The Truth About Single Mom Grants

Grants specifically earmarked for single mothers, in general, don’t exist. There are grants single mothers can apply for based on criteria such as income-based, ethnic group, residency, career interest, knowledge base, etc. Free money or grants specifically for being a single mom are hard to get. There are organizations offering temporary assistance such as churches, […]

The post The Truth About Single Mom Grants appeared first on Rich Single Momma.

Rich Single Momma's Savings Plan

These days I’m into a lot of different things in my life and around the web. My life is a mish-mash of this and that. At the moment I am sorting a few things out and involved in a couple of cool projects that will encourage and empower single moms.

My finances are doing okay but I see a few areas I can improve on. My biggest hurdle is getting a consistent savings program in place. For so long I’ve lived from paycheck to paycheck that it’s more challenging than I thought to save. I believe in it 100%, but the implementation is proving more difficult than I thought.

I have an ING Direct account that I can set up to automatically pull money from my main account. Again it’s about setting it up again. So I am going to stop the excuses and give it another go.

In the meantime I’ve opened a new bank account. I don’t usually do banks but this one is actually an insurance company that is also a savings bank. It’s different from regular banks because I won’t be nickel and dimed to death. Checking is free and includes free checks for the life of the account, comes with a Mastercard debit card with rewards, online banking, free bill pay and a whole lot more. I can open accounts for my kids for savings and checking, which is a good way to teach them about economic empowerment.

Opening this account is one of the reasons I haven’t started my savings. I’m transferring everything over so it may take a couple of weeks. For sure I will put some money from my current account in and set up my new bank to take over in a couple of weeks.

It’s a start and that’s what counts. For certain, it won’t happen on it’s own so I must be proactive and create the financial destiny I want.

Rich Single Momma's Savings Plan

These days I’m into a lot of different things in my life and around the web. My life is a mish-mash of this and that. At the moment I am sorting a few things out and involved in a couple of cool projects that will encourage and empower single moms.

My finances are doing okay but I see a few areas I can improve on. My biggest hurdle is getting a consistent savings program in place. For so long I’ve lived from paycheck to paycheck that it’s more challenging than I thought to save. I believe in it 100%, but the implementation is proving more difficult than I thought.

I have an ING Direct account that I can set up to automatically pull money from my main account. Again it’s about setting it up again. So I am going to stop the excuses and give it another go.

In the meantime I’ve opened a new bank account. I don’t usually do banks but this one is actually an insurance company that is also a savings bank. It’s different from regular banks because I won’t be nickel and dimed to death. Checking is free and includes free checks for the life of the account, comes with a Mastercard debit card with rewards, online banking, free bill pay and a whole lot more. I can open accounts for my kids for savings and checking, which is a good way to teach them about economic empowerment.

Opening this account is one of the reasons I haven’t started my savings. I’m transferring everything over so it may take a couple of weeks. For sure I will put some money from my current account in and set up my new bank to take over in a couple of weeks.

It’s a start and that’s what counts. For certain, it won’t happen on it’s own so I must be proactive and create the financial destiny I want.

Side Hustle Series - Mystery Shopping

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a side hustle but I haven’t forgotten.

If you love shopping then Mystery Shopping might be just the thing for you. It is unbelievable that you can get paid to shop but it’s true. There are companies who want to be sure that their customers are getting the best service possible. After all it is customers that keep businesses in business.

As a mystery shopper you simply visit different establishments and report on how they treat you, the quality of the products, and the appearance of the establishment. The type of companies you visit varies from apartment complexes to banks to restaurants.

Side Hustle Series – Mystery Shopping

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a side hustle but I haven’t forgotten.

If you love shopping then Mystery Shopping might be just the thing for you. It is unbelievable that you can get paid to shop but it’s true. There are companies who want to be sure that their customers are getting the best service possible. After all it is customers that keep businesses in business.

As a mystery shopper you simply visit different establishments and report on how they treat you, the quality of the products, and the appearance of the establishment. The type of companies you visit varies from apartment complexes to banks to restaurants.

Suze Orman: Free 2009 Action Plan

A few days ago I learned that Suze Orman was giving away her 2009 Action Plan. Since it is financial in nature I decided to pass it on to you. Suze is a financial expert with several books on the subject. She has a book especially for women titled Women and Money.

I was able to snag a copy and am sharing it with you. Let me know what you think of the plan.

Suze Orman: Free 2009 Action Plan

A few days ago I learned that Suze Orman was giving away her 2009 Action Plan. Since it is financial in nature I decided to pass it on to you. Suze is a financial expert with several books on the subject. She has a book especially for women titled Women and Money.

I was able to snag a copy and am sharing it with you. Let me know what you think of the plan.

7 Steps to Economic Empowerment: It Begins Between the Ears

The goal of Rich Single Momma is to empower single moms to live a balanced life starting with their money. Because money is usually on the top of the list of concerns this is naturally the best topic to cover during the first part of this New Year. But is it really about the money or something more?

The way I see it, it is about empowerment. For many the relationship with money is a love/hate relationship. We need it all the time, love it when we have it, and hate it when it’s out of our reach. To be empowered when it comes to money is to change our thoughts about it and come to an understanding that will benefit you. Here are seven tips for economic empowerment and a better relationship with money:

7 Steps to Economic Empowerment: It Begins Between the Ears

The goal of Rich Single Momma is to empower single moms to live a balanced life starting with their money. Because money is usually on the top of the list of concerns this is naturally the best topic to cover during the first part of this New Year. But is it really about the money or something more?

The way I see it, it is about empowerment. For many the relationship with money is a love/hate relationship. We need it all the time, love it when we have it, and hate it when it’s out of our reach. To be empowered when it comes to money is to change our thoughts about it and come to an understanding that will benefit you. Here are seven tips for economic empowerment and a better relationship with money:

What Are You Expecting from Life?

This morning I read on one of many weekly newsletters from a fellow writer. As with most newsletters this first few days of the new year the topic was about goals. The thing that stood out the most to me is that we get what we expect. If we expect bad things to happen, money to run out, things to be hard, then guess what? Bad things will happen, your money will run out and things will be hard.

That’s not to say that life will always be a bed of roses. But if disappointments happen they won’t be devastating because so many other good things are occurring. It’s all about how we view and think about things.

What Are You Expecting from Life?

This morning I read on one of many weekly newsletters from a fellow writer. As with most newsletters this first few days of the new year the topic was about goals. The thing that stood out the most to me is that we get what we expect. If we expect bad things to happen, money to run out, things to be hard, then guess what? Bad things will happen, your money will run out and things will be hard.

That’s not to say that life will always be a bed of roses. But if disappointments happen they won’t be devastating because so many other good things are occurring. It’s all about how we view and think about things.

Single Mom's Guide to Bargain Christmas Gifts

I went to Target yesterday to browse. I really like the store and may become a convert if things over at Wally-World gets too crazy. But that’s another article.

Anyway their $1 section is so tempting. The cute little things they have make me what to buy one of each. It’s too easy to spend $50 in that one part of the store. Right now they have there holiday items out. I figure that I can get all the kids in my family two or more gifts easily.

My daughter loves dogs (she’s playing with the idea of being a Vet) and they have so many cute puppy items. There were calendars, pens, pencils, magnets, and notepads. I was tempted to get all of them for her (I love giving gifts) but I have to remember that Christmas will be here soon so I need to just wait.

I did get her a calendar (she was thrilled) and bought a pack of six magnets with pictures of adorable puppies on them. The will be her dogs until we get a real one in the future. I also got my son a couple of $1 books because he is getting into the reading thing.

What did I get for myself? A bra... I know not very exciting but I can never have too many. So I’ll be going back to Target next week to stock up on Christmas gifts for the kids in my life.

With Christmas just around the corner now is the time to get out and get those gifts (while the supply is still good). Of course there is always Black Friday, but if you are like me and hate crowds do your shopping now.

There are other places to get low cost gifts (they will never know it cost $1). Run on over to your local Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and any other "dollar" store. Most kids are more concerned about quantity versus quality so don't be so concerned about buying those overly priced toys (that they will break the same day). Spend that money on several small gifts and watch them scream with glee because they got so much.

Happy Shopping!

Want to Start a Business? No Money?

Very often the desire to start a business is almost overwhelming. As I sit here typing this post I am thinking about the day when I can quit my day job and turn my side business into a full-time business. But the thing that stops me is money. I am using my day job to finance my side business until it grows to the point that it becomes my major source of income.

You may have dreams of starting your own business but money, among other things, may be stopping you. Well I'd like to share a few resources and ways that you can start a business with no money. Even though you don't have money you will need determination and creativity (don't worry, we were all born with it). So let's take a look at three ways to start a business with no money, shall we?

1. Get a blog. It's free with Blogger or Wordpress and easy to set up. If you are reading this post on a computer you have everything you need to get started. You can blog about anything but it is better to focus on a specific interest because nine times out of ten there is someone with the same interest. My friend Lynn Terry has a great article about it on her website. She discusses starting an online business for free in great detail. Head on over there (after you finish reading this article of course ;-)) and see what she has to say. She's been making a living online for 12 years and she's a single mom.

2. Participate in Surveys, Focus Groups, and Product Testing. You won't make a boatload of money right away but if you're consistent you can make some serious money just from giving your opinion. There are hundreds of market research companies that pay participants in cash, products, gifts cards, and prizes. You should never pay a fee to be a participant but expect to be generously compensated for your time. I am going to a part of a Focus Group next week and will get paid $100 for a couple of hours. With the money you make participating in market research you can invest in a business start-up. I will post a few links in another post but you can do your own research in the meantime.

3. Open an online store. There are several online design and printing services that allow creative types like you to create an online personal store. You can design a graphic and put them on t-shirts, caps, bags, etc. then set up a storefront with services like Cafepress, Zazzle, Lulu, and many others. You don't have to be the most creative person out there but with some imagination and marketing you could sell in demand items from your store and make a nice chunk of money. If you don't feel very creative you can check out online merchandise store systems that allow you to pick items, create a web store, and promote for a percentage of the sales. Try Zlio first and see how you like it. It doesn't cost anything to set up a store and you can create multiple stores based on a theme. Tell people about your store to get traffic and buyers.

Those are three quick ways to start a business with no money. There are many more ways but I will save it for another day. Now it's your turn to get out there and get something going. Let me know how it goes. I'd love to hear about your progress.

Rich Single Momma

Need Some Cash? Sell Something!

Take your excess stuff and sell it to people looking for just what you have. When I was about to move I had a yard sell, posted items on Craigslist.org, and in the local newspaper. Ebay is another great place to sell things but it’s not as instant as selling locally.

Look through your house and see what you can get rid of today. We all have an extra this or that. It may be a pair of jeans you can’t wear anymore but still have the tags on it. It may be that designer purse that you never use or the shoes that are in great condition but don’t match any of your clothes.

Hot sellers are furniture, electronics, and books. Small pieces like night stands, storage units, beds (especially twin), and computer desks. Books, DVDs, and video players and games also sell well. Kids or baby items sell well too, especially gently used clothes.

With the price of metal going up you can get a great deal on your scrap jewelry as well as scrap metal that may be lying around. Take your unwanted jewelry to the neighborhood pawn shop and sell it for a small fortune. The local scrap metal companies are also pay high dollar for old iron beds, copper tubing, and many other types of metals.

As I said before, great places to sell your stuff include craigslist.org, the local newspaper, and online classifieds. The local newspaper may allow you to list your stuff for free or a very small amount. Craigslist.org is free and so are most of the other online classified ad services. Be sure that everything you plan to sell is clean and have all the pieces.

Having a yard sale is also a great way to sell off your stuff. It takes some time to get everything organized. You will need at least one table to display stuff, change in coins and small bills, and bright, readable signs to point people to your sale. Check with your city to see if you need a permit and your local newspaper to see if you can list your sale for free in the yard sale section.

Use caution when dealing with aggressive buyers and those that want to strike a deal on bulk items. They could take a lot for very little and you end up losing money in the long run. Your yard sale could be a booming success depending on the time of month and week. Weekends and the first of the month are better for yard sales as well as early in the day.

So if you are in need of cash look no further than your home and garage. You never know how much money you can rake in after selling a few items. This is also a great way for your kids to make money instead of begging you for it. They can even take some initiative and offer to clean out the neighbor’s garage for a very low price if they can keep the unwanted items. Who knows what kind of bonanza they will run into.

Rich Single Momma

The Truth About Single Mom Grants

Grants specifically earmarked for single mothers, in general, don't exist. There are grants single mothers can apply for based on other criteria such as income-based, ethnic group, residency, career interest, knowledge base, etc. Free money or grants specifically for being a single mom is hard to come by. There may be organizations offering temporary assistance such as churches, state and/or local government (not federal), several private, and a handful of corporate organizations.

 
A lot of the so-called free grant information online is linked to products and services of very little value and relevance to single moms. When you click on the hyped-up ad, you most likely land on a link farm or page full of links to other pages created by a person who has several affiliate program links embedded.

The Hype about Single Mom Grants

Everyday millions of single moms, desperate for financial assistance scour the web looking for grants. They see ads touting millions for single moms only to be disappointed when they land on the webpage which is usually full of links or other irrelevant ads. Not to be deterred she searches high and low for grants she seems to qualify for. Frustration sets in and she usually gives up. In one last ditch effort she heads over to the forums and inquires and again she is pointed to the same websites full of links to pointless pages of ad hype. Even though the search seems fruitless, there are sources of grants and financial assistance but only under certain circumstances. Here are a few sources of grants for single moms which require more than a quick glance. It requires research and asking the right questions.

Check locally for Single Mom Grants

There may be local organizations, usually non-profit that give grants or assistance to single moms. These resources may not necessarily be in the form of money, but may be housing assistance, food, or job training. Resources could also be in the form of grants to children of single moms for summer camps, sports or music lessons, or medical assistance. Do a search on your city or state plus the words “grant”, “financial assistance”, or “scholarship” and you may come up with a few sources meeting your needs.

For more information about grants for single moms grab my free eReport on the right. It contains lots of great information and an interview from a very successful grant writer.

The Truth About Single Mom Grants

Grants specifically earmarked for single mothers, in general, don't exist. There are grants single mothers can apply for based on other criteria such as income-based, ethnic group, residency, career interest, knowledge base, etc. Free money or grants specifically for being a single mom is hard to come by. There may be organizations offering temporary assistance such as churches, state and/or local government (not federal), several private, and a handful of corporate organizations.

A lot of the so-called free grant information online is linked to products and services of very little value and relevance to single moms. When you click on the hyped-up ad, you most likely land on a link farm or page full of links to other pages created by a person who has several affiliate program links embedded.

The Hype about Single Mom Grants

Everyday millions of single moms, desperate for financial assistance scour the web looking for grants. They see ads touting millions for single moms only to be disappointed when they land on the webpage which is usually full of links or other irrelevant ads. Not to be deterred she searches high and low for grants she seems to qualify for. Frustration sets in and she usually gives up. In one last ditch effort she heads over to the forums and inquires and again she is pointed to the same websites full of links to pointless pages of ad hype. Even though the search seems fruitless, there are sources of grants and financial assistance but only under certain circumstances. Here are a few sources of grants for single moms which require more than a quick glance. It requires research and asking the right questions.

Check locally for Single Mom Grants

There may be local organizations, usually non-profit that give grants or assistance to single moms. These resources may not necessarily be in the form of money, but may be housing assistance, food, or job training. Resources could also be in the form of grants to children of single moms for summer camps, sports or music lessons, or medical assistance. Do a search on your city or state plus the words “grant”, “financial assistance”, or “scholarship” and you may come up with a few sources meeting your needs.

For more information about grants for single moms grab my free eReport on the right. It contains lots of great information and an interview from a very successful grant writer.

Rich Single Mom Sam

The Ups and Downs of Gas

Gas prices in my neck of the woods (Georgia), as it is with other areas of the country, are going up and down like a yo-yo. Last week the lowest price I saw was $3.48. It was hard to believe but true, then it reversed and started going up again. Now it's at $3.53. I did spot a lower price ($3.49) after I got my gas. It seems like it always happens that way but I am just happy to be able to buy gas.

Fortunately it's been two weeks since I filled up and I wasn't completely on empty. I live about 7 miles from work and about a quarter mile from my kids' schools and shopping, so I don't have to drive far to get to the places I want to go. Doing less driving saves on gas and money that I have to put out to keep the tank filled up.

What about in your neck of the woods? What are gas prices like where you live? Have you found ways to conserve on gas?

Rich Single Momma

Take the 30-day Challenge

There is a trend going on in the internet marketing world called the 30-day Challenge. Thousands of people who want to start a business and make money online are joining in. I am taking the challenge and I encourage you to do the same.

Here is a video of day one that is filled with valuable information. I'll let you take a look and decide for yourself.



Let me know how it's going for you. I'm already getting ideas so I'm off to make some money.

Rich Single Momma

The Science of Getting Rich?

How can there be a science to getting rich? Sometimes we tend to think that the rich got that way by happenstance. Sure, some are born into rich families, but for the most part there is some method to how riches are attained. Some get rich through a windfall, some through hard work, and some through stepping on people to get what they have. There is a better way to get rich and it is a bit of a scientific method according to author, Wallace Wattles. His book, The Science of Getting Rich, is making it's way around the internet and is the basis of the recent The Secret phenomenon.

I read the Science of Getting Rich before The Secret came out, but at that time I wasn't ready for it. I was too deeply involved in sorting our personal issues. But a few months ago I got reacquainted with this great book. I downloaded the audio book and listen to it about once a month. It is simple to understand and gave me several "aha" moments. Getting rich is more about an attitude rather than a science. But when you follow the steps outlined in the book you'll begin seeing a change in your attitude about money as well as a positive cash flow. It's slow at first, but it increase as you continue to practice the methods in this book.

The incredible thing about this book is that it is freely available from several sources. Some people are selling it for a small fee but the original book is available as a .pdf download. Rebecca Fine over at http://www.scienceofgettingrich.net had the book available there as well as other resources to make your journey toward getting rich a fun one. She offers support through forum discussion and also has a course that you can set your own fee for. I encourage you to go over and see what it's about and begin to change your life.

I do recommend that you get the audio book and listen to it often. There is always something new that I pick up when I hear it again. It is no problem to do other things while listening. When I am cooking, cleaning, or sitting under the hair dryer I listen. I even listen when I am going to sleep. The principles are being conveyed on a subconscious level so during my wakeful hours I am implementing the principles.

So is there a science of getting rich? I'd say so, but unlike science in school, this kind is more fun and more profitable. ;-)

Rich Single Momma

Free Savings Calculator

According to the poll on the right, many of you want to know more about saving money. Here is a savings calculator to try on for size.

It is never too late to start saving you know. Play around with it and see what you have to do to get some money in the bank for an emergency fund, vacation fund, or any other kind of fund you want. Get the kids involved if they are old enough. They are never too young to learn.