:::: MENU ::::

Jul 30, 2010    |       8 comments

Spending…

by

My husband and I agreed that a small percentage of our side work money would be allocated for the beach camping trip. The cost of food was covered by our grocery fund but anything outside that budget had to be paid for with our extra cash.

I didn’t want to spend any money outside the budget at all, side work money or not, but the nitpicky nerd in me occasionally lightens up.

As my husband and I browsed Target with $40 in cash (part of what he earned from a difficult roofing job), all I could see were cheap plastic games I wasn’t particularly drawn to ‘waste’ money on. Based on the happy look on his face, he wasn’t seeing the visions of plastic hell I was. He saw hours spent hanging out with friends, campfires, handholding, and chorus’ of Kumbaya.

After an hour, he finally picked a game of lawn darts for $14.99 – on sale – and decided to spend the rest on… uh… not sure if I should admit this but, he spent the rest on ‘adult beverages’ to share with his buddies.

We had a really wonderful time camping on the sand, playing lawn darts, taking a sailing trip on a friend’s boat (my first ever), and… I think I caught my husband humming a few bars of Kumbaya as we walked hand in hand down the shoreline.

Jul 28, 2010    |       7 comments

Finding Odd Jobs…

by

I’ve had a few readers ask how my husband and I find odd jobs.

I’m fortunate to still be connected to previous employers and do work for them when the owners are unable to complete the projects themselves. When I’m not busy with that (which is almost never. I work A LOT for them), I take writing jobs off Craigslist, work as a car shows greeter, and help as an ‘ambassador’ at large gatherings like ComicCon and sporting events with security companies. You can look for these kinds of jobs on Craigslist (be very, very careful on Craigslist) or by approaching employers who host mobile type events that require large amounts of temporary staff. If you are willing to invest the time, these temporary or part time jobs are very easy to find. I make anywhere from $100 to $150 a day with temporary jobs.

My husband is incredibly handy. When he’s not working his 8 to 5 job or going to school, he helps others with construction and plumbing projects. He does exceptional work and has never had to advertise his services. Word of mouth has been his greatest ally. Make sure to follow the laws of your state. California is very strict – no projects over $500 are permitted for unlicensed contractors.

I also heard about a website called 48days.net. On the left side of the website, there is a Post-It labeled “Take a Look at Dan’s 48 Low Cost Business Ideas”. He lists some great ideas for making extra money.

If you have any other ideas – SHARE! ; )

1 … 1,327 1,328 1,329 1,330 1,331 … 1,951