Have you ever gone over your budget for the month and realized there isn’t enough to meet all of the bills? There is just too much month at the end of your money. We’ve been there. Done that.
There is nothing left to cut because you’re already at a bare bones budget. Your groceries seem to barely make it to payday. You don’t have cable, smart phones, let alone blow money. You combine trips to save on gasoline and only run appliances when completely necessary to save on electricity. Forget date nights, home improvement projects, or vacations.
When you aren’t able to pay all of your bills there are only two things you can do.
Either cut expenses or increase your income.
One expense that many don’t think of cutting is the cost of a second vehicle. You can read about how we saved over $13,000 in 2 years by becoming a one-car family to find out if it might be a good fit for your family, too!
If you have cut everything you possibly can, then it’s time to find ways to increase your income.
You need to start by creating a zero-based budget.
Finding out how much more money you need to make each month should be at the top of your to-do list. It may not be as bad as you think. Once you know exactly how much you need to add to your monthly budget, it’s time to start finding ways to increase your income.
If you are a stay at home mom, you may be able to find ways to make money from home. There are so many resources that are available to stay at home moms now. We really have a lot of opportunities at our fingertips. I have found that a great resource for any mom wanting to make money from home is Crystal Paine’s book Money Making Mom.
What are your talents? What skills do you have? What can you offer to people that will make their lives better? Don’t let yourself think that you have nothing to offer. You do! Here are 20 ideas of ways to make extra money that may get your thoughts churning.
20 Ways You Can Make Extra Money
1. Babysit for another child or two a few days a week
2. Sell your handmade items on Etsy
3. Take surveys online through instaGC
4. Use Swagbucks to earn gift cards
5. Start a blog about a topic you’re passionate about
6. Sign up to sell for a multi-level marketing company such as Thirty-One, Pamper Chef, or Young Living
7. Become a virtual assistant (The Bootstrap VA
is a great book to teach you how!)
8. Clean houses in the evenings or on weekends
9. Substitute teach or tutor if you have a teaching degree or background in education
10. Photographer on nights and weekends
11. If available, take a few extra hours of overtime each week at your current job
12. Deliver pizzas in the evenings
13. Waitress on the weekends
14. Mow lawns in your neighborhood
15. Babysit for your friend’s kids on the weekends while they have a date night
16. Teach an exercise class at your gym
17. Do freelance writing for a website or company
18. Decorate cakes for weddings or special events
19. Become a dog walker for families in your neighborhood
20. Work from home as a transcriptionist
Once you figure out the best option(s) for you and your family to increase your income, you need to set some big financial goals. If you follow these steps, you should be able to get your budget back on track quickly.
Do you bring in “extra” income for your family? If so, I’d love to know how!
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