Archive for the ‘Earn More’ Category

The world wide web has created a boatload of ways for make money on the side by linking buyers and sellers, advertisers and consumers and writers and readers, just as a few examples.

If you need to earn a little extra on the side to pay down your debt you can get into eBay sales, online surveys, blogging (ahem) and now you can even ride the tidal wave that is Twitter to add to your bottom line. A couple of companies have sprung up with the idea that companies will pay big bucks to have ordinary people spread the word about their greatness through their tweets.

If you don’t know what Twitter is, I’ll explain (and make snide remarks about you offline.) Twitter is a free social networking site that allows anyone to publish their thoughts via short messages known as “tweets.” Each message is limited to 140 characters. You search for and subscribe to the tweets of friends, celebrities and companies. You can even subscribe to the Debtbeat tweets.

With Sponsored Tweets, Twitters set a price for their messages and can choose specific categories and keyword that advertisers can search. Offers can be then accepted or rejected. If an offer is accepted and tweeted then the account will be credited within 24 hours and you can cash out after hitting a $50 threshold.

Other companies in the pay-for-tweets game include up for MyLikes.com and Ad,ly.

Some companies offer a simple payment for each Twitter message, others require that your tweet contain an embedded link and you only get paid when someone clicks on the link, similar to a pay-per-click web banner.

Of course the more Twitter followers that you have, the more appealing you wold potentially be to prospective advertisers and the greater the chance that you can get a high volume of clicks. So if you’re not already on Twitter, you may not want to jump on board Twitter advertising programs just yet.

I’ve not used any of these services, but I am intrigued. If you are a social media magnet and can link companies to your network, get paid for it. A lot of folks tweet their recommendations and favorites for free; this makes more sense.

Anyone getting paid to tweet? Holla at me in the comments.

One of the key pillars to paying off debt in Debtbeat fashion is to earn more money which can then be used to pay off debt without having to compromise your current lifestyle. The problem is that this is very tough to do while balancing a full time job and family obligations.

One of the easiest ways that I’ve found to pick up a few extra bucks in just a few quiet minutes at home is by getting paid to take online surveys. We’ve already talked about Surveyhead, which is website that I’ve used and have received several payouts from. The information on the site is clear and they typically are good in crediting me for surveys taken and making payouts.

I recently learned about a new player in this space, BigSpot.com. You may have seen their commercials on TV.

Like Surveyhead, with BigSpot you are asked to provide some basic demographic information about yourself which allows them to match you with market research companies that fit your profile.  However, unlike Surveyhead, after you sign up you’ll be shown links links to companies that are supposed to be rewarding people to take surveys. BigSpot doesn’t actually move you through the survey or enforce payment.

This is of concern to other bloggers who think that BigSpot provides no real value since you’re giving up personal information (e.g. your e-mail address) in return for information that you can get just by using Google to find surveys on the web. Others think it’s an outright scam and you are opening yourself up to spam galore.

I don’t have any personal experience with the site, but I don’t have a great feeling in my gut. Online complaint boards are buzzing with people saying not so nice things about them. As a result, I think I’ll pass.

Do you know anything about this site? Have we gotten the wrong impression? Leave us a comment.

And if you’re looking for ways to make some cheddar on the down low, check out our Earn More section or pick up the book 1001 Ways to Make Money If You Dare.

The bank bailouts have most Americans in a lather, from the Tea party protesters to denizens of the blogosphere who are tracking every dime going to the fat cats on Wall Street who deep-sixed the entire global economy with their risky bets and big bonuses. A short while ago I wrote that instead of wasting time throwing barbs at the bailout boys, the average Joe would be better served by following their example.

In the article I called Lessons from Wall Street Bankers, I talked about some of the positive attributes that investment bankers have that result in their achieving great wealth. Irrespective of whether they contribute much to society or can even be considered moral, there’s no denying that they are successful. And for people knee-deep in debt and facing bankruptcy or foreclosure, being more of a shark is a small price to pay for rescuing your financial future.

Points 1 through 5 laid the foundation, and here’s the house.

So with no further ado, here is Part II of my my musings on how to make money like a Wall Street player.

6.  Use the Tools. – When you see Wall Street traders at work you no doubt see rooms filled with computer monitors showing charts and graphs and data that the pore over to make their money. These are the hammers and saws of their trade. What are you using to advance your financial goals? Are you keeping paper records or are you taking advantage of your bank’s online account management service?

Sign up for free accounts with websites like BillShrink and Mint.com which can help you keep you financial affairs in order and find you lower rates on credit cards, insurance and more. Leverage apps on your smartphone so that your checking account balance is current and you don’t bounce checks.  And to avoid identify theft make sure that you’re using your crosscut shredder to obliterate that junk mail before it goes into the trash.

7. Bend the Rules. It’s not a stretch to say that working on Wall Street makes makes even the most noble young men and women walk a fuzzy ethical line. Their culture values the ends, not the means. Think about how this would translate to what you do for a living. Is sticking to the letter of the law holding you back from results your management would like? Going rogue every once in a while may not be a bad thing if the alternative is not meeting your goals.

When in doubt, ask for forgiveness, not permission.

8. Forget about Loyalty. Wall Street is a mercenary culture that puts no value on loyalty to one’s employer. In this day and age of record layoffs, neither should you. Keep your resume up to date and your eyes open for better opportunities. As the economy improves, companies will again be looking for star players and will pay accordingly. Your value in the marketplace is whatever the highest bidder is willing to pay and if you’re making less than that at your current job, you’re selling yourself short.

9.  Forget about Losses. Rule number one in investing is never throw good money after bad. Great traders have short memories and no emotional ties to mistakes they’ve made. If they still have a job, then it wasn’t a big deal. Over four trillion dollars in wealth was lost because of the financial crisis, yet the big banks and brokerage houses are back to getting paid like nothing ever happened.

Are you dwelling on too much time spent at a college, on a job or invested in a business that’s not panning out for you? Chalk it up to experience and walk away. Everyone makes mistakes, don’t compound them by sticking around a bad scene.

10. Enjoy Your Success. – Wall Street bankers work hard and play harder. No one says that you have to get knee-deep in cocaine and escorts, but you have to find ways to reward yourself that are deeply satisfying and personal to you. Otherwise, what’s it all for? Even those blessed with otherworldly talent (think Tiger Woods) still have to work very hard to become a top earner in their profession. It won’t be any different for you.

Celebrating milestones and achievements will help drive you to earn more.

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Have anything to add? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.