How many times have we encountered issues and need advice? I am a life coach with strong beliefs on positive reinforcement. Life is what we make it of it, and our silent words play a crucial factor on how we see the world. Motivation is key for success! Follow my blog and feel free to suggest on any topic that you would like to learn more about.
If you are interested in fixing your credit score, then more than likely you have come to the time in your life where you are most likely looking to invest. It may be buying your dream home, or that beautiful car you envision cruising down the highway. Whatever the reason may be, CONGRATULATIONS! This is a huge first step.
Our FICO score is our report card in financing during our adult life. FICO scores range between 300-850. Scores between 670-739 range indicate fairly “good” credit. This score is calculated on several different factors, which allow the lender to have an idea of our financial responsibility. This information is then grouped in five categories: Amounts owed, payment history, length of credit history, new credit, and credit mix (hard inquiries, delinquencies, etc.)
The 3 main credit unions used for lending purposed are Experian, Transunion, and Equifax. These credit unions update periodically and rarely at the same time. Depending on the lending institute that you will be using, they will select a particular credit union to work with and pull credit reports. If you are interested in taking control of your credit I would suggest getting a free copy of your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com. From here you can see your open and closed accounts, and be able to dispute any charges that may not belong to you. I would highly suggest downloading the www.creditkarma.com or simply search it in your phone apps as Credit Karma. I have used this app for many years and it has helped me take control of my score. There may be other apps out there that work just as good but I am basing it off my personal experience.
There are several ways you can achieve this. But step #1 is to STOP using your credit cards. As tempting it may be to shop for those gorgeous high heels, or book that so needed vacation, don’t do it! If you have no left over cash to make that purchase, then its probably best you wait to make that purchase. Eliminating debt is a big part of increasing your score. Using your credit app, or credit report, begin by paying off those smaller amounts. Every time you pay down a debt, you will boost your credit score a few points. Keep focused. If you happen to have a zero interest rate credit card on hand, than transferring all those balances from high interest rates may be your best bet. This way, every payment you make goes toward your principal and not disappear into the world of interests. Another thing you want to stay away from is applying for more credit. Every time you submit an application for a credit card, it is considered a hard inquiry, and it lowers your credit. Keep in mind that a new credit card with not so great credit will have a high interest rate and your $500 credit line will take years to pay off. Is this really worth it? Lastly and most important is to always pay your debts on time. Not a day late. Try to always pay more than your minimum amount due as this will have a good impact on your creditor and open doors to higher credit limits, hence increasing your score. Ideally you should keep your debt to a max of 30%(of your total credit limit) combined in use. Using more than 30% of your credit limit will impact your credit negatively. Keep focused and you can achieve your high FICO score in a very short time. Good Luck!
Sigh! What a year this has been for everyone across the world. For most, the year 2020 has proven to be a year of uncertainty and great financial loss. This year the unemployment broke record, and it was far worst than that economic crisis in 2008. A big part of the population lost their employment completely, lost their businesses, or lost their “full-time” status at work. Regardless of the reason, the point is your income stream has significantly weakened, and finding employment again through this pandemic has proven to be somewhat challenging.
6 Ways to Make Extra money.
Below, I will share some ways that have proven to work. If you are serious about making extra money while things go back to “normal” then keep reading. Who knows, you may just enjoy the additional cash flow and continue for long term. What ever your intentions are, money is good everyday in my eyes.
Earn Money delivering food with UberEats and/or DoorDash
If you have a reliable vehicle, a driver’s license, and a smartphone than this is for you. It is relatively very simple and you work on your schedule. You simply upload the apps on your phone and submit your application. You will receive confirmation of work within a few days if everything checks out. During this short process, you will be asked to accept having a background check as well. This is to ensure safety. Keep in mind there is an age restriction for both companies. Doordash will allow you to sign up once you turn 18; UberEats requires 21 and over.
Once you are approved, again, a very easy process, you will be able to login and “go live” anytime that you want to make money. The apps use a gps tracking system that allows you to receive orders near your actual location. Once there is an order placed in a nearby restaurant, you will receive a push notification with the restaurant information, and the amount of money you will receive for that trip. If you are interested in completing that delivery, you simply accept the offer. The best part is you receive 100% of that money plus tips. By average you can easily make $20 an hour or more if it is during peak hours. The best part is there is no need for money from the customer, since everything is done through the app. Another great benefit is that you can cash out daily if you wish.
It doesn’t matter what phase we may be going through around the world, getting our nails, hair or lashes done on a regular basis is a “must” for some of us ladies. During the recent years, eyelash extensions have become a high demand trend. It allows us to look great at all times with minimal downtime. I am a true client with bi-weekly maintenance. This side hustle can become your full-time income stream once you have a following. You may take a 1-2 day course near your town. For this, you may have to do some research on social media, or the search engine. Depending on the styles that you provide, one client session can bring you $50-$200 depending on your region.
My daughter recently became a certified lash tech and she has been practicing on me for a month. I don’t complain, she does a great job and its always free for me. Her first actual client will be in 3 days. Although she has a part-time job at a retail store, the lash business can be very lucrative if you network properly. She is aspiring to have her lash business as her main source of income and work her own schedule by the end of this year.
If you enjoy writing as much as I do, then you may want to consider starting a blog. Blogging can be very profitable, but it will take time. The beauty of blogging is that you can literally do it from your couch, or from the beach during your vacation downtime. There is no wrong time, nor place to write a blog.
Blogging is more of a long term investment, if you will. The hardest part of creating a blog, is picking a niche that everyone wants to read about. Do some research and find a platform that will help you create a website, and host it. Many companies will offer one or the other- ultimately you will need both to make it easier on yourself. Some blogging platforms that I know about include Wix.com, gorillawriters.com and Squarespace.com. I happen to use WordPress.com– and I like it. Once you captivate an audience, and grow your followers, you will be able to monetarize your website through different ways.
You will want to connect with GoogleAds and create a relationship. You will get paid a small percentage every time someone clicks on the advertising links on your page. These earnings are small, but they all add up. This is why creating good content is crucial to keep readers coming back.
Another way to monetarize your blog is with affiliate accounts. With these, you will receive a commission based on conversion. Reach out to the companies and see if they offer products you can offer to your readers. There are so many companies that offer the affiliate program. However, these are some I know of:
a. Amazon
b. CJ Affiliate by Conversant
c. Bluehost
d. Clickbank
e. Fiverr
f. Teachable
g. Ebay Partner Network
4. Get paid for your opinion
Believe it or not, there are many companies out there who want your honest opinion. They use all of this information to complete studies that will help them determine improvements that may be needed in certain products. You simply register, and complete your questionnaire. Based on your profile, they will email you surveys to complete on line, which may take 5-25 mins by average. You may also be offered to go in person to a study. These usually involve a taste test, or similar. For these in person studies that may take an hour or 2, the compensation may very well be over $100. Its easy money!
Some companies that you may want to look into are as follow:
a. Swagbucks.com
b. inboxdollars.com
c. Google opinion rewards
d. Mypoints.com
5. Utilize your skills
What do you enjoy doing? Think carefully and find your forte. What ever it may be, there is always someone, somewhere who needs your product, or service. Don’t be afraid to start from scratch. Trial and error is part of success. Once you have found your niche, promote it. Thankfully, social media is the biggest communication platform out there. Use whatever you may have or create a new account. It is free! Take advantage of the benefits of networking through Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and/or Twitter. You must be consistent and advertise your product or service frequently. Soon enough, you will be making extra money doing what you love.
Some ideas may include:
a. Sewing
b. Translating
c. Transportation
d. Personal Assistant
e. Landscaping
f. Cleaning crew
e. Babysitting
f. Dog sitting/walking
6. Get paid to loose weight
Yes, you read it right the first time. How better can it get? If you are trying to loose weight, and still seeking that motivation you need? Healthywage.com will help you. It is a win-win situation. This is great! Set up a profile and give yourself a specific time frame to obtain the weight loss wanted. You practically bet against yourself as an incentive, and if you reach your target weight within that timeframe, then you get paid. Give it a try.
Hopefully, some of these ideas are a good fit for you. Remember there is no worst risk than one not taken. Get creative, and find alternatives. Good luck!
“Stay positive. Better days are on their way”- author unknown
With all the ups and downs of our daily lives, we struggle. You are not alone. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another, but something is always brewing…. At least this is how it has always been for me. We can agree that life itself is beautiful. So many emotions involved in “living”. Just in a 24 hour time span, we can feel all kinds of ways. We experience happiness, sadness, anger, tiredness, doubtfulness, accomplishment, etc.- you get my point. It sounds pretty exhausting huh? The crazy part is how we unintentionally choose to dread more on those bitter feelings-the “blues”. Lets think back and remember the last time something made you feel happy. How long did that feeling last? Now think back to something that made you sad or upset…how long did those feelings linger for? For some reason, those “sour” moments tend to linger longer in memory and feeling wise, for me at least. Am I alone on this? Not really-The more I speak to people, I have come to realize that it is a common reality among many.
Nonetheless, life goes on and as we start to review our life as a whole, we begin to realize what and how situations have affected us. It has molded us into the people we are today. Whether the experiences were good or bad, it made us who we are. This we need to cherish! Because at the end of the day, I am here writing this blog, and you are there reading…both of us breathing, and still living. That is a blessing! Life may not have worked out how we envisioned it one day, and we may have lived through things we never thought possible, yet here we are. It seems to me that we are stronger than we give ourselves credit for. Lets celebrate that!
Today may be a day that things may not be going your way. You may consider to “throw in the towel” and just give up. DON’T!! Giving up should not be an option. It will leave you with a sense of emptiness that at the end will not be worth it. Look back again at your life, and remember that this is not the first time you are going through a hardship. Whether it is emotional or financial. Whatever the cause for making you feel this way today, it will pass. Time heals and time keeps on ticking. Life does not stop or pause when challenges arrive. We do however, need to reposition our point of view and take another seat. Realize that you have already overcome other hardships in life and your life has continued. More importantly, you have lived many happy moments, and wore many smiles past those hardships. Life goes on my friend.
As I tell everyone that surrounds me, no matter how bad things may get, they will eventually get better. Nothing last forever…sadly this is true for those happy moments as well, so cherish them deeply. It is important to stay positive and stay focused. Take every hardship that life gives you as an “experience”, not as bad luck. These hardships allow us to learn from those things that did not work. It allows us to make better decisions later in life in similar situations. More importantly, it makes us stronger and wiser.
So when you feel that life is hard and complicated, you are not alone. We all feel that way from time to time-but take it and turn this around to create a positive. Things can always be a lot worst believe it or not…and sadly, there are many people out there who have it much tougher than you and I. Life is a white canvas and it is what we make it. It is up to us to color our canvas. What are your colors?
“When life gives you a hundred reasons to break down and cry, show life that you have a million reasons to smile and laugh. Stay strong”- author unknown
Finding the strength within ourselves to continue life after a break-up may be challenging for some. If you find yourself reading this blog or searching the internet for answers on this topic, then more than likely you are not alone. Many of us have been broken-hearted; more than once I am sure. I can tell you that the “love” department has definitely been my lifetime struggle. I am successful in everyway, for this I am grateful. Yet…my life puzzle is missing that important piece-LOVE.
I can’t help but smile helplessly when I see those happy couples walking down the street, holding hands, laughing, radiating an amazing connection. I wonder selfishly how that really feels, and if indeed, they are happy. I have been in several relationships through my life-not by choice. I crave for “love”. I dream about my soulmate and all the happiness and laughter that we would share. I daydream about this and I am no novice to this topic. Every relationship I have entered, I did so expecting it would be the “one”. Yet, it did not turn out that way for reasons that I did not foresee. This is what makes it so challenging.
“DATE YOURSELF”
Many times, more than I care to remember I have been left broken-hearted. Feelings that induce anger, sadness, emptiness. Yet, with time I brushed it off and here I stand. Strong! And I guarantee that you can do the same. It is all a matter of healing, and allowing ourselves the time to do so. This is the time where you “date yourself”. During this process, rediscover yourself and do what makes “you” happy. Explore new adventures, new hobbies, new restaurants- but most importantly, EXPLORE YOURSELF. Find your passions. What makes you smile? What makes you happy? Find your strength.
There is no point in reminiscing about a relationship that did not work. Think about it…if you are not together, than more than likely the reasons were there. No one walks away from a great healthy relationship- This was not the right person, or perhaps just not the right time. Although it is not easy, you must stay positive and always keep focused. A positive perspective is key for mending a broken heart. Keep in mind that you are a strong, valuable, amazing person. Love yourself hard! Someone out there will see your worth, and this will happen at the right time, with the right person- and when this happens, a “breakup” will never be an option.
So for now, lets focus on making ourselves better each day. Lets place our head up high, chin up and lets face the world with confidence. Remember that no matter how bad things may appear to be, eventually, everything gets better again.
“Life isn’t about falling. Its about getting up every time you fall” – author unknown
Ok, so perhaps becoming a single parent was not part of your life plan. But life is unpredictable and often times, things may not work out exactly how we may have envisioned them. Life is full of curve balls and it is up to us to learn how to maneuver around them all the the way through the finish line.
As a single parent myself, I can tell you that it is totally “doable”. The uniqueness in the love that we feel towards our children is unexplainable. This unexplainable connection that will automatically fire up all the “mommy” and/or “daddy” modes. Becoming a parent, single or not, does not come with an instruction manual, although it would be helpful, lol. But its really not that complicated, and I can vouch for that. I can definitely relate to you with all the doubts and fears that may arise. “Will I be a good parent? Am I financially ready? Can I make it on my own?” and so many more doubts that arise. Raising children in the traditional setting of “a married household” is ideal, and I respect your opinion on the matter. But to some, this is not the ideal setting. Many reasons fall behind why we choose to be a single parent (a future topic), and if it will create a safer, healthier, happier environment for you and your child, then you have my support.
I can tell you that you need to have faith, and believe that everything will work out. Everything may feel a bit overwhelming at first, but with some time and patience, you will find a routine that works. Trial and error is part of learning, and being a parent is a life learning experience which never ends. I have heard about support groups in communities that extend help for families in need. If you find yourself in a position where you need that extra guidance, I would recommend you do an internet search in your state. There you may find counseling, housing and/or food vouchers to help you in troubled times. Thankfully, I have been blessed with a great career history and cannot elaborate on those extreme calls for help by experience, but I have crossed paths with many people who have been in that position, and there is no shame in seeking help when help is needed. Ask around and get reviews on pediatricians near you. A good pediatrician with weekend or late hours is always best. You want to think ahead and be ready for those last minute doctor calls. A pediatrician with a flexible schedule will come in handy, especially to work around your work schedule. Remember you are running a “one-man” show here. Keeping up with immunizations is extremely important in the upkeep of your healthy child.
One of the biggest expense you will incur in early childhood is Daycare. Depending on where you are located, these fees will vary drastically. I have learned that infants are charged a higher fee due to the amount of responsibilities that are involved. Lets face it, just between feeding and diapers every 2-3 hours is exhausting on its own. I understand. As your child becomes a toddler, and he/she is potty trained, you can celebrate. Hooray! your daycare fee just got lower. As you see, with time and patience, it all starts to make sense, and all the hard work you put into today, will be a lifetime of smiles and happiness.
Motivation! 