Yesterday I posted an article finally venting about how stressed out & depressed I am and it felt so good to just take my fake happy face off for a moment and talk about my true feelings.
As always, the Gather community stepped in and offered wonderful, amazing advice and I feel so much better now! THANK YOU!!!
Here are some things I've been told (I shortened some quotes up to show just the advice) and will check out all these ideas and keep you updated on things. Hopefully these ideas will help other people who are also struggling to get by:
- I've helped to save money for us using coupons. It takes a little practice, but the money i save is far more than what i would make at a job. - jessica s
- I would love to do something from home and make some extra money. - Adair K
- just continue working and be patient things will be alright. congratulation for new house... - annette p
- I do surveys at mysurvey.com and earn about $10 every couple of months doing those. Sometimes more, sometimes less. It just depends. - juley g
- EVERY little bit helps! I am the coupon queen and am all about shopping sales and clearance! When I add my coupon on top of that --- even better! I never pay full price for much of anything! I do Gather, MyPoints and ChaCha. I enter ALL the contests that I can and have had great luck with that! - Bridget
- I've made some decent extra cash doing mystery shopping ... MSPA is the place to start for legit jobs. - Barbara C
- Hang in there Faith. I know things appear hard right now but just hold to your ideal, your family in your own home, happy and healthy. Whatever is going to be, will be, whether you stress and make yourself more unhealthy or whether you take life in stride and move forward. Make time to enjoy each day, even 5 minutes of quiet. Find a spot in your home that you like right now. Spend a few minutes there, quietly, absorbing the vision you had when you began this journey. Your health will improve, your peace of mind will increase and your calmness will nourish others in your family. Peace be unto you Faith. - Wanda H
- Breath in and out a few times and know stressing about stressing just makes it worse. I know that you do ChaCha, so I won't go on and on about how it has changed my life, etc, etc. That is the only short term solution that I have found though. (by short term, I mean putting duckets in the pockets right now) You are a great photographer, have you ever thought of greeting cards? I know that means spending money to make money, but in the beginning, it could be a really small investment. My godmother started with a pack of blank cards from Michaels and a glue stick and she is doing pretty well now. Just something to think about. (and I know that you don't like doing weddings or at least the editing much) try not to beat yourself up about the not being able to work outside the home. - Cybergwen
- I can understand your stress level. I also have fibromyalgia and some days I don't have a lot of evergy and have to make myself do things. My daughter-in-law took a medical transcription course, but living in a small community couldn't get enough jobs to make it pay staying home, so she finally took a job in a clinic where she does transcription work and other duties. This gave her more money as well as insurance benefits. - Sensational Sadie Sexy Senior Sitizen
- I think I will be consistently making around $400+ a month now online, with most of that coming from chacha. I also coupon and watch for sales, and that generally saves my family another $100+ each month. Throw in the $50+ in freebies that I get most months, and it adds up to almost a full time job, by the time you consider daycare costs. I pack my husband's dinner for work, and Elliott and I don't go anywhere during the week where we can't walk. We try to limit our extra trips to every other weekend, but sometimes we do have to go in between. We always plan our trips to get the most for our gas money, too. We eat out once a week or less often, and I cook a lot from scratch. - Carla B
- Thought I'd drop by to say that your photography is such that you really could be making additional money off of it to the tune of at least $450 per month. Have you considered an exhibit of some of your framed works? (Think IKEA for frames too ;-) Cost per pic: $450. Many of your photos would also make great stock art (depending on the rights you negotiate with your clients). Fourty-five photos at $10 a piece: $450. And how about using the themed photos as fronts for event-specific cards? Baby shower cards, wedding cards, "just because" cards, I love you cards.... One hundred cards at $4.50 per piece, sold through home parties, directly to card stores in bulk and your website as downloads: $450. Keep up the Faith!!!!! - Ms. Meacham: Money Maven
- your2cents.com take survey and get payed for them - golds g
- you can work on the phone from home for customer service. look up on line for a good company.If you can get out to work then get a job any job and keep busy. Also walking and cleaning house helps stress... - lea c
- I think you would like my job. I only work around 16-22 hours a week, shorter shifts and I am sitting down 90% of the time, which is great for my knee and since I have crazy bad allergies, I'm behind glass so I don't have to smell people's stink (perfume, smoke, actual body odor lol) I am a fuel station attendant. I make a fair bit of cash too (I am making almost $12 an hour, which is good money in my podunk town). With the economy as bad as it is not many business are needing help, especially with people who need accommodations / special work schedules. I have no idea about work from home stuff either. . . I'd be afraid most of those things are scams. also if you consider selling your photos to stock, you might want to post a suggestion article for the other pro's on here to give advice. Most stock companies are looking for specific things (they have about a scrillion flower photos, most don't want those). Doyle and Gayle might be able to give you suggestions there. - Heather W
- We're all in this together, we'll get through! - Jane C
- I find getting out for a walk with camera in hand quite stress relieiving... speaking of camera, you do take awesome photos. Maybe you can do something with those. Maybe you could also make greeting cards using some of your photos, and sell those. - Ashley B
- the only sites I know of that are legit are mypoints and sendearnings, also inbox dollars. if you arent already a member email me and I will give you the links. There is also a site called pinecone research, they only paY 3 dollars per survey but they send quite a few, it pays for my toiletries. sorry I couldnt help more. - tammy w
- I started building lens at squidoo, it was overwhelming at first until I learned some of the ins and outs. Haven't made any money with it yet but they say it will come. Sounds like you do a lot online already - Marsha S
- I really think you could sell your photo's in some way. also try pinecone survey's - they pay $3 for each survey & send the money automatically to your paypal account. Also like mypoints.com is inboxdollars.com - just click through emails. - Priscilla
- I still write at Associated Content, and though the amount they pay has lowered in the past year or so, if you like to write there is potential to earn some side money. - Robin "Buffy's Stunt Double" D
- Anything arty you can do? You seen to have a great flair? Could you make jewelry? Paint? Pottery? I know Salem does have an art community. HOW ABOUT tie dye? There is some cool stuff at Portland Saturday Market.... - Ellie M
- frugalvillageforums.com. Go thruogh the old threads. These people really know what they're talking about. They truly have got it together about living simply and saving money. Oh and the website Hillbilly Housewife. She has great meal and menu plans for dirt cheap, good and well-balanced meals. Slow down, get the family to pitch in and help. Quit trying to do everything at once. Make it clean, neat and somewhat organized and call it good for a while. Put the kids to bed early and read a book - fiction - something that takes you away. - sharon knife pile palin & mom to all is a wise woman
- I'm also on Frugal Village and they have awesome tips! - Jane C
- The book "Job-Hunting for the So-Called Handicapped or People Who Have Disabilities" by Richard Nelson Bolles and Dale Susan Brown is highly recommended and you can get it for less than $7 used on Amazon. He takes a creative approach to job-hunting while taking into consideration the specific challenges faced by job hunters with disabilities. Why scrape by if you can find a career you really enjoy and find rewarding? There are legitimate telecommuting opportunities out there. Or maybe you can find part-time opportunities that you can do when your husband is home and he can watch the kids. I take it from the other comments you enjoy photography. How about a local photographer that needs help on weekends to do weddings? You'd earn some money, get out of the house and have a little to yourself and it sounds like you need it. I work from home and I go crazy sometimes just because I need to interact with other people. The freebies, online earnings and gift cards are a great way to help stretch your budget - but you don't want to have to try to live off it. - Dana H
- Contact Amvets. i think they let people do telephone stuff from home asking for donations. I know telemarkting sucks, but you only have to do about three hours per day. - Nastacia M
- Just take a deep breath and relax. You can only do so much, then after that, it's all up to a higher power. So, do what you can and don't sweat the rest. I know it's easier said then done and I'm one to talk since I'm a worrier...but you know. As far as the online stuff goes I wish I could help you, but I do everything you do and have gotten most of my info from you. I'll keep on checking here since with the new baby I could always use a little extra money too. - Jill Sexy Back V
- My only additional advice would be to consider setting up a shop with Etsy and/or a Cafe Press shop. - Heather M
- My daughter writes for Helium and Associated Content...you seem like a good writer, maybe those would be up your alley !! - Stephanie C
- I deal with FM and my heart too. The last thing you need is stress and yet it just seems to find us all no matter how good we hide. Don't over do too big. - Lisa E
- I do chacha as well, and this is helping me. - j - Frugal Mom - r
- As a FM sufferer myself (plus lots of other maladies), I do understand. I sent you an email with some suggestions. - Marilyn M
- I really agree that you should be doing something with your photography skills. - Sandra L
- I would also check out genuine jobs.com. I have some posts here on gather about making money at home. Also, my blog "My Net Money Adventures" best found on firefox has suggestions. You can also make 50.00 per month on Reviewstream for posting short reviews of anything. - Karen G
- Netty B also sent me an email with some great tips, thanks Netty!
~ Faith
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If anyone else has any additional tips, please feel free to add them here. :o)
I am in the same boat. I have Fibro (along with many other health problems) and we have a rather large mortgage and only one income. And I KNOW some of the a**holes on Gather are just itching to tell me to get a job. In fact, I saw an email from one of the trolls that called me a "leech". LOL! It's obvious they don't have a clue what my life is like. (And it's funny, the judgmental ones are usually the bible thumper types. What's that saying: Judge Not, Lest Ye Be Judged?)
Anyway... I know you belong to a lot of survey sites, but if you are interested in any more, I belong to about 100 of them. I've been sharing some of them with those on Gather who are interested. Testspin is an excellent one. It pays cash (in the form of Amazon GC's) for ALL surveys.
Good luck!
But I noticed that was one of our big local companies also hiring for customer service reps to work at home.
And - get this - the IRS also hires people to answer phones/questions from home. They insist that the people be disabled in some way.
I will compile all the suggestions I receive to make a master article in hopes that it will help out other people. I'll always have it spotlighted on my profile and hopefully some other money related groups will feature it there. :o)
I can't believe all the advice I'm getting! Talk about wonderful... thank you!!!
I see some great opportunities that may work for me as well~
My life has been crazy and out of control for me lately and I'm a definite 'control freak' when it comes to my life so I understand all the trial and tribulations of 'just being along for the ride'. I know, too, that this might sound simple....but it ALWAYS works for me.....I count my many blessings...ya know the ones that tend to get swept under the rug during trying times AND if that doesn't work I find the youngest kid in the family and hang out with them for an hour or however long it takes to make me happy. Somehow, someway playing like a kid always makes me feel much better.
As far as extra money making ideas....you have gotten the gamut from everyone here and I don't have anything to add except shopping at places like P & C grocery stores here that have what they call an Advantage Card instead of having to clip and tote coupons, each week they automatically give you money off items if you present your card when paying. I also do alot of shopping at BJ's Wholesale....if you have room to store bulk items you can save alot. Sorry I can't be of more help.
my morgage rate just went up 100 dollars and the electric is going to rise 8% worried and stressed i found this ...great!! thanks for compileing the lis I added it to a short cut icon on my desk!
Here is what I have been doing for years. I frequent yard sales, pick up nice stuff for a song and dance, then resell it on eBay or Craig's list. I bought an "ugly face" clay mug at a yard sale for 50 cents. I sold it on eBay for $21.00. Hard to believe huh? Just something to think about.
You may be helping someone else in return. I will pass this along to my daughter who is struggling also.
I've always had little part-time money making side jobs going on. Per photography - try your hand at people's old family photos made into cards, pet photos for holiday cards. I have done this and also retouching old photos and printing them. Save the date cards for brides to be or thank you cards featuring the newlyweds from the weddings you shoot.
Blessings, Bobbi K.
I'm glad you received a lot of advice. My suggestion is to give homemade gifts, as I know this year will be giving out many myself.