Me and the BF have been talking, and we want to pay down our debt faster, and start putting more in savings.
We want to add around an extra $1,000 (after tax) to our monthly income. This shouldn't be too hard.
1. Doing more secret shops. I have made around $250 so far. My plan is to make around $150-$200 a month.
2. Continuing with my online surveys. Probably only around $30 a month. But this along with Swagbucks will probably be around $50 a month altogether.
- All the money I earn from Swagbucks I use for Amazon gift cards, and I plan on just using this for Christmas time for the kids in the extended family.
- From the survey company that I participate through, I also get lots of free products. These are not just trial sized products (actually none of my surveys have includes trial sized items). I get full products such as 8 rolls of toilet paper, 5 tubes of lip gloss, $200 to spend on Captain Morgan, gift cards to spend at grocery stores, TRESemme conditioner and shampoo and so on. All of this free stuff also saves money.
3. We have a friend moving in with us. This person is going to pay $300 for rent and utilities altogether. Our house isn't huge but we have a finished basement, so altogether our house is around 2,500 square feet. So, with a roommate we still won't be cramped.
- FYI, we are not having them move in just for the money, just so everyone knows.
4. Also, hopefully I can convince the BF to get a second part-time job. His hours at his current job have been cut (but he's still making the same amount of money, I have no clue how that worked out), so he has time now. Now I just need him to be motivated to look.
- I know he can find one, a lot of our friends own restaurants and businesses and they are always asking him if he would like to work with them. I estimate that if he can find a part-time job, that he will make somewhere around $500 a month.
- He asked for more hours today (right after I posted this) at his work and now he's making an extra $300 a month from work.
5. And then I plan on maybe getting a side job also. As many of you know, I have been asking you what you do and pretty much just bugging everyone. I'm not sure how I will have time for a side job, as I work 50 hours a week and I attend MBA classes full-time as well (12 credits this semester).
- I have two friends who are beer cart girls (both work at a different golf course, and they are both teachers and beer girls on the weekend). They make AT LEAST $300 every weekend, for just one day and just a couple of hours.
- They usually work from around 9am to around 1pm. So this sounds like pretty easy money to me. They also always tell me to join them because they always need help.
- So even if I worked just two days a month, I should clear at least $300 (pessimistically thinking) a month from this.
I know that all of this won't happen, but that's why my goal is only for $1,000. We then plan on paying off my student loan that actually has an interest rate right now. This loan is at around $5,700. So if we can pay off this loan in 5-6 months, we would then be able to start paying off my car completely and have that done within 4 months after the loan is done. So sometime by before next summer, I should be free of my student loan (that has interest) and my car loan! Then after this, I will be graduating with my MBA soon after, and then I can start working on paying down my enormous student loan.
What have you been doing to make extra income?
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BTHappyHomeowner says
August 25, 2011 at 6:10 amThese are all great ideas and such a sweet goal–good luck!I have to ask about this survey company–it sounds too good to be true!
Michelle Parker says
August 25, 2011 at 6:21 amIt's called Pinecone Research. I was referred to it but I don't know if they're taking any new members. I was doubtful at first also, but it's been great! Each survey is only worth about $3, but I get around 2 surveys a week.
Anna says
August 25, 2011 at 8:05 amWhat is secret shopping? Also, you should post a pic. of your dog 🙂
Michelle Parker says
August 25, 2011 at 8:10 amHere's the website />I go to restaurants and stores (such as Best Buy) and pretend I'm a customer. I have to ask A LOT of questions whenever I secret shop. It's a lot of work and the pay isn't the greatest, but it adds up quickly. I usually do around 5 secret shops a week.Haha and I will post a picture of him soon! He is super cute and he is so tiny because he's a runt. Right now he is sick though so I'm a little sad 🙁
coupleasaving says
August 25, 2011 at 8:24 amHow do you get so much from swagbucks. I cant seem to get that much. WordPress wont let me put a referral link on it so i dont know how i can get more.
Michelle Parker says
August 25, 2011 at 8:32 amI do a lot of online searches everyday, so I get a lot from that. A website <a href="http://(http://www.frugalityisfree.com/2011/08/swagbucks-swagbucks-tips-how-to-earn.html)” target=”_blank”>(http://www.frugalityisfree.com/2011/08/swagbucks-swagbucks-tips-how-to-earn.html) had a post on this yesterday and some of the commenters said that they get a gift card everyday sometimes! Which I think is crazy. I usually get around 50 swagbucks a day.
Michelle Parker says
August 25, 2011 at 8:33 amI forgot to mention earlier that the other "survey" company I use is BzzzAgent.
Michelle Parker says
August 25, 2011 at 8:55 amYes it is. When I get home tonight, I will scan a picture of the latest check I got. Trust me, I was just like everyone else and I was extremely sketchy about it. BestMark is legitimate. They require you to buy something so that the employees don't suspect that you are a secret shopper. You get reimbursed for what you buy though.And I found out about the company because I heard about it on the news, and also the retail store I used to work for went through this company.I'll post a picture of the check later! Let me know if you have any other questions.
slobely838 says
August 25, 2011 at 9:10 amI think I'm going to try and find another job. I have extra time, so why not.
coupleasaving says
August 25, 2011 at 9:51 amSo this secret shopper website is legit? Im always so afraid to sign up for them because you just never know. Do you actually buy stuff when you are at the stores or jsut look. And how do they pay you? haha sorry for asking so many questions. I would love to do thing i have just never known anyone that does.
Stephanie says
August 25, 2011 at 10:23 amI agree with Anna, you should post a picture of your dog. (And I hope he feels better soon!)And that is AWESOME that your BF got more hours just by asking!My plan to earn more money this fall is to do a lot of craft shows! I'm hoping that I can cover most of our Christmas shopping budget for this year with money I make selling my jewelry, and I want to buy most of the those gifts from small and/or local businesses.
Michelle Parker says
August 25, 2011 at 10:34 amI have a TON of pictures of him since I am a crazy dog person, so I will definitely put one up later.And I know! His boss told him that she'd LOVE to give him more hours haha.Good luck with your craft shows! I wish I was craft enough to do that… 🙂
Breana says
August 25, 2011 at 1:28 pmI babysit for friends, sell Mary Kay (just to friends, not through parties), and just started blogging! 🙂
~Carla~ says
August 25, 2011 at 2:55 pmWow, that's awesome!! I babysit for extra $$ but am rarely paid on time, so it's kinda pointless sometimes. :/ I also sell hand made cards, sewn items, etc… but haven't sold much lately…
Michelle Parker says
August 25, 2011 at 3:35 pmI've been thinking about babysitting, but I don't know. I did that when I was younger and I don't know if I have time for that with my schedule.
Eric Finlay says
August 25, 2011 at 4:20 pmSounds excellent! Keep it up, you'll be debt free before you know it.
Niki says
August 25, 2011 at 5:36 pmI love the beer girl idea. Sounds like a great opportunity to make some serious cash. Good luck.
Michelle Parker says
August 25, 2011 at 5:56 pmThanks Eric and Niki!And yeah I know, my friends say it's super easy.
laura@nomorespending says
August 25, 2011 at 8:58 pmI like all your plans..good luck! That debt will be gone before you know it 🙂
Michelle Parker says
August 26, 2011 at 2:19 amThanks!And to everyone who asked for photos, I made a new post with them.
BTHappyHomeowner says
August 26, 2011 at 5:47 amAhh..I just joined BzzAgent a few weeks ago. How long did it take before you actually were able to participate in a campaign??
Michelle Parker says
August 26, 2011 at 6:07 amIt actually took a little bit of time, maybe a month or two. One campaign I did was for Covergirl. I got free foundation and around 10 coupons for foundation, and I also got lots of lipgloss. The other one was TRESemme and I got free full size shampoo and conditioner, and around 10 $1 coupons also. And since this was a brand new product, the Target next to my house had them on sale for $1, so I got 10 bottles for free! It's really good shampoo too so I'm stocked up.I also was just offered another campaign yesterday. It was for a computer virus company.
BTHappyHomeowner says
August 26, 2011 at 6:15 amThat's insane!! I love this, and I can't wait to get into a campaign–I'm all about minimizing expenses for H&B products. Nice work!
Michelle Parker says
August 26, 2011 at 6:23 amYeah it's pretty exciting and REALLY easy! I actually heard about it in one of my MBA classes, we were doing a project about how the company is good, so I decided to actually look at their website, and now I'm hooked!
My Early Retirement Journey says
May 19, 2018 at 9:38 amWow… so the Michelle mogul we now know is born… i thinks this post was the pivotal point on the journey…oooo so exciting…