Answer: It’s having the discipline to set aside savings for emergencies.

Having an emergency fund is a critical first step towards financial stability and living debt-free.

Consider this scenario: you’re paycheck to paycheck and an unexpected doctor visit happens that goes on your credit card, which you struggle to pay off because you’re paycheck to paycheck, and then when your car needs a surprise part, that also goes on the credit card, and so on and so on as your debt continues to build.

Now consider this scenario: you’re paycheck to paycheck but you work hard to skim a little bit off each month into a dedicated emergency fund. After a few months, an unexpected doctor visit happens … and you’re able to pay it off in full with your emergency money. Then, you continue to work hard to re-fund that account, so when your car needs a surprise part, you can pay that off too. You start to feel more in control of your finances, and less stress.

Having an emergency savings fund helps you not only 1) dig out of debt, but 2) keep you from crawling back into debt. Win-win, right?

Right! Except sometimes it’s challenging to save money when things are tight. Or to stay motivated when you can only contribute a small amount. I hear you. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

Fortunately, once you know the importance of having an emergency fund, there are ways to speed up savings! Below are ten ways to turbo-charge your emergency fund so that you can get to your saving goals even faster.

1) Aim for a Number

 
It will be easier for you to achieve your savings goal if you know how much you’re aiming for. Most experts recommend having at least $1,000 in an emergency fund, and working your way up to the equivalent of 3 months of living expenses.

That might seem like a lot when you’re first starting out, but every little bit helps. Having the $1,000 benchmark also helps you understand how much you’ll need to save each month to get there.

2) Track Your Spending

 
Now that you know how much to save, you’ll need to know how to save. The first step is to track your money. You can use an app like mint.com for that, or try downloading our free budget tracker. This will help you group your spending into different categories (like rent, groceries, bills, dining out, etc.) and see where your hard-earned money is going.

Take special note of any categories that seem like they’re eating up a lot of your monthly income. Some people use the 50/30/20 rule as a good benchmark to understand if they’re spending the right amount. The rule is as follows: 50% needs (bills, rent, groceries), 30% wants (dining out, entertainment, shopping) and 20% savings (emergency fund, retirement, etc.).

3) Set Up Automatic Deposits

 
One of the top complaints about saving for emergencies is that it’s hard to find “leftover” money to put towards savings. Which is why you shouldn’t treat it as “leftover” money.

Instead, take money out of your paycheck automatically to put into savings. You won’t even notice the money missing as your emergency fund steadily grows.

4) Use a Round-Up App

 
One of my favorite ways to save without noticing is through savings apps that have a “round-up” feature. It’s a trigger-based rule in the app that basically rounds-up every purchase you make and saves the difference. So, if you paid $2.60 for coffee one morning, the app would put $.20 into your savings account.

It’s a very small amount when you look at each individual transaction, but it all adds up! I’ve used apps like Qapital to save over $100 in round-ups alone.

5) Trim the Fat from Your Spending

 
We talked about tracking your spending earlier, but now is the time to get down and dirty with the numbers. What areas of your spending can you cut down on? Could you shave $50 off of eating out per month and put that towards savings?

Try doing some rough calculations to determine the impact of less spending. For example, if you were to cut down on groceries by $40 a month, how much faster could you reach your savings goal?

6) Sell Things You Own

 
If you’ve already cut down as much as you can on spending, it may be time to get creative! One way is to sell your stuff and use the profit towards savings. You can sell lightly used clothes, old furniture, books, etc.

I’ve had friends who successfully use Threadup.com to sell their clothes, and craigslist to sell furniture. Some of their tips are to get as descriptive as possible in your posting, and be honest about any wear and tear to the item. Transparency helps build trust and actually helps sell the item faster!

7) Start a Side Hustle

 
Another way to save more money is to make more money! I started freelance writing as a way to make extra income to put towards saving and paying off my student loans. In fact, I was just able to pay off two of my loans with the help of my side hustles.

This blog is full of awesome tips and advice for starting your own side hustle. Some of my favorite posts include how to start making money by pet-sitting, tutoring or renting your place on airbnb.

If you like writing like me, than check out this post on how to start freelancing. Just know that some of these may take some time to get off the ground, but once they’re running they can be an awesome source of extra cash.

8) Save Windfalls

 
It’s tempting to think that windfalls (like a bonus or a tax return) are “fun money,” after all, they’re money on top of what you normally make. However, these windfalls are what will allow you to gain momentum on your savings even faster. Every bonus I’ve gotten for the past three years I’ve split between my emergency savings fund and student loans. It’s so satisfying to see the impact right away, rather than slowly chipping away.

If you’re having a hard time parting with your windfall, try compromising with yourself. Take 80% and put it towards your emergency fund, and take the other 20% and use it for whatever you want! That way you still feel like you got some “fun” money, and are working towards financial goals.

9) Avoid Product Markups

 
A good way to save money on the day-to-day items is to avoid products with the biggest markups. This means that retailers are selling the item at a much higher price than what they paid for it, allowing them to turn a higher profit. These items usually are able to sell with a higher price-point because of consumer demand.

According to wisebread.com, here are some examples of products with high markups:

• Bottled water (280,000% markup)

• Non-Generic Prescription drugs (443%)

• Prepared Coffee and Tea (200%)

• Designer clothes (100%)

• Pre-Cut Veggies/Fruit (40%)

10) Get Your Social Life on Board

 
Cutting back on spending so that you can save more money is a lot harder if you’re constantly asked to go out to dinners, get drinks or see shows. If you’re serious about saving, you need to get your friends on board with some of your lifestyle changes.

Tell your friends that you still want to hang out, but that you’re trying to cut back on spending. Help them brainstorm ideas that you can do together that don’t cost a lot of money — like making dinner, renting a movie or having a game night. It can be awkward to talk about money but you might be surprised at how many friends will be grateful for the opportunity to save as well.

 
Related:

• 10 Unexpected Expenses to Plan For

• 8 Different Money Saving Challenges to Try

• The Ultimate Personal Finance Checklist (with Free Download)

 
I hope you enjoyed these tips to turbo-charge your emergency fund. Don’t get frustrated if it takes you awhile – as long as you’re making saving a priority, you’re doing it right! What are some of your savings tips? Comment below!
 
 

That being said, landing paid freelance writing gigs didn’t happen overnight. It definitely took some work and was overwhelming at times to start.

Today I will share what I learned and show you how to become a paid freelance writer. Let’s dive in!

Choose Your Niche

 
There are usually two types of writers that clients are searching for: a general writer and/or someone in a specific niche. You’ll hear from some bloggers that it’s best to start out being general. That way, you won’t close yourself off to any opportunities.

The problem with this advice is that it makes it incredibly difficult to market yourself to potential clients. Especially when it comes to building your portfolio through your blog (more on that next).

Having a niche or specific area of focus will help you narrow in on potential clients to target, and will help you build up subject-matter expertise. Spreading yourself too thin across multiple genres may mean that you won’t be able to show potential clients much breadth of knowledge.

When it comes to choosing a niche, take David, the founder of Young Adult Money’s advice:
 

When it comes to choosing a niche my advice is simple: pick something you actually enjoy. Ideally you will already have some background in the niche so that you can save yourself some research time. Establishing yourself in a niche will take a long time and you will end up writing hundreds of blog posts in the niche, so pick something you enjoy.

 
Establish yourself in one niche before looking for a second – becoming well-established in one niche before moving into another one helps writers avoid burnout and being stretched too thin.

You’ll want to be a subject matter expert in one area before venturing into something totally different. This is especially true for people who are only looking to write “on the side” and do not have plans of making a career out of it.

Start Your Own Blog

 
The most critical piece of advice for those looking to become paid freelance writers is that you need a place to showcase your writing. These days it’s so easy to start a blog and use it to create a portfolio of content that you are unlikely to find a client who will take you up if you do not have a blog.

Starting a blog is absolutely necessary if your goal is to become a paid freelance writer. Not only does your blog showcase your personality and expertise, but it can show editors that you know what it takes to manage a blog (yours)! There’s a lot that goes into blogging and no client is going to want to spend time training you on how to use WordPress or on how blogs should be structured. By having a blog with published content you show that you have spent the time getting up to speed on WordPress and what goes into a blog post.

I won’t go into too much detail here about how to start a blog. You can find a great overview to starting a blog here. However, I will give you the nuts and bolts. Essentially you’ll want to purchase a domain, get a hosting provider, and use WordPress.

Many bloggers (including David and many of my blogger friends) swear by using BlueHost to host their sites. If you’re looking for a good deal on hosting, Young Adult Money actually has the cheapest possible price on BlueHost hosting plans, something Dave actually negotiated with BlueHost to get for our readers. Follow this link to get the special Young Adult Money pricing. You’ll even get a free domain name out of it!

One additional benefit of having a blog is that it can become an extra income stream in itself even if your primary goal is to become a paid freelancer writer. Here’s 12 income streams you can make through blogging.

Beef Up Your Social Presence

 
Before you decide to send your farewell tweet, you may want to know that many prospective clients and bloggers may vet your social media presence before deciding to hire you. Not only are they looking to see if you can talk the talk, but if you have a decent social following it’s built-in amplification for their brand when you share things you’ve written for them.

Social media can also be an invaluable tool for connecting with other bloggers, freelancers and publishers. In fact, I started writing for Young Adult Money because we followed each other on twitter and shared each other’s content. Finally, I worked up the nerve to DM David to see if he was interested in hiring additional contributors and if I could send him some pitches.

And well, here I am! You never know when a social connection may become your next client. Just start by following and engaging with content from publishers you want to write for. Which brings me to my next step..

Create List of Editors and Contact Info

 
Do you have a favorite personal finance site you love to read? Contact the editor and ask if they are looking for new writers. List your qualifications, experience, blog URL (remember having a blog is essential to becoming a paid freelance writer), pitch ideas and give an exact time frame as to when you could have the articles completed by.

I actually created a spreadsheet of finance writers and bloggers and their contact info, niche, how to submit posts, and rates. As I went down the list, and contacted editors, I could tailor my pitches, and document the responses I was getting.

P.S. Don’t get disheartened if you never hear back or you get turned down. You have to have thick skin if you want to be a paid freelance writer. Not only because you will face rejection (guaranteed), but you’ll need to be able to handle criticism and edits to your work and not take it personally.

Research Rates

 
You’ll want to do some research on writing rates before you start reaching out to editors. Do a quick Google search for a rough idea of what to charge, and ask other freelancers in your area.

Also, if you’re just starting out and trying to build your portfolio – write for a low rate! Nothing beats experience at the beginning, and having additional samples and clients to add to your portfolio will make you that much more marketable in the future. You can always raise your rates down the road.

Check Job Boards

 
Be on the lookout for new opportunities. Besides social media, you can check job sites daily for new postings, like freelance writing gigs and Problogger.

You can join freelancing groups, check job search engines and other sites specifically geared towards freelancing. With freelancing, jobs come and go, so it’s important to always be on the lookout for more work.

Keep Writing!

 
Even if work doesn’t come flooding in at first (which it probably won’t, just being honest), keep writing. The more you practice writing, the faster you’ll get and the better you’ll be at finding your voice. The more content you have out there, the more opportunities you will create for yourself.

Don’t give up on searching for writing opportunities if it’s something you’re passionate about. I’m a strong believer that if you put enough time and dedication towards something, you will eventually see something amazing happen!
 
 

Normally I’d agree with you, but I recently went through a job search process and for the first time in my life, actually looked forward to “proving my stuff” in interviews.

I know, I sound crazy. I haven’t always loved the interviewing process. I used to get sweaty palms and an upset stomach every time I had a phone interview or met with a hiring manager.

So, what changed? Well, obviously, as my career went on I had more material to pull from to prove my performance, but that’s not all.

I realized that half of my stress came from trying to answer those nerve-racking “tell me a time when” questions!

“Tell me a time when you handled negative feedback.” Oh man, okay, how do I spin this? I can’t say I texted my BFF for ten minutes about how much I disliked my co-worker, right?

“Tell me a time you dealt with conflict” Hmm, should I share that time or that time … or that time?

“Tell me a time when you navigated ambiguity.” Haha, welcome to my life, mister. No, I mean…

The thing is, these are common interview questions for a reason. They help an interviewer get a sense for how you think on your feet and a glimpse into your behavior and work style. They’re not going away any time soon.

So, I thought why not have “canned” answers for these questions that I could rehearse and have “at-the-ready?” What if I could just nail down my best example for each of those questions, write it out, and then use that example every time I got that question?

Which is exactly what I did.

I created a spreadsheet with some of the most common interview questions I was frequently getting and my top answers. (Which, by the way, you can get this template for yourself here! Just scroll to the form at the bottom of the post.)

 
I no longer had to spend hours of prep time before each phone or in-person interview, racking my brain or re-writing answers. Instead, I could focus on researching the company, getting really good at my elevator pitch and coming up with thoughtful questions to ask them.

The beauty of having this type of “personal cheat sheet” was that I became super confident, well-spoken, calm and under control for any question they threw at me. I knew I was choosing the absolute best examples to showcase my skills and abilities because I had vetted them beforehand and put them into my spreadsheet.

It was awesome. And it landed me the job.

Want to give it a try for your next interview? Just download the free template and fill in the blanks. Let us know if you like it!

Download the Common Interview Questions template by filling out your email address in the form below.

If you prefer a PDF download, fill out your email address in the form below.

If you’re thinking about starting a photography side hustle, you’ve come to the right place! Knowing what to expect and how to set yourself up for success is half the battle.

I’ve asked some amazing photographers to share with us their best tips and expert tricks to launching a photography side hustle. These amazing women are experts in the photography game while juggling 9-to-5’s like a boss. Read on to hear what they said!

1) Nail Down Your Signature Style

 
This one may take some time to fully develop, but it’s critical that you know your personality as a photographer. From weddings to family portraits, people have many options to choose from, so you’ll need to get good at visually articulating your unique identity. Maybe it’s the creativity you bring to shoots, the unique way you manipulate light or your editing style, whatever it is, lean into it!

In the beginning you might be tempted to look at other peoples’ work for inspiration, but Chantell Quernemoen, founder of Chantell Lauren Photography, warns against this. “Sometimes people start out by making the mistake of spending a lot of time trying to mimic others’ work. Over the years, I have learned that creating stuff that I loved and trusting my own vision pushed myself into work I was truly proud of.”

Managing expectations about your style will be another critical part of your business. “Have your subjects check out your work before you book so they’re familiar with your style.,” says Molly May McMahan, founder of SIX PEAKS. “Explain to them your shooting style so they know what to expect.”

Cultivating your signature style may take a lot of experimentation, and that’s okay! If you’re not sure where to start, try asking your friends how they’d describe your photography. You might hear a theme surface that you can hone in on.

The important thing is to keep playing with it. As Molly says, “practice on your friends. Try new shit. Ask for critiques.” Excuse me while I sew that phrase on a pillow…

2) Figure Out Your Personal Finances

 
Getting serious about launching this side hustle will take some initial investment. You’ll need to understand how that investment will impact your budget, so you can be financially prepared. If we’re going middle-of-the-road costs with equipment, website, marketing and legal fees (if licensing), then you’re looking at anywhere between $1,200 – $3,000 to start.

Hopefully, that number doesn’t scare you away from starting your side hustle. It really just takes a few month of planning and preparing your budget for the investment. Try using this budget tracker spreadsheet to see if there are areas you can cut down on expenses, and put that money towards your business.

3) Get the Right Equipment

 
Here’s an area where many beginners go overboard with top of the line cameras, lenses and lighting kits. The best advice here is to start with the basics and grow into it. “You definitely don’t always need the best camera or best lens to start out!” says Chantell. “I started with a canon rebel t2i and 50mm 1.8 lens (about $500-$600). It was perfect – I learned to shoot on this for my first year. Getting to know your equipment well will only make your finished product better.”

I loved the frank advice that Mandi and Seth Synstelien of Southhill Studios Ltd.Co, gave me: “Don’t treat it like a side business; be a master of your craft! Know how to take good pictures, which is knowing composition and knowing your camera inside and out. If you’re shooting on auto you shouldn’t be charging people for your services.”

*Inserts praise hands emoji*

Not sure what you like or need? Try it before you buy it! “There are also awesome places out there you can rent from to try [equipment] out first before pulling the trigger on buying your own,” says Molly. Check out National Camera Exchange or West Photo to test drive equipment before making a huge financial investment. “Upgrades to the latest and greatest can always come later,” says Chantell.

4) Create a Visually Stunning Website

 
Before we dive into the fun part of creating your website, I asked professional web designer, Ann Lindquist (annklindquist.com) for her tips on creating a killer website for photographers. She says you need to start with asking yourself these questions:

Are your clients going to need to download the photos from your website? If so, you’ll need a lot of hosting space and a secure login capability for people to access and order photos.

Is your site mobile responsive? Think about when people are asking their network for recommendations on photographers – usually when they’re out at happy hours or get-togethers. Making sure your website is there for them in those spaces is critical to help market your business.

This goes without saying but your website design needs to be optimized to show off all your hard work! Think beautiful gallery pages, plenty of white space and clean layout. Your photography should do the talking – not a bunch of copy, bells and whistles.

WordPress and BlueHost are a great combination that should set you up with the templates you need and solid hosting capabilities. More on how to set these up here.

While we’re on the subject of websites, it’s also important to think about the amount of space you’ll need on your computer for media. “The sheer amount of hardware space one needs for media production is something I wish we had known sooner. Poor organizational planning equates to lost media,” said Mandi. Get a good estimate for how much storage space you’ll need and a plan of action for how you’ll store and update your files regularly.

5) Research The Legal Stuff

 
Depending on how much money you estimate making with your side hustle, there are a few legal things to consider. Chantell recommends getting connected with a good accountant to help understand the logistics of taxes, as that can be a little difficult to navigate on your own.

First, you’ll want to decide on a name for your business and check trademarks (even if it’s as simple as Your Name Photography). The simplest way to check for trademarks is to go to USPTO.gov and perform a TESS trademark search. If search results turn up nothing, that’s a good thing! Now you’ll just want to perform some google searches to make sure no one else is using a name that is the same or similar. If they are, it may just be easiest to choose a different name.

As far as registering your name, there are a few different options for you to research. You can register your business name or trade name, or register your business as a legal entity (LLC). Many new and small businesses operate under the most basic form of business type – sole proprietorship. According to sba.gov, a sole proprietorship is basically an unincorporated business owned and run by one individual (no partners are involved), with no distinction between the business and its owner.

As far as insurance goes, “It’s definitely a great idea to have insurance to protect yourself and to cover any damage or issues with equipment,” said Chantell. She recommends talking to your home or renter’s insurance agents as a great place to start if you have questions.

BONUS: Market Your Business

 
Okay, now for the fun part – getting the word out about your business! Don’t feel too overwhelmed by this part. Building a client portfolio will take some time, but momentum can build fast. Try starting with these tactics:

• Google Listing – Make sure you list your business on Google so you show up when people use search or Maps.

• Facebook – Create a Facebook Business page and upload your best shots. Create a regular posting schedule and if possible, try creating a few Facebook ads. Once in Ads Manager you’ll be able to target specific locations, interests (like weddings), and demographics.

• Instagram – Use the Instagram Live feature to document behind-the-scenes work on shoots. Show off your signature style by curating your Instagram page. Instagram is a favorite of Chantell’s, “It’s a great place to show your work in a simplified and curated way, while getting to interact with other photographers and prospective clients!”

• Word of Mouth – Create momentum by building your portfolio with friends and family first. Ask friends if they’d be willing to shoot with you – you’d be surprised at how many people would love the chance to get high-quality photos in exchange for their time. Volunteer your services for local events or artists.

Starting something new can be daunting, especially when there’s financial skin in the game. However, you could be close to something incredibly rewarding – for your wallet and your soul. Have confidence in yourself and enjoy the ride!

 
Related:

• How to Find Time to Side Hustle

• 10 Reasons Why You Need to Start a Side Hustle Today

• 5 Things You Should Do to Start a Successful Side Hustle

• The Most Popular Side Hustles (According to Research)

 
 
Are you thinking of starting a photography side hustle? What are you most excited for? What are you most nervous about? Share in the comments!
 
 

You’ll be able to put your skills to use and make a difference in a students’ life. What better way to make some extra money?

If you’re wondering how to get started, read on for the 5 steps to start a tutoring side hustle. With a little preparation, you can get up and running with little starting cost.

Step 1: Figure Out Your Niche

 
What are you qualified to teach? What areas did you excel in at school? You can also think outside of the classroom to find your niche. Many tutors find jobs coaching kids in a certain sport or instrument. You can also tutor people on specific tests, and not just school-related exams like the SATs, but on industry-specific exams as well.

What age group would you like to work with? Make sure you’re familiar with the general level of subject matter of whichever grade you decide.

What area are you willing to travel to? Driving to a student 30 minutes away every week, may cut into your costs (and motivation)! If you’re thinking about hosting your tutoring sessions in your own home, keep in mind that parents will want to see your space and make sure they check out any references first. Going to a library or quiet, public area might be best until you build more of a solid reputation.

Step 2: Understand Expectations

 
Parents are spending their hard-earned money to see results from your efforts. Not to scare you away from tutoring, but you need to take it seriously. Understand exactly what parents are expecting of you and what you can realistically deliver.

Have a plan for every single session and make sure they’re part of a bigger lesson plan. This can be figured out with an initial meeting to determine goals for each student. Be prepared to be able to answer things like what your lesson plans look like, how you’ll do invoicing, how you’ll do scheduling, if you’ll provide any supplies and/or materials, and if you will assign any homework.

Step 3: Determine Your Hourly Rates

 
Do market research to find out how much tutors are charging in your area. Then, as you gain clients, do the math to figure out how much you actually need to earn to make tutoring worthwhile. For example, if you’re goal is to pay off a student loan with income from tutoring, how much extra income do you need a week? Divide that number by your students and subtract any business expenses. That’s how much you should be charging. Using this budget tracker can help you determine other areas you can cut back on.

Teachers and tutors who are very knowledgeable can charge a premium for their services. For example, the writer of this blog post has a friend who charges $100 an hour for her tutoring services in middle school science. At that rate, she could work only 10 hours a month and earn an extra $1,000!

Step 4: Get the Word Out

 
Now that you understand your business, it’s time to get the word out! Don’t be shy about emailing all of your friends and family, or passing out business cards. Other ideas include:

• Posting flyers in your neighborhood

• Signing up for NextDoor.com and creating a post about your services

• Posting on Craigslist

• Creating a Facebook ads targeting to your area

• Joining a tutoring service (You can make more money by starting your own tutoring business, but can also find more opportunities by joining a professional tutoring service.)

If you want to stand out even more, get a tutoring certification. The National Tutoring Association has a program that allows you to become an NTA-certified tutor. It costs about $25 and you go through an application process, but it may be worth it for the extra credibility it will lend to your service.

Step 5: Stay Organized

 
Stay organized about each student and about how much money you’re making. Not only will this help you be a more efficient teacher, it will also make tax time that much simpler. According to intuit.com, if you’re a freelancer or contractor and you received more than $600 from any side job during the tax year, the individual or company that paid you generally must supply you with Form 1099-MISC – as in miscellaneous income. Basically you’ll need to report this income on your taxes. For more tips on this subject, read this: How to Pay Taxes for Side Hustles and Extra Income.

Carefully track each hour for each client and be consistent about when you invoice each month. Make sure you send confirmation of payment and keep all receipts!

So there you have it, 5 steps to starting a tutoring side hustle. I hope you found these tips useful and best of luck in setting up your business!

 
 
Have you started a tutoring side hustle? What things did you learn? Leave a comment!
 
 

I’m fighting the urge to start my sentence with, “Later that evening as I sat by my window, I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘could new shoes really buy me happiness?’”

But I’ll save you from that.

Instead, I would like to seriously tap into questions surrounding materialism, and take a look at how we can all find a little more health, happiness and contentment in our lives.

How Does Materialism Affect Our Happiness?

 
As we all come off the consumeristic high of of the holidays, both our bank accounts and attitudes may be a bit dark. New toys, tools and gadgets have been excitedly unwrapped, but for many of us, weeks later, our happiness has more or less stayed the same.

Why is that? Doesn’t owning more make us more happy?

It can – to a certain point. The act of shopping, as it turns out, activates specific regions of the brain. According to Neurology Times, some of these regions provide positive feedback to bring about a sense of happiness, while others actually trigger a sense of pain and displeasure (like buyer’s remorse).

It can also depend on what you buy. In a study that was published in Psychological Science, researchers found that people were happier if they spent on things that matched their personality. If you’re an introvert, you may feel more lasting satisfaction with a new book, versus an extrovert that spends money on drinks with friends. Matching purchases with values increased peoples’ satisfaction rates.

Unfortunately, the “shopper’s high” never lasts long, which can leave us looking for more … and more.

A study by Todd Kashdan and William Breen, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, found that materialistic people experience more negative emotion (such as fear and sadness), less positive emotion, and less meaning in their lives.

In trying to understand why materialism undermines our pursuit of happiness, scientists have honed in on the fact that more materialistic people report particularly low levels of gratitude.

This makes sense. Gratitude forces our minds to focus on the things we have, or the experiences we cherish. Materialism, on the other hand, turns our mind to what we have lacking.

Going shopping or wanting things isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The problem is when we turn to stuff to fill an uncomfortable space in our lives. Or we look to stuff to bring us happiness. Or even after all the purchases, we still have that nagging feeling like we’re just not enough. However, we can look somewhere else to help us feel more fulfilled, without having to spend a dime.

Read on to learn more about how gratitude plays a role in cultivating wealth.

What Does Wealth Have to Do With Mindset?

 
If I were to ask you to describe someone who is “wealthy,” what would you say? Someone with a big house, good-paying job, vacations, plush retirement account, savings account and spending money? Sure, but maybe wealth is something else…

I like to think of wealth as more of a feeling. A feeling of abundance, security, optimism, and confidence. An overflowing sense of peace and generosity. Having wealth is the opposite of lacking. It’s contentment.

Why is contentment important to building wealth?

When we feel content, we want less. When we want less, we spend less. When we spend less we can save more, and when we save more we have more freedom and confidence in our lives.

Contentment can help us build feelings of abundance and wealth, which manifests in actual savings.

I like to call this the ‘wealth mindset.’ It’s sort of like the glass-half full exercise. Instead of looking at everything around you and seeing the things you need, look around you and recognize the things you already have.

It’s training your brain to look at the positive, instead of the negative.

So what do we do? How can we become more self-aware and foster feelings of abundance? How do we start to recognize our own wealth more often? Use these suggestions.

1) Travel, Travel, Travel!

 
Absolutely nothing puts things into perspective like traveling. Especially if you go outside your comfort zone and leave the plushy pillow tops of your hotel bed. Travel to places with different people than you. Experience a different lifestyle. Watch how definitions of “wealth” change.

The first time I ever experienced a soul-grabbing change in my understanding of wealth, was when I spent a week in Nogales Mexico, helping build a daycare. We drove a school bus from Minneapolis to Nogales, shivering in the dark and sweating through the day. We drank Coke at meals because it was cheaper than water. I carried a tin of sawdust to the outhouse every morning. I played soccer on concrete with a deflated rubber ball. I also saw the proud look on kids’ faces when they’d score against us. And noticed how hard I slept after a full day of hammering.

I came home from that trip almost overwhelmed at the stuff I had at my disposal. Hot — and cold! – running water, a flushing toilet, grass to run in, clean water to drink, air conditioning, food choice after food choice. It was almost nauseating. In the days that followed, I no longer took all of that for granted, as my experience had brought me back to cherishing the basics.

I had a similar experience after I came home from my semester abroad in Spain. I had lived in a tiny apartment with a 50-year old woman; my host mom. It was clean and efficient and about the same as many other apartments in the area – nothing more, nothing less. My host mom thought her place was luxurious.

I remember coming home to my parent’s house in Minnesota and thinking, ‘holy crap, my host mom’s apartment would fit twice in here.’ My eyes were once again opened to the insane fact that we had a whole house to live in, with a yard! So much space! And yet, my mom would walk around the house complaining that our kitchen was too small or that we didn’t have enough storage.

That experience in my host mom’s apartment made me realize the power of comparison on a much bigger level. My mom was comparing her house to the neighbors’ houses, and the ones we saw on HGTV, and in her glossy home decor magazines. Could you imagine if all the ads we saw, and the TV shows we watched, showed the tiny apartments my host mom and her friends were in? How would that change how my mom felt about her storage? What type of mirror would it serve to her own lifestyle?

Travel can give us all a healthy dose of perspective.

2) Volunteer for a Cause

 
Similarly to travel, volunteering for the less fortunate can be a humbling experience, giving us perspective of our own situation. The Global One Foundation describes volunteering as a way to “promote a deeper sense of gratitude as we recognize more of what is already a blessing/gift/positive in our life.”

Giving back will also make you feel good. No, really. Studies show that when people donated to charity, the mesolimbic system, the portion of the brain responsible for feelings of reward, was triggered.

Try looking for volunteer events using a site like volunteermatch.com, or a local church.

3) Start a Gratitude Practice

 
Contentment starts in our minds. In fact, studies show that practicing daily gratitude leads to feelings of contentment. In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

Try starting your own daily practice of gratitude. It could be as simple as mentally naming the things you’re grateful for before bed, or taking five minutes to start a gratitude journal. Either way, make it a habit to see the greatest shift in your wealth mindset.

I hope these tips have reminded you to seek gratitude in your life, and be open to its effects. Having a wealth mindset is about changing your perspective to see the fullness around you, instead of the emptiness. This may not be feasible all the time, but it’s helped me take a step back, put the credit card away, and feel good.

 
 
What are ways you practice gratitude? How has travel changed your perception of enough? Share in the comments.
 
 

Do you know the basics of training and caring for animals?

Would you like to make some extra money?

If you said yes to these questions, pet sitting may be a good side hustle for you to consider.

Let’s cover who should consider pet sitting as a side hustle, and how to get started.

Why Consider Pet Sitting

 
Low Start-Up Cost – Aside from travel and any marketing or ads, pet sitting is incredibly easy to get into without much initial investment. The main cost you’ll want to account for when starting is pet sitting insurance, which will help protect you in case anything happens to the home or pet while on your watch (more on this later).

Pay – According to indeed.com, pet-sitters on average make $12-$13 dollars an hour, however this can vary widely by how many hours you work and how many pets you watch. In doing my research, I found pet-sitters that make anywhere between $500-$1,000 extra dollars per month by pet sitting.

Flexibility – Pet sitting can be great because you generally set your own schedule. If you need to make extra money, you can pick up more shifts during the week, or cut back if you’re feeling burnt out. Keep in mind that if you’re pet sitting a dog, they’ll have a more strict schedule and routine. Pet sitting can be an especially flexible side gig if you normally work from home. You can take your laptop with you and work while you watch the pets.

Mood Booster – New research is showing the positive correlation between interacting with animals and improving your mental health. Dogs in particular can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and playfulness, and even improve your cardiovascular health. Nice perks to earning a few extra dollars!

1) Know What You’re Getting Into

“People should know that as fun as pet sitting is, it’s not always easy. You are responsible for lives, which is a big deal especially when many pet owners consider their pets family members. You have to be punctual, caring, responsible, meticulous when it comes to following instructions, and you have to love animals. You also have to be able to handle the gross or difficult tasks like cleaning up accidents, administering medication, and staying calm in an emergency situation should one arise,” says Ashley Jacobs, CEO/Founder of Sitting for a Cause.

Pet sitting should not be taken lightly. “Be aware that you are being trusted to look after someone’s pride and joy, and have access to their home, so making sure you’re securely locking up before leaving and respecting their home is so important,” says Laura Hall, marketing executive at Shiply.

“I wish I’d known the amount of work involved. Taking on too many jobs can be very time consuming, so don’t say yes to too many!” says Laura. Start small while you learn the ropes and scale up if needed.

2) Develop Your Business

 
What kind of animals do you want to care for? How much time can you commit to this endeavor? What special certifications, experience or skills make you stand out from the others? Being able to answer these questions before you start will help you nail down your personal value proposition and set parameters for your business.

Also consider the area you want to serve and where you want to provide care. Are you going to take care of pets in your own home? If so, do you have a fenced-in yard? How will neighborhood animals respond to new animals in the area? Are you going to drive to client’s homes? If so, you may want to factor in the gas mileage and driving time into your losses.

When establishing your business with clients, “Be firm with drop off and pick up times,” says Diane Orenchuk, owner of Beyond the Walk Doggie Daycare and Boarding. “Provide each client with a half hour window or you may be waiting two hours for a dog’s owner to pick them up while your other appointments or plans need to be rescheduled.”

Diane also recommends you require payment at the time of pick-up. Or, if you’re using an app, you can ask your clients if they would be open to paying you in cash, rather than through whatever app they’re using. “I have found that many clients would rather you get the money rather than giving it to the third party,” says Gianna Sollitto, who has been pet sitting for over 5 years.

3) Consider the Pros and Cons of Pet Sitting Apps

 
With the gig economy booming, websites have popped up to help people connect with prospective clients. Some of the most popular pet sitting apps/websites are sittercity.com, care.com, rover.com and nextdoor.com.

With each of these sites, you create a profile, list your specifications and qualifications, area, rates and other details. It then connects you with people looking for pet-sitters. The main benefit of these tools is that they do most of the marketing for you, and can even provide insurance, emergency assistance and educational resources.

That being said, many of them will charge a small fee or take a portion of your profits for using their service. “[Be] aware of the exact pricing models that the app you’re going through uses is something I wish I had known beforehand. I wish I knew how much Rover took out of each gig before I started” says Gianna. According to Rover’s website, new pet-sitters and dog walkers whose profiles were created on or after March 1, 2016 take home 80% of their earnings from each booking. If you’re a pet-sitter or dog walker with RoverGO, you’ll take home 75% of your earnings from each booking.

4) Buy Insurance

 
If you work for a service like Rover, they offer insurance, but if you want to work on your own, you should purchase insurance from another organization. Having pet sitting insurance can mitigate your risk in case anything happens to a client’s home or pet under your watch. For example, let’s say you’re on a walk with a dog and it happens to bite someone walking past you. Your insurance should be able to protect you in case that person submits a claim against you for personal injury.

The four main carriers are:

• Pet Sitters Associates

• Business Insurers of the Carolinas

• Kennel Pro

• Pet Care Insurance

Two things to look for when choosing insurance is General Liability coverage and Bonding. General Liability protects your business from things like bodily injury, personal injury or property damage caused by your business’ operations. Being “Bonded” protects your business from theft or mysterious disappearance of your client’s personal property.

5) Get the Word Out

 
If you’ve signed up for sites like Rover or Sitter City, they’ll take care of matching you with work, but if you’re on your own, you’ll need to figure out how to go to market. Ashley recommends starting by offering to care for your family and friends’ pets for a lower rate in order to get references. As your references grow, so will your trust-worthiness and client base.

If you want to get into advertising your business, try using Facebook to launch a few geo-targeted ads in your neighborhood. They don’t cost much – you could spend as little as $10 and see if you get any traction. Just make sure your copy is clear, short and mobile-friendly, and your images are high-quality.

You can also get more clients by making sure your business goes above and beyond and puts clients minds at ease. “Owners love updates via text, email, photo and video. It is very important to send these to keep your clients’ minds at ease,” says Diane

Bonus Tip: Always Meet Pets First!

 
It’s always a good idea to meet the pet you’ll be sitting before agreeing to care for it. Julie Austin, author and business-owner advises, “You need to make sure you never take on mean or aggressive dogs. Not only is it a legal liability, but it upsets the whole pack in general. Know the personalities of the dogs and which ones will get along. Don’t take on dogs just because you need the money without making sure they are right for you. Have a meet and greet first to find out.”

This is especially important for sitting dogs, as they can be territorial. “If you are watching dogs at clients’ homes, understand that you are entering the dog’s home and should always meet the dog before caring for them for the first time,” says Diane.

I hope you found these tips useful and are ready to dig into launching your own pet sitting side hustle! Animal lovers have found it a great way to make extra money while getting in some quality time with pets.

 
Related:

• 10 Expert Tips if You Want to Become a Great Airbnb Host

• 10 Ways to Make an Extra $1,000 a Month

• The Most Popular Side Hustles (According to Research)

• Want to Work From Home? Here’s 15 Ideas to Get You Started

 
 
Have you made money pet sitting? What have you learned and would add to this list?