Have you wanted to start your own business? Do you have an entrepreneurial heart? Want to take that honeymoon you never have or just maybe have extra money in the bank for a rainy day?
It’s actually VERY easy to do– if you have patience.
My family growing up never had money and in fact, we moved around due to just trying to get by my whole life, so I was already geared with how to make the best out of little to nothing. I like to call it “jimmy rigging my life.” Meaning, when I had a broke fender, I used a cell phone cord to tie it to the under carriage of my car.
If I had a school project or a birthday I would use jewelry, ribbons and whatever I had saved in the house- during those days before Pinterest- to make things happen.
At 17, I moved out, I worked 2 jobs while going to high school and budgeted myself $20 dollars a week for gas and cigarettes – I saved every penny I could in a shoe box.
Unfortunately, the money didn’t last that long after I moved to go to college in Oklahoma… and I became homeless due to the fact I didn’t realize how expensive the world was.
Fast forward 17 years later, I have learned some tricks along the way that I hope can help you get your savings account rockin’ and rollin’.
I own my own international non-profit now that I built with only having ONE car and essentially ONE income. I say essentially, because when I launched I had just left my career in DC and did a bit of consulting on the side last year.
Mostly though, we did it paycheck to paycheck WITHOUT debt before we recently picked up sponsors.
How, you wonder? I’d like to share what has worked for me and hopefully will help you to know what options are out there.
1. Upwork.com
Just a heads up, this is NOT a start your own business site. You work for employers from home doing things like being a virtual assistant, data entry or even more specific type of opportunities for your specific skill set.
Employers don’t want to lease business space anymore when they can pay someone to work from home. They save money!
This means whether you are on vacation or PCS’ing, you have the freedom to take work with you.
2. Ebates/BeFrugal
So think of Amazon, Walmart, Macy’s and thousands of other stores.
You buy the stuff anyways, why not get paid for it? Yep, you heard me right.
If you sign up with them, they just re-direct you to your favorite stores and the money adds up and you just withdraw it into your banking account. It’s that easy! I never buy anything online anymore without using these sites. You can even use the app RetailMeNot to find discount codes to apply to save even more money.
3. Ibotta
Same thing applies here only for in store purchases.
So when you go to the commissary for example, you can get paid on everything from bananas to razor blades to vodka. They change items all the time, but after you reach $20 dollars in items, you can withdraw the money into your bank account.
Between this and the online stores above, you can see how this adds up quickly doing what you ALREADY do.
4. Affiliates
Amazon.com or TeeSpring, for example, in addition to hundreds of other sites, offer an affiliate program.
What is an affiliate?
You sign up with the company and they give you your own special link which you can share. If people click on the link and buy something you can get up to around 10%!
Most companies have a program like this, because it’s free advertising for them and you to get the word out make money off of it.
5. Lulu/Teespring
Write a book or design a T-Shirt for FREE.
Yes you heard me right.
They base the overall profits on what sells so that no one has to come out of pocket until the inventory moves. This is more of a long term project but something to consider if you have a designer/writer heart and never knew how to get started without paying a ton of money.
6. Coupons
Every time I mention this I get one of two reactions- “I don’t know how” and “It takes too much time”.
I save on average $20 bucks every time I go grocery shopping. That is BEFORE I add the items purchased to my iBotta app.
Think about it, that’s approximately $480 bucks a year JUST from the coupons and not the app. It’s cheap to get your Sunday paper delivered but the little coupon books in there pay for themselves right away.
Also, you can go to coupons.com for additional ones for FREE and just print them out.
7. Etsy
Make stuff? Want to make stuff and sell it? Bookoo is a good place too, but if you want to make a shop that can be seen around the world this may be a good fit for you.
It also helps that you send your crafts instead of having to just meet up with people in your area. If you want to create your own super easy FREE website for people to visit and learn more you can also do that at wix.com.
Ultimately, I wanted to show you some ways you can put cash back into your pockets with things you do already.
Yes, it takes time, but time is money as they say.
To date, my husband and I are debt free and we put away savings EVERY month completely based off of this system. .. And for his gas sucking awesome truck, feeding the Marine (we all know those guys EAT) and my business, we are still able to build our nest egg.
Mind you I know this is from a non-kid home (so far), but for those trying to start a family or not there yet this may help you prepare your budget. For the kid families, I hope that these can help in some way! I haven’t done a baby budget YET, but hopefully this can just provide more options.