Simply Shaye: On Budgeting and Earning Money

Hey everyone! I recently met a fabulous girl, Shaye, and she wrote an equally fabulous guest post for you all today. Shaye is a single mom (like me!) that has a passion for family, budgeting, healthy living, fitness, and travel. She loves finding new ways to cook healthier and stay fit, all while doing it on a budget. She has a beautiful son and one eccentric dog, but wouldn't have it any other way. Follow her blog, Simply Shaye!

 

Creative Ways To Budget Money And Earn A Little Cash

With summer being here and bored children pacing back and forth around the house, you’re probably imagining ways to escape out of town for a relaxing summer getaway. However, for numerous families who live in the reality of 40 hour work weeks, overtime, and hectic lives, having enough money for a family vacation may sound like a faraway dream.  On the other hand, there are several ways you can save and earn some extra money on your own time to ease the financial cost for a vacation. You can turn most hobbies into bread-winning opportunities like: photography, writing, and even crafting. Even if you’re a stay-at-home mom or part of the workforce, one of these creative ways to budget and earn money may come in handy for your summer fund.

Piggy Bank

Everyone has tried this at least once in their life, trying to save money for something that’s really wanted. It sounds tedious and a little bit childish, but having just a simple jar to put change in can really help you save a substantial sum of money. You just have to make a habit of discarding any extra change in your pockets into the jar and voila – it will fill faster than you can imagine! Luckily, you don’t have to count out your change or wait for long lines at the bank to get dollars for your saved money – just mosey down to the nearest Coinstar and you’ll have those green bills safely in your wallet. Earning money comes easy just by saving the pennies and nickels laying around you which we all tend to overlook sometimes. Each nickel and dime counts, especially if you’re on a tight budget!

Items for Free

If you’re thinking of getting some new furniture for your home, the first place you should start with is online. There’s a chance that you can get the certain furniture you’re looking for free with a little bit of research online! That’s right – you read it – for free! There are numerous websites out there that you can search through that offer free items that people are open-handedly giving away. You’ll be amused at all the different furniture, knick-knacks, and decorations that you can fill your home with. The only thing is, that most the givers will usually require you to pick up the item by yourself from wherever it’s at. A little road trip and lifting for a free item sounds like a good deal to me!

Personal Dog Boarding

If you’re a dog lover and need a little extra money, dog boarding might come in handy during your spare time. There are always neighbors and family members that struggle to find a place – let alone someone trustworthy – to watch their furry friend when they’re planning to travel or go on vacation. You can always offer a hand to dog board their pet at a smaller cost compared to a doggy day-care, plus it won’t even feel like you’re working with all the playing you’ll be doing with the pet. It’s a win-win situation for the owner and you – knowing that you’ll be able to provide a happy and loving environment to the pup, plus a little extra cash for the peace of mind to the owner that has to leave their furry family member behind.

Freelance Work

Even working a full time job, you always run into needing a little extra cash. For a stay-at-home mom or a single parent looking to enhance their writing hobby or online projects, freelancing sites like oDesk can definitely come in handy for a little extra cash. The service site lets you work on your own time with as little or as much projects as you want and earn some cash for it too! If you have some free time on your hands, oDesk can help you save some money for your financial needs.

There are many ways to earn a little cash to reach your financial goal – maybe for a vacation or even just to go buy a new pair of shoes – and if you happen to end up with a lot of free time, then taking on a few extra money making gigs could help. Soon enough that dream vacation could be in the palm of your hands. Stay positive, get creative, and you can come up with a way to earn a little cash!