top 5 things tax refunds are used on are:
Vacations
Furniture
Debt/Bills
Electronics
Savings
The ways financial experts say you should spend it include:
Save it
Invest it
Splurge
Fund College Education
In the past, I’ve used my tax refunds to pay down bills, go on vacation, buy computers and televisions, and give away to family or friends. I still have some of the things I bought including the computer I am using to type this article and the television my son is watching right now. I still have the vacation memories and pictures.
The money I gave away? Well, I’ll never see it again. Even the little portion I saved is gone because I had to use it for some “emergency”. I regret that I did not use the money more wisely. I enjoyed the things I spent the refund on for the moment, but it did not have a lasting benefit.
Now that tax season is here again I thought I’d share one of the smartest ways you can use your tax refund for the longest term benefit possible. Using this method will solve the number one problem single mothers have. That problem is not having enough money.
To solve that problem the “experts” say you should reduce your spending and cut cost on as many things as possible. It’s likely you are already doing that but not enough or absolutely no extra money is in your bank account.
So I propose you use a small portion of the tax refund windfall for a more solid investment. To make extra money you should start a part-time business. Now before you get all nervous because you don’t know the first thing about business, let me assure you that you don’t have to know about business to make extra money. When you buy a business in a box or business kit you will have a step-by-step guide from start to finish.
Now your heart is probably beating double time because the thought of buying a business in a box or any other kind of business probably brings up images of spending thousands of dollars like you would in a franchise. That is not what I’m talking about at all.
What I’m suggesting costs less than $50 for a complete business system. Here are seven business ideas to consider even if you don’t feel you have the talent or ability to do anything special.
Part-Time Cleaning Business
Everybody can clean, right? We all learn this skill at a very young age. A cleaning business is pretty much a no-brainer. You do what you would do at home, only 10 times better because you are getting paid. Speaking of getting paid you can make hundreds of extra money a week doing part-time work.
If you are thinking about the economy and that the cleaning business is taking a hit, you are partially right. Residential cleaning has slowed a bit because of layoffs but an office cleaning business is another story. There will always be doctors, dentists, car dealers, and many other offices that need cleaning. You might as well get a piece of the pie and you can get started for less than $50 dollars.
The great thing is you can start almost immediately because you will get the step-by-step instructions as well as all the forms you need to get started.
Tutoring Business
Like the cleaning business, you probably know a lot about one or two academic or career topics. If your favorite subject was history or math you can probably teach it to a student. You can make anywhere from $30-$50 an hour. If you have a degree you can teach your subject for a lot more money.
Starting a tutoring service is simple when you have an expert to show you how. Normally you’d have to pay a lot of money to have someone coach you through the process, but with a business kit, that outlines all the steps and includes forms as well as secrets to getting all the clients you can handle, the process is much easier.
As a bonus, you will be able to build a website from a template as well as interact with other tutors in other parts of the country. You’d have a built-in support system. And since it’s less than $50 you know your tax refund will go much further in benefiting your life than if you spend it on frivolous items.
Bookkeeping Business
If you are one of those people who are good with accounting and bookkeeping you can start your own bookkeeping business. For a few years, I worked as a bookkeeper and had other people asking me if I would help them with their books. It is an in-demand service, especially around tax time. People and businesses are scrambling to get a year’s worth of paperwork in order so they can get their taxes done.
Like the cleaning and tutoring service, you can do this part-time and still make great money in the process. All the instructions are included in the business kit and support is available for you all for less than $50.
T-Shirts, Childcare, Catering, Face Painting Businesses
These are just a few ways to make good use of your tax refund using the skills you have. If you just don’t feel cut out for any of those businesses consider starting a T-shirt business if you are feeling artistic or witty. T-shirts are still very popular and you can make great money designing and selling them.
If you love to cook and entertain you might think about putting your talents and tax refund to good use in a Catering Business. Food never goes out of style and neither does the need for a general or specialty caterer.
Love kids and have space and time because of unemployment? Why not start a home-based daycare? It doesn’t have to be the standard daycare set up for age 0-5 kids. You could do overnight, weekend, or special occasion child care. If you are feeling adventurous you could tutor kids in an after-school program.
Lastly, for a little fun, why not try being a face painter at all the events that cater to kids. Face Painting is one of the most popular attractions at local fairs and events. You could learn how to paint faces and turn it into a thriving part-time face painting business, all with a business-in-a-box to show you how.
I’ve given you many good ideas and reasons why you absolutely must use part of your tax refund to start a business. I’ve shown you how to do it with a business-in-a-box and I’ve explained how it can be done for less than $50. The benefits far outweigh the risk.
So many people, especially moms, have asked me how they can start making extra money and how they can start a business with no money. The reality is any good business requires an investment. But I’ve shown you how you can take what is essentially free money and use it to make the extra money you need for as long as you like with a business of your own.
Taking the initiative to learn how to make extra money is entirely up to you. I can’t imagine you would want to go another year feeling frustrated because you need extra money for bills, tires or repairs for the car, clothes for the kids, or other emergencies that come up. Unfortunately, the tax refund doesn’t last that long if it is not used properly and it is often not enough to cover all the extras that come up during the year.
You have the solution right at your fingertips. Now it’s up to you to take advantage of it and work the business that feels right for you and will help ease the financial burden you experience month after month. Here are the business kits I recommend you invest in. I’ve also included two free ebooks to show you how to start a business and how to market a business. Use them both to enhance the business kit you decide to purchase for under $50 with a small portion of your tax refund this year.
P.S. I make a small commission on the business kit you purchase. Please consider it a love gift to me for bringing you such great content for the last three years!
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.
It’s been almost three months since I’ve seen my daughter. In January, I packed her up and drove her to NYC to start a new life and education at Columbia University. It feels like a dream but it’s real. I never thought I would miss my child this much but every now and again I feel the tears well up in my eyes and I want to cry. Don’t get me wrong, I’m super proud of her and it was me who encouraged her to go to NYC. I have to suck it up and let her live her life.
What led up to her going to Columbia University is quite a story. We never really planned this but preparation brought her to this point. I believe any parent can prepare their kids with the right tools. It doesn’t have to be an Ivy-league school but if you want your child to have the best education there are some steps you want to take.
This video is a summary of what led up to this major life-changing event. If you have questions email me at samantha@richsinglemomma.com.
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.
There are multiple ways to increase your wealth either passively or actively and either with money or time. Here are three ways to add a little (or lot) of moola to your bank account.
If you have been thinking about getting into investing check out Stash. It’s an app that lets you invest as little as $5 for stock like Disney, Facebook, and Apple. Click the button below to get it.
Make extra money with Fiverr just by offering a product or service to people who want it. It’s an easy side hustle to start because it doesn’t cost you anything but time and talent. Click the button below to sign up.
Passive income is easy with the Dosh App. You get money back when you shop, eat, or sleep at a hotel. I wish I had this a few months ago. You don’t have to do anything other than use your debit or credit card. Easy!
Download the Dosh App from the Apple Store or the Google Play store by clicking thisDosh App link. I receive a referral fee for sharing this app with you, which helps me continue to bring great content to you.
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.
Over the last 10 years, I’ve been a blogger in the mom blog/ lifestyle/ personal finance space. My reach is 100k+ across multiple networks. Not massive but not miniature either. I am the first single mom money blogger and I’ve worked with big and small brands on various campaigns.
I get email pitches every day that end up in the trash. Why? Because their pitches are self-serving trash! Yes, it sounds harsh but at the end of the day, I have to protect the integrity of the blog I built with blood, sweat, and tears. I also want to win too. Free stuff doesn’t pay my bills. #sorrynotsorry
FYI… Bloggers are not the same as journalist. We don’t get paid by a boss. We are the boss so we gotta make those coins too through paid promotions, placement, and advertising. Now that you have this background let me share my
7 Strategies to Win With Blog and Social Media Influencers
1. Start with knowing their name and niche.
Everyone loves the sound of their own name so, “Dear Mommy Blogger” gets trashed because you didn’t bother to find out my name. Does your Depend Underwear remotely fit with my makeup and lash blog? Umm, no! Know my niche before you pitch or your email gets ditched. 🤷🏽♀️
2. Offer value to them and their readers.
Remember the universal principle of WIFM (what’s in it for me?). It’s a real thing because nobody really cares about your product until you care about them.
3. Make their life easier.
Be clear about how you’d like to work together. It makes my brain hurt trying to figure out ambiguous emails. Spell it out. Be direct. If you reach second base, send what they ask for, respond within 24 hours, pay on time, read the guidelines.
4. Have a budget or irresistible offer (be prepared to pay to play).
It’s the reality of business. All serious businesses pay for promotion, right? Do you give your products and services for free as a business model? You’d be out of business in 6 months.
5. Promote the write-up.
Sharing on social media after you get a shoutout is the professional thing to do. You get extra points for adding my blog logo with link to the article to your, “As Seen On” section or media page.
6. Don’t expect free promotion (sorry I have to spell it out).
What have you done for me lately that entitles you to a free ride on the gravy train? 🤔 You have to pay to play outchea in these streets. You never know what $50-$150 can get you. Come with a check in hand instead of looking for a hand out. #thatisnotsexy
7. Make sure your product or service Educates. Inspires. Empowers.
If you give these things the money will follow because you gave the readers life-changing value. If it’s self-serving it gets passed over.
Educate a consumer and you gain a customer so teach them, give them advice, make their lives better. They will gladly buy your product because you showed them how it solves their problem. Understand?
Bonus: Build a relationship
Bloggers can be your biggest/ best advocates. Follow up. Work with them again. Use their services (writing, marketing, design, etc.). It might be a match made in heaven.
I hope this was helpful and gives you insight into working with Influencers.
It’s not rocket science so don’t complicate the process.
👉 I’m putting together a resource to help you even more. If you would like it, click the link below to tell me more about your business and I’ll send it to you when it’s ready. 😘 RichSingleMomma.com/influencers
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.
This is was my mantra that changed my life back in 2012. I was tired of being broke and feeling like I would never see the light of day when it came to financial freedom. But this phase came to my mind when I started the journey of freeing my mind from old beliefs and embracing a new way of thinking.
For some people, it’s not an issue to think wealth, prosperity, or abundance, but for me, it was a challenge. For my entire life, all I knew was lack and limitation. I didn’t know that I was allowed to think differently, to expect plenty, or that I could dare hope to be wealthy.
The process of changing my mindset was long. Sometimes I still fall back into old thinking but I quickly recover. What helped me was my love of research and reading coupled with problem-solving.
Being Poor and/or Broke is a Problem
You see, being poor was a problem. It was stressful, embarrassing, and no fun at all! When my friends wanted to go on trips or just out for a simple meal I had to make excuses for why I couldn’t go or pinch pennies to make it happen. It was deeply stressful and I hated every minute of it, but I felt trapped by my upbringing and the religious voices in my head that said, “It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”. Words straight from the bible that had me suck in a rut of poverty mentality.
I later learned that scripture was misquoted to keep people in bondage to fear and scarcity. I was tired and I wanted to be free so I began my quest to find the truth about wealth and prosperity. I read books I never thought I’d read in a million years. I listened to audio books and watched YouTube videos. I had to find the answers I was seeking.
I came across books like The Science of Getting Rich, Think and Grow Rich, The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity, and so many more. I read them all and my mind began to shift. I stopped believing I was born to be poor and began believing I was born to be rich! Goodbye Broke.Hello Prosperity!!!
I’ve decided that I want to help my friends adopt the same mantra that I did a few years ago. It transformed my life so now I don’t scrape by and pinch pennies anymore. It’s not necessary. I’m living a good life and growing prosperous every day. I went from broke to blessed in my mind first, then in my bank account. I don’t struggle with bills, giving my kids what they need, or helping others. (Did you see my Cash App Giveaway on Instagram Thanksgiving week?)
Go From Broke to Blessed!
When you decide to say, Goodbye Broke.Hello Prosperity!,
You can finally pay all the bills and have more money at the end of the month. Pssst…It’s called residual income.
You can invest in Bitcoin or the stock market like I have.
You can take the vacations you’ve always wanted to go on.
You can fix your credit and increase your score so you can buy a house or new care.
You can finally sleep at night because you are not worried about how you are going to make ends meet.
How? Join my mastermind group and get all the tools you need to go from broke to blessed.
The Goodbye Broke. Hello Prosperity! Mastermind
The Goodbye Broke. Hello Prosperity! Mastermind is created for you. You will be connected to women who are in the same boat; learning and growing just like you. You will have the support, encouragement, and accountability to release your old way of think and begin thinking in a new way.
Who this Mastermind isn’t for…
This mastermind is not for everyone. If you prefer complaining, are happy where you are, skeptical, or messy, this mastermind is not for you. If you are afraid to take a risk on your life, afraid of changing the status quo, stuck in a depressed state, or are having trouble letting go of the past it’s not the time for you to join.
Who this Mastermind is for…
But if you are actively searching for change, you want to learn and grow, you feel a call to something better, you’ve invested in a course or program in the last two years, you are willing to show up and do the work, and you have hidden talents you want to exploit, then this mastermind is for you.
You will get access to videos, live sessions with me, and resources that will help you fix your finances, plug any leaks, update your skills, and put you on the path to six-figures or more.
When does it begin?
This is a year-long program that begins January 14, 2018. We will start with a Financial Vision Board Party to create a picture of what you want your financial life to be by the end of the year. It is a powerful exercise you will use over and over again for other parts of your life including love, health, and career.
Are you ready to get started? This program can easily go for $2500 or even $5000 because the content alone will set you up for success for the rest of your life. But I want it to be accessible to single moms who need a break. Believe me, I’ve been there so I know the struggle sometimes. But I also want it to feel like a true investment so you feel the incentive to do the work too! I’ve paid thousands for programs because I wanted the value the experts were giving me.
What’s the investment?
Payment plans are available so you can manage the payments each month. This program is $450 for the year for early birds. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s only $450 to become a member of the Goodbye Broke.Hello Prosperity! Mastermind before December 31, 2017. You can do one payment or up to 12 payments ($37.50 monthly).
How do I join this money transformation program?
Select the payment option below to register now. The early bird cart will close at midnight December 31, 2017, so lock in the rate because it will go up to $750 ($62.50 monthly) on January 1, 2018.
I’m excited to have you in the Goodbye Broke Hello Prosperity mastermind group. I know we are going to have fun learning and growing together in 2018 and beyond.
Click Your Perfect Option Below to Join the Hello Prosperity Mastermind
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...