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Earning Extra Money in Tough Times
Jan 27th
I read an interesting article by Jilian Mincer. Mincer provides several ways to earn some extra money without having to get another job.
Here’s are her suggestions:
- Sell unwanted or used items. This is one of the fastest ways to raise cash. Simply rummage through your belongings and hold a garage sale (aka lawn sale). Alternatively, there are online services such as eBay and Craigslist to help facilitate the sale too.
- Consider renting. If you have an extra room or a empty basement, consider renting it out. If you live in a popular location such as close to a university, resort, or major metropolitan city, it should not be difficult to find potential renters.
- Give feedback. Many consumer packaged goods companies and retailers solicit consumer feedback. In exchange for your feedback, the company will reward you with gift cards or free items. Mercer notes you should not have to pay a membership fee to participate so watch out for potential scams. She suggests starting with Volition.com or MysterShopper.org.
- Start It. This last suggestion is my personal favorite. If you have a dream or skill, start your own business. Small businesses are the growth engine of the economy. Think of a product or a service you may be able to offer.
There you have it. Four simple ideas to help put some extra cash in your pocket during a tough economy.
What Happened?
Aug 28th
Dear Readers:
During a recent database upgrade, we lost articles written between September 2008 through August 2009. Some might get upset at themselves or others. However, we are taking this in stride. Additional articles will be posted in the coming months to rebuild this site. Thank you for your patience and continued support.
Regards,
Financial Fitness Pro Contributors
The World’s Wealthiest Royals
Aug 22nd
According to the recent Forbes article, the following are the top ten wealthiest:
- King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thailand)
- Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Abu Dhabi)
- King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz (Saudi Arabia)
- Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Brunei)
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid (Dubai)
- Prince Hans-Adam II (Liechtenstein)
- Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (Qatar)
- King Mohammed VI (Morocco)
- Prince Albert II (Monaco)
- Sultan Qaboos bin Said (Oman)
The petro-kingdoms of Middle East and Asia clearly dominate the list thanks to the soaring oil pirces.
A Million is Not Enough
Aug 18th
I skimmed CNNMoney.com’s article, “Millionaires in the making”, earlier today. Sure, it’s important to live below your means. However, there is a fundamental problem with featuring potential millionaires. Becoming a millionaire is no longer enough by today’s standards.
Determining how much you need for retirement depends on life span and cost of living. Using the CNNMoney Retirement Calculator, will bring this assertion to life. So, I decided to enter the Rodrigueses retirement needs based on the following parameters:
- Their current age is 27.
- Their annual income is $174,000.
- Their retirement age is 40.
- Their post-retirement annual income is 80%.
- Their life expectancy will be 85 years old.
- No pension or social security income.
Guess what? They will need more than $4.173 million. This is not too far off for the average person. Instead of trying to become a millionaire, most people need to think about how they’re going to save between $5 – 10 million in order to maintain the same living standards.
If this is not a practical goal for your current situation, then there’s always the choice to retire in a foreign country where the cost of living standard is lower and your US dollar will go further such as places in Asia, Central America or South America.
Looking for Credit Cards
Aug 17th
Before you apply for that next credit card, you might want to visit www.credit-card-authority.com to do your research.
Credit-card-authority.com is especially noteworthy due to the following features and benefits:
- Detailed listings of the credit card offers with side-by-side comparison of terms, conditions and benefits.
- Credit card suggestions for various categories such as No Annual Fee, Business Credit, Student Credit, Instant Approvals, Rewards Programs, etc.
- Specific credit card recommendations based on credit history.
- A Credit Card eZine with up-to-date articles on credit cards.
- An International section for Belgian and UK credit card reviews.
- Customer care service to answer all your credit card related questions.
I also like the design of the website; it is intuitive and easy-to-use. This is a big plus especially if you want to scan the info quickly and read summaries instead of wading through tons of information. In addition, you’re likely to find the right credit card for your specific needs.
Bottom line, if you’re doing research on credit cards, this site is one worth visiting. This site may not have every single credit card application available, but it certainly features the best ones that most customers are likely to want or need.