part-time work

Make Money with Teespring: The $10,000 Extra Income in Spare Time Challenge

March 6, 2015 By Jeffrey Strain 5 Comments

Every now and again my sister and I get together, and the result is almost always her telling me that it’s impossible for me to do something. This, of course, brings about the automatic reaction that I can do whatever particular thing she says I can’t, and it leads to various challenges I’ve attempted over the years. It was through her prodding that I attempted to eat well on $1 a day for 100 days, as well as try to cook an entire Thanksgiving meal for six people for $1. Over the years, she’s learned when it comes to saving money, I can do a pretty decent job. With this in mind, she decided to switch it around and push my buttons on making money.

I recently wrote an article about whether or not Teespring is a legit company, and another one about a college student who made $80,000 in less than a year with their platform. I mentioned this to my sister because she’s the one with artistic talent in our family, and I thought it might be a good way for her to make some extra money in her spare time.

Sister: “Do you really think people can make money at this?”

Me: “Yes.”

Sister: “How much?”

Me: “I don’t know. I guess it would depend on how much time the person put into it.”

Sister: “How about someone just doing it in their spare time? Maybe a couple of hours a day, a little longer on weekends?”

Me: “I don’t know. Maybe $1000 to $2000 once they got going.”

Sister: “So you think you could make that much in your spare time?”

Me: “No, I didn’t say that…”

Sister: “Just as I figured. You suggest these things to others while you can’t do it yourself. That’s so typical of you.”

Me: “Wait a minute. I’m sure I can make some money doing this if I gave it a try.”

Sister: Laughs to herself as she rolls her eyes. “There is no possible way you can make money creating t shirts.”

Me: “And why is that?”

Sister: “Well, you have no artistic capabilities and you think Comic Sans is an acceptable font.”

Me: “Oh, come on, I’m not that bad…”

Sister: laughing to herself. “You’re the poster boy for the the inartistic in the world.”

Me: “I think I could do it…”

Sister: “Okay, then prove it to me. Make $10,000 in 100 days in your spare time.”

Me: “Wait a minute. I said I could make some money. I didn’t say I could make thousands a month.”

Sister: “Figures. Chickening out even before you try…”

Me: “I’m not chicken, I’m just being realistic. I’ve never done anything like this before and I readily admit I’m not the most artistic person in the world. I’m sure I could make a few hundred dollars.”

Sister: “There is a college sophomore who made $80,000. You’re saying you can’t even make a fraction of that? Just go ahead and admit it. I’m right. You can’t do it.”

Me: “Stop being ridiculous.”

Sister: “Either do it and prove me wrong or admit that I’m right and you can’t do it…”

And this is how I find myself attempting the Teespring $10,000 extra income in my spare time challenge. The rules are pretty simple:

1. I have to make $10,000 profit in 100 days.
2. I can only work on it during my spare time. That means I have to put in at least 8 hours a day on my writing and can’t work an entire day on the challenge. The exception is weekends when I’m free to work on it as much as I want.

I’m really not sure if I will succeed or not, but it should be a worthwhile way for others to learn from if they are interested in trying to make some extra cash with Teespring. I believe it will be an interesting experiment, and it should give a good indication of what will be required to be successful from the perspective of someone who is literally beginning from scratch in their attempt.

If nothing else, you’ll get to see my thought process as I tackle the challenge so you can possibly get ideas if you decide to try to create some Teespring campaigns yourself, and learn mistakes to avoid. I look forward to your comments, criticisms, helpful hints and opinions on this journey as I take on the challenge of once again proving my sister wrong.

Day 1: Upfront Costs
Day 2: Artwork When You’re Not Artistic
Day 3: Teechip vs Teepsring
Day 4 & 5: Free Audience Targeting Tool
Day 6: Gluten Free T-shirt
Day 7: Paddleboard T-shirt
Day 8: Hello Knitty T-shirt

100+ Home-Based Jobs and Businesses

February 22, 2012 By Jennifer Derrick 5 Comments

Many people long to work from home, but they say, “I don’t know what I could do.” I see posts and want ads all the time from people seeking some sort of legitimate work from home opportunity offered by someone else. They have no idea what they can do from home, so they want to find a pre-made job. Most of the things you see online are scams, though. That or they suggest you chase some already over saturated industry like medical transcription or billing. I’m always amazed at the number of people who are so desperate to find a work at home job offered by someone else that they will risk scams when the best way to work from home is to create something yourself.

Almost any home based job offered by someone else isn’t going to pay very well. Many are commission based which means you may work a ton of hours for one sale. Those that aren’t commission based often pay part-time wages for full time work. The companies get away with it because they know they can find people who are so desperate to work from home that they will allow themselves to be taken advantage of.

If you want a legitimate job that can pay you a living wage, the best way to do it is to start something yourself. It should preferably be something that you’re passionate about. That passion will drive you to do the work necessary to research your field, find your niche, and handle the less than glamorous aspects of running a business. The good news is that technology has made it possible to start and run all kinds of businesses from your home. You just have to figure out what you want to do, find how to make money from it, and then do it. It’s not easy, but it is rewarding, personally, professionally, and fiscally.

If you’re stumped, here are dozens ideas of businesses/jobs that you can operate as a home based business.

Accounting/Human Resources/Office Help

Accounting consultant
Auditor
Tax preparation
Bookkeeping
Freelance human resources consultant
Virtual administrative assistant/answering service
Answer calls for a call center from your home
Payroll management/bookkeeping for other small businesses

Arts

Photography
Graphic design
Teach a musical instrument
Art instruction
Jewelry designer
Knitting/designing sweaters, scarves, etc.
Furniture maker
Woodworking/cabinetry/furniture making
Sell your arts/crafts. If you have a talent for making something, sell it ether online or open your own shop.
Artist, either commercial or fine art
Artist’s agent
Portraiture, either photography or paint
Greeting card design/custom cards
Songwriter/commercial music composer/jingle writer. If you have a musical talent and don’t want to teach, this is a way to make money.
Videographer
Event DJ
Fashion design
Flower arranging
Freelance musician

Education/Kids

Tutoring
College admissions consultant/planner. Help kids and their parents navigate the admissions process.
Testing coach. From the SAT to the MCAT and the GMAT, plus industry specific certifications, there are many standardized tests that people have to take today. You can coach them to great scores.
Childcare/babysitting
New mom’s helper. Help the overwhelmed new mom by cooking, cleaning, teaching baby care, helping with the baby, etc.
Create a home study course. If you have a specific skill or body of knowledge you can share, you can create course materials to be used by home schools or adult learners and sell it.
Educational videos. You can create videos that teach anything from plumbing to art.
Teach what you know. Whatever you’re good at, chances are there’s a market to teach it, either on an individual basis or through community extension programs.
Teach online classes. Many colleges and community schools now offer online classes where neither the instructor nor the students set foot in a classroom. You create the materials and teach the classes virtually.

Fitness/Outdoors

Personal training
Coaching sports
Refereeing/umpiring
Outdoor adventures. If you live in a suitable area, you can operate a rafting business, mountain climbing excursions, campground, hiking tours, nature tours, etc.
Self defense/personal safety instructor
Garden consultant. Help people determine what they can plant in their area, design the garden and teach them pest management and other secrets to a successful garden.
Aerobics/exercise class instructor

Food

Catering
Personal chef/cook meals for busy people or shut-ins
Cake decorator/custom cakes/wedding cakes
Custom candy maker/designer
Food artist. You can specialize in creating things like giant gingerbread houses, or other edible art for displays, holidays, or special events.
Ice sculptor

Healthcare

Medical transcription. Once the darling of at home businesses, this one has fallen out of favor somewhat with the advent of technology that can handle the work and the fact that it has become a haven for scam artists. However, there is still a market for skilled and experienced transcriptionists.

Lamaze trainer/birth coach

Elder care consultant. You help people with aging relatives navigate the maze of healthcare, estate planning, executorship, and burial arrangements.

Healthcare consultant. Most people don’t have time to deal with insurers and hospitals when faced with large medical bills and procedures. They will pay you to help them get through the system.

Home/private nursing

Weight loss consultant

Nutritionist

Psychological counseling

Elderly assistance/companion service. Help with shopping, driving them to appointments, cleaning, etc.

Job Training/Assistance/Career Services

Counseling/life coaching
Resume preparation/skill assessment
Stationary/business card/invitation design for businesses and individuals
Recruiting
Image consultant
Public speaking coach

Language

Foreign language instruction
Translator, either for print work or as a personal translator.
Sign language instructor/interpreter

Organizing/Helpers/Personal Services

Professional scrapbooker/photo organizer. You’d be surprised how many people don’t have the time or inclination to organize their family memories.
Home/garage/closet/office organizer
Interior designer/decorator
Wedding planner/consultant
Personal shopper
Cleaning service/housekeeper
Act as a concierge for busy people/executives. You take care of their needs such as securing tickets for events, handling their errands, making reservations, etc.
Party/event planner
Professional errand service. You take care of the things others don’t have time for such as picking up the dry cleaning, taking the car in for service, shopping, etc.
Birthday party coordinator. People will pay you to set up and organize their kid’s birthday parties.
Teach organizational skills
Plant sitter/plant care
House sitter
Relocation service
Time management consultant
Christmas/holiday coordinator. There are people who will pay you to do their decorating, plane their parties, wrap the presents, and handle the whole holiday hoopla.

Pets

Pet sitting
Pet grooming
Pet training
Dog walking
Pooper-scooper service

Professional

Attorney
Paralegal
Real estate agent
Architect
Financial advisor
Appraisal services. Whether it’s real estate, autos, antiques, jewelry, etc. Plenty of people need to know the value of their things.
Public relations
Marketing consultant
Advertising consultant

Research

Information broker/professional searcher. When people need to find information, you know exactly where to look to find it fast.
Genealogy research
Private investigator

Skilled Labor

Handyman service/building contractor/remodeling service
Landscaping/lawn care
Auto repair/service
Seasonal lawn/home care. Snow and leaf removal, installing and removing storm windows, clearing storm debris, cleaning gutters and chimney sweeping are all things that people need done at least occasionally. Offer enough of them and you can make good money.
Restoration/preservation. Whether it’s homes, furniture, art, or other old items, there is work to be had in the cleaning, refurbishment and repair of such items.
Pressure washing business
Small engine repair. If you can fix a lawnmower, weed eater, GoKart or ATV engine, your skills are in demand.
Auto mechanic
Small appliance/electronics repair.
House painting
Auto detailing

Cleaning service for homes of businesses

Ironing and laundry service

Technical

Computer repair/set up
Computer Training
Web design
Computer programming
Video game developer
App developer
Software trainer. Teach people to use advanced programs such as PhotoShop, Illustrator, etc.
Social media training/consulting for other businesses
Search engine optimization expert for other websites
Beta tester for software and game developers

Travel/Tourism

Travel agent
VIP escort service. No, not that kind of escort. These people are paid to drive VIP’s such as authors and actors to and from their hotels and to their events, to make sure they stay on schedule, to show them the highlights of an area and to generally coordinate their time in the local area.
Tour guide for your local area

Writing

Freelance writing
Grant writing
Blogging
Write eBooks (fiction or non-fiction)
Novelist
Technical writing
Desktop publishing
Editing
Speech writer
Proofreader
Small publisher. Print on demand technology makes it possible for you to publish and sell your own books or the works of others.
Literary agent
Reviewer. Review plays, movies, restaurants, or other attractions for newspapers, magazines or websites.
Columnist
Greeting card writer
Ad copy writer
Marketing copy writer
Freelance journalist
Small publisher
Travel writer

Other

Consulting as an expert in your field. Whatever you do, you can outsource yourself to other businesses on a consultant basis.
Sell on eBay. Many people make a living at this by purchasing items at yard sales or consignment stores and then selling them for a profit on eBay.
Work from home for your current company. Technology has made it possible to do most jobs from home. Ask your employer if you could qualify.
Open a bed and breakfast
Alterations/sewing/seamstress. If you’re really good, you can design custom gowns or clothes.
Businesses such as Mary Kay, Avon, or become a consultant/host for businesses such as Pampered Chef, Usborne Books, etc.
Mystery shopper
Create gift baskets
Antique dealer or picker. Antique pickers literally “pick” antiques from estate or yard sales and then sell them to dealers at a profit. Some also run their own shops.
Video/photo conversion. People will pay you to convert VHS to DVD, or scan photos/negatives to CD.
“Green” consultant. Teach people how to be greener in their daily lives without disrupting their regular lives.
Day trading
Sell used books online
Home staging
Anything else you can imagine and find a way to turn into a business.

As you can see, there are plenty of things to choose from. You’re limited only by your imagination. Someone, somewhere is making money doing something that you think can’t possibly be turned into a money-making venture. There are ways to monetize almost anything these days. It may require some trial and error and careful research to find your niche or to tweak your product or service so that it sells, but if you are willing to put in the time and effort, you can probably find something to do that motivates you. If you can’t, or you aren’t willing to put in the effort to start and run your business, then you should stick to working for an employer.

(Photo courtesy of DavidMartynHunt)

Retirement Planning: Consider Your Time as Well as Your Money

November 23, 2011 By Jennifer Derrick 3 Comments

Retirement can be a scary thing. You wouldn’t think so, since so many people look forward to the day when they can stop working and take it easy. However, the financial and emotional adjustments can cause problems if you aren’t prepared for them. Most of us just blindly save money toward retirement thinking that the most important thing is to have enough money stashed away to keep from eating dog food for twenty years. While that’s important, it’s also a good idea to make some contingency plans for the other issues you might face.

The biggest problem is what to do with your time. Most of us can’t wait to quit working, but once we quit, what do we do? We say we want to travel, spend time with family, play golf, or just sit on the porch, but after a lifetime of work is that enough? It might be. Many people find retirement enjoyable. Or you might burn through your “fun” in a year and be stuck wondering, “What now?” The loss of a routine and feeling like you’re no longer contributing to something can be debilitating to those who haven’t seriously thought about their retirement activities.

To avoid this, try easing into your retirement. Keep working while you step down your hours or take a part-time gig. You can even quit your day job and start your own little business, either doing what you did before or something else you really enjoy. You’ll still have more free time, but you’ll also get to keep your daily routine and be productive. You’ll also keep earning money which can be saved or used to delay having to tap your retirement assets.

Keeping busy in retirement is essential to keeping yourself healthy. If you’re just sitting on the couch watching mind-numbing TV, you’re increasing your risk of disease and mental deterioration. Even if you don’t want to work, make sure you have enough hobbies and interests to keep you busy. Let your other interests and hobbies gradually crowd out your work rather than just quitting work all together. When the day comes that you want to quit for good, you’ll have enough other things to do to keep you occupied.

You can also opt to forego retirement altogether. A lot of people feel ashamed to admit that they actually want to keep working. Retirement has been built up as the holy grail and those who choose not to take it are often thought of as strange. After all, who wants to work forever? Well, plenty of people do. Work equals life for a lot of people. If you take it away, they flounder. Such people are actually better off keeping their jobs or moving on to other full-time ventures such as running their own business. Without a job, they get depressed, angry, or anxious. If this is you, don’t feel bad about keeping your job as long as you’re healthy enough to do it.

If you do retire completely, you can make the transition easier by sticking to a routine. It doesn’t have to be the same routine you had when you were working, but a routine can give your days structure and reduce the chance that you sink into depression and wonder what you’re doing with your life. Get up at the same time every day and try to eat at the same times, too. Construct your day as if you were still punching a clock. Use your mornings for exercise and chores, for example, and your afternoons for hobbies or friendly gatherings. A schedule can keep you productive and engaged.

Before you opt to tell your boss to kiss off and retire completely, make sure you’re emotionally and financially ready for it. You can have all the money you need sitting in the bank, but unless you’ve given a lot of thought to your retirement plans, you could be setting yourself up for a few years of confusion. Make sure you have a plan in place for what you will do with your time, as well as your money.

(Image courtesy of grantlairdjr)

Take a Job For The Discount and Other Perks: Strange Ways to Make and Save Money

June 16, 2011 By Jennifer Derrick 4 Comments

If you spend a ton of money at one store, you might want to think about taking a job at that store and using the employee discount to offset your spending. I have a friend who did this when he was remodeling his house. He took a job at a local home improvement store and was able to get his materials at forty percent off. Even though he spent most of his wages at the store, the job allowed him to renovate his home without taking out any loans or raiding his savings account.

Another woman I know makes money in her spare time with her crafting and sewing projects. She decided to take a part time job at a craft store so she could get her materials at a discount. This improved the profit margin of her craft venture since she was no longer paying full price for the materials. Any money left over from her job is plowed into her business in other ways.

In addition to the discount, a job at your favorite retailer or working with people who share your interests may reduce your other expenses. For example, the friend who was renovating his home met several skilled people at the home improvement place who were willing to provide some labor for him for free or at reduced rates because he was a friend. The crafty woman met several people who taught her new techniques and gave her ideas for expanding her business.

Even a job at a less specialized retailer can help you save money. Working at Wal-Mart or Target, for example, can save you money on everything from groceries to electronics. Restaurants not only provide discounts, many provide free meals if you’re on shift and some will let employees take home the leftover food or produce that can’t be saved at the end of the day. If you like what they serve, you can cut your grocery bill. If you have a family to feed and clothe, these savings can add up. Some stores, such as Disney, provide other perks like theme park tickets. If you’re planning a trip, that can save you a fortune.

Here are some things to consider if you want to take a job for the discount:

You’re most likely not going to make enough to live on: Taking a job for the discount works best if you have another source of income, say from a spouse, another job, or a business you run. Most part time retail (and many full time) jobs don’t pay enough to live on, even with the discount.

Consider what might eat up your savings: Is the commute long? Do you have to buy special clothes? Will you have to get childcare? A twenty percent discount on merchandise may not save you much if you’re driving an hour each way to get to the job or if you’re having to pay for daycare every day.

Are you disciplined? I know too many people who took retail jobs for the discount to help their families budgets and then proceeded to blow all of their wages and then some on stuff that they didn’t need. They loaded their houses with knick-knacks, Beanie Babies, and all sorts of things other than what they needed and took the job for in the first place. You have to be disciplined enough to buy what you need and can use and leave the rest.

Make sure the discount is enough: Some employers give as little as five percent. Others give as much as fifty percent. Five percent might not make the job worth it to you, but twenty might. If the discount is a make or break factor, know what you’ll get before you accept the job.

Think about what other benefits you might get: Will you meet people who share your interests? Can you further a business you own? Will you meet possible contacts? Can you find people who can help you with a project? Those things aren’t money, but they are perks that can save you money in unexpected ways.

Will you be paid enough to make it worthwhile? It’s rare that the discount will save you enough to make the job worthwhile on its own. Will you be paid enough otherwise to make it worth your time and sweat? If the pay isn’t enough, you have to ask yourself if the discount it really worth it.

Will you enjoy the work? If you’re not going to enjoy the work, don’t bother to take the job. You’ll likely end up quitting before you get to use any of your perks and that will leave a bad mark on your resume. There’s a big difference between shopping or eating somewhere and working there. Make sure you will enjoy the work.

Taking a job for the employee discount can save you some money. If it pays well, you may also make a little money, too, above what you plow back into the store. It’s hard work but if you find yourself spending all of your money at one retailer, you might want to consider just working there.