Friday, December 21, 2018

Thoughts on Side Money Schemes

I'm off today until December 27th. DS flies in overnight, so I'll pick him up at 5:30 and get him back to crash for the rest of the morning while I finish up whatever I don't get done today. I will grocery shop for the week ahead mid morning, but mostly concentrate on wrapping gifts and final treat making. I'll have a lot of good thinking time. I used to think when I heard the word scheme, it meant a bad thing, doing something to undermine someone else. Now that I read it in context of little hustles that add money back into peoples bank accounts, not at the expense of others, I like the word. A couple days ago I shared my $30,000 short term savings plan for the entire year. If that goes well, I'll be quite happy. Still, there is so much that needs done on the house. Life events that we don't yet know about are bound to happen that will need to be funded, and while I'm resigned to humble, yet lovely vacations for the next few years, I would love an opportunity for distant travel. Day to day smart shopping and scrimping aside, earning say an extra $500 per year towards a slush fund seems a practical target that after a couple years, will put a dent into one of those wants.

How to get there? I've scoured what others are doing to land on a couple money raising ventures to pad our salaries. Other schemes I read about, I'll think through how those would or would not apply to my life, working full time. I need ideas that both contribute to resolving another thing in life, is part of a hobby, or otherwise doesn't cut into too much of my time. Here's three I've landed on before my proper think. 

  • I've not really figured out how this AdSense works. Some days I have a dollar or more coming in, on a posts that were lightly read. Other posts with a lot of visits, and just pennies come into my account.  While I don't feel I can control how the clicks work,  aiming for $10 a month earnings, for a hobby seems quite painless! 
  • As a clutter busting venture, preparing for graduation party, and to earn some cash, I feel it is a must to participate in the city wide garage sale. I wouldn't even have to pay for an add as there is a site that lists all. As I donate stuff throughout the year, I don't know how much I actually will have to sell, so I'll put a minimum target of  $200 in earnings. 
  • Resell through Facebook market place some of my and DD2's items no longer needed or purchased and never used. There are a fair number of those, perhaps netting another $100 in resale?
If your keeping track, these do not get me to $500, but I think I underestimated. For those of you that work full or close to full time outside the home, what besides the above have you found success with? For all, what motivates you to work the side schemes and money generating hobbies?

14 comments:

  1. I think selling unwanted stuff is great - someone else is paying for you to have more space.
    I still work a little part-time but that's not feasible for you. I also do surveys but they are time consuming. It took me at least six months to work up to a noticeable income but I will top £1000 this year. I get more rejections than acceptances when I do the demographic questions - be prepared for that - but it's a way of earning while I watch TV or whatever.

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    1. I've yet to be accepted for the surveys-just not the demographic I guess. Selling items we no longer need will be a start, but once it is all gone (hopefully) I'll need to move on to other earners.

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  2. All of my side hustles (reselling and selling items that we no longer need) go straight into our fishing fund. I cannot tell you how nice it is not to have to shell out our hard earned cash for our annual salmon fishing trip, something that really is a luxury to most. Ebate money goes into it as well. The little things do add up - and is definitely worth your time, especially if you put the funds to a specific goal. Merry Christmas!

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    1. Having a little slush fund that would make some adventure virtually paid for would be a terrific result.

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  3. I love your ideas on trying to save some extra $. Adsense doesn't' make that much but there are some other ad networks that pay more.
    Loren | Plaid & Sugar

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    1. I'll have to learn what those are. My son just got in for Christmas and was suggesting I migrate to Instagram more and find a niche.

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  4. It's great that you're thinking about trying to save some extra cash. Adsense works by giving you a certain small amount per every 1000 times an ad is seen and then you make a small percentage when someone buys something from clicking an ad on your site which is why the numbers vary so much. It's not the greatest money maker but there are some good blog schemes out there x

    Sophie
    www.glowsteady.co.uk

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    1. Thank you for commenting and the explanation. I think I would appreciate a weekend outing all the more if I knew it came from an extra money source.

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  5. We don't call them side schemes. We call them side hustles because it takes a little hustle to make them work. I do one every year right before Christmas that yields about a grand and TheHub has a couple of outside income makers too. Unfortunately his "real" job is overwhelming and takes the majority of his time. At the first of the year we have planned a sit down brain storming weekend at the lake to come up with a few new income earning options.

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    1. I guess it is more UK bloggers that say scheme-hustle works for me as well. Good luck with your brainstorming. You'll have to write about your most recent effort.

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  6. Hi Sam,
    I wondered whether you had thought of writing for an online content service. They won't make you rich but I used to make some very respectable "side" funds from writing for Search Sciences (which I believe now operates on both sides of the Atlantic).

    Hope I'm not over-stepping my boundaries by suggesting this. It's just I know that you enjoy and are very good at writing.

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    1. I would love that as an opportunity. I've put out a few inquiries, but nothing has resulted. I get weird requests every so often to write about things I have no business or interest in. If you have leads, I would be so grateful-totally not overstepping as this is why I want people to comment.

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  7. I use quite a few of the rebate apps-ibotta, checkout 51, savingstar, and shopkicks. I also do Pinecone surveys and dabble with Swagbucks, which can be a pain, but I can count on $25 a month at least so its worth it to me. I also babysit and resell items. Some of my friends do light housekeeping, dog sitting/walking, photography, and tutoring as side hustles. I even know someone who dresses up as Minnie Mouse on the weekends and goes to children's parties.

    I saw a quote that said everyone should have three hobbies. One to make you smarter, who to keep you healthy and one to make some money.

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  8. I track all of my unplanned money. Some years that includes rebates, refunds from insurance, etc, and then side hustles. For me, the side hustles are all selling things we don't need. Typically kid stuff, but occasionally adult stuff as well. We don't have a ton left, but as the kids get older each year, there are new things ready to sell.

    I've thought about writing on the side, but I'd need explicit manager approval at work, & it's not worth the effort.

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