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
Motivation! 