Develop Long Term Cash Strategies ($10,000 within a year)

Try your hand at online freelancing

There are TONS of freelancing sites where people can get paid to do just about anything. If you have ANY kind of skill then look for a site where that skill can earn you money quick. Google is your friend when it comes to searching out marketable skills so just type in ‘freelance jobs’ followed by a specific job title or industry if you’re unsure that your job is freelance-friendly. I found jobs for freelance waitresses, and freelancers in the hospitality industry. I even found a site for freelance mechanics!

One of the best freelancing sites I happened to use is Fiverr. where you can sell just about ANYTHING for $5 (in time you can add extras to increase your earnings). Check out their ‘Fun & Bizarre’ category to see some of the crazy things people are selling!

Guru. com is ideal for anyone with any kind of degree as they have projects for everyone from programmers to attorneys. PeoplePerHour. com is easy to use, and the better your ratings – the more likely you are to earn. Simply Hired is another good portal and so is Authentic Jobs – they’re not exactly freelance sites per se, but by using filters you can find what you’re looking for.

If you can string a sentence together then freelance writing sites like ProBlogger, Freelance Writing Gigs and Text Broker are ideal. Pitch Me is one where you pitch ANY idea and if someone likes it, they hire you and pay to turn your pitch into reality. The one thing I’ve noticed (and it pains me to say this) is that you don’t always have to be very good with words or writing – I can’t tell you how often I’ve come across an article or site where the language is awful, the grammar is little better than second grade and I won’t even mention the topics.

So you can get started, stumble along and learn as you go. I used to be a freelance copywriter for a while, so I mostly know about freelance sites that cater for it, but there are many freelancing sites for particular industries and skill sets including web developers, photographers, artists, designers and programmers and more!

Hire a financial advisor

Ok, I can hear you say – ‘But Kathi, this is one of those tips that say you should spend money to make money.’ Believe me, financial advisors are not just for the super-rich and famous or people with multiple investments or major corporations anymore. The average Joe is learning that getting help from a financial advisor might just be their ticket into the big leagues, or at least out of that VERY deep financial hole they find themselves in.

There are a number of financial advisor sites with generic tips and advice to help, but actually hiring someone who can have a look at your personal circumstances and help you develop a long-term saving strategy is worth their weight in gold! Don’t just hire the first name in the phonebook, though – it’s always better to get an independent advisor because they aren’t restricted to selling only products from certain providers.

There are three different ways that advisors get paid – a percentage fee, and hourly charge and a fixed fee per service arrangement. Evaluate the costs of each, find the best prices you can and then choose which of them will best suit the type of financial advice you’re looking for. The first meeting or consultation is usually free, but make sure of this before you end up with a $300 bill in the mail!