5 THINGS WE SHOULD SPEND OUR MONEY ON AND 5 THINGS WE SHOULDN'T

Imagine that you are sitting on the front porch of your house sipping lemonade with your family on a warm summer’s night. You sit back and reminisce with them about how you… bought the newest HG TV?
Materialistic gratification only lasts so long. It is said that our brains adapt to  happiness. With materialistic things buying our happiness, we are successful for a brief moment. New things will lose their shine and we will lose our interest.
Instead of spending your money on things that will eventually be obsolete, try spending it on something that will make lasting memories. Memories become a part of our lives forever and help make us who we are. The good experiences will forever stay good in your mind forever and the bad ones turn into a funny anecdote in the future.
Below is a list of 5 things you should spend less money on and 5 things you should spend more money. Use these tips to save money so that you can spend it on experiences that will enrich the lives of you and those around you.

5 Things you shouldn’t spend too much money on:

1. Electronics

Electronics in this day and age are almost a necessity, but that doesn’t mean that you need to spend money to get the newest thing. The shiny new feeling of your devices are very short lived and it is almost guaranteed that there will be a newer and better model of the whatever device you own within the next year.

2. Home Decor Fads

There will always be a new popular theme to decorate your home with. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get the signature look you see in the magazine; there are always do it yourself ways to achieve the same look. You can make it an experience and a time to bond with friends and family.

3. Cars

Keeping up with the newest car models is not a smart lifestyle unless you can pay each of them off by the time the next model comes out. This is a way to get you into a never ending hole of debt. You will never have the title in your hands if you keep trading your car (half paid off) for this current year’s model (which probably cost more).

4. Newest Fashion

You don’t have to feel guilty about giving into buying new clothes, bags and shoes once in a while. But when it gets to the point where you are trying to get each new bag or pair of shoes for about $300 plus dollars, maybe you should skip out on one of these and save the money for something else. There is always going to be a new fad and there is no point on spending all your hard earned money and losing precious closet space on it.

5. Jewelry

Fancy jewelry is nice to have for formal occasions, at the office and when dancing on your night out. If you can afford to buy a two thousand dollar watch, good job. For the rest of us, there is a fine line between accessorizing and going into debt for shiny things.

5 Things you should spend more money on:

1.Education

There isn’t another feeling in the world that can compare to the feeling of starting to understand another language without thinking about it. Though some language classes are very pricey, they are worth it. Taking classes on different cultures, religion and different professions will open your mind to a whole different world.
It does not mean you need to convert your religion or change your job. It will simply mean that you have walked into a classroom with an open mind and have added the things you have been taught to your vault of knowledge. You may never know when it can come in handy.

2.Traveling

Traveling can be pricey at times, but it creates memories that last a life time- even the bad experiences. Typically we all laugh about the bad experiences later on in life. One trip to Europe can cost someone the same as good laptop and the long trips can cost less than a car you don’t really need but want.
Trade all those materialistic things in for a night under the Northern Lights, a kiss on the Eiffel Tower, or a long journey backpacking through the Alps.

3.Music

Learning to play an instrument is a great start to a new tradition in your family. You can pass this down to your children and make new memories. That is, of course, after you have told them about the ones you have when you learned to play.
You can also venture out and spend about a dollar or two to take a chance on a new genre. Who knows, you could end up with a couple (or a couple hundred) songs added to your music library.

4.Books

Book are always going to be something different with each reader that turns its’ pages. It is a completely different experience using your imagination to put the author’s words into images in your head. Books won’t ever require you to turn them on, charge them or restart them. They are things you can pass down from generation to generation.
It is a much different experience to sit somewhere, with a book in hand, with absolutely no distractions. Books are portals to explore completely different worlds with a turn of a page.

5.Food

Trying new food goes hand in hand with traveling the world. Instead of spending a few hundred on a bag, save it for some great food when out and about. Take some cooking classes on food from different cultures. In Italy, they offer cooking classes at a vineyard. You can learn from an Italian chef how to create a great meal. It is something you can take back home with you and teach friends and family.
There are several chocolatiers in Belgium that are worth spending the extra dime to appreciate a perfectly crafted truffle.
Remember…put your money into things that will create memories over the instant materialistic things. You don’t have to spend all of it on creating memories but if you do, it won’t be something you regret.

10 money mistakes successful people don't make

Managing money effectively is a key success skill. Successful people make the decision to become effective with money, many of them early in life. Like any area of life, it is important to educate yourself about the threats and challenges in the world. Taking the time to master a few key principles will pay off for years to come.

1. They don’t overspend; they live on less than they make.

Living on less than you make is an essential money management skill. Some of the world’s wealthiest people have taken this principle to heart. For example, Sir John Templeton, a legendary investor who became a billionaire, saved 50% of his income even when he grew up with limited means. If that is more than you manage, don’t worry! You can reach financial success by saving 10-15% of your income.

2. They don’t fixate on price; they understand the importance of value.

The price you pay for an investment, a meal or piece of clothing is only part of the story. Successful people also think about the value of that good. For investments, they consider the prospects for the investment growing in the future. For personal items, they look for high quality products that will last. For example, a well made pair of business shoes may cost $200 or more but these shoes can last for years with proper care.
Tip: Buy high quality products that will last for a long time.

3. They don’t waste cash on fees and interest; they know how to manage their banking

Carrying a balance on your credit card is incredibly expensive and sadly common. According to CNN, the average American household carried over $15,000 in credit card debt. Successful people also keep an eye on their bank fees–how much they pay for ATM use and other transactions. These fees are easy to avoid with planning once you understand how the system works. Simply reviewing your financial accounts for 5-10 minutes each month is all it takes to understand your fees.

4. They don’t forget to adjust their finances after big changes in life.

Did you get married recently? Is your spouse referenced in your will? These are some of the points that financially successful people manage effectively. While you can automate a great deal of your finances, it is vital to make adjustments when your life and family circumstances change significantly. Sitting down by yourself (or with a financial expert) at least once a year to review your life and financial plan is an excellent way to stay on top of important changes.

5. They are not satisfied with a stagnant income; they look for ways to increase their income.

Some people never ask for more money or simply settle for 1-3% increases. Unfortunately, that rate of income growth means you are simply standing still–inflation is slowly eating away at your purchasing power. Instead, successful people look for ways to earn more income. Increased income gives you more options for personal enjoyment, more capacity to give money, and a sense of security.
Successful people take daily action to increase their income. For example, they take a course to improve their skills or they contribute ideas to improve the productivity of their companies. They also know how to ask for more money.

6. They don’t ignore financial statements.

Reaching financial success requires some slow and steady habits. That includes forming a habit to monitor your financial statements. Successful people set a time each month–30 to 60 minutes–to review all of their financial accounts: investments, bank accounts, credit cards and more. When they detect an error or omission, they take immediate action.
Tip: Set a recurring reminder in your calendar each month to review your financial accounts.

7. They don’t take foolish risks in money.

Warren Buffet is often quoted as saying, “Rule number one is never lose money.” All investments carry some measure of risk (and therefore the potential to lose money). That said, successful people use two powerful tools to avoid losses. They understand the value of insurance to control risk (e.g. home, auto, and life insurance) and the importance of asset allocation.
Remember: If it sounds too good to be true (or if you don’t understand how it works), slow down and start asking plenty of questions.

8. They don’t pretend to understand everything when it comes to money.

The world is a vast and complex place–successful people know and deeply understand this truth. When it comes to money, there is a lot of information out there. That’s why successful people like Warren Buffet understand their limits and focus on their strengths.
Tip: Review your knowledge of money and investments. If you are just starting out, read one or two classic personal finance books. Or read 9 Can’t-Miss Secrets Behind Warren Buffett’s Wealth for more insights from one of the world’s most successful investors.

9. They don’t transfer responsibility to experts.

Successful people do seek out the advice of experts, yet they never yield responsibility. For example, it is reasonable to seek advice from a tax accountant in planning your financial affairs. However, successful people take the time to ask questions and evaluate the person providing advice to them.
Tip: When seeking advice from professionals like accountants and lawyers, ask questions and seek to have the advice explained to you. Otherwise, it is difficult to act on the advice.

10. They don’t let the pursuit of money overcome other values.

Seeking financial success is a valid goal. Significant financial resources give you more options to give to causes you believe in. It also means improved access to technology, health care and leisure. However, successful people understand that financial success is only one aspect of a successful life. For example, neglecting health in the pursuit of money is a poor strategy.
Tip: Review your personal goals to see if you have a balance between financial goals, career goals, family goals and other activities.

10 BEST PAYING JOB YOU CAN DO FROM HOME

 

 

The trend of working from home has grown tremendously in the recent years. Long gone are the days when employment was thought of as a strict 9-5 day, travelling to the office in the morning and returning back home in the evening. With advanced technologies and changing trends in the economy, freelancing has become more common than ever before.
Don’t get home-based employment wrong as a mere part-time job that pays only in scanty sums. You can earn as much as you’d earn working at an office if you possess certain skills and capabilities.
Below, we have listed 10 of the best-paying jobs you can do at home. No more are jackpots and lotteries the only ways of getting rich sitting back at home, enjoying the comfort of the couch and closeness with your family.

1. Translator

Average Salary: $132,000
As a freelance translator, you translate texts from one language to another. It’s a perfect job for telecommuting. Translation is a pretty straightforward job and you can do it all by yourself at home.
You might need to revise your work at times but if you possess enough talent, you’ll be able to translate the words and also include the feel of the original work.
This job comes with its fair share of challenges. The work can seem quite monotonous at times, and time management is a skill you must have to succeed in this job.

2. Voice Actor

Average Salary: $75,000
All voice actors provide voiceovers, but the purposes for voice acting vary a lot. You can do freelance voice acting for audiobooks, animation works, games, websites, videos, and more.
Voice acting is fun work to do and pays plenty. However, you may need to condition and train your voice.
Voice acting is just like acting. You might have difficulty finding work as different businesses tend to search for a specific kind of voice only. And altering your voice is a pretty difficult thing to do.

3. Statistical Analyst

Average Salary: $69,000
As a statistical analyst, you have to interpret the quantitative data and also design statistical models for research problems. Maintaining databases and ensuring validity of data is also required in most of the cases.
Statistical analysis is a very broad field and you should work towards specializing in particular types of data. It will add great value if you specialize in marketing, health, economics, or engineering data.
This kind of work requires proper training, and in many cases, the employers require you to have formal college training as well. Certification of statistical training is asked for in almost all cases.

4. Infographic Designer

Average Salary: $76,000
Infographics are becoming more and more of a powerful tool to visualize detailed information. These days, no one really seems to have time to go through web articles thoroughly, scanning through each and every detail.
So as the demand for infographics is increasing, infographic designing has become a very rewarding vocation. However, you need to be good with data visualization tools and should be very careful to only use the correct data.
If you have a knack for designing visually appealing infographics, you can earn as much just sitting back at home as you’d earn if you worked at an office.

5. Software Engineer

Average Salary: $94,000
The demand for software engineers has been ever increasing. And freelance software engineering opportunities are aplenty in the market.
Virtually all businesses want to have a website and app of their own. Add to that the ever present demand for desktop applications, and the future of software engineers looks very bright.
If you have sufficient skills and experience under your belt, you do not even need to have a college degree to succeed in this field.

6. Travel Agent

Average Salary: $56,000
Working as a home-based travel agent can be very exciting. You don’t actually need to have traveled to lots of places if you want to succeed in this field. However, you do need to understand travel well.
The internet has brought lots of changes to the traditional travel agent business. Even the most complicated trips can be arranged successfully at the click of a button.
As a freelance travel agent, you are involved in things like providing information to prospective visitors, driving traffic to a client’s website, and making arrangements for visitors.

7. Financial Manager

Average Salary: $103,000
Financial management is a highly paying job that you can do from home. In this vocation, you are responsible for providing proper financial support to the clients, helping them to make suitable business choices.
Common clients are financial corporations, retailers, charities, universities, and general businesses. Freelance financial managers are preferred by many clients for whom it is not suitable to hire a financial manager on a permanent basis.
However, to land this job, it’s necessary for you to have formal training and college education to establish your credentials.

8. Writer

Average Salary: $52,000
There are plenty of freelance writing opportunities available out there. You can write both for printed as well as online publishing media. With the growth of internet, online writing opportunities have always been on the rise.
Writing opportunities spread over multiple disciplines, from health, education, and career counselling to sports, music, and politics. If you can write, you’ll always find something that interests you.
This job pays significantly and you don’t even need to have formal education and college training. If you can show your adroitness with sample works and draft a solid cover letter, you are likely to land the job.

9. Graphic Designer

Average Salary: $52,000
The demand for freelance graphic designers is also increasing day by day. It’s a perfect home-based job opportunity as you’d like to be on your own while doing something creative.
Graphic designers are constantly wanted by corporations, advertisement agencies, newspapers, retailers, and websites. You can soon turn one client into many.
This is also a great opportunity that doesn’t require official training. Your creations speak for themselves, and if your clients fancy your work, you’ll land the job. Pretty simple!

10. Animator

Average Salary: $69,000
Freelance animator is a quite pleasing job to have, at least for those who really dig animation and don’t see it as work.
You need expensive resources in animation software, as well as computer hardware to be able to create swift animation. However, once you start getting clients, your initial investments will make far greater returns.
Animation is a quite challenging job, and often you’ll be working with a team of fellow animators rather than alone. You may find teamwork challenging or rather uplifting.
All the above average salaries have been taken from Indeed.com.

5 REAL WAYS TO ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY ONLINE

How many articles are there about making money online? Thousands?  Millions? Enough? Probably. But there’s a problem. Too many of them are just sales pitches to convince you to sign up for some seminar, webinar, training session or some other way to become an online millionaire.
They really give online money making a bad name. But it is possible to make money online. I mean, the people selling all of those millionaire pitches are making money, right?
There are legitimate ways to make money online. The problem is that the real ways to make money aren’t “get rich quick” schemes.
Most of them require a lot of work and sometimes a lot of dedication before seeing a return on your time.  But if you really want to make money online, work from home or turn an idea into a business, you can do it. You can even earn money with apps if you don’t want to venture all the way to the computer.
I’m going to tell you about all kinds of legitimate ways to make money online.  Since we are talking about legitimate jobs, you’ve got to be…well, legitimate. Many of these options are real jobs that require you to put in hours if you want to get paid. They also require real work. Here are some tips for actually getting the job:

• Take it seriously. Yes, you’re applying for an online job. Yes, you can do the work in your underwear, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a “real job”. You must treat it as such or they aren’t going to treat you as a serious candidate. You aren’t the only one who wants to work in their underwear. In fact, the competition online is likely higher than it is in your local area.
• Be professional. When you submit a résumé, don’t type it in ALL CAPS and please don’t avoid the caps lock like the plague. Know how to use it without looking incompetent. Write in complete sentences with proper grammar. Of course, there will be exceptions, but even with the exceptions, you must keep it professional. You’re building their view of you.
• Give some, but not all.  Whether you’re providing writing samples, a photography portfolio or links to your work, give them enough examples to get the idea, but not so many that they don’t even know where to start. And while we’re on the topic, give them some of your background information, but don’t tell them your life story.
• Double check yourself, before you double wreck yourself. Make sure everything you send to a company, whether a résumé, an email or a portfolio, is good to go. Double check your grammar and wording, and for God’s sake use spell check! This is especially important when it comes to the company’s name. Don’t spell their name wrong and be sure to type it how they type it (e.g. Problogger, not Pro Blogger).

1. Websites That Pay

Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way. There are all kinds of websites that will pay you for various things, such as shopping, taking surveys or testing products. No, I’m not getting paid to promote any of these and no, these websites won’t make you a millionaire, but they are great for earning some extra cash. I’ll leave out the scams.
Here are some legitimate websites that pay:

1. Swagbucks – Swagbucks is great for earning some extra cash. You can do a variety of things to make money, from taking surveys to using their search engine. You won’t get rich, but you will earn a few bucks. If you have the time to kill, you can spend it earning some extra cash, instead of surfing the web.
2. InboxDollars – InboxDollars is similar to Swagbucks, since you’re going to be taking surveys, shopping, etc., so if you want to maximize your return, sign up with both websites. They also offer a search engine that pays you (like Swagbucks) and you get $5 just for signing up.  I won’t continue to list survey sites one after another down the list, but if you want to get paid to take surveys, also check out GlobalTestMarket, E-Poll Surveys and Survey Club.
3. Project Payday – Project Payday is one of those sites that has testimonials of people who have earned thousands of dollars by getting paid to get trial offers. I’m not saying you’ll earn thousands, but it is legit and you can earn some extra cash. They assume that by paying you to do a free trial, you’ll either like the product and purchase it, or forget to cancel the trial and get charged for it. If you can keep track and cancel before you get charged (if you don’t want the product), then this is a great site for making some money.
4. User Testing – User Testing pays $10 a pop for testing websites. A test usually takes about 15-20 minutes. The purpose is for a website owner to watch someone, who is new to their site, try to navigate it. The value that the site owner gets by watching an actual user experience is worth a ton, but $10 isn’t a bad pay-out.
5. Fiverr – Fiverr is a great place to make a few bucks or spend a few bucks if you need some of the services people offer. Basically, everything is $5. You either pay $5 or charge $5. They call them “gigs.” You can offer your services however you choose. If you sell art and you’re fine selling pieces for $5 each, that’s a gig. If you’re a graphic designer and you want to offer your services for $10/hour, simply offer a 30 minute gig. If they need two hours of graphic design, they pay you $20, or $10/hour by buying four gigs.
6. IZEA – IZEA works in addition to a blog or on its own. You get paid to blog, tweet, take photos and take videos. The pay is mostly based on your following, so if you want to make money with your tweets, you’ll need to grow you Twitter following.  Likewise, if you want to make money with blogs, you’ll need substantial blog traffic (more on blogging below).

2. Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is one of the most popular ways to earn money online. Many successful freelancers can earn an average of 50 cents to a dollar per word. Some are earning twice that!
Of course, it doesn’t start out like that. You’ve got to build your portfolio and your résumé, blah blah blah. If you’re interested in writing, I’m sure you know this. If you’re not interested in writing, I wouldn’t recommend traveling down this road just for the money.
It takes dedication and time, though it can be highly profitable if it’s what you love. Assuming it is what you love, let’s talk about making money with it.
Before you decide to start reaching out to all of these freelance writing companies, you need to have a web presence. You need a blog (in my humble blogger opinion, of course).
Or you could just have an online portfolio. Even a LinkedIn profile works to get started. When you’re ready to start, here are 150 resources to help you write better, faster and more persuasively.
If that’s intimidating, just start with these 50 resources.
Now for what you’ve all been waiting for; once you’re ready to actually start making money, here are 10 websites you can start with:

1. Listverse – Listverse pays $100 for each accepted post. The article must be a list, it must be at least 1,500 words and you must include at least 10 things. Other than that, you can get pretty creative with it.
2. TopTenz – TopTenz pays $50 for each accepted post. Again, the article has to be in a list format and it must be at least 1,500 words, with few exceptions. They post often so your chances of getting accepted are fairly high.
3. A List Apart – A List Apart pays $200 for each accepted post. They’re not first on the list, because they tend to publish less articles, which means you have a smaller chance of getting accepted. Same guidelines as above, 1,500 word minimum.
4. International Living – International Living pays $75 for each accepted post. They are mostly looking for travel experiences from countries you have visited. For this site, it’s more about your experience than your writing ability.
5. FundsforWriters – FundsforWriters pays $50 for each accepted post. They are looking for articles about writing and making money with it. They only accept articles between 500-600 words, but they want you to make each word count.
6. Uxbooth – Uxbooth pays $100 for each accepted post. They do tend to take four to eight weeks to accept and post articles, so don’t count on this being a quick money maker. They take so long, because they pair with editors to only publish amazing content.
7. iWriter – iWriter pays up to $15 for each accepted post. That may seem small, but they aren’t as strict as many of the others above and they also allow you to pick exactly what you write. You can write as many or as few articles as you want.
8. Textbroker – Textbroker pays up to five cents per word, if you’re a 5-star writer. You’ll start by submitting a short sample article and you will most likely start as a 3-star writer, but you can work your way up by writing more and writing great content.
9. Matador Network – Matador Network pays up to $60 for each accepted post, but standard pay is around $20-$25. They don’t really focus on a minimum word count, but they have a maximum count of 1,500 words.
10. The Penny Hoarder – The Penny Hoarder pays up to $800 (rarely), depending upon the number of page views you receive. The pay starts at $100 for 50,000 page views, so this isn’t a guaranteed paid article, but it can potentially be highly rewarding.

There’s no doubt that you can make money with freelance writing, but it’s a process. Once you start building your portfolio and your writing skills, you can start making some serious money. If you’re not an experienced writer, expect to put some time in before you really start to see some dough.

3. Sell Your Stuff

Ever since the idea of online auctions came into existence, the online selling market has been on the rise. Many are interested, but don’t know how to get started. There are still all kinds of ways to make money by selling online, whether you’re selling what you already have or buying and selling like a store. Before we get started, here are a few general tips when selling anything online:

• Get a PayPal account. If you don’t have a PayPal account, you’ll want to get one if you’re doing business online. It’s the standard in online business for receiving payment and paying others.
• Take good pictures. Some of the options below don’t require you to actually take the picture and sell the product, but for the ones that do, make sure you take a clear picture that makes your product stand out from the others.  If you’re going to be taking a lot of pictures, set up a small “studio-like” area in your home with a backdrop and proper lighting to really make your pictures come across as professional. And of course, you’ll want a good camera too.
• Be honest.  If you’re selling used items, be honest about every dent, scratch, blemish, etc.. This will reduce many issues you could run into and keep your reviews positive.
• Do good business. Plain and simple. Whether you’re selling on a small site or opening an online store, your customer service matters. You’ll want to get those positive reviews and make a good name for yourself. Respond to questions, concerns and complaints. Offer a guarantee if available.

Follow those guidelines and you will do well in online sales. When you’re ready to start selling, here’s where you go:

1. Amazon – Have you heard of FBA? It stands for “Fulfilled by Amazon” and it’s getting pretty popular. Basically, you buy products (in bulk is best) and ship them to Amazon for them to store. When your products sell, Amazon packs them up, ships them out and sends you the money (after taking their cut). There are people making a full-time living from FBA, while others just do it for some extra money.
2. CraigsList – Some things don’t ship very well. Other things may make you feel uncomfortable to sell to someone across the country. Anytime you’re selling a large item or something you just don’t want to ship, Craigslist is a great place to go. It’s simple to list your item (again, take good pictures!). If you don’t like the idea of putting your phone number out there, the interested individual can send you a message to your inbox without even getting your email address.
3. eBay – Of course you can’t read an article about making money online that doesn’t mention eBay. You can start an eBay store and get serious about it or you can just sell some stuff to declutter your home. Either way, I’ve made my fair share from selling on eBay and it’s still a popular way to earn money. If you decide to start an actual eBay store, you’ll want to find a drop-ship business like Doba that will store and ship items straight to your customers so you don’t have to deal with an inventory.
4. Etsy – If you like to create arts and crafts, you can sell them on Etsy.It’s completely free to open an Etsy store. You simply sign up, post pictures of your creations and starting selling. You can choose your payment option, but PayPal is generally the easiest. Etsy makes it easy to sell and keep track of your inventory. There is a small listing fee and they take 3.5% of every sale you make.
5. Facebook – Facebook swap shops are great for selling things locally. It’s like CraigsList, but a little easier. You simply search for swap shops in your area and ask to join the group. Once you’re in, take a picture of the item, write a quick description with the price and post it. It doesn’t get much easier than that. You can generally expect to get about what you would get at a yard sale, maybe a little more.

4. Blogging

Hey look, an article about making money online that doesn’t mention blogging. . . oh wait, here it is.
First off, I’m a blogger so it seems wrong not to mention it, but more importantly, it’s a legitimate way to make money. It’s quite possibly the least straight-forward way on this list, but it’s very doable and it’s also quite possibly the funnest way on this list. I love blogging and I know hundreds of bloggers who feel the same. So let’s talk about making money blogging and what it really means.
Blogging is something that requires patience, persistence and discipline. It may mean writing everyday for over a year before you really start to see any money from it. There are exceptions to the rule, but from my dealings with other bloggers, it seems to be pretty common to spend one or even two years building your blog, your brand and your authority, before making any serious amount of money.
Some people argue that you can make money without a lot of traffic and while that is true in some circumstances, you will generally need a lot of website traffic to start earning from a blog and that takes a while. Once you’ve reached that point, here are the primary ways to monetize your blog and start earning:

1. Advertising – This is definitely the most old-school way of earning money with a blog. It’s also starting to become the least common way. You can sell advertising spots directly on your site or you can sign up with a company like Google AdSense or Media.net. Either way, you won’t see a whole lot of money from ads until your views are well into the thousands each day.
2. Affiliates – There are many affiliate networks, such as FlexOffers and CJ Affiliate that allow you to promote other people’s products and services. You simply put a link or a banner on your page and then you get a percentage if someone clicks through and buys the product/service. You’ll want to select products that are specifically within your blog’s category.This is an effective way to earn money once you have the traffic coming to your blog.
3. Membership – Many people have created a paid membership area on their blog. This is typically for exclusive content that you can only access in the “member’s area.” If you have a really great idea on what to include, this can be a great idea.  You’ll have to create something that can’t easily be accessed around the web.
4. Products – You can create your own product, such as an ebook or computer software. You would then use your blog as a promotion tool to get people to buy your product. As long as you create a legitimate product with a whole lot of value, you should be able to get some buyers, but like everything else with a blog, you’ll need the traffic to get the sells.
5. Services – You can offer a paid service, such as life coaching, blog coaching, goal setting or financial planning. Just be sure to investigate all the legal implications and make sure you’re not claiming to be a professional if you’re not one. With a service like this, you’re basically using your blog to sell yourself. You’ll need to convince people that you’re worth buying and then be able to back up your claims once they purchase your service.
6. Sponsored/paid posts – Many blogs publish sponsored and paid posts. Sponsored posts are basically just posts about a specific brand, product or service. A company will pay you to publish an article about it. It’s similar with other paid posts as well. Your basically selling the spot for the article on your site. If you decide to take this route, you’ll want to build your traffic before you will get many offers.
7. Subscription – If you think of something valuable (newsletter, online magazine, etc.) that you can consistently offer on a certain basis (weekly, monthly, etc.), you may want to offer a subscription service. This could be a fee charged each time your product is sent out or on a monthly basis. Either way, this has to be something that your customers can only get by subscribing to your website.
8. Videos – This could be an entire section on it’s own. Many people have made money by creating YouTube videos. Evan of EvanTube is a kid and he has made millions by creating reviews of products that other kids his age would use. It’s not easy to get views into the millions, but once you do, you’ll start seeing some cash come in. Many bloggers have completely turned to videos to get their point across by starting a video blog.

If you’re truly interested in becoming a blogger, start by looking through the archives of ProBlogger, Copyblogger and Boost Blog Traffic. Then go read through all the free guides over at Quick Sprout. It may take you a year to complete those tasks alone, but it will be worth it. You’ll practically have a MBA in blogging.

5. Work-at-Home Companies

Finally, there are some companies that will hire you to work from the comfort of your own home. If you’re interested in working for someone else, while still making your own schedule and deciding where to work from, here are a few companies that will let you do just that:

1. CrowdSource – CrowdSource offers many types of jobs from “microtask” jobs to larger writing and editing jobs. You decide how much you work and you can do most of it right at your computer.
2. Demand Studios – Demand Studios is hiring all kinds of creative professionals, from writer to filmmakers. The pay isn’t amazing, but it’s competitive for a work-at-home job.
3. Fast Chart – Fast Chart allows you to work from home as a medical transcriptionist. There are some requirments and qualifications listed on the page, but if you meet them, you’ll make competitive pay for the industry. You’ll also be able to set your own schedule since you’ll be working from home.
4. Leap Force – Leap Force is one way that Google rates websites for search engine ranking. If you’re hired, you make decent money (usually over $11/hour), you set your own schedule and it can be pretty fun to view and rank websites.
5. Liveops – Liveops is a call center that allows you to work from home. Once your set up to take the calls, you can begin making a weekly schedule and working from home. The pay is generally close to $10/hour, but you can earn more with commissions.
6. SpeakWrite – SpeakWrite will pay you up to $15/hour to transcribe information. You set your own schedule and work from home.

Now you’ve got many different options to start earning online. If you saw something that really interests you, try it out and learn more about it. If you’re really wanting to make a full-time income online, you need to be dedicated to learning how to do what you want to do. There are tons of free resources out there. You just have to search for them!