You might be wondering why you should invest in a paper finance planner when you can do everything online. As someone that loves technology, I used to think the same way.

However, study after study has shown that physically writing items down has a better impact of memorization on the brain. As Life Savvy says it, “In short, writing by hand forces your brain to process information in a more detailed way, which helps you successfully load that information into your memory.”

Have you ever forgot that you had expenses coming up? Car insurance? Home taxes? Life insurance? I know I have. However, once I physically wrote down all of our expenses for the year, I knew exactly what was coming up and when.

Making it a priority to visit your finances once a month is good practice. It can really help keep you accountable so that you can save for that big vacation or pay off that nagging debt once and for all.

It’s also what allowed us to pay off our car in just one year’s time, all while living on one income. If you’d like to read what we did, I wrote about it here.

Okay, now on to the finance planner.

When designing this planner, I wanted it to be simplistic in nature with a few fun pages thrown in. It was designed using professional software and comes in both letter and half letter size paper sizes.

Let’s dive into the pages.

1. Financial Goals

Financial goals are spread across two pages to cover the entirety of the year. On these pages, you can set any monthly goals you may have.

While I prefer just to print and write. You do have the option to type on these pages, which are indicated by the blue boxes. The blue boxes will not print, however. They will print blank.

2. Yearly Expenses

The yearly expenses page is used to write out every expense that is anticipated throughout the year. This is a great way to catch those expenses that you may otherwise forget.

3. Bill Pay Checklist

The bill pay checklist is used to list and track monthly expenses. For any expenses that only occur during specific months, I simply highlight the month they’re due in and “X” the months they’re not. If you’d like to see an example of what I mean, you can check out my post here.

4. Debt Pay Down

The debt pay down template is a great way to set debt payoff goals and keep you motivated to reach those goals. Each month as you go to make your monthly payment, you are reminded that you are getting closer and closer to reaching your goal.

5. Total Debt Tracker

With the total debt tracker, you enter any debt you have on the left hand side and it calculates out your total debt at the bottom. From there, it pre-fills the numbers in for the “thermometer” on the right hand side. As you pay off your debt, fill in the thermometer until your total balance is zero.

It’s a great way to provide you a visual as you work on paying off your debt!

6. Monthly Budget

Setting a monthly budget is perfect for those that are trying to reach monthly, yearly financial goals. It is also a great way to identify areas where you may be overspending and where you could possibly cut expenses.

7. Check Register

Some banks have eliminated the use of check registers. You can use the check register to track and record expenses that you process on your debit card and checking account.

8. Net Worth Overview

Calculate your net worth with this simple net worth overview.

9. Net Worth Tracker

After you have determined your net worth, track it with the net worth tracker.

10. 52-Week Savings

The 52-week savings template is used to build up a savings account across 52 weeks. Some like to split the savings they are trying to build across 52 weeks, while others prefer to gradually work their way up or down.

For example, if someone was trying to save $1,378 across 52 weeks, they may:

• Split the savings goal equally across 52 weeks by saving $26.50 per week.
• Start with $1 on week 1 and end with $52 on week 52 (increasing a $1 saved per week)
• Start with $52 on week 1 and end with $1 on week 52 (decreasing by $1 saved per week)

11. Savings Ledger

The savings ledger is used similarly as the check register. It was created to track all deposits and withdrawals from a savings account.

12. 12-Month Savings Tracker

The 12-month savings tracker is a template used to create and meet your savings goal. This is especially great to use when saving for something in particular, such as a vacation.

Towards the bottom of the page, you’ll notice that there is a bar of boxes. The amounts auto calculate based on the numbers you enter above. As you reach your goals, you can either mark off the boxes or color them in.

13. Emergency Fund Tracker

We all should have an emergency fund. An account where we only the touch the money in it, in the event of an emergency. Such as a medical situation, expensive car repair, etc.

14. Monthly No-Spend

Have you ever challenged yourself not to spend anything for an entire month? The idea is to spend money only on the things that you truly need. Groceries, bills, housing, etc. Everything else, you would cut for an entire month.

This monthly no-spend template comes in both color and black and white.

Grab the finance planner here.

The post The DIY Finance Planner Printable appeared first on Gogo Mama.

I want to preface this by saying that we love to use credit cards for their points. Nearly everything we can buy, goes to our cards. However, and this is a BIG however, we only charge what we can pay off the following month. This is just something we have always lived by.

Credit card debt is something that many people struggle with. This is no secret. And, if you are someone that feels you currently struggle with this. Or you simply don’t trust yourself using credit cards. I have a few tips to help you curb your spending.

Reasons Why to Control Credit Card Spending

There are a few reasons why everyone should want to keep their credit card spending under control. Some of the reasons, I can think of off the top of my head include:

• Maintaining a good debt-to-credit ratio (credit utilization ratio)
• Not overpaying for items, in the form of interest payments
• Not getting in over your head in debt

While the last two are pretty self-explanatory, I want to touch on the debt-to-credit ratio for just a minute. Because, this is essential, especially for maintaining a good credit score.

Your debt-to-credit ratio or credit utilization ratio is the percentage of credit you are using against how much is available to you. Let’s say you have one credit card with a $5,000 credit limit and have used $3,000. Your utilization ratio for this particular card would be 60% (3,000 / 5000).

So, now let’s take a look to see if this is a good ratio rate.

Smart Asset mentions in this article that “FICO® suggests that a good debt-to-credit ratio percentage is below 30%. And that goes for your ratio on any one of your cards separately as well as for your overall ratio.”

Given this statement, the above scenario of a 60% utilization would not be ideal. In fact, it is double the recommended debt-to-credit ratio. Therefore, this could potentially hurt one’s credit score.

I bring this point up as, oftentimes, people have this belief that just by paying their monthly payments, that all is well with their credit score. That they’re doing everything right. However, as you can see, other things (such as a credit utilization ratio) come into play.

If you are someone that plans on taking a loan out for a car, home, school, etc., taking care of your credit score is incredibly important.

Now, that we spoke a little on the reasons why to control credit card spending. Let’s look into how credit card spending can be controlled.

How to Manage Credit Card Expenditures

Okay, so what I am about to share isn’t a magic bullet or rocket science. It is simply what helped me and kept me from overspending, in my college days. Which, then carried over to me into independent adulthood.

Here are a few things to help curb credit card spending:

1. Set Credit Card Budgets
2. Check-In on Credit Card
3. Set Up Alerts

1. Set Credit Card Budgets

One of the first things I did with my very first credit card was treat it as if it was a bank account. I would determine my anticipated monthly income (always shot low). Then, I would calculate out the few fixed/variable monthly expenses I had. Then from there, I would determine how much I wanted to put into savings.

After I had all my numbers, I took my monthly income minus my expenses and savings contribution. Then, determined a credit card budget for the month. Now, one mistake I made was not paying attention to the credit utilization ratio. So, you’ll want to be sure to take that into account too!

Also, keep in mind that credit cards oftentimes run on different monthly schedules. So they don’t always run from the first of the month to the last day of the month. The charges may be calculated from say, January 15 thru February 15. Therefore, adding a dynamic to the mix, that needs to be considered.

Tracking the Credit Card Expenses

Once the budget was set, I’d use an “old school” check register to hold me accountable. Whatever my budget was for that month would be put in the starting balance. Then, every time I swiped my card, I’d subtract it from my total “allowed” for that month.

I did not add in any deposits (unless I processed a return on my credit card). As, remember, this was the budget I set for the entire month’s worth of credit card charges. I’m not adding money to it as that defeats the purpose of setting a budget.

Below is an example of the type of check register I would use. If you do not have one, you can pick this exact one up from my shop.

It’s a simple idea, but it really helped to hold me accountable so that I didn’t overspend for the month.

2. Check in on Credit Card

It’s a good idea to check in on your credit card charges every few days or at least once a week. What makes using credit cards dangerous is the ability to swipe and forget. And this is especially true if you are not tracking your expenses.

If you are checking in on your credit card balances throughout the month, it keeps it on your mind.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not perfect. Not even close. There have been months where I mindlessly spent money. Only to then get the eyebrow raising statement, in the mail, the following month.

What we are trying to avoid are these surprising statements. So, check in on those charges throughout the month. Plus, it’s also a great way to catch any fraudulent charges early on!

3. Set Up Alerts

Most credit cards have the ability to set up a number of alerts. These alerts will notify you once a certain criteria has been met.

For example, you may be able to set up your card to text or email you once it has reached a $1,000, $2,000, etc. limit. Or you can have them notify you any time a charge is processed on the card. And then from there, notify you of upcoming payments that are due.

These notifications can really help you stay on track, control credit card spending and ensure that you don’t miss a payment.

I rely heavily on alerts for one of my lesser used cards. I’m notified every time a charge is placed and then get at least two notifications once a payment is coming due. Having these in place have saved me a few times!

Final Thoughts

I know that these tips are simple in nature, but that also means that they should be easy to implement, as well.

It’s also really going to come down to self control. To having the patience to save for something instead of grabbing it just because a card has available credit on it.

If you find yourself struggling to save. Or you simply want to track and keep your finances in order, I have a 17 page finance planner printable over in the shop that may be able to help ?

The post How to Control Credit Card Spending appeared first on Gogo Mama.

We wanted to buy the best car we could afford for our family. After reviewing hundreds of vehicles, it became clear that in order to get the car we wanted, we’d need to take a loan out on it. And, if there is one thing we’re not all about, it is paying interest on depreciating “assets”.

Once we realized, we’d be paying a good chunk of change for a new car, we set out on a goal to get it paid off in a year versus five. I’m happy to share that we did it! And, I’m going to share with you exactly what we did.

A little background on us before I dive in. We are a family of four, living on one income while categorized as “middle class citizens”. While we are frugal, we are by no means extreme couponers. We simply find the best ways to stretch any and all money that comes in.

Everybody’s financial situations are different. And what worked for us and our family may not work for you.

The five things we did to pay off our car loan faster included:

1. Pre-Plan the Car Purchase
2. Cut Unnecessary Expenses
3. Had Our Money Work for Us
4. Set a Goal
5. Put as much Extra Money Towards the Loan

This post may contain affiliate links. Which means that if you make a purchase through one of my links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read more about this here.

1. We Pre-Planned the Car Purchase

That’s right. The first step in our process was to research as much as we could before making the purchase. We have a rule at our house that we will only carry one car payment at a time.

So, we started our search for a new car two years before paying off our other vehicle. Doing this gave us the upper hand. We (my husband) had done enough research to know when a car was overpriced, what safety precautions to look for and so much more.

He also looked up ways on how to approach salesmen and what tactics they may use. This is a very important part of the process to make sure you are not being taken advantage of.

If you already have a car loan, you might not find this step useful in your journey on paying your car loan off faster. However, for those that may not have yet made their purchase, this arguably one of the most important steps.

Because, once we knew the type of vehicle we wanted to buy, we could then work on the hard part. Saving for it. And since we would be upgrading our car to a SUV, we were going to need a sizable down payment.

We did not expect to get much from our “trade-in”. A 2005 Cobalt that my husband had been driving since high school. Therefore, the money would need to come from our personal savings account.

Initially, I had expected to be paying around $25,000 for a car, but after figuring out exactly what we wanted, we found it was going to be about $10,000 – $15,000 more.

Had we not done our research, we would’ve been shell-shocked during our car search. Which, would have led to us ending our search before being able to find the awesome deal that we eventually did find.

2. Cut Unnecessary Expenses

When we looked at expenses to cut, one of the first things to go was the TV. Given that we barely watched TV and the rise in streaming services, it just made sense. It saved us about $70 or so per month. So, not all that much, but every little bit counts, when you’re on a mission to pay something off.

Some other items that were cut back included dining out, purchasing new clothes/shoes and other miscellaneous items we didn’t really need.

Cutting these expenses really helped us save for the car in the first place. And then again, allowed us to pay off our car loan off faster – in just one year’s time.

3. Had Our Money Work for Us

I mentioned that we are on one income. The year we paid off the car, our income was NOT in the coveted “six-figures”. So, this meant that we needed to be strategic. And what we did was stretch our money and get it to work for us.

A few things we did to get the most out of the money we had was:

• Open new bank accounts to get the cash bonuses
• Utilize credit card sign on bonuses and points
• Take advantage of rebate programs, such as Rakuten

And one thing to keep in mind is that sometimes these tactics are taxable. Such as opening a bank account for the cash bonus. So, if you do decide to do this, just remember to gather those tax forms while filing the next year’s taxes.

Open New Bank Accounts to Get Cash Bonuses

This can be a hassle as many bank accounts have requirements. Things such as making monthly payroll deposits, minimum balances and such. However, sometimes the bonus is decent enough where it can make sense to take advantage of these new account bonuses.

One of the bank accounts we opened that year gave us a bonus of $400. This bonus, alone, just about paid for the interest we acquired for the year we had the car loan. So, it was as if the money was loaned to us for free. Win-win.

One thing to note is that we don’t go crazy opening bank accounts. Like I mentioned above, this money is taxable and usually categorized as “interest earned”. Not to mention, it can take quite a bit of work. Between opening the account, meeting the requirements and then remembering to close (if you choose to) the account. But, every now and then, it can give a little boost in funds.

Credit Card Sign on Bonuses and Points

When it comes to credit cards and points, I only recommend this IF you pay off your balance each month. Otherwise, all you end up doing is paying gobs of interest to the credit card companies.

We are avid credit card users and just about everything that can get charged goes on our cards. We have credit cards that give us 3-5% back of our charges each month. The cash back comes in the form of points, that we can then redeem for cash. This cash can be used for anything, including cashing in to pay off a car loan faster.

Since, we charge nearly everything to our cards we tend to gather points pretty frequently. However, I just want to stress that we do not carry over balances. Everything we charge gets paid off the following month. This is how to get the absolute most out of your credit cards.

Find yourself struggling with credit cards or scared to get one? Here’s a few tricks I did, while in college, to condition myself to use them in the best way possible. Click here to read.

Rebate Programs, like Rakuten (formerly Ebates)

Thinking there is no way that using Rakuten is going to really help pay down a car loan faster? Theoretically, you are right. It’s not going to put a huge dent in your loan repayment. However, when you are on a mission to pay something off quickly, every dollar counts.

We use Rakuten all throughout the year, but especially during holidays, such as Christmas. As that is when huge cash back bonuses (10-20%) really come into play.

Below are screenshots of some of the cash back we have earned.

As you can see, it’s not much an astronomical amount, at all. However, it’s a totally free website to use. And when coupled in with our credit card points, really allows our money to stretch further.

If you don’t have a Rakuten account, you can sign up here.

4. Set a Goal to Pay Off Car Loan Faster

It’s easy to get so caught up just in making your monthly payments. However, when trying to pay off a car loan faster (or any loan for that matter), it’s important to not only set a goal. But to also stick to it, as much as you can.

So, what we did is we prepared a debt pay down sheet, such as the ones listed below. You’ll notice that each sheet has a “goal pay off date” and “goal payment”.

But the real benefit is in the monthly tracking. There is just something about watching a debt balance dwindle that keeps you motivated. Motivated to get it paid off as soon as possible.

If you are interested in these debt pay down and debt tracker sheets, they are both available over at my shop. The debt tracker can be found as part of 140+ page home binder. And the debt pay down is one page out of 18, from a finance planner that can be found here.

5. Put as much Extra Money Towards the Loan, as possible

The final thing we did, which is to be expected, is put as much extra money as we could towards the loan. Many months, we were able to nearly double our monthly payment. I do understand that this isn’t feasible for everyone.

However, following the theme of this post, every little bit counts.

So even if you can throw an extra $50 to the loan a month. Make one extra payment a year. Put one large payment to the loan (such as when your tax return comes or an employer bonus). It all makes a difference, in the end, and will help get the loan paid off faster.

One thing I want to note here is that you want to make sure that your extra payment is being credited to your principal amount. Our bank automatically did this, but I know from working at a bank, that all might not have this in place.

These are the five things that we did that allowed us to pay off our car loan in just a year’s time. If you have ever paid off a loan sooner than expected, let us know in the comments what you did to do so. That way we can all help each other out ?.

The post Want to Pay Off Your Car Loan Faster? We paid our $35,000 car off in 1 year. appeared first on Gogo Mama.

Before we get into how to become a virtual assistant, let’s first take a look at what a virtual assistant is and what they do.

This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may make a small commission from your purchase if you decide to buy through one of my links. Read my full disclosure here.

What is a virtual assistant?

A virtual assistant is an independent contractor that provides services to individuals or companies to help them in one or more areas of their business.

So, for example, if your local boutique store or salon owner needs help maintaining their social media, their email inbox, onboarding employees, etc, they can hire you to help them virtually.

Working with brick and mortar employers may take a bit of education, on your end, as the world of virtual assistance may be new to them. However, as more people move online and remote work becomes popularized, the idea of virtual assistance isn’t as foreign.

There are also plenty of bloggers, content creators, podcasters, online coaches, influences, etc. that have a better grasp on the role of virtual assistance. And they could just need the help you can offer them.

Is a virtual assistant a real job?

Yes, absolutely! Although, it is not a job as in what you may have now or have had. As a virtual assistant, you work from home and operate as your own company, and NOT as an employee. I want emphasize this again. You are not hired as an employee.

Therefore, making you responsible for things such as insurance and paying taxes. But, it also puts you in control of the time and hours you work, services you offer, the pay you receive, etc.

(You could technically work for a VA company as an employee, but for the sake of this article, I am speaking on what it takes to create your own virtual assistance business).

What exactly does a virtual assistant do?

A virtual assistant can offer any number of services to clients. It can include everything from administrative tasks to more specialized tasks, such as social media marketing. Here is a list of things to give you an idea of the types of tasks a virtual assistant can offer:

• Social Media Management
• Email Management
• Email Marketing
• Sales Funnels
• Facebook, Instagram, Google Ad Creation and Management
• Facebook Group Management
• Customer Service/ Call Center
• Pinterest Marketing & PIN Creation
• Copywriting
• Booking Appointments
• Setting Up Autoresponders
• WordPress/ Website Management
• Shopify, BigCommerce (shop platform) Assistance
• Graphic Design
• Internet Research
• Human Resources
• Calendar Management
• Blog & Article Writing
• Project Management
• Data Entry & Collection
• Accounting, Bookkeeping
• Transcription
• Online Course Assistance
• Video Editing
• Podcast Editing
• General Administrative Tasks

The list above is not comprehensive, by any means, as there are countless tasks you can do as a virtual assistant. Essentially, anything that does not require you to physically be on site can be offered as a service.

And as you may have noticed, becoming a virtual assistant does not equate to only administrative tasks either. So, if that is not your cup of tea, there are so many other services you can offer or choose to specialize in.

And, if you looked at that list and felt a bit overwhelmed, don’t worry! You can always start as a general VA, find what you love and excel in and then create services around that.

How to Become a Virtual Assistant

Setting Up a Virtual Assistant Business

Technical Necessities

First and foremost, before becoming a VA, there are a few items that you will absolutely need. Those include a computer/laptop, phone and reliable, fast internet. Once you have secured these items, it is time to set up your business.

Services you will Offer

You will want to take time and write down the services that you plan to offer as a virtual assistant.

As time goes on, you may learn that you absolutely hate a particular service, while falling in love with another. It is perfectly fine to make adjustments to the types of services you offer.

Determining your Business Structure

As you are just starting out your virtual assistance business, the most common business structures are either operating as a sole proprietor or as a Limited Liability Company (LLC).

Please note: I am not a CPA so I will be speaking very generalized on the two business types.

Sole-Proprietor

A sole-proprietor is going to be the easiest route when it comes to setting up your business. With that said, you will also not have any liability protection. Which means should your business acquire debts or other liabilities, your personal properties could be affected, should a lawsuit be put against you. This is because you and your business are one of the same.

Should you decide to operate as a sole-proprietor to start, you may also need to file a DBA or “Doing Business As”. So, let’s say for example, you wanted to name your business “The Virtual Workplace”, you will file a DBA for “The Virtual Workplace”.

Now, in some areas, a DBA is not required if you are using your own name, so you will want to check your state for the legalities on that. For example, if your name was Sarah Johnson and you named your business Sarah Johnson’s Virtual Help, you may not need a DBA to operate.

In addition to filing a DBA, you may also want to apply for an EIN (Employer Identification Number). As a sole proprietor, in many cases, you can operate under your SSN; however an EIN is free and easy to get and comes with it’s own benefits. Primarily being able to protect your SSN.

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

If you decide to operate as a sole-proprietor to start, that is a-okay. However, once you have the funds, it will be wise to reinvest in your business and operate as a LLC.

One of the biggest benefits to operating as a LLC is that you are going to have liability protection. This is because the LLC is a separate legal entity from yourself.

BONUS: It is always a wise idea to operate a separate bank account then that of your personal bank account. When it comes to opening a business account, there will be some additional documents you’ll need to provide. However, it is relatively painless to set up. If you’ve got questions, you can always contact the bank beforehand to see what is required from you to set up an account.

Create a Legal Contract

Creating a legal contract is an absolute must for all virtual assistants. This is what is going to outline your scope of business and relationship with your client. I, personally, would not take on one client without a contract in place.

An example of some things to include in a virtual assistant contract:

• Description of Services to be Rendered
• Time Zones, Days Off, Schedule/Hours
• Payment Information & Terms
• Termination Clause
• Non-Disclosure
• Working Relationship (independent contractor)
• Confidentiality Clause
• Liability Clause

If you’re looking to shortcut your way to a legal US contract, Abbey with the Virtual Savvy has a VA Toolbox, that she helped create with attorney, Danielle Liss. The toolbox includes:

• A Customizable Virtual Assistant Contract
• Instructions for the Virtual Assistant Contract
• A Customizable Subcontracting Agreement
• Instructions for the Subcontracting Agreement
• A Mock Portfolio Example Template

So, it doesn’t have to take you months or even weeks to draw up a professional contract to use with your clients.

Branding & Website

Creating your brand and website does not need to be done before you start taking on clients. As a matter of fact, I would almost say to wait until after you have your first few clients before setting this up.

Otherwise, all it will cause for you is distraction. It is so easy to get caught going down the rabbit hole of branding and website building. And if this is something that does not come easy to you, you will waste hours just trying to set it all up.

However, when the time is right, there are a few platforms I recommend.

• WordPress – I absolutely love WordPress.org for building out all types of websites. It is a bit more complicated up front, but the customizations you can add are endless.
• SquareSpace – SquareSpace is a solid platform to use that doesn’t get too tech heavy and has a nice, clean look to it.
• Show It – This platform was created with photographers in mind, but will also work perfectly for your VA business.

Systems, Programs and Softwares to Use as a Virtual Assistant

Ah, we have finally reached my favorite section – the technology! I’m a little obsessive when it comes to systems and programs; I could seriously work in them ALL day long #nerd.

So, you can rest assured that I’ve got all the tech goods for ya! This area alone should save you hours of research, trying to determine the systems you need to operate your virtual assistant business.

Alright, so let’s kick this off …

How to Get Paid from Paying Clients

Let’s start this off with, arguably, the most important program you need for your VA business. – How your clients are going to pay you for the services rendered.

There are quite a few companies out there to choose from, when it comes to invoicing your clients. The most praised companies include:

• PayPal Invoice – no monthly fee
• Wave* – no monthly fee
• Harvest – free plan offered
• Quickbooks – free 30-day trial and then at least $12.50 per month
• FreshBooks – free 30-day trial and then at least $6 per month
• Dubsado* – free up to 3 clients and then $35 per month or $350 per year

*Wave is a highly used platform in the VA world, as it is free to use to collect payment (minus transaction fee). Dubsado is an awesome CRM or Customer Relationship Management system for small businesses. As a small business owner, automation is key and Dubsado can give you that.

**And please keep in mind that while some of these providers have no upfront costs, you will still be responsible for the transaction processing fees.

Time Tracking Softwares

Tracking your time as a virtual assistant is just good business, especially if you are working at an hourly rate. It’s going to help alleviate any doubts your potential client has, when it comes to the amount of time it takes you to complete certain tasks.

Some of the before-mentioned providers also come with time tracking software built right in. Companies to check out for time tracking include:

• Toggl
• Clockify
• FreshBooks
• Harvest
• Dubsado

How to Share Passwords with Clients

Depending on the tasks that you will be handling for your client, you may need access to some of their workspaces. Instead of them providing you with their personal username and password, you instead can utilize LastPass with them.

This allows your clients to “share” access with you to their specific accounts, such as email, so that there is no exchange of personal usernames and passwords.

How to Communicate with Clients as a Virtual Assistant

It’s super important to set boundaries with your clients, as a virtual assistant. And one way to do this is to establish how you will communicate with your client.

The last thing you want is to have clients contacting you through different avenues, such as whatsapp or through text or Facebook messages or via email.

To avoid this, you can use one simple system and that is Slack.

Slack is totally free to get started with and acts like an instant messenger … only better. You are also able to connect different apps to your slack account, such as G Drive, Zoom, Asana, etc.

Project Management Softwares

Having a project management system in place is going to ensure that you don’t miss a beat, when it comes to taking care of your client’s requests and tasks.

Here are a few of the top free project management softwares available:

• ClickUp
• Asana
• Trello

I personally use Asana as I love their interface. However, I have also used Clickup and Trello and they are both solid options, as well.

And the best part is that all three of the before-mentioned systems can be integrated with Slack. This means that if a client messages you through Slack regarding a task, you can add it to your project management system, as well.

Scheduling Meetings with Schedulers

As a virtual assistant, you will have calls and virtual meetings with your clients and prospective clients. To avoid playing phone tag, emails back and forth and last-minute cancellations, you can use scheduling assistants.

What makes them great is that your current and future clients schedule the meetings themselves. You input the times and days that you are available, they select a time that works with them and then it gets added to your appointments. Easy peasy!

Such scheduling assistants include:

• Acuity
• Calendly
• Dubsado
• Zoom

Let’s Talk Money & How to Find Clients

How much money can I make as a virtual assistant?

This is a valid question. After all, this is how we feed, house and clothe our family. But the honest truth is that income varies for each individual VA.

You, as the business owner, set your own prices. There are some VAs who come into the workforce, charging $12-15 per hour, while others start right off the bat at $25 per hour and are successful.

It is really going to depend on your expertise and knowledge that you have in your field. As well as, the “going” price for the services you offer. This will take some research, on your end, to determine this.

A quick way to do this is to look at virtual assistants that are in the same field as you and see what they’re charging and what they’re including with those prices.

And keep in mind that the prices you enter the field in do NOT have to be the prices you keep. It is pretty standard to increase your rate after your first few clients have been secured.

Bundle Hours and Project Based Pricing

Bundling Hours

When bundling hours, you are selling hours as a package. So, you may have 10,20 or 40 hour packages that you offer to prospective clients.

How the heck do you price these packages out?

Well, it’s actually quite simple. First and foremost, never feel the need to discount your highest package for less money than you feel is deserved. Instead, increase your lower level tiers.

So for example, if you know your time is worth a minimum of $25 per hour. You could set up your pricing schedule as such:

• 40 hours per month = $1000/ mo ($25 per hour)
• 20 hours per month = $540/ mo ($27 per hour)
• 10 hours per month = $290/ mo ($29 per hour)

Or you could simply just have the packages listed out at a straight $25 per hour across the board. But, never discount your income for more time.

You’d never work more hours for less money in the corporate world, don’t treat yourself that way in the VA world, either.

Once you’ve been at this for awhile, you will become faster at doing your job and more proficient. At this time, you may want to consider moving away from the “hourly” mindset and instead offer “performance-based” packages.

That may look like, I’ll do xyz for $x amount per month.

Project Based Pricing

If you’ll be offering copywriting, web design or other specialized services, it’s wise to look into project based pricing for your services.

This simply means you will offer your services for a set price. So, if you write sales pages, for example, you may charge $500, $1000, $1500+ to complete the project.

Finding Clients

Finding your first client may prove to be the most difficult part of getting started as a virtual assistant. However, there are so many different ways that you can find clients, you just have to be willing to put yourself out there.

Some virtual assistants choose to work with brick and mortar businesses, while others focus on online entrepreneurs, such as coaches, bloggers, podcasters and the like.

Here are some ways to find clients:

• Ask family and friends
• Contact prospects directly
• Network with people in your community
• Join Facebook groups
• Utilize Instagram
• Make connections on LinkedIn
• Contact old employers or professional contacts

When it comes to finding clients, it can be very tempting to take anyone that comes your way. However, not every prospective client is going to be a good match for you.

For example, if you are a parent, working with children at home, you may find working with clients that understand interrupted conversations is a possibility, a better fit for you.

Starting your own business can be daunting, whether you get into virtual assistance or not. For many of us, we struggle with putting ourselves out there.

But if we don’t show the world what we have to offer, the world will never know. So go out there and do your thing. And be damn proud of it too.

I’m cheering for you xx

Looking for other ways to way make money from home? Check out 15 ways to make money from home, as a mom (also works for those who aren’t moms!).

The post Become a Virtual Assistant and Make Money from Home appeared first on Gogo Mama.

As a stay at home mom, the days are long, but we are rewarded with being able to experience every last one of your child’s firsts. To watch them grow from babies to toddlers to little people. We don’t miss a beat.

However, while being home is incredibly rewarding, it does not come without sacrifices to the family. Mainly, the finance aspect of what it means to stay home.

Which, for many women, can be a hard pill to swallow. Myself, included.

But, the good news is that with technology today, there are limitless ways to make money from home, which totally changes the game for stay at home moms.

I’ve got an important note for stay at home moms looking to start an online business. However, if you’re ready to skip to the goods, here are the best 15 ways to make money from home as a stay at home mom:

• Become a Virtual Assistant
• Become a Freelancer
• Start an in-home Daycare
• Become an Affiliate Marketer
• Start a Blog
• Start a YouTube Channel
• Open an Etsy Store
• Start an Online Store
• Start a Direct Sales Business
• Become a Website Designer
• Start an Online Consignment Shop
• Photography
• Teach English Online
• Become a Proofreader

Before I dive in on the different ways you can make money online, I want you to know it is going to be HARD work to make the transition from being a stay at home mom to a work at home mom. These are two very different worlds with changing dynamics that you will want to take into consideration.

As stay at home moms, we are already responsible for the house and kids. It’s like a never-ending cycle of cleaning, cooking, playing and teaching. Our days are already full day-in and day-out, with maybe the exception of nap times.

Now as a work at home mom, we have all of the same duties, but are also busy trying to get a business off the ground. You are essentially trying to perform two full-time jobs in the same 24-hour period. It is very difficult.

It is going to take determination and grit to be successful online. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are downright lying. You will want to quit … MANY times. You may argue with your spouse or significant other, especially when income is sparse in the beginning. And, you will have days where you feel like a complete failure.

But, if you can push through the noise and put in the time and effort, it will be worth it.

The biggest thing I want to remind you, however, is to remember why you became a stay at home mom, in the first place. It’s for your kids and they should be of the upmost importance.

It can be incredibly easy to get lost in your work and let it spill into the time you should be spending with your kids. Therefore, scheduling and organization are going to be key when moving into the role of a work at home mom.

If you’re already struggling with organization and order, in your home, then I’m going to urge you to get that taken care of first, before delving into entrepreneurship. Believe me, I’ve been there and I speak from experience.

If you need help getting there, I highly recommend my home binder system. It’s a massive 140+ page template system, built to help people get and keep their home organized. I use it myself and it’s been a total game changer for us.

Once you’ve got your home in order, it’s time to get work! The first step – deciding what you want to do.

Every business I have outlined below are ideal for stay at home moms. I’m not going to waste your time with things like couponing and survey apps. Because, let’s be honest, those are not jobs and they certainly are not going to bring in the income you are looking for.

My list of ways to make money from home focuses on businesses that can be ran at odd hours, that will allow you to still be able to spend time with your kids and that give you the potential to make at least $1000 per month.

Ways to Make Money from Home as a Stay at Home Mom

1.) Become a Virtual Assistant

I have to admit that becoming a virtual assistant or VA is one of my favorite ways for people to make money working from home. And that is simply because you can use the skills you already have.

As a virtual assistant, your job is to help business owners in one or more areas of their business. And most of us have some skillset that we can offer up to these individuals.

Many businesses could use the help in managing some aspect of their company. However, they do not have the need (or sometimes means) to hire someone on full-time and provide benefits, such as insurance, PTO, etc.

And this is where you come in.

In most cases, as a virtual assistant, you do work for other companies or individuals, but you are also a business owner yourself. Therefore, you will be responsible for providing the aforementioned benefits.

When it comes to services you can offer as a VA, the list is ever-growing. Basically, anything you can do from your computer and phone, can theoretically, be offered as a service.

Now, as a mom, I would focus on offering services that will provide you with flexibility to work around you and your kid’s schedule. So, I would avoid things like answering the phone or managing incoming chat requests or emails that need to be answered right away.

Here are just a few services you could offer as a VA:

• Set Up Email Automation
• Social Media Manager
• WordPress/Website Management
• Bookkeeping Services
• Calendar Management
• Email Management
• PowerPoint Presentations
• Payables and Receivables
• Video Editing
• Pinterest Management
• Internet Research

Virtual assistants are common amongst the online world, but they are still making their way into the “physical” world. If I were to take this career path, I would personally start by networking with business owners in my area and surrounding areas.

Even though it may take some education on your end for business owners to understand your role, as a VA, it could pay off ten-fold, if done well.

If becoming a virtual assistant sounds like something you may be interested in, I definitely recommend checking out The Virtual Savvy. Abbey has been at this awhile, sold out her services in just one month and has tons of free advice on her website.

2.) Become a Freelance Writer

If you love writing and have a decent skill for putting words together, then freelance writing may be right up your alley. Businesses large and small rely on freelance writers to create content for them.

Writing content may include things like copywriting, ghost-writing and blog post creation. If you are not familiar with these type of services, they are particularly common amongst online businesses.

Copywriting is the task of creating sales copy to convince people to do a particular task. It might be to get people to enroll in an online course, purchase an item or join an email list. Copywriters are excellent sales people and marketers.

Ghost-writing is creating copy, such as articles, speeches, email newsletters etc., in the name of the business or person that hires you. Your name will not be on the content you create and will, instead, appear as if the business owner created the content themselves. Ghost writers are exceptionally good at encompassing and writing in the voice of the person that hires them.

Blog post creation is when you create a post or article for another business or company. Most businesses know the benefit of creating and having niche-specific blog posts on their website, but either don’t enjoy doing it or simply don’t have the time. And this is where you will step in.

If this sounds interesting, I highly recommend checking out Elna Cain’s website. She built her freelance writing business to a full-time income within six months and it is still one of her main drivers of income today.

3.) Open an In-Home Daycare

You are already staying home with your kids, so why not take in a few more and not only help other families out, but also bring in some income for yourself?

Before you get started with an in-home daycare, you will need to look into your state licensing requirements. And you will also want to be sure you know how to perform life-saving measures, such as the Heimlich Maneuver.

With that said, operating an in-home daycare can be rewarding for someone that has a passion of caring for children.

4.) Become an Affiliate Marketer

As an affiliate marketer, you earn commission on products that people purchase through special links you obtain through companies. So, let’s say for example you absolutely love a piece of furniture you purchased from Wayfair.

You can ask to become part of Wayfair’s affiliate program and promote that item through links on your social media or website. If someone makes a purchase through your link, you will earn a percentage of the sale.

It sounds easy, right? Of course, we all know that nothing is ever easy. The hardest part is gaining that following and then furthermore gaining their trust enough so that they are willing to make a purchase, based on your recommendation.

When done the right way, you can make a livable income (sometimes even better so).

Amazon is probably one of the easiest ways to get your feet wet with affiliate marketing; however they are also notoriously known for having small commissions.

With that, people have still managed to make thousands per month from Amazon’s program. One such person is Debbie Gartner over at The Flooring Girl. She has been able to see this success through the 500,000+ visitors per month to her website and blog.

It’s important to understand, however, that people such as Debbie Gartner, have been at this awhile and generally speaking have a large audience or following. If you are starting from ground zero, it will take time to build up to this type of income.

Amazon is just one affiliate program available to people looking to get into this space. There are literally thousands of companies looking to partner with people to help get their business and products out there.

Many of these such companies can be found through affiliate program websites, such as:

• Share A Sale
• ShopStyle Collective
• BrandCycle
• Pepperjam
• Flex Offers
• CJ Affiliate

And some companies run their own affiliate programs entirely themselves. If an affiliate opportunity is available for a company, you will usually find this information at the bottom of their website.

5.) Start a Blog

I first heard of blogging about a decade ago. And, I’ll admit that I was ignorant to the idea of blogging because I automatically associated them with online journals.

I didn’t see how they could possibly make money. But, I was young and was working towards what I believed to be my lifetime career. I didn’t have the time to focus on something I couldn’t see the potential in.

However, knowing what I know now, I wish I would have started sooner – like 5 years sooner.

Blogging is definitely not a get rich quick scheme. And while you may come across people that made six figures in their first year, they are really the exception. Not to mention, many had experienced a flopped or failed blog previously.

Therefore, they really may had been at it for a year or two before starting their money-making blog that brought them the success you are seeing today.

When you enter the world of blogging (for profit), you really need to be committed to it and treat it like a business. And the harsh reality is that most blogs will fail. This is not said to deter you, but it’s important for you to know that it is not all rainbows and sunshine.

It takes work … A LOT of work, especially in the beginning and you should not expect to see anywhere near any type of full-time income prior to (at least) six months of starting.

Now, theoretically speaking, you can make money in just about any niche (or topic). However, it has been shown that blogs in the following niches tend to have a better chance of being monetized more quickly: finance, health and fitness, technology, fashion, lifestyle, travel, marketing and self-improvement.

Wondering how exactly how blogs make money? The good news is that there are plenty of avenues in which blogs can monetize. The most common ways are outlined below:

• Ad Revenue
• Affiliate Marketing
• Sponsored Posts
• Creating their Own Products, such as digital products or courses
• Selling Services

And just to give you a little perspective, I first started taking my blog seriously in January and experienced my first sales in April, of the same year. Do you want to know what changed? I put my readers first, removed the “money-making” mindset and created a product that I am super proud of and knew would help my audience.

So, I know first-hand it is 100% possible and that it can be done, but it will take consistency and a great amount of effort.

6.) Start a YouTube Channel

Now before you roll eyes at this, hear me out. YouTube is not just for entertainment. If you have ever delved deep in YouTube, you know you can find content on just about anything on there.

I love this as a way to make money from home for stay-at-home moms because all you really need is your computer, a camera, editing software, decent lighting and you’re set. As you begin to monetize your channel, then you can upgrade to bigger and better setups.

Channels are created on literally everything and anything, but just like blogging, some topics are going to monetize sooner and better than others.

If I could give you any one tip, it would be to remain consistent and always give your best content. If you plan to upload once per week, stick to that schedule and make sure what you are saying and delivering is valuable.

YouTubers make money much in the same way that bloggers do. They can be monetized through ads on their videos, by partnering with brands, through affiliate marketing, etc.

7.) Open an Etsy Store

If you are a crafty person or even have interest in designing things like T-shirts, hats, wall decor and an array of other products, why not test out your products on Etsy?

If you open a new store using a referral link, such as this one, you get 40 FREE listings. It is a great way to test out the waters and see if Etsy is the platform for you. It literally costs you nothing upfront, but time to get started.

Like I mentioned above, you can sell clothes and accessories that you design. You might be wondering how you do that. There are two routes you can go.

You can do the product designing, cutting, pressing and mailing yourself. Or, you can partner with a third party provider, such as Printful or Printify, to do everything, but the designing, listing and marketing for you.

I also love that you can create and sell digital products, such as wedding and birthday invitations, on Etsy. And with third-party providers like Templett and Corjl, it makes it incredibly easy for your buyers to make their own edits. Freeing up time for you so that you can continue designing.

Need help getting organized at home so you can rock your online business?

The Intentional Living Home Binder is an extensive digital download template system that gives you all the tools you need to create the perfect personalized home binder for your household. 

8.) Start an Online Store

Opening your own stand-alone online store will prove to be a little more difficult than utilizing popular platforms, such as Amazon and Etsy. And this is because you are solely responsible for bringing traffic to your store. Whereas, Amazon and Etsy already have millions of users accessing their sites each month, looking for what you are selling.

However, there is a huge upside to operating your own online store. And that is that you fully own your storefront.

My favorite platform for e-commerce, at the moment, is Shopify. They are super easy to set up and are pretty affordable to get started.

9.) Start a MLM Marketing (Direct Sales) Business

I was really reluctant to add direct sales onto my list as many people that enter the business do ultimately fail. However, I simply can’t deny the fact that people have been fortunate enough to make a good living in this business model.

You can find direct sales companies in just about every industry. Whether you’re passionate about skincare, makeup, nails, clothes, health, fitness, Tupperware, cooking, cleaning or books, there is likely a business model out there for you.

Should you choose to get started with one of these companies, I recommend doing your research fully. The last thing you want is to get into the business and find out it was all hype.

Some things I would ask myself before I were to join a company:

• Do I love the products?
• Would I recommend these products to my friends and family?
• Are the products unique and different?
• Does the company have brag-worthy values and commitments to their customers?
• Can I make at least $1000 a month WITHOUT needing people to sign up under me?
• Can the products be easily demonstrated online or would it need to be in person?
• Would I need to invest a lot of money into products first?
• Would I feel good about representing their company and products?
• Is my area saturated with representatives?

10.) Become a Website Designer

A website designer is going to differ from being a website developer. As a website designer, your job is to give the overall look and feel of a website. To accomplish certain looks, you will likely need to know some code.

However, there are so many tools nowadays, that take away the huge burden of needing to know tons of lines of code. And there are successful companies out there utilizing them to build their own websites.

You can learn how to design websites by using page builders, such as Divi, from Elegant Themes, or Elementor. While it will still require some technical skill, it is far better than learning to code websites from scratch.

When I got started, my favorite person to watch was Josh Hall. He has tons of free videos on his YouTube channel and paid courses on WordPress and Divi on his website. And while I have never taken a course by him, I am certain they are packed full of value.

And, if you want to learn about coding, which I definitely recommend you at least understand the basics, then I highly recommend freecodecamp.org. I am currently going through their mini courses and have been really impressed with them. Plus, it’s totally free!

11.) Start an Online Consignment Shop

I love the idea of consignment shops as a way to make money from home as there is very little upfront costs. There are plenty of people, myself included, who have junk lying around, but hate the process of selling it. That’s where you step in.

As an online consignment shop owner, you take products in, clean them up, list them for sale, handle the shipping and split the selling price with your consigner. You can get started for free, by utilizing social media platforms, or by opening an E-commerce platform straight-away with platforms like Shopify, Volusion or BigCommerce (all platforms I have used in the past).

I think this would work best by specializing in a specific niche, such as used kids items or high-end products.

12.) Start a Make & Take Sign Craft Business

People love to get together, but sometimes they want to do something a little different. So, if you love to create wood signs or other artsy items, such as canvases, this might be a perfect idea for you.

You make money through the sale of your pre-treated signs and then provide your time to teach your customers how to make it uniquely theirs, which is typically done through painting.

This is a business that can be ran in the evenings and weekends and can be advertised towards businesses, bachelorettes and just about anyone looking to hold fun and different parties.

13.) Family Photographer

Many women find their love for photography, after they have children. After all, you’ve got the perfect subjects – your own squishy babies and family. As a photographer, you choose the hours you work, which makes it perfect for women staying home with their children.

I’ve seen quite a few people get their start from watching YouTube videos and doing lots of practice. Then from there, they invest in themselves (which, I always recommend) and take courses to further their skills.

If you’d like a great starting point, I highly recommend checking out Photographer Resources. They have TONS of helpful information; everything from contracts to advertising and photo editing.

14.) Teach English Online

That’s right. You can teach people English, from your very own home. Most of the sites listed below, if not all, do typically require a Bachelor’s degree; however it can be any field. While it does not have to be teaching, you should enjoy children and have a liking to teaching.

Otherwise, this is going to be just like any other job you have never enjoyed. And the whole point of being able to work from home, is to be able to do the things that you enjoy.

There are so many different companies to choose to work with; the ones that I have heard the most about include:

• VIPKid (very popular)
• QKids
• Magic Ears
• GoGo Kid

I love this job for stay at home moms because you can work early mornings and late nights, which means you’re not taking much time away from your kids while they are home with you.

15.) Become a Proofreader

Ever notice spelling or grammatical errors in books, advertisements or on websites? Do these things irk you? Then becoming a proofreader may be the perfect online business for you.

If this sounds like something you may be interested in, I recommend checking out Caitlyn Pyle over at Proofread Anywhere. She made proofreading her full-time job and now teaches it to people looking to do the same.

I hope that this list of 15 ways to make money from home has inspired you to go out and start your own home business. One of the biggest regrets I have is simply waiting too long to actually get going.

All I did was consume, consume, consume. I used to watch YouTube video after video, analyze Pinterest, join group after group and just read through all the conversations, practice coding and just be altogether all over the place.

So, if there is one thing I could say to you, it would be to not worry about being perfect. Everything will come together as you work through all the different, moving pieces. Commit to whatever you choose to start for at least six (6) months, preferably a year.

And, if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world. I’ve had many failures in my time online and continue to experience them today. Does it suck? Yep. But, you just have to dust yourself off and keep going.

And, for the love of everything … just.get.started.

Did you skip to the bottom? Here is a summary of the 15 ways to make money from home:

• Become a Virtual Assistant
• Become a Freelancer
• Start an in-home Daycare
• Become an Affiliate Marketer
• Start a Blog
• Start a YouTube Channel
• Open an Etsy Store
• Start an Online Store
• Start a Direct Sales Business
• Become a Website Designer
• Start an Online Consignment Shop
• Photography
• Teach English Online
• Become a Proofreader

Need help getting organized at home so you can rock your online business?

The Intentional Living Home Binder is an extensive digital download template system that gives you all the tools you need to create the perfect personalized home binder for your household. 

The post Ways to Make Money from Home as Stay at Home Mom appeared first on Gogo Mama.

(1) Stop Using Credit Cards.

If you’re not paying your credit cards off each month, consider getting rid of them. It is easy to overspend when using credit cards. Every little dollar does count, so although your $5 breakfasts don’t seem like a lot of money, it does add up over time. When using credit cards, it’s not hard to get in the habit of just swiping your card. Whereas, should you decide to use cash, then you would physically see and feel your money leaving your wallet. 

(2) Implement the Cash Envelope System.

The cash envelope system, when implemented correctly, is going to help you stick to your budget. It works by creating a budget for different categories of your monthly spend. These categories generally consist of groceries, dining out, entertainment, clothing, random spending, etc. When thinking of categories, it is not fixed expenses, but rather areas where you may tend to over spend in.

After the budget has been created for your different categories, you create an envelope for each one. Each one is then filled with cash and that is the budget you stick to for the month. Money can not be transferred from one envelope to the next and once the money is gone, it’s gone. This means if you do not have anything left in your dining out category, then it’s dinners at home for the remainder of the month.

Read more on the cash envelope system” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cash envelope system over at Dave Ramsey’s website. There are even affordable envelopes to help get you started, like the one listed below.

This is a 12 pack that is also tear and water resistant

(3) Stick to a Budget. 

Our society is one of wants and not needs which can make it hard to stick to a budget. The reality is that basic needs consist of a roof over your head, food, healthcare, hygiene products and clothing. When creating a budget, it is important to remember this. Create a budget for yourself, including miscellaneous expenditures and stick to it. 

(4) Set Financial Goals. 

Whether you want to build up your slush fund or save money for a down payment on a house, setting financial goals will help curb your spending. You really have to commit to it, though. If you just say “I want to save for a house”, but don’t have a plan in place nothing is really going to stop you from spending money on unnecessary things. Sit down, set a timeline and calculate out how much you would need to save each month to make that happen. Setting goals will help you keep your eye on the prize and there is a nice reward at the end of all it. After you have met your financial goal(s), set another one or two and keep the process going! 

(5) Calculate Worked Hours.

When I feel like my spending has been out of control, I will start thinking about products in terms of worked hours. Let’s say you make $20 per hour at work and you are about to make an impulse purchase on a new pair of shoes (that you don’t need). The shoes cost $120; therefore it would take you 6 worked hours to be able to afford the shoes. That’s almost a whole day’s worth of work … just for a pair of shoes! That $120 could be used for groceries, put in your retirement account or placed in your savings. Before making impulse buys, try thinking about it terms of worked hours. 

As the saying goes, old habits die hard. It may take you a little time to get used to being on a budget and you may struggle at first. This is OK. The biggest thing is that you actually start. Let us know if the comment below if you have any other tips or tricks to keep yourself from overspending. 

The post How to Stop Overspending appeared first on Gogo Mama.

Money Mistakes that Keep People in Debt

Debt: It’s a word that people hate for understandably good reasons. Do you often find yourself questioning why you don’t have the money to pay a bill? Or maybe why you can’t seem to build up a slush fund? It is likely because you are making one (or more) of the money mistakes listed below. Money problems are never going to go away on their own. Unfortunately, there are no crystal balls here. It’s up to you to want to make a change and to stop making these very common money mistakes.

Money Mistake #1: Never Truly Paying off Credit Cards

Paying off or even down a credit card is a great feeling of accomplishment. However, what I have learned over the years is that it is difficult for people to keep balances off of their cards. I have met people with the mentality that because they have paid $200 towards their credit card, now they have an additional $200 to spend on something else. This kind of mindset is going to keep you from getting out of debt. The end goal with credit cards should always be to pay them completely off every month.

If you have found yourself in a constant pay and charge cycle, sit down and take a hard look at your financials. I understand that it can be overwhelming, but your money problems are not going to go away until you act on them.

Fun Fact: Credit card interest is charged on a daily basis, generally using an average day balance. Someone with an average daily balance of $2,500 and 19% APR could be looking at paying $39.04 in interest per month. That could be gas money for the week, but instead is being paid to the bank.

This is a great article, found on The Simple Dollar that goes in more depth on calculating interest rates. https://www.thesimpledollar.com/how-is-credit-card-interest-calculated/

Money Mistake #2: Buying Unnecessary Things

Listen, when it comes to what you buy with your own money that is nobody’s business but your own. With that said, let’s face it there are is a lot of unnecessary STUFF out there that you simply don’t need. Do you buy things just because there is a “great” sale going on? Is your shoe addiction out of control? Did you really need the latest phone or tablet? Did little Susie really need a large $20 stuffed bear for Valentine’s Day?

If you’re wondering why you are always in debt, take a look at the things you are buying on a daily or monthly basis. Start focusing on your and your family needs, not the wants. All of these “small” or large purchases are going to add up over time. Give yourself a budget on what you can affordably spend on miscellaneous things each month and stick to it.

Money Mistake #3: Eating Out

People are busy these days and it can be convenient to order takeout or roll through a drive thru for meals. With that said, it is generally going to cost more to eat out versus eating at home. Take breakfast, for example, there are plenty of foods that can be bought for breakfast that will cost less than what it would cost to buy a sandwich at a fast food restaurant. Then add in the possibility of eating out for lunch, as well, and now your food expenses for the day are really starting to add up. Spending $5 here and there may not seem like a lot of money, but pull your bank statement from the month before and you may be surprised how much you are spending on food.

If you struggle with eating out, try these couple of tricks. Start thinking of food as a way to provide nutrition to your body, not to provide comfort. Fast food is not something that you can enjoy for months or years on end. You eat it and then it’s gone. Also, look into meal prepping your lunches or dinners for the week. Amazon has a whole slew of books on meal prepping that can help you on your journey. Not only can this save money, but depending on your meal prep, is also going to be a healthier choice than the alternative.

Money Mistake #4: Opening New Credit Card Accounts

Credit card companies send out enticing deals on a regular basis. If you are someone that has a hard time passing up great promotions, this may be keeping you in debt. It is OK to have as many credit cards as you want so long as you are paying them off each month. If this is not the case, start reining those credit cards in to regain control of your finances. The more credit cards that you have and USE, the more likely you are to find yourself in debt.

Another thing to think about is if you are doing a balance transfer. Sometimes it may be worth it to transfer the balance of a high interest credit card to one of no interest. If you do decide to do this, make sure to “hide”, shred or otherwise dispose of the old credit card. You don’t necessarily have to close the card as it may hurt your credit score, but you should put it away so you don’t use it. What tends to happen with some people is they end up using both credit cards and find themselves in a worse situation than what they were before they opened the new one. Avoid this scenario at all costs by ridding yourself of the old credit card.

Money Mistake #5: Living Outside Your Means

This is pretty self-explanatory. People today are buying houses, cars, clothes and a variety of other things that they simply can’t afford. Then wondering why the amount of debt just keeps piling up. Buy a house that you and your family can live comfortably in and still be able to save money. Just because the bank tells you that you can afford a $300k house doesn’t mean you NEED a $300k house! You know best how much you and your family can afford on a mortgage; make sure not to overextend yourself. The last thing you want is to be house poor.

And of course this last section wouldn’t be complete without the Jones’. For the love of all things, forget about the Jones’. It can be so hard in today’s time not to compare yourself to your neighbors, friends or family, but just because Johnny next door buys a camper doesn’t mean you need one too. Always remember, so long as you are providing housing, clothes, food and other necessities for your family you are doing your job – and a damn good job, at that!

Money tends to be an un-fun topic for many people, but it doesn’t have to be. If you have found yourself in a bad money situation, all is not lost. Make a budget and start chipping away at the debt that has accumulated. As much as everyone dreams of winning the lottery and making their debt disappear, the fact of the matter is that is very unlikely to happen. The sooner you start to take care of your money problems, the happier you will be.

The post 5 Money Mistakes People Make that are Keeping them in Debt appeared first on Gogo Mama.

Furniture is one of the most marked up items people purchase. There are certainly ways to get the pricing on furniture down, especially if paying with cash. Many articles out there give the recommendation to buy used furniture to save money. While this is a great option, sometimes you may prefer to buy new. If that is the case, this article is for you! Below are the six steps our family took to save over $1000 on our latest furniture purchase. 

(1) Ask for a discount.

If you will be paying with cash or taking a floor model, your chances of getting a discount are much higher. It’s never going to hurt to ask, however. Always ask if there are any current promotions or if there is any discount they can apply to your order. Don’t be afraid to hear the word “no” and also don’t be afraid to walk away if the price is not right for you.

(2) Shop for Furniture During Big Discount Seasons.

Choosing to shop for new furniture during the big discount seasons is going to yield the best deals. Provided that furniture stores generally prepare for new stock in fall and spring, the late summer and winter months are going to be good times to look for discounted furniture. Think months like January, February, August and September. As for holidays, be especially sure to check President’s Day and Labor Day ads for some good promotions.

(3) Skip the Extended Warranty.

While extended warranties may sound enticing, they aren’t always worth the additional cost. If you don’t have pets or small children, it may be worthwhile to bypass the extended warranty. Many times, the company that would be performing any warranty work is not even in relation to the furniture store you are buying your piece of furniture from. It’s important to know this because you should understand that you would be dealing with a separate company should you decide to purchase an extended warranty. In addition, most manufacturers come with a warranty of their own. Be sure to ask your salesperson as most times the extended warranty is going to work in conjunction with the manufacturer’s warranty.

(4) Avoid the Package Deals.

Package deals can look wonderful on paper because who wouldn’t like to complete their living room in one smooth transaction? You have to ask yourself though, “Do I really need all this furniture for my home?” If the answer is no, then skip buying into the package deal. If you don’t need three new tables and two lamps, then why pay anything for them? Purchase what is necessary for your home, not just what appears to be the best deal. Also, keep in mind the quality of the pieces you are purchasing. In our past experiences, those that were sold as “sets” tended to be of lower quality. So be sure to check out the craftsmanship because the last thing you want to do is replace furniture in just a couple years.

(5) Shop around Online.

This one is a no-brainer, but I figured it deserved a spot on this list in case anyone forgets. Always be sure to do your research online to ensure you are getting the best deal possible. Furniture stores may have a price match guarantee that you can take advantage of. Sometimes it is a straight match and sometimes you may be able to get even more off your purchase! If they don’t have a price match guarantee or are unwilling to budge on their cost, consider visiting the store you found online with the lesser cost.

(6) Bargain on the Delivery Cost.

If you need your furniture delivered to your home, try bargaining on the delivery cost. Sometimes while they may not discount your delivery cost exact, they could end up giving you an additional discount towards your purchase. So if the delivery would have cost you $100, they may just give you $100 off your furniture. It is always worth a shot!

Furniture shopping, while fun in theory, is not always fun when it comes to the negotiations. The first time we purchased our first pieces of furniture, we did not negotiate anything. Don’t be those people! This last time around, we did take the steps above and saved our family over $1000 by shopping at the right time and negotiating. Let me know in the comments section if you have any other tips or tricks on how you have saved money on your furniture.

The post 6 Ways to Save Money when Furniture Shopping appeared first on Gogo Mama.

It’s always so surprising to hear that there are still people that have never heard of or used Ebates before. The company has been around since 1999 and has paid out billions … yes, billions to it’s members. Our family has earned close to $600, as of the time of this article (updated April, 2018). Although it may not seem like a lot to some people, that is still money that came back to our family for purchases we were making anyway. 

What is Ebates?

Ebates is a website that gives their members cash back for making purchases through their site. As you can see from the screenshot below, they are currently offering 8% cash back at Sephora.com. If you like makeup, you know those shopping trips can add up quickly. Let’s say you spend $100 at Sephora.com; if you had clicked through Ebates’ link, you would be getting $8 cash back for your purchase!  

How Much Does Ebates Cost?

Free, Free and More Free! That’s why it is so great. 

Is Ebates Legitimate? 

Yes, it is. I know that there are a lot of cash back websites out there that don’t deliver on their promises, but Ebates is not one of them. You really do get cash back for shopping at some of your favorite stores. 

How Do I Earn Cash Back? 

In order to get paid from Ebates, you must go through their links. After you click their link, you would complete your shopping as normal. After the purchase is completed and so long as you met the Cash Back Terms, you will see the funds on your Ebates account in the timeframe indicated under the stores terms. 

Are you someone that thinks you may forget to go through Ebates’ website first? The great news is that Ebates offers an extension (button) for Google Chrome. Utilizing this button, it makes it nearly impossible to miss getting cash back. 

How Do I Get this Button? 

To get this extension, simply scroll to the end of the page and select “Ebates Button”

A page like below will come up. Select “Get the Button”. Once the extension is loaded on Google, the popups for Ebates will appear as the item circled below. 

Finally, click “Add Extension”. 

Once the extension has been successfully added, there should be a yellow “E” added to the Google toolbar. Now every time a web store is visited that offers cash back, a popup will occur. To get credit for the purchase, simply click “Activate XX Cash Back”. 

What About Shopping on Mobile Phone?

Are you someone that does a lot of shopping on your phone? Well, there’s an app for that! Go to your Android or IOS app store and download the Ebates app. 

How and When Does Ebates Pay?

In order to receive a payment, you must reach at least $5 in your account for the quarter. Your money will not disappear on you, so don’t worry if you don’t meet the $5 thresh hold for one quarter. It will just flow over to the next quarter. Ebates pays out the cash earned either via PayPal or physical check sent to your home. You will set this up in your Account Settings. Cash back is paid out every three months, in May, August, November and February. This time frame allows the cash back to be adjusted for when users make returns or exchanges. 

What Does Not Count as an Ebates Purchase? 

Yes, there are certain purchases that will not count towards the cash back. These purchases include things such as using coupons from other sites (including the store themselves) and gift card purchases. Always look on the left hand side to read the “Cash Back Terms”.

Of course, it is always wise to compare the coupons to Ebates cash back. Always check the coupon section in Ebates, as well, because they may just have the same coupon. However, if you’re offered a 20% off coupon and only 8% cash back on Ebates (with no coupon), then the 20% off will usually be the better deal. 

 Ready to Sign Up?

Ebates has made it extremely easy for their users to earn cash back for their purchases. It is seriously one of the most mindless, yet monetarily rewarding things our family has done. Our family has personally earned close to $600 cash back using this website. That’s not bad considering all it takes is a click of a button to earn credit for purchases made through sites ?. 

So when should you use Ebates? Well, always would be the simple answer. Unless, of course, there is a better deal elsewhere. However, if you know that you will be making big purchases, this is the perfect time to utilize the heck out of Ebates! When we moved, we did exactly that. All of our big purchases we tried to run through the site so think washer, dryer, fridge, etc. It was nice receiving a bit of money back for purchases we had to make anyway.

Are you ready to sign up with Ebates? Sign up today!

Pssst…. it appears that Ebates is offering new sign ups a $10 bonus when they sign up and make their first $25 purchase through the site! Cha-Ching! ?

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