New Clients

Yesterday I picked up two new clients. Both are friends and need help caring for someone they love. My friend Jane needs meals for her father and my friend Julie needs me to take care of her cats when she goes out of town. Both are easy work and won't take up too much time. For Jane's father I can prepare meals at home and freeze them for him. My friend Julie lives close by and it will be a pleasure to help her with her cats. I told Julie I'd charge her $15 per visit, $12 if she goes out of town for a longer amount of time. I haven't decided what I will charge Jane. I realize a lot of people say that if you are a small business you need to put your prices up. I find I'm getting a nice extra income by doing small jobs for not a lot of money. $20 here and there adds up nicely for me. Pretty soon I'm making hundreds of extra dollars and doing it in my spare time.

Law of Attraction Radio

I wanted to mention my new favorite show which is the Law of Attraction Radio Show I'm starting to realize my attitude about money is everything. Well maybe not everything, I still have to work hard. I picked up an extra $65 for Lilly care these past three weeks. Not bad for work that takes me about half an hour a weekday. I'm also doing my caregiving job and an trying my best to save money so I can have more money to invest. It's hard saving money. I cut back on groceries and clothes and try to keep my utilities down. The best way I've found to save money other than groceries is to have cheap hobbies. Check out my other blog at Writing Magically

where I blog about the books I read ( I get them from the library ) and my other cheap hobbies.

A marketing book

I have decided to talk about all the business books I read. I love reading business and investing books and I feel I learn a lot from them. Even if you are living simply and not earning all that much business books can keep you on track and help you learn to earn more. I want to earn more but I don't want to kill myself doing it. Part of simplicity is being able to have the time to enjoy life. So I want lots of time but I need some money too. And thats where business books can help. I just finished The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout. It was good and I got it from the library. I try and get most of my reading material from the library. I only buy books when I really want something fast or if the library doesn't carry it.

Business books

I am realizing that although I am making money at small jobs I need to have multiple sources of income. I am considering how to make money blogging and have been reading various business books for inspiration. One of the books I really like is called Crush it! by Gary Vaynerchuk. If you haven't heard of him you should check out his blog. He is very motivational. Part of blogging is that it is a good hobby and a great way to spend some free time. If I spend the afternoon blogging I'm not out at the mall or the grocery store spending money. Being engaged in a hobby can be a great way to save money, it just has to be a cheap or almost free hobby.

Walking with Lilly fall 2012

I am now trying to walk Lilly several times a week. I may just let her out today as I want to get to the healing service to pray for a. But for the most part I've been taking Lilly on half hour walks. So I don't get paid a lot but this is good work for me and it is healing taking care of a dog. Lilly does bark at people on her walks which is a problem. Maybe I can break her habit.

make up and sponge bath

I am now charging a little more for makeup $10 per and sponge bath $10 per. SCORE told me to put my prices up. Grandma can afford it, Karrie can't. Still with Karrie I'm making about 1000 a year. I'll take it. I get paid for companionship too. Its a kind of sitting service. When I go to dinner I charge 17 an hour. If I serve I charge 17 an hour plus an extra 25 an hour. I'm a good worker and I'm worth my time.

Start of summer

This morning I worked for my mother in law for from 8-10. I did her make up and hair and I don't charge extra for that service. But I'm going back to have dinner with her and I will charge for 2-3 hours of work depending on how long I stay. I didn't have the golden doodle but will be on again next week. I'm making from $80-100 per month taking care of the dog. It's easy, fun work and I'm only charging $5 per visit as I just let her outside and don't clean up after her. My friends son can do that. She's his dog.

Monday

I worked this morning from 7:30-10 am, then took care of the golden doodle. Last Saturday I worked from 6:30-8:30 pm. I'm going to try and do 2-3 evenings a week plus I am going to keep my every-other Sunday. I contacted my friend Larry about Jeff's cleaning job. Larry said he usually gets $20 per hour for cleaning and I think Jeff wants to pay $13. We'll see, I just thought I'd try and help them make contact. I really like these extra two hour jobs here and there. They really start to make a difference in my bottom line and two hours is very doable and doesn't tire me out.

Picked up check

I went over to take care of the golden doodle and picked up my check for $42. It is always a good feeling to get a check.

Everyday

I realize that I have to spend a certain amount of time everyday trying to make money. It sounds obvious but I wasted a lot of my downtime watching TV or just doing nothing. Today I have the golden doodle for $6 and I'm spending time learning how to take my blogging public. Also I want to work on my photography with the idea of creating some cards or notebooks.

Just today

Today I am not taking care of the golden doddle. However I am working for Marge from 4-9 at $17 an hour plus groceries. Work here, work there and its starting to add up.

Possible new clients

A friend of mine who was interested in using me to walk her dogs emailed me and said she just sent my name to one of her friends. Word of mouth is the best way for me to grow my business. Today I have the golden doodle I take care of for $6 and Marge tonight for dinner and companionship from 4-9. I get $17 and hour for that job plus grocery/cooking reimbursement. Both jobs are adding up nicely.

Disappointment

I got to Lilly's home today to let her out and I was expecting my check. For the second day in a row it was not there. This can be a problem with caring for dogs and agreeing to have checks left a as method of payment. I know I'll get paid, its just a disappointment when it's not there.

Auto detailing

I just heard from a friend that he is starting an auto detailing business. He comes over to the house and works in your garage. He provides all the supplies and details the car inside and out. He says it takes him 4 to 8 hours depending on the state of the car. He charges a minimum of $175. Although this job sounds like hard work and longer hours it seems like a good way to pick up extra money, a possibly a full time business depending on how much he wants to work. I was going to get my car detailed at an auto service place and they wanted to keep it all day and were charging $199. So my friends work is a better deal for me.

Grand Aunt

I had coffee with a friend who has offered her home to an elderly aunt. It is a win win situation as the aunt has family to care for her and my friend has a new stream of income. Of course there are challenges on both sides. The aunt isn't quite at home yet and my friend feels less free to do things spontaneously but the trade off is really offset by a nice source of income. I have said I will work for my friend by providing meals and companionship for her aunt when she needs some time off. Meals and companionship are easy to provide and pay pretty well. I would be happy with $20 for making dinner ( they provide the groceries ) and spending a few hours with the aunt so my friend and her husband could catch a movie or go out for a leisurely dinner. I find $20 here and there adds up and if I don't do it too often it says fun and interesting.

Care for Lilly

This morning I went over to a friends home to take care of Lilly, a beautiful one year old golden doodle. I get there, let Lilly out of her crate, put her leash on, give her some water to drink and let her out to play. She runs around and does her business if she needs to. Then I bring her inside, give her some treats and back she goes into her crate. I charge $6 for this service, a dollar more if I have to pick up poop. Its fun, easy and rewarding work. Lilly is adorable. I've been doing this around 3 to 4 days a week and have been picking up around $42 every two weeks.

Yesterday's work

Yesterday worked for marge and her mothers day family dinner. I arrived around 3:45 to check in with the other caregiver. My shift really started at 4 going from 4-9. Her daughters brought pizza and salad. I set the table outside and tosses the three salads and put everything out on the breakfast table. We used paper plates and cups with silverware and glasses for the wine drinkers. One of the siblings also brought a strawberry cake which we had for dessert and which I served. After I finished eating, (I ate with the family at the table), I washed the silverware and the salad bowls, ran the dishwasher and took the garbage out. I also put the leftover pizza into three packages covered with tinfoil for the siblings to take home. I put the extra salad into three baggies for them to take home too. They didn't end up taking everything so I took home two sets of leftovers. I will eat the salad and freeze the pizza. The sisters and their families left around 8 and then I talked grandma into going to bed. She was exhausted from a great mothers day. I turned down her bed and drew her drapes in her bedroom. Also I put her evening meds in the bathroom for her to take. By 8:30 I settled down to talk with uncle Jeff about assorted topics and the rich dad poor dad seminar that he was going to. I am going to come over a little later in the evening next Sunday so I can hear how it went. In closing I should add that we were 9 people for dinner, including me. I get $17 and hour for this job and I charge an extra $55 for cleaning up and serving. Not bad money for a pleasant evening.

Mothers day

I went over to lindys for lunch it was delicious and the small talk with her relatives was pleasant. I'm getting ready for a pizza and salad dinner at marges. I am working at the pizza dinner. I want to work more. I may walk Joann's dogs and house sit for Liz. I really want to make money and have more varied experiences. I'm putting it out to the universe and focusing on it as a goal and intention.

Possible blog money

I will teach you to be rich blog talks about people making enormous amounts of money online. I wonder if I could do that. I'm interested in possibly doing a writing class online well maybe Jung at heart offers online classes. Or do I want to sell something. And how much time do they put into these things? And how good online do you have to be. And how much work is a professional blog? Something to think about.

Real estate resources

Here are some of my best real estate resources on the web. richdad.com Check out Robert Kiyosaki's boardroom podcasts. Then there is reit.com very good short podcasts also NWReia or your local reia group. Realestateguys podcast is very good too. My vanguard reit is up around 10% so far this year with around a 3% dividend. Not bad at all. I'm getting more and more interested in reits as good real estate investing. Check out O and Plum Creek PLC. They were talked about at my last Better investing meeting. Good to note I heard there is a real estate bubble brewing in Canada. I heard they are way overbuilding.

Learning from she writes

I am now officially on a diet. I am using dr. OSS book you on a diet. It's good. I feel better and lighter already. This morning I went to meditation. Matthew is teaching the eightfold path and we are on the middle way. I can home a had a chopped cucumber with hummus and some green lentil soup. Some coffee with soy creamer then I went and walked on a treadmill at my rec center for twenty minutes. I came home and vacuumed the living room and kitchen and put a load of laundry in the washer. Later church with Barbara and tonight some grocery shopping. I drove around sell wood. I might want to buy a couple of houses there if I ever make the money. Focusing on my body and feeling good. But always the mundane needs to be mixed up with magic and depth. In my fluffy day there has to be an edge and the nourishment of a deep bite. Under the normal everyday there is love and deep respect. Also always desire.

motivation

I'm focusing on motivation and identity, plus boundaries. How to focus on the people and activities that I find very motivational and to set limits with the people who I find more boring ( mostly because they don't build up ) I'm using a little magic for fun and seriousness. I'm trying to decide what identity I want to have. I know I'm interested in a good work ethic and investments ( mostly real estate ) also a little process. I'm wondering what this will look like but thats like looking into the future. I'm hoping to be successful, God willing and with a little luck.

plants

My new hobby is gardening. I'm doing some plants at the condo basically succulents and grasses. I'm also putting in a vegetable garden at a friends house while I let her puppy out. Its helping me journey. I imagine the wet moist soil and the earth and atmosphere and I'm getting into my imagination. Add a fairy and a unicorn and some large colorful precious and semi precious jewels and I'm flying. I'm also liking a Course in Miracles. It seems simplistic but if everyone did a little relaxing into it things would be more positive I'm sure. Just my journey.

Twitter

I have started using twitter and am really liking it. I go on all the small business websites and follow it. Then I find more small business websites. I am really starting to see myself as a small time entrepreneur, which I like. Money and energy work together. I'm also into the law of attraction and positive thinking. It works. I went to Caryn yesterday and talked about all my negative feelings. They need to come out, but in the container of therapy. My 12-step group is teaching me how to talk about feelings in a positive, socially acceptable way so I don't feel so shut up.