Spending Less...Earning More

After our son was born, we began to make big changes in our finances. I began to learn the art of spending less & earning more...FROM HOME! I didn't find this in 1 BIG thing....I began seeking out multiple streams of income. Here are some of the things that worked for me:

Spending Less

1. I started saving on my grocery bill in MANY ways!

• take a look at http://www.couponmom.com/ they match the local grocery ads with the coupons from the paper for the previous 3 months! I've literally had a grocery bill of $170 and only paid $90! YUP I saved about $80 by using coupons on items that were ON SALE!

2. I started planning my meals for 2 weeks at a time. Check out: http://www.momsbudget.com/

• This site has a bunch of cool tools to save money and free meal planning printables. I check my cupboards for things I already have, then I plan meals with what I have left and add any family favorites. I try to add 2 meatless meals per week. This REALLY saves money! Then I write down everything I need at the store and I stick to my list. I try not to make another trip to the grocery for 2 weeks unless we run out of milk or something! (this also saves money on gas!)

Earning More

1. I've created multiple streams of income

• I made a list of everything that I'm really good at and I found avenues to market that. I suggest that you do the same. Many magazines accept new manuscripts as does Chicken Soup for the soul, if you are good at writing. If you are a crafter...Etsy & Ebay are great places to sell your wares! A Direct Marketing company or Home-Based Business is always a good place to make some extra income. Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, Avon, Creative Memories are all good places to research. I've recently started working for a company called Efusjon and that has been wonderful! Check my links to the right to learn more. My friend made $19,000 with Efusjon since joining in March of 2009! It's a simple, straightforward plan that takes some work, but most of it is online marketing. You don't have to bug your friends and family like some of the other direct sales companies promote.

• I pick just a few things and stick with them! I suggest getting involved in no more than 3 endeavors at the same time. Mine are freelance writing, ebay & Efusjon. These are my multiple income streams and I have set goals for each one.

2. Hard Work & Leadership Skills

• Remember: Success doesn't happen overnight. You will have to work hard if you want to earn money from home. If you find someone offering you a "Get Rich Quick" opportunity...TURN THEM DOWN! Earning an income from home takes alot of work, but it does pay off! Being home for your family is worth it!

• You will have to sharpen your leadership skills. Some great books to read are: Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell and Homemade Business by Donna Partow. Read the books and take notes!