الثلاثاء، 18 أكتوبر 2016
These Benefits Might Make You Want to Quit Your Job and Work for Nielsen
The first 2016 U.S. Presidential debate ended up attracting 84 million viewers.
That’s a record number.
Compare that to Super Bowl 50, which glued 111.9 million viewers to the TV. (That was the Carolina Panthers versus the Denver Broncos one.) The reunion episodes of “The Real Housewives of New York” averaged some 2 million viewers.
How am I, the queen of mathematical anxiety, pulling these numbers?
The Nielsen Company, of course.
You’ve heard of Nielsen. It’s the company that’s been tracking what people watch, listen to and buy since 1923.
Nearly 100 years later, the company’s still thriving — and, even better, it’s hiring tons of field representatives across the U.S.
This isn’t your typical work-from-your-home-office gig. As a Nielsen field service representative, you’ll visit and manage Nielsen households near you.
Become a Field Service Representative for The Nielsen Company
Basically, Nielsen pays panel members to be tracked. But it’s not that creepy. The company just wants to know what your consumer behavior is like — what TV shows you watch, what’s in your fridge and what apps you use on your phone.
That’s how the company manages to pop out ratings.
This is where field service representatives come in. You don’t have to be tracked, but you do have to work with the families and households who are.
As a field service rep, you’ll make home visits to install, maintain, troubleshoot and demonstrate the equipment.
Be nice, because you’ll need to maintain these relationships and collect and report demographics and audience analytics. You should be comfortable chatting it up — maybe even sometimes turning into an impromptu salesperson when needed.
Why Work for The Nielsen Company?
The perks are pretty sweet. You’ll be required to spend six weeks in a training program near Tampa, Florida.
But wait, you naysayers. The training is paid, and housing and transportation is provided.
Once that’s over, you’ll return home, where you don’t have to report to an office, and you’ll work flexible hours — including evening hours and weekends. You’ll also get a company car (totally feeling like Oprah right now) with insurance, gas and maintenance included.
Even more: Your comprehensive benefits package goes into effect your first day and includes medical, dental and vision insurance — plus a 401(k).
You’ll also get a laptop and all the required techie things. Oh, and compensation starts at $36,400 with $3,000 regional pay differences.
Am I Qualified to Get This Job — and Those Insane Benefits?
You’ll need some past experience with consumer electronics and to have some knowledge of software systems and networking.
And finally, for you Windows peeps: This position requires PC proficiency (how ’bout them apples?).
A bachelor’s degree — in anything — is preferred but not required, though a high school diploma is. You should also have a valid driver’s license.
For all the qualifications and more details on the position, visit The Nielsen Company’s career page. Search “field service representatives” and more than 500 results pop up. Check to see if your city is hiring.
Want more flexible job opportunities? Visit our Facebook jobs page.
Your Turn: Have you ever had your TV watching habits tracked by the Nielsen Company?
Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. After recently completing graduate school, she focuses on saving money — and surviving the move back in with her parents.
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Could You Score $25 Off $75 Worth of Groceries? Here’s How to Find Out
I absolutely love grocery shopping.
In fact, I just went last night — and I’ve got the warm and fuzzies just thinking about my newly full fridge, to say nothing of the simple, domestic bliss of carefully selecting the perfect red bell pepper or getting seasonally appropriate sugar pumpkins for 99 cents apiece.
(This might be why I write a lot of The Penny Hoarder’s posts about food.)
Despite an obsession with shopping for and preparing food that would make Martha proud, I realize that not everyone shares my joy when faced with the supermarket.
When you work all day, schlep the kids all over creation and still make time for a side hustle, shopping can feel like another chore waiting to be crossed off your jam-packed list.
Maybe you’ve written off grocery delivery services as a too-expensive luxury. Understandable… although that isn’t always the case.
But if you’ve been waiting to give grocery delivery a try, you might — might — be in luck.
Get $25 off Your First $75+ Order From Amazon Fresh
Amazon’s offering a pretty sweet deal on its grocery delivery service, AmazonFresh… but there are a few big “ifs” involved.
The service is only for Amazon Prime customers who’ve never used Fresh before, and it’s only in select markets.
How select? Although Amazon doesn’t have a comprehensive list of eligible regions, we played with its location search tool to sleuth it out.
Of course, many of the usual suspects are covered — New York, Boston, LA, San Francisco.
But surprisingly, DC isn’t eligible, nor is Chicago… although Philadelphia and its suburbs are.
Throw your own zip code into Fresh’s front page pop-up to see if your city makes the cut. Unfortunately, our own St. Pete does not… otherwise, I definitely would have taken advantage of this deal!
Another thing? AmazonFresh isn’t a free service, even for Prime members.
In fact, it’s pretty darn pricy: $14.99 per month, on top of the $99 annual charge for Prime! Yeesh.
But the grocery deal’s a good one, and especially as holiday stress sets in, we could all benefit from feeling like kings and queens for a day. So if you want to take advantage of the deal, here’s what I’d recommend:
- If you’re not already an Amazon Prime customer, start your 30-day free trial here. The site specifies that free trial Prime members are still eligible to take advantage of the Fresh deal!
- Then, start your AmazonFresh 30-day free trial, so you can nab the $25 off $75 grocery delivery deal.
- Put your order in ASAP. The offer expires at 11:59 PT on Dec. 31, 2016 — or whenever all the promotional codes are used. Plus, the rules specify you need to claim the offer within seven days of opening your free trial anyway, and the longer you wait, the more likely you are to forget to cancel your trial. So jump on it!
- Use the promo code FRESH25 at checkout to claim the discount.
- Then, either set a calendar reminder to cancel your free trial(s) — or cancel them right then and there. If you don’t, you’re looking at a $10.99 monthly charge for Prime, and a $14.99 monthly charge for Fresh on top of it. That would be a costly error if you don’t plan on using the service!
Of course, maybe the convenience of having your groceries delivered is worth a monthly $15 to you — in which case, have at it, and enjoy the introductory deal! We all have our splurges, after all.
A couple of caveats to keep in mind: You can’t use Amazon gift cards to make the purchase, and you can’t use it for orders containing alcohol. (But you can use your rewards credit card to earn travel points or cash back!)
You’ll also need to purchase all your items in a single order and ship them to to a single address.
Even if it’s just a one-time thing, $25 off $75 worth of groceries is a pretty darn awesome deal.
And for many of us, the luxury of having someone else walk the aisles in your stead is almost a holiday miracle. It’s certainly worth canceling a couple of free trials for.
Meanwhile, I’ll be busy applying to become a shopper for Fresh, Shipt, Peapod or another of their ilk. Hey, making money off your quirks is what penny hoarding’s all about — right?
Your Turn: Can — and will — you take advantage of this AmazonFresh promotion?
Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. The grocery store is her happy place. Find @JamieCattanach on Twitter to wave hello.
Disclosure: This one time, Kyle came into the office with $6 worth of Taco Bell that he planned to eat over the course of three meals. By clicking the affiliate links in this post, you help us help Kyle seriously ease up on the Taco Bell.
The post Could You Score $25 Off $75 Worth of Groceries? Here’s How to Find Out appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Study: Stock Markets Favor Clinton Victory
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Government axes plans for secondary annuities market
The government has ditched plans to create a secondary market for annuities, which would have allowed pensioners to sell their retirement income for a lump sum.
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Handling Financially Irresponsible People
One of the greatest challenges for people attempting to adopt or maintain a life of financial responsibility is the presence of financially irresponsible people in their lives. You have people who leverage social pressure to convince you to make bad spending choices or adopt bad financial habits. You have people who leverage their relationship with you in order to convince you to give them money. You have people who will ask to borrow money and never repay it. You might even have people who will directly access your funds and use them for unwanted things.
Regardless of how diligent you are about your own good financial choices, these things can seriously disrupt your financial progress. That’s because, in each and every case, financially irresponsible people can leverage aspects of your life beyond your finances to encourage you to make poor financial choices. They can leverage family, romantic, social, and even professional areas of your life to subtly (and not-so-subtly) push you toward poor money behavior.
The dilemma that many people feel in these situations is that they feel as though they’re having to choose between money and people and that it feels wrong to choose the money. Here’s the thing: the money you have is almost always the result of your personal hard work and hard choices. You made a lot of sacrifices to earn that money. If you had spent it foolishly, you wouldn’t have that money. By using it in a foolish way or giving it to someone who would spend it foolishly, you’re not wasting your money, you’re wasting your life. You’re sacrificing all of the hard choices and hard work that it took to improve your financial state.
I should know – I’ve made many of those kinds of mistakes. I’ve spent money to “keep up” with friends. I’ve given money to friends and family, knowing that it would never be paid back (and sometimes hoping that it would, only to be disappointed). I’ve had my spouse spend more than I expected (and, honestly, I’ve done the same to my spouse in the past, I’m sure). I’ve had people tap my personal relationship with them to ask for money or to invite my wife (it’s always my wife) to a “party” where social pressure is used to convince her to buy overpriced goods.
Every single one of those things was a mistake. Every single one of those things happened as a result of letting financially irresponsible people have too much of a stake in my life.
So, I started limiting that stake. In general, I took one of two approaches: I either found ways to minimize the ability of financially irresponsible people to affect my finances or I gently minimized their role in my life. Here are some of the specific strategies I’ve used or that I recommend for people in those situations.
Financially Irresponsible Spouses
Many financially responsible people are stuck with financially irresponsible spouses. This can happen in several ways, but the most common routes include a person having a financial epiphany after marriage that isn’t shared by the spouse or someone getting married while believing that he or she can change their spouse. Both are problematic and both require difficult solutions.
First and foremost, the two key elements to any rough edge in a marriage is communication and compromise. You have to be willing and able to talk about the subject and to do that without anger or personal attacks. If you can’t have a civil discussion about a rough edge in your marriage without resorting to a screaming match with personal attacks being thrown back and forth, you need to seek a marriage counselor who can help you reach a point where you can have civil conversations with the type of communication that a healthy marriage needs.
Once you’re able to sit down and discuss the issue in a healthy fashion, the thing to realize is that this isn’t an issue of “right” or “wrong,” but differing values. A person who is financially minded simply values things in a different way than someone who is not, but that’s not to say that either person is inherently wrong. The solution is to find a compromise that works well for both of you. One good solution is to set up a budget that allows each partner to have money that they can freely spend on personal things, gifts, hobbies – whatever he or she wishes – but said money has a monthly cap so that there can still be positive financial progress made.
The main issue that can undermine this is trust. If one partner or the other willfully and repeatedly violates an agreement that the two of you have, then there is a deep trust issue in the relationship, one that is likely a sign of some deeper relationship issues. Again, I recommend speaking to a marriage counselor before jumping to any further steps, but lack of trust between partners is something that needs to be fixed as soon as possible before it can completely corrode the relationship.
Financially Irresponsible Parents
Some people unfortunately find themselves in a situation where their parents are financially irresponsible. In some cases, the parents directly ask for financial assistance from their children; in many other cases, parents will overspend and just have an unspoken assumption that if the worst case results happen, their children will take care of them.
Many children go along with this out of a sense of not being ungrateful to their parents, who raised them and (hopefully) protected them through their childhood. Still, it places a real financial burden on the children as they have to deal with the financial demands of their parents while still keeping their own financial ship afloat.
Communication is absolutely vital here. If you don’t communicate, both sides will continue to operate with unspoken assumptions and such assumptions will eventually come to bear, resulting in a very nasty conflict that can easily damage relationships. If your parents tell you to your face that they are not expecting to rely on you in any way, then follow through with it.
Even with that type of communication, however, many children face intense guilt if their parents are struggling financially. What do you do in that situation, where their struggles aren’t just an imagined future, but today’s reality?
First of all, look for non-financial ways to help. Help them with household chores. Help them with budgeting. Help them with running errands and shopping. You may even go further and help them by cohabitating. Those are ways you can help without simply throwing money at the problem.
If you decide that you do wish to help, budget for it. Figure out carefully how much you can afford to give them and then plan for it. Don’t simply open your wallet on the spur of the moment unless that money is coming from the flexible spending part of your budget. If you’re going to consistently help, you need to plan for it starting right now.
I also strongly discourage loans, which is something that’s going to pop up a few more times in this article. Don’t lend money to family members or friends, ever. If you’re going to open your wallet and hand over money, do it as a gift, not as a loan. Acting as a lender to people in your life makes your relationship into a lender-borrower one and no one has warm feelings for their banker.
The most important thing to remember is that you do not have to help. Sometimes, relationships can become demanding and controlling and negative and those are things you never need in your life, even if it is your parents. Don’t be afraid to walk away from a negative situation.
Financially Irresponsible Adult Children
What if it’s your children that are financially irresponsible? Perhaps they ask for money constantly or even have a regular stipend from you. Maybe they even live at home without adequately contributing to the finances of your household. How can you handle this?
For starters, it’s important to remember that they’re the young ones with many years of life ahead of them. They’re the ones with energy and with lots of earnings potential. They also have the capacity to take a low-wage job – they don’t have to keep holding out for some kind of perfect job. (I certainly didn’t – one of my first jobs was literally shoveling dirt.)
In other words, you can cut them off. Young people have the energy to find a way to make things work in their life. They can find an entry-level job or two. They can find an apartment for themselves. They can balance their own budget. They can find resources to help them make ends meet if needed. In fact, they need to do such things, as it’s part of learning how to live.
I recommend giving your children a cut-off date. Let them know that financial changes are coming in the fairly near future and that they need to take action to deal with the changes. They need to find a job. They need to find an apartment. They need to adjust their budget to live without that deposit into their checking account.
At the same time, offer as much non-financial support as you can give. Ask them if they want help, and if they do, dive in. Help them find an apartment if they want that help. Help them seek a job if they want that help. Help them move out. Offer as much advice as you can if they ask and give them an open door for that advice. Some children will want this; others won’t. Just make sure you’re available.
Often, children need that final push to finally get out of the nest and find their own path to financial responsibility.
Financially Irresponsible Extended Family Members
What about the uncles and cousins and adult siblings and other people in your life that might have a financial impact on you? What do you do when your brother or your niece knock on your door, asking for a loan or some other help?
First of all, don’t loan money to family members. Don’t. Ever. Avoid it. You do not want a lender-borrower relationship with extended family members. For one, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to get them to pay you back. For another, that lack of payback is going to cause a family rift that will cause problems for many years to come. It’s a story that happens over and over and over again, and it’s never worth it. Don’t lend money to extended family members. Don’t.
Instead, openly offer non-financial help. Give that person a ride to work. Give that person some advice. Help that person find a job. Invite them over for dinner. Provide an ear for them to talk to and a shoulder for them to cry on.
What about when extended family members do things that encourage overspending, like maintaining an expensive gift-giving tradition or suggest expensive trips together? As is always the case, communicate, but do it outside of the framework of those expensive situations.
For example, if your family has an expensive winter holiday gift-giving tradition, the correct time to talk about it is in the spring or summer, not in the late fall or winter. If you do it right on the precipice of that event, you’re likely to cause hard feelings as people have already begun to plan for it. Instead, do it far away from any such planning. Similarly, if expensive trips happen in the summer, talk about it instead in the winter.
When you talk about such things, suggest a reasonable compromise. Instead of expensive gifts for everyone, do a gift drawing or perhaps put a cap on the cost of the gifts. Instead of expensive travel, do a more modest trip together (for example, I’m a huge fan of our national parks, so that’s a modest vacation that I want to go on). Don’t just say that you don’t want to continue the tradition because that appears as though you’re rejecting them and not rejecting the expensive routine.
Financially Irresponsible Romantic Interests
You’re dating someone and you find that they’re much looser with their spending than you are or have been that way in the recent past. That person spends money with almost frightening ease, particularly when that person’s income seems to be unable to support it. You notice a lot of envelopes from Chase or Bank of America in their apartment. Those are things you’ll notice as you grow close. But, aside from that financial concern, the match seems great. What do you do?
My honest suggestion is to be very wary of this relationship. I don’t mean that you should break it off immediately, but that you should apply more of a critical eye to the whole relationship. A drastically different view about spending can be something that becomes a major problem in marriage as you’re combining your financial lives together (whether you keep accounts separate or not), and drastically different levels of financial responsibility is going to result in some issues down the road.
This is also a good opportunity to start to learn how to communicate about such issues. The key to a good marriage is good communication, and there are few issues that rely on good communication more than money issues. If you can have a healthy money discussion about your differences in spending and can come up with a good strategy that has some compromise in it for both of you, then that’s a good sign for your long term relationship. If this conversation is difficult or impossible, then that’s another strong negative sign.
Once you have a compromise in place, does your partner stick to it? This is a trust issue, as you’re trusting your romantic partner to be able to stick to the things you’ve promised. Again, if you’re able to talk about a compromise and then your partner doesn’t stick with it, then there’s a trust issue. (There’s also a trust issue if you don’t stick with it, too.)
Financially Irresponsible Friends
Let me be blunt here: there are many, many financially responsible people in the world that I could be friends with, so I don’t really have the inclination to maintain friendships with people who encourage me to overspend. Period. I just don’t put effort into maintaining friendships with people with whom it is expensive to maintain friendships.
That doesn’t mean I don’t have friends with expensive tastes. It just means that when I do things with those friends, there’s no expectation whatsoever of spending money and that we do things together that are usually really low cost.
The vast majority of my close friends simply invite each other over for social things. We have dinner parties, game nights, movie nights, and binge-watching marathons. When we do other things, we usually talk it over and have the two best bargain hunters (me and one other person in the group) search for discounts and coupons and plan out the cheapest way to do it.
What do you do if your friends seem to have expensive tastes? Suggest less expensive options at least some of the time, for starters. Very few people will object to sometimes doing things that don’t require as much spending. If they do, then there’s a deep value disconnect between you and that other person. It’s okay to occasionally do something expensive with friends, but it should not be the norm.
You should also never accept negativity and criticism from “friends” because of your inexpensive tastes. If a “friend” is ridiculing your car that you bought out of an intentional strategy to save money, not only are you seeing a values difference, you’re also seeing an abandonment of kindness between friends. That’s a friendship that it’s perfectly okay to walk away from.
Another strategy is to choose social events for yourself that are low-cost and try to meet people there. Many of my closest friends over the last few years have been ones I’ve met at community game nights and at volunteer events. Almost all of those friends are pretty frugal people and our social activities are usually really inexpensive. If you follow this strategy, you’ll find that your social calendar becomes more and more filled with inexpensive events.
Financially Irresponsible Coworkers
In the workplace, you’ll sometimes find social pressure to do things like go out for expensive lunches or dinners or to buy expensive things like watches or gadgets. That pressure to “fit in” at work and build strong relationships can cause you to spend a lot of money that you might not otherwise spend.
Here’s the truth, though. The most lasting workplace relationships are built out of other things, like reliability and kindness and healthy candor. They aren’t built out of spending $50 on lunch. They’re built by being a great coworker, taking care of things that you promise to take care of, stepping up to challenges, not backstabbing people, and being an active participant in workplace conversations.
Another strategy is to intentionally spread out your lunches across a lot of dining companions. Bring your lunch in some days and eat with people who stay in the office for lunch eating leftovers. Get to know them. Go out to eat sometimes with the expensive crowd, too, but sometimes grab a bite with the cheap lunch crowd. Not only does this cut down on your lunch spending, it lets you interact with a lot of people and perhaps get to know people you didn’t know as well.
Simply going out with the expensive crowd isn’t going to do much to secure your spot at work. Being a good coworker will secure that spot more than anything else.
Final Thoughts
The strategies in this thread all boil down to a few key principles. Don’t lend money personally to people. Seek out lower-cost social activities and cherish the relationships with people who share those activities with you. Communicate clearly if you desire lower-cost obligations (and do it out of the context of the situation). Don’t be afraid to update your social circle. Communicate, communicate, communicate with your loved ones.
It’s only through those strategies that you’ll be able to maintain healthy relationships with some less financially responsible people in your life without going down a financially irresponsible road yourself.
Good luck!
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These 7 Gifs Reveal What No One Tells You About Buying Your First Home
Watch a lot of HGTV? Me, too.
So you’re probably beyond excited by the prospect of buying a house for the first time.
Yes, it can be really fun, but you’ll also encounter many surprises along the way — including many that aren’t so fun.
And you’ll wonder to yourself: How did I manage to watch so many HGTV marathons without realizing this?
Here are seven things no one tells you about buying your first house…
1. It’s Nothing Like “House Hunters”
Unless you’re a millionaire, that is.
On the show, people turn up their noses when a house doesn’t have granite countertops, dual vanities or walk-in closets.
If you’re on the same budget I was, you’ll be lucky if you don’t think the master bedroom is actually a walk-in closet at first glance.
In other words, the House Hunters drinking game will not apply to your search…
2. You Become Obsessed With Your Credit Score
As soon as you start talking with a realtor, they’ll want you to start talking with a mortgage broker.
And as soon as you start talking with a mortgage broker, they’ll want to know every single thing about you — including your credit score.
So you’ll become obsessed with making it better.
You’ll log onto a site like Credit Sesame to get your free credit score, read up on ways to improve it, and then check back every day to see how your report is faring.
3. Unattainable Houses Tempt the Bejesus Out of You
You probably scorn the HGTV people who look at houses outside their budget. (Just like you side-eye the women who try on over-budget wedding dresses on #SYTTD.)
But when you get down to it, and see what you can get within that carefully-calculated, oh-so-responsible budget, you’ll realize one thing: Your budget sucks.
So you’ll just “take a look” at houses you definitely can’t afford — and oh boy will they tempt the tender loving pants off you.
Don’t. Do. It.
4. You Spend Your Life Filling Out Forms
Not since you went to college did you have to fill out so many freaking forms.
Your mortgage lender will want to know what street you lived on in second grade, who your first kiss was and where you were when Brad and Jennifer broke up. Or at least that’s what it feels like.
Just get ready to dig through the archives for all sorts of arcane info — and get a hand cramp from signing your name so often.
5. Cash Buyers are Sneaky Sons of Satan
This is the part they really never show on TV — probably because it’s the people on TV who are outbidding the poor normal souls like you and me.
Here’s what happens: You finally find a house that isn’t horrific and is somewhat in your price range and you make an offer.
Then, your realtor calls with the news you’ve been outbid by an ALL-CASH buyer.
Basically, it’s someone who doesn’t need a mortgage because they can just drop hundreds of G’s on a house — most likely a contractor or investor who wants to flip it and then sell it to some sap like us for double the original asking price.
Lame.
6. The Price on Zillow = Lies
You’re looking at a house on Zillow, and you think to yourself: Wow! I could get all that for only $600 a month? That’s less than my rent payment!
Yes, except that it’s not.
When you buy a house, you’ll be shocked by the endless expenses that pop up and up… and up. Appraisals, inspections, closing costs — and that’s before you even move in.
Once you’re a proud homeowner, you’ve got taxes and insurance and utilities on top of your mortgage payment.
Oh, and repairs…
7. Your To-Do List Never Ends. Ever
They say a boat is a hole in the water you throw money into.
A house is the same thing — just on land.
When you’re a renter, you just call your landlord if something breaks. When you’re a homeowner, you’re the landlord.
And the lawnmower. And the painter, plumber, landscaper, blown-fuse-finder and any other kind of thing-fixer you’re forced to become…
Welcome to the American dream! `
Your Turn: Are you a homeowner? Which item on this list did you identify with most?
Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. We’re letting you know because it’s what Honest Abe would do. After all, he is on our favorite coin.
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Fifth issue of How to Retire in Style hits the news-stands
The latest issue of Moneywise’s sister magazine, How to Retire in Style is now in sale from all good newsagents including WH Smiths, Sainsburys and Easons in Ireland.
Alternatively you can order your copy here.
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Standard Life annuity holders may be due redress for mis-sold policies
Retirees with an enhanced annuity from Standard Life may be due redress, as the firm has confirmed it’s been forced by the regulator to review all non-advised annuity sales since July 2008.
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Inflation hits 22-month high
Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), has climbed from 0.6% to 1% in the year to September, its highest level in almost two years, with UK prices under pressure due to the weaker pound.
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Four Ways Holiday Shopping Can Crush Your Credit
The tradition of holiday overspending is as American as apple pie. Tradition or not, bad holiday spending habits can undoubtedly take a toll on your wallet, but that’s just the beginning. What you may not realize is that going overboard with your spending during the holidays can also damage your credit as well. Here’s where the problem will likely occur.
New Credit Inquiries
“Would you like to open a credit card account today and save 20% off your purchase?” You will likely hear this question, or some reasonable derivative, over and over again at the mall or at other retail stores this year. Everyone likes to save money, especially if you’re making a big purchase. But if you want to protect your credit scores, it’s probably best to answer this question with a solid “no thanks,” no matter how tempting the offer.
Opening unnecessary retail store cards can hurt your credit scores several ways. First, the inquiry or credit pull itself can have a potentially negative impact on your credit scores. This potential damage could be compounded even further if you apply for multiple new retail store cards during your holiday shopping spree.
Of course, new inquiries alone probably won’t sink your credit scores. The inquiry category of credit scoring systems makes up only a small percentage of your FICO and VantageScore points. But still, as a rule of thumb it really is best to only apply for credit when you really need it.
Too Many New Accounts
If you apply for a new retail store card, or numerous cards, you could be facing even more potential for credit score damage beyond just the new inquiries. FICO and VantageScore consider the average age of the accounts on your credit reports when calculating your scores.
This metric holds more weight than the inquiry metric, so beware! People with an older average age of accounts are rewarded with higher credit scores than those with younger averages. And applying for several at the same time will compound the problem.
More Accounts with Balances
Another way holiday shopping can come back to bite you occurs when you increase your number of accounts with balances. Whether you open new retail store accounts, take out new personal loans, or charge new balances on previously paid-off credit cards, the impact on your credit scores will not be positive. Scoring systems will penalize you if you have too many accounts with balances, which always happens when you open a new account at the register and use it to pay for your purchases.
Higher Utilization
I saved the worst for last. Credit scoring systems consider a metric called “revolving utilization,” which in English means the relationship between your balances and credit limits on your credit card accounts. This metric is as important as the previous three combined. The higher your balances, the more of your credit limit you’re using up, which means a lower credit score.
The problem with retail store cards, other than their sky-high interest rates, is their very modest credit limits. Most, if not all, newly opened retail store cards have a credit limit well below what you’d normally receive on a newly opened Visa or MasterCard. That means even modest purchases are going to result in a higher utilization percentage and a lower credit score, even if you pay the balance in full each month.
Related Articles:
- You Can Improve This Part of Your Credit Score Almost Immediately
- This One Factor Affects Your Credit Score More Than Anything Else
- How Much Could You Save for the Holidays if You Started Right Now?
John Ulzheimer is an expert on credit reporting, credit scoring, and identity theft. He has written four books on the topic and has been interviewed and quoted thousands of times over the past 10 years. With time spent at Equifax and FICO, Ulzheimer is the only credit expert who actually comes from the credit industry. He has been an expert witness in over 230 credit related lawsuits and has been qualified to testify in both federal and state courts on the topic of consumer credit.
The post Four Ways Holiday Shopping Can Crush Your Credit appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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Green subsidies set to add £110 to household bills in 2020
Households have today been warned by the National Audit Office (NAO) that energy bills will rise by more than planned in future due to the impact of green subsidies.
It says consumers should expect to pay £110 more in 2020 - £17 more per year than planned - than they do today for a typical dual-fuel energy bill.
Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/2e3N3GC
Weekend Jobs You Can Do From Home
By Christy Schutz Did you know there are nine more Mondays until Christmas? A daunting thought, I know. It is right about this time that I wish I had picked up some part-time work or weekend odd jobs for extra cash. So, I thought I would use today’s post to brainstorm about some weekend job […]
The post Weekend Jobs You Can Do From Home appeared first on The Work at Home Woman.
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More peer to peer Isas on the horizon as Lending Works gets FCA authorisation
Lending Works has joined a handful of peer to peer lenders that is fully authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), meaning it will soon start selling innovative finance individual savings accounts (Isas).
Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/2ei3e2M
الاثنين، 17 أكتوبر 2016
The 14 Best New Small Business Ideas and Opportunities to Start Today
Have you caught the entrepreneur bug and are wanting to start your own small business?
The thoughts and dreams of running your own business can be intoxicating.
It’s funny that growing up, I never really thought about starting my own business; not as a child, not in high school, not even in college, and frankly, I didn’t think much about it after starting my career.
When I finally got the opportunity and saw what it really meant, starting my own small business has been one of the best ideas I’ve ever had.
If you’re looking to start your own small business, here are some of the best new small business ideas to kick around.
If you’re looking to start a new venture, here are the best small business credit cards to check out.
1. Uber
Once you sign up on their website, you will have a background check done. Once that is complete you have to have a vehicle inspection and then you are good to go.
2. Financial planner
How could I write a blog post about the best small business ideas and not include my profession? Some of the perks of becoming a financial planner are that you control your own hours, you work with the people you want to work with, and the pay can be very good.
I don’t want to make it sound, though, that to become a financial planner is easy breezy because it does take a lot of work. It takes a long time, sometimes several years, to build up a client base and getting hired is often times tough, especially if you don’t have a financial background.
Think you have what it takes to my job? Here’s what you have to do to become a successful financial advisor.
There are independent companies like Primerica and World Financial Group that do allow for you to get into the industry, but oftentimes they’ll start you off with you getting your insurance license first. Still, for an awesome profession, it is a nice way to get your foot in the door.
3. Insurance agent
For some people, the job description selling insurance is not that appealing, but the fact of the matter is it pays very well. Whether you’re a pure life insurance agent or a property and casualty, insurance agents can make very good money.
To get licensed, you just have to take some basic tests that will cost you a couple hundred bucks, including studying materials and the actual testing costs. To become an independent life insurance agent, is really easy now days as there are many independent brokerages that you can connect with.
Getting approved for property and casualty can be tough, especially depending on your geographic location. I’m in the process of adding an insurance division to my financial planning practice, and as of now, we’ve had a few obstacles in getting approved by any carriers for the P&C side.
Nonetheless, if you think you like insurance and you want to help people, it’s definitely a good profession, definitely a good small business idea that you can pursue.
4. Freelance writer
Even though I have a blog and you’re currently reading one of my blog posts, the irony to that is that I hate to write. Mostly because it’s not a natural gift and it takes a lot of time and energy and a lot of extra brain juice to crank out a good post; but if you’re able to knock out solid articles, in your spare time, this freelance writing might be right for you.
Miranda Marquit, who is a freelance writer for my site, has created a full-time small business out of her freelance writing work. You can read an article she shared about how to be a successful freelance writer where she shares her story. Being a freelance writer allows her to work no more than 30 hours a week while working at home, and also to be the breadwinner of her family. Not too shabby for having a skill to crank out 70 words a minute.
5. Make and Sell Clothes
Turns out that Angie Congiardo has built up a very nice small business side income by doing what she knows, sewing.
She does it on the side and has shared with me that the first full year that she kept track, she was able to bring in $11,000 on the side.
Not bad for a small business idea working out of her house.
She does no advertising other than Facebook Fanpage, but as most of you know, that’s free.
If you have a skill in sewing any type of clothing, there’s definitely an opportunity to turn that into a small business.
Notice the P, B, & S shirts to the right?
Those are compliments of Angie herself. Always nice to support local small businesses.
6. Say cheese
Do you have a passion for photography? If you do, there’s definitely a market out there for you.
I have two friends who both made great money from being a photographer. My closest friend, Jason York of Jason York Photography, turned his love for taking pictures into a full-time business. He now owns his own studio and has become one of the most recognized photographers in our area.
Another friend of ours, who has a full-time job, has been able to produce a very nice side income by taking pictures in the evenings on the weekends. She has done so by, also like Angie, marketing her business on Facebook as her word of mouth. With the awesome technology that cameras now days and the awesome free editing software programs that exist, taking pictures and getting paid for it has never been easier.
7. Baby or dog sitting
Having three young sons, it’s almost a necessity for me and my wife to get out of the house for some “us” time. When we leave, we want to make sure that we’ve hired a babysitter that we know and trust, and I remember one of the first times that we had a babysitter come in, me and my wife had discussed how much we should pay.
The ultimate conclusion was we should pay a little bit more than they may make somewhere else because we didn’t want to be cheap to our babysitters since this was the person that would be responsible for our kids for the few hours that we were away. As long as young families are popping out babies, there’s always going to be a need for babysitting. Same goes for dog sitting as well.
Every time that we leave on an extended trip, we’ll take our pet boxer, Klaya, to a local dog sitting service. They’ve built up a great reputation in the area of keeping the dogs entertained allowing them to run and play, and also cleaning them up before we arrive home. The point is, the people will always pay top dollar for good care.
8. Virtual assistant
Prior to reading Tim Ferriss’ 4-Hour Work Week, I had no clue was a virtual assistant was. After reading his book, I was so blown away that I was eagerly trying to figure out how I could incorporate one into my life.
Fast forward to present day, I currently have a virtual assistant that helps out with some of the behind-the-scenes work on my blog. It’s all the administrative stuff that while yes I can do, it’s definitely worth paying somebody else an hourly wage just to take care of it for me.
So what exactly does a virtual assistant do? Essentially, a virtual assistant can do anything that you want that person to do for you. They can schedule meetings, type out emails, answer phone calls, research items online, book travel plans. The better question is what a virtual assistant can’t do.
If you often find yourself wasting time on piddly stuff where you would be more productive doing things that you’re more passionate about and make more money on, then definitely look into hiring a virtual assistant. There are sites like onlinejobs.ph and odesk.com where you can find a virtual assistant for cheap.
9. Social Media Manager
As Facebook and Twitter continue to grow and other social networks like Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram continue to gain popularity, being a social media manager has never been in more demand.
Many small businesses, brands, or websites are looking for people that are knowledgeable within a social media space that can help them manage all the different platforms that exist. If you like Facebook, if you like Twitter and can add value to another small business on how they can use these tools, then being a social media manager is right up your ally.
10. Appraisal service
One of my former coworkers had been in the appraisal service prior to becoming a financial advisor. He still kept his license open because he’s always getting calls for people needing commercial appraisal service. Whether it be home appraisal or commercial appraisal, as long as people are buying and selling properties, there’s always going to be a need.
There’s not a huge barrier to getting in, a few tests to pass, but once you do, it can be a very lucrative small business. As like any new business, you’ll have to shake some hands and make some key connections so people know that you exist, but if you do a good job and build up a good clientele, word of mouth referrals will start to stream in.
11. Consulting Service
Are you considered an expert in your field or in a certain niche? If so, then being a consultant might be right up your alley. Many companies prefer to hire consultants as a cheaper alternative to having an employee on the books.
From your standpoint, one of the huge benefits of starting your own consulting small business is that typically start-up costs are very low. You already have the knowledge. Now you just need a fresh looking website, a game plan and a marketing strategy that will put you in front of the right people.
12. Start a Blog
Blogging takes a ton of work. Behind the scenes on this blog I spend 20+ hours per week managing the daily aspects of the blog. Luckily, I absolutely enjoy it!
How much money can you make starting a blogging business? The sky is really the limit but it takes time.
It took me over 5 months to get my first Google Adsense check from this blog and that check was a measly $100. Definitely not worth quitting your day job over.
Since then I’ve been able to bring in a consistent nice side income. A few times while my wife was still working she would exclaim, “You’re making more from your blog than I do from my job!”. Hehe…
If you’re interested in learning more check out this blog post where I share how to make money blogging,
13. Hairstylist
If I ever tried to cut my own hair, I would probably be a few fingers shy to having a complete set. That’ s why I go to a professional.
The lady who has been cutting my hair for the past several years has bounced around a few salons in the area before she finally just opened her own shop appropriately named after her first name. She has a good client base because she’s good at what she does and hasn’t look back since making the giant leap.
To help cut down costs, her iPhone serves as her business phone line and also her credit card machine using some awesome technology by Intuit. But being cost conscience, her profits are at record numbers and continue to grow while also enjoying the freedom of owning her own shop.
14. Start a Franchise
I had a classmate in high school whose parents owned 4 or 5 McDonald’s franchises in the area. Needless to say, they were loaded! Franchises are great for those that don’t want to worry about creating the idea, they can just run with an already existing business plan and focus their efforts on the business.
A friend of mine who is a serial franchise entrepreneur has opened several Little Caesar’s pizza chains in our area and from what I can tell is doing very good. Not be satisfied with his conquests, he decided to open another franchise, Sports Clips, a hair salon that caters to men. At last count, he’s opened 3 of those and continues to grow his empire.
Every franchise is different so it’s extremely important to read all the fine print before embarking on your franchise journey.
Your Next Small Business Opportunity
I love hearing stories of people that get their small business idea and take the giant leap. Unfortunately, the odds are against you so make sure you do your research and have plenty of cash on hand.
Have you started a small business? What small business idea did you get the work? Are you considering starting your own small business? Share the details!
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These 3 Companies Are Hiring as Part of Obama’s Youth Employment Program
One of my biggest fears was not being able to land a first job after college.
Certainly, I’ve had my share of internships and small side gigs, but I’d heard too many horror stories of young people coming out of high school or college and remaining jobless.
Thankfully, I was one of the lucky ones. But I have too many friends who are still struggling.
To help combat this all-too common, frustrating saga, President Barack Obama announced “First Job” Hiring and Recruiting Compact earlier this year, a $5.5 billion proposal to help young people snag first jobs.
Although Obama’s about to wave goodbye to the White House, he’s is still pushing forward on the jobs front — this time to help teenagers and college students.
The initiative challenges companies to create more entry-level jobs and internships for people between the ages of 16 and 24 — who are likely experiencing the intimidating situation of being fresh out of school and jobless.
“The President’s Budget will propose new investments — nearly double last year’s request — to connect more than 1 million young people to first jobs over the summer and year-round,” the press release states.
So far three major corporations have signed on to the compact, but the deadline isn’t until Nov. 4 so more are likely to follow.
Get your resumes ready, young people, because big-time companies are jumping on the hiring bandwagon.
3 Companies Hiring Tons of Young People For Their First Jobs
Although these jobs probably aren’t as “cool” as Obama’s first job, you’ll be happy to see these three big names are taking part in this hiring binge.
Check out the job openings at these major corporations, and we’ll be sure to update you when more companies make a hiring announcement.
1. Delta
Currently, Delta employs 80,000 folks — and it’s adding at least 100 more for young people in the next year, according to a recent press release.
You can find the job openings on Delta’s career page. When you apply for a job, be sure to answer #FirstJob when asked how you found out about it.
2. Dollar General
Last week, this penny-pinching mogul announced its signing with Obama’s compact. It’ll partner with high schools and workforce development centers to hire approximately 1,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 24 in the next 12 months.
The jobs are available in full-time and part-time form. If you’re interested, check out Dollar General’s career page for the most up-to-date openings.
3. FedEx
One of our favorite shipping companies (alongside UPS, of course) is also openings tons of jobs as a part of this initiative. This company is calling for people between the ages of 16 and 24 to make FedEx their first employer.
As a part of the initiative, FedEx is opening up 50,000 seasonal holiday positions — “positions that have served as the first job for many of the more than 400,000 global FedEx team members,” the press release says.
Often, these seasonal jobs turn into full-time, year-round opportunities. To find a FedEx hiring in your area, search the careers page.
Want to find out what other companies are hiring? Glassdoor has pledged to be part of the compact. It plans to continue to source candidates for entry-level roles and will also promote these jobs with a new “First Job” badge so you know that the position is just for you, according to a press release.
And for even more jobs, you can visit The Penny Hoarder jobs Facebook page.
Your Turn: What was your first job?
Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. After recently completing graduate school, she focuses on saving money — and surviving the move back in with her parents.
The post These 3 Companies Are Hiring as Part of Obama’s Youth Employment Program appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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The Top 25 Self-Employed Jobs (that are actually fun) You Can Start Today
There was a time when I had a job.
I had a boss to report to.
I was required to wear shirt and tie. <shudders>
If it wasn’t for my old brokerage firm selling I’m not sure if I would have ever crossed over into the realm of self-employment and owning my business.
Let’s just say I don’t even want to contemplate it because I’m so thankful they did.
Being self-employed is A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!
Do you want to start your own business, but don’t know exactly which business to go into? Or not sure if you can leave the 9-5 grind because of too much debt? Check out our post on how to get out of debt to help you get the ball rolling on being self-employed!
Here’s a list of some of the best self-employed jobs available right now.
And if you find one you like, jump into it. Even if it’s on a part-time basis.
Each will cost you very little to enter, it can start as a part-time way to make money fast, and could be the kind of work you’ve been looking to do all your life allowing you to not only have money but also have enough money to save!
We’re going to focus on business ideas that are skills-based, and cost little or nothing to start.
If you are wanting to keep your personal and business finances separate, I recommend getting a separate business credit card and opening a separate checking account. This will allow you to keep business money by itself and then pay yourself a “salary” into your personal account.
Oh – even though these are numbered, it’s not a ranking – it’s just for easy organization.
What will determine the value of a self-employed job is whether or not it’s right for you.
1. Uber Driver
You can expect to make anywhere from $13 to $25 per hour with Uber. A lot of that variance has to do with where you live and how many Uber riders are in the area. Also, if you have a nice vehicle, you may qualify for some upgraded Uber services that charge a premium price.
2. Social Media Consultant
If you’re under the age of 30, you probably have a built-in advantage for a business like this. If you spend a lot of time on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, Instagram, or any other of the social media outlets that are popping up all the time – you may be able to find some clients who are in need of a social media consultant.
What started out as a social game just a few years ago, is rapidly becoming important in the business community. The social media is an important way for businesses to connect with ordinary people, without having to go through all channels.
It’s also a way to market businesses, products and services. If you know how to promote events, products, and even concepts, using the social media, then this can be the perfect business for you.
3. Academic Tutor
This can be a natural business for you if you are at least above average in one or more academic subjects. English, science and mathematics are prime subjects for tutors. Since they are required course curriculum in virtually every school, and many students struggle with them, you can create a business out of helping kids improve in these subjects.
You can market your tutoring business just by creating a professional looking flyer, and distributing it to the local schools.
4. Music Tutor
Academic courses aren’t the only subjects were tutors are in demand. If you can play an instrument, and are reasonably good at it, you can create a business teaching kids – or even adults – how to play.
A lot of people just learn better in a one-on-one environment, rather than in a classroom. You don’t have to be an accomplished musician either. If you know the basics, and you have the patience to teach them to students, this can work very well for you.
5. English-as-a-Second-Language Tutor
There are millions of people coming to the US, and many of them have a poor grasp of the English language. You can make a business out of teaching people how to speak English, or how to speak it better.
The market is also wide open here for tutoring the children of immigrants, who may need help with English because the family’s native language is spoken in the home. But whether you are teaching first generation immigrants or their children, this can be a rich business opportunity.
6. Eldercare
With millions of people now living into their 80s and 90s, and with the cost of institutional living arrangements skyrocketing, many elderly and their families are opting instead for at-home companions. It not only keeps the cost of care low, but it also enables the elderly to continue living in their own homes.
If you have patience and skill to work with the elderly directly, you can become a companion. However, if you want to scale it up into a full-scale business, you can instead start a service that provides care providers for the elderly. As the owner of the business, you would arrange and manage the care engagements which are provided by others.
7. Consultant
Sooner or later every business needs specific help either with an established area of the business, or in taking on an entirely new function. As a consultant, you can come in and help them do just that. The advantage is that you will be coming in as a fee based independent contractor, rather than as an employee in need of a permanent salary and benefits.
One of the best ways to do this is by offering related services. For example, if you have significant marketing experience, you can act as a marketing consultant for a retail operation, a computer software company, or an ecommerce business.
Identify your specialization, then figure out ways that you can help various businesses move forward, and you will have created a consulting niche for yourself.
8. Video Production
An entire closet industry in the video space has developed with the arrival of YouTube. If you have been creating your own videos, such as music videos, how-to videos, or just-for-fun videos, you may be able to sell your services to the general public.
Small businesses are looking for custom videos put on their websites, to broadcast through the social media, and even to include in emails. Videos provide a better way to reach prospective customers who are either primarily visual learners, or people who simply don’t have time to read a lengthy article or webpage.
9. Freelance Writer
The Internet has opened up all kinds of opportunities to write on a freelance basis. There are millions of websites and blogs, and many of them need content to drive traffic. If you have solid writing skills, and can write intelligently on several topic areas, you can quickly earn a living as a freelancer.
Even beyond blogs and websites, you may also step into marketing type emails, advertising copy, and even ghostwriting ebooks. This is the kind of business venture that can start small, and grow into a six-figure income as you get better at it.
10. Freelance Web Designer
Almost everybody wants to start a website of some type but most people lack the skills to make it happen. You know how to build even simple websites, you can turn that into a full-fledged business. If nothing else, you can prepare simple websites for upstart businesses that have limited budgets. But as your business grows and your skill level and your client base increases, you can begin doing more complicated websites for higher fees.
Much like freelance writing, freelance web design can be done on a remote basis. That means you can run your business completely from your own home.
11. Any Kind of Repair Work
We live in a society of machines, and sooner or later every one of them is in need of repair. But we also live at a time when very few people choose careers based on repair work. If you can repair just about anything – cars, computers, furniture, appliances, or homes/buildings – you can start a repair business.
There’ll be some investment of capital needed for tools, and perhaps even a vehicle. But once you get your name and reputation established, you’ll probably have more work than you can handle.
12. Mobile Repairs
If repair work represents a viable business idea, then mobile repairs is potentially even more lucrative. If you are a person who makes house calls, you will likely be in demand in short order. In that way, you will not only be providing much-needed repairs, but they’ll be delivered directly to the customer’s door – which is made to order for today’s market.
One prominent example of this are mobile mechanics. Rather than having the customer bring their vehicle to a repair shop, the mobile mechanic instead goes to the customer’s home. It’s easy to see how this will be a valuable service for the customer whose vehicle won’t start.
But mobile mechanics aside, virtually any repair business that will come to the client’s home will be a welcome relief to people who schedules are already stretched too tightly.
13. Blogger
Do you have a topic area that you are passionate about? If you do, you could turn that into a business by starting your own blog. Thousands of blogs come and go each year, but the ones that offer topics in information that adds value to the readers tend to stick around. And they also tend to be profitable.
The way to make money blogging comes from advertising revenue. Advertisers love to place ads on specialized blogs, and those ads generate revenue, either as one-time payments, or as ongoing cash flows provided by pay-per-click advertising. You can also add affiliate programs to your blog. These are ad offers in which you are paid either a flat fee or a percentage of the sale amount any time a visitor makes a purchase from that vendor from your site.
You can also sell your own products and services from your blog. E-books are especially popular offerings from blogs, as long as they provide valuable information that your readers would be willing to pay for.
The best blogging niches are in areas like investments, credit cards, autos and auto repair, computers, real estate, travel, fashion, or even entertainment. Any topic area that is relevant to a large number of people can turn into a profit generating blog.
14. E-Commerce
If you have ever sold anything on eBay or related sites, this could be a business option for you. It’s simply a matter of developing low-cost product sources of items to sell. EBay even allows you to create an online store that enables you to sell your products and services on a regular basis.
As you might imagine, an eBay business is not quite as simple as many of the proponents claim. It is a business in the true sense, and that means you’ll have to provide products that offer some type of advantage over to what’s out there right now. For example, products need to be either unique, low-cost, or have certain valuable features that make them stand out. Competition is heavy, especially with Amazon.com slowly gobbling up the retail world.
And speaking of Amazon.com, it’s another outstanding site to consider running your ecommerce business on.
15. Grocery Delivery
There are people who spend so much time on their jobs that they have little time to perform even necessary chores, such as grocery shopping. You can make money in a business that handles that job for them. And with the Internet, it’s pretty easy to automate that business. People can simply email or text their orders to you, then you can arrange delivery. You can even set up an online payment arrangement, such as PayPal.
Once you get large enough to have multiple customers, you could probably even combine shopping trips, by shopping for several customers at the same store and time frame. You can charge a flat fee, or one based on a percentage of the grocery order.
16. Buying and Selling
If you are good at locating bargains at places like thrift stores, estate sales, garage sales, or even online, you can start a business buying and selling. The basic idea is to buy items on the cheap, and sell them at a healthy profit.
This is something like running a pawn shop in your home and online. You can sell your merchandise on websites such as eBay, Amazon.com, and Craigslist. You can also opt to sell them at garage sales from your home, or even at flea markets and swap meets.
The basic idea is to sell an item for $100 that you purchased for $10. If you have a skill like that – and some people actually do – it could turn into a lucrative business.
17. Career Coach
If you’re good at whatever career you have (or had), but you’re looking to make a change to take it in a new direction, becoming a career coach could be a natural shift. You’re taking what you know that works in your career, and training others in the same career how to use those skills to improve their own career paths.
In a way, you have to become an advocate for whatever your career specialization is. That means you have to have an idea as to what the bigger picture factors are, such as the credentials that a person may need to move ahead, as well as the contacts or networks. There may also be certain skills that need to be learned in order for a person to be promoted. You should be able to help with all of that.
There are different ways that you can handle this too. For example, if you have held several careers in your life, you may be able to act more in the capacity of a general coach, helping prepare people either to advance in their current careers, or to transition into a new one.
18. Life Coach
This is similar to being a career coach, except that you are extending to nearly all facets of a person’s life. It can include career coaching, but it isn’t limited to occupation alone. You’ll be offering advice and planning in the areas of motivation, finances, social activity, and even hobbies. Your job will be to create a successful and well-balanced life for your clients.
People do pay for the services. After all, if your job is dominating your life, you might consider paying someone – an outsider – to help focus you on improving other areas of your life, including your career.
You can also create specialized niches here too. For example, you can specialize in being a life coach for people who are coming out of a divorce. Or, you can work with people who are undergoing career transitions, or even people who are new in town and are looking for connections and meaning in a strange place. You can take this in any direction you like!
19. Professional Speaker
Are you comfortable speaking in front of large groups? That’s a potential business right there. And again, there’s a lot of flexibility with this type of business. You can give specialized talks to businesses and industry groups, talking about specific topics, or even just providing motivation. You can even become a pitch man for certain products.
A lot of businesses are looking at presentations as a way to market their businesses. But if business owners don’t have the ability or courage to do so, they may a hire a professional speaker to do it for them. You could be that speaker. All it takes is a few clients, and you’ll be on your way.
20. Voice-over Specialist
This is another business idea that’s growing with technology. Companies often hire a voiceover specialist to do podcasts on their websites. They may also want a voiceover specialist to handle the audio on any videos they are preparing.
At the higher end, there is also voiceover work doing commercials. This is a growing field since commercials are no longer limited just the TV. Thousands of commercials are popping up all over the Internet, especially on YouTube.
21. Resume Writing Service
If you can put together a pretty resume, this could be a good business for you. And even if you can’t, there are online sources where you can learn how to do it quite easily. The secret is knowing how to write effective resumes for specific careers – which again, is a skill you can learn quickly. Resumes are typically written off of templates, and when you have access to those templates – which you can often get free – all you need to do is customize the details.
The built-in advantage that you have here is most people either lack the ability to construct a coherent resume, or have no desire to do so. You’d be filling a valuable niche by stepping in and doing it for them.
22. Stand Up Comedian
I realize that this is a very unconventional business idea, but it could also be perfect if you have the ability to make people laugh. The ability to do that is actually quite rare, at least on a consistent basis. But if that describes you, this could be a viable business.
Like all entertainment-based businesses, getting into it is hit or miss, and moving forward might be more of a zigzag pattern than a straight line. For that reason, most people who get into it typically have “day jobs”, in order to pay the bills while getting started.
You can look for jobs playing for company functions, being an emcee at parties, working steadily at local comedy clubs, or even as the opening act for another comedian, a band or some other entertainment act.
23. Light Hauling
If you have a sturdy pickup truck or van, you may have all you need to operate services for light hauling. People need a service like this for jobs that fall short of a full scale household move. For example, they may need delivery of a large item that they purchased at a store. Or they may need a large item that they sold to people moved to the buyer’s home. It could even be a situation in which an adult child is moving out on their own.
Any of these situations create the need for light hauling. Customers will prefer a low-cost independent to an expensive moving company, since they may charge a premium price based on the small size of the job. As well, your ability to perform light jobs quickly will give you a competitive advantage.
24. Childcare
With so many people working outside the home, child care is becoming a critical household need. The demand for childcare has grown now that most households feature either a single working parent, or two parents both holding full-time jobs outside the home.
There are different ways that you can approach this. You can provide care for children in their own home, or you can care for the children of several families in your own home. While the second option will obviously allow you to scale up your business, it is a highly regulated business, likely to require state licensure. If you want to take it up to the next level, you can even open up your own daycare center.
You can also opt to do it as a full-time program, an after school only program or even seasonally to cover summer vacations and the various school vacations during the school year.
25. Home Staging
One of the major requirements for real estate agents selling homes is making sure that the interior of the house is sales-worthy. That means converting someone’s home from a place where people live to one that’s almost like a museum.
That involves removing clutter, rearranging furniture, and even adding helpful touches here and there, such as a house plant in a corner, a picture on the wall, or a coffee table in just the right place. Most property sellers – being emotionally attached to their own homes – lack the objectivity to be able to stage their homes for sale.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, it could involve putting a tasteful amount of furniture and decorations in an unoccupied home, in order to help prospective buyers to visualize themselves living in the property.
It’s a specialization, and if you have a knack for it, you can create a business based around it. You mostly market this kind of business to real estate agents, but you may also find willing clients among builders and even people who are trying to sell their homes on their own.
BONUS – Graphic Artist
People and businesses are in need of all kinds of graphics for websites and other projects. If you have skills in this area, you can offer your services out to customers on a retail basis. You can find yourself doing diverse projects, from designing logos to creating webpages.
You can start any of these business for no more than a few hundred dollars – and some with no upfront cash at all. Most can be started as side businesses, that you can grow into full time businesses over time. Find one that will work for you, get a couple of clients, and you’ll be on your way to becoming an entrepreneur.
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