How To Get Your Etsy Shop Off To A Great Start

  When I started selling on Etsy, I had no idea what I was doing. I’d been selling on eBay for over 10 years and was used to their format, the slightly warped logic of their best match search, and their ever-changing buyer standards rules. Etsy was a whole different ball game. It’s now been …

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When You Work from Home, Weekends Matter

when you work from home weekends matter feature image

Work from Home – Work/Life Balance If you work from home, whether you’re a writer, artist or run an online retail business (like me), it’s very easy to forget the importance of weekends. When you work from home, work becomes your world, 24/7. When I first started my business, I also worked full-time, so by …

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7 Reasons Everyone Needs a Side Hustle

By now, you’ve all heard of side hustles. They can be a great way to make some extra money on the side while also learning some new skills, but maybe it sounds complicated. Below we explore seven reasons why everyone should have a side hustle!   Why have a side hustle? The number one reason …

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Side Hustle Income: How to stay sweet with the tax man

Side Hustle Success | How to stay sweet with the tax man. If you're creating an income with a side hustle, here are some general rules you should follow.

It’s tax time in my neck of the woods and that means keeping sweet with the tax man. That’s easy enough to do if you’re getting a pay cheque from your employer because they handle all your tax payments. Generally speaking, you never see any of that money, it goes straight to the tax man. …

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Blog Income Report – April 2016

April blog traffic and income report why blogging is a great way to make money online

Welcome to April’s blog income and traffic report for Smart Money, Simple Life. Sharing this information still feels a little odd but I know the value I get from reading others’ blog income and traffic reports so I’m hoping my monthly report can, in turn, help others who are just starting out or maybe just started …

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Blog Income Report – March 2016

blog income and traffic report March

Welcome to the second blog income report for Smart Money, Simple Life. I debated whether or not to publish a traffic and income report for quite a while before jumping in last month and publishing my first blog income and traffic report. I struggled with the whole over-sharing thing. And, I struggled with feeling like I …

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4 Tips for Seekers of Freedom and Fulfillment

four tips for seekers of freedom and fulfillment

Freedom and fulfillment. Two words that define success for Hal Elrod, me and quite possibly many of you, too. Freedom is the external hallmark of success for me. Freedom to choose how I spend my time, my money and my energy. Fulfillment is my internal hallmark of success. I look for and need fulfillment in the …

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9 Things You Need to Know Before Choosing Self Employment

truths about self employment

There are certain truths about self employment that are often glossed over by those of us who make a living on our own terms. Being self employed is, for the most part, a completely liberating way to make a living whether you work from a home office, on the road or from a local cafe. …

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My First Year of Blogging

what I learned in my first year of blogging

The last day of January officially marked the end of my first year of blogging. Serious blogging. I’ve had other blogs over the years but I wasn’t serious about them. I didn’t have a vision for their future. I didn’t know my ‘Why’. And, they died from neglect. So, I consider this to be my …

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The Power of the Side Hustle

diversify income using a side hustle

The power of the side hustle: jobs can disappear easily, so it’s smart to have another way to earn money already up and running. There are many ways of looking at the purpose of the side hustle. Like your emergency fund, it can be a form of insurance against adversity; protecting you against situations like …

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Year in Review – Blogs, Business & Other Stuff

2015 in review blogs and business

My year in review: blogs, business and other stuff. They say life begins at the edge of your comfort zone. If that’s true, then this is the year my life truly began. There have been many different detours beyond the edge of my comfort zone and each one has forced me to push past my …

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The Hidden Value of a Good Goof Off Day

a goof off day can be good for you

  A good goof off day. Nothing beats it. You know how it is… You know from the moment you force your eyelids apart, today is not going to be a good day for work. If you’re an employee, it’s the day we used to call a mental health day. You’re not sick. You’re just… …

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