How to Save Your Smile, Your Health and Your Money on World Oral Health Day

Whether we’re talking, singing, eating or kissing, our mouths are really there for us.

Why not show it a little appreciation in return on March 20, World Oral Health Day?

You Know the Drill

The American Dental Association recommends brushing our teeth twice a day and flossing once daily.

I get it. All that mouth maintenance can be tough to stick to on a regular schedule.

Life happens, things get in the way, and before you know it your container of floss is gathering dust in a dark corner of your bathroom medicine cabinet.

But ignoring your teeth and gums can set you up for gingivitis or gum disease.

That can lead to serious consequences, like tooth loss or even heart problems.

Not to mention hefty medical bills.

Cavities and gum inflammation aren’t the only things your dentist is looking for when he peers into your mouth. Oral symptoms like bleeding gums and tooth erosion can alert dentists to other health problems you may not realize you have.

“Don’t underestimate your oral health,” says Dr. Mark Burhenne, a family dentist and creator of AskTheDentist.com. “Good health starts with your mouth.”

How To Keep Your Mouth Healthy and Happy

Oral health care and regular dental visits aren’t anyone’s ideas of a party, but they’re important to our overall health and well-being.

Try to avoid sugary drinks, juice and soda, recommends Dr. Burhenne. They can lead to dry mouth and bad breath.

He also suggests people avoid coffee, tea and alcohol, which can cause dehydration of the teeth.

“Teeth can dehydrate because they’re basically calcified sponges and that can lead to  sensitive teeth and decay,” he says. “If you’re thirsty, first think of water.”

“Part of good oral health is the health of the airway,” says Dr. Burhenne. He recommends people get screened for sleep apnea, a condition that causes people to repeatedly stop breathing while sleeping because of an airway obstruction.  

Dr. Burhenne says many people lose or damage their teeth playing sports, so he recommends wearing a mouthguard during physical activity that could impact your face. In fact, Dr. Burhenne even wears a mouthguard when he rides his bicycle around town.

How to Save Money on Oral Health Care

If you can’t afford dental insurance, there are a few ways to find dental care for less.

• Dental schools are a great option for lower-cost dental treatment. You’ll get a nice discount in exchange for giving students real teeth to work on (under supervision). Everybody wins!
• Don’t try to DIY your own metal braces. Instead consider straightening your teeth with invisible aligners – no routine orthodontic check-ups required.
• You could save a bundle on dental bills by signing up for a dental savings plan or asking the dentist for a discount.
• Don’t whip out a charge card if you’re facing mounting dental bills. First try negotiating the balance or asking the provider for financial assistance.  

If you still need convincing to make that dentist appointment, consider this. If you keep your teeth in good shape, you can enjoy National Candy Day guilt-free!

Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She finally made peace with the fact that flossing will always be a part of her life.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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Truckers sue Pennsylvania over years of 'excessive' toll increases

The Pennsylvania Turnpike placed an “unduly burden on interstate commerce” by imposing several years of steep toll hikes and diverting billions of dollars in toll revenue toward PennDOT projects — many of which did not benefit the Turnpike, a group of owner-operator truckers argued in a lawsuit filed this week.The lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Harrisburg accuses the Turnpike — which has increased toll rates by more than 200 percent since 2006 [...]

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How To Get Precise Pricing For Life Insurance: Life Insurance Quotes, Rate Classes, and Approvals

The exact cost of your life insurance depends on many variables. Learn how to get more accurate pricing for life insurance.

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Grants in hand, Route 940 exit off I-380 project expected to cost $5.5M

POCONO PINES — With the announcement of a LSA grant worth nearly $1 million, Tobyhanna Township has secured more than half of the funding necessary for their Route 940 improvement project.The project, which will overhaul the area near where Interstate 380 and Route 940 meet, is estimated to cost $5.5 million and Tobyhanna officials hope to pay for it without taxpayer dollars.“It takes the burden off the shoulders of the taxpayers and property owners. And this is [...]

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The Most Motivating Financial Chart I’ve Ever Seen

While perusing the financial blogosphere on a lazy Sunday, I came across a unique chart called “The Early Retirement Grid.”

The grid’s main purpose is to show long it will take you to retire given various changes in your income and spending levels. It assumes that you start at a net worth of zero, that your investments earn a 5% return, and that you’ll withdraw 4% of your money each year in retirement to pay for your yearly expenses. Take a look:

This deceptively simple image contains a lot of wisdom. It illustrates the dramatic power of spending less and saving more, the danger of lifestyle inflation, the importance of taxes, and almost anything else you can think of related to personal finance.

Mind the Gap

The grid shows that there’s one metric that trumps all others: your savings rate. If you can keep a big gap between your saving and your spending, you can gain financial flexibility much earlier.

What’s so cool is that you don’t need a huge salary to chop years of your retirement age. For example, imagine three different people: Kim, Sam, and Jessie. Kim takes home $80,000 per year after taxes; Sam, $60,000; and Jessie, $40,000.

Let’s say they’re all diligent savers and they put away exactly half of their after-tax income, for a 50% savings rate. Who will attain financial independence first?

Amazingly, it’s a tie. The grid shows that each of them would only need to work 16.6 years to fund their retirement at their current spending levels.

Jessie earns $40,000 less than Kim, yet their retirement timelines are the exact same. One reason is that, the more of your income you save, the less you’re accustomed to living on — which means you’ll need less money in retirement to maintain your existing lifestyle. Meanwhile, someone taking home $100,000 a year after taxes would have to keep working almost 66 years if they spent most of that money each year. This clearly shows that keeping a high savings rate is the biggest lever you can pull in terms of maximizing your financial success.

It also demonstrates the power of resisting lifestyle inflation. If Sam takes home $60,000 and spends $40,000 of it, he’s on pace to work a fairly typical 40-year career. But if he’s able to increase his take-home pay by $10,000, whether through a promotion at work or a side hustle, and he keeps his spending at the same $40,000 a year, he can shave more than 11 years off his work career.

Another interesting aspect of the grid is that it doesn’t crunch numbers for those who spend below $20,000 per year. Think about how many years you could knock off your working life if you only spent $15,000 per year? Or $10,000?

You might think it’s impossible to live on that much, but there are plenty of examples of people making do with even less. Jacob Lund Fisker, author of the popular blog and book “Early Retirement Extreme,” famously lives on $7,000 per year. He’s not a hermit who subsists on ramen noodles, but a thriving, happy and active entrepreneur living in a major metropolis.

Achieving a high savings rate is all about your attitude, your goals, and your creativity. No high-paying job required. I find that highly motivating.

• Related: Financial Independence on a Smaller Income

Follow the Yellow-Green Road

When I see things like the early retirement grid, my instinct is to get really excited about saving money. I’ll turn to my wife and say something like: “If we move in with your parents, take night-shift jobs, and scavenge all our food from dumpsters, we can retire in three years!”

My wife reminds me that she’s on board to be frugal, but she’s not willing to sacrifice our short-term happiness in the pursuit of a ridiculously high savings rate.

Of course, I have to agree with her. It’s important to find a lifestyle with balance. What’s great about the early retirement grid is that it provides visual proof that a frugal, but not extreme, lifestyle can still have a big impact on how long you have to work.

The sweet spot of the grid is found in the line of light yellow and green squares that cut through the middle. Each of those squares is in the 16 to 28 years range. They represent how many years you would need to work if you saved between 30% and 50% of your after-tax income. For many people, saving that much is a tough but realistic goal.

Considering the average person works for over 40 years, getting that number down to 28 is no small feat! That represents 12 extra years of your life where you get to do what you want, when you want, on your own terms.

Even if you love your job and you’re one of those “I’d work for free” types, it’s still powerful to gain flexibility. You never know when a recession will hit, when the office culture will change, or when you’ll want to work less to take care of a child or ailing family member. Financial independence is about the freedom that comes with having options, so you’re better able to roll with the punches.

It takes effort to gain that flexibility, but not extreme or demoralizing effort. You don’t have to break your back trying to get your savings rate up near 80% in order to have success. Remember, the perfect is the enemy of the good.

• Related: Achieving Financial Success Without Extreme Frugality or a Huge Income

Summing Up

One thing to keep in mind is that financial independence, in this context, means that your investments can cover your yearly expenses. It doesn’t take into account contingencies, such as medical issues or paying for a child’s education. Every person’s situation will be different, so plan accordingly.

That being said, the essential thrust of the grid remains the same: If you can find ways to save a bigger portion of your income, to grow the gap between what you earn and what you spend, you’ll be setting yourself up for financial success. You can cut chunks of years off your working career with relatively small spending reductions, which is amazing to behold.

If you’re trying to check out of the rat race before traditional retirement age, and need a little reminder to keep you motivated, print out the grid and put it on your desk for inspiration. (Well, maybe keep it in a drawer, so you’re not advertising how much you want to call it quits.)

Related Articles: 

• 31 Days to Financial Independence
• How to Retire Quickly
• Six Fresh Ways to Think About Retirement Savings
• It’s Not ‘Early Retirement,’ It’s ‘Walk-Away Money’

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Personal Finance Doesn’t Have to Suck. Here’s How to Make It (Kind of) Fun

Ketchup and ice cream.

Swimsuits and snowstorms.

Personal finance and fun.

You’re right: None of these traditionally go together. We’re not going to top off a perfectly good scoop of ice cream with ketchup. Nor will we try to bare a snowstorm in a swimsuit. But we are going to make personal finance SO. MUCH. FUN.

Seriously, though. Managing your finances is a serious chore. It’s not exactly something we’re jumping for joy to sit down and do. In fact, many of us opt to procrastinate. But if you add a little fun into the mix, it isn’t so bad… right?

Use these tools to add a little spice to your personal finance life:

1. Start Gambling

Just kidding. That’s not very Penny Hoarder-esque. Or healthy. But you’ve got to admit: There’s something oh-so satisfying about those gas station scratch-off tickets, even if they do ruin your nails.

Instead of spending money on a piece of paper that doesn’t guarantee you money, download a free app called Lucktastic.

Each day, it releases a new assortment of digital scratch-off tickets. Lucktastic says instant wins range from $1 to $10,000. You can also earn tokens, enter contests and play games.

No, it won’t make you rich (unless you hit the jackpot), but it’s a fun way to try to earn money in your free time.

2. Watch Your Spare Change Add up

Remember when you were growing up, you’d go on hunts around the house for loose change to feed your piggy bank? Dig through the couch cushions, check mom’s car, sneak into dad’s office…

You’d feed that little piggy until it was full, then roll the coins — or, if you were a ’90s baby, you’d hit up the Coinstar kiosk at the grocery store. Watching the change add up was such a thrill.

Good news: You can still experience that excitement today — no loose change or coin roll wrappers required.

Download the Acorns app instead. It’s a savings and investing app that rounds up your credit and debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the remaining change.

Buy a $2.40 cup of coffee? Add 60 cents to your Acorns account. A $31.32 charge at the grocery store? Drop another 68 cents in. It’s kind of fun to see just how fast your digital change can add up.

Then, Acorns does the rest of the work for you, investing it into your chosen portfolio.

Sign up for the Acorns app, and, after your first investment, you’ll get a $5 bonus.

3. Negotiate Your Internet Bill (Without Saying a Word)

If you’re like me — 100% passive, allergic to conflict — negotiating is no fun, especially when it comes to big purchases or monthly bills.

But when I was slapped with a huge internet bill, I was peeved. So I turned to Trim, an online personal assistant that actually negotiated the bill on my behalf.

The process was simple: I signed up (for free) and uploaded a PDF of my most recent internet bill, which I grabbed from my online statement. Then Trim let me know it was getting to work. Several days later, it let me know it’d gotten me $10 back.

Since then, it continues to check in on the status of my bill.

Although I’m a passive person, there’s no better feeling than reclaiming some cash — and sending a little bit of a “hah” to my internet provider.

4. Stack Cash Rewards Each Time You Shop

Spending money — especially on necessities — is never truly fun. So why not turn it into a game and see how much cash back you can stack? Without clipping a single coupon.

We’re talking about Ibotta, a cash-back app that’s partnered with more than 50 retailers to reward you for, well, shopping.

You can even turn it into a bit of a cash-back game by inviting friends and creating a team. You’ll see who’s made how much — and where you rank.

For example, I’ve earned more than $120 in cash back through the app. When I tap “My Earnings” and scroll down, I can see I’m ranked seventh among my connected friends. The top placeholder has earned more than $350 in rewards. (Holy cash cow, Kath!)

If you want to join in on the competition, sign up for Ibotta. When you upload your first receipt, you’ll nab a $10 bonus. As soon as you collect $20, you can cash out.

5. Make Saving Fun Again

Saving? Fun?

No, no, no. Saving money isn’t fun — nor is it easy.

The best way to save is to do it without noticing. What?

Digit is an app that automates saving for you. Simply link it to your checking account, and its algorithms will determine small (and safe!) amounts of money to withdraw into a separate, FDIC-insured savings account.

These amounts are based on your spending habits and your income, which means you’ll never spin into overdraft. If Digit sees you can’t afford to tuck money away one day, no worries. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Using this set-it-and-forget-it strategy, one Penny Hoarder saved $4,300 without noticing; read his Digit review.

If you need that money sooner than expected, you’ll always have access to it within one business day.

Digit is free to use for the first 100 days, then it’s $2.99 per month afterward.

6. Earn Gift Cards for Healthy (Financial) Habits

This app kind of rules them all: MoneyLion is an all-in-one app for managing your personal finances.

Basically, it offers the financial services you’d typically get from three or four different banks or providers, and they’re all bundled into one place.

MoneyLion connects with all of your bank, credit card, student loan and other financial accounts. Based on your income and spending patterns, it offers personalized advice to help you save money, reduce your debt and improve your credit.

One of our favorite things about this app is the rewards feature.

Targeted at the financial middle class, MoneyLion offers rewards to help you develop healthy financial habits. The rewards program gives you points for taking actions like:

• Connecting a bank account.
• Signing up for credit monitoring.
• Paying your bills on time.
• Keeping your credit utilization low.

The points can be redeemed for gift cards to retailers like Amazon, Apple and Walmart. It’s like giving American Express-style rewards to middle-class customers who may not have a points-earning credit card.

7. Conduct a Free 401(k) Analysis

Got a 401(k)? You’re on the right track.

Now, you just need to make sure it’s doing what you need it to. However, tapping into that account and deciphering the information — or lack thereof — can be hard.

There’s a robo-advisor for that. Blooom, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm, will optimize and monitor your 401(k) for you.

It gives you an initial 401(k) checkup for free, and you’ll get to know your account a little more intimately. Find out if you’re paying too many hidden fees, have the appropriate amount invested in stocks versus bonds, that kind of fun stuff.

After that, the tool is $10 a month to use to continue to monitor your retirement account. Let Blooom know your target retirement age, and it can help you get there by investing more and less aggressively.

8. Get a New Start Through Upstart

Ready to tackle your debt to the cold, hard ground? That sounds fun enough, right? Try consolidating it.

It could substantially lower payments you’re already making on your debt and help you save more money each month.

A lot of us are being crushed by credit card interest rates north of 20%. If you’re in that boat, consolidation and refinancing might be worth a look.

A good resource is online lending platform Upstart, which can help you find a loan without relying on only your conventional credit score.

Unlike traditional underwriting models that use only the common FICO scoring model, Upstart’s technology looks at factors like your education and employment history to determine your creditworthiness.

It can help you borrow up to $50,000, potentially with better terms (e.g. lower interest or lower monthly payments) than traditional lenders. If managing many different bills and credit lines is a hassle, you can also use an Upstart loan to streamline all of your loans into one.

Learn more about Upstart and get a free quote (that won’t hurt your credit score) all online.

9. Strike up a Budget

You’re rolling your eyes right now. I feel it. Budgeting isn’t fun, you say. But it kind of is, if you turn it into a personal challenge. And if you have a type-A personality. (Ahem, me.)

I recently started a super simple budget in an Excel spreadsheet. Nope, I have zero knowledge of Excel, but I poked around and worked from a template and within a few hours, I had just what I needed.

With the spreadsheet, I track my spending manually, which holds me more accountable than an automated app. Each month, I try to decrease my spending and increase my savings. Sure, sometimes it’s a total pain and absolutely disappointing, but other times it’s kind of fun to see just how much I can save.

In case you’re not sure where to start with a budget, I loosely followed the 50/20/30 method.

10. Continue to Learn!

The best way to feel more comfortable about your finances is to continue to educate yourself. If sitting in a classroom isn’t your thing, don’t worry. It’s not our thing either.

Some ways of learning about personal finance are actually kind of fun, including (cough, cough) reading The Penny Hoarder.

But seriously. You can find all sorts of information on the internet these days. Take, for example, “Get Your Money Together,” an illustrated “purrsonal finance” workbook. It includes everything from pictures of cats to designing a budget to investing to… more cats.

There are also a ton of personal finance podcasts out there. These are fun and easy to listen to, and you’ll often feel like you’re having a conversation with a good friend — even if you are just hanging out with your cats.

Bonus: Find Buried Treasure… (Sorta)

Did you know state treasuries throughout the U.S. have more than $43 billion in unclaimed funds? Just sitting around!

In 2017, one South Carolina man hit the jackpot. He got a phone call from his state treasurer letting him know he was entitled to $763,000 in unclaimed money. That’s, like, 63 years of rent.

We advise you to be careful of calls like this; chances are, it’s a scam. But you can take matters into your own hands and see if you have any unclaimed money floating around.

Start by checking with the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Click your state on the map, and it’ll redirect you to your state’s search site. You can also check with Missing Money.

All right, friends. It’s time to put the fun back into personal funance… I mean, finance.

Carson Kohler (carson@thepennyhoarder.com) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She makes managing her finances even more fun by popping open a beer before getting started…

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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The Spectrum of Personal Finance

About a year ago, I learned that an old colleague of mine had retired and become something of a “hermit.” He was living apparently completely off the grid and was building a cabin for himself on a piece of secluded land.

This gradually progressed into a conversation with another old colleague about that “hermit” and about how people can approach life in a very different way, so different that it feels almost alien.

I made the point that, in some ways, I appreciated the hermit’s life choices, and my friend responded by pointing out that I’m already halfway there. He’s aware, of course, that Sarah and I live far below our means and are aiming to retire when our youngest child leaves the nest (thereabouts).

I don’t think of our lives as being hermit-like at all, but I also see some differences between our life choices and those of most people our age. We’re still in our thirties. We have zero debt and a very, very healthy retirement savings. We don’t really engage in the more expensive hobbies and trends that many people our age fall into.

It occurred to me that the financial decisions that people make fall into something of a spectrum. At one end of that spectrum are people living paycheck to paycheck and accumulating debt. At the other end are people like my old hermit friend. We’re somewhere in the middle.

From the perspective of the paycheck to paycheck people, the hermit seems crazy. From the perspective of the hermit, the paycheck to paycheck people seem crazy. We’re somewhere in the middle and aren’t perfectly in sync with either group, but we can appreciate and get along with both.

I thought about this spectrum idea for days and eventually I started making up a list of traits of people at various points on this spectrum. At various times, I’ve lived at several spots on this spectrum myself, and I have friends and know people at virtually every point along it.

Here’s how I see that spectrum, with the chief dividing line amongst the band being that person’s savings rate. (Savings rate is the percentage of income that a person saves for the future.)

Red – Paycheck to Paycheck – 0% to 2% Savings Rate

People at this end of the spectrum tend to spend virtually all of their income each paycheck, with very little savings for the future for any reason. They’re usually carrying some debt and paying it down slowly. They typically struggle mightily to come up with money during an emergency and usually deal with emergencies with more debt by putting it on a credit card and then paying that debt off slowly.

The exact lifestyle of people in this band varies a lot depending on their income, but in general their day-to-day lives are pretty expensive. They eat out a lot and fill their lives with as many perks and treats as they can fit in.

Often, people in this range live in the most expensive house they can possibly afford, drive the newest cars they can possibly afford, and have all of the latest stuff they can possibly afford. People in this range tend to treat their possessions as highly disposable, too, and don’t really think of them as long term investments.

In short, people in this part of the spectrum rarely think in a concrete way about their life beyond the next paycheck or two, at least in terms of how they’re going to pay for things. They just assume it’ll work out and that their “future self” will pay for it.

People in this section generally don’t read much at all, or if they do, it’s nothing having to do with personal finance. Fully 30% of Americans don’t read books, and many who do read only one or two books a year. It’s hard to really point to a personal finance book that describes this area of the spectrum.

I should know – this described my life for a few years in the 2000s. It’s a hedonistic lifestyle, one that involves a lot of daily short-term pleasures that cover up a great deal of underlying stress and worry.

This is the part of the spectrum where about 75% to 80% of Americans are. After all, the data shows that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.

Of course, there are people in this part of the spectrum due to life events and not necessarily by choice. If you’re in a cycle of minimum wage part time work, it can be very difficult to get out of this part of the spectrum, even if you want to.

Orange – “Normal” Retirement and Debt Freedom – 2% to 8% Savings Rate

Some people come to realize that living in the “red” part of the spectrum is a road to disaster, so they tweak their lifestyle a little bit. They don’t want to live paycheck to paycheck any more because it’s stressful and they want to have some semblance of retirement, but they also don’t want to radically change their lifestyle.

I call this the “orange” part of the spectrum.

People in this part of the spectrum generally don’t have a ton of debt. They pay off what debt they do have pretty quickly and generally don’t let it last too long. They’re usually saving for retirement at a pace that, if they save for 30 years, they’ll have a healthy retirement when they retire at a normal retirement age or a bit later.

They tend to go on nice trips and have some nicer possessions, and their day to day lives are a bit more frugal than the people in the “red” category. These people don’t eat out every day and keep a lot of things in the “splurge” or “treat” category to have on an irregular basis. However, they still live a fairly expensive day-to-day lifestyle and probably have some very consistent treats in their lives that have reached the point of feeling completely normal.

People in this group are basically forward-thinking versions of the “red” group. They want to have a very pleasure-filled day-to-day life, but they also recognize the need to protect their future a little.

If they pick up a book on personal finance, they’d probably look at something like You Need a Budget by Jesse Meacham or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey to move themselves from the “red” to the “orange” part of the spectrum.

I would estimate that 10% to 15% of Americans find themselves in this “orange” part of the spectrum, with the remaining 10% to 15% of Americans spread across the remaining “yellow” to “violet” portions. Let’s look at those.

Yellow – “Healthy” or Slightly Early Retirement – 8% to 15% Savings Rate

People in this group want to be able to retire a little early or with plenty of money in the bank. They like security and stability and they have some very nice visions about what their retirement will be like and they want to get there a little sooner than that.

To get there, people in this group consciously live a little below their means. They, too, have nice splurges like the “orange” group, but they tend to be rarer and their day to day lives are pretty frugal. They don’t go out to eat very often and most of their sources of entertainment are low cost or free. They’ll go on really amazing trips, but they’re irregular. They usually drive well maintained late model used cars when they could afford new and drive them until they’re worn out.

They tend to avoid day-to-day perks and lifestyle inflation. They make coffee at home rather than hitting Starbucks each day. They eat most of their meals at home, only going out when there’s a genuine reason to do so for a social occasion or to celebrate something notable.

I’ve noticed that people in this group tend to have read a few personal finance books, but they could be anything, because a lot of personal finance books orient themselves toward nudging people from the “red” and “blue” parts of the spectrum into this “yellow” part of the spectrum. A large portion of the personal finance books you see in libraries and bookstores are written with this area of the spectrum as a destination.

Green – Financial Independence or Early Retirement – 15% to 25% Savings Rate

These are people who want to either retire when they’re fairly young – 50 or 55 – or discovered these ideas a bit later in life or have a vision of doing something completely different with their life from their midlife onwards. I think this is the part of the spectrum that starts to seem “strange” to people at the “red” end of things.

People in this group do still splurge, but their splurges are often very practical and are directed toward useful things. They’re going to splurge on well-made versions of things that they use very frequently, for example. They tend to value reliability in the things they do have and don’t have a need to have tons and tons of possessions.

When they travel, it’s typically very experience-oriented and low cost. “Green” people are likely to do things like go backpacking in a national park or spend their vacation camping in a minimal way. They might do a big “once in a lifetime” trip, but even that won’t involve staying in five star hotels, but will instead involve staying off the beaten path in another land.

They own their own home and do as much of their own maintenance on it as possible. They drive used cars from reliable manufacturers, drive them until they’re worn out, and replace them with another used car from a reliable manufacturer – all paid for with cash, of course. They make almost all of their own meals, eating out only on the most special of occasions. They’re usually quite frugal with their day-to-day lifestyle, buying store brands almost exclusively and so on.

The types of books that would make the most sense to people in this group are books like The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley and William Danko or Meet the Frugalwoods by Elizabeth Willard Thames.

Blue – Optimizer (or High Wealth) – 25% to 40% savings rate

It’s at this “blue” stage where the actual process of optimizing one’s finances becomes a pleasure and a goal in and of itself. It’s also possible that people achieve this kind of savings rate simply through a high income, but find that they have more in common personality-wise with the “orange,” “yellow,” or “green” portions of the spectrum.

People in this group tend to love experimenting with frugality. They’ll take on all kinds of do it yourself projects for the joy of doing them and feeling in control of their property. They’ll build their own sheds and fix major home problems and even take a large role in constructing their own home, just because they enjoy the process. Rather than traveling, they’ll often plan “staycations” to take on projects like this.

They tend to live very frugally, but still would be making what would feel like roughly “normal” lifestyle choices. In terms of their day to day choices, they’d look a lot like people in the “green” band, but they’ve invested a lot of time and thinking into optimizing things and have squeezed out all kinds of nooks and crannies because they enjoy the process.

Early retirement and financial independence are not only on the horizon for these folks, it’s bordering on inevitable. Their lifestyle can tolerate major twists and turns, and they’ve usually got a very healthy amount in savings to handle almost anything that might happen.

Books that would really appeal to this group include
The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn and Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin.

I’d probably put Sarah and I in this group, or possibly in the next group, “indigo” (or, sometimes, closer to the “green” group).

Indigo – Optimizer-Philosopher (or Very High Wealth or Income) – 40% to 80% Savings Rate

At this point, the question of “why” starts to become very paramount in terms of saving more, and that “why” often has sources that aren’t related directly to accumulation of wealth.

A person at this stage spends a lot of time thinking about their life’s purpose and how to live it. There’s usually a development of a set of strong internal principles which that person tries to live by to the best of their ability, and those principles often aren’t in line with what’s “mainstream” in society.

People in this group tend to be very interested in knowing how to build and maintain every aspect of their life. They’re probably doing things like building their own home, doing almost every possible repair on any automobiles that they own (and nursing those automobiles along to a very high mileage to extract every dime of value), practicing subsistence agriculture or producing some extra to sell or trade and probably doing it with very high food production standards, and so on. They enjoy homesteading.

People in this group tend to spend their free time reading and thinking and working on very hands-on projects. If they travel, it’s in a very “vagabond” fashion with minimal planning and extravagance.

Books that appeal to them are philosophical books. Specific titles might include books like Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fisker and Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford.

Again, as I mentioned earlier, there are people who would be in this group in terms of savings rate due to high income or high accumulated wealth, but their personality is closer to “orange” or “yellow” or “green” or “blue” folks.

Violet – Walden (or Extreme Wealth) – 80%+ Savings Rate

If you’ve ever read the book Walden, or can envision someone who would enjoy being a “mountain man” or doing extreme homesteading and has little need for many material possessions, you’re probably thinking of someone who might fall into this camp.

A person in this group is someone who gets great pleasure out of doing basic tasks, or they have deep internal philosophical disagreements with mainstream culture. People in this group are optimizer-philosophers – the “indigo” group – taken to an extreme. Their lifestyle probably makes little sense to someone in the “red” or “orange” group. They might do things like live in their self-maintained vehicle or live in a self-built cabin in the woods.

I know a few people who would fall into this category. They usually tend to be well-read and well-spoken, but have some very firm principles and ideas that they stick to and live by. They tend to really enjoy doing manual tasks for themselves, even down to simple things like chopping wood. They often try to avoid wasting anything, which can end up making their homes look like a shack or a rust-bucket on wheels, but those homes and vehicles are usually incredibly functional and they can explain every square inch and detail of them. They tend to have a deep understanding of how almost everything works that they own, but they’ll eschew a lot of things that people in America usually take for granted, like internet or some utilities.

My experience with people in this category is that they tend to read original philosophy, like, say, Walden’s Walden or Emerson’s Self Reliance or original works in other areas, as well as really challenging books on whatever topic interests them at the moment.

They tend to see people in the “red” and “orange” category as strange as the people in those categories tend to see them.

Again, as I mentioned earlier, there are people who would be in this group in terms of savings rate due to high income or high accumulated wealth, but their personality is closer to “orange” or “yellow” or “green” or “blue” folks. Also, you’ll find some people in this group who actually have very little money at all but spend virtually nothing.

Where Are You?

So, where would you put yourself on this spectrum? 85% to 90% of Americans fall into the “red” or “orange” categories, but I’m willing to bet that readers of this site spread along the spectrum.

As a family of five, I’d probably place us somewhere around “green” or “blue.” If Sarah and I were without children, we’d probably be “blue” most of the time. If I were single, I’d probably be “indigo,” as I think that most of my worst remaining financial habits are done out of time crunches because I spend so much time on family commitments, and that would decidedly change if I were single.

I would say that when our family is in the “green” area or, at our worst moments, even sliding toward “yellow,” I tend to feel like we’re in the wrong place on this spectrum and start nudging hard back toward “blue.” On the other hand, if I’m reading a lot and reflecting a lot, I’ll nudge toward “indigo,” which doesn’t always work with our family.

I find that having an “ideal” part of the spectrum for ourselves is a good thing to have, because it makes this kind of thinking an easy tool for figuring out when things are out of whack. Maybe we’re spending too much and inching in the red direction, or maybe we’re being too extreme and inching in the violet direction. Figure out where you currently are and where you want to be and you can always use it as a guide.

If nothing else, it’s an interesting way to think about finances. You may find that some elements of this spectrum, which is just my own perspective on it, are different from your perspective, and that’s a good thing. This is just food for thought for thinking about different approaches to personal finance.

Good luck!

The post The Spectrum of Personal Finance appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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6 Better Bets for Your Money Than Gambling on March Madness

It’s March Madness time, and everyone is filling out their brackets. From office pools to family competitions, we all love to put a little dough on the tourney and prove we have the skills to pick the winners.

Except, we never seem to do that. The odds of selecting a perfect bracket are 1 in 9.2 quintillion, according to Forbes’ calculations. The odds of becoming president of the United States sit at 1 in 10 million. Take a look in the mirror and mull that over.

While you probably don’t need a perfect bracket to win your office pool, all it takes is one upset (can you say Iona over Duke?) to destroy your chances early on.

6 Things to Spend Your Money on Instead of March Madness

The average wager on a tourney bracket is $29, according to ESPN. Rather than toss that money into a bracket pool someone who doesn’t even watch hoops is going to win, consider these options that are much more likely to make your money grow.

1. Open a New Bank Account

Wish you could get a two-day head start on your bracket? Just think what you could do with that extra time to study the matchups. Honestly, probably not that much. But, if you could actually get your paycheck two days early, that would really be something. Hold on to your hightops, you actually can.

Chime is an online-only bank account that offers some unique features other banks haven’t caught on to yet.

Consider:

• Chime doesn’t charge overdraft fees, monthly maintenance fees, foreign transaction fees or minimum balance fees.
• Chime customers have access to thousands of fee-free MoneyPass ATMs around the country.
• When you set your payroll up for direct deposit to your Chime spending account, your paycheck will post two days before payday, giving you more time to plan, save and pay the bills.
• You can open an easy-to-access, connected savings account. It allows you to automate your savings with features like the round-up tool, which will round up your transactions to the nearest dollar and dump the change into savings.
• Its mobile app boasts more than 2,000 five-star reviews, making managing money super accessible via iPhone or Android.
• It has a “Pay Friends” feature, so you don’t have to mess with cash, math or other apps to split the bill.

Plus, it takes about five minutes to sign up. The bank verifies your personal information, takes note that you’re at least 18 or older, then you’re good to go. No opening deposit required.

Note that the biggest complaint is a lack of mobile check deposit, but Chime assures its customers the feature is coming soon.

For an account that’ll help you strike up savings — and that’ll pay you two days early — check out Chime.

2. Invest with Stash

Think $29 isn’t enough to invest? Do you also think free-throws don’t matter because they’re just one point? Come on, you know better than that.

It’s no brilliant secret that investing can be a smart way to grow your money.
Sometimes, though, it feels restricted to a few wealthy elite.
But Stash is different. This app lets you start investing with as little as $5 and for just a $1 monthly fee for balances under $5,000. (The first month is fee-free.)
Stash curates investments from professional fund managers and investors and lets you choose where to put your money. But it leaves the complicated investment terms out of it. You just choose from a set of simple portfolios reflecting your beliefs, interests and goals.
Bonus: Right now, The Penny Hoarder is teaming up with Stash to fund your first investment — so you’ll get a $5 bonus to get started!

3. Optimize Your 401(k) With Blooom

Sure, winning your office pool would be sweet. You’d get some cash (that you’d probably blow on a great night out. That’s cool.), and you’d have bragging rights for the next year. But what about those years down the line? Maybe you could use that $29 to build something lasting. Not just a one-year winner, but a dynasty!

Got a 401(k)? You’re on the right track.

Now, you just need to make sure it’s doing what you need it to. However, tapping into that account and deciphering the information — or lack thereof — can be hard.

There’s a robo-advisor for that. Blooom, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm, will optimize and monitor your 401(k) for you.

It gives you an initial 401(k) checkup for free, and you’ll get to know your account a little more intimately. Find out if you’re paying too many hidden fees, have the appropriate amount invested in stocks versus bonds, that kind of fun stuff.

After that, the tool is $10 a month to use to continue to monitor your retirement account. Let Blooom know your target retirement age, and it can help you get there by investing more and less aggressively.

It’s like having a personal trainer for your 401(k) to turn it into an elite performer.

4. Make a Difference Through Impact Investing

What if you could use your $29 to help create affordable housing, sustainable agriculture or even renewable energy? Oh yeah, you’ll also earn a return on investment while doing all of that.

Sound too good to be true? It’s not. It’s called impact investing.

Impact investing is a way of investing your money only in companies that strive to create positive change. But you’re not donating your money, you’re investing it to see a profitable return.

Even a few years ago, this was a concept only for those who could fork over tens of thousands of dollars. But with today’s technology, you can be part of the fun for as little as $20 with Calvert Impact Capital.

Investment gains with the warm fuzzies of helping make the world a better place? That feels as good as swishing a three-pointer at the buzzer for the win.

5. Earn Rewards When You Spend Your $29

What’s better than a chance to win money? A sure thing. No matter how strongly you feel that your bracket rocks and that Villanova is a lock to cut down the nets, it’s not a sure thing. Sorry.

Put your $29 where you know it can pay off.

Here’s an option we like: It’s the Chase Freedom Unlimited card. Its claim to fame? You’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all your purchases. Plus, if you spend $500 in your first three months of opening the card (hi, groceries), you’ll pocket a $150 bonus.

There’s no annual fee, and the cash back rewards don’t expire. We checked Credible’s annual rewards calculator, and it estimates $417 in annual rewards based on our spending habits.* (You can enter your unique spending habits and see what you’d earn, too.)

Get signed up — and 0% intro APR for 15 months — here.

How’s that for a sure thing?

6. Buy a Thoughtful Gift for the Hipster in Your Life

Wait, is this really a better option than wagering your money on a bracket? Come on.

We all have a hipster or two in our lives, and let’s face it, they are great to have around. They know the coolest little places to grab a bite or a drink. They’re like that “hustle” guy who sits toward the end of the bench. Everybody needs one.

And boy, do they know how to save money. From used furniture to so-called vintage clothing, hipsters are masters at living on the cheap while living large.

If you have a hipster in your life, it pays to keep them happy. Why not spend a little to give them a cool gift that they’ll enjoy?

The next time you need a coffee table, they may just find an upcycled gem for next to nothing. It will pay off. Trust me.

Spend Responsibly

As we get set to tip off this year’s tourney, feel free to enjoy it. Just think carefully about wagering your money.

True Penny Hoarders don’t risk their money on the fadeaway jumper of a sophomore in college when they can put that money to work. Use your $29 wisely and wager something better, like the best parking spot at the office.

Now that’s a slam dunk.

*Annual Rewards amounts will change based on the amounts you enter. The monthly spending category names and definitions may vary among issuers, and categories may not align one-to-one.

The information for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card has been collected independently by The Penny Hoarder. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. The Penny Hoarder is a partner of Credible.

Tyler Omoth is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder who loves soaking up the sun and finding creative ways to help others. He’s secretly hoping for Iona to win it all. Catch him on Twitter at @Tyomoth.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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Nearly 1 in 3 Transgender People Live in Poverty in U.S. What Can We Do?

Mid-Smith supers vote to rezone

MIDDLE SMITHFIELD — Middle Smithfield Township supervisors voted unanimously Thursday to rezone part of the township-owned Country Club of the Poconos Municipal Golf Course.The 320.53-acre property, east of Tom X Road and formerly part of a planned residential development, is now zoned for C-2 commercial use. That designation gives a potential buyer the option to build on the undeveloped land.“Six years ago, the Board of Supervisors said that at some point the [...]

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Pa. lawmakers host business mixer

Designed to encourage minority, women and disadvantaged business owners

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Love Your School? Write About it to Enter This Scholarship Competition

When it comes to paying for college, every little bit of financial assistance helps.

I mean, with textbooks costing upward of $200 apiece in some cases, even a single semester can hurl some students into a pretty significant amount of student loan debt.

And no matter how diligently you fill out your FAFSA (no seriously, fill it out), and whether or not your parents were able to sock away enough in a 529 plan, a little extra wiggle room in your budget can mean the difference between ramen and boxed mac ’n’ cheese this week. (Yeah, we’re talking the big leagues. With the fake, fluorescent cheese-like sauce.)

So in the name of boxed mac ’n’ cheese, we strive to present you with every promising scholarship opportunity we come across — no matter how small — because we know that every dollar counts when you’re majorly stressed about paying for school.

And $250? Well that could buy an entire textbook (or two, if you can buy used).

The International College Counselors Scholarship Essay Contest

Here’s how to enter to win $250 from the International College Counselors scholarship essay contest.

Scholarship amount: $250

Number of scholarships awarded: Two, one from Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach County, and one from anywhere in the world.

To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a high school or homeschool student currently in grades 9 through 11

To apply, applicants must:

• Write a 500-word (or fewer) essay on the following topic: Brag about your high school or homeschool experience. What do you like best about it?
• Fill out an Official Student Registration Form
• Submit your application and essay via mail (details can be found here)

Scholarship deadline: All entries must be postmarked by March 30, 2018.

Winners will be notified the week of May 1, 2018.

You can read the rest of the official rules and guidelines here.

If you’re looking for even more scholarships to apply for, be sure to check out our list of 100 scholarships that will help you pay for college.

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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26 Practical Ways to Put Your Skills to Use and Make Extra Money in 2018

So you’re ready to make more money this year?

Whether you want to be more aggressive about paying off student loans, dig yourself out of credit card debt, or save toward a down payment or vacation, making extra money on the side is a smart strategy for working toward your goals.

While you could simply get a part-time job, let’s focus on entrepreneurial ventures — side jobs where you control your time and rates. Instead of working the shifts you’re given for a set wage, you’ll be your own boss, deciding what you do, when you do it and how much you make.

Whether you’re thinking of starting a side business that could eventually become your full-time job or you just want to earn a little extra cash online on the weekends, I’ve got you covered. How will you earn more money this year?

Freelance With Your Skills

Use the skills you’ve already developed — maybe even those you use at a full-time job — to earn extra cash on the side.

While you’ll want to make sure you’re not competing with your employer (you can’t poach your company’s clients; read your contract to make sure you haven’t signed a non-compete agreement), you could earn a significant amount of money by working directly with clients.

You can start a freelance business with a huge variety of skills. I’ve outlined quite a few below, but there are definitely more options!

1. Write

If you’re great at crafting engaging blog posts or convincing copy, it’s time to put your writing skills to work. To build up experience, you may want to begin with content sites (though be warned, the pay can be extremely low) or start a blog of your own.

Got a few clips under your belt? Fantastic — it’s time to start pitching to paying writing outlets.

Research your target sites well before pitching their editors, and — we can’t emphasize this enough — read the guidelines.

If the site wants you to pitch ideas, email the editor with a few ideas. If the guidelines ask for a draft, write a draft. If they want you to include a secret phrase in your email’s subject line, include the phrase. (I’m not making this up — many sites use this trick to screen out writers who don’t read the guidelines. No secret phrase means your email goes straight to the trash.)

How much can you make?

Three cents a word for content sites, $50 and up for guest posts on paying sites. Some blogs might even offer a bonus if your post performs particularly well.

2. Do Graphic or Web Design Work

Do you always know which colors complement one another best?

Can you put together an amazing book cover or website homepage in 20 minutes flat?

Is creating a beautiful blog header something you can do in your sleep?

Not only are you my hero, but you could be making serious cash from your skills.

Make sure your website or blog clearly states you’re available for hire, and share examples of recent projects. If you can’t link to projects you did for your employer, mock up some designs on your own time.

Ask friends for referrals, and consider offering your services on a marketplace like Upwork. For more ideas, check out Mashable’s post on showcasing your freelance graphic design work.

How much can you make?

Designers with a few years of experience and solid portfolios can earn $100 per hour, but designer Jessica Hische recommends avoiding hourly pricing in a detailed project pricing analysis in Fast Company.

3. Develop Websites or Applications

Can you build a WordPress plugin with your bare hands? Do you spend more time on Github than Facebook? If playing with code is your thing, you can definitely turn your skills into extra income.

The age-old business advice applies here: Find a problem and solve it.

See a plugin that works, but not perfectly? Build your own improved version.

Notice a recurring issue with a WordPress theme? Tweak it to find a fix.

Want to be on-call tech support? Find a niche that needs tech-savvy help, and fill it.

Web developer Ben Meredith is a great example.

“In the process of cobbling together a website for my church, I learned enough to get a degree in ‘how not to do websites,’” he says. “To save people from having to go through what I went through, I started writing down what I was learning.”

The result is Church Web Help, a site “for churches who can’t afford to pay a full-time (or even part-time) webmaster,” which offers resources, training and custom WordPress sites.

How much can you make?

High-quality freelance developers can charge anywhere from $75 to $150 per hour, says Meredith. You can easily double your rates for “crisis situations” or fast turnarounds, such as when a site has been hacked.

In addition, the more specialized and server-side you are, the higher your potential rates.

4. Take Photographs

Shutterbugs, this one’s for you. If you have a decent camera (no, your iPhone doesn’t count), a basic understanding of photographic principles and experience with photo-editing programs, you could earn money taking photos.

Whether you’re keen to start a side business as a portrait photographer, would like to capture memories as a wedding photographer, or simply want to sell your pictures through a stock photography website, earning money as a photographer is a popular side hustle.

If you’re pursuing the portrait business, find clients through word-of-mouth and by posting an online portfolio on your own website or on Flickr.

Breaking into the wedding business can be challenging, but start with word-of-mouth for that as well. Ask friends getting married whether their photographer could use a second shooter, or offer to spend a few hours taking engagement photos they can use on their wedding websites.

For stock photography, look into the submission guidelines on microstock websites like istockphoto.com or shutterstock.com and check out the advice for beginners on Everything Microstock.

How much can you make?

As a family portrait photographer, Susan Shain charged $100 per session, which involved about three hours of work, though she noted this was for friends and family.

“I haven’t pursued this as a serious side business, but if I did, I’d probably charge a lot more,” Shain explains.

Wedding photographers charge a wide range of prices depending on location, experience, style and demand. The average cost for wedding photography is around $2,000, according to WeddingWire, and photographer JP Danko estimates high-end wedding photographers can charge $9,000 or more per wedding.

Stock photography websites often pay between 15 and 50 cents per photo sold, though some photos can sell for up to $60, according to PetaPixel.

5. Offer Calligraphy

Do you have beautiful handwriting? Have you mastered the art of the perfectly crisp pen stroke?

Turn your calligraphy skills into cash by offering freelance calligraphy services. While handwritten envelopes, place cards and signs are most common for weddings, you may also be able to drum up business from baby showers, birth announcements and milestone birthday parties.

Expert calligraphers recommend practicing constantly, investing in quality tools and taking an introductory course. Find clients by promoting examples of your work on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and connecting with other calligraphers for potential referrals.

How much can you make?

Hand-lettered envelopes run $2 to $5 each on Etsy, and signs go for $50 or more. Depending how much time you’re keen to devote, especially in the run-up to the busy wedding season, you could earn a fair amount of cash.

Look at what other sellers are charging to figure out how to set your own rates.

6. Paint Murals

Skilled with a paintbrush? Earn extra cash while making your neighborhood a little more beautiful.

Whether it’s showcasing an iconic view on a prominent downtown building or decorating a child’s bedroom, mural painting is an often-overlooked creative side gig.

Start by asking friends and family if any rooms could use an artistic makeover; perhaps a plain room could use a cool update before a baby arrives, or a baby-themed room needs redecorating as its owner enters elementary school.

To find other clients, ask satisfied customers for referrals and list your services on sites like FindaMuralist.com.

How much can you make?

One muralist charges $60 per hour, while others charge $10 to $20 per square foot or even $200 per square foot.

7. Officiate Weddings

Look outside the “hard” skills like your ability to write code or take amazing photos.

Can you talk to anyone? Are you a great speaker? Do you love celebrating love? Consider a weekend side gig as a wedding officiant.

Your business set-up will vary based on your state, and the legal requirements vary, but officiating weddings could be a fun side hustle.

Once you’ve performed a few weddings for friends or family members, ask them to mention your availability to other couples they know.

How much can you make?

Yvonne Doerre, who has officiated about 20 weddings in the Washington D.C. area, usually charges between $300 and $500 per wedding.

8. Babysit or Nanny

Yes, this counts as freelancing — knowing how to wrangle children is certainly a skill! Parents, oldest siblings and former camp counselors: This one’s for you.

Whether you want to look after school-aged kids on Saturday nights or help tired parents as a night nanny, you’ll find lots of opportunities to use your childcare experience to earn cash.

Look within your circle of friends and acquaintances first, as parents are more likely to trust someone they know. Ask friends if they know anyone else who could use a few hours to themselves, whether it’s to grocery shop without toddlers or simply to head to the gym.

How much can you make?

Average rates for babysitters start at $12 an hour, according to The Boston Globe, but vary depending on the market — you could earn more for watching more kids, working late nights or simply living in a bigger city.

The average rate for babysitters is nearly $14 an hour, according to Care.com’s 2017 Babysitter Survey.

These are just eight of the many ways you can turn your skills into lucrative freelance businesses. And we’ve only scratched the surface of ways to earn money on the side…

Make and Sell Art and Crafts

Plenty of people earn extra money from something that started as a crafty hobby. Whether you love knitting, felting, soap-making, woodwork or metal-smithing, there’s likely a market for your creations.

Sell your crafts online to reach customers around the world, whether you use your own website, Etsy or Amazon Handmade.

Look closer to home by pitching your products to local stores and renting a table at flea markets, and target a niche market by signing up for a dealer’s table at conventions.

What can you sell? Here are a few ideas.

9. Carve Walking Sticks

Using wood you’ve harvested from your own property, a friend’s or public land, create one-of-a-kind walking sticks. Adding special touches like stones, mirrors or leather straps will help you charge more.

How much can you make?

It depends where you sell and how fancy your walking sticks are. Simple sticks could sell for $8 at flea markets, but fancier options could bring in $60 each at craft shows or even more online, according to Steve Gillman.

10. Make Jewelry

Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, crazy contraptions that wrap around your face — jewelry designers make all kinds of amazing products.

Whether you work with metal, felt, old Scrabble tiles, origami cranes or even deer antlers, you’ll likely find a market for your work.

How much can you make?

It depends on what you sell, but remember not to price your pieces too low. Make sure to cover the costs of materials, time, shipping, listing fees and other costs.

Keep an eye on craft forums for advice from experienced designers and sellers on what sells well.

11. Create Holiday Crafts

Yes, the winter holidays are over. Start practicing holiday crafts now for next year, or create similar options for other holidays.

While there may not be quite as many craft fairs before Valentine’s Day, Easter or Halloween, many people and businesses decorate for these holidays.

How much can you make?

Anywhere from $11 for simple garlands to $80 for a wooden wreath, according to Etsy. Be creative and experiment with different price points to see what works for your creations.

12. Paint, Sculpt, Draw, Print and Make Art

Consider what other crafty creations you could sell. From screenprinted T-shirts to framed prints or comic books, find a creative product that works for you.

Package Your Knowledge

Are you great at something? Know a lot about a particular program, activity or hobby?

The beauty of creating a digital product to share your knowledge is when people ask for advice, you can point them in the direction of your ebook or course — where your knowledge is nicely packaged up and ready to go.

And the biggest bonus? You create these products once, and earn money from them with every sale.

13. Write and Sell Ebooks

You know enough about a subject to write a book, right? Writer Jeff Goins advises that ebooks be around 20,000 words, though many are even shorter.

Outline your ideas, then fill in your sections with more detailed advice. If you already blog about a particular subject, you may be able to turn your blog posts into a book!

When you’re ready to sell, consider whether you’d prefer to sell through your own site or use a platform like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing or Apple’s iBooks.

How much can you make?

Writer Steve Gillman has earned more than $2,000 from a short, self-published Kindle ebook; Amazon pays writers 70% royalties on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99.

Here’s a guide to royalty rates on other platforms.

14. Create an Information Product

More complex than an ebook, an information product is often a package of resources that provides in-depth advice on a particular subject.

Sometimes including video or audio recordings in addition to text into products pack a lot of training into one package, and their price often reflects that.

For example, Chris Guillebeau’s Unconventional Guides generally include a PDF ebook, additional resource sheets, checklists, audio and video interviews with subject experts, and other tools.

How much can you make?

Depends on your niche, target market, authority and information.

For example, Guillebeau’s Upgrade Unlocked guide to luxury travel on a budget starts at $39. Authors Joanna Penn and Roz Morris sold their How to Write a Novel training for $297.

15. Launch an Online Course

If you’re keen to try a different format, try creating an online course. You could work through a platform like Udemy or Pathwright, or through your own website.

Create a course around any skill — or element of a skill — you can teach. Whether it’s mastering a piano concerto, planting a cost-effective vegetable garden or leading a killer workout, pick something you’re great at.

How much can you make?

On Udemy, the average instructor salary can vary greatly depending on a number of factors, such as the price of your courses, the number of courses you create, your network following, and your expertise on the topic. According to Forbes, the average instructor salary in 2014 was around $7,000, while others reported reaching six figures.

Teach and Tutor

If you’ve ever been a teacher, or you’re an expert on a subject, share your knowledge with new students as a tutor, coach or instructor.

Whether you’re explaining high-level algebra or how to hit that perfect arpeggio, instructing community college students or 8-year-olds, your teaching skills could help you boost your monthly income.

16. Tutor Students

If you’re great at a particular subject, consider tutoring students for extra cash. This is an especially lucrative option for those with advanced education or training in a particular subject.

As Leah Thayer noted in her post on teaching home-schooled students, her clients love that she’s a writer and can share real-world experience while explaining grammar and syntax concepts.

Whether you start your own business or join a tutoring agency like Brainfuse, focus on higher-level subjects like math, science or foreign languages. Because this material is more challenging to master, parents are less likely to be able to support kids themselves, recommended Thayer. You’ll likely have less competition and be able to command higher rates.

Find clients through word-of-mouth, though Thayer has also had some success with using Craigslist. Meet your clients at their homes or at local libraries or coffee shops. Be prepared to share references and even a background check to prove to parents that you’re trustworthy.

How much can you make?

Private tutors often earn between $12 and $20 an hour, according to Care.com, and can vary depending on age and experience. You could earn more if you have advanced degrees or live in a big city.

17. Start an Online Tutoring Business

You’re not limited to your local community; use tools like Skype or WyzAnt to connect with students outside your region.

You may not need to get a background check for these jobs, but you will have to prove your education or expertise in a field before starting.

How much can you make?

WyzAnt says its tutors charge between $30 and $60 an hour, and the site takes a 40% commission.

If you’re running a Skype tutoring business, you can set your own rates. One interview coach charges $250 for a 75-minute session.

18. Give Lessons

Whether you’re a champion chess player, an accomplished violinist or a wizard at creating the perfect smoky eye, chances are someone wants to learn your skill.

Share your expertise through word-of-mouth; make sure friends know about your awesome abilities. If you’d like to teach something that might be useful for students, such as music, art or chess, ask your tutor friends to recommend you to their clients.

Head online to reach a wider range of clients. Consider starting your own YouTube channel by uploading short videos that teach small, bite-sized elements of your skill.

How much can you make?

Earnings vary depending on your skill and how you teach it. A YouTube channel might bring in a couple hundred dollars in ad revenue if you get enough views.

19. Design an Adult Education Class

These programs go by many names, including continuing education, adult education and community learning, but have one thing in common: They pay instructors to share expertise with local students.

Classes are diverse, ranging from Spanish language to making bead jewelry to cheese-making, and are usually offered by local community colleges or school boards.

Keen to try it for yourself? Search for “adult education classes + [your city]” to see where classes are offered, then get in touch with the host organization to pitch a class of your own.

How much can you make?

Adult education programs may pay hourly, a percentage of student fees, or a flat rate, according to Steve Gillman. His wife earned $20 an hour teaching Spanish at a local adult education program.

Make Money From Your Body, Brain and Opinions

Yes, you can get paid simply for being yourself — though you’ll have to decide whether these particular gigs are right for you.

Whether you’re happy being a human guinea pig or you’d prefer to stick to sharing your thoughts on a product, these side gigs can add some extra cash to your wallet.

20. Sign Up for Focus Groups

Share your thoughts on products and services with the teams behind developing and marketing them, and you could earn cash or gift cards for your time and feedback.

You’ll want to sign up with several focus group companies to maximize your chances of being called for a group.

How much can you make?

While some focus groups pay $250 or $300, the vast majority pay less. Participating in focus groups is a fun way to earn extra cash, but probably shouldn’t be your only money-making venture.

21. Participate in Research Studies

Researchers studying new medical treatments or human behavior need to test their ideas on subjects, and usually those guinea pigs get paid.

Whether you’re open to testing new pharmaceuticals or prefer to stick to psychological studies, you could earn extra cash as a test subject. You might have to do unusual things, though, like staying awake for hours or pooping on a set schedule.

This option is especially handy for those who live in major cities or near large universities, but those who live rurally can also participate through online trials. Here’s a great list of where to find clinical trials.

How much can you make?

Anywhere from $10 to more than $5,000, depending on the time commitment and invasiveness of the study.

Be sure to read the fine print, as some university psychology research subjects are only compensated with college credit.

22. Become a Standardized Patient

Is your acting Oscar-worthy? If you can pretend to be sick well enough to fool a medical student, working as a standardized patient could be a fun side job. You’ll get paid to help students practice diagnoses and bedside manner.

Find these jobs at large medical schools or on online job boards like Indeed. You’ll need to be healthy, over 18 and likely available during normal business hours.

How much can you make?

Standardized patients can earn between $15 and $20 an hour, according to Catherine Alford.

23. Try Art Modeling

Yes, you will likely need to be naked. But posing for art students in a legitimate class can be an interesting and lucrative side job.

To find these opportunities, skip Craigslist and head to local colleges, adult education programs, art schools and even galleries. Ask whether they offer drawing classes and ask about live model gigs.

How much can you make?

Art models often earn around $20 or $25 an hour.

24. Sell Your Body

Legally, of course.

Moms have made news lately for selling extra breast milk, and sperm donation has long been an option for men. (Though, as Sean Berkley noted on Cracked, sperm banks are picky about who they’ll accept; you’ll usually have to be young, tall, educated and in good shape.)

Young women could earn $5,000 or more as egg donors, though as one donor notes, by the time you’ve finished the intensive process, you’ll likely feel you’ve earned every penny.

Need a less-invasive option? Selling your blood plasma is a simple option open to most people, as long as you’re healthy.

How much can you make?

Up to $60 a day selling breast milk; $20 to $125 per sperm donation; or $20 to $45 per session selling plasma.

Get Creative

Not convinced any of the above ideas will work for you? Try one of these crazy jobs and weird businesses.

Come up with a unique venture and maybe it’ll be a hit, like these out-there ideas. Which of your interests or skills could fill a need in the marketplace?

25. Cuddle for Cash

Samantha Hess gets paid $60 an hour to cuddle with strangers in Portland, Oregon. She’s not the only professional cuddler out there, either — Jackie Samuel runs a similar business in Rochester, New York.

While these businesses can be controversial (Samuel has been accused of prostitution, and another snuggling business in Wisconsin closed down after authorities suspected illegal activity), they’re an interesting example of thinking outside of the box.

And if you’re not a people person, you can even get paid to cuddle cats. What a purr-fect gig for cat lovers.

26. Invent a Product

Rather than sinking your life savings into a product that requires a ton of testing and paperwork, try low-risk inventions that fill a need. Who could have predicted the success of the Pet Rock?

To generate ideas, try a few of these strategies suggested by Steve Gillman:

• Combine Ideas (vacuum + bug control = motion-activated bug vacuum device)

• Find New Applications (books become hollowed-out hiding places for valuables)

• Find Problems to Solve (sore feet led to “Foot Petals,” a million-dollar business)

• Challenge Assumptions (“bicycles need leg power” becomes a bike you row like a boat)

Create a low-cost prototype. Crowdfund on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, submit your idea to innovation lab Quirky, or simply bootstrap until you sell enough products to cover additional production costs.

Making money on the side is a smart way to pay off your debt faster or boost your savings account. Whether you start a small business, freelance with your existing skills or find a way to make money from a hobby, let this be the year you start earning extra money.

This post originally appeared in 2015, but we brought it back to help you make more money on the side in 2018.

Heather van der Hoop is a freelance editor and a copyeditor at MEC. When she’s not reading, you can usually find her playing along with Jeopardy! Or climbing rocks, mountains and trees.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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