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We will send the script to your PayPal email within few hours,Please add FullContentRSS@gmail.com to your email contact.So if you didn't start blogging just to make some money off AdSense traffic, this article will guide you to monetize your blog and grow your brand.
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We will send the script to your PayPal email within few hours,Please add FullContentRSS@gmail.com to your email contact.Did you know that you can make money on Tumblr? Here's the scoop. The blogging website recently announced a new advertising program that will boost its user's income. This is the first step Tumblr makes in helping its users mix up creativity and fun with earning extra cash.
Soon enough you will be able to put ads on your blog as well.The Yahoo-owned microblogging and social networking platform has over 306 million blogs. As of this week, Tumblr rolls out ads for each of its blogs. The company has yet to reveal specific details regarding the process. Tumblr says that the ads should be seen as an opportunity that anyone can take advantage of. In a recent blog post, the blogging website says that the change to earn extra bucks "will be available to any eligible Tumblr—poet, musician, fan artist, and misfit weirdo memelord alike".
<<script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js">
Bloggers that want to make money on Tumblr will have to register for the program. However, the registration process is still in the works, and no further details are available. The staff is working on the issue and hopes to have its users earning money soon.
The ads will be implemented into three places. First, we have the main page of each Tumblr blog. Secondly, you can also see them on the web on the side-out section. Thirdly, they will also be placed on its mobile web and mobile apps.
If you don't like the idea of placing ads on your blog, no worries. Users can turn off on-blog advertising by changing their settings.
The staff is excited about the new offering, saying that it "will be one of the biggest projects we've ever launched at Tumblr".
It has been a fruitful year for Tumblr so far. The microblogging website has recently introduced a new GIF maker, messaging features, and live video. And we are assured there are more goodies on the way.
It remains to be seen what other stuff we have in store, given that Yahoo, the company owning Tumblr, was recently acquired by Verizon. As part of the agreement, Verizon will own Tumblr too, along with Yahoo News, Yahoo Sports, and Flickr. Only time will tell if Verizon's strategy goes hand in hand with Tumblr's future plans.
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We will send the script to your PayPal email within few hours,Please add FullContentRSS@gmail.com to your email contact.We have picked 20 of the most efficient, in our opinion, ways of making money online as for online store and blog owners, so for those who have nothing of the above.
How to earn with a websiteHaving a website is always better than not having one because it's you who sets the rules. The drawback is that it's also you who does all the work on website optimization, content marketing, and everything else. But, in spite of everything, having an established website is rewarding, as it allows you to earn in many ways. In this section, we will talk about the most up-to-date methods of making money using your personal or business website, wit, and industry.
Affiliate marketing is the first on our list for a reason: it's a win-win strategy, which is beneficial for both a publisher and an advertiser. That's why most companies that have chosen this tactic contribute to the success of their affiliates in every possible way by providing them with ready-to-go marketing solutions, banners, widgets and other moneymaking tools.
In the case of digital companies, where the concept of cost price is rather vague, the commission can be as high as 50%.
Where to start?
To become an affiliate go to MyTemplateStorage and create your account. You will receive your unique affiliate link, which you will use to earn affiliate commission. There is a choice of tools available that will simplify your work: free template showcases, embeddable widgets, and even entire ready-made stores.
Banners were among the first to enter the world of digital advertising, and they are still as popular as 20 years ago. The largest banner networks cover all possible niches, so you will surely find the one that suits you best. Advertisers at banner networks often opt for websites with significant traffic; that's why you should have an established website before registering in one of them.
Where to start?
First of all, visit BuySellAds. In the Marketplace section, you can evaluate the current situation in your niche and analyze your competitors to develop your price list.
Just every beginning blogger starts with AdSense because it is intuitive, reliable and time-tested. Its idea is in the content-wise choice of ads. Google will show only the ads that your visitors could be interested in; that's why the conversion rates are often very high.
Where to start?
Sign up at AdSense. All you need to do is to place a couple of banners on the pages of your website, wait till Google approves it, grow your traffic and check your statistics frequently. You will be able to block certain advertisers if their ads don't perform well on your website.
With a blog of a decent size, you can try out making extra money for publishing promotional content. Typically, advertisers will contact you themselves, but it won't harm to create a page with a pricing table to attract them. Reviews cost starting at $50 for most niches, so by publishing just a couple of them each month, you will be able to raise hundreds of dollars on top of your passive income.
Where to start?
Analyze your competitors and decide on how much you are going to charge for a promotional post on your blog, building on its traffic. Then create an "Advertise with us" page stating your prices, and start contacting potential advertisers.
Amazon is an established eCommerce platform, which allows millions of its users to sell their products without having to launch their standalone stores. With more than 20 years on the market, it has become a brilliant example of usability and a conversion-focused design. Now you can connect your WordPress website with your Amazon account, and boost your sales by promoting your wares via several channels at the same time.
Where to start?
Register an account at Amazon. Use one of the plugins featured in this post to integrate your Amazon account with your WordPress website.
This method is best suited for photographers, graphic designers, and other creative souls. If you create unique visual content, you can sell it on your website. To do so, you need to organize a selling environment by adding an eCommerce platform either inside your main site (WooCommerce for WordPress) or as a separate entity on a subdomain or a subfolder (any other eCommerce platform). All modern eshop content management systems support digital products, so it shouldn't be a problem for you.
Where to start?
Choose your best works and upload them as products to your eCommerce website. Don't forget that you can sell them on various marketplaces at the same time.
Designing custom t-shirts, mugs, and other printed stuff nowadays is easier than ever. This business requires certain investments, but it's totally worth it. All you need to get started is a jet printer, a pack of blank t-shirts or mugs, and a thermal press.
Or you can just create downloadable prefabs - and sell them as is. In this case, your work is no other than applied design. The difference is in business positioning: 'printables' often cost much more than 'logo templates'.
What sells well in 2016?
- Creative slogans made with beautiful fonts;
- Funny, original characters and mascots;
- Items of popular culture (make sure you don't infringe any copyrights);
- Creative CVs, to-do lists, and calendars.
Where to start?
As in the case with digital products, choose your best artwork that is suitable for this purpose. Set up an eCommerce store with a platform you like most, be it WooCommerce, OpenCart, Magento, PrestaShop, Shopify, or any other.
Adding a section with educational videos gives you a new way of earning money with your blog. It will also sky-rocket the professional status of your website allowing you to charge more for banners, paid reviews and social media mentions at the same time.
Where to start?
This option can be really tough for a beginner, so make sure you have tried all the 'easy' ones first. Start with researching the topic and finding out the questions you target audience wants to be answered.
If your content is valuable, you can make a part of it available only to premium users. Such 'premium section' on your website can become a steady source of income, as well as improve its credibility. You can do things that you're good at using your site as a supply line for new clients.
Where to start?
Check out this guide by WPMU Dev on how to set up hidden content in WordPress. It explains how to implement membership functionality with the help of a free WordPress plugin.
You can build your hosting company at no additional cost, with no need to have expensive hardware, professional staff, and experience in running a business. Many large hosting providers offer reseller hosting plans, which include readymade admin functionality, widgets, and promotional materials. If your website is about anything related to the web you can provide hosting services as an additional paid option.
Where to start?
Choose a hosting provider with the most favorable terms for resellers. Then come up with your brand, set up a website, and install all the necessary tools following the instructions of the provider of your choice. In our collection, you will find some hosting website templates and WordPress themes that will get you started with your hosting company in no time.
How to earn without a websiteFrankly speaking, having a website makes a lot of things much easier for you – e.g. building up your professional image, growing your social accounts, etc. You can effectively earn money online without it, though. Here are our top 10 ways to make money without a website.
Consider yourself a social media guru? Get paid for promotional tweets, Facebook and Instagram posts and other social media publications. The more followers you have, the more you can charge for a post. Twitter and Facebook are the most demanded networks among advertisers, but Instagram grows popular day by day, so keep an eye on it if your interests include fashion, cooking or lifestyle.
Where to start?
Well, let's assume that you already have plenty of subscribers. If not, check out this detailed guide on how to get more of them.
This type of moneymaking is suitable for those, who can't afford to spend all their time on the web. For such people, micro jobs are an efficient way to earn some extra money. The range of micro job types is extremely broad. It covers but is not limited to web design and development, art, proofreading, video editing and copywriting.
Where to start?
Fiverr is a good place to start with micro jobs. This marketplace is equally suitable for professionals and those who are new to freelance. Fiverr allows you to offer you services for flexible prices, starting from $5.
If you feel like setting up and running your online store is too much of a trouble, and want to focus on something you love to do, online marketplaces might be just the thing for you. When selling your stuff on marketplaces you don't have to bother about SEO (yet, basic optimization of your product descriptions is recommended), you don't need to pay thousands of dollars to create a website and keep it afloat. There are lots of options for every possible niche.
Where to start?
There are plenty of different marketplaces around the web, but since you are here, at MonsterPost, I'll assume that you are related to web design, graphic design, SEO or either kind of marketing. That's why you might be interested in CreativeMarket. Also check out MasterBundles – this brand new design deals marketplace, where you can sell your graphic and web design products, educational courses, eBooks, and much more.
Many gamers are willing to pay someone for doing their gaming routine: farming gold, gaining experience points, completing daily quests, etc. This routine can be boring, but it is inevitable if one wants to reach success in any online game.
You can even become a paid Pokรฉmon trainer, which is pretty epic if you ask me.
But be careful: RMT (real money trading), as well as sharing your account are prohibited in most MMO games.
Where to start?
PlayerAuctions is a job portal for gamers. With its help, you can find clients for video game-related services such as power leveling.
Social Stock is an ambitious project for socially active internet users who love web design. You earn points for each sale made with your personal discount code, and later exchange them for real life prizes – money, tech items, and even vehicles (Tesla Model S, yay!).
Where to start?
Create an account at Social Stock and receive your personal promo code. You need to spread the word throughout social networks, coupon websites, forum boards and other communities promoting templates designed by TemplateMonster. The more you sell – the more you earn. Yes, it's that simple.
Crafty people can benefit from launching their store on Etsy.com. Etsy is a marketplace of original DIY products, where everyone can sell their handmade stuff, paintings, and even digital art such as custom logos for reasonable prices. The prices are a bit higher than on Fiverr, but the requirements are high as well.
Where to start?
Register at Etsy, and set up your profile.
If you are fluent in at least one language, can easily tell the difference between their, there and there are, and just love correcting people, then there is no better job for you than a proofreader. It is a great way of putting your language skills to use, and getting paid for them.
Where to start?
Fiverr has a featured category for proofreading and text editing services.
Tech-savvy internet users can try their hands in maintaining other sites. Those who know the ins and outs of WordPress, Joomla, Magento, vBulletin, or other content management systems can earn a lot by working as website administrators and moderators. Your responsibilities will include monitoring user activity, providing support and making sure everything works as it should.
Where to start?
Check new and promising online stores run by solopreneurs and small companies. Unlike bloggers, most of eCommerce traders know nothing about running websites, so they are more likely to accept your help.
The main difference between freelance and micro jobs is that freelance is more substantial, and is focused on large, long-term projects. If you are ready to accomplish such a large project on your own, look for customers on specific websites for freelancers. Perhaps, they will become your steady clients.
Where to start?
UpWork (former oDesk) is your most obvious choice. Thousands of projects for any taste and of any size are waiting for you in this huge marketplace for freelancers.
Always wanted to be a part of something bigger? You can feel in the role of a guinea pig by taking part in various paid website and mobile app testing programs. Participants are usually paid $10 per app, but sometimes this figure could rise to $100.
Where to start?
Kick-start your career as a tester by reading this review of the best app and website testing offers.
Choose any of the methods listed above, combine them if possible, and become a moneymaker today. Don't forget that one website can make your money via many channels simultaneously.
Also, share with us your ways of earning online in the comments below this post!
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We will send the script to your PayPal email within few hours,Please add FullContentRSS@gmail.com to your email contact.Since we've heard from so many of you who are enjoying the peek behind the scenes of the blogging business in this week's podcast episode (so glad!) we thought we'd point you guys to another resource on that subject: our 3-part series on how to start a blog, grow your audience, and earn money.
It's something we actually wrote a few months ago, mostly to have a single spot to send anyone who asked about it (it's one of the most frequent questions we get asked, even to this day). But since we never published it to everyone's feeds as an actual blog post, it's admittedly not the easiest thing to find, and we realized most of you probably haven't even seen it. So for anyone who wants to dive in, just click this link or the image below.
And if you still haven't caught this week's podcast episode (#8), we had a blast talking to Emily Henderson, Justina Blakeney, and Nicole Balch about sponsored posts. Paid content is a big part of the blogging world these days, both for blog writers and blog readers. So we had a candid chat with these three professional design bloggers, and they cleared up some misconceptions by peeling back the curtain on topics like negative feedback, transparency, and yes, even how much money there is to be made. We're so grateful to Emily, Justina, and Nicole for their honesty and we learned A LOT.
Psst – For any podcast newbies, there's a detailed tutorial for getting started here. It just takes a few clicks and it's free!
More posts from Young House Love
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We will send the script to your PayPal email within few hours,Please add FullContentRSS@gmail.com to your email contact.Apple announced Wednesday the sale of its billionth iPhone, but although it has been a defining feature of the past decade, dropping sales and increased competition from Samsung, LG, and Xiaomi have some wondering how Apple could continue to turn a profit without the iPhone.
Vivek Wadhwa, distinguished fellow and professor at Carnegie Mellon University Engineering at Silicon Valley, has a suggestion that may keep Apple afloat in a world where the iPhone is not the commodity it was a few years ago: make a version of iOS for non-Apple devices.
Apple loyalists may not like the idea, but Bill Gates had the same idea in 1985, Mr. Wadhwa wrote for Market Watch. He wrote a letter to John Sculley, then chief executive officer of Apple, asking him to license Apple's operating system to other companies. Mr. Sculley and other Apple executives ignored the request and just five months later Microsoft released its own Windows operating system that went on to dominate the compute r world for the next several decades.
In 1997, Microsoft actually saved Apple from bankruptcy by investing $150 million in it, and Apple went on to be the most successful and profitable smartphone company.
However, as Samsung, LG, and Xiaomi began producing comparable and cheaper alternatives to the iPhone, the monopoly Apple once had on the industry began to slip. The Samsung Galaxy S7 outranked Apple's iPhone 6S in consumer satisfaction surveys – but the same can't be said for the companies' respective operating systems.
"...iOS is far better than Android. That is why Apple needs to grab this market while it still has an advantage, Mr. Wadhwa wrote in a blog post.
Features of iOS including App Store, iTunes, and Apple Music earned the company $6 billion in the last quarter, up by 19 percent over last year, making these services the second largest source of income behind the iPhone. Were iOS available for Android and other devices, those services w ould be even more profitable, as Apple would be earning money from the phones produced by their competitors.
In the next two to three years there will be another billion people online, and these people will have no reason the be loyal to Apple, and will likely not be affluent enough to afford a $700 iPhone when there are better-functioning phones for significantly less money.
The main question that remains is whether Apple – a company whose success over the years has depended largely on brand loyalty – would actually go for an idea that decreased the power of its own image?
"Apple is still functioning the way it did 20 years ago," Wadhwa tells The Christian Science Monitor. "The way it releases software is, you do a big release, you get everything perfect and it goes out the door. But that is not the way they really do things anymore in this day and age, because technology is moving so fast right now."
Take Facebook's Oculus Rift, a virt ual reality headset, as an example. The product was released in a highly imperfect state with the promise of future improvements implied. The company learned from its mistakes and user feedback and is remembered for creating a revolutionary product.
But Wadhwa does not think that Apple will adopt that strategy any time soon.
"The market is shrinking on Apple, it is becoming less and less relevant," Wadhwa says. "If there are 3 billion Android phones and 5 million Apple phones, developers will create new technologies for the Android platform and Apple will become a niche platform that gets second treatment."
In a way, that would return Apple to 15 years ago, before it branched off from computers and hit the mainstream.
As of now, Apple expects to make up for the past quarter's poor performance throughout the rest of the year with the iPhone 7 release, which is expected sometime early this fall. And as frustrating as Apple's sensibilities seem to him, Wadhw a, an Apple loyalist himself, will be in line to buy one.
Blogging platform Tumblr is rolling out ads on Thursday, and it wants to share the generated revenue with its bloggers.
Tumblr has had advertising for a while, such as sponsored posts and videos and Gemini native ads, but its sales haven't quite skyrocketed. In the aftermath of Verizon's $4.8 billion Yahoo acquisition, Yahoo-owned Tumblr is now looking to shake things up and its bloggers will start getting a cut from paid promotions.
This means that if you have a popular Tumblr blog, you will soon be able to start making money from it. If you want, that is. Tumblr bloggers who would rather not commercialize their blog can pass on this feature and keep their blog personal. Those who want to opt-out of on-blog advertising can do so in Settings.
Tumblr notes that some of its users have already managed to monetize their passions with the Creatrs program, and the move to roll out ads across all Tumblr blogs now enables more creative and talented individuals to make some money from their blogs.
While the ads are rolling out now, it remains to be see when, how and how much Tumblr bloggers will actually start getting paid.
"We're still figuring out all the details of the partner program and working on the payment system," says Tumblr. "All we can say right now is we plan to launch a partner program sometime in 2016. It's worth noting that you can't make money until you register with the partner program — which is coming."
Tumblr also offers some details on how and where it will display ads on blogs, noting three instances. The first one is on the main page for those using the default Optica theme. The second instance is "the slide-out thing on the web." Lastly, Tumblr will also display ads on mobile apps and mobile web.
It's worth pointing out that those who want to turn off this advertising feature from their Tumblr settings can't do it on the mobile apps just yet, but Tumblr is working on making this possible soon.
Tumblr is joining this party a bit late, considering that bloggers using Google's Blogspot platform have been able to make money from their blogs for a few years now. The shift may have something to do with Verizon's acquisition of Yahoo's assets, but Tumblr makes no mention of it in its announcement.
More details should become available soon regarding when and how Tumblr will pay its bloggers who agree to get on board with ads, and we'll let you know as soon as we learn more.
© 2016 Tech Times, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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The initial takeaway: Fitzpatrick gets what he wanted, and the Jets get their quarterback. If you're looking to declare a winner, give a slight edge to Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick agreed to a one-year contract for a fully guaranteed $12 million, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. He can earn an additional $3 million with team incentives, but it'll take a deep playoff run for him to see any of that money. It'll be tough, but he can make a total of $15 million, which is what he wanted at the outset of this long and crazy staring contest.
The Jets had been opposed to a one-year contract (hence, the three-year, $24 million offer), but a couple realities hit them hard: Training camp begins Thursday, and Geno Smith would've been under center. No matter how much they talked up Smith's performance in the spring, the Jets never wanted him to be their starter. They would've told The Beard to take a hike if they felt Smith were anywhere close to Fitzpatrick.
Basically, they sliced off the second and third years of their initial proposal, which contained $12 million in the first year. In exchange, Fitzpatrick surrendered $4 million of the $16 million guarantee that was included in the offer that had collected dust. There is the compromise. This wasn't a total cave by the Jets.
There was quiet confidence at One Jets Drive that a deal would get done. In fact, members of the football staff were given strong indications in recent weeks that Fitzpatrick would be back.
And so he is.
Obviously, it's the right move for the Jets, who need Fitzpatrick to compete for a playoff spot with a win-now roster. They tried to squeeze him into taking a three-year deal for backup money, but Fitzpatrick -- despite having no other suitors -- wasn't budging. He played it brilliantly, using his teammates to do his negotiating in the media and landing a good contract with no market. The Jets were bidding against the Jets, but they increased their offer from $9 million to $12 million on Wednesday and gave Fitzpatrick a 7 p.m. deadline.
Take it or leave it.
Of course he took it. Who wouldn't? It's almost a 400 percent raise from last year's salary.
Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets agreed to a one-year deal fully guaranteed at $12 million. AP Photo/Paul SancyaFitzpatrick will collect $12 million for 2016 and, if he maintains his starting job for the year, he'll have another trip to the bargaining table next offseason. If he gets them to the playoffs, he'll actually have some real leverage. It's a win-win for the man with the Harvard education.
The Jets got antsy. After five straight years out of the playoffs, owner Woody Johnson wasn't about to entrust his team to Smith. Perhaps the boss exerted some pressure on general manager Mike Maccagnan, who coughed up a few extra million on the eve of the first practice -- just as he coughed up the money to sign Muhammad Wilkerson at the franchise-tag deadline.
Yes, the Jets are all-in for 2016, as they should be. This isn't a rebuilding situation; it's a veteran team with championship-starved players like Brandon Marshall and Nick Mangold and David Harris ... and the list goes on.
The Jets will have to rework other contracts to absorb Fitzpatrick's $12 million cap hit, as they began the day with $9.1 million in cap space. The Wilkerson contract created added flexibility, providing $5.7 million in cap space. That allowed them to do the one-year deal.
This will make the locker room happy, especially Marshall and Eric Decker, his receivers. There might have been a revolt if the Jets had blown the negotiations. What happened Wednesday was laughable. Team brass instructed players not to discuss Fitzpatrick's situation, treating some of their most respected players like children.
It's over now. Fitzpatrick is back and the Jets have zero excuses this season. Everybody is happy.
Well, except for Geno Smith.
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There are plenty of perks to living in a big city. From cultural events to cuisine, big cities never struggle from a shortage of things to do or places to see. Add to this the promise of better job opportunities and it's clear why these population centers have a strong pull for a wide variety of people.
But living in a big city has its downsides and, for many, that starts with the astronomical cost of rent.
New York and San Francisco have long since been notorious for sky-high rent. According to a study by SmartAsset, the annual income needed to pay rent in these cities is $158,229 for New York and $216,129 for San Francisco. In San Francisco, the median income is only $78,378.
While a high cost of living is expected in these hot spots, there are plenty of other cities seeing an uptick in rental rates as well. Last year, a study by Reis Inc. found Denver to have the largest rent increases in the United States, a rate that averaged 9% compared to 2014. Austin saw a similar increase this year, with the average rate up 7.5% from 2015.
For many, the high cost of rent isn't enough of a deterrent to stay out of a big city - and it doesn't have to be. Whether you're being enticed by potential career opportunities or you feeling the pull of bright lights, there are ways to make this larger expense work.
If you're currently in a high-rent situation, or you're considering a big move, try these tips.
Carefully Consider Your NeighborhoodAs a Denver native, I became painfully aware of rising rental rates when I began looking for my first apartment sans roommate.
The neighborhood I planned to live in had limited availability and rates that were 20-30% higher than surrounding areas. As if that wasn't bad enough, parking was usually never a given, safety was questionable, and there was no washer or dryer. It turns out location convenience came with a much higher price tag than I thought, and I would be forfeiting other conveniences as a result.
So I broadened my search and decided on a unit that was a seven-minute drive instead of a seven-minute walk to my office. The construction was much newer, there were amenities I didn't think I would ever be able to afford, and the deposit was minimal. Better yet, I was still living square within the city, just in a part that I hadn't considered before.
If you don't want to give up on the big city because of rent, consider multiple neighborhoods. You might find that you end up receiving much more for your money, enabling you to preserve funds for all the city has to offer.
Bring Roommates into Your HomeI was adamant about living alone at some point in my life, so I managed to make it happen. While it was a financially viable choice for me at the time, I certainly paid for it. I didn't realize just how much though until I moved in with my boyfriend. Our new place was a short distance away from the city and cost 1/3 of my previous rent.
It turns out sharing rent really is a magical thing.
If you don't know of someone looking for a room to rent, there are credible sites that can help you find a good fit. Here are a few to check out:
Not only can a roommate help you save on rent, but they can also pitch in on expenses like water and utilities. Even the smallest of costs can add up when you're living in an expensive city, so don't minimize the positive financial effect a roommate could have on your situation.
Take on Side Work that Doesn't Conflict with Your Main JobGone are the days where the only way to earn an income is through one 9-5 employer. Even if you have full-time employment, there are plenty of ways to join the growing "gig economy." Never heard of that before? "Gig economy" refers to the growing economy of people working in contract positions or as freelancers.
Last year Fast Company covered this topic with data from the IRS. They found that the number of 1099 tax forms filed annually were significantly increasing: from 82 million in 2010 to 91 million in 2014. What does this mean? That people are earning money from gigs (for which you file a 1099, not a W4) more and more every year.
If you feel you don't have the skill set to earn money on the side - or if you don't think you could find a gig that pays well enough to make it worth the effort - think again. There are many types of well-paying opportunities out there and plenty of places to find them. Here are a few ideas to start:
Use Your CarIf you become a driver for Uber or Lyft, you could earn a full or part-time salary depending on the hours you're available to work. Or you can rent your car for a little extra cash using services like Turo or Getaround.
Sell Your KnowledgeWhether you're in accounting or PR, there are plenty of ways you can help others and earn extra money by sharing your knowledge. Simply set up a website and start reaching out to your network. Soon you could begin earning generous side income as a consultant- simply by using the skills you already use every day in your main job.
Become a FreelancerIf you have writing or designing skills, or previous experience as an assistant, there are plenty of freelance gigs available to you. Start by browsing or bidding on jobs at sites like Upwork, Toptal, and Freelancer. This is a great way to utilize your skills to earn extra money, and to do so on your time.
Find Other Expenses to Put on the Chopping BlockCreating a smart, sustainable plan for your money begins with determining your priorities. If living in a particular city is at the top of your list, then other less important expenses might have to go to the chopping block.
For instance, living in a big city with access to reliable mass transit might mean it's time to ditch your car - and the financial upkeep that goes with it. If you're hesitant to do that because you know you'll need an occasional break from the hustle and bustle of the big city, don't worry. You can always turn to a service like Zipcar for temporary, affordable car rental for a weekend getaway.
While Denver isn't the best city to go car-less, for me paying a high amount for rent meant curbing any plan I had to replace my car with a newer model. I became even more diligent about maintaining my car and tried to cut down on driving whenever possible to keep the cost of gas and wear and tear down.
A high cost of living might also present a need to cut down on variable expenses that creep up if left unchecked - like eating out. If cooking isn't your forte and you tend to grab things like coffee and lunch on the go, it might make sense to look at ways to create new habits. For example, you could learn how to make simple meals at home or find things you can prepare quickly and easily for lunch. Even better, a lot of companies in big cities are starting to offer free food as part of their compensation package, so that could be something to look for as you explore job offers.
If you can remember that these cuts are helping you stay true to your number one priority - living in a city you love - making the cuts and changing some habits won't have to feel quite so painful.
Know Your Rights When Rent Is On the RiseFinding out your rent is going up when it's already at the top of your budget can be a painful pill to swallow. While rental increases are inevitable, there are legal limits on when a landlord can raise rates and (in some cases) how much they can raise them.
First of all, your landlord is not legally allowed to increase your rent until your lease is up. If you're on a month-to-month lease, you must be given 30 or 60 days notice before your landlord can up your rent. One surefire way to protect yourself from a surprise increase is to sign the longest lease possible.
Some units in cities like New York and San Francisco are rent-stabilized, meaning the landlord is limited in how much they can raise the rent. Other cities require a landlord to give written notice sooner if a tenant's rent is going to increase by more than 10%. The bottom line? Know your rights before signing a lease so you won't be blindsided by an astronomical increase in rent.
With the Right Plan, You Can Make it WorkLiving in a high-rent city presents a unique set of challenges, but they're not impossible to overcome. With a dedication to bringing in the necessary income, a hard look at your financial priorities, and a solid grasp of what your budget can bear, you can find a way to call the city you love home. And when you're out enjoying your city and the lifestyle you've managed to create, you'll be glad you did.