Work From Home Opportunities

4 Work From Home Organization Tips

2011-07-02T20:58:00.001-05:00

When they say you will work harder for yourself than you ever would for an employer, they are right. You may find yourself working all hours of the day and night instead of simply punching a time clock and going home. To get the most out of your new found freedom some handy work from home organization is a good idea. Here are a few common tips to get you started.

Tip 1- Workspace

Find a clear working space. Most people decide to use areas such as an empty wall underneath a staircase, or an empty dinning room, or a spare bedroom. The home office work space should be well lit by natural light, somewhat spacious, and clean. This is where you will want to set up your workspace. In your workspace, you can set up a panel table, a compact desk, or even a portable laptop table. You will also need space for office supplies as well, a printer, a phone, and possibly a fax machine.

Tip 2- Office Environment

Create your workspace in a way that would be similar to a workspace in an office. Make sure that it is organized well, and that there is a place to store all of your supplies. You should have some sort of cup or container for pencils, pens, clips, etc. You should try to keep slots to use as an inbox and an outbox. Try to keep sticky pads, or message pads next to the phone. A nice compact filing cabinet, complete with file folders, would do you a world of good as well.

Tip 3- Eating and Drinking

If you are going to eat and drink while working (and most people do), then make sure that you aren't getting your workspace messy. If you need to drink while on your computer, then keep a coaster or a similar object around, to keep rings and stickiness off of your desk. Don't leave plates around, or empty bags, or crumbled wrappers. Remember this is your workspace. Just because you are working from home doesn't mean that you should be dirty or sloppy.

Tip 4- Work Time!

Make sure that if you live with others, they respect your work time. This means that they need to understand that you are not to be disturbed. If you can work out of a spare bedroom, you might keep the door shut, with a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. Make sure that your work area isn't located by a window, or around a lot of noise, especially if you perform call center work from home. To that end, it's best to invest in noise-canceling headsets.

Google Alert - Driveline Merchandising

2010-12-14T20:23:00.000-06:00

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Merchandising Careers: Find New Leads

2010-12-01T22:17:00.000-06:00

It has been awhile since I lasted posted anything new on merchandising. If you are new here and are looking for some good merchandising companies, there is an entire list in previous posts. You will find companies like Archway or Driveline, Certified and many more listed there. This post is for those of you who have gotten your feet wet in the field but are suffering a common problem when it comes to merchandising careers, the need for more money! Many of these companies just do not have enough work for you to make a full time job out of, so it may be necessary to work for two or even three companies at the same time.

Sign In Book

Your new best friend when it comes to looking for honest to goodness merchandising companies such as Driveline, will be the sign in book at most retail locations. Wal-Mart has an especially huge merchandiser sign in log, in which there is a ton of information. As you are flipping through the pages looking for your companies log page, make note of some of the names you flip past. Xpress is one such company that I personally found this way.

Internet

With your new list of merchandising companies, you should retire to your computer to find more information. With the exact name of the company, you are better equipped to find more work. There are simply too many scam sites out there begging you to pay them for leads on merchandising, and believe me 99% of what they have is freely available to you. Knowing where to look is the hard part!

Conclusion

Working from home is not the easiest job in the world, however if you can manage your time and money well it can be the most rewarding experience of your life. Just the freedom from a time clock is sometimes all the reward you will ever need. More information coming soon!

When Home Based Business Plans Go Wrong

2010-02-22T13:06:00.000-06:00

The best plans can go wrong, and it is doubly hard when your home based business plan goes wrong. There is nothing better than tasting the freedom of working from home, but with that freedom comes something most people never think about motivation problems. When you have a home based business plan, it is totally up to you to make it work.

Motivation Lag

The first few months or even first couple of years of working a home business can be intoxicating. No longer are you tied to the time clock or begging for permission to go to your kids ball game. Your time is completely your own, and you can put off working your home based business plan. Therein lies the problem, when you get to choose your own hours and work the days you want to it is easy to procrastinate. Especially when you are not making much money or things become difficult.
This is what you would call a serious motivational lag, you want to make the business work but things in life start getting in the way and you become discouraged. If you have a regular job and this happens you can take a couple of vacation days to clear up personal issues and return to work with no lag in pay, however when you work for yourself this is not the case particularly in the beginning. So, what then are you to do when it becomes hard to work the program?

Get Away!

It may sound a bit contradictory but you really need to take a day or weekend away from your home based business. Think about things you liked to do before you became self employed. Do you need a weekend camping trip to the lake? Maybe you just need a day out at the spa, whatever it is be sure you do two things. Leave the laptop, PDA and maybe even your cell phone at home and dedicate the entire 24 hours or weekend to your relaxation. That means no checking email when you come home from the spa or calling from the cabin to check on anything pertaining to the business. When you work from home, you are never far from the job so it can be difficult to take some time for yourself. If you just cannot stay away from the home, office go visit a friend out of town!

Conclusion

Home based business plans offer freedom that you have only dreamed about, but with that freedom comes a great deal of responsibility and stress. If you have become overwhelmed or are losing focus, take a step back to relax and reevaluate. In the end, you will have more success.

Millionaire Inspiration

2009-05-27T02:27:00.003-05:00

I recently was prompted to think about something that has inspired me. Throughout my life there have been many things and people who have inspired me in different aspects of my life. I have been inspired by a loving grandmother to share love with those who are less fortunate than myself and the list goes on. The most life changing inspiration that I have experienced lately has not come from one source but many.

The day I decided to seek financial security changed my life and the single most important piece of inspiration I drew from people like Donald Trump, Robert Kiyosaki and Victor Hansen. My inspiration was that I am responsible for my economic status. That was a tough pill to swallow at first because our society has a blame mentality. A kid shoots up a school and the parents or the peers are to blame, if you are broke the government is to blame and the list goes on.

Now you might think that this train of thought would lead you down a depressing path, but for me it has been liberating. Now instead of filling my mind with despair and anger towards the infamous "they" (you know they said or they dont want you to be happy, who are they anyway?) I am filled with hope and desire to make a better life for me and my family. Thanks to every millionaire who proudly has said it is up to you to change your life!

Merchandising Careers

2009-03-23T16:32:00.003-05:00

Merchandising careers are just that, a career and not a job. If you are going to be successful at it this is the mindset you must have. When you look at merchandising careers as just a job you will quit long before you see any real profit.

Managing a Merchandising Career

The single most important part of managing a merchandising career is time management. You have to be an expert in this field to be successful merchandising. If you are a procrastinator like many of us are it will be much more difficult.

First off as discussed in other posts you must have more than one merchandising company in order to have enough jobs to make it profitable. For example a good plan is to first get in with Archway Merchandising. Learn all the projects you can working for them. This is a good baseline because in many areas you will be able to get the maximum amount of hours, 20 per week. You best plan is to spend at least a month getting used to Archways scheduling before you take on another company. This way you will have a good idea what town you will be in on what day, or if you live in a large city which side of town you will work.

After you become used to the hours, jobs and reporting procedures you can take the next step in your merchandising career, find another company to supplement your assignments and cash.

Certified Field Associates is one of my personal favorites. They offer flexible scheduling and you are free to take as few or as many assignments as you like, of course as I have mentioned in other posts they are slow to pay. Another good reason to be firmly established with Archway Merchandising first.

Pulling it all together will take time, patience and attention to detail. Your goals will determine how far you go with your merchandising career. If you only need a part time income to supplement other work, then stick with one company or the other. However if you need full time income or more work the programs and seek promotion.

More on promotion seeking in merchandising careers tomorrow!

Freelance Writing Jobs

2009-03-14T23:58:00.001-05:00

Freelance Writing Jobs that Pay

Aspiring writers all want to know where to find freelance writing jobs that pay. What could be better than being your own boss and setting your wages? There is only one tiny problem with freelance writing jobs, where in the world do you start looking for them and better yet how do you beat out the competition?

Well neither of these tasks will be easy but if writing is in your blood and you want the freedom to take freelance writing jobs that pay what you are worth then it is all worth it.

Write, Write and then Write Some More...

The first thing you will have to do is start writing, that sounds like a no brainer but you would be surprised at the number of people frozen, waiting for high paying freelance writing jobs to come knocking on their door. They are not coming to you so you might as well stop waiting.

Start blogging about a subject you know well or are passionate about. It is not necessary to have both, though if you have to choose between passion and knowledge go with passion. Passion will make it easier for you to keep at it when there is no money coming in. Anywhere you can find to write, WRITE!

Freelance Writing Jobs Sites

If you look for a little while, you will find freelance writing jobs sites. These will offer everything from simple web content to highly technical pieces and the competition is fierce. Not only will you have to contend with people from other countries who can write cheap, you will also have those who have already established a reputation.

Here are some of the more popular freelance writing jobs sites:

Digital Points
Freelancer
Associated Content
Quality Gal
Text Broker (one of the easier sites to sign up with)

The last two on this list are places that will "hire" you to write but it is closer to freelance writing jobs than an actual position. You will be free to accept articles based on what you like to write about.

Print Jobs

Finally look into getting your name in ink. Real life print freelance writing jobs can be some of the hardest to break into, but again if writing is your passion…. Think about the magazines you like to read and then turn to the front cover or maybe the back and look for submission guidelines. You can also find out about many magazines freelance writing jobs submission guidelines by going to their website. There is a forum online that is great for researching print and online freelance writing jobs, it is Accentuate Writers Forum. Here long time writer Michelle Devon posts relevant writing jobs and gives opinions on them. It is also a good place to talk to other writers about many topics. All in all a good all around website for anyone looking for freelance writing jobs.

Get Out of Debt

2009-03-01T16:00:00.001-06:00

Working to Get Out of Debt
If we have learned nothing else over the last couple of years we should have learned that being in debt is killing us. Now more than ever people are buckling down to get out of debt. Unfortunately, it is also now harder than ever to do just that. That does not mean it is impossible however, just that it will take more determination and grit than it would have a few short years ago.
Bill Pay
You will never be able to get out of debt if your bills are out of control. There it is, blunt and to the point. Your everyday bills have to be paid on time and with money left over if you want any hope at all to reduce your overall debt.
First figure out what your monthly debt is compared to your income. Take a pen and paper and figure the cost of the things you cannot live without, like lights, water and food. These are your essentials, anything above that must be considered secondary. To get out of debt you almost take on a war mentality, where bills are the enemy to be dispatched as quickly as possible!
If your income has come up short when compared to your monthly essentials, you are in serious trouble. But at least you know the trouble you are in and that is the first step to doing something about it. You cannot fix a problem if you do not know it exists. This may sound simple, but I assure you it is quite possible to live month to month and not know how much of your paycheck you should set aside.
Increase Income or Reduce Debt
These are your only two options. There is no other way around it you either need more money or fewer bills and optimally you want a little of both. This section of the plan will depend on what you will or will not do. For instance if you feel a part time job at a fast food restaurant is beneath you will not use that avenue to increase your income. Here are a few options for increasing income and decreasing bills to get out of debt:
• Take second job
• Babysit on your off hours
• Sell the boat in the back yard and pay off a bill with the proceeds
• Cut back your cable or satellite service
• Do away with a phone line (most people have already converted to cell anyway)
• Turn down the thermostat on heat and water heater
• Take on more hours at work
Some of these measures are extreme, however as we have discussed to get out of debt you must push the envelope.
Debt Reduction
When you have your basic essentials under control, you now must look at reducing your debt load. This is where you concentrate on credit cards, personal loans and anything you have financed.
Where you can sell things, you have financed to get out of debt. For example if you have a four-wheeler, three cars and a boat all financed it is time to cut down. To get out of debt you have to look at every purchase differently and remove the non-essentials until you are on better footing.
Okay, now that you have trimmed the fat as much as possible it is time to roll up your sleeves and get serious about getting out of debt. Calculate how much extra money you have been able to squeeze out of your income and make extra payments on your smallest debt.
Add payments until the debt is cleared, then take your payment plus the extra, and apply it to the next debt. This will snowball after a time and before you know it, you will enjoy the freedom that comes from being debt free.
The path to get out of debt can be a long arduous one filled with peril and temptations. Nevertheless, stick with it and if you fall along the way simply get back up and try again, the dividends are worth it.

Home Based Business In a Tough Economy

2009-02-16T14:43:00.002-06:00

The economy has worsened to a point not seen since the great depression. Can I share something with you however? We are not any worse off now than we were a year ago! We are actually beginning to see a major shift in our financial standing. How? I have a home based business.

Work at home opportunities are not everywhere but it is possible if you are set up correctly. The first thing you will need is a home computer and internet access. You can start at an internet cafe or the local library but the time and sites will be limited.

Now you must decide what kind of home based business you want. Are you a good writer, do you already have an established blog or website? If you are writing freelance is a great work at home job. Starting a freelance writing career is difficult and will be slow to begin with, however if you know where to start you will be off and running before you know it.

The best places to start getting your name out there are:
Associated Content
E-How

These both will pay you on an ad sharing basis. The trick is to learn all you can about what gets page views and ad clicks on these sites. While you are building your reputation there go over to Digital Point Forum and set up an account. There are always people on there looking for freelance work at home providers. You will not get slammed with work over night but you can pick up a client here and there, or offer your work in cheap packets to build a reputation. Personally I have made about $100 on Digital Point Forum from two clients, without putting a lot of effort into getting the clients in the first place.

There are many more ways to earn money working from home, the key truly is finding something you love to do and doing it. Eventually it will pay off. One huge CAUTION never pay for a work at home opportunity, they are often bogus and the only one making any money is the guy on the other side, you will make nothing and be out your hard earned money to boot!

Work at home can be scary and unsure, however it looks like a regular job is in the same category. If you are unemployed with extra time on your hands try looking for a home based business opportunity that is in line with what you enjoy, then perhaps you can recession proof your income as well.

Taxes a Work at Home Idea

2009-01-23T23:16:00.002-06:00

Well the new year has come upon us again, that means one thing it is tax time! For many people that is going to mean a way to be ahead on bills and repairs for others it will mean yet another bill to pay. What it can mean for you is a little extra cash. If you have a computer and a little know how you could make a few hundred dollars preparing tax returns for family and friends.

The IRS has made it easy for people to freely do simple returns. If you are talking about a W-2 and Earned Income Credit, EIC then the forms really are a piece of cake. Most people are unaware that they can do their own taxes or a friends with no upfront cost. And with major tax preparation franchises charging upwards of $200 for a simple 1040a tax return it is well worth the money to look into this.

Forms are readily available from the IRS website. All you need to know for a simple return will be included in the instruction booklet also available on the IRS website. Download the forms and the booklets then get busy making a few dollars this year and save your friends and family hundreds on tax preparation fees.

Another simple way that you can help someone with their taxes is to work with them to use one of the several online tax software providers. Many of these are available free of charge, all you need is a separate email address for each individual. Set it up with your computer and internet connection and charge a nominal fee for printing and your time.

If this is something you are interested in doing be sure to check on state laws, some may require anyone who is paid for tax preparation to be a certified preparer or CPA.

WARNING!!
If you have absolutely no head for numbers or a return is complicated by self employment income you may not want to prepare taxes for anyone. A miscalculation could cost a friendship not to mention the issues your friend will have with the IRS.

Ask, Answer, Receive: The Secret to the Law of Attraction: THE BRICK

2008-12-10T15:21:00.000-06:00

Ask, Answer, Receive: The Secret to the Law of Attraction: THE BRICK

Start Your Own Business

2008-12-07T00:20:00.002-06:00

If the past year has taught us anything it should be that we can not rely on the job market to secure our future. The only way to take control is to start your own home based business.

Now stick around a minute I am not selling anything. This is simply a heartfelt post for those struggling to make ends meet. Ok, now that is out of the way lets look at a few home based businesses you can start with little or no money.

1) Cleaning Homes- This is the perfect home based business because most of the time you have all you will need to start this business right under your kitchen sink. Cleaning supplies, a few rags and a knack for cleaning is all you really need. And sometimes you do not need even that. The key to getting this business off the ground will be in finding clients, and at first this can be rough. Asking around will be your best bet especially if there is no advertising budget. If there is a little money for advertising consider printing flyers and having them inserted in your local paper, you know like wal-mart does?

2) Child Care- This is a home based business that will never go out of style. All you have to have to start this one is the patience of Job and a home. Most of us have the latter, it is the first that is hard to come by. Again word of mouth will be the best way to advertise on a budget, but a few well placed flyers you have printed wont hurt either.

3) Errands- This is a home based business that will go hand in hand with the first. People who do not have time to clean their homes may need assistance with mail and other errands as well. You will need transportation and some organizational skills to pull this off.

That my friends is my top three list for home based businesses you can start with little or no money. I know they are common sense ideas but sometimes that is all we need to make a difference in our lives. None of the above will make you a millionaire, unless you are extremely lucky, but they can provide a second income. Someday they could replace your current job all together. Keep your head up and look around you for the common place ideas for a home based business.

From Ink to Ether: Dealing with the Feast

2008-10-16T14:15:00.000-05:00

From Ink to Ether: Dealing with the Feast

The Penny Priciple

2008-09-17T23:05:00.003-05:00

You may think you have stumbled upon some weird new age philosophy. I assure you this is not the case. It is simply the idle observation of a person struggling to make money.

Have you ever noticed the lonely penny tossed carelessly aside? The value is considered so minute as to lead people to simply throwing money away. So insignificant is the penny that no one considers that it could actually lead them to wealth!

I began to ponder the penny and it's contribution after my son diligently gathered the discarded pennies from all around our house. It was not long until he had actually saved some money. Altogether I think it was around twenty dollars, not a lot you might think. However when you consider all he did for this money was gather a little hear and there you can say he in effect found twenty dollars! For some people that is a few hours of work.

So I began to look at this tiny representation of money in a different light. Sometimes we can find our wealth in the same way. A little here and a little there. Do not shoot for the million dollar win, look instead for all the "free" money to be had, like the penny.

I currently do two jobs that I really like, I write online and I work merchandising a few hours every week. I also do a few affiliate programs and of course adsense. These are all my "pennies". Each one by itself would not pay me much, but together they are leading me to larger and larger paydays. Just last week I earned nearly $400.00. I worked outside my home for less than 20 hours in a week, the rest was what I earned online from a couple of sources! Not bad I think I will follow my pennies and see where they take me.

I Write For Pay

2008-09-06T01:09:00.004-05:00

I'm writing for money too (the same site as shewolf, she's my daughter) I just received a payment for $62.50. I knew I was going to get it but it still blows me away! I've always wanted to write and get paid for it and now I am. Now I feel confident enough to really try and make a living of it. I only write part time after work. I just want to give some advice here. If you like to write, you are a writer at heart at least. Don't give it away. I have seen people wanting articles done for ridiculously low prices like fifty cents for three or more articles! Don't do it! I'm writing for a penny a word right now and looking to get up to a higher pay rate. I see it as a learning experience and some well needed extra money. You can practice writing on My Lot or submit content to AC or E How and see how you do. You can make a little money with these sites too but the main thing is the experience you get and the exposure to your writing style.

Writing Articles for Cash

2008-08-29T05:25:00.004-05:00

The more expensive things get the more people looking for ways to make money on the internet. There are ebooks a million trying to sell you the fastest way to get rich. Moreover, if you are a writer there are freelance sites all over the net asking you to sign up now and get write articles for cash! The problem is the offers are low-ball deals that will insure your status as a starving writer forever.

So where can you go to sell articles for cash? Well if you are really lucky, you could stumble on an article writing opportunity as I did. I have made nearly $200.00 in a week writing articles part time. That is a serious amount of money where I live for writing a little each day.

I have a dream of writing articles exclusively on topics I enjoy and for an amount that I determine. My plan is to do that right here starting today.

The advice out there says to write the content and they will come! If you have the talent to write and give quality information then people will find you. We shall see how much truth there is in that sage advice.

So what advice can I give for someone wanting to begin writing there way to fame and fortune? Well here is a sample of the best advice I have gotten so far:

1) Write, Write, Write....
2) Take the small stuff, even pay per click articles can get you noticed
3) Never, give up
4) Believe in yourself; do not let some jerk tell you different

Get out there and start putting your writing on sale for cash. Start with sites like Associated Content, Ehow, Constant Content ECT... These all will play a role in your online writing portfolio. What you wont find writing articles for cash:

1) Instant Wealth
2) Job offers from Time
3) Fame and renown

Write what you know, write it often then you will be able to write articles for cash.

Writing for Cash

2008-08-15T23:13:00.001-05:00

Would you believe I almost wrote this post twice! Wow I must be tired, you see I have been writing like a madwoman all week! Today I have a payout of 144.50 waiting for me. It should process tonight and will be available in the morning. I wanted to do a follow up to the prior writing post because I hate it when someone tells you about this great opportunity to make money then never mentions it again! Well I am mentioning it and will continue to let you know how it is going. I am so glad that I began writing online because slowly but surely I am moving into writing full time from home and making a decent wage while I am at it. If you are a writer never give up the dream and write anywhere and everywhere you get the chance.

Writing For Pay

2008-08-06T01:22:00.001-05:00

I have scoured the internet for a real place to make money for my writing talent. All I got for my trouble was a headache! What a nightmare! There are tons of sites that want you to pay them to teach you to write or find you the next writing job but no one that said send us some work and we will send you some money! I mean really is that so much to ask? I didn't think so either, so I began writing for associated content. That was a good week or so of work and all in all a positive experience but it just was not providing a sure enough income for me. A few days ago I was going on my merry way and an opportunity jumped up out of nowhere. You see I belong to a little social networking site called mylot. (link is on the right there) And one of my friends pointed me to a discussion about writers wanted. On a lark I responded to the discussion and also contacted her on associated content. Long story made short I am in and I currently have over $40.00 being processed for payment. The point of this small post is this if you love to write then by all means write! If I had not written on associated content then my style would not have been there for them to look at and in short I could have missed this opportunity altogether! Keep your head up and never give up is the motto for today. The link on this page will get you to mylot where you can sign up, dont worry it is absolutely free, in fact you can make a little money posting there. Once you sign up we will be linked and if you can not find the discussion send me a message and I will get it to you.

Credit

2008-07-29T18:32:00.000-05:00

Today I searched the net to find out more about credit, and guess what? There is precious little out there about how it all works. What precious little I did find I will share with you here.

The first consensus you will find is absolutely get your free annual credit report! There are three agencies that you will recieve a report from they are Transunion, Experian and Equifax. Be sure to check all three as they may have different information on each of them. This is important because you may have inaccurate data in your report and you will want to clear it up on all credit reports. You can have things removed from yours and will want to follow the guidelines for each company.

Beyond that the whats and whys of the credit score are like Fort Knox. A guarded government stronghold! Here is the breakdown of what can affect your credit score.

1) Past due bills such as electric and cell phone
2) Amount of income to debt
3) Amount of available credit ie.. the 5000.00 credit card that has no balance
4) Number of times you have applied for credit
5) Bankruptcy
6) In some states public record such as child support or court judgements

And I am sure there are many more that I have yet to discover. The bottom line is this if you are thinking of buying a car or a new home you need to check your credit before they do, then clear any errors. A raise in your credit score of even 30 points can significantly reduce the interest rates you may incur.

WARNING: NEVER use the "credit repair" scams! They are illegal and many times will take your money and leave you with little change in your credit.

Archwy-Driveline Information Update

2008-07-28T20:31:00.000-05:00

I have now been employed with Archway for about a month, they continue to be fair to work with. I recieved my first full check and it was nearly 300.00. Not bad for a part time job, you have to remember that your maximum allowed hours are 20 per week. All in all I am satisfied with this as a start. The monetary potential is still better with certified but you have the issue of taxes to consider, so it balances out.

In short if you are looking for a part time income with a very flexible schedule then merchandising with Archway could be the place for you.

Social Networking and Money

2008-07-27T21:30:00.000-05:00

With all the people who are on sites like Myspace and Facebook you would think that a similar site that actually pays you to post comments and stuff would be extremely popular. Not so it seems, I have been on a little site called Mylot for several months now and the population is growing slowly, so I thought i would help them along a bit by sharing with you what I think of the site and the money potential.

You will not be able to replace a regular income here unless your fingers are lightening on the keyboard and you have 25 hours a day to post, so unless Superman is reading this post I am gonna say hundreds of dollars per week is unreasonable. But if you like to write and have opinions you could make some extra change as well as find a new friend or two. When you think of work at home you do not generally think of chatting with friends however this is exactly what you can do here. Plus you can use your profile there to place links to your blogs or associated content and increase your page views therefore increasing other income as well.

All in all I have found Mylot to be enjoyable and very often informative. I have reached my payout once so far but have noticed that my earnings are increasing faster this month, probably because I have many friends and discussions are getting more views. Go and check them out, it is free to join with no strings attached and hey you might make a few dollars in the process.

Adsense

2008-07-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

Yet another way to make a few bucks on the internet! I had signed up for adsense and added a few adds to my blogs and thought no more about it. Well I decided it might be wise to check my account and was I surprised to find I had made a few dollars with no effort nor really any thought on my part. As I began to research the terms and reports I discovered a few of the ads had major monetary potential. One was nearly $300.00 for one thousand page impressions! Now that is serious money for one ad! Needless to say I am researching and working much harder at making adsense pay. I will keep you posted as things develope.

Associated Content the Update

2008-07-22T15:27:00.000-05:00

Well it is a new day for writing and making money and my potential gold mine has turned into a dud! I am hoping this is temporary but lately associated has had very little in the way of calls for content and they are taking twice as long to approve new articles. I still enjoy the site but have gotten a bit frustrated because I looke forward to being able to make at leat 100.00 a month. Hopefully it will pick up soon. I still encourage writing there since it is a great site with lots of great articles, including my own (snicker). I thought I would update everyone on their current performance since I had given them glowing reviews previously.

Working for Myself

2008-06-27T21:18:00.000-05:00

Well it has been a few weeks since I started merchandising for Archway and convergence and I thought it was time for an update.

Archway:
This company has been decent to work with, one of the issues I thought I would have was the scheduling. Unlike the companies I worked with before you did not choose assignments. You are assigned a specific store therfore any job that comes up for that store is automatically assigned to you. After doing it both ways I must say I do like the fact that no one else will be in "my" store. Things that pertain to archway such as orders are not touched by anyone but the store manager and myself. That is a good thing and helps you to be efficient. The down side is a lot of times you can finish your work in less than the alotted time, this means that you will get paid less than you had intended. Not a good thing if you are driving 35 miles to reach your allocated store. My tip, have all your paperwork pre-printed and on hand. That way if you finish early and have jobs at that store for later in the week you are prepared to do it immediately.

Convergence:
This company offered me the most money per hour. But I have only been given about three hours every two weeks. Please note that this could be due to my remote location, the nearest "city" is about 17,000 people. For someone in an urban area like Dallas or Detroit your experience could be vastly different.

That is all that is new today, I will post new information as soon as is pertinent. Thanks for reading and I hope someone finds this information useful.

Make Money... Sell Your Citizenship!?

2008-06-25T22:50:00.000-05:00

Writing for Cash

2008-06-25T21:44:00.000-05:00

In my wandering online I have looked at hundreds of money making sites, tips and scams. It can really get a girl down to try and try and not be able to find any desent way to make a little cash. Finally I found a couple of sites that are beginning to look promising.

Associated Content:
I joined associated back in January and really did not do a lot with it. In the past couple of weeks I have begun to get really serious about my writing submissions. The first three calls for content that I accepted and produced were accepted and paid in a matter of days. However the last four I have submitted have not been approved, in fact one was denied! (ouch) I have to admit that the one rejected was not my best work, far from it actually so I was not to upset. The long and short of it is this I have made a few dollars and I am generally happy with associated contents responses and payout.

Ehow:
I jumped in here with both feet! But quickly lost steam because of the need to get page views to get paid. That was a lack of understanding on my part though, I can not fault the site. The site itself is fun and easy to use plus there really is not much fear of rejection so if you like writing how-to articles this could be a good place for you. I will reserve judgement on the pay until I actually get paid.

I invite all that come here to please leave a comment! Even if you hate the content the feedback could be helpful. (Be respectful) Thank You!

Associated Content

2008-06-23T20:25:00.001-05:00

Associated content is a name that will be familiar to anyone who has looked for a way to make money online by writing. For those of you unfamiliar with the site it is basically a site that pays you for writing articles. Now their pay scale differs depending on the type of rights you grant to them. The baseline pay is a dollar fifty per one thousand page views. Now while this may sound like very little it is actually not that hard to get page views, it is however pretty dependent on you. If you write keyword rich articles the search engines will pick it up, you can also add links to your information, as I have done here

Archway- Driveline

2008-06-22T01:03:00.000-05:00

Hello my fellow work from home friends, my first week of work is complete and with very few exceptions went off without a hitch. I have also recieved my first pay from this company. It was only two hours but every little bit helps. I have found my district manager to be very helpful as well as field support. My tip of the week is this when working from home, especially in this field, organization is your best friend. I do not know how to stress the importance of being prepared and well organized. It will mean the most to you when things do not go exactly as planned. In my case it was a car malfunction that was nearly the end. But since I was prepared with all my paperwork when the opportunity came that I could reach the store I was ready. So as of today even though my car layed down on me Tuesday I have 100% completion for this past week! I will keep you posted.

Archway Merchandising

2008-06-15T01:39:00.000-05:00

Today I just confirmed nearly twent hours of merchadising assignments for archway. This may yet turn into a viable position for me. I will make nearly three hundred dollars this week and I am only working three days! This is the way I want to make money! I am in love with being my own boss and in control of my working environment. I go to work when I want, I choose the work I want to do and I report to no one. Well that is only partially true you do have to finish the work by the time you say you will and you have to actually do the work, but other than that you are totally in control. If anyone out there wants information or a personal referral to any of the companies I have mentioned just go to my profile and send me a message or leave a comment on any of my posts.

Merchandising Dilema

2008-06-12T19:05:00.000-05:00

Well I have been merchandising now for nearly five months and I am not making a full time income from it. I think I am on the verge of taking this money making opportunity to the next level but I a somewhat concerned about paying the bills and such. Two more weeks should tell me how the money is going to turn out. Assignments are slow in coming and spaced out to much. Upside is I am still my own boss and go to work when I want, within reason. That kind of freedom is addictive as well as scary! I will keep you posted on how it all turns out.

Archway

2008-06-10T16:19:00.000-05:00

Well I have now completed training for Archway Merchandising. They seem to be a good company, I asked to start slow so that I can make sure there are no scheduling conflicts! My area manager has been good to do just that. I have 2 stores and my first week will be about 9 hours of work. Now I know this does not sound like a lot but remember I have two other companies I am working for. This week will be somewhat slow but the week of the 16th I am slammed! I am loving working from home. There is money to be made without punching a time clock you just have to be patient.

Certified Field Associates:
Quick note they are getting much quicker in getting payroll out on a fairly reliable date. Work from them has slowed a little although there are at least two jobs a month that are 12hrs each which translates into more money!!

Convergence Marketing

2008-06-05T22:11:00.000-05:00

Today I am happy to report that the new company is legit. I have completed the training and orientation and now have assignments to complete. I would advise though if you decide to sign up that you make sure and stay in frequent contact with the manager for your area. I had heard nothing for several weeks when I decided an email would be a good idea. Whithin a day I had a response, not long after that I had assignments. Keep in mind always that I live in a rural area so your experience could be vastly different from mine. This company has a manager for every state in the union and some states have two! I would love to hear from others who have tried these companies. If you would like to contact me you can email me.

Continuing Updates

2008-05-31T02:32:00.000-05:00

Well today is a new day in the merchandising world. I have moved from mystery shops and one main merchandising company to NO mystery shops and 3 merchandising companies.

Certified and I have come to peace as it were, I still do work for them just not as much as I did when I began. It would be important to note that after the first month with them assigments were fewer and fewer. This pattern still prevails and shows no sign of changing.

I am now working with two additional companies: Driveline Retail and Convergence Marketing.
I can not tell you how well their system works because due to the rural area I live in training has been slow in getting completed. I will tell you the up sides as I know them.
1) They both pay by the hour
2) Both hold out taxes
3) Both issue regular paychecks, bi-weekly I believe (dont know because I have yet to do an assignment)

All three of these things are improvements upon the other companies I have worked with. I will keep you posted on the outcome of this employment.

Update on Merchandising!!

2008-03-22T20:33:00.000-05:00

I really hate finding good information and getting all excited about opportunity, then never see another post about how it is going in real time. Well today we are going to revisit a couple of companies from my original post.

Certified:

This still remains my top pick today. The availability of assignments and the ease of completion continues to make it a viable option. Now for the bad news, it will take approximately three weeks to get your direct deposit set up and to recieve your first payday. After the initial wait you are supposed to be paid twice a month, thing is they do not garuntee pay dates! You never know when you will be paid or what assignments will be included in it. My first check on 02/19/08 was 42.00 and I recieved it within days of it being notified. The next payment I recieved on 03/11/08 was a direct deposit of 150.00. It posted to my account within minutes of notification. As you can see there was nearly a month in between payments and I have yet to recieve my next payment for March. I will keep you posted on whether the payments pick up or become more regular.

Most of the other companies on my post have either taken a very long time to pay out or have no new assignments in my area or both. So I no longer use most of them. I do however pick up a couple of shops a month from MSI services.

MSI Services: https://www.msishopper.net/

This company has been very easy to work with as well and they pay/reimburse twice a month on specific dates. For me it is the 5th and the 20th of every month.

The one company that I recind my recommendation for is Buisness Evaluation Services.
http://www.mysteryshopperservices.com/website/shopper/default_shopper.asp
They require you to what up to 40 days from payment approval to recieve a check. That to me is absurd. I am unwilling so I no longer accept much from them. If you are in no hurry to be paid then their assignments are fairly easy but due to economical factors I would not recommend them.

All of the rest of the companies that are in my previous post may still be good options in other areas, but for me in rural Arkansas they just do not have enough work to keep me busy. Hope this information is helpful and I will keep you posted on my progress.

NOTE: I have been contacted by two companies that do regular employee withholding and schedule you set hours per week I will let you know how these companies work out.

Making Money Merchandising

2008-03-03T20:03:00.000-06:00

Mystery Shopping and Merchandising

So have you heard all the hype about getting rich and getting a lot of stuff for free? Let us start out on the right foot by me telling you that is not going to happen! Now before you hit the delete key and leave me nasty feedback let me tell you what you can do!

1) You can schedule up to 100.00 worth of assignments in one day!
2) You can make a part time income while caring for children or even pursuing an education.
3) You can provide a necessary service for companies and consumers. ( We win by getting better service)
4) You can breathe the sweet air of FREEDOM!!

The first company I want to tell you about is Certified Field Associates.
http://www.certifiedfieldassociate.com/

This company has assignments for stores such as Wal-Mart and Dollar General. Most of the jobs will be merchandising which is where you go in and check a display or refill prepaid cards ect.. These assignments are easy and fun to do! The pay scale ranges from a flat fee to up to 10.00 an hour with a 4 hour cap. They are easy to work with friendly and I have found they have a great # of assignments. They are my bread and butter and I schedule the rest of my companies around these assignments. I have checked a couple of other states and it looks as if there is no shortage of jobs to be done!

Tip
First tip carefully schedule your sites that are out of town: For example I do several stores in a town about 20 miles from me and some stores require you have paperwork shipped to you via Fed-Ex or UPS, so I accepted 4 that had the same due date and I accepted them all in the same day therefore my shipments all went out the same day! So I should receive them all the same day!

Tip
Second tip: Be sure and check all you sites daily for new assignments you will find there maybe a company that has more assignments in your area so sign up then study them all carefully and choose what I call your anchor company. (The company that has plenty of work for you close to you)

Tip
Third tip: Certified has a lot of paperwork my advice do not print it all over and over again! Print it the first time for each location especially if you have never done this before. Take it with you and review it several times there are jobs where you can or must take instructions with you! I now save all mine to my pc and review it carefully for changes and if there are none I refer to my originals. You will always need to print 2-3 of the sheets, they are the letter to the location manager and your reports form.

Tip
As soon as you can if you do not already have one get a printer/scanner. Carefully choose one that will suit your needs, I personally love my new Kodak Easy Share 5100. It was a bit more expensive at 99$ but the ink savings were worth it to me. (I do not get paid for referring this printer)

The next company I want to tell you about is Trend Source.

http://www.msishopper.net

I love this company for one reason and one reason only, they paid me within 3 days! Unlike certified above this is a strictly mystery shopping only and their evaluation is extensive. There shops are grocery stores, fast food and more. You can not take shop information in the store with you or appear to be taking notes so it is a bit more difficult, I used my cell phone to keep notes. It is also better if you have the ability to scan in your receipts but they do offer alternative ways to get it in.

Tip
Have direct deposit set up. If you do not have a bank account look into a prepaid credit/debit card, the fees are higher than a bank but the convenience is worth it if you can not get a bank account.

Tip
Be articulate and descriptive in your reports it will help them process faster.

Moving right along to Buisness Evaluation Services
http://www.mysteryshopperservices.com

This is a company I have only done a couple of assignments for but I like them because their pay was incredible! I performed a shop for them that took less than 30 minutes to complete and the shopper pay was $25. So that day I made $65 dollars in less than 3 hours! This is another example of how scheduling can make a big difference in how much money you can make versus cost. This mystery shop cost me nothing but a 17 mile drive and my time coupled with about 3 other jobs made for a very lucrative day.

Tip
This is another site that asks you to scan in proof of your visit usually a business card so again I advise getting a scanner as soon as possible.

Tip
This company also wants you to be very careful in your descriptions so be observant and as soon as you leave find another location to park at and do your evaluation on the spot. This way you do not forget vital information.

Gap Busters
https://www.xec.gapbuster.com

This Next company I was planning on leaving until the end because I have not accepted an assignment from them . They have had at least one I could have accepted but I could not fit it in my schedule. I changed this companies placement because I see that if you are in the right area you could be paid up to $50 plus reimbursement of your meal for shopping McDonalds! I have had fast food assignments before and never been paid more than $10 plus my food so if you are lucky enough to be in the right location this could become your anchor company! (Id love to hear from you if this is your situation) shewolf52002@yahoo.com

Tip
The only tip I can have for this company is to complete your orientation as quickly and for as many clients as you can. The more you are qualified to complete the better.

National Shopping Service Network

http://www.nationalshoppingservice.com

This is another company that I have not done an assignment for I do have an assignment pending but have not had it approved as of yet. This company has a variety of shops in my area I like them because they have both shops that require purchase and those who do not. Variety in assignments is a definite plus. Through my searches it appears that RedBox and Papa Johns are their main clients.

I have no tips for this company.

DSGAI

http://www.dsgai.com/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fShoppers%2finterest.aspx

If you like fast food then this is the company for you! They have offered Sonic and McDonalds to me on a regular basis. I never had a problem with pay with this company. I do not use them as my main source of jobs simply because I ate to much fast food! Sounds corny but it is true.

Tip
Complete your assignments exactly as outlined and watch for order restrictions as well as parking and times. They are paticular about order of the shop but it is to keep you from being identified as a shopper and to be fair to the place you are shopping.

IMYST

https://www.imyst.com/login.asp

This company has bank and financial institution shops in my area. I have not had a chance to check all the other states but I have checked my area and surrounding states. They too are a paticular company about shop guidelines. You need to exact and articulate in descriptions. This company also has the more expensive shops, for example $20 to meet with a financial professional and discuss savings plans! 30 minutes and you are done!

Tip
Be on time and when you are required to set an appointment do it first thing. They may require you visit with a paticular employee and you would not want to arrive at the location to find they are on vacation! Especially if you are driving any distance to complete.

Secret Shopper

http://www.secretshopper.com

This company is better suited to someone who lives near a major metropolitan area. My available shops are not as plentiful as say St Louis Mo. If you do however the pay is great. The offer 20$ for a late night mystery shop on a local convenience store. Not bad and no purchase required on some shops.

Shoppers Critique

https://www.shopperscritique.com/

I really like this company as well, the offer shops at small ladies stores in my area. The pay is not as great as some of the above but I can attest that they will pay what they told you they would as well as reimburse you for your purchase up to the agreed upon amount.

Tip
This is yet another company that requires receipt submission.

Mintel

http://shopper.mintel.com

Mintel is also a very good company to compliment your other sites. I say this because in my area that is exactly what they offer. The jobs are fewer but as in other cases above the compensation is better. I have found they are another company that focuses on financial institutions. They pay $15-$20 for a mystery shop on local banks . These shops are quite easy the hardest part is keeping the questions in mind that you will need to answer after the shop is through.

Tip
My advice is to have a cell phone with text capabilities and make notes for yourself. In this day and age no one will think twice about someone texting. Anonymity is the most important aspect of your job!

National Shopping Services Network

http://mysteryshopper.net/emponly/index.htm

I have just signed up with this company and that is why they are on the bottom this is the one and only company that has not had a shop in my area. Why you ask, are they in this book? Because I researched other areas of the country and found that they do have many shops available. These shops range from car wash and vaccum to a home demonstration for window treatments. The pay runs the scale from $7.50 plus expenses for car wash up to $30 for the home demonstration. For money and diversity they have made this list.

Tip
Without personal experience directly with this company it is hard to give good advice. So I will simply say be exact, on time and descriptive in all reports and you will do fine.

· Bonus!!!! A very good source of jobs from several different companies!
· http://www.jobslinger.com

In conclusion to the above information I would like to include a list of supplies I have found very helpful.

A three ring binder to keep folders of your paperwork for each store you do. I keep instructions in the binder I carry with me until the shop is complete. I then remove them file them at home until I am required to do the shop again. CAUTION: Remember to check your instructions for every shop even if you have done it before! To keep shoppers honest they will change your requirements from time to time! Also the client may want another area of service evaluated.

A cell phone or electronic timing device. I prefer the cell phone because I have text capability and find it easier to remain covert.

Folders (see above)

A date planner!!! Even if it is a .99 cent one! You will need to be able to keep your assignments straight and also may need to know about a future job if a company calls you to schedule an important job. These companies will call you! They will call you with better and better assignments once you have proven yourself.
This has been the most important piece of equipment I purchased.

Pens! Pens! Pens! This may seem like a duh item but I only include it because I have had to scramble to the nearest Wal-Mart to purchase one before I forgot important details.

That my friend is my best information on mystery shopping. I have had lists with over a hundred companies on them and I worked for one or two of them but I never made any real money. With the above companies I have actually made more in a day than I have in two at my regular job! Please note that there are different assignments in different areas and I can not garuntee you will get to work, but if you do not get any assignments from one or more of the above companies I would love to hear from you! My job history is about as bad as they get and I have been given 21 assignments by the first company on the list. Good Luck to you! Please contact me with any concerns or questions.