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Build an Incredible Side Income on Amazon

By
Mike King
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0

Tired of feeling strapped financially? Would you like to cut out your second job? Would you like to quit your job altogether? You are in the correct place!

I am sure you know of the website called Amazon. I want to talk about a new way to make money through Amazon. It is called the “Marketplace Model”.

So what is it? Here are the basic steps:

  1. Find products that are selling.
  2. Create your own branded version of the product.
  3. Find a supplier and test a small order.
  4. Take your product to Amazon.
  5. Finally, expand on Amazon Global Marketplace.

Let’s get into the meat and potatoes! Here we go!

Business Model to Start Selling Private Label Products

  1. Find a System- Find a proven model that works. Not everyone is going to give out their systems for free. There are enough basic tutorials on YouTube that you can piece one together. You could find a hidden gem though. Follow these models and you will get results.
  2. Product Research- You’ll spend a lot of time doing research. Find products that are popular. These will be the ones that sell.
  3. Raise Capital- The phrase it takes money to make money is true. Raising capital is the key to any sustainable business. Set a goal over a six month period. Save X amount of dollars a day. Or you can set aside a certain amount from your paychecks. $1,000-$3,000 is an ideal target. 
  4. Invest- As soon as you hit your monetary target, it’s time to buy. Go buy your product. Start selling.
  5. Buy More Products- Since you are staying ahead of the curve, you’ll know what products are trending. Your first product is selling and you are bringing in money. Once you get your initial investment back, buy a new product. Wash, rinse, and repeat. 

What Do I Sell on Amazon?

This is the biggest hurdle for most individuals. What do I buy? There is a method I read about called the “BEST Method”. Here it is:

  • Boring
    • Find an everyday boring product that sells. I know it’s not exciting or flashy. Remember the exciting part is the income. You need something that sells. Hand Soap and bottled water are good examples of this.
  • Established
    • Only sell items that are established. Remember your research is key here. This is going to be your own brand. So find those best selling boring items. You can’t go wrong here.
  • Sustainable
    • You want to buy and sell products that are sustainable. Things that are always going to be needed. I mean as you can see this toilet paper crisis we have faced is a perfect example. Bottled water is always going to be needed. Soap and Hand Sanitizer are not going anywhere.
  • Tangible
    • These items need to be tangible. It has to be something that your customers can hold and touch.

How Do I Create My Own Product?

Here is the beauty of this whole method. You do NOT have to create your own product. Find products that are already high in demand and selling. Once you find something, here is the magic. 

The idea is to arbitrage these items. You are going to use popularity as leverage. Try thinking outside of the box here. The item is already selling, so find other ways to sell the item. 

Ways of doing this would involve different sales packages. If there is an opportunity to change the size that’s a winner. You can even add a freebie into this. The goal here is to raise the price to where you are still getting a return on your investment. 

All you do is set a price. Buy said products (off brands of them) including the freebie. Then let Amazon take care of the shipping and everything. It’s easy.

Monthly Costs

I already said the ideal investment cost here is $1,000-$3,000. There are some other monthly fees you will need to keep in mind. Here they are:

  • Seller Subscription Fee
    • $39/month
  • FBA Fee
    • Varies due to size, weight, market place, and category. This is your fulfillment (based on dimension and weight) and storage fees (cubic foot per month).

So there you go! These are the basic steps you need to start an Amazon business. I am hoping you have learned something. If you follow these basic steps you will be making money soon. ‘Till next time!

How to Make $1500 a Month as a Podcast Virtual Assistant

By
Mike King
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0

I am pretty sure everyone has heard of a podcast by now. If you haven’t, it is a digital broadcast on any subject. Think of it as a talk show per se, but it’s on the internet and not done on a stage in front of a large audience.

There are almost 900,000 podcasts out there. So that means there are plenty of jobs available. Someone is always looking for something that saves them time. Remember, time is money!

Let’s get started!

Why Do They Need Help?

Like any other job, workplaces have different positions. Everyone has a specialty. It just depends on what you are good at or what your specialization is in. Have any skills in Media Creation, Internet Marketing, or even basic Data Entry? Then there is a job for you out there! 

They outsource for many reasons. They may not have time. Remember time is money. They may not know how to do a task. It takes less time to hire someone than to take the time to learn a skill. Finally, they may not have the desire or care to do a task.

Types of Gigs

Here is a list of jobs that these companies may need.

  • Audio Editing
    • This is a large one. It is time-consuming and also has a little bit of a learning curve. Like any movie, podcasts are almost never perfect. So there needs to be some cleaning up of the file. This is taking out the mistakes, long pauses, off-script talk, and “um’s. You can learn how to do this through learning from youtube channels. It took me a bit, but I am pretty solid. There are a bunch of programs out there. I recommend Audacity because it’s free. These jobs pay around $50-125 per episode.
  • Project Management
    • It’s the same type of project manager at any workplace. Your job is to make sure various tasks are done. You will be managing team members. You will make sure the production is on time. You will also oversee the Social Media and other Marketing teams are on schedule. If you have ever been a general manager, this could be for you. These jobs pay around $30-$75 an hour. Not too shabby, right?
  • Guest Management
    • Are you a people person? This job is for you. This role is vital in this industry. Is the podcast going to have a guest? This is where you step in. Your job will be to contact all guests. You will make sure they have everything they need for the interview. You will also do a follow-up with them after. You are representing your client here! If you have any experience in the customer service industry then this is for you. These jobs pay around $20-$40 an hour.
  • Marketing
    • This skill is vital to a company’s success. Your job is to get this podcast in front of as many faces as possible. This involves using social media as the main platform. Facebook’s advertising system is not difficult to learn either. If you know the basics of internet marketing, you can have success. You will be responsible for the daily emails to people who have asked to be on the list. These jobs average $50-$70 an hour.

  • Content Repurposing
    • In most cases, you should have enough content after 6 months to a year. People forget about something around the 3 month period as well. Your job is to reuse this content in different ways. Think of using sound clips for ads on Facebook. Or using old recorded footage for making a commercial or preview. This is for creative minds. So if you have a background in Social Media Marketing it would help. These gigs pay around $25$-40 an hour.

So there you go! The top 5 jobs that podcasters need! You may just need to do a little bit of extra learning. All in all these are jobs most people can do! ‘Till next time!

How to Make Money From Your Phone in 2020

By
Mike King
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0

Making money has never been easier. As technology keeps on improving, more apps are being created. More apps equal more time spent on your phone.

Keep in mind, these are in no way going to make you rich. They can make you a little extra spending cash. You are going to be on your phone passing time by during this “lockdown”. Why not get paid to do so.

So let’s dive in!

Investment Apps

These have come a long way. They can automatically invest in your portfolio. You can get free investment trades. You can also set up automatic savings accounts. Once you set them up, you will have a system that can take care of your future. Here are a few to get you started:

  • Acorns App
    • This is the easiest way to save up money. The way it works is it rounds the change up of every purchase to the nearest dollar. If you made a purchase of $4.32, it would invest $0.68 into your account. This doesn’t seem like a lot. It adds up if you use your debit card to make purchases. They also partner with companies for extra cashback purchases.
  • Robinhood
    • If you ever wanted to invest in stocks, this is a great way to do so. You can invest at $1. You have lots of things to choose from. Stocks, Cryptocurrency, and ETFs are all available. Not having to pay any commission fees is a bonus as well.
  • Betterment
    • This app is awesome. It is an investment and savings account all in one. How it works is you set a goal, you deposit a monthly amount, and you forget it. Betterment creates a personal investment plan for you. They charge .25% annually. After a year you’ll see how much money you start to accrue.

Delivery Services

With everyone on quarantine, this is a gold mine right now. You can deliver food using UberEats and Grubhub. This is easy. All you do is pick up and order at a restaurant and deliver it to the person who ordered the food. 

The other major money maker here is Instacart. With no one really wanting to leave their houses, there is money to make grocery shopping. They request items from the store. You go and buy the items at the grocery store and deliver them. 

You can make $15-20 dollars an hour on average. You also get tipped on top of both of these options. It can be lucrative if you aren’t afraid to get out of your house.

Driving

This is not a huge moneymaker at the moment. Once the restaurants, bars, and city attractions open back up, you’ll be able to make a living. There are two main services to work for. Here they are:

  • Uber
    • You need to own a 4 door vehicle that is 10 years or less in age. You have to be 23 or older and have had a license for 10 years. Once they approve your license, registration, and insurance you will be good to go. They take 25% of the money you earn.
  • Lyft
    • The difference between Lyft and Uber, is Lyft allows you a rental car for $250 a month. They take 20-25% of your fares. The upside is you are able to keep all your tips. They do offer extra insurance on drivers, cars, and vehicles. Not only this, but you can also take cash out immediately.

Selling Your Stuff

This is a quick way to get some cash. If you aren’t using something you can sell it for some cash. From gift cards to old TV’s in your garage, everything has a value. Here are my top 3.

  • Poshmark
    •  All you have to do is sign up for an account. Then take a picture and set a price. You can also get with your friends and list things together. They provide the boxes and shipping. For items under $15, they charge $2.95 anything over they charge 20%.
  • Letgo
    • This app is the Goodwill of arbitrage. It is like Craigslist, it just looks prettier and is more modern. You can negotiate prices with people who are interested. But, there is no payment through the app. You’ll have to use PayPal or Venmo.
  • Decluttr
    • This is a good one. It’s for small items like DVD’s, books, old electronics, and phones. This is a cool one because you can actually scan the bar codes. The app assigns a value to the item you want to sell. Once you gather everything and scan in what you want to sell them, they send you a box. You mail the items and get paid.

Sell Photos

Everyone is enjoying the outdoors. Everyone is always taking pictures of some sort. These photos can be sold.

There is an app called FOAP.  When someone is building a website or making an ad, they can’t use any photo. You have to buy the rights to use a photo. There are copyright legalities. These are stock photos. Stock Photos are photos that people buy the rights to use.

So all you do here is upload a photo that you have taken on this app. Most of the photos sell for $10 dollars. FOAP keeps 50% of each sale. If you have a hot photo, you can keep making money off of it.

You are also able to post photos to the “missions” area. This area is for large businesses looking for specific photos. They pay a lot more, but it is like a competition. 

Customer Service

Many companies hire people to answer customer service calls from their homes. I’d advise getting an alternate phone for this. It could drive you crazy with your personal phone having a million calls. This could offer more of a steady stream of income, but it is more of a full-time job.

Examples of these companies are airlines, Upwork, and even U Haul. These are good jobs if you are a people person. I am not going to lie, this does take time and patience. People could be calling out of frustration.

Language Tutor

If you have time and like to teach this is a pretty solid gig. There is an app called NiceTalk. All you do is sign up and register, Once approved you’ll be able to get to work. All you need is some video chat software like skype.

You will pair up with a random student trying to learn English. You will be having conversations with different people. You will help them with their grammar and words. The pay is about $10 an hour. They base it by the minute. They do pay through PayPal. It’s a good side gig to make some extra cash. All you have to do is talk.

So there you go. These are my top ways to earn money from your phone. They are all pretty simple and easy to use. All you need is time and put in a little effort. I hope this helps. ‘Till next time!

A Guide to Understanding ETF’s

By
Mike King
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0

So what is an ETF? ETF stands for Exchange Traded Funds. You’ll know all there is to them after reading this post. So let’s get started.

What is it? How does it work

An ETF is like an Index Fund. They are created to track different stocks or sectors such as oil and technology.  They let you invest in a variety of things, instead of one area. An example of this would be there could be a mashup up of real- estate, stocks, and bonds. It’s like a mutual fund, but cheaper.

Unlike an Index Fund, ETFs are listed. You buy an ETF like a stock. It has its own ticker. So you can watch it go up and down if you like. It acts like an Index or Mutual Fund, but you can actually trade it. If you like day trading, you are able to do so here.

ETF Benefits

  1. Diversification- Instead of owning stock in one company, you own stocks of different types. It lowers your risk of losing money, since it’s various companies instead of one.
  2. Transparency- Like a stock, their holdings publish at the end of each day. You can keep an eye on the price throughout the day.
  3. Convenience- Once you buy it, you own it immediately. Since the price changes throughout the day, you can trade it at any time. Super easy and quick to do.
  4. Strategy- Since it operates like a stock, you can do many things to plan a strategy. You can buy on margin. You can day trade. You can set different types of orders (stop loss, market, and limit) so you can make or not lose money. 
  5. Charges- The expense ratio is lower than mutual funds.
  6. No Minimum Investment- The only money you need is the money it costs to buy the ETF. So whatever it cost at the time of the buy is all you need.

The Drawbacks

  1. Costs – Depending on your brokerage firm, there is a charge for buying and selling. If you are buying and selling a few, these costs can stack up over time. Make sure to check the cost, before making any transaction.
  2. Liquidity – Like regular stocks, the market bases its value on supply and demand. Some ETFs are harder to sell due to them being less sought after because of the price. So only invest in the major ones to solve this problem.
  3. Activity –  If you are trying to time the market, you may take a loss. The average is 90% failure for most money managers. Don’t forget about the charges and taxes that you will rack up.

Where to Buy/Sell

There are many ways of doing this. It depends on how you want to go about doing this. My suggestion is a brokerage firm.

Brokerage firms are easy to sign up for. Fidelity, Vanguard, and Ameritrade are the first ones that come to mind. They also offer their own ETFs, which means no commission charge.

Go to their webpage. Create an account. Verify your identity. Deposit a minimal amount of cash. Then after a few days you will be verified and you can buy and sell away.

The other way of doing this is if you have 401k or an IRA. Retirement financial plans do not offer a bunch of them. You’ll be able to find a few. You may need to ask whoever your accounts are through about this.

Different Types of ETFs

We have discussed what an ETF is. We have discussed where to buy and sell them. There are thousands of them. Here are some different types of categories to help make your choice easier.

  • Broad Market ETF- Broad Market ETFs are exactly what you would imagine. They track the indexes of the Dow Jones, Nasdaq, and the S&P. These are cheaper. You’ll also get the best return out of these. The main thing is they do not have a lot of movement. It’s a long term game.
  • Industry-specific ETF- These are for specific sectors. So it narrows the field of choices by a bit. An example of this would be in Airlines. You’d have various stocks in that general ETF. The bonus is that having these stocks spread out, you do not have to worry about taking a hit, if one of them tanks.
  • Dividend ETF- People love these. The reason for this is there is consistent income. An example would be the Dow Jones US Select Dividend Index. The downside to these is they are pricey. You’d be better off buying and selling regular stocks.
  • Bond ETF- These are a perfect addition to any portfolio. These lower the risk of your portfolio. When stocks are down, these are up!
  • Commodity ETF- These simplify the process to invest in precious ores and other commodities. Examples are gold, silver, all the way to natural gas. Otherwise, it’s kind of a difficult process. iShares Silver Trust and The SPDR Gold Shares are a couple of examples of these ETFs.
  • Currency ETF- This is the most unrecommended ETF. The only reason you would do this is if you are experienced in FOREX trading. You could either make a lot of money or lose it all. The swings are huge.
  • Real Estate ETF- These are diversified ETFs. You are unable to invest in a specific type of real estate. Let’s say the housing market crashes. There are commercial properties included to keep you safe. These make it easier to feel safe about your investment. 

So there you go. There are all the basics of ETFs. You now have the basic knowledge. You are ready to get out there and invest. I hope you enjoyed reading this. I hope you learned also. ‘Till next time!

15 Things You Can Sell to Make Money

By
Mike King
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0

As you know, “The Coronavirus Pandemic” has shut down the world. You may have your job still, or you may not be an Essential Employee and are being laid off. Almost everyone has had a pay cut in some way.

This is applicable even when we are not going through a pandemic. What if there is a stock market crash, recession, or you lose your job in general? What would you do if you needed money?

Could you use an extra couple hundred dollars? What about a couple of thousand? How? Easy, just sell some junk. Remember, one man’s trash is another’s treasure.

Take 30 minutes and look around your house. Look for things that collect dust and you don’t use. See a spare tv that you never use that’s sitting in your garage?

Now go to eBay and look up some of those items you saw in your house. It’s a surprise to see what people are willing to pay for stuff you think is junk. There are other ways of going about doing this besides your own house.

Online sales can be where it’s at. So let’s break it down to the basics of where you can get these items. I don’t do this, but my mother has had decent success at this.

The first option is going through your house. I am sure you may have outdated electronics in your garage. Maybe you have toys from your kids that are grown up. Old kitchen supplies are a big seller.

The second option here is to go on craigslist. Sometimes people are giving away things that may be “broke”. It could be a simple fix, if you are handy and can do basic fix-it type work. It could be something people want to give away because they upgraded and want someone to haul it away. Either way these freebies have value.

The third option costs a little bit of money. Garage sales are the cheapest method. People are pretty much getting paid to have their garages and houses cleaned. They charge pennies on the dollar due to that fact.

So once you gather some good pieces, you can start the arbitrage process. What is arbitrage? It’s buying things at a super cheap price, and then flipping it at a higher price. A good example of this is thinking about when you are trying to find a toy around Christmas. The only place you can find it is on Amazon or eBay, at an inflated price. 

As you can see, this isn’t a quick way to get money. It takes time and effort. The bonus is that it is not difficult, it just takes time. So let’s get started on objects people might be looking for and could end up putting money in your pocket.

TV and Movie Memorabilia 

Think about when you were a kid and you saw a movie or a tv show you loved. I am sure you might have had a lunchbox or action figures for that show. Those items actually hold value. 

So try and grab any items that are memorabilia. Examples of these are T-shirts, lunch boxes, comic books, first edition soundtracks, first edition VHS’s, and even original DVD’s. These items can get you a pretty penny on eBay.

Sports Cards

People love sports. People who love sports have favorite athletes. I mean think about when you hear about a Babe Ruth baseball card. They sell for half a million dollars.

The best way to flip cards is either find ones at garage sales. Most of the time people sell all these in bulk for ultra-cheap. Or find cards of players that are going to explode in the next few years. Rookie cards are the ones that always have the most value and they will get you a huge return on your investment.

Clothes

People will always buy clothing. Think about all the clothes you have and don’t wear them. Put them on eBay. A good way to flip clothes is by going to a thrift store. Find sports jerseys, printed concert tee-shirts, and high-end apparel. 

People will always pay a good amount for these items. If the tags are still on these items, they will have more value. Sometimes you can get more for them than they charge at a store.

Shoes

Flipping shoes is a huge market right now. Nike and Yeezy’s will get you a lot of money. They are always making limited edition shoes. 

The way to do this is to find a shoe that is coming out. Try and preorder about 10 pairs of them. Resell for $100 or more dollars on the Stock-X app.

Yard Equipment

This is kind of a specific niche. The idea here is you have a little bit of mechanical knowledge. So what do you do?

Well you find someone who is selling or giving away some broken or old equipment. Fix it up. Then resell it. Pretty simple.

Furniture

This is a pretty easy and inexpensive one. Someone is always giving furniture away for free. It’s easier to have someone take it than to hire someone to haul it off as trash. Get the best conditioned free furniture on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace. 

I recommend you own a truck and have a friend. The only charge here is the labor needed to move the item. Then sell it. Nothing, but profit here.

Video Games

There is a huge market for this at the moment. I know a bunch of people who go to Goodwill and yard sales. They search for old consoles for ultra-cheap and sell them for way more money.

There are tons of people that are collecting these and making massive game rooms. Today everything is a digital download. There are people that actually prefer to have physical copies.

So you can get some good money off selling these on eBay. Some of these games are actually worth a lot of money.

Bicycles and Strollers

You can get these at garage sales for cheap. Believe it or not these items are more valuable than most think. People are always looking for these items for their kids. Strollers can be pretty profitable

Toys

Most of us think of toys being for kids. The cool thing about this is they actually are worth money. Like anything collectible, once they stop production their value increases. Most action figures still hold value out of the box.

The best way to do this is to go to garage sales. You are looking for toys still in the box. These are treasures and are hard to find. The only way these happen is parents forgetting to give presents to their kids or they are lost in crawl spaces. These hold a lot of value, so if you find one, don’t pass it up.

Collectibles

This is a broad category. These are things you are more likely to find at a yard sale. It could be bobble-heads, rare coins, model trains, stamps, and even pokemon cards. People neglect these things and their value. But there is a huge market for these.

Old Electronics

Do you know that old box tv that weighs 100 lbs in your garage? There is a market for those. The only way to play some old video games is on those TVs. Old stereo equipment and things, such as a walkman or turntables, have a high value. The only way you can play records or cassettes is on those.

Cuff Links

I know it’s kind of a random niche. People love and collect these including me. They are like watches. When I dress up I like to accessorize and they add a little flair to a basic colored shirt. You can buy a bunch for cheap at yard sales. You can jack up the price on these pretty well, and make some good money.

Books

There are a bunch of avid readers and book collectors. If you find old books, grab them. There is a market for these. You will never know, this old book can have value. If you can find a set of books, they could have value for certain collectors as well. Especially if it is a first edition print.

Gift Cards

There is a market for this for sure. Have you ever received a gift card from a family member? Maybe it was for a place or product you don’t care for. You stick it in a drawer and never use it. Well there are websites you can go to where you can actually sell these for cash.  It’s quick cash if you have some laying around.

Fitness Equipment

This is the number one seller at the moment. Social distancing and gyms closing, people are buying this stuff left and right. Everyone is going stir crazy and buying it all up. So if you have equipment in your garage collecting dust, put it on Craigslist. You can get decent money from this also.

Well there you go. There are 15 things that you can sell that can make you some extra cash. I hope you enjoyed and learned something. Till next time!

5 Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget

By
Mike King
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0

This is a crazy time in our world right now. With COVID-19 running rampant, it has shut down everything. Many people have lost their jobs, and people are unable to afford food. 

Even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t be able to go to a restaurant and eat. Most of them are closed or closing. So more people are having to cook.

The other issue is money is scarce and many jobs are on the line. We are having to make every dollar stretch. That is what we are going to discuss today.

Let’s jump into it!

Have a Strategy for Shopping

Thinking of shopping like a race. Your goal is to be in and checkout spending as little money as possible. Here are some tips to optimize your visit.

  • Make a meal plan for a week or two in advance
    • The idea here is to figure out the cheapest way to buy your staple foods. Most stores have the items that are on sale listed on their websites or they send out junk mail. You can plan your meals based on the items you can see that are on sale
  • Use a discount grocery store
    • Almost all cities have one of these. If you have a Dollar Tree or an Aldi’s, these are great places. They still have what you would get in a store, (they are off brands), and everything is cheaper.
  • Focus on your grocery list
    • More than likely once you are in the store your eyes will wander. You’ll want to buy those chips or cakes that you love. Say no to anything that isn’t on your list.
  • Buy the off-brands
    • Like I stated before, the generic brands are cheaper than the normal ones. Most of the time you can’t even tell the difference.

Use staple foods as the backbone of your meal prep.

Ideas of staple foods are eggs, rice, beans, pasta, and produce. These are the best foods to buy on a budget. You can make tons of meals involving these. Not only are they tasty, but they are cheap.

Find recipes for meals that are involving these. Most of the time all you need to is add seasoning or a type of meat and they are low cost. But the more recipes you have that use these, you’ll see how far you can make these low-cost foods stretch.

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Find cheap ways to make the things you like.

I know we are aiming for the cheapest way to feed ourselves. It doesn’t mean we have to be miserable in doing so. Just because you have rice, you don’t have to eat it plain.

You should be looking for recipes with ingredients you enjoy.  Spending the extra money for a seasoning blend goes a long way. You do not have to live off salt and pepper on rice only.

Remember the point here is to use these staples as your guide to creating meals. Buy a jar of tomato sauce, some green peppers, and onions. Add these to your pasta and you’ll have a hearty dish.

There are many ways to do this. My personal favorite is mixing rice and black beans with some sausage. It ends up being delicious. It also lasts for a couple of days as well.

Use recipes you like for inspiration.

Seasoning goes a long way. This is the key to creating low budget meals. Learning to season your basic ingredients is how the magic happens here.

Figure out how to season basic foods to your taste. A good way of doing this google a recipe you like to eat that involve these staple ingredients. This should give you an idea of what seasonings to use.

The best part of this process, is learning. Once you figure out how seasonings work and taste, it becomes almost second nature. I barely use recipes anymore. I know what I like and add it to the staples and protein.

Once you know, you’ll be able to look in your pantry and figure something out. You can continue looking at recipes and getting new ideas. You’ll be pro in no time.

Learn how to cook dry beans and rice

Rice and beans are amazing. You can buy them in bulk. They are also super cheap.

` Rice and beans are easy to cook. A half-pound of dried beans yields about 1.5 pounds of cooked beans. That’s a lot of beans and when you combine that with cooked rice, that’s a meal for a couple of days. Like I was saying, you can add almost any meat to this. With the proper seasoning, this will stretch in to and enjoyable meal.

You can cook a batch of rice and it can last you days. Some mornings I scramble eggs. I add rice and some salsa verde and it makes a tasty Spanish dish. Not only this, but you can use this rice and add some soy sauce and you are able to make a makeshift Chinese dinner.

As you can see, rice and beans are versatile. They are very easy to season. You can add them to almost everything to make a meal. Once cooked, they both end up being a bunch of food. Experiment around, you’ll always be able to figure something out.

So there you go! Those are 5 basic tips to stretch your food budget! I hope you enjoyed this and found it helpful. Till next time!

How to Find a Business Idea

By
Mike King
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0

I am sure this has been a problem for everyone at some point in their life. It’s like having a sink full of dishes. It seems like it will take an hour, but it takes 5 minutes to put in your dishwasher.

I was reading a survey today and the question that was asked was, “Do you want to start a business?”. Here are the results:

  • 90% said “Yes”
  • 9% said “No”
  • 1% said “I don’t know”

The next question that was asked was, “What is stopping you?”. 

  • 25% said “I don’t know”
  • 30%  said “ I don’t even know where to start!”

As you can see 55% of these people are already hitting a mental roadblock before they even get started! So I am here today to help you! Let’s get started.

How to generate 15 potential business ideas in less than a day!

The first thing to ask yourself is what do you love to do? What are you good at? What are you passionate about?

Everyone is good at something. If you are good at video games, you can make money with twitch. If you are crafty, you can make money with tutorials on youtube and social media. 

Think about things you are naturally good at:

  • Are you good at cooking?
  • Can you draw?
  • Are you athletic?
  • Can you speak two or more languages?

Whatever you are good at, there is someone out there that is willing to pay you to help with that skill.

Our mind is a powerful thing. It can be your best friend, or your worst enemy. When it’s your enemy it may more than likely be playing tricks on you and saying things like this:

  • There are already people doing this!
  • I am not trained to do this!
  • Why would anyone pay me for this skill?
  • I am good, but there are way more people who are better!
  • I don’t have time to do this on my own personal time!

The technical term for this is your “Brilliance Blindspot”. What is this you ask? It’s when you have been doing something so long, that you are unable to remember what it was like to not be good.

I know this is a crazy thought and its borderline mind-blowing. I bet you wonder where I am going with this? Everyone has an expertise in something, and that something is profitable.

Here is an exercise to give you an idea. Think about someone that you know that is really good at something. You go to them for advice on that all the time. 

It’s insane how much easier it is to think about when it is someone else. So how about this. Try this. Ask your friends and family the same thing about yourself? 

What you will receive are what I like to call “Lego’s” Reason being is these are going to be your building blocks. It takes one Lego brick to start any model. 

After this exercise, you should have a bunch of Legos. After you have your list you should have about 20-30 ideas. Now ask yourself if someone would or could pay you for these services.

Now that you have an idea of what others have said you are good at, now it’s your turn. Spend 30 minutes a day building off this list, but from your own mind. Due to your change of mindset, you should be able to start generating your own now.

Keep this list handy. You may think about something while you are cooking pancakes. If one comes to mind, write it down. Get some rest, and review it the next day. 

The main part to remember about this process, don’t be over critical. Get those ideas down whatever they may be. I guarantee your business idea will be on this list!

So there you go. You should be set. I hope it helped. Till next time!

Why You Need an Emergency Fund and How to Start One Today

By
Mike King
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0

In today’s society you will never know what is going to happen. What would happen to you if a pandemic happened and you lost your job? Would you be able to survive?

How would you pay your bills? Would you exhaust your funds? Or would you use your credit cards till you are up to your eyeballs in debt?

That’s why you need an Emergency Fund! Some call it a nest egg. This is one thing most people disregard in managing their personal finances.

As you can see, without one you could wind up in some hot water. So that’s why I am going to discuss this today. After this, you will have all the tools and be ready to start one today! 

What is an Emergency Fund?

It’s money that you save up for when something unexpected happens. You know that phrase, “Expect the unexpected”? Well this is what it’s for!

Here are some reasons you may need an emergency fund:

  • Loss of a job
  • If you don’t have health insurance and have a medical expense
  • If you have a car and need a repair
  • If you own a home and something comes up you have to fix

As stated, an emergency is an emergency. It doesn’t mean treating yourself. It’s there to cover essential bills and prevent you from accruing debt.

Should you have an emergency fund if you are in debt?

Some of you may be asking this question. The answer? That’s a definite YES!

Regardless of if you are in debt, you should always have an emergency fund. How much? The average amount suggested is at least $1000. 

After you save $1,000, then start working on getting out of debt. Debt is something that takes time to get out of. The emergency fund is to prevent you from going further in!

How much should your emergency fund be?

This question varies depending on your situation. There is no specific number in general. The typical suggestion is 3-6 months of your actual expenses.

Things you should consider when  thinking about how much to save up:

  • Your job security
  • You income compared to your actual expenses
  • If you own a house or car
  • Your personal health

The more “risks” you have, the larger it should be. You never know when your air conditioning unit will go out during the summer. What about if your car breaks down? In this current day what if you got COVID-19 and didn’t have insurance?

A good starting number is $500. Next, save up to $1000. This number may not seem big, but remember some is better than none!

Where should you keep your Emergency Fund?

The purpose of an emergency fund is to be there to get when you need it fast. So that means to be in a place that you can get to it quickly. This doesn’t mean your sock drawer is necessary.

You want to be able to get it quick and not lose money for getting access to it. Do not have it in the stock market. Put it in a savings account! At least that way you can get some interest in it over time, assuming you don’t need to access it immediately.

The other side of this coin is you do not want to be able to grab it that easy. If it’s out of sight it will be out of mind. Keep it in a separate account you can’t access over your bank app. 

Can you use your credit card as an Emergency Fund?

This is a legit question. I mean the purpose of an emergency fund is not to add debt. The point is to not have to pay anything back. 

Having a separate credit card or debit card linked to your Emergency Fund account is a good idea though. Having a credit card designated as a backup is not a bad idea though.

How can I save up money for an emergency fund?

Here are some ways you can save up for your emergency fund:

  • Use your tax refund
  • If you are receiving a stimulus check use that if you are still working
  • Set aside a percentage from your paycheck
  • Use savings apps like Acorn
  • Save $20 a week, or whatever amount you can and put it away 
  • Set up a budget and see what you can cut out

If you are just starting to make one, it may seem like a large task. Remember it all adds up. The sooner you start the sooner you’ll see the growth. $10 dollars a week will still add up to $520 dollars your first year! Who knows? Once you see the growth you’ll start saving more weekly. 

I hope this has helped you and you enjoyed it. Till, next time!

How to Build Your Credit Easy and Quickly

By
Mike King
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0

Credit is something everyone has heard of. We all find out as we grow up how important it is. But, are you one of those people that’s confused about how to build it?

You are not alone. Last year alone, 40% of America had no clue how credit scores work. I am sure you are here for that reason, the reason for finding out how to work on yours.

Let’s jump into the basics of how this credit mystery works. I will help you on your journey with some quick and easy tips. Here we go!

What is Credit Anyways?

In simple terms, credit is the ability to borrow money with the expectation of paying it back. 

What comes to your mind when you think of credit? Credit cards, loans, a mortgage? What about your phone or cable bill?

Companies that provide these services expect that you will pay for them every month. That’s why credit is important! If you do not have good credit, then these companies that offer these services will not lend them to you.

To build credit you need to show you can pay off all your bills on time. Paying all your bills on time builds credit. Your score will go up or down depending on this factor! 

A good credit score equals credit cards, apartments, car loans, and mortgages. The better the credit score, the better the “interest” on these loans.

What is “interest” you may be asking? Interest is the amount of money that you have to pay back for borrowing money. The better the credit the less you have to pay, yet, the worse it is the higher it will be.

So now we have figured out that good credit will save you money. So now you may be thinking, “How do I build my credit?”. Let’s get to it!

How to Build Credit

The most effective way to do this is to get a credit card. The thing about this is how you use it. Never spend more than you can afford, and always pay it off every month to avoid having to pay the interest.

There are four basic ways to use a credit card to build your credit. Here they are:

  • Being an authorized user
    • This is for all the young people that are reading this. Ask your parents if you can become an authorized user of their card. It builds your credit, but keep in mind your parents are the ones paying the bill!
  • Secured Cards
    • This is the best way for people who have bad credit. You get a credit card but you put a deposit down. Your interest rates are higher so make sure you always pay it off.
  • Student Cards
    • These are credit cards for students. They have low credit limits. It helps to avoid them getting in debt.
  • Store Cards
    • These are cards that you can get through most stores at the mall. The only thing about these cards is they are only usable at said stores. They do have low limits as well.

Now that you know the basics about credit cards! That isn’t the only way to build credit. Here are some other options:

  • Student Loans
    • In case you are trying to further your education, or want to go back to school this is a solid option. The downside is they rack up and have a high-interest rate. The plus side is you leave with a college degree.
  • Auto Loans
    • This isn’t an ideal method of building your credit. The reason I would say this is you may not need a new car. If, you do need one this is a viable option. Not only would it be an upgrade, but you’d be able to work building your credit as well.
  • Ask Companies to Report your Service Credit
    • Bills such as cable, utilities, and your phone bill are not always reported. So you may need to call and ask them to report them in. They may seem small, but they do show that you have been paying your bills on time.

I discussed the differences between good and bad credit. We have gone over ways to build your credit. Now I want to go over how your companies calculate your credit.

How Credit is Calculated

Your credit score is important. It is rated by a system called FICO. In short, the higher the score the better your credit. Here are the five factors that are used in determining your score as well as the percentages of how they impact it.

  • Payment History (35% of your score)
    • Make sure everything is paid on time
  • Usage (30% of your score)
    • How much of your available credit do you use? General number to aim for is under 30%
  • Length of Credit History (15% of your score)
    • The longer your accounts have been open, the better it looks
  • Recent Activity (10% of your score)
    • Don’t apply for too much credit. They look at anything that seems egregious in a 6 month period.
  • Credit Mix (10% of your score)
    • What kind of loans and lines of credit do you have? If you have a healthy mix of these, lenders are more likely to approve loans. 

I discussed the differences between good and bad credit. I have went over the ways to build your credit. I have been over the ways your credit is calculated. Now let’s go over the ways to increase your credit score!

How to Increase Your Credit Score

So the moment you get your credit card or loan, you will start making your payments. Assuming your payments are on time you will start building your credit up bit by bit. Over time it will increase. Here are some basic tips to get your credit up in closing.

  • Correct all the errors in your credit report. Do not forget you can fight old claims. Also, sign up for CreditKarma. Check it once a month. They will help guide you in fixing your score.
  • Do not apply for a bunch of cards at once. Every time you apply for something that involves your credit, it makes an impact. Space them out once every 6 months per single application.
  • Keep your total balance under 30%
  • Never close your accounts. Even if your card is paid off, keep using it. Remember the longer your accounts are open. The better it affects your credit.

I hope you enjoyed this and found it beneficial. Till next time!

15 Great Work From Home Tips

By
Mike King
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0

The year was 1991. I remember my dad popping in that AOL free trial disk. Little did I know this thing called the internet would change the world. Here we are 2020 and a virus has done the same thing. The only difference is that now those who are still working are more than likely working from home. Crazy, right? 

There are some of us that have already had to learn how to do this. It’s not as easy of a transition as someone would think. If you are new to the work-from-home situation you will soon realize these things. When you first start, this may seem like an amazing thing. You feel like you are free, but if you don’t keep track of your time you could mess things up. 

So since you are working from home now, you are seeing the issues. Working 8 hours a day from home doesn’t mean it’s time to be Tom Cruise in Risky business dancing in your underwear. You still have to work. The only thing that is different is where your office is.

I have been working from home for about 5 years now. It’s referred to as “The Laptop Lifestyle”. It’s been pretty nice being able to work from anywhere. I have traveled a lot while working because I am not tied down to an office location. There are lots of benefits. I save money on gas due to the lack of needing to drive to work and back. I don’t have to worry about having to rush to shower and get shaved. I don’t even have to put work clothes on if I don’t want to! I even have extra time to do things that I probably wouldn’t have time for if I had to be at a desk.

I am not going to lie, working from home is pretty amazing. I love it. Yet, there are things everyone is going to need to keep in mind. That is why I am writing this article. I know a bunch of people who have tried doing this and have a hard time getting anything done. There are definitely things that can stop your productivity.  

Because you are working from home, it doesn’t mean you are working as a retiree. It couldn’t be further from the truth. You still have daily tasks and projects to complete. Money does not grow on trees and like any other job,  if you don’t work you don’t get paid friends. Regardless of you being your own boss at home, you still have a job, and you still need to earn money. So I am here to dish out my pro-tips. So you can remain as productive as possible. You’ll be able to have a balanced and amazing work and personal life all at the same time. So here you go!

Pro-tip #1: Setting Hours for Yourself

You need to have set work hours for yourself. Just because you are home, it doesn’t mean you can piddle around and work on your own clock. Which leads to long days as well as bad habits. I promise you if you set hours you will get more accomplished. As well as the benefit of getting your tasks done means you also have more time for yourself. 

The basic idea is having a start time. I get up around 5:30 am and start work around 7 am. You set a lunchtime. I eat lunch at 12 pm. Finally set an end time. That varies due to the fact I can be done at 3 or 5 pm.

It’s a good practice because most of working from home is a mental game. The schedule keeps you in the same mind as if you would be at work. I find myself a work machine if I start every day at the same time Monday through Friday. Even though I am working from my workstation at home, I still have the same mindset as me being at the office.

Pro-tip #2: Have a Dedicated Workspace

Like having a work schedule, it’s pretty smart to have a special area to work in. The key here is being able to separate work life and home life. If you work from your couch in your living room, it’s hard to flip your personal life switch on. When you sit down to watch a football game, it may trigger your mental work mentality switch.

If you have a roommate or spouse, being in your work area is a sign to be not disturbed. You are able to keep more organized as well. I would suggest something other than your couch or kitchen table. I have a nook that I use as my work station. I don’t even use that area unless I am working. When I leave that area I am done for the day.

Pro-tip #3: Exercise Daily

This is actually a huge one for me.  I am an antsy person as is. Being stuck in one place drives me wild. I was in a restaurant for years so staying in one spot all day was rough for me at first.

What I do is once an hour, I take a lap around the complex. Do a few push-ups and other things to get your blood going as well. It increases my ability to focus due to the fact that I am ADD as is. It also helps break up your day and is good for you.

Pro-tip #4: Hire Help 

This goes a long way. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. In both your home and personal life. So if you are struggling with something and need help then you can hire someone off Fiverr to take that load off. Time is money. Sometimes it’s better to save time and focus on what else you can do. Instead of trying to figure out video editing or photoshop. It may be better to spend the money and save time in the long run.

Even the small tasks that add up on a daily basis like data entry. You can hire someone in the Philippines to do it for a couple of dollars an hour. It’s worth it to save time. Outsourcing tasks frees you up so you can make more money.

This even goes to your personal life. Why waste your time cleaning if you don’t have the time to do it? The hour or two it takes to clean you could have made more money than it would be to pay someone to clean your house.

Pro-tip #5: No Distractions

This one can be difficult. I had to cut off having tv shows in the background. This is a large one most people do. You can get distracted. It definitely takes your attention away from what you should be doing. 

Also your phones. This is a huge time sink. Imagine all the time you spend on your phone or social media accounts when you aren’t working vs when you do work. All those texts you respond to as well as scrolling through posts and commenting, all add up. Put your phone away! Use it during your breaks or your walks.

Pro-tip #6: Socialize

I know this is crazy at the time we are in right now, but it’s still important. I know a lot of people that are using Zoom to have work meetings. It doesn’t stop there. You can use it for social interaction and contact your friends you work with as well. Use your phone and Facetime with your best friend or loved ones. Make sure you do it during breaks of course.

When you finally are able to go out. Go to happy hour or join a bowling league. I play video games with all my friends. There are many ways to socialize, even if you are not allowed to leave your house.

Pro-tip #7: Don’t Run Errands

Because you work from home, it doesn’t mean you have free time that anyone else has. As I said, time is money So when people ask you to run errands because they can’t, tell them no. Unless it’s an actual emergency and they are special, you don’t need to go wait in line for someone to get the new iPhone. 

Pro-tip #8: Take Breaks

Like any other job, sometimes you need to take a break. I mean we all get hungry. Staring at a computer screen all day is not the best for your eyes. They need some rest every now and then. We all get hungry. Get up and grab a snack. We all need to take a break every now and then. That’s one of the main perks of working from home. You can take as many as you need. Go out and stretch your legs when you get a chance. It’s always good to do this so you can feel refreshed.

Pro-tip #9: Connect with Other People Who Work At Home

This is a huge one that helped me in the industry I work in. There are tons of groups that you can join. I am part of a few on Facebook. Not only can you make connections with other people. You can make new clients, but you can also meet people that may be able to help you out with goods and services as well. You may be able to make some new friends while you are at it as well.  

Pro-tip #10: Find Tools to Help You

This is a major game-changer. Tools make your life easier. I use Google’s programs for everything. It’s kind of an all in one everything for you and it’s free. It’s nice to have all your spreadsheets and important docs as well as email all in one place. There are tons of apps to help you. From calendars to email programs, find the proper tool for everything.

Pro-tip #11: Explain to Everyone What Working from Home Means

Once again people need to know what you are doing. It’s not like you need to be doing people favors. You still have a job. You have certain hours that you need to work. You have projects you need to complete. You don’t need people to be bothering you. Trust me, you’ll have enough distractions as is. You also have money to make!

Pro-tip #12: If You Need it, Ask for it!!!

This applies to people who work for companies and corporations. If you need things, ask for them. If you need a new computer, ask for it. If you need a chair, ask for it. If you need anything down to a stapler, ask for it. The only way they are going to make money is by you working for them. They are there to make your life easier, not more difficult.

Pro-tip #13: Sick Days

Everyone gets sick. If you are sick, you need to rest. You are definitely going to be more comfortable. You aren’t going to be around people. Yes you are able to work, but you can also ask someone to help you out here as well to get your work done. So take the time you need and take the day off. Everyone works better, when they are healthy anyway.

Pro-tip #14: Routine

Routine is everything. You lose these things when you start working from home. Even something as basic as stopping at a gas station and getting coffee and a pastry on your way to the office. Or stopping at the same bar or gas station and getting your favorite beer. All these things add up. Find replacements. Instead of stopping for coffee make it. Take a walk around the house during these stay at home times. Work out instead of going to the gym. Create new routines. Remember after 30 days it should be a habit! 

Pro-tip #15: Enjoy!!

Enjoy your new-found freedom of working at home. You should be happy! You should enjoy this. There is no one that is going to be breathing down your neck. Take advantage of everything you have gained. 

This is a great thing for you and your family. You will have more free time to spend with your family and friends. You will be able to work on things you never thought you’d have time for. So enjoy your family, friends, and the freedom you have received. Follow these tips and you should have no issues!

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