Freedom In A Budget

10 Simple Ways to Fight Inflation

Kelly — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:35:32 +0000

Inflation is hitting everyone’s wallet these days, making it crucial to find creative ways to stretch your hard-earned dollars. From reviewing your budget and slashing unnecessary subscriptions to leveraging side hustles and cash-back apps, there are plenty of practical steps you can take to fight rising costs.

Cooking at home, for example, can significantly cut expenses compared to eating out—even fast food prices have surged. By optimizing spending, finding cost-effective swaps, and strategically using cash-back rewards, you can keep more money in your pocket despite the challenges inflation brings. Here’s how to get started.

My favorite MONEY SAVING resources:

Rakuten: Earn 1-15% cash back when you shop! Signing up for Rakuten (formerly eBates) is one of the simplest ways to earn cash back! You simply create an account and then shop through their website or app to your favorite stores that you are already shopping at. Rakuten receives a commission for sending you there and then pays you cash back.
Mint Mobile: Paying too much for your cell phone bill? Switch to Mint Mobile, keep your phone number and pay as low as $15/month for unlimited service and data!
Ethos Life Insurance: Get a quick, free quote on term life insurance, affordable, online term life insurance. No exam! No waiting! No hassles! Policies as low as $5 a month!
Rocket Money: Manage and easily cancel unwanted subscriptions, and track upcoming bills.

Best place to keep your emergency fund to earn interest

If you have UNDER $5,000 in savings, switch to CIT Bank’s Savings Connect Account with 4.50% APY

If you have OVER $5,000 in savings, switch to CIT Bank’s Platinum Savings Account with 4.85% APY

1. Review Your Budget

Review and Cut Subscriptions

Action: Go through your monthly subscriptions and cancel any you no longer use or need.
Benefit: Frees up money that can be redirected towards more important financial goals.
Resources: RocketMoney helps to cancel unwanted subscriptions hassle-free.

Monthly subscriptions can quietly drain your finances if you’re not careful. Services like streaming platforms, gym memberships, and subscription boxes can add up quickly. Take the time to review all your subscriptions and assess which ones you genuinely use and need. Cancel any that no longer provide value or that you can live without.

By cutting unnecessary subscriptions, you can free up money to put towards more important financial goals, such as paying off debt, saving for an emergency fund, or investing. Regularly reviewing your subscriptions ensures that you’re only paying for what you actually use, helping you make the most of your money.

Start by reviewing your budget to gain a clear understanding of where your money is going each month. Begin with a detailed overview of all expenses, including necessary categories like housing and utilities, as well as discretionary spending. Next, take a close look at your subscriptions—many people have recurring charges for services they no longer use or need. Tools like Rocket Money can help identify and cancel unused subscriptions, making it easier to trim unnecessary expenses.

To gain better insights, track how much you’re spending in each category, from groceries to entertainment. This process may reveal opportunities to cut back or reallocate funds. Be mindful of impulse purchases, as these can quickly derail a budget. Using a spreadsheet to log expenses and categorize spending can provide a visual snapshot of your financial habits and help you set realistic goals to save and combat inflation.

Track Your Spending

Action: Use a spending tracker app to log every purchase.
Benefit: Helps you become more aware of your spending habits and identify unnecessary expenses you can eliminate.
Resources: Check out my budget templates or apps like RocketMoney, Tiller, or Empower.

Tracking your spending is an eye-opening exercise that can reveal a lot about your financial habits. By logging every purchase in a spending tracker app, you can see exactly where your money is going. This increased awareness can help you identify patterns in your spending and highlight areas where you might be able to cut back.

Many people are surprised to discover just how much they spend on small, everyday items like coffee, snacks, or impulse purchases. By identifying these unnecessary expenses, you can make more informed decisions about your spending and find ways to save. This doesn’t mean you have to cut out all the little luxuries, but being aware of them allows you to prioritize your spending in a way that aligns with your financial goals.

2. Use a High-Yield Savings Account

Opening a High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA) is a smart way to make your money work harder for you, especially in times of high inflation. Unlike traditional savings accounts, HYSAs offer significantly higher interest rates, helping you earn more on your balance and offsetting the rising costs of goods and services.

One excellent option to consider is CIT Bank’s High-Yield Savings Account. With competitive interest rates and no hidden fees, CIT Bank allows your savings to grow faster, maximizing your returns. It’s easy to set up, and the online interface makes managing your money simple and straightforward. By placing your emergency fund or savings goals in a CIT Bank HYSA, you can effortlessly boost your financial security while maintaining quick access to your funds when you need them.

General Savings

For general savings, an HYSA can help your money grow faster, turning small contributions into a more substantial sum over time. Instead of letting your savings sit in an account earning minimal interest, a high-yield account leverages compound interest to boost your balance. Whether you’re saving for a vacation, a major purchase, or building a financial cushion, the higher interest rates of an HYSA accelerate your progress toward these goals without requiring extra effort on your part.

Sinking Funds

Sinking funds are a way to save incrementally for specific, anticipated expenses such as holidays, car repairs, or annual insurance premiums. An HYSA is a great place to park these funds because it keeps your money separate from everyday spending while earning interest. By contributing regularly and using an HYSA, your money will continue to grow while you save, lessening the overall financial burden when it’s time to cover these planned costs.

Emergency Fund

An emergency fund is crucial for covering unexpected expenses like medical bills, home repairs, or sudden job loss. Keeping your emergency savings in a high-yield savings account allows your money to remain liquid—meaning you can access it quickly when needed—while still earning interest. This means your safety net isn’t just sitting idle but is actively growing, helping you stay ahead of inflation. An HYSA ensures that your emergency fund maintains its value and grows over time, providing you with a more robust financial cushion for life’s unexpected twists and turns.

By using a High-Yield Savings Account for general savings, sinking funds, and your emergency fund, you maximize your earning potential while maintaining easy access to your money, helping you stay prepared and financially empowered.

Best place to keep your emergency fund to earn interest

If you have UNDER $5,000 in savings, switch to CIT Bank’s Savings Connect Account with 4.50% APY

If you have OVER $5,000 in savings, switch to CIT Bank’s Platinum Savings Account with 4.85% APY

3. Start A Side Hustles

Starting a side hustle can significantly increase your financial stability, offering flexibility and additional income streams. There are numerous side hustles you can tap into that capitalize on skills you already have. For instance, becoming a virtual assistant allows you to support businesses by managing tasks such as scheduling, email correspondence, or social media management. If you have a knack for organization or specialized knowledge, offering online coaching or consulting can help others reach their goals while boosting your earnings.

Need some ideas on starting your own side hustle from home!?

Discover your perfect fit with the skills you already have!

Sneak peek at what's inside:

Step-by-step guide to uncovering the perfect side hustle that aligns with your skills, interests, and goals.

Learn how to turn your unique skills and passions into a profitable online side hustle.

Practical tips, strategies, and real-life examples to kickstart your side hustle journey with confidence.

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Freelance work is another excellent option, whether it’s writing, graphic design, or website management—whatever aligns with your strengths and interests. You can also dive into content creation, like blogging or producing digital products such as templates, printables, or guides, to sell online. These options not only let you make money on your own terms but also allow you to build a business that grows over time. With dedication and a strategic approach, your side hustle can evolve into a consistent and rewarding income stream.

4. Pay Off High Interest Debt

Paying off high-interest debt should be a top priority when working towards financial stability, as it can quickly drain your resources due to mounting interest charges. High-interest debt, such as credit card balances, often comes with double-digit interest rates that make it difficult to make meaningful progress with minimum payments alone. By aggressively tackling these debts, you reduce the amount of money lost to interest and free up more funds for savings, investments, or other financial goals.

To start, consider using strategies like the debt snowball or debt avalanche methods. The debt snowball focuses on paying off the smallest debts first to build momentum and confidence, while the debt avalanche targets the debts with the highest interest rates to minimize overall costs. Additionally, consolidating debt with a lower-interest personal loan or a balance transfer card can help reduce your interest burden and make repayment more manageable.

Prioritizing the payoff of high-interest debt empowers you to regain control of your finances, improve your credit score, and ultimately achieve greater financial freedom.

>> Watch: The FOUR Best Ways To Pay Off Debt

Look For Cheaper Options

Finding cheaper alternatives for everyday expenses can significantly ease the pressure of rising costs. Start by evaluating recurring expenses such as your cell phone plan. Switching to a more affordable provider, like Mint Mobile, can save you hundreds of dollars a year without sacrificing quality service. Similarly, it’s worth calling around and comparing quotes for your insurance policies—auto, home, or health insurance. In many cases, you can secure the same coverage for a lower premium simply by shopping around or negotiating with your provider.

To help reduce costs even further, check out this article with a script to your lower bills, which outlines what to say when speaking with service providers about lowering your rates. This proactive approach can lead to surprising savings on utilities, cable, and other monthly bills.

Finding cheaper alternatives to groceries also makes a big difference. For example, opting for frozen berries over fresh ones often saves money while still providing the same nutritional benefits and convenience. Small swaps like this can add up over time, creating meaningful savings that leave more money in your pocket. By consistently looking for and switching to cheaper options, you can maintain your quality of life while keeping your budget in check.

>> Save money on your cell phone bill with Mint Mobile.

>> Read: How To Lower Your Bills: An Easy Script To Negotiate On The Phone

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Efficiency Tools: Discover the top tools and apps to streamline your social media management, saving you time and effort.
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Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles

There are endless possibilities for turning a profit with your passion. However, some interests have more potential than others. Here’s a sampling of the most popular hobbies to hustle on the side, especially online.

Start a Side Hustle

Action: Explore freelance work, gig economy jobs, or selling items online.
Benefit: Generates additional income that can be used to pay off debt, build savings, or invest.
Resources: Download my free Ultimate Side Hustle Guide to help you figure out what side hustle is best for you.

Starting a side hustle can significantly boost your financial situation. Whether it’s freelance work, a gig economy job, or selling items online, a side hustle provides an additional income stream that can help you achieve your financial goals faster. It’s a flexible way to earn extra money on your own terms, fitting around your existing commitments.

Use the income from your side hustle to pay off debt, build your savings, or invest for the future. Even a few hundred extra dollars a month can make a big difference. Plus, a side hustle can offer personal fulfillment and the opportunity to develop new skills, which can be beneficial in your primary career as well.

I realized that being part of a mastermind group was a real game-changer for boosting my online business to the next level. The group was there to encourage and motivate one another through challenges, celebrate each other’s wins, strategize, identify, and help each other focus on strengths or trends. This took the feeling of “going it alone” out of being a solopreneur.

“Next Level Membership” is a community of like-minded entrepreneurs personally led by me, Kelly Anne Smith. The main goal is to create a supportive space for you to build relationships while helping you overcome your online business challenges and achieve growth.

As a member, you’ll get to join LIVE group Zoom mastermind calls, coworking sessions, monthly workshops, and an easily accessible library of valuable videos and resources.

You don’t have to go through this journey alone! Join us to elevate your online business with motivation, community, collaboration, and sound strategy.

7. Use Cash-Back Apps

Using cash-back apps is a simple and effective way to earn money on everyday purchases you’re already making, like gas and groceries. Apps such as Ibotta, Rakuten, and Fetch Rewards provide cash back or rewards points when you shop through their platforms or upload receipts. Since gas and groceries are unavoidable expenses, leveraging these tools ensures you’re getting a little extra value every time you shop.

If you’re filling up your tank, cash-back apps like Upside can provide savings at the pump, while grocery apps allow you to earn rewards on items you would have bought anyway. Over time, these cash-back rewards can accumulate into meaningful savings or even cash payouts, making it well worth the small effort it takes to use the apps. Since you’re already spending money on these necessities, why not take advantage and put some of that cash back into your pocket?

The best part is with most of these apps you can double dip with the cash back and use more than one app on the same receipt!

UPSIDE: Earn $0.20 per gallon cash back when you fill up your gas tank! New restaurants are also being added to the app every month as well!
RAKUTEN: Earn $30 just for shopping with my referral link and making a qualified purchase within 90 days of joining and total $30.
SHOPKICK: Earn cash back just by walking into stores, scanning products, and on everyday purchases.
RECEIPT HOG: Scan your receipts to ANYWHERE, get bonuses that turn into coins for cash redeemed in gift cards or PayPal.
FETCH REWARDS: Get free gift cards simply for shopping, snapping all your receipts and playing games on your phone!
IBOTTA: Turn your grocery receipt into gift cards. Matching your purchases with offers within the app automatically to give you cash back after your purchase!

8. Shop Second Hand

Shopping second-hand is an excellent way to find quality items at a fraction of the cost, helping you stretch your budget further. Thrift stores like Goodwill, consignment shops, and online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace offer a treasure trove of gently-used goods, from furniture to clothing and beyond. These options often allow you to score high-quality, name-brand items for significantly less than retail prices.

For example, I recently purchased a solid wood table for my daughter that retails for over $100. By shopping second-hand, I found a Pottery Barn table for just $40—an incredible deal for such a well-made piece. These savings aren’t just limited to furniture; you can find deals on everything from electronics to children’s toys, reducing the strain on your budget without compromising on quality.

Embracing second-hand shopping is not only economical but also environmentally friendly, as it reduces waste and extends the life cycle of products. With a bit of patience and creativity, you can uncover incredible bargains that meet your needs while leaving more money in your pocket.

9. Try A NO SPEND Week Or Month

Trying a no-spend week or month is a powerful way to reset your financial habits, cut down on unnecessary expenses, and boost your savings. The concept is simple: commit to spending money only on essentials such as groceries, utilities, and necessary bills, while avoiding discretionary purchases like dining out, shopping, or entertainment. This period of intentional spending can help you become more mindful of your spending triggers and identify areas where you can cut back permanently.

If committing to a full no-spend challenge feels overwhelming, you can tailor it to focus on specific categories. For example, you might try a “no-spend on eating out” challenge, cooking all your meals at home for the duration, or a “no-spend on clothing” challenge, which can help you appreciate and make better use of the wardrobe you already own. By narrowing down the no-spend focus, you maintain the spirit of mindful spending while targeting areas that impact your budget the most.

To make your no-spend challenge more effective, download the free printable tracker below. By logging each day that you stick to the challenge, you create a visual reminder of your progress and reinforce positive habits. The tracker can help keep you accountable and motivated, making it easier to complete the challenge and reflect on your spending habits at the end. A no-spend challenge—whether broad or category-specific—doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It can be an opportunity to get creative, find free ways to enjoy life, and gain greater control over your finances.

10. Always Compare Prices

Comparing prices is a crucial step in maximizing your savings, as what may appear to be a “great deal” at first glance could simply be a marketing tactic to catch your attention. Retailers often use flashy sales and discounts to make items seem like bargains, but they’re not always the best option. In many cases, store-brand products offer better value than the sale price of name-brand items while maintaining comparable quality. However, this isn’t always true, so a careful price comparison is essential to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

Take the time to check unit prices, compare different brands, and assess any promotions to determine the true value. This is especially important for grocery shopping, where prices can vary significantly between brands and stores. By being mindful of how sales are presented and taking a few extra moments to compare, you can avoid falling for marketing tricks and make purchases that align with your budget. Over time, this habit of price comparison can lead to substantial savings, making every dollar count.

Educate Yourself on Personal Finance

Action: Read personal finance books, listen to podcasts, or take online courses.
Benefit: Increases your financial literacy, empowering you to make informed decisions and improve your financial health.

Financial literacy is key to making informed decisions and improving your financial health. Dedicate time to educate yourself on personal finance by reading books, listening to podcasts, or taking online courses. There are numerous resources available that can provide valuable insights and practical advice on budgeting, saving, investing, and more.

As you increase your knowledge, you’ll become more confident in managing your finances and making decisions that align with your goals. Understanding the basics of personal finance can help you avoid common pitfalls, take advantage of opportunities, and ultimately achieve financial independence.

By implementing these simple steps, you can take significant strides towards bettering your financial situation. Start with one or two actions today, and gradually incorporate more to build a solid financial foundation for the future.

Reminder For Beating Inflation

Navigating rising costs and fighting inflation requires strategic thinking and mindful spending, but every small step you take can lead to significant savings over time. From reviewing your budget and exploring side hustles to finding cost-effective swaps and leveraging cash-back apps, the key is to stay proactive and resourceful. By making thoughtful choices—like cooking at home, shopping second-hand, and prioritizing paying down high-interest debt—you can regain control over your finances and better weather economic challenges.

Remember, every dollar saved and every financial habit refined brings you closer to greater stability and freedom. By combining these practical strategies, you can stretch your dollars further, maintain your financial goals, and build a stronger financial future for yourself and your family. Stay focused, stay flexible, and continue finding creative ways to maximize your resources. You’ve got this!

Top 5 Time-Saving Social Media Management Tips

Kelly — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 15:16:28 +0000

Social media has become an essential part of any business or individual’s marketing strategy. However, with the rise of multiple platforms—each with unique audiences, algorithms, and content formats—managing social media effectively can quickly become overwhelming. It’s not just about posting regularly; it’s about planning, scheduling, and analyzing performance across all platforms.

The good news is that with the right strategies and tools, you can significantly streamline your social media management process and free up more time for other aspects of your business. In this article, we’ll explore the top five time-saving social media management tips that will help you stay organized, maximize productivity, and optimize your social media presence. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, content creator, or marketer, these tips will ensure that your social media efforts are both efficient and impactful.

>> Later is a social media management platform known for its user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface that helps users plan, schedule, and analyze content across multiple social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok.

Use Social Media Management Tools

One of the most effective ways to save time while managing social media is by utilizing social media management tools. These platforms allow you to control multiple social media accounts from one centralized dashboard, significantly reducing the hassle of switching between different apps or browsers. By consolidating your social media efforts, you can schedule posts in advance, organize your content calendar, and automate tasks like post publishing. My favorite tool for this is Later, which offers a simple yet powerful solution for businesses and content creators alike.

With Later, you can schedule posts for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok. It also features a visual content calendar, which allows you to drag and drop media into your desired time slots, making it easy to plan your posts for the week or month ahead. This not only ensures consistent content delivery but also eliminates the need to be online constantly to post at optimal times. Additionally, Later provides analytics to help track engagement and performance, enabling you to adjust your strategy based on data.

Another key feature of Later is its team collaboration tools, allowing multiple users to work together seamlessly, whether you’re assigning tasks or reviewing content. This is particularly useful if you’re managing accounts with a team, as it streamlines the workflow and reduces bottlenecks. By using a tool like Later, you can boost your productivity, focus on creating quality content, and spend less time juggling platforms and schedules, all while maintaining a strong social media presence.

Overall, integrating a management tool like Later into your routine is a game changer, especially for busy entrepreneurs or teams that need to stay organized and efficient across multiple social channels.

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Create a Content Calendar

Creating a content calendar is one of the most effective strategies for streamlining social media management

What is a content calendar?

A content calendar is a strategic tool used to plan and organize the publication of content across various platforms over a specific period. It provides a schedule that outlines what content will be created, when and where it will be posted, and often includes details like captions, media files, hashtags, and links. Content calendars are typically used for social media, blogs, email campaigns, or any type of regular content production.

By mapping out content in advance, a content calendar helps ensure consistency in messaging, maintain alignment with business goals or marketing campaigns, and reduce the last-minute rush to generate ideas. It also allows for better coordination across teams, as everyone involved can see what’s scheduled and collaborate more efficiently.

A content calendar serves as a roadmap that outlines what type of content you’ll post, on which platforms, and when. This structured approach saves you time by allowing you to plan ahead, ensuring you always have content ready to go instead of scrambling for ideas at the last minute. It also helps you maintain consistency across platforms, which is key to keeping your audience engaged and growing.

A well-organized content calendar can help you map out specific themes or topics for each week or month, align posts with important dates or events, and ensure that your content reflects your brand’s goals and message. For instance, if your brand focuses on education, inspiration, and promotion, your content pillars might include tutorials, customer success stories, and product announcements. A content calendar allows you to distribute these types of posts evenly, so you maintain a balanced content strategy that resonates with your audience.

In addition to keeping you organized, a content calendar also provides flexibility. You can batch-create content in advance and schedule it for automatic posting, freeing up time for you to focus on engagement, strategy, or other business activities. Many tools like Later or Google Sheets can help you create, manage, and even automate your calendar, further increasing your productivity.

By having a content calendar in place, you’ll not only save time but also ensure that you’re delivering high-quality, brand-aligned content consistently, which helps you stay relevant and top-of-mind for your audience.

My favorite tools in my business:

Later: A social media management platform known for its user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface that helps users plan, schedule, and analyze content across multiple social media platforms
TubeBuddy: YouTube channel management tool for keyword research, video optimization, analytics, and competitor analysis. It helps me save time and grow my audience by optimizing content and gain insights into my channel’s performance.
ThriveCart: This is what I use to host my online courses and membership. One-time fee of roughly $495 for a lifetime license.
Flodesk: My email provider, get 50% off your first year, unlimited email subscribers at no increased price. It comes with email templates, lead, popup, & opt-in forms for collecting email and is very intuitive.
Honeybook: Platform for Virtual Assistants and Freelancing; templates for contracts, create and send invoices, scheduling, automations, and manage your clients all in one place!
Create an LLC for $39: Super easy to use service to create an LLC for your online business, walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.

Repurpose Content

Repurposing content is a highly effective time-saving strategy for social media management. It involves taking existing content and adapting it for different formats or platforms, maximizing the value of each piece of content you create. Instead of coming up with fresh ideas for every social media post, repurposing allows you to extend the life of your content by reshaping it for multiple channels, reaching different audiences in varied ways.

For example, you could take a long-form blog post and break it down into bite-sized social media posts, highlighting key insights or quotes. Similarly, you could turn a video tutorial into an infographic or a step-by-step guide for platforms like Pinterest or Instagram. You might even convert a popular Instagram post into a short-form video or carousel, or use a series of tweets to create a LinkedIn article. The flexibility of repurposing ensures that your content continues to provide value across different platforms without requiring you to constantly generate new material from scratch.

Repurposing also allows you to tailor content to the specific audience and format of each platform. For instance, a highly visual post that works well on Instagram could be turned into a more detailed written post on LinkedIn, or a Facebook live video could be trimmed and used as a YouTube clip. This approach not only saves time but also ensures your content resonates with the different audiences across each platform.

Ultimately, repurposing content helps increase productivity and reach by allowing you to work smarter, not harder. It ensures you’re delivering consistent, high-quality content without the constant pressure of creating something new for every platform, every day.

Automate Your Social Media Posting

Automating your social media posting is one of the most powerful ways to save time and maintain consistency in your content strategy. By scheduling posts in advance, you can streamline your workflow and ensure that your content goes live at optimal times without the need for manual intervention. Tools like Later make this process easy by allowing you to set up posts, visuals, captions, and hashtags ahead of time and choose the specific days and times for publishing.

One of the biggest advantages of automation is that it helps you stay organized and consistent. Regular posting is essential for building an engaged audience, and automation tools ensure you never miss a scheduled post—even when you’re busy with other aspects of your business. Additionally, by setting up your content in advance, you can create a more cohesive and planned strategy, allowing you to align your posts with marketing campaigns, seasonal trends, or product launches.

Another benefit of automating with Later is that it offers features like “Best Time to Post,” which analyzes your audience engagement to determine the most effective times for sharing content. This means your posts are not only consistent but also strategically timed for maximum impact. Plus, automation allows you to batch-create content, freeing up more time for creative tasks like engaging with your audience or analyzing post performance.

By using a tool like Later to automate your social media posting, you can boost productivity, save valuable time, and maintain a steady flow of high-quality content across all your platforms, ensuring that your brand stays top-of-mind for your audience without requiring daily manual effort.

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Outsource Social Media Management

Outsourcing your social media management is a smart, time-saving strategy that can help you focus on other critical areas of your business. By delegating your social media tasks to a professional, you can ensure that your social presence remains active and engaging without having to handle every detail yourself. This can include tasks such as creating and scheduling posts, monitoring engagement (mentions, hashtags, etc.), and tracking key metrics through analytics. By having a social media manager or virtual assistant handle these responsibilities, you free up valuable time while still maintaining a consistent and effective online presence.

One of the best places to find qualified social media managers or virtual assistants is Fiverr, an online marketplace where you can hire freelance experts for a wide range of services. Whether you’re looking for someone to design graphics, manage daily posts, or even develop a full-scale social media strategy, Fiverr offers a vast pool of talented professionals ready to assist. By outsourcing through Fiverr, you not only save time but can also tailor the services to fit your budget and specific needs.

For example, if you’re just getting started with outsourcing, you can hire someone on Fiverr for smaller tasks like creating a week’s worth of posts or handling customer interactions on one platform. As your business grows, you can scale up by hiring a full-time social media manager who can oversee your entire social media strategy. This flexibility allows you to gradually hand off more tasks without overwhelming your budget or compromising quality.

Outsourcing through platforms like Fiverr enables you to maintain a polished, professional social media presence while freeing up time to concentrate on other areas of growth, such as product development, sales, or customer service. Plus, with Fiverr’s wide range of freelancers, you can easily find someone who aligns with your brand’s vision and goals, ensuring that your social media is managed effectively and in line with your business objectives.

Effective Social Media Management: Save Time, Stay Consistent

Managing social media can be time-consuming, especially when you’re juggling multiple platforms and trying to maintain consistent, high-quality engagement. However, with the right time-saving strategies, you can streamline your social media efforts and significantly boost productivity, without sacrificing the strength of your online presence.

Use Social Media Management Tools: Tools like Later allow you to manage multiple accounts from a single dashboard, schedule posts, and track analytics. This consolidates all your social media tasks into one place, saving time and improving efficiency.
Create a Content Calendar: Planning your content in advance using a content calendar helps you stay organized, ensures consistency, and prevents last-minute scrambling for content ideas. By mapping out your posts ahead of time, you can align your content with marketing goals and important dates.
Repurpose Content: Take existing content and reformat it for different platforms. For example, turn a blog post into a series of Instagram posts, or condense a video into a social media teaser. This reduces the need to constantly create new content, maximizing the value of what you’ve already produced.
Automate Your Social Media Posting: Scheduling posts in advance using automation tools helps maintain a consistent posting schedule, even when you’re busy. Tools like Later allow you to schedule posts, ensuring that your content goes live at the optimal times for audience engagement.
Outsource Social Media Management: Hiring a social media manager or virtual assistant through platforms like Fiverr can free up your time to focus on other business activities. A professional can handle everything from post creation and scheduling to audience engagement and analytics tracking, ensuring that your social media presence stays strong without requiring your daily attention.

By implementing these time-saving strategies, you can effectively manage your social media accounts with less effort, leaving you more time to focus on growing your business and connecting with your audience in meaningful ways.

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Step-by-step guide to uncovering the perfect side hustle that aligns with your skills, interests, and goals.

Learn how to turn your unique skills and passions into a profitable online side hustle.

Practical tips, strategies, and real-life examples to kickstart your side hustle journey with confidence.

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What is content repurposing, and how does it help?

Content repurposing involves taking existing content and transforming it into different formats for various platforms. For example, you can turn a blog post into an Instagram carousel or a video into a podcast episode. This reduces the need to create entirely new content for every platform, saving time while increasing the reach of your original content.

Why is using social media management tools important?

Social media management tools, like Later, Hootsuite, or Buffer, streamline the process of managing multiple social media platforms from a single dashboard. These tools allow you to schedule posts in advance, track analytics, and manage interactions, saving you time and ensuring a consistent presence across platforms.

How does a content calendar save time?

A content calendar allows you to plan your posts in advance, ensuring consistent, high-quality content while reducing the need for last-minute brainstorming. It also helps organize campaigns, align content with marketing goals, and avoid missed posting opportunities, freeing up more time for strategic tasks.

How often should I post on social media to stay consistent?

The optimal posting frequency depends on the platform and your audience. For instance, posting 1-2 times a day on Instagram, 3-5 times a day on Twitter, and 2-3 times per week on LinkedIn is generally recommended. Tools like Later can help you find the best times to post for maximum engagement.

Can I outsource social media management?

Yes, outsourcing social media management is a great way to free up time. You can hire freelancers or agencies to handle tasks such as content creation, posting, engagement, and analytics tracking. Platforms like Fiverr offer access to a wide range of social media managers, allowing you to find the right fit for your business and budget.

How does automating posts affect engagement?

Automating posts ensures that your content is shared at optimal times, even when you’re not online, improving consistency. However, it’s important to combine automation with real-time engagement. Responding to comments and messages promptly keeps your audience connected and boosts overall engagement.

How do analytics tools save time?

Social media management platforms often include built-in analytics tools that track performance, engagement, and audience growth. These tools save you the time of manually collecting data, and they help you quickly assess what’s working so you can adjust your strategy to improve results.

Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles

Why I Left MailChimp for Flodesk to Host My Email List + Flodesk’s New Features

Kelly — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:41:41 +0000

In today’s fast-paced digital world, email marketing remains a vital tool for businesses of all sizes. With countless platforms available, Flodesk has quickly made a name for itself as a go-to solution for entrepreneurs, creatives, and small business owners who want an intuitive, aesthetically driven platform.

But beyond its sleek design and user-friendly interface, Flodesk’s recent feature updates have turned it into a powerful all-in-one tool for email marketing, lead generation, and e-commerce. Let’s dive into why I left Mailchimp for Flodesk and their latest game-changing features that can take your business to the next level.

>> Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk here!

Why Choose Flodesk?

One of the biggest challenges for businesses, especially those just starting out, is managing costs as they scale. Many email marketing platforms lure users in with free or low-cost plans, but these often come with restrictions on the number of subscribers or emails sent. As your list grows, these platforms can become prohibitively expensive. This is where Flodesk truly shines, offering flat-rate pricing that doesn’t increase as your subscriber base grows—whether you have 200 subscribers or 200,000, your price stays the same.

Most platforms start with a free or low-cost option, but those often come with strict limitations on features or the number of emails you can send per month. For instance, platforms like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or ActiveCampaign offer free tiers, but their pricing escalates sharply once you hit a subscriber threshold. As you build a strong email list with a solid lead magnet, this can quickly get expensive. For example, Mailchimp’s free plan covers up to 500 subscribers, but once you surpass that, the price increases based on the size of your list, sometimes reaching hundreds of dollars per month for larger lists.

Flodesk offers a single flat-rate pricing model at $38 per month, regardless of how many subscribers you have. What’s more, they offer 50% off the first year for new users, making it an incredible deal for growing businesses.

This means that whether your list is just getting started with 200 subscribers or scaling to 200,000 subscribers, you’ll still pay the same rate.

This pricing predictability allows businesses to plan their budgets without worrying about escalating costs as their email list grows. For businesses with a solid lead magnet that attracts thousands of subscribers, this flat-rate model can save a significant amount of money in the long run, compared to other platforms that charge per subscriber tier.

For entrepreneurs, small businesses, and creatives who are focused on growth, Flodesk’s pricing structure is not only affordable but also scalable, providing peace of mind that their email marketing expenses won’t skyrocket as they expand.

Flodesk’s combination of unlimited emails, visually stunning templates, and a pricing structure that doesn’t penalize growth makes it one of the best choices for businesses that want to scale without breaking the bank.

Flodesk’s platform is known for its easy-to-use automation workflows and beautiful, on-brand email templates that don’t require any design expertise. Whether you’re running an e-commerce store or promoting digital services, Flodesk offers a seamless experience for both beginners and experienced marketers alike.

Why Flodesk Is a Better Option Than Mailchimp

When comparing email marketing platforms, Flodesk stands out as a strong alternative to Mailchimp for several reasons, particularly for businesses focused on aesthetics, pricing stability, and ease of use.

1. Flat-Rate Pricing vs. Tiered Pricing

One of the most significant differences between Flodesk and Mailchimp is their pricing models. Mailchimp operates on a tiered pricing system, meaning that as your subscriber list grows, so do your monthly fees. For instance, while Mailchimp offers a free plan for small lists, it can become expensive quickly as you scale, especially when you need more advanced features.

In contrast, Flodesk’s flat-rate pricing ensures you pay the same amount whether you have 200 subscribers or 200,000. For $38 per month, you get access to unlimited emails and subscribers, allowing you to grow without worrying about increased costs. Flodesk also offers 50% off the first year, making it an even more affordable option.

2. Beautiful, User-Friendly Design

Flodesk has a clear edge when it comes to design. It offers beautiful, customizable email templates that are geared toward users who want visually appealing emails without having to hire a designer. The interface is sleek, intuitive, and designed with creatives in mind. This simplicity in design extends to Flodesk’s forms and automations as well.

Mailchimp, on the other hand, offers a more comprehensive platform but can often feel overwhelming with its array of features and a more cluttered interface. Users report that it takes more time to design emails in Mailchimp and may require a steeper learning curve.

3. Simpler Automations

While both platforms offer automation capabilities, Flodesk makes it easier for users to set up simple workflows, like welcome sequences or product follow-ups, without the complexity often found in Mailchimp. Flodesk’s automation is built for ease of use, offering customizable workflows that allow you to engage with your audience seamlessly.

Mailchimp provides more advanced automation options, but these can often be more complicated to set up and typically come at a higher price point as your needs grow. For users who need streamlined, effective automations without added cost, Flodesk is the clear winner.

4. No Hidden Costs

One of the challenges with Mailchimp’s pricing is that as you grow your subscriber list or need additional features like multivariate testing or more detailed reporting, the cost escalates quickly. Flodesk keeps things simple—the flat-rate pricing means you know exactly what you’re paying each month, no matter how many features or subscribers you add.

5. Ideal for Creatives and Small Businesses

Flodesk is particularly well-suited for creatives, small businesses, and entrepreneurs who value a platform that’s easy to use and creates stunning emails. The platform focuses on simplifying design and workflow, allowing users to concentrate on engaging their audience. While Mailchimp offers more integrations and features tailored to larger businesses with more complex needs, Flodesk’s streamlined approach makes it a perfect choice for users who want powerful email marketing without the fuss.

While both Mailchimp and Flodesk are robust platforms, Flodesk offers more affordable and aesthetically focused options for those who prioritize simplicity, beautiful design, and cost stability. If you’re looking to grow your list without increasing costs or complexity, Flodesk’s flat-rate pricing, intuitive design, and ease of use make it a superior choice over Mailchimp for many businesses, especially creatives and entrepreneurs.

Link Actions: Boosting Engagement and Personalization

Flodesk’s Link Actions feature is a powerful tool that allows you to personalize and automate your email marketing campaigns with a few clicks. By using Link Actions, you can trigger various automated processes based on how your subscribers interact with the links in your emails, providing a seamless and tailored experience. Here are a couple of examples showing how you can leverage Link Actions to boost engagement and create a personalized journey for your audience:

1. One-Click Webinar Registration

If you’re hosting a webinar and want to streamline the registration process for your email subscribers, Link Actions can be used to create a one-click registration experience. Instead of having subscribers go through a lengthy sign-up process, they can simply click a link within your email that:

Automatically adds them to a segment tagged as “Webinar Attendees.”
Triggers an automated workflow that sends a “You’re registered!” confirmation email, complete with the webinar details.
Redirects them to a custom “You’re Registered” landing page, where they can get more information or add the event to their calendar.

This removes friction in the sign-up process and increases the likelihood that more people will register for your event.

2. Segmenting Subscribers Based on Preferences

Another powerful use of Link Actions is for content segmentation and subscriber preferences. Let’s say you send out a promotional email for a new product launch, but not all your subscribers may be interested in hearing more about this particular offer. To keep your list healthy and engaged without losing subscribers, you could include a link that:

Removes the subscriber from the “Product Launch” segment if they click the link indicating they don’t want to receive further emails about that specific promotion.
Adds them to a “Weekly Newsletter” segment, ensuring they continue to receive your regular content without opting out entirely.

This way, you’re respecting your subscribers’ preferences, reducing unsubscribes, and continuing to nurture the relationship with the content that’s relevant to them.

3. Content-Specific Segmentation

If you offer multiple services or products, Link Actions can help you segment your audience based on the type of content they engage with. For example, if your email contains links to different blog posts or product categories (e.g., DIY projects, social media tips, or budgeting advice), you can:

Segment subscribers based on the content they click on. For instance, if someone clicks on a link about social media strategies, you can add them to a “Social Media” segment, allowing you to send follow-up emails that align with their interest.
Trigger specific follow-up automations. If a subscriber clicks on a link for budgeting advice, they could be automatically enrolled in a nurturing sequence that provides them with more related resources, tips, and product offers.

By leveraging Link Actions in this way, you can send highly personalized content to your audience, boosting engagement and conversions.

Flodesk’s Link Actions feature is a gamechanger when it comes to audience engagement and email personalization. By tailoring your emails based on subscriber behavior, you can create a more meaningful connection with your audience, leading to better open rates, click-through rates, and overall conversions. Whether it’s streamlining webinar registrations or segmenting your audience based on their content preferences, the possibilities with Link Actions are endless.

My favorite tools in my business:

TubeBuddy: YouTube channel management tool for keyword research, video optimization, analytics, and competitor analysis. It helps me save time and grow my audience by optimizing content and gain insights into my channel’s performance.
ThriveCart: This is what I use to host my online courses and membership. One-time fee of roughly $495 for a lifetime license.
Flodesk: My email provider, get 50% off your first year, unlimited email subscribers at no increased price. It comes with email templates, lead, popup, & opt-in forms for collecting email and is very intuitive.
Honeybook: Platform for Virtual Assistants and Freelancing; templates for contracts, create and send invoices, scheduling, automations, and manage your clients all in one place!
Create an LLC for $39: Super easy to use service to create an LLC for your online business, walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.

Spinner Forms: Adding Fun to Subscriber Growth

One of the most exciting new additions is the Spinner Forms feature, which brings an element of fun and interactivity to lead generation. Instead of a standard pop-up, visitors to your site can spin a virtual wheel to receive a discount or special offer. Businesses can customize the wheel’s design, select rewards, and manage the form’s overall aesthetic to align with their branding

The real value here lies in engagement—users are more likely to opt-in when there’s a playful reward mechanism in place. The ability to control which reward is shown ensures a predictable outcome, while still offering the user a sense of excitement and anticipation.

Video Forms: Capturing Attention with Visual Content

Incorporating video into marketing campaigns has proven to boost engagement, and Flodesk’s Video Forms make this process easier than ever. This feature allows you to embed custom video content directly into your opt-in forms. Whether you’re explaining your product, offering a demonstration, or simply showcasing your brand, video forms create a more engaging and dynamic experience for potential subscribers.

These forms support YouTube and Vimeo links, and you can customize the video thumbnail, playback button, and form fields. Imagine having a customer watch a short video about your product while filling out their contact information—all in one seamless experience. It’s a perfect tool for coaches, consultants, or anyone who wants to add a personal touch to their lead generation.

How To Launch Your First Course

Ready to turn your passion into profit? How To Launch Your First Course empowers you to share your expertise, impact lives, and earn money through teaching what you know.

Take the leap—transform your knowledge into an engaging online course that captivates and teaches.

>> Click here to enroll for FREE!

Mobile Form Builder: Create Forms Anytime, Anywhere

For business owners constantly on the go, Flodesk’s Mobile Form Builder is a game-changer. This feature allows you to create and edit forms, including full-page and “link in bio” forms, directly from your mobile device.

You can customize everything from colors and fonts to segment preferences, without needing to be tied to your desktop.

Whether you’re tweaking your forms during a break or launching a last-minute campaign, this flexibility means you can manage your lead generation efforts whenever inspiration strikes. For busy entrepreneurs, it’s an invaluable tool that helps you stay productive, no matter where you are.

Flodesk Checkout: Turning Subscribers Into Customers

One of Flodesk’s standout new features is Flodesk Checkout, an integrated solution that lets you sell digital products, services, or subscriptions directly from the platform. With this tool, you can create beautifully designed sales pages that convert leads into paying customers—all without the need for an external e-commerce solution.

Flodesk Checkout integrates seamlessly with Stripe for payment processing and offers upsell and down-sell options, allowing businesses to optimize their revenue streams. Plus, the checkout experience is customizable, ensuring that your brand’s visual identity remains consistent throughout the sales funnel.

For businesses looking to monetize their email list and create additional revenue streams, this feature makes Flodesk an all-in-one powerhouse.

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Conclusion

Flodesk continues to push the envelope when it comes to email marketing, offering innovative features that help businesses of all sizes grow and engage their audience. From fun and interactive spinner forms to seamless e-commerce checkout experiences, these new tools provide everything you need to elevate your marketing strategy.

As Flodesk evolves, its combination of style, functionality, and affordability makes it a must-try platform for anyone serious about scaling their online business. If you’re looking to upgrade your email marketing game, these features make it easier than ever to connect with your audience and boost your bottom line.

Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles

>> Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk here!

Why I Left Teachable for ThriveCart to Host My Courses

Kelly — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:57:00 +0000

In the fast-evolving digital landscape, choosing the right platform for online course creation is a crucial decision. As someone deeply invested in online education, I initially opted for Teachable—drawn by its promising features. However, my journey took a turn, leading me to ThriveCart. This shift was not impulsive but rather a strategic move grounded in my growing needs as an educator and entrepreneur.

Both Teachable and ThriveCart cater to digital content creators, yet they stand on different pedestals.

Teachable is well-regarded for its comprehensive course creation abilities, targeting educators seeking a straightforward start.

ThriveCart, on the other hand, excels in providing robust cart features and marketing tools, appealing to those looking to optimize sales and conversion rates.

How To Launch Your First Course

Ready to turn your passion into profit? How To Launch Your First Course empowers you to share your expertise, impact lives, and earn money through teaching what you know.

Take the leap—transform your knowledge into an engaging online course that captivates and teaches.

>> Click here to enroll for FREE!

My favorite tools in my business:

TubeBuddy: YouTube channel management tool for keyword research, video optimization, analytics, and competitor analysis. It helps me save time and grow my audience by optimizing content and gain insights into my channel’s performance.
ThriveCart: This is what I use to host my online courses and membership. One-time fee of roughly $495 for a lifetime license.
Flodesk: My email provider, get 50% off your first year, unlimited email subscribers at no increased price. It comes with email templates, lead, popup, & opt-in forms for collecting email and is very intuitive.
Honeybook: Platform for Virtual Assistants and Freelancing; templates for contracts, create and send invoices, scheduling, automations, and manage your clients all in one place!
Create an LLC for $39: Super easy to use service to create an LLC for your online business, walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.

Reasons for Switching from Teachable to ThriveCart

The transition from Teachable to ThriveCart was catalyzed by several key factors, each underscoring the importance of adapting to better serve both my business goals and my audience.

Which Course Platform Has Better Cost Efficiency?

As my business grew, I began to feel the financial weight of using platforms with recurring fees and transaction cuts. Teachable, while initially appealing, started to feel like more of a financial burden than an investment. With Teachable’s subscription costs, which amounted to $1,100 a year, combined with the percentage they took from each sale, I was losing a significant portion of my revenue. Over time, these recurring expenses began to eat into my profit margins, making it harder to scale my business without worrying about how much I was giving away.

ThriveCart’s one-time payment model offered a refreshing alternative. By paying a single fee upfront, I could eliminate the constant worry about monthly or annual subscriptions. This model instantly provided me with long-term savings that would accumulate over the years, allowing me to reinvest that money back into my business, whether through marketing, course improvements, or growing my team.

The one-time upfront fee was less than I was paying per year with Teachable.

What also made ThriveCart a practical choice is the absence of transaction fees. Unlike Teachable, which takes a cut of each sale, ThriveCart allows me to keep 100% of my earnings. This directly translates to higher profitability on every sale I make, which is especially valuable as my course offerings and audience expand. The financial freedom that comes with this model empowers creators like me to focus on scaling without the stress of ongoing platform costs nibbling away at the bottom line.

For any business owner aiming to maximize their returns, ThriveCart’s cost-efficient pricing structure makes it a no-brainer. It’s not just a purchase—it’s an investment that pays off in the long run, giving me both peace of mind and financial control over my business. By reducing overhead, ThriveCart has allowed me to focus more on growth, profitability, and delivering value to my audience without constantly worrying about platform fees.

Enhanced Customization and Control

When creating a digital course, personalization is everything. Being able to create a seamless experience that mirrors your brand’s identity is essential to standing out. With ThriveCart, I was able to gain a level of customization that Teachable couldn’t match. This extensive flexibility allows me to tailor everything—from the design of the checkout pages to the way my courses are structured—to create an experience that truly reflects my brand’s uniqueness.

ThriveCart’s customizable templates, for instance, allowed me to fully align the checkout process with my branding, using specific color schemes, fonts, and layouts. The ability to modify these elements without relying on restrictive templates or needing coding skills meant I could deliver a polished, professional aesthetic that made my courses and offerings feel truly premium.

Additionally, beyond aesthetics, the functional customization was a game-changer. I could control key aspects of the user experience, such as offering one-click upsells, customizing sales funnels, and designing customer journeys that convert better. This higher level of control meant that I wasn’t just selling a course—I was creating a fully branded, cohesive experience that aligns with my vision for an exceptional online business.

Having this power to fine-tune both the look and function of my courses and sales funnels was a decisive factor in moving away from Teachable. With ThriveCart, I could finally showcase my courses with the professionalism and personal touch that my audience expects, creating a strong and distinct online presence.

Digital Course Platform Marketing and Sales Tools

A flexible and robust sales strategy is crucial to driving consistent growth. ThriveCart has proven to be an invaluable tool in this regard, offering an array of advanced marketing and sales features that have elevated my ability to optimize and scale my business.

One of ThriveCart’s standout features is its seamless ability to incorporate upsells and order bumps. With upsells, I can offer additional products or services right after a customer makes a purchase—without requiring them to re-enter their payment details. This one-click simplicity not only enhances the customer experience but significantly increases my average order value. Similarly, the order bump feature allows me to suggest relevant add-ons during the checkout process, which has been a game-changer for maximizing sales with minimal effort. Both of these tools have given me the flexibility to increase revenue with strategic, well-timed offers, directly within the sales funnel.

ThriveCart also comes equipped with comprehensive analytics that provide deep insights into customer behavior and the effectiveness of my marketing campaigns. With detailed reporting on conversion rates, sales performance, and abandoned carts, I can track every stage of the customer journey. This level of data gives me the power to fine-tune my sales funnels, pinpoint where customers drop off, and make data-driven adjustments to improve outcomes. For example, understanding cart abandonment rates has enabled me to deploy targeted recovery emails, successfully recapturing lost sales.

In addition to these marketing tools, ThriveCart’s A/B testing functionality has allowed me to test different sales pages and checkout flows, ensuring that I am always using the most effective setup to drive conversions. By experimenting with different copy, layouts, and pricing strategies, I can continuously optimize my funnels for better performance, increasing sales without any extra marketing spend.

The platform’s powerful affiliate management system has also simplified my marketing efforts. ThriveCart’s built-in affiliate tools make it easy to recruit and manage affiliates who can promote my products to their audiences, further amplifying my reach and sales. With customizable commission structures and automated payouts, I can leverage affiliate marketing without the hassle of manually tracking or paying out commissions.

In short, ThriveCart equips me with the tools I need to execute sophisticated marketing strategies without the complexity. Whether I’m upselling, testing different campaigns, or leveraging affiliates, ThriveCart gives me full control over my sales process. This flexibility allows me to continuously improve and adjust my marketing efforts based on real data, which is essential for driving growth in today’s dynamic online business landscape.

How to Transition From Teachable to ThriveCart

Switching platforms isn’t without its hurdles. However, understanding the transition process helps smoothen the journey from Teachable to ThriveCart.

Data Migration

One of the most challenging aspects of switching platforms is managing the data migration process. Moving from Teachable to ThriveCart wasn’t just about shifting my business operations—it involved carefully transferring all of my course content, student data, and sales information in a way that ensured everything remained intact and functional. Initially, this felt like the most daunting part of the transition. The stakes were high, as losing valuable data could have disrupted both the student experience and my business flow.

The first step was migrating course content—including videos, PDFs, quizzes, and other assets—to ThriveCart’s course platform, ThriveCart Learn. I had to ensure that all modules were properly organized, presented in the correct sequence, and accessible to students without any disruptions. This required meticulous planning and a careful review of each element to ensure that the content retained its structure and quality in the new system. ThriveCart’s intuitive interface and step-by-step guides made this easier, but it still required attention to detail to ensure nothing was lost in translation.

Equally important was the migration of student data. This involved securely transferring student profiles, enrollment statuses, and progress information to ThriveCart without losing track of where each student was in their learning journey. I needed to ensure that students could pick up right where they left off, without being confused or having to re-register. Fortunately, ThriveCart’s support team was highly responsive throughout this process, providing me with resources and guidance on how to handle the data migration smoothly. In some cases, I also relied on third-party services to assist with more technical aspects of transferring large volumes of data, ensuring that it was done accurately and efficiently.

The final piece was moving over my sales and transaction history. It was essential to have access to my historical sales data to maintain accurate financial records and for future business analysis. ThriveCart’s ability to integrate with my existing payment gateways helped simplify this process, making it easier to track sales moving forward without losing visibility on past transactions.

While the migration process required careful planning and execution, leveraging ThriveCart’s support and the right third-party tools streamlined what could have been a highly technical and stressful undertaking. The comprehensive resources provided by ThriveCart, along with clear communication from their support team, helped ensure that nothing was lost, and I could focus on building my business on this more powerful platform without worrying about technical hiccups or data loss.

Overall, despite the initial concerns, the migration process ended up being far smoother than anticipated. With a meticulous approach, I was able to make the switch without any major disruptions to my students or business operations, allowing me to start taking advantage of ThriveCart’s powerful features right away.

Learning Curve and Support

Like any new platform, ThriveCart came with a learning curve. As much as I was excited about its advanced features and the potential to enhance my business, getting accustomed to a new interface and system posed challenges at first. ThriveCart’s robust functionality, especially with its sales funnels, upsells, and affiliate management tools, required some time and effort to master. This wasn’t simply a plug-and-play transition, especially when coming from a more simplified platform like Teachable.

Initially, navigating ThriveCart’s various customization options—setting up checkout pages, configuring upsell offers, and managing affiliate programs—felt overwhelming. The platform offers a wealth of tools to optimize the selling process, but learning how to integrate them seamlessly into my business took patience. Understanding the finer details of cart behavior, advanced sales funnel creation, and utilizing data analytics to track customer actions required a more in-depth understanding of the system than I had anticipated.

However, what made the learning curve manageable was ThriveCart’s excellent support system. The platform provides a comprehensive range of tutorials, knowledge base articles, and step-by-step guides that walk you through each feature and setup process. From detailed how-tos for beginners to advanced tips for more experienced users, the resources were invaluable in helping me get up to speed quickly. Whether I needed to customize my sales pages or optimize my upsell strategy, I could easily find detailed instructions that answered my questions.

Moreover, ThriveCart’s customer support team was consistently responsive and helpful. Whenever I encountered a roadblock or had a technical issue, their support team provided clear, actionable advice that allowed me to keep moving forward. Whether it was through email support or chat, I always felt supported and never left waiting for long periods. Their expertise helped me troubleshoot issues and make adjustments more efficiently, reducing frustration and downtime.

Another aspect that made the learning process smoother was the availability of community support. ThriveCart has an active user community where I could connect with other entrepreneurs and course creators who had faced similar challenges. Sharing experiences and learning from others accelerated my mastery of the platform, as I could apply real-world tips and strategies that helped me unlock the full potential of ThriveCart’s features.

Ultimately, while the initial learning curve required time and effort, ThriveCart’s robust support system ensured that I wasn’t going through it alone. The combination of well-organized tutorials, responsive customer service, and a supportive community made the transition far more manageable. As a result, I quickly gained confidence in using the platform and was able to leverage its powerful tools to grow my business. What initially felt like a hurdle soon turned into an opportunity to refine my sales strategies, automate more processes, and ultimately run a more efficient, profitable business.

Impact on Business Growth

Since making the leap to ThriveCart, the impact on my business has been nothing short of transformative. Not only have my sales figures improved, but the entire customer experience has been elevated to new heights. ThriveCart’s advanced checkout system, which includes features like upsells, downsells, and order bumps, has significantly increased my average order value. With the ability to offer additional products or services during the checkout process, I’ve been able to boost revenue without needing to bring in new customers—something that has made a huge difference in the growth of my business.

Beyond just increasing sales, the streamlined checkout process has reduced cart abandonment, leading to a higher conversion rate. This smoother customer journey, from initial click to completed purchase, has created a more professional, trustworthy experience for my audience. Customers appreciate the ease of purchasing, which in turn has resulted in more repeat buyers and positive feedback.

Additionally, ThriveCart’s powerful analytics tools have given me deeper insights into what’s working and what needs improvement. I can now track every detail of my sales funnels, from page views to conversion rates, allowing me to make data-driven decisions that optimize my marketing strategies. This ability to continuously refine my approach has allowed me to scale my business more effectively.

Ultimately, ThriveCart has proven to be an essential tool in my journey, allowing me to grow my business efficiently while maintaining a positive and seamless customer experience.

Increased Revenue and Conversions with ThriveCart

Switching to ThriveCart had a direct and noticeable impact on my business’s revenue growth. One of the most significant factors driving this increase was ThriveCart’s suite of powerful sales tools. With the ability to integrate features like one-click upsells, downsells, and order bumps, I was able to maximize the value of every transaction. These tools made it easy to offer additional products and services at the point of purchase, which immediately increased my average order value. Customers who were already in the buying mindset found it convenient to add relevant extras to their purchase with minimal effort.

ThriveCart also played a critical role in boosting my conversion rates. The platform’s highly customizable, conversion-optimized checkout pages reduced friction in the buying process, helping to minimize cart abandonment and keep potential customers engaged. The simple, seamless checkout experience gave customers confidence in their purchase, which naturally led to a higher number of completed transactions.

Additionally, ThriveCart’s built-in A/B testing feature allowed me to experiment with different checkout page designs and sales strategies, enabling me to fine-tune my approach and identify what resonated most with my audience. By continuously optimizing the checkout process based on data, I was able to drive better results and steadily increase my revenue.

ThriveCart’s ability to streamline the purchasing process and influence buying decisions has been a game-changer for my business, leading to increased sales, improved customer satisfaction, and long-term business growth.

Key Features of ThriveCart

ThriveCart is a robust shopping cart and checkout platform designed to help businesses sell digital products, courses, memberships, and services. Here are the key features that set ThriveCart apart:

1. One-Time Payment Model

No Recurring Fees: ThriveCart offers lifetime access with a one-time payment option, eliminating the need for ongoing monthly or annual fees. This makes it cost-effective compared to platforms like Teachable.

2. High-Converting Checkout Pages

Customizable Templates: Pre-built, conversion-optimized checkout templates can be easily customized to match your brand.
1-Click Upsells & Downsells: Increase sales with post-purchase upsells and downsells that require no extra action from the buyer.
A/B Testing: Test different versions of checkout pages and sales funnels to determine which one performs better.
Cart Abandonment Recovery: Automatically email customers who abandon their cart to recover potential lost sales.

3. Affiliate Management

Built-In Affiliate Program: Easily manage affiliates, set commission structures, and track affiliate sales, all within ThriveCart.
Automated Payouts: Set up automatic payouts for affiliates based on sales they generate.

4. Advanced Sales Funnel Options

Bump Offers: Add additional offers on the checkout page that customers can add with one click.
Custom Sales Funnels: Build dynamic sales funnels with upsells, downsells, and thank-you pages tailored to different customer actions.

5. Subscription & Payment Plans

Flexible Pricing Options: Offer one-time payments, subscription plans, or installment payment options.
Dunning Management: Automatically follow up on failed payments for subscriptions, reducing churn and lost revenue.

6. Course & Membership Integration

ThriveCart Learn: ThriveCart has its own built-in course platform, allowing you to host and deliver online courses directly. This eliminates the need for third-party course platforms.
Memberships: Manage memberships, including drip content, course modules, and access permissions, all from within ThriveCart.

7. Integrations & Automation

Email & CRM Integrations: Seamlessly connect ThriveCart to your favorite email marketing tools like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, and more.
Webinar Integrations: Integrate with webinar platforms to sell and manage webinar registrations.
Zapier: Integrate ThriveCart with thousands of other tools using Zapier for advanced automation.

8. Tax & VAT Handling

Automatic Tax Calculations: ThriveCart automatically calculates taxes, including VAT for European customers, ensuring compliance with global tax regulations.
Digital Tax Support: Manage and charge digital taxes accurately for different regions.

9. Detailed Reporting & Analytics

Revenue & Profit Tracking: View in-depth analytics on your sales, profit margins, conversions, and customer behaviors.
Affiliate Performance: Track affiliate performance, commissions, and payouts with detailed reports.

10. Mobile-Friendly & Secure

Mobile-Optimized Checkouts: Checkout pages are fully optimized for mobile devices, improving conversion rates for mobile traffic.
Security: Built-in SSL encryption ensures that all transactions are secure, protecting both your business and your customers.

11. Customer Management

Customer Hub: Customers can log into their accounts to access their purchase history, course content, or update payment details.
Subscription Management: Customers can easily update or cancel their subscriptions, reducing support tickets and improving user experience.

12. High-Level Support

24/7 Support: ThriveCart provides ongoing support and has a knowledge base to assist with troubleshooting and best practices.

ThriveCart is ideal for businesses looking for an all-in-one solution for selling digital products, running membership sites, and managing sales funnels. The platform’s flexibility, powerful features, and one-time fee make it an attractive alternative to platforms with ongoing subscription costs.

Key Features of Teachable

Teachable is a popular online course platform known for its ease of use and comprehensive features tailored for creators and educators. Here are the key features of Teachable:

1. Course Creation Tools

Drag-and-Drop Builder: Create and customize courses with an intuitive, user-friendly interface.
Multimedia Support: Upload video, audio, text, PDFs, quizzes, and other file types to enhance course engagement.
Course Compliance: Set course completion requirements to track student progress and ensure that key lessons are completed.

2. Student Management

User Profiles: Allows creators to manage student profiles and track their learning progress.
Quizzes & Assessments: Built-in quizzes help assess student understanding and increase engagement.
Certificates of Completion: Automatically generate and issue certificates once a student finishes a course.

3. Monetization Options

Flexible Pricing: Offer various pricing models including one-time payments, subscriptions, payment plans, or free courses.
Coupon Codes & Discounts: Provide discounts or coupons to encourage sales and attract new students.
Affiliates Program: Teachable has built-in affiliate management tools to allow others to promote your courses in exchange for a commission.

4. Sales & Marketing Features

Customizable Sales Pages: Create branded, conversion-optimized landing and sales pages for each course.
Upsells: Offer upsells to students after they purchase a course to maximize revenue.
Email Marketing: Integrated email marketing tools allow for nurturing students and sending updates, offers, or newsletters.

5. Payments and Payouts

Instant Payouts: Teachable handles payments and offers instant payouts to course creators.
International Payments: Support for multiple currencies, making it easy to sell courses globally.

6. Integrations

Third-Party Integrations: Integrates with tools like Zapier, Google Analytics, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and more for better marketing and student tracking.
Custom Domains: Set up your own branded domain to match your website or business.

7. Analytics & Reporting

Student Insights: Access detailed reports on student enrollment, engagement, and course completion rates.
Revenue Reports: Track sales, earnings, and affiliate payouts to keep your finances in check.

8. Support & Security

24/7 Support: Access to a support team for technical and account issues.
Data Security: Secure platform with built-in data encryption and compliance with industry standards for data protection.

Teachable is especially suited for educators who want an all-in-one solution for creating, marketing, and selling courses without needing advanced technical skills. However, the pricing, feature limitations (on lower plans), and transaction fees may become a concern as businesses grow, prompting some users to explore alternatives like ThriveCart.

Need some ideas on starting your own side hustle from home!?

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Sneak peek at what's inside:

Step-by-step guide to uncovering the perfect side hustle that aligns with your skills, interests, and goals.

Learn how to turn your unique skills and passions into a profitable online side hustle.

Practical tips, strategies, and real-life examples to kickstart your side hustle journey with confidence.

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Customer Experience Enhancements

Since switching to ThriveCart, the feedback from my students has been overwhelmingly positive. One of the most significant improvements has been the enhanced user experience, which resonated deeply with my audience. ThriveCart’s streamlined checkout process and intuitive course delivery made it easier for students to navigate and access content, reducing any confusion or friction they might have experienced on previous platforms. The simplified purchasing flow, combined with a more professional and visually appealing interface, gave customers confidence in their transactions, contributing to an overall smoother experience.

The positive response extended beyond the checkout process, as the platform’s course management tools provided a more organized, user-friendly learning environment. Students could access their courses with ease, track their progress, and even manage their account details seamlessly, which contributed to a higher level of satisfaction and engagement. This elevated experience not only made the learning process more enjoyable but also kept students coming back for more.

Ultimately, happy learners are loyal learners, and this shift to a more user-centered platform underscored the importance of placing the customer experience at the forefront of any business decision. As a result, I noticed a marked increase in student retention and repeat purchases, reinforcing the idea that investing in user experience translates to long-term business growth. ThriveCart allowed me to deliver an improved learning journey that truly aligned with my brand’s values and my commitment to delivering value to my audience.

Stay open to learning and growing. The landscape of online business is constantly evolving, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. Keep up with industry trends, seek feedback, and be willing to develop new skills. This mindset not only helps you stay relevant but also equips you with the tools to tackle new challenges head-on.

I love what I do and believe in sharing knowledge. One of the things that brings me immense joy is guiding aspiring online business entrepreneurs to pursue their passions and unlock their online business potential in ways they may not have imagined. I enjoy providing direction and sharing the wisdom I have gleaned through my journey.

Secure your spot today on the waitlist for my upcoming LIVE webinar to advance your knowledge. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to invest in yourself!

Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles

Maintain and Build Friendships

Maintaining friendships can be challenging, especially when it’s easy to get caught up in working 24/7 and sacrificing social interactions.

Many of my friendships fizzled out because I kept saying no to dinners, group hangouts, and camping trips, all in the name of working on my business. I’ve come to understand how significant it is to make time for personal relationships for my own happiness and overall well-being.

Make a conscious effort to schedule time with friends and family. These interactions are vital, whether just a quick coffee catch-up or a phone call. Remember, it’s not just about your online business; it’s about enjoying life and the people in it.

In addition to maintaining existing friendships, building relationships with other online business owners is important. They understand the unique struggles, ups, and downs in a way “real-world friends” might not. Join online communities, attend networking events, and engage with other entrepreneurs on social media. These connections can provide support, advice, and camaraderie that can be incredibly valuable on your journey.

As a member, you’ll get to join LIVE group Zoom mastermind calls, coworking sessions, monthly workshops, and an easily accessible library of valuable videos and resources.

You don’t have to go through this journey alone! Join us to elevate your online business with motivation, community, collaboration, and sound strategy.

Conclusion

making the transition from Teachable to ThriveCart was one of the most strategic moves I’ve made in my business. It wasn’t just about switching platforms—it was about choosing a tool that would support my vision for scalability and efficiency. ThriveCart’s cost-effective structure played a key role in reducing overhead costs, allowing me to reinvest in my business without being weighed down by ongoing subscription fees and transaction cuts. This shift gave me the financial breathing room to grow and allocate resources more strategically.

What truly set ThriveCart apart, though, was its superior customization and robust marketing capabilities. The platform’s flexibility allowed me to tailor my checkout processes and sales funnels in ways that reflected my brand and optimized conversions. Whether it was through one-click upsells, downsells, or its seamless integration with affiliate marketing, ThriveCart offered the tools I needed to elevate my business and streamline the entire customer experience.

For digital educators, choosing the right platform is a crucial decision that can impact not just your day-to-day operations but also your long-term growth. It’s important to evaluate your platform choices based on your unique business needs, future goals, and the tools that will help you get there. For me, ThriveCart was the answer—providing the flexibility, marketing power, and financial structure to support my continued success in the digital education space.

If you’re contemplating a platform change, I encourage you to take a close look at your needs and find the platform that aligns with your goals for sustainable growth and success.

Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ideas & What To Pack

Kelly — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 18:19:23 +0000

Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, brings good news and great joy to children around the world. And the work doesn’t stop there. Through The Greatest Journey, our discipleship program for those who receive shoeboxes, whole communities are being transformed by the Gospel.

Click here to watch past year’s videos of me filling Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes!

First, choose a gender and age range for your box:

Gift Suggestions and Ideas:

• Reusable Water Reveal Activity Pages With Water Pen

• Soccer Ball with Pump

• Fidget Toys

• Reusable menstrual pads

• Toothbrushes for the family

• Mini LED flashlight

• Etch A Sketch Doodle

• Finger Puppets

• Washable Watercolors

• A WOW Item (Doll, soccer ball with pump, or stuffed animal)

• Personal care items

• Bars of soap

• Comb

• Washcloth

• Shower curtain

• Toys

• Finger puppets

• Pencils

• Small manual pencil sharpener

• Colored pencils

• Pencil case

• Pens

• Crayons

• Markers

• Coloring pads

• Coloring books

• Picture book

• Notebooks

• Glue stick (Do not include liquid glue)

• Small adhesive tape

• Watercolor set [Finger paint palette/crayons/markers (non-liquid containers), paintbrushes, canvas or paper]

• Building blocks

• Playdough (Consider adding plastic cookie cutters as non-sharp utensils the child can use with the playdough.)

• Stickers

• Slinky

• Etch A Sketch

• Water bottle

• A personal note

• Crafts and activities

Do Not Include:

• Toothpaste

• Food items including candy, gum, chocolate, seeds, fruit rolls or other fruit snacks, drink mixes

• Used or damaged items

• Liquids or lotions

• Medications or vitamins

• Breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers

• Aerosol cans

• War-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures

National Collection Week is Nov. 18–25, 2024

Every year, National Collection Week takes place the third week in November when over 4,000 drop-off locations are open across the country.

Find a drop off location near you.

Get a label:

Donate $10 online and receive a label to Follow Your Box and discover the destination of your shoebox gift.

9 Ways to Improve Your Finances Today

Kelly — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 18:08:35 +0000

Achieving financial stability might seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes, small, actionable steps can make a significant impact on your financial well-being. Whether you’re looking to save more, pay off debt, or simply manage your money better, there are straightforward strategies you can start implementing today.

In this article, we’ll explore ten easy actions you can take to improve your finances. From moving your savings to a high-yield account to cutting unnecessary subscriptions, these practical tips are designed to help you make the most of your money and set you on a path towards financial success.

So, let’s dive in and discover how these simple changes can transform your financial future.

My favorite MONEY SAVING resources:

Rakuten: Earn 1-15% cash back when you shop! Signing up for Rakuten (formerly eBates) is one of the simplest ways to earn cash back! You simply create an account and then shop through their website or app to your favorite stores that you are already shopping at. Rakuten receives a commission for sending you there and then pays you cash back.
Mint Mobile: Paying too much for your cell phone bill? Switch to Mint Mobile, keep your phone number and pay as low as $15/month for unlimited service and data!
Ethos Life Insurance: Get a quick, free quote on term life insurance, affordable, online term life insurance. No exam! No waiting! No hassles! Policies as low as $5 a month!
Rocket Money: Manage and easily cancel unwanted subscriptions, and track upcoming bills.

Best place to keep your emergency fund to earn interest

If you have UNDER $5,000 in savings, switch to CIT Bank’s Savings Connect Account with 4.50% APY

If you have OVER $5,000 in savings, switch to CIT Bank’s Platinum Savings Account with 4.85% APY

My favorite tools in my business:

TubeBuddy: YouTube channel management tool for keyword research, video optimization, analytics, and competitor analysis. It helps me save time and grow my audience by optimizing content and gain insights into my channel’s performance.
ThriveCart: This is what I use to host my online courses and membership. One-time fee of roughly $495 for a lifetime license.
Flodesk: My email provider, get 50% off your first year, unlimited email subscribers at no increased price. It comes with email templates, lead, popup, & opt-in forms for collecting email and is very intuitive.
Honeybook: Platform for Virtual Assistants and Freelancing; templates for contracts, create and send invoices, scheduling, automations, and manage your clients all in one place!
Create an LLC for $39: Super easy to use service to create an LLC for your online business, walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.
Visual timers can be incredibly helpful in managing your time effectively, as they provide a clear visual representation of how much time is left for a task, helping you stay focused and maintain a sense of urgency.

Automate Your Savings

Action: Set up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account.
Benefit: Ensures you save consistently without having to think about it, building your savings effortlessly.
Resources: Keep your savings in a high-yield savings account to earn interest on it.

Automating your savings is a powerful strategy to ensure you’re consistently putting money aside. By setting up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account, you make saving a priority. This will help to remove the temptation to spend the money before you have a chance to save it, making it easier to reach your financial goals.

Consistency is key to building savings, and automation helps you achieve that. Whether you’re saving for an emergency fund, a big purchase, or retirement, automatic transfers help you make regular contributions without having to remember to do it manually. Over time, these small, regular deposits can add up to a substantial amount, providing you with financial security and peace of mind.

Need some ideas on starting your own side hustle from home!?

Discover your perfect fit with the skills you already have!

Sneak peek at what's inside:

Step-by-step guide to uncovering the perfect side hustle that aligns with your skills, interests, and goals.

Learn how to turn your unique skills and passions into a profitable online side hustle.

Practical tips, strategies, and real-life examples to kickstart your side hustle journey with confidence.

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Move Your Savings to a High-Yield Savings Account

Action: Transfer your savings to a high-yield savings account to earn 4.50%.
Benefit: Earn more interest on your savings, helping your money grow faster without any extra effort.
Resource: CIT Bank offers 4.65% on your savings, no minimum.

Moving your savings to a high-yield savings account can make a significant difference over time. Traditional savings accounts often offer minimal interest rates, which means your money isn’t working as hard as it could be. By choosing a high-yield savings account, you can benefit from higher interest rates, allowing your savings to grow more quickly without any additional risk. CIT Bank is who I use, as they offer competitive rates that can help you maximize your savings.

This simple change can boost your financial security, providing a more substantial cushion for emergencies or future investments. The extra interest earned can also accelerate your progress towards financial goals such as buying a home, funding education, or taking a dream vacation. Setting up an account is usually straightforward, and the long-term benefits are well worth the effort.

Track Your Spending

Action: Use a spending tracker app to log every purchase.
Benefit: Helps you become more aware of your spending habits and identify unnecessary expenses you can eliminate.
Resources: Check out my budget templates or apps like RocketMoney, Tiller, or Empower.

Review and Cut Subscriptions

Action: Go through your monthly subscriptions and cancel any you no longer use or need.
Benefit: Frees up money that can be redirected towards more important financial goals.
Resources: RocketMoney helps to cancel unwanted subscriptions hassle-free.

Unlock the Power of Social Media

What you’ll learn in this 45-page fillable eBook:

Step-by-Step Guides: Easy-to-follow instructions for setting up and optimizing your social media profiles on platforms.
Proven Strategies: Expert techniques to grow your followers, boost engagement, and build a loyal community around your brand.
Content Creation Tips: Creative ideas and best practices for creating engaging posts, stories, and videos that captivate your audience.
Efficiency Tools: Discover the top tools and apps to streamline your social media management, saving you time and effort.
Analytics Insights: Learn how to track your performance and make data-driven decisions to continually improve your social media strategy.

Get yours today! (It’s fillable too!)

Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles

Start a Side Hustle

Action: Explore freelance work, gig economy jobs, or selling items online.
Benefit: Generates additional income that can be used to pay off debt, build savings, or invest.
Resources: Download my free Ultimate Side Hustle Guide to help you figure out what side hustle is best for you.

As a member, you’ll get to join LIVE group Zoom mastermind calls, coworking sessions, monthly workshops, and an easily accessible library of valuable videos and resources.

You don’t have to go through this journey alone! Join us to elevate your online business with motivation, community, collaboration, and sound strategy.

Pay Off High-Interest Debt

Action: Focus on paying down debts with the highest interest rates first, using the avalanche method.
Benefit: Reduces the amount of interest you pay over time, freeing up more money for savings and investments.
Resources: Watch this video: The FOUR best ways to pay off debt in 2024 – debt snowball isn’t for everyone

Paying off high-interest debt should be a top priority in your financial strategy. Debts with high-interest rates, such as credit card balances, can quickly accumulate and become a significant financial burden. By focusing on paying off these debts first, using the avalanche method, you reduce the overall amount of interest you pay, which can save you a substantial amount of money over time.

The avalanche method involves paying off the debt with the highest interest rate first while making minimum payments on your other debts. Once the highest-interest debt is paid off, you move to the next highest, and so on. This strategy not only helps you save on interest but also accelerates your journey to becoming debt-free. Once your high-interest debts are cleared, you can redirect those funds towards savings and investments, further improving your financial health.

Build an Emergency Fund

Action: Aim to save at least $500 to $1,000 initially, then work towards 3-6 months’ worth of living expenses.
Benefit: Provides a financial safety net for unexpected expenses, reducing the need to rely on credit.
Resources: Keep your Emergency Fund savings in a high-yield savings account to earn interest on it.

An emergency fund is essential for financial stability. Start by aiming to save 1 month’s worth of expenses, which can cover minor emergencies such as car repairs or medical expenses. Once you have this initial amount saved, work towards building a larger fund that covers 3-6 months of living expenses. This larger fund can provide a safety net for more significant financial disruptions, like job loss or major home repairs.

Having an emergency fund reduces the need to rely on credit cards or loans in a crisis, which can help you avoid accumulating high-interest debt. It also provides peace of mind, knowing that you have a financial cushion to fall back on. Automate your savings to build this fund consistently, and keep it in a high-yield savings account for better growth.

Invest in a Retirement Account

Action: Contribute to a 401(k) or IRA, and take advantage of any employer matching contributions.
Benefit: Helps secure your financial future by taking advantage of tax benefits and compound interest.

Investing in a retirement account is one of the best ways to secure your financial future. Start by contributing to a 401(k) or IRA. If your employer offers a matching contribution, make sure you contribute enough to take full advantage of it—this is essentially free money that can significantly boost your retirement savings.

The earlier you start saving for retirement, the more you can benefit from compound interest, where your investment earnings generate their own earnings. This exponential growth can help you build a substantial nest egg over time. Additionally, retirement accounts offer tax advantages, such as tax-deferred growth or tax-free withdrawals, depending on the type of account you choose.

Educate Yourself on Personal Finance

Action: Read personal finance books, listen to podcasts, or take online courses.
Benefit: Increases your financial literacy, empowering you to make informed decisions and improve your financial health.

My YouTube & Online Business Income Report May 2024 | YouTube, Courses, Digital Products, Social Media Marketing

Kelly — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 13:20:30 +0000

Looking to learn about the potential for side hustle income?

Each month I publish a YouTube and blog Income Report showing you how much money I made in my business as well as some lessons learned that contributed to that success and outcome.

My goal is to be transparent with you, show you the ups and downs as well as inspire you to hopefully build your own YouTube channel and/or blog.

April 2024 was my lowest income month in over 2 years and the first time EVER I was in the red.

I took some time to reflect on why my income was so low and what I need to do going forward to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

I created a PDF with questions to ask yourself if you’re in a similar situation, or you’re doing a quarterly review of your business.

Download it below!

free worksheet!

Stuck in a growth rut? This worksheet will help you identify barriers, break through plateaus, and propel your business to new heights.

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Head over to you inbox to receive your download!

Side hustle income is a large part of the financial success we’ve enjoyed over the last couple of years. We’ve paid off debt, cash flowed our wedding and new-to-me car, and saved a down payment on our first home. Without a side hustle, all of those wins wouldn’t have been possible.

With 10 online income streams, I am constantly diversifying my earnings and exploring new opportunities. Join me as I share my journey and explore the possibilities of earning money online.

Need some ideas on starting your own side hustle from home!?

Discover your perfect fit with the skills you already have!

Sneak peek at what's inside:

Step-by-step guide to uncovering the perfect side hustle that aligns with your skills, interests, and goals.

Learn how to turn your unique skills and passions into a profitable online side hustle.

Practical tips, strategies, and real-life examples to kickstart your side hustle journey with confidence.

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You’ve successfully signed up! Check your email for details.

Business Income & Expense Report May 2024

In this video, I’m walking you through my May 2024 business income and expense spreadsheet following the Profit First Method by Mike Michalowicz.

Tools I use everyday in my business:

ThriveCart: This is what I use to host my online courses and membership. One-time fee of roughly $495 for a lifetime license.
Flodesk: My email provider, get 50% off your first year, unlimited email subscribers at no increased price. It comes with email templates, lead, popup, & opt-in forms for collecting email and is very intuitive.
Toggl: Time tracking software to track and analyze time on tasks and projects. Use one-click timers, create reports, set budgets, and streamline invoicing.
TubeBuddy: YouTube channel management tool for keyword research, video optimization, analytics, and competitor analysis. It helps me save time and grow my audience by optimizing content and gain insights into my channel’s performance.
Honeybook: Platform for Virtual Assistants and Freelancing; templates for contracts, create and send invoices, scheduling, automations, and manage your clients all in one place!
Create an LLC for $39: Super easy to use service to create an LLC for your online business, walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.

My May business income from smallest to largest:

Here is how I made $4,010.16 this month through both passive and active income.

What is passive income?

Passive income has become a buzzword in recent years, with many people aspiring to generate income streams that require little effort on their part. But what exactly is passive income, and how does it work?

At its core, passive income is income that is earned without requiring significant time or effort from the content creator. Unlike traditional forms of income, such as a salary or hourly wage, passive income can be generated through a variety of sources that require little to no ongoing maintenance or involvement.

Passive income can also be generated through digital products, such as e-books, courses, and printables. Once the product is created, it can be sold online without requiring ongoing effort or maintenance from the creator.

With a YouTube channel, once you create and upload your videos, they can continue to earn money through ad revenue and sponsorship deals, without requiring additional effort on your part. As your channel grows and gains more subscribers, you can also monetize your content through affiliate marketing. By promoting products and services to your audience and earning a commission on any resulting sales, you can create a passive income stream through your YouTube channel.

While the idea of passive income may seem appealing, it’s important to note that creating passive income streams often requires a significant upfront investment of time, money, or both. Additionally, passive income is not entirely passive, as some level of monitoring and management is usually required to maintain the income stream.

What is active income?

As a content creator, you likely already know that there are various ways to earn income from your work. One of the most common forms of income for creators is active income. Unlike passive income, which can be earned with little ongoing effort, active income requires consistent work and effort to generate.

Active income for content creators can take many forms. One of the most common is sponsored content. This is where a brand or company pays you to create content that promotes their products or services. This can include social media posts, blog posts, videos, and more. Sponsored content can be a lucrative form of active income, as long as you are selective about the brands you work with and ensure that the content you create aligns with your brand and values.

Another common form of active income for content creators is freelance work. This can include writing, graphic design, video editing, and more. Freelance work can provide a steady stream of income, as long as you are able to consistently secure new clients and manage your workload effectively. However, it’s important to note that freelance work can also be time-consuming and require a significant amount of effort to secure and complete.

In addition to sponsored content and freelance work, content creators can also earn active income through product sales. This can include selling e-books, courses, merchandise, and more. While creating and promoting products can require a significant amount of effort upfront, it can provide a reliable stream of income over time.

While active income may require consistent effort and work, it can also provide a steady stream of income for content creators. The key to success with active income is to diversify your income streams and be selective about the opportunities you pursue. By building a strong brand and loyal following, you can create a sustainable and profitable career as a content creator.

Can an income stream be both active and passive income?

A YouTube channel can be both active and passive income, depending on the strategies you use to monetize your content.

Initially, creating and growing a YouTube channel requires active effort to produce engaging content, build an audience, and attract sponsorships or affiliate partnerships.

However, once your channel gains momentum and attracts a loyal following, you can earn passive income through ad revenue, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.

With ad revenue, you earn a portion of the revenue generated by ads shown on your videos. Sponsorships and affiliate marketing allow you to promote products or services to your audience, earning a commission on any resulting sales.

By diversifying your income streams and using a combination of active and passive strategies, you can create a sustainable and profitable career as a YouTuber.

Speaking: $50.00

I was invited to be a speaker at an upcoming Summit this coming fall, they had a promotion where if we submitted out talks early we received a bonus.

Speaking engagements are a fantastic way to generate income by sharing your knowledge and experiences with diverse audiences. Recently, I spoke at a prominent summit, delivering insights and engaging with attendees.

To get started with speaking engagements, evaluate your expertise and interests. Identify topics you’re passionate about and skilled in, such as business growth, personal development, or industry-specific trends. Begin by seeking out opportunities through networking, reaching out to event organizers, and utilizing platforms like LinkedIn or professional speaking websites.

To secure a speaking slot, ensure you have a compelling presentation and a clear message. This involves crafting engaging content, practicing your delivery, and understanding your audience. Establish connections with organizers and showcase your speaking abilities through a strong online presence and portfolio.

When you land a speaking engagement, it’s essential to set clear terms with the organizers. Agree on your fee, the scope of your presentation, and other expectations beforehand. Establish a communication plan to stay updated on any changes or requirements leading up to the event.

Effective time management and organization are crucial as a speaker. Prepare your materials in advance, rehearse thoroughly, and plan logistics if needed. Over time, as you gain experience and build a reputation, you can secure more high-profile engagements and increase your fees.

Speaking engagements can be a rewarding and profitable venture, allowing you to showcase your expertise and connect with large audiences. By delivering valuable content and engaging with participants, you can enhance your personal brand and open up new opportunities for your business. Just remember to communicate clearly with organizers and stay organized for a successful and rewarding experience.

Digital Products: $135.20

On my website, I sell Monthly Excel Budget Templates and Spending Analysis Templates that work in Google Sheets! Soon all of my templates will be available in Excel and Google Sheets.

Creating and selling digital products can be a great way to generate passive income. Here are some steps to get started:

Choose a digital product to create: There are many types of digital products you can create, such as e-books, printables, stock photos, design templates, courses, and more. Consider your skills and interests, as well as what people are searching for online.
Create your digital product: Once you’ve chosen your product, create it using software like Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or a course creation platform like ThriveCart. Make sure your product is high-quality and useful to your audience.
Choose a platform to host your digital product: You can host your digital product on a variety of platforms, including Shopify, Etsy, or your own website. Each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages, so consider what will work best for your product and target audience.
Set up your shop: If you’re using a platform like Shopify or Etsy, you’ll need to set up your shop and product listing. Make sure to use high-quality images and descriptive copy to showcase your product.
Market your digital product: Once your shop is set up, you’ll need to drive traffic to your product listing. You can do this through social media marketing, email marketing, or paid advertising. Consider partnering with influencers or affiliates to help promote your product.
Monitor and optimize: Finally, monitor your sales and performance, and optimize your listing and marketing strategy as needed to increase sales and generate passive income.

Remember that creating and selling digital products takes time and effort, but it can be a lucrative way to generate passive income over time

TOP Products this month:

Sticker now available:

Yes, I’m A DREAMER Yes, I’m PROFITABLE Sticker 3X3

>> Need some digital download ideas?! Check out 30+ BEST DIGITAL DOWNLOADS ON ETSY | Digital Products to Sell Online | Digital Product Ideas

Virtual Assistant: $250.00

Being a virtual assistant is a great way to make money by offering your skills and expertise to clients on a project basis. I manage a local realtor’s social media accounts and create reels for her.

To get started with freelancing, you’ll first want to assess your skills and interests. What are you good at, and what do you enjoy doing? Common freelance skills include writing, graphic design, web development, and marketing. Once you’ve identified your skills, you can start to look for freelance opportunities on job boards like Upwork or Freelancer, or by networking with other professionals in your industry.

To land a gig managing a local realtor’s social media, you’ll want to make sure you have experience in social media marketing and management. This might include creating content calendars, scheduling posts, analyzing metrics, and engaging with followers. You can reach out to local realtors in your area and offer your services, or you can look for opportunities on job boards like Indeed or LinkedIn.

When you land a freelance gig, it’s important to set clear expectations with your client. Make sure you agree on the scope of work, timeline, and compensation before you begin. You’ll also want to establish a clear communication plan so that you can keep your client up to date on your progress and any issues that arise.

As a freelancer, it’s important to manage your time effectively and stay organized. Make sure you’re tracking your time and expenses, and set aside time each week to market your services and find new clients. Over time, you can build a portfolio of work and develop a reputation in your industry, which can lead to more lucrative opportunities and higher rates.

Managing a local realtor’s social media can be a rewarding gig that allows you to use your creativity and marketing skills to help a business grow. By offering high-quality content and engaging with followers, you can help the realtor build their brand and attract new clients. Just be sure to communicate clearly with your client and stay organized to ensure a successful and profitable partnership.

>> Watch this video How to Become a Virtual Assistant WITH NO EXPERIENCE! | Guide and Tools To Get Started

YouTube Adsense Revenue: $286.97

YouTube pays me per ads shown on my videos.

YouTube is currently having major issues with an invalid traffic bug that has hit a ton of YouTube channels, my main channel being one of them. I went from making $50+ a day in ad revenue down to just $2 a day.

For the sixth time since 2023, YouTube has hit my channel with the Invalid Traffic Bug.

In this video, Invalid Traffic On YouTube Revenue | From $55 a day down to $2, I share my experience, chats directly with YouTube, my YouTube analytics, and the solutions YouTube provided me.

I recently launched a 2nd YouTube channel with tutorials for entrepreneurs and working on getting the watch time on that channel, I have the subscriber requirements but only half way there for watch time.

Start Your ONLINE BUSINESS with Kelly Anne Smith TOP videos this month were:

My Main Channel (Kelly Anne Smith) videos this month were:

>> Get your own YouTube Monetization Tracker here:

Course Sales: $416.50

Digital courses can be a fantastic revenue stream that allows you to share your expertise and knowledge with others while generating passive income. By creating a high-quality course that offers value to your audience, you can build a reputation in your industry and establish yourself as an authority on your topic. Plus, once your course is created, it can continue to generate income for years to come with minimal upkeep.

One of the best things about creating a digital course is that you can use the skills and knowledge you already have to help others. Whether you’re an expert in marketing, web development, or another field, there are likely people out there who are eager to learn from you. By creating a course that shares your expertise and teaches others valuable skills, you can help your students achieve their goals and improve their lives, all while generating income for yourself.

If you’re looking to start selling Digital Courses, I have a FREE Course that walks you through everything from figuring out what type of course to create, your course topic, pricing, and all the tech stuff!

>> Click here to enroll in How To Create & Sell Digital Courses with ThriveCart for FREE!

I recently moved over my courses from Teachable to ThriveCart for all new students. I have been so happy with ThriveCart hosting my courses, I am now working behind the scenes on a free ThriveCart Course! Stay tuned!

>> If you’re wanting to create your own online course, check out this free training here: How to Create Online Courses WITH NO EXPERIENCE! | Guide and Tools To Get Started

I have two digital courses, Dreamer To Profitable and How To Save Money on Groceries.

My signature course is Dreamer To Profitable.

This course will help you build a profitable business so you can finally live the life you deserve to have! Dreamer To Profitable is definitely for you. This is a step-by-step guide to getting the life of your dreams.

Here is what some of our students have to say:

“Hi Kelly! I just wanted to let you know I enrolled in ”Dreamer to Profitable" three weeks ago, and was so inspired after watching the first couple lessons. I didn’t have a business or side hustle, or even any kind of money-making idea when I enrolled. Since starting, I’ve made my first $1,083 by writing blog posts for people!"

“I have been on YouTube for three years now, and I make a couple hundred dollars a month from it in ads. I knew I could make more money, but was not sure how. Since taking this course, I now have FOUR new revenue streams that compliment my YouTube channel. Not only has this tripled my income, but it also got me excited again to make content and serve my audience.”

“I’m a single mom of two. I work full time, and I hate to admit it, but I’ve been living paycheck to paycheck for years. It’s a struggle to get everything done in the day, and I was nervous about investing in this course and afraid I wouldn’t have the time to do it or to put in the work. I was determined, and I did!!! This course not only helped me solidify my business idea, but also taught me how to manage my schedule and come up with a system to get it all done. I am so thankful for this course! THANK YOU!!!”

I also have a course on How To Save Money On Groceries.

This course teaches how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, stop food waste, and give you tips and tricks to harness your best grocery life. You’ll save money, learn how to spend wisely, and, most importantly, you’ll learn how to lower your food cost so you can spend on the things that bring you joy!

>> If you’re wanting to create your own online course, check out this free training here: How to Create Online Courses WITH NO EXPERIENCE! | Guide and Tools To Get Started

Membership: $416.50

One of my most exciting income streams is my monthly membership for entrepreneurs.

As a business owner myself, I understand the challenges that come with managing a successful enterprise, and I wanted to create a space where entrepreneurs can learn from one another and gain access to valuable resources.

Through my membership program, members gain access to exclusive content, including behind-the-scenes insights into my own business, as well as personalized coaching and support.

Additionally, I’ve created a Discord channel (through Patreon) where people can come together and learn more about managing their money. I believe that this platform will prove invaluable to those seeking to improve their financial management skills and achieve their business goals.

Topics Commonly Discussed in our Community Include:

All things money: Debt payoff, saving money on groceries, real life budget updates, money wins, grocery hauls, savings challenges… and MORE!

Growing your income: Side hustles, online businesses, growing in your career, starting a YouTube channel… and MORE!

Everyday life: Getting healthy, decluttering, book chat, mindset, journal prompts, adhd, decluttering… and MORE!

>> Check out my Patreon/Discord here for a community looking to better manage their money!

>> Check out my membership to grow as an entrepreneur!

Affiliate Marketing: $2,693.02

If affiliate marketing is something you are looking to get into, I recommend taking the course Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. Michelle digs into the best way to promote brands that you know, like, and trust and well as all of the legal elements of affiliate marketing. I’ll be honest, there was way more things that you need to be aware of and do to be FTC compliant than I expected. The course breaks it all down for you.

My favorite platforms to find affiliates are:

Impact Radius: Join over 1,000 enterprise brands using Impact’s Partnership Cloud
Flex Offers: Thousands of affiliates including HelloFresh to Sam’s Club, to Zales.
Adbloom: Partner with some of the top apps, digital services and research firms.

My Equipment:

• My Camera

• My lens

• Canva

• Lighting kit

• Microphone

• Editing software

• Email service

• TubeBuddy: SEO tool

Total Hours Worked: 56.50

I track all of my time worked in Toggl.

In May I worked a total of 56.5 hours, giving me an hourly rate of $70.98.

Tracking your time as an online business owner boosts productivity and efficiency. It helps identify where you spend your hours, allowing you to focus on high-impact tasks. By monitoring your time, you can optimize workflows, set realistic goals, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

This practice also aids in accurate project billing and improves overall time management, leading to increased profitability and growth.

>> The website I use to track my time is Toggl.

Why Embracing Simplicity Over Hustle Culture Leads to Business Success

Kelly — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 18:52:25 +0000

Is it just me or are you seeing the trend and pressure of hustle culture to build a million-dollar empire. But for many of us, the appeal of entrepreneurship isn’t in managing a huge company or crazy wealth; it’s in crafting a lifestyle that offers balance, fulfillment, and freedom.

I don’t want a million-dollar business; I want a business that sustains my needs, gives me the freedom to be at home with my daughter, and allows me to work on my terms.

Here’s why this modest yet deeply fulfilling vision might resonate with you, too.

My favorite tools in my business:

TubeBuddy: YouTube channel management tool for keyword research, video optimization, analytics, and competitor analysis. It helps me save time and grow my audience by optimizing content and gain insights into my channel’s performance.
ThriveCart: This is what I use to host my online courses and membership. One-time fee of roughly $495 for a lifetime license.
Flodesk: My email provider, get 50% off your first year, unlimited email subscribers at no increased price. It comes with email templates, lead, popup, & opt-in forms for collecting email and is very intuitive.
Honeybook: Platform for Virtual Assistants and Freelancing; templates for contracts, create and send invoices, scheduling, automations, and manage your clients all in one place!
Create an LLC for $39: Super easy to use service to create an LLC for your online business, walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.
Visual timers can be incredibly helpful in managing your time effectively, as they provide a clear visual representation of how much time is left for a task, helping you stay focused and maintain a sense of urgency.

Prioritizing What Matters Most

For many, the true allure of starting an online business is the freedom it can provide. Imagine being able to structure your workday around your life, rather than the other way around. For me, this means being at home with my daughter, witnessing her milestones, and being present for the moments that matter. It’s about creating a business that fits seamlessly into my life, not one that consumes it.

Or maybe you’re looking to downsize your career while still maintaining an income. It’s about having the flexibility to spend more time with family, pursue hobbies, travel, or even take care of aging parents without the constraints of a traditional 9-to-5 job. The ability to tailor your work around your personal life is a powerful motivator for those who seek a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

Ultimately, it’s about prioritizing what truly matters—whether that’s family, personal interests, or simply the freedom to enjoy life on your own terms. An online business can offer this flexibility, allowing you to create a work-life balance that suits your unique needs and desires, regardless of your stage in life.

Need some ideas on starting your own side hustle from home!?

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Sneak peek at what's inside:

Step-by-step guide to uncovering the perfect side hustle that aligns with your skills, interests, and goals.

Learn how to turn your unique skills and passions into a profitable online side hustle.

Practical tips, strategies, and real-life examples to kickstart your side hustle journey with confidence.

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Achieving Financial Goals with Flexibility

When I first started my online business, my goal was simple: to be able to pay my rent. As my business grew, I set my sights a bit higher—aiming to cover any miscellaneous expenses that came up without stress.

Today, I’m thrilled to say that we’ve reached a point where we don’t have to overthink when swiping our cards or planning a spontaneous trip. It’s a “pinch me” moment realizing we’ve hit one of our biggest financial goals and have created a life of contentment and financial ease. This isn’t about bragging; it’s about sharing the possibility of achieving a fulfilling and flexible lifestyle through a well-designed online business.

For many, the idea of an online business is appealing because it provides the opportunity to enhance financial security without the rigidity of traditional work. It’s about being able to cover unexpected expenses, enjoy more spontaneous purchases, and plan trips without the usual financial stress. It offers a way to create an additional income stream that brings peace of mind and a sense of accomplishment.

Achieving financial ease through an online business is about creating a safety net that lets you live more freely and enjoy the present moment. It’s about finding a path that aligns with your values and priorities, and experiencing the joy that comes from knowing you’ve built something sustainable and rewarding.

Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles

Creating a Purpose-Driven Business

At the heart of this vision is the desire to create a purpose-driven business. It’s about building something that aligns with my values and passions, and that contributes positively to my community. Whether it’s through offering valuable services, sharing knowledge, or selling products that I believe in, the goal is to create a business that brings joy and fulfillment—not just to me, but to those I serve.

Many people are seeking more than just financial gain; they want to create something meaningful that reflects their values and passions. A purpose-driven business allows you to do just that. It’s about finding a niche that resonates with you and making a positive impact on your community and customers.

Imagine waking up each day excited to work on something you truly believe in, knowing that your efforts are making a difference. This sense of purpose can be incredibly fulfilling, transforming your business from a mere source of income to a vehicle for personal and communal growth.

A purpose-driven business also attracts like-minded individuals who share your values, creating a supportive and engaged community around your work. It’s about building relationships and fostering connections that enhance your business and enrich your life.

Ultimately, creating a purpose-driven business is about aligning your work with your personal mission and passions. It’s about feeling proud of what you’ve built and knowing that your business is contributing positively to the world. This alignment brings a deeper sense of fulfillment and satisfaction, making the entrepreneurial journey not just profitable, but profoundly rewarding.

As a member, you’ll get to join LIVE group Zoom mastermind calls, coworking sessions, monthly workshops, and an easily accessible library of valuable videos and resources.

You don’t have to go through this journey alone! Join us to elevate your online business with motivation, community, collaboration, and sound strategy.

Embracing Simplicity Over Scale

Running a business doesn’t have to mean managing a large team or dealing with the complexities that come with scaling up. I want a business that is simple to run, without the need to hire and manage a huge team. This approach minimizes stress and keeps things manageable, allowing me to focus on the core aspects of my business and deliver value without getting bogged down in administrative burdens.

Many people are drawn to the idea of a simple, streamlined business that doesn’t require constant oversight and extensive management. By keeping things straightforward, you can concentrate on what truly matters—whether that’s crafting your products, engaging with customers, or refining your services. This simplicity helps maintain a healthy work-life balance, reducing the stress and overwhelm that often accompany larger operations.

Imagine having the freedom to work on your business without being entangled in endless administrative tasks or worrying about managing a large team. This simplicity allows for greater flexibility and more personal involvement in the areas of your business that you are passionate about.

A business that prioritizes simplicity over scale also means you can stay agile and adaptable, responding quickly to market changes and customer needs. It’s about creating a sustainable and enjoyable business model that fits seamlessly into your life, providing both financial and personal rewards.

Embracing simplicity over scale is about focusing on quality rather than quantity, ensuring that your business remains a source of satisfaction and fulfillment rather than stress. This approach enables you to deliver value to your customers while maintaining a manageable, enjoyable workload.

Reducing Legal and Operational Hassles

Running a million-dollar business often comes with significant legal and operational complexities. From navigating intricate tax laws to ensuring compliance with various regulations, the responsibilities can be daunting. By keeping my business smaller and more focused, I can avoid much of this complexity. This allows me to enjoy the benefits of entrepreneurship without the associated headaches.

One of the biggest advantages of maintaining a smaller, streamlined business is the ability to sidestep many of the legal and operational hassles that plague larger enterprises. When your business remains at a manageable size, you can simplify your tax obligations, reduce regulatory burdens, and focus on what you do best without getting bogged down in bureaucratic red tape.

A smaller business model also means fewer worries about extensive HR issues, complex contracts, or large-scale operational logistics. You can stay nimble and responsive, adapting to changes more easily and making decisions without the layers of approval often required in larger organizations.

Reducing legal and operational hassles allows you to maintain control and focus, ensuring that your business remains enjoyable and sustainable. It’s about creating a work environment that supports your entrepreneurial goals while minimizing stress and complexity, enabling you to thrive both personally and professionally.

Defining Your Path: Online Business vs. Side Hustle

Recently, I asked my audience to share their definitions of an online business versus a side hustle. One response stood out to me: “A side hustle is supplemental income to your household. An online business is your career, possibly your primary income.” This definition perfectly encapsulates the distinction between the two, but it also highlights a common concern many of you might have.

The idea of transforming a side hustle into a full-fledged online business can be intimidating. The leap from earning a bit of extra income on the side to making it your primary source of livelihood involves many considerations. The thought of managing an online business, with its perceived complexities and responsibilities, can be daunting.

However, it’s important to remember that an online business doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You can design it in a way that aligns with your goals and lifestyle. The beauty of an online business is the flexibility it offers. You can start small, like a side hustle, and gradually scale up as you become more comfortable and confident in your abilities.

Whether you see your venture as a side hustle or aspire to build a full-fledged online business, the journey is yours to define. It’s about finding the balance between your aspirations and your current circumstances, and taking steps to realize your entrepreneurial dreams at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

Many people desire the freedom and fulfillment that comes with running their own business but hesitate due to fears about the unknowns. Will it require too much time? Will it be too complex to manage? These are valid concerns, but they can be addressed with the right approach and mindset.

In the upcoming weeks, we’ll be diving into how you can start an online business that fits your needs and lifestyle, without it feeling overwhelming. We’ll explore practical steps, debunk common myths, and provide tips to help you transition smoothly from a side hustle to a sustainable online business.

Conclusion

The dream of a million-dollar business is enticing, but it’s not the only path to entrepreneurial success. For many of us, a smaller, more manageable business that offers financial stability, personal freedom, and the ability to prioritize what truly matters is far more appealing. It’s about redefining success on our own terms and crafting a life that we love. So, if you find yourself yearning for freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment, remember that a modest business can deliver all of this and more. Embrace the journey of building a business that fits your life, sustains your needs, and allows you to be present for the moments that matter most.

So, if you find yourself yearning for freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment, remember that a modest business can deliver all of this and more. Embrace the journey of building a business that fits your life, sustains your needs, and allows you to be present for the moments that matter most. Whether you’re starting a side hustle to supplement your income or launching a full-fledged online business, the key is to align your entrepreneurial pursuits with your personal values and aspirations.

By focusing on what truly matters to you and taking deliberate steps towards your goals, you can create a business that brings you joy, fulfillment, and financial security. It’s about finding the right balance between ambition and contentment, and building a life that reflects your unique vision of success.

So, here’s to embracing the journey, embracing the challenges, and embracing the rewards of entrepreneurship. May your business ventures bring you closer to the life you’ve always dreamed of, and may you find fulfillment and joy along the way.

7 Proven Strategies: Balancing Your Side Hustle with a Full-Time Job

Kelly — Tue, 28 May 2024 23:26:24 +0000

Many aspiring entrepreneurs can become paralyzed by the fear of not being able to manage both commitments simultaneously. However, with the right strategies, it’s possible to succeed in both areas without sacrificing one’s personal life or well-being.

Here are some insights and lessons I’ve learned through my own journey, which can help you effectively balance your side hustle alongside your primary job.

My favorite tools in my business:

TubeBuddy: YouTube channel management tool for keyword research, video optimization, analytics, and competitor analysis. It helps me save time and grow my audience by optimizing content and gain insights into my channel’s performance.
ThriveCart: This is what I use to host my online courses and membership. One-time fee of roughly $495 for a lifetime license.
Flodesk: My email provider, get 50% off your first year, unlimited email subscribers at no increased price. It comes with email templates, lead, popup, & opt-in forms for collecting email and is very intuitive.
Honeybook: Platform for Virtual Assistants and Freelancing; templates for contracts, create and send invoices, scheduling, automations, and manage your clients all in one place!
Create an LLC for $39: Super easy to use service to create an LLC for your online business, walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.
Visual timers can be incredibly helpful in managing your time effectively, as they provide a clear visual representation of how much time is left for a task, helping you stay focused and maintain a sense of urgency.

Set Clear Boundaries

When working on a side hustle, letting it spill over into your primary job or personal life is easy. Set clear boundaries to keep each area of your life separate. Allocate specific hours for your side hustle and stick to them. Communicate these boundaries to your family, friends, and colleagues to ensure they understand and respect your time. This will help you stay focused and avoid burnout.

Overworking: You may find yourself working late into the night or on weekends, blurring the lines between work and personal time.
Constant Availability: You may feel the need to be constantly available to clients or customers, responding to messages and emails at all hours of the day.
Distraction During Personal Time: You may struggle to disconnect from work during designated personal time, constantly checking emails or thinking about your side hustle.
Neglecting Personal Responsibilities: You may prioritize your side hustle over personal responsibilities such as household chores, spending time with family, or self-care activities.
Difficulty Setting Boundaries with Clients: You may have difficulty saying no to client requests or setting clear boundaries around the scope of your services.
Lack of Separation between Work and Living Spaces: Working from home can make it challenging to create physical boundaries between work and personal spaces, leading to a constant feeling of being “on.”
Comparison and Competition: You may constantly compare yourself to others in your field or feel pressure to constantly outdo your competitors, leading to feelings of inadequacy or burnout.
Failure to Take Breaks: You may struggle to take regular breaks throughout the day, leading to decreased productivity and increased stress levels.
Ignoring Signs of Burnout: You may ignore signs of burnout, such as increased fatigue, irritability, or decreased motivation, and push yourself to keep working at an unsustainable pace.
Difficulty Switching Off: You may find it challenging to mentally switch off from work, which can make it difficult to relax and unwind during personal time.

Setting clear boundaries is also crucial to avoid conflicts with your primary job. Having an online business, like being a virtual assistant, is no different from getting a second job at a retail store to earn extra money. However, in the world of remote or hybrid work schedules, it can be very tempting to work on your online business “on the clock.” This can create issues with your employer if they discover you are not fully dedicated to your job during work hours.

To prevent this, make a strict distinction between your primary job hours and the time dedicated to your side hustle.

It’s often a limiting belief that having a “work-from-home side hustle” will interfere with your primary job more than a traditional second job, like working in a part-time retail job or waitressing at night.

Instead, use your personal time, such as early mornings, evenings, or weekends, for your online business. This not only helps maintain your integrity at your primary job but also reduces the fear of your employer having a problem with your side hustle. Ensuring you’re not working on your side hustle during your primary job’s hours reinforces trust and professionalism in both roles.

Need some ideas on starting your own side hustle from home!?

Discover your perfect fit with the skills you already have!

Sneak peek at what's inside:

Step-by-step guide to uncovering the perfect side hustle that aligns with your skills, interests, and goals.

Learn how to turn your unique skills and passions into a profitable online side hustle.

Practical tips, strategies, and real-life examples to kickstart your side hustle journey with confidence.

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Email address

You’ve successfully signed up! Check your email for details.

Learn from Others

Investing time in learning from others who have effectively managed this balance is essential. Read books, listen to podcasts, and follow blogs on productivity, time management, and entrepreneurship. Learning from others’ experiences can save you valuable time and help you avoid common pitfalls.

Secure your spot today on the waitlist for my upcoming LIVE webinar to advance your knowledge. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to invest in yourself!

Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles

Maintain and Build Friendships

Maintaining friendships can be challenging, especially when it’s easy to get caught up in working 24/7 and sacrificing social interactions.

As a member, you’ll get to join LIVE group Zoom mastermind calls, coworking sessions, monthly workshops, and an easily accessible library of valuable videos and resources.

You don’t have to go through this journey alone! Join us to elevate your online business with motivation, community, collaboration, and sound strategy.

Prioritize Your Tasks

Prioritizing tasks that will most impact your goals is important, especially when time and energy are limited. Use tools such as to-do lists, planners, or digital apps to keep track of your tasks and deadlines. When listing tasks, also include an estimated time for completion to help schedule your day effectively. Prioritizing ensures you’re dedicating time to activities that will move your side hustle forward.

Identify High-Impact Tasks: Start by identifying the tasks that will have the most significant impact on your goals. Ask yourself which activities are directly contributing to the growth of your side hustle. This could be tasks like creating content, reaching out to potential clients, or developing a product.

Use Task Management Tools: To keep track of your tasks and deadlines, utilize tools like to-do lists, planners, or digital apps such as ClickUp, Trello, Asana, or Todoist. These tools can help you visualize your workload and organize your tasks by priority. Digital apps often have features like reminders and progress tracking, which can be incredibly useful.

Estimate Task Duration: Next to each task on your list, add an estimated time for how long it will take to complete. This helps you allocate your time more effectively and ensures you’re realistic about what you can accomplish. Break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps to make them less overwhelming.

PRO TIP: Visual timers can be incredibly helpful in managing your time effectively, as they provide a clear visual representation of how much time is left for a task, helping you stay focused and maintain a sense of urgency.

Create a Daily and Weekly Plan: At the start of each week, create a plan that outlines your most important tasks and when you will work on them. This plan should include both your primary job responsibilities and your side hustle tasks. For example, if you know that Mondays are particularly busy at your primary job, plan lighter side hustle activities for that day.

Leverage Small Time Blocks: Look for pockets of time throughout your day where you can fit in smaller tasks. This could be during your lunch break, early morning, or the evening. For example, if you have a 15-minute window between meetings, use that time to reply to emails or draft a social media post.
Review and Adjust: At the end of each week, review what you have accomplished and adjust your priorities and plans for the following week. This reflection helps you stay on track and make any necessary adjustments to your workflow.

Actionable Tips

Focus on One Task at a Time: Multitasking can reduce your productivity and increase stress. Instead, focus on completing one task (using a visual timer) at a time to maintain quality and efficiency.
Use the Eisenhower Matrix: This tool helps you categorize tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance, making it easier to prioritize your workload.
Batch Similar Tasks: Group similar tasks together to save time. For example, dedicate a specific time block to respond to all emails rather than scattering them throughout the day.

Create a Flexible Schedule

Create a schedule that includes your primary job, side hustle, and personal activities. Instead of waiting for large, uninterrupted blocks, look for pockets of time throughout your week. You might find that you can complete shorter tasks in 15-minute increments.

Once you have your to-do list and estimate how long each task will take, you can slot these tasks into available pockets of time. For example, use your lunch break or early mornings to tackle smaller tasks. This approach helps you progress steadily without carving out huge chunks of your day.

Tracking your time using tools like Toggl can provide significant benefits in managing your schedule. By recording how you spend your time, you gain insights into your productivity patterns and identify areas where you can improve efficiency. Time tracking helps you stay accountable and focused, ensuring that each minute is used effectively.

Toggl also allows you to analyze how long specific tasks actually take, enabling more accurate planning in the future. Over time, this practice can help you become more disciplined and better at allocating your time, ultimately leading to increased productivity and a better work-life balance.

Additionally, consider Parkinson’s Law, which states that “work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” By setting tight deadlines for your tasks, you can often complete them more quickly and efficiently. This principle can be particularly useful when balancing your side hustle with a full-time job, as it encourages you to make the most of your limited time.

Take Care of Yourself

Balancing a side hustle can be exhausting. For a long time, I spent every extra moment I had working, rather than dedicating time to exercise and hobbies I enjoy. This relentless focus on work led to burnout, leaving me physically drained and mentally exhausted. I learned the hard way that taking care of yourself is essential to maintain energy and focus.

We all understand the importance of taking care of our health by making time for regular exercise, eating well, practicing stress relief techniques, and getting enough sleep. But understanding why we need to do so can make a significant difference.

Taking care of your physical health leads to greater mental clarity. When you’re physically active and well-nourished, your brain functions better, enhancing your ability to focus, solve problems, and make decisions. This mental sharpness is crucial for balancing multiple responsibilities and staying productive. By maintaining your physical health, you create a strong foundation for mental resilience and creativity, help you stay productive, and avoid burnout—all of which are essential for both your side hustle and primary job.

Remember, it’s not just about working hard but also about working smart. By investing time in your well-being, you equip yourself with the resilience and energy needed to sustain your efforts over the long term. This balanced approach ensures that you can continue to grow your side hustle while excelling in your primary job and enjoying a fulfilling personal life.

Be Flexible and Adaptable

Finally, stay flexible and adaptable. Balancing a side hustle is not always smooth and straightforward, so be open to adjusting your plans and strategies, and be prepared to change direction when necessary. Flexibility is crucial because unexpected challenges and opportunities can arise at any time. Whether it’s a sudden influx of work from your primary job, a personal emergency, or a new opportunity for your side hustle, being adaptable allows you to pivot without losing momentum.

One way to maintain flexibility is to review and reassess your goals and priorities regularly. Set aside time each week or month to evaluate what’s working and what isn’t. If a particular strategy isn’t yielding the desired results, don’t be afraid to tweak it or try something new. This approach helps you stay focused on your goals and ensures that you’re making progress, even if the path isn’t exactly what you expected.

Embrace the idea that it’s okay to take breaks or slow down when needed. Recognize that burnout is a real risk, and sometimes stepping back can actually propel you forward in the long run. If you find that your side hustle is encroaching too much on your personal life or affecting your primary job, it might be time to re-evaluate your workload and make necessary adjustments. Prioritizing your well-being over relentless productivity can help you sustain your efforts more effectively.

Flexibility will help you navigate the challenges and keep moving forward. By being adaptable, you can respond to changes with confidence and resilience, ensuring that temporary setbacks don’t derail your long-term goals. This dynamic approach to balancing a side hustle with a primary job will enable you to thrive in both areas, maintaining a healthy, productive, and fulfilling professional and personal life.

Reflection

Looking back on my journey, I realized that I learned some lessons the hard way. I was self-educated, learning from everyone around me, both the good and the bad. While repetition helped reinforce my knowledge, it often felt like a waste of time because it wasn’t succinct. I now realize that a more structured approach could have saved me valuable time and effort.

If I had to do it all over again, I would have focused on these strategies from the beginning. Balancing a side hustle with a full-time primary job is challenging, but achieving your goals without sacrificing your well-being is possible with the right approach.

I hope these tips encourage you to find balance and create a thriving side hustle that fulfills you.

How to Make More Time In Your Day As An Online Business Owner

Kelly — Fri, 24 May 2024 18:02:41 +0000

What would you like to have more time for? Hobbies, learning new things, relaxation/self-care, creating new income streams (take my free class where I help you make $1,000+ from home), or simply spending more time with loved ones?

I get it! As I write this article, my goal is to offer some useful insights, give you a fresh perspective, and leave you with some actionable steps you can take starting today.

My favorite tools in my business:

TubeBuddy: YouTube channel management tool for keyword research, video optimization, analytics, and competitor analysis. It helps me save time and grow my audience by optimizing content and gain insights into my channel’s performance.
ThriveCart: This is what I use to host my online courses and membership. One-time fee of roughly $495 for a lifetime license.
Flodesk: My email provider, get 50% off your first year, unlimited email subscribers at no increased price. It comes with email templates, lead, popup, & opt-in forms for collecting email and is very intuitive.
Honeybook: Platform for Virtual Assistants and Freelancing; templates for contracts, create and send invoices, scheduling, automations, and manage your clients all in one place!
Create an LLC for $39: Super easy to use service to create an LLC for your online business, walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.

Do a Time Audit

To maximize your time, begin by doing a time audit. It’s quite simple: keep track of how you spend every minute of your day. This will help you identify ineffective and time-wasting activities. Though it may feel overwhelming at first, the insights you gain from a time audit can be very helpful in optimizing your schedule and reclaiming lost time.

When Peyton was just a couple of months old, I was really struggling with feeling like I had no time to myself during the day. I went from bottle time to nap time, and when she was napping, I was cleaning. Then it was back to bottle time, followed by doing chores, work, and so on. I felt like I had no me time in the day.

I decided to take a piece of paper and write down everything I did from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep, including how long each activity took. I listed my entire day in 15-minute blocks and noted how I spent my time. When I did this, I realized I had small pockets of available time throughout the day, which I could now visually see.

At that time, I chose to take advantage of those small pockets of time and watch a true crime show because it was a way for me to unplug. Now, when I feel overwhelmed and think I have no “me” time or extra time for friends or work in my business, I sit down and do a time audit. This helps me see everything visually, and I can take those pockets of time and do what I want with them.

A great way to start is by keeping a log of your activities for a week.

Write down everything. From work tasks to personal errands to fun activities. Don’t worry, it’s not as overwhelming as it sounds! Just be honest and as detailed as you can, noting how long each activity takes and why you’re doing it.
Review the data. After gathering a complete record of your activities, take some time to review the data and identify any patterns or areas for improvement. Are there any tasks that consistently take longer than expected? Are you spending too much time on low-priority activities? Do you experience any recurring distractions or interruptions that derail your focus?
Use the insights from your time audit to help you decide how to use your time better. You may need to adjust your schedule, cut out time-wasting activities, or try new ways to be more productive. By taking a proactive approach to managing your time, you’ll be able to create more space in your week for the activities that truly matter.

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Don’t get overwhelmed! A time audit isn’t a one-time thing; it’s an ongoing process of looking at yourself and improving. Make it a habit to regularly check and change your schedule based on your changing priorities and goals. As you keep doing this, you’ll get better at using your time well and being more productive.

Brain Dumping: I came across a quote by David Allen that said, “Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them,” and it honestly changed my life.

With my ADHD I’m in a constant state of “don’t forget this, don’t forget that” and I work so hard not to lose the idea; this limits me so much in my creativity because so much of my brain is working on not forgetting.

That’s where brain dumping comes in.

>> Download this Brain Dumping Printable today!

Brain dumping simply means getting all your thoughts, tasks, and ideas out of your head and onto paper or a digital device. When you do this, you clear up mental space and make a clear plan for what to do next.

Imagine your mind like a messy desk piled high with unfinished tasks, looming deadlines, and random thoughts clamoring for attention. Trying to keep track of everything in your head can be overwhelming and exhausting, leading to decreased focus and productivity. Brain dumping allows you to unload this mental burden and organize your thoughts in a systematic manner.

Brain dumping is a powerful tool for time management because it helps you:

Prioritize Tasks: When you write down your thoughts, you can look at each task fairly and decide how important and urgent it is. This helps you prioritize well and use your time and energy on the most important things.
Reduce Mental Load: Constantly juggling multiple thoughts and tasks in your mind consumes valuable cognitive resources and contributes to decision fatigue. Brain dumping helps reduce mental load, freeing up mental capacity for more meaningful activities.
Prevent Information Overload: In our busy world today, we are constantly bombarded with information from all directions. This can lead to feeling overwhelmed and overloaded. Brain dumping is a great way to sort through this information and prevent it from taking over your mind.
Enhance Focus and Clarity: When you have a clear and organized list of tasks and priorities, you can tackle your work with better focus and clarity. This helps you work more efficiently and make progress toward your goals without feeling scattered or overwhelmed.

Here’s how to prepare yourself for a brain dump.

Dedicate a time each day or week to practice this.
Find a quiet and comfortable environment where you can focus without distractions.
Equip yourself with a pen and paper or your preferred note-taking app.
Begin by writing down or reciting everything that comes to mind—tasks, ideas, worries, goals, and anything else competing for your attention.

When you take some time to do this, you’ll probably feel a sense of relief as your mind clears and all the mental clutter fades away. You’ll also gain a better understanding of your priorities and what you need to do next, which will help you approach your tasks with a fresh focus. You’ll find yourself with more time and energy to devote to the things that truly matter.

Harness the Power of Technology

In today’s digital age, we’re lucky to have so many amazing tools and apps that can really help us get things done more efficiently. Whether it’s project management software, communication tools, or automation platforms, using technology can give you back valuable time in your week.

Take some time to check out and use tools that work best for the way you work.

Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles

Time Blocking

Time blocking is a game-changer! It’s a great way to take control of your time. By scheduling specific blocks of time for different tasks or projects, you can minimize distractions and get more done. It’s all about dedicating uninterrupted time to focus on specific activities, like brainstorming, meetings, or deep work sessions. With time blocking, every minute counts!

Throughout the week, there are small pockets of time that can really add up. One of the most common excuses/pushbacks I hear when people start an online business is that they feel they don’t have enough time. I believe many people think they need 8 hours a day or 25 hours a week to work on their side hustle or business. However, I’ve found that after doing a brain dump of the tasks I need to do, I can estimate how long each task will take and then schedule them into pockets of time on my calendar. Sometimes, a task will only take 10 or 15 minutes to complete.

There have been times in the past when I only had 10 minutes of free time, and I used to spend it watching TikTok. Now, when I have a 10-minute block of time, I use it to write emails, respond to emails, work on printables, or develop digital downloads to sell. I have accomplished so much more in my week by taking advantage of these pockets of time, whether they are big or small.

Create a schedule.

Allocate specific time blocks for your side hustle each day or week.
Treat these time blocks as non-negotiable commitments like you would for your day job. Having dedicated time slots for your side hustle allows you to stay organized and focused.
Consider your energy levels and personal preferences when scheduling these blocks to optimize your productivity.

I hope this article has successfully achieved my goal and that you’ve found a practical step (or two) to begin creating more time for yourself, allowing you to pursue what truly matters to you.