self employment Archives - Page 3 of 6

Day in the Life of a Full-time Work-from-Home Mama

I’ve done a few Day in the Life posts before, but haven’t done one this year I don’t think. Figure I am due! And, I don’t know about you, but these are my absolute favorite posts to read. Just nosy I guess! 🙂

A little background: I have two daughters (ages 4 and 2), another little girl due in October, a full-time job, and I freelance/blog on the side (minimally).

My FT job is flexible and most of it is done from home. I AM FOREVER THANKFUL FOR THIS!! I do stick to a 9-5 schedule for the most part, but there are definitely times where I’ll work on a Sunday afternoon to get my week started on the right foot, and then maybe end a few of my weekdays around 4:00 pm when my 2-year-old wakes up from her nap.

The girls go to daycare five days per week part-time. Daycare has been life-changing for not only my work schedule, but for me as a mom. I LOVE being a mom, don’t get me wrong, but I also love having something that’s just for me. This transition has been so good for my girls and it’s made me a better mom. Even if I didn’t work FT, I would keep my girls in their part-time daycare schedule.

Ok, let’s get started…

Why I Quit Freelancing (and What I’m Doing Instead!)

Long-time readers know that I’ve been a freelance writer for roughly four years now. I started freelance writing when I had my first baby, who is now four years old! Freelancing allowed me to stay at home with her and provide some side money for my family. My husband’s income at the time paid all of our bills, but it didn’t leave any extra for savings, vacations, or fun! That’s where my freelancing income came in.

My first month of freelancing, I made $300ish. Within seven months, I was clearly $1,000. By the time my second daughter was born (just 16 months after my first), I was making close to $3,000 per month while at home with my toddler and newborn baby. I was busy, but I managed. I loved what I did and thoroughly enjoyed being at home with my girls.

Fast forward another year, and we packed up and moved from Arizona to North Carolina. We sold our house and my husband quit his job. Because I was still freelancing, we were confident we would be fine for at least a year if it took my husband a while to find work. It was around that time (Sept 2014) that I started this blog, too 🙂

In July of 2015, I accepted a full-time position very similar to what I was doing as a freelancer (financial editing and writing). By that point, I was a little bit burnt out from freelancing, to be honest. I missed the perks that came with full-time employment: office comradery, coworkers, coffee breaks, oh and you know health benefits, a matching 401K plan and PTO 🙂 I also wasn’t quite sure the direction I wanted to head with freelancing. Do I take on more work even though my kids are little and I’m already strapped for time? Do I try to sub out my work to other writers? Or do I just throw in the towel?

Why I Quit Freelancing

I didn’t throw in the towel immediately. In fact, about a month after accepting my full-time position, I got the crazy idea to take on more clients and try to increase my freelancing income while working full-time. This worked for a few months, until finally I got sick of being so busy, to say the least. I hadn’t had a “day off” in pretty much the entire four years I had been freelancing. Sure, I could have set specific work hours, but with two little kids, nap time and early mornings was what worked best for me. Considering that’s only 15 hours in any given week, I would work during nap time on the weekends, too. It’s no wonder I got burnt out!

I made the decision around December of 2015 to quit freelancing altogether. I’m still working full-time and wanted to enjoy my family, my city and my life a little bit more. Since we no longer “needed” my money for savings (my husband and I both have full-time jobs), it was harder to stay motivated. Plus, I wanted to go a different direction…

What I’m Doing Instead!

While I’ve had a ton of amazing clients throughout my freelancing career, I didn’t want to be working for clients my entire life. Instead, I eventually want to work fully for myself. I’m sure you know, but instead of freelancing I am focusing my energy on blogging 🙂

With blogging, I completely set my own schedule. If I don’t want to post one week, I don’t have to. If my kids are sick or I’m having a super busy week at work, blogging is the first thing to go (rather than my family and free time).

Likewise, if I am feeling extra creative or wanting to take in some extra cash, I amp up my blogging. Right now, my blog is not my full-time job, so I have the ability to do exactly as I please. (If my blog were my full-time job, it would be treated with a bit more seriousness!! Eventually 😉 )

My goal over the next few years is to slowly grow my blog and my business to get to the point where both my husband and I can quit our full-time jobs. It may seem like a pipe dream, but I truly believe that we will eventually meet this goal.

For now, I’m blogging because I love it and it’s extremely flexible. Like I said, if I’m not able to blog for a week (or even a month), I don’t; and I don’t stress about it.

If you have big dreams for your family too, I highly recommend jumping on this blogging bandwagon. It can be intimidating at first, and you WILL have to work hard at it (15 hours per week minimum) at the beginning in order to get some good, quality posts under your belt, connect with others, build a following, and just learn the ins and outs of blogging. That being said, starting this blog and committing to it for a solid year was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Last month, I made almost $600 from blogging (and I didn’t even write any posts!!). This month, I’m set to take in closer to $1,000! That’s crazy; considering I now spend just 15 minutes or so per week on my blog (a little bit more if I write a post!).

Are you thinking of starting a blog? If so, what’s stopping you from doing it? Do you have any questions about blogging or freelancing for me? I’m always happy to help!

Rodan + Fields and Other Multi-Level Marketing Companies

I’m sure by now you’ve all seen Rodan + Fields products blasted all over Facebook, along with It Works, Isagenix, Shakeology, Avon, Mary Kay, Scentsy and others.

I wanted to get your input on what you think of these products (if you use them) and what you think of multi-level marketing companies in general. Have you tried it before? Were you successful at it? I have a few friends on Facebook who seem to be doing really well, but you never really know (I don’t know them close enough to ask them!).

I have never personally attempted to sell any kind of product or service, other than through my blog and all of those products are blogging and freelancing related. I will admit, though, that I am tempted by some of these companies, most specifically – Rodan + Fields.

A blogging friend sent me some samples of the product and it made my skin extremely soft. My skin isn’t necessarily “bad,” but I do have some acne scars, some uneven spots, a wrinkle in between my eyebrows, etc. I definitely wear foundation every day, and I’ve heard Rodan + Fields can make your skin so good that you don’t even need to bother with foundation. I currently spend $50 every six(ish) months on either Naked or NARS foundation. Yes, Rodan + Fields is significantly more money than that, but if it did actually improve my skin and make it so I didn’t need foundation, I’d be stoked.

So, I am actually placing an order later this week. I plan on posting some before and after shots (assuming the product works) about a month after I start using the product.

Another question for you readers – Would you personally find it annoying if a blogger started trying to sell a product like that on their blog? Or would you just dismiss those posts and move on? I’ll be honest – if I DO like the product and decide to sell it, I would definitely want to use my blog as a way to connect with others interested in the product. I don’t use FB too much, so I wouldn’t post much on there. This blog would basically be my means of selling the product, but the last thing I would want to do is turn off my current readers.

Thanks for your input! I’d appreciate any feedback I can get! 🙂

How to Make Money Online

Are you wondering how to make money online? If so, you’re at the right place. I’ve been making money online now for four years! I first got started freelance writing when my first daughter was born and have been doing it ever since. I don’t think a month has gone by that I haven’t made money online.

Right now, I make my money by blogging, which I’ll show you below how you can do that, too.

This post is for those of you who want to change your life. Whether you need a couple hundred extra each month or you want to quit your full-time job so you can stay home with your kids, you have to get started.

This guide will show you exactly how.

8 Truths About Blogging

I will be the first to admit that while I LOVE blogging, it doesn’t come without it’s downsides. My biggest challenge lately has been deciding where I’m going with this blog. Today, I wanted to discuss 8 truths about blogging that some people may not realize. If you’re considering starting a blog or just started one, you won’t want to miss this 🙂

Our Four-Step Plan on How to Become a Millionaire

Today I’m getting back to the roots of this blog: Our journey on becoming millionaires.

John and I are just your average couple. We both work full-time with average salaries. We have our own side businesses. John works in construction and gets roughly one job per month. I am a freelance writer and blogger, making between $500-$3,000 extra per month (you can read my income reports here). We’re not unlike any other couple or family that I’ve met. We have kids, we have bills, and we work hard.

However, John and I have a big goal to become millionaires at some point in our lives (the sooner, the better). Here is our four-step plan on how to become a millionaire. As a disclaimer, this would be a “perfect” scenario. I know life can, and most likely will, throw us curveballs that will set us back. One of us might get laid off, we might have a medical emergency. You can’t predict the future; but I think it’s always good to have a plan and goals in mind 😉

January Online Income Report

I have now been publishing my online income reports for a solid one and half years. To be completely honest, I debated skipping this month’s report. But, in an effort to be extremely real and open here on the blog, I knew I needed to publish this.

When you work for yourself, you’re going to have slower months. I’m hoping this report is encouraging to those of you who may be experiencing a downswing or are “stuck” at a certain number. I typically bring in between $1200-$2200 per month in side income, which includes both freelance writing and blogging. Last month, however, I decided to eliminate most of my freelancing clients so I could focus more on my blog. The results are not good, which you’ll see below:

Six Figure Business Ideas: How to Start a Six Figure Business

Are you ready to start a six figure business? Do you dream of one day working for yourself and bringing in more than enough income to support your entire family? If so, now’s your chance. Don’t wait any longer; instead, let 2016 be the year you decided to make a change. Below are top six figure business ideas that you can do from home.

Six Figure Business Ideas

I’m first going to share my two favorite ways of making money: freelance writing and blogging. I don’t make six figures (yet), but I also don’t work full-time on my side hustles. They’re merely a fun hobby of mine that just so happen to bring in a few hundred to a few thousand extra dollars each month. You can view all of my income reports here.

Freelance Writing

Freelance writing can be an incredibly lucrative career. I started out making $25 per post and now make almost $300 per post. That adds up big time. I can spend just a few hours per week writing and make well over $1,000 per month on my efforts. Holly Johnson, who blogs at Club Thrifty with her husband, will invoice more than $225,000 this year in freelance writing. She recently created a course to help those that want to become a freelancer called Earn More Writing. Her course is packed full of information on how to get started freelancing, where to find jobs, how to raise your rates, and more!

Blogging

This is where I plan on building my own six-figure business. I love, love, love blogging. I started this blog in 2014 and am now making over $2,000 per month blogging. Growing a blog and earning a full-time income from it takes serious time, but it can be extremely lucrative for those that work hard and keep at. If you love writing, I highly encourage you to start your own blog. If you do so through my Bluehost link, you’ll receive an exclusive discount, a free domain name, and I’ll give you a copy of my book – The Beginner’s Guide to Blogging – for free!

Have an idea for a blog name?! You can check available domain names here:

And, if you’re not sure how to make money blogging, I created a very specific course on how you can make money as a web hosting affiliate. I use and love Bluehost, so that’s what I recommend to readers looking to start a blog. When they make a purchase, I get a kickback at no extra cost to them.

My course – How to Make Money as a Web Hosting Affiliate – will show you exactly how you can make thousands per month helping other people start a blog! It’s super fun and has been very lucrative for my family and I.

Publishing

Nowadays, you can write and self-publish your own books on platforms like Amazon Kindle or Gumroad. I used Gumroad for my book, but have heard wonderful things about Amazon Kindle. Writing and uploading is the easy part; it’s the marketing and promoting of your book(s) that will take time. However, if you’re a good author and you know how to market yourself, you could easily make six figures per year from book sales.

Don’t believe you can really make that much self-publishing your books? Check out this story in Forbes featuring a writer who made $450,000 from Amazon publishing in one year.

Buy, Refurbish, Sell

Do you love garage sale-ing, shopping for antiques or fixing up older appliances/furniture and making it like new? If so, why not start a business doing what you love? An old boss of mine made $800 per month re-selling items she found at garage sales. She spent roughly 15-20 hours per month finding old items and then listing them on eBay for a profit. By scaling the business and investing more time into it, one could reach the six-figure income level in no time.

The same goes for refurbishing furniture. I repainted a dresser I bought off of Craigslist for $15 and could have sold it for $200. I’ve also repainted our $100 Craigslist kitchen table and am about to start on a heavy-duty dresser for my daughter’s room that we got for free. Between Craigslist and Goodwill, there are gobs of stuff people are looking to get rid of for little to no money. Make it your job to fancy it up and sell it for a profit!

Make Money Doing What You Love

We all have different passions and hobbies. If you want to make big money, you have to figure out a way to leverage your talents so you can earn a six-figure income. My husband, for example, works in construction. He loves fixing up houses and making them custom. There are many routes that he could go – he could flip properties, manage his own rental properties, be a licensed contractor and hire subcontractors to do the labor, start a blog on renovating homes and make money via advertising and affiliates, or a combination of the above.

Or, perhaps you like doing a bunch of different things but don’t want to be tied down to one field. You could freelance write and bring in $2,500 per month, create and sell items on Etsy for $1,000 a month, run your own blog for $3,000 a month, manage rentals for $1,000 a month, walk your neighbors dog during the day for $500 a month, and refurbish furniture for $1,500 per month. Before you know it, you’re making six figures a year by doing what you love. (I know all of this would require a decent amount of time on your part and that everyone’s circumstances vary; these are merely ideas.)

Do you run a six figure business? If not, what type of business would you start?!

The Benefits of Having Two Blogs

Hi everyone!

First, some exciting news: I launched Coffee Talk for Mamas yesterday evening! You can check it out here 🙂

That blog has been a labor of love. Some of you may be wondering why I decided to start a second blog when I still plan on blogging on this one. The first reason is that I had been wanting to write a book (which I did, The Beginner’s Guide to Blogging), and in order to create a guide for new bloggers, I wanted to actually walk through the steps of creating a blog rather than trying to remember. Remembering is one thing (doesn’t it always seem easier?), actually setting up a blog is completely different.

And, truth me told, I had been wanting to start a second blog for quite some time. As much as I love the frugal millionaire and all that it’s become, I felt (and still feel) a little limited on what I can write about. Coffee Talk for Mamas will encompass everything I want to write about and, because the name is general, I can add new topics as the blog (and me) grow.

I’m a few months in to this whole managing-two-blogs-thing and I have to say that so far it is going better than expected. While I don’t necessarily recommend everyone having two (or more) blogs, here is why it’s working for me.

10 Reasons Why Everyone Needs a Blog

Our world is getting more and more technologically advanced. Many people work at companies and in industries that didn’t even exist 15 years ago. I work on the SEO team at my company, which is a perfect example of a whole new job genre that was created in the past two decades.

The internet and social media have evolved time and time again over the past few years. I personally believe that, eventually, the majority of jobs will be online. Even banks are going online and forgoing the traditional freestanding branches. It’s only a matter of time before nearly all jobs require some sort of tech knowledge.

Whether you’re a freelancer, a college student, a small business owner or a 9-5 employee, you need to start a blog or a website as soon as possible. Now is the time to learn the ins and outs of websites, to make yourself more marketable as an employee, and to start your own little business on your corner of the internet.