Finding your first job after school, whether it be high school, undergraduate or graduate school, can definitely be a daunting task. Maybe it's your first "real" job. You don't want to mess it up either way, right? Of course you don't want to mess it up! You might've spent weeks or months looking for this job, and possibly years preparing for it. There are obvious tips for newly hired workers such as not arriving late, showering regularly, not eating 10 pounds of heated tuna in your cubical etc., but what about tips that will help you succeed at your workplace? Yes those, you want to know those tips! 1. Say Yes! If there are tasks to be completed and you honestly think you can take them on and be successful with them, then take … [Read more...]
The 4 Biggest Interview Mistakes
The job search process can be very difficult, and scary. Whether your job search just started yesterday or has been going on for months or years, most people never feel fully prepared for the interview. You should try and prepare for the interview process as much as you can. Your job search process should not just end right after you click "apply" and finish submitting your job application. You should be researching the company, practicing possible interview questions, and know everything that you can about the position that you are applying for. If you fully prepare, then you will most likely be more ready for the interview than others who are applying. Even if you spend a lot of time preparing for the interview, there is of course … [Read more...]
Can’t Keep Up? 5 Ways To Simplify Your Multiple Income Streams
Developing multiple income streams means balancing different tasks all of the time. If you're not prepared (mentally, organizationally, etc.), it can quickly get overwhelming. In fact, I felt myself overwhelmed several times over the past year (just read my income stream report from November 2011). However, I've found several ways to cope and push through the hard times, and I want to share them with you! Here are five ways that you can simplify your multiple income streams to make them work for you, and not have it be the other way around! 1. Stay Organized The first step is staying organized. This can be a real challenge as you build multiple site, try to invest, or even own real estate. I've found this to be a big issue as … [Read more...]
Self Employment – Beginner Mistakes
There are many benefits to being self employed, and that is why so many people are allured by the sound of it. Get to be your own boss? Check! Get to make your own hours? Check! Work at home? Check! Freedom? Check! However, there are mistakes that you might make in the beginning if you are too quick to rush it. Being self employed and creating your own job can and probably will be very hard work for you, especially in the beginning. There are many things to think of and many things to be careful with. Not Separating Money At first, you might have all of your income flow into one account. Eventually though, you should have your income and expenses come out of a business account. It might seem easier to just have it all go in … [Read more...]
Should You Start Your Own Side Hustle?
What's a fast way to jump start your savings, increase your income and pay down debt faster? Get a side hustle! I am a big proponent of increasing your income, instead of finding additional ways to cut back. Mainly because there are only so many ways that you can cut back, but the amount that you can increase your income is endless. Side hustles can also increase your skills at your current position. Talking to others in your side hustle area can help you understand certain terms or common knowledge. Also, maybe your dream is to eventually make your side hustle your full time job. Having it as a side hustle first can help you decide if this is what you can do, if it's sustainable and so on. I have multiple side income, with online income … [Read more...]
How I Successfully Appealed My Home Appraisal
A few weeks ago I wrote about how my home appraisal was wrong, and how I had to appeal it. Let's just say that sounds a whole lot easier than it actually was. In fact, I was reading this article on Sunday, which pretty much sums up my story: Appraisers Failing to Appreciate Rise in Home Values. The story mentioned how the National Association of Realtors found that 33% of appraisals in May had problems. I was one of them! So here is what I did to get my home appraisal fixed. Starting With My Lender As I mentioned when I first told my story, my lender had very strict rules it follows for appraisals. Part of their bank's policy is to only allow one appraisal. The only option if the buyer feels that it is wrong is to appeal it … [Read more...]
How To Get Hired Freelancing
As most of you know from my income stream reports, I do a lot of freelance work. The funny thing is, I never intended to do any of the work that I currently do, I just sort of fell into it. I actually tried to do some freelance work purposefully, and it didn't work out as I had planned. So, from both my successful ventures, my failures, and the offers I currently get now, here is my advice on how to get hired freelancing. Fill a Need I started my freelance writing business for two factors that lined up at almost exactly the right moment: I wanted to earn extra income A major player in the freelance writing business suddenly up and closed their doors As it turns out, since I'd been blogging for a long time, I could pick up … [Read more...]
My Home Appraisal Was Wrong – Now I Have To Appeal!
I've you been following along in my journey, I decided to convert my home into a rental property, and purchase another home we love more. If you've been through the lending process before, you know it is extremely tedious. You have to fill out long applications, get a bunch of paper work in order, and so on. You can read my Ultimate Guide to Shopping For a Loan for more information, but in general, it is a lot of "hurry up, then wait". Well, last week, after a period of waiting, we got the appraisal back on the house we are looking to buy, and it ended up coming in a full $70,000 below our offer price, and well below fair market value to similar properties inside the same development. SO IRRITATING!!!!! My Appraiser Botched The … [Read more...]
The Ultimate Guide To Shopping for a Home Loan
As I discussed last month, I will be purchasing a new home and renting out my existing home. This is a big change, but one of the biggest motivating factors is how cheap interest rates are right now. I personally believe they are at historic lows that I may not see again in my lifetime, so I want to take advantage of that. However, over the course of the last two weeks, I've gotten a crash course in shopping for a home loan, and I want to share with you what I've learned so that you can make an informed decision when you go to buy a home. So, here is my ultimate guide to shopping for a home loan. … [Read more...]
