Thursday, December 12, 2013

Making Money Blogging

     Being ten months into blogging am am still learning. As one should learn something every day. My goal wasn't thinking that this was going to be a large money making endeavor but one none the less. It seems that my thoughts of $10 a day are grandiose.
     I have written over one hundred posts. Have had over 3500 hits. I have some nice ads. I have readership all over the world. Still to only have made $6. Guess I won't be quitting my day job soon. Darn! I am disappointed to say the least. As I have put forth quit a bit of time and effort into the project. But the fact is making money blogging is about like hitting the lottery.
     Thirty five hundred views is about 350 per month or ten per day. You need thirty five hundred hits per day. You have to build a following that reads your work every day. So the content must be valuable enough for someone to want to read it. Guess I am flunking out here.
     I have always had some pretty good ads. I do not know what kind of ads show up abroad but I can only guess they are relevant to the locality. The thing is here you can have some really cool ads but if no one opens them up you get nothing. Case closed. Many people don't open the ads for fear of being badgered later.
     You have to stimulate comments. I had google plus comments for a while but I cannot retrieve them. Rendering them useless to me. Just part of their (Google's) system. I have touched on quite a few subjects and cannot believe that one of them hasn't caused an opinion from someone. So with no displayed comments, left comments or my ability to respond to comments has to be a disadvantage. It also doesn't stimulate any action between the readers. So the posts just sit there.
     Perhaps my posts are only stumbled upon by people browsing the inter net. They pop onto the site. Look at it briefly and move on as it it worthless to them.

Making Money Blogging

     Being ten months into blogging am am still learning. As one should learn something every day. My goal wasn't thinking that this was going to be a large money making endeavor but one none the less. It seems that my thoughts of $10 a day are grandiose.
     I have written over one hundred posts. Have had over 3500 hits. I have some nice ads. I have readership all over the world. Still to only have made $6. Guess I won't be quitting my day job soon. Darn! I am disappointed to say the least. As I have put forth quit a bit of time and effort into the project. But the fact is making money blogging is about like hitting the lottery.
     Thirty five hundred views is about 350 per month or ten per day. You need thirty five hundred hits per day. You have to build a following that reads your work every day. So the content must be valuable enough for someone to want to read it. Guess I am flunking out here.
     I have always had some pretty good ads. I do not know what kind of ads show up abroad but I can only guess they are relevant to the locality. The thing is here you can have some really cool ads but if no one opens them up you get nothing. Case closed. Many people don't open the ads for fear of being badgered later.
     You have to stimulate comments. I had google plus comments for a while but I cannot retrieve them. Rendering them useless to me. Just part of their (Google's) system. I have touched on quite a few subjects and cannot believe that one of them hasn't caused an opinion from someone. So with no displayed comments, left comments or my ability to respond to comments has to be a disadvantage. It also doesn't stimulate any action between the readers. So the posts just sit there.
     Perhaps my posts are only stumbled upon by people browsing the inter net. They pop onto the site. Look at it briefly and move on as it it worthless to them.

Want A New Wardrobe? Clean Out Your Clothes Closets

     This is the season to be jolly. A lot a catalogs are coming my way that I used to receive on a regular basis. Since I used to buy a lot of stuff from them. Getting catalogs get me to want something. In your mind you create a need. When in reality you do not need it and maybe already have it.
     In the day that I had to dress nice I had twenty or more suits. At least that many sport coats. At least one hundred and fifty ties. Fifty plus pairs of shoes. Conservatively fifty dress shirts. Argyle socks to match the suits, ties or shirts. Over one hundred polo shirts.
     The bulk of which I have given away to individuals, Goodwill, Amvets and the Salvation Army. When I moved to Florida I took a pickup truck full of clothes to the Salvation Army. I gave away a lot of winter clothes. Shoes and boots.
     I am in a wardrobe rut now. In Florida it is shorts and tee shirt or tank most of the time I am off. At work it is the same uniform. So I guess I look shabby most of the time. With the advent of my father in the hospital I did not want to go there looking like a hobo. With all the nervous energy stress creates I decided to go through the closet. I have forty sweaters packed away. Still had thirty dress shirts left. After purging it four years ago. all kinds of trousers and pants. At least thirty pairs of shoes.
     So I went through the dress shirts first. Knowing that I didn't need thirty on hand. I washed them all. Picked out about ten favorites and ironed them. Went through the trousers and jeans. Picked out a few and  washed and pressed the khakis. I also purged the polo shirts and tee shirts. Some of those ninety's polo shirts are dated. The Harley shirts and Millersburg Madness shirts only confuse people now. So I only kept the polo shirts that never go out of style. Tee shirts without writing on them.
     How about jeans? I only wear Levi jeans. I have about eight pairs. I still fit in jeans that I have had since 1978. So I guess I am jean tight.
     There are a certain amount of things that you are going to wear out. Underwear, work clothes, work shoes. etc. Man or women. I think that if you go through your closet you will find  that you have more than enough clothes then you need.

Want A New Wardrobe? Clean Out Your Clothes Closets

     This is the season to be jolly. A lot a catalogs are coming my way that I used to receive on a regular basis. Since I used to buy a lot of stuff from them. Getting catalogs get me to want something. In your mind you create a need. When in reality you do not need it and maybe already have it.
     In the day that I had to dress nice I had twenty or more suits. At least that many sport coats. At least one hundred and fifty ties. Fifty plus pairs of shoes. Conservatively fifty dress shirts. Argyle socks to match the suits, ties or shirts. Over one hundred polo shirts.
     The bulk of which I have given away to individuals, Goodwill, Amvets and the Salvation Army. When I moved to Florida I took a pickup truck full of clothes to the Salvation Army. I gave away a lot of winter clothes. Shoes and boots.
     I am in a wardrobe rut now. In Florida it is shorts and tee shirt or tank most of the time I am off. At work it is the same uniform. So I guess I look shabby most of the time. With the advent of my father in the hospital I did not want to go there looking like a hobo. With all the nervous energy stress creates I decided to go through the closet. I have forty sweaters packed away. Still had thirty dress shirts left. After purging it four years ago. all kinds of trousers and pants. At least thirty pairs of shoes.
     So I went through the dress shirts first. Knowing that I didn't need thirty on hand. I washed them all. Picked out about ten favorites and ironed them. Went through the trousers and jeans. Picked out a few and  washed and pressed the khakis. I also purged the polo shirts and tee shirts. Some of those ninety's polo shirts are dated. The Harley shirts and Millersburg Madness shirts only confuse people now. So I only kept the polo shirts that never go out of style. Tee shirts without writing on them.
     How about jeans? I only wear Levi jeans. I have about eight pairs. I still fit in jeans that I have had since 1978. So I guess I am jean tight.
     There are a certain amount of things that you are going to wear out. Underwear, work clothes, work shoes. etc. Man or women. I think that if you go through your closet you will find  that you have more than enough clothes then you need.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

How Are People Doing It?

     You have to wonder how people are doing what they do in this bad economic times. I everyone with a smart phone. I see a lot of new BMW cars running around. I work in a deli in a grocery store. I see people buying prepared food and sub sandwiches. Many more then you think on food stamps. And as you are helping them they are on their smart phone probably recording the transaction so if you mess up they can get something for free. 
     A week or so ago on the Dianne Reem  show on NPR radio there was a segment on SNAP (food stamps). They had all these people talking about how they have to get by on $1.30 a day. How they run out of benefits before the end of the month. Blah, Blah, Blah. If that is the case how can they come in and get $200 to $300 worth of party trays on a regular basis? Big cakes from the bakery. Crab legs and lobster from the meat department. 
     And they are not walking to the store either. They are driving cars. Someone addressed that on the Diane Reem show that was from the government that runs SNAP. He said they cannot track that. Sometimes things fall through the cracks. Again blah, blah blah. If they can tap the phones of everyone and know their emails why can't they track that? 
     Others that are still making some decent money or living on something like a trust fund are just cruising right along. Have we already forgot about the credit and housing crisis a few years ago? Several companies that actually pay well are cutting jobs. But they are telling us of all the new jobs that are being created. You know minimum wage jobs. 
     A lot of companies are cutting their health insurance. Due to the Affordable Health Care Act. My company didn't, this year. From what I gather from the website I do not qualify for any subsidies. Although I am soundly in the lower end of the $11,000 to $49,000 incomes that may qualify. It may become fashionable or the trend to cut insurance benefits. Putting us all on the marketplace. 
     Full time jobs are becoming scarce also. Then companies can cut vacations, benefits, insurance and bonuses. Saving them more money. Many people I know are working multiple jobs just to get by. While I see others doing nothing at all living just as well.
     The old people come in the store and get a few cold cuts. Scraping to get by. Most of them are petrified about the new Medicare deals. That they paid into. 
     I just see the merry go round coming to a crashing halt soon. 

How Are People Doing It?

     You have to wonder how people are doing what they do in this bad economic times. I everyone with a smart phone. I see a lot of new BMW cars running around. I work in a deli in a grocery store. I see people buying prepared food and sub sandwiches. Many more then you think on food stamps. And as you are helping them they are on their smart phone probably recording the transaction so if you mess up they can get something for free. 
     A week or so ago on the Dianne Reem  show on NPR radio there was a segment on SNAP (food stamps). They had all these people talking about how they have to get by on $1.30 a day. How they run out of benefits before the end of the month. Blah, Blah, Blah. If that is the case how can they come in and get $200 to $300 worth of party trays on a regular basis? Big cakes from the bakery. Crab legs and lobster from the meat department. 
     And they are not walking to the store either. They are driving cars. Someone addressed that on the Diane Reem show that was from the government that runs SNAP. He said they cannot track that. Sometimes things fall through the cracks. Again blah, blah blah. If they can tap the phones of everyone and know their emails why can't they track that? 
     Others that are still making some decent money or living on something like a trust fund are just cruising right along. Have we already forgot about the credit and housing crisis a few years ago? Several companies that actually pay well are cutting jobs. But they are telling us of all the new jobs that are being created. You know minimum wage jobs. 
     A lot of companies are cutting their health insurance. Due to the Affordable Health Care Act. My company didn't, this year. From what I gather from the website I do not qualify for any subsidies. Although I am soundly in the lower end of the $11,000 to $49,000 incomes that may qualify. It may become fashionable or the trend to cut insurance benefits. Putting us all on the marketplace. 
     Full time jobs are becoming scarce also. Then companies can cut vacations, benefits, insurance and bonuses. Saving them more money. Many people I know are working multiple jobs just to get by. While I see others doing nothing at all living just as well.
     The old people come in the store and get a few cold cuts. Scraping to get by. Most of them are petrified about the new Medicare deals. That they paid into. 
     I just see the merry go round coming to a crashing halt soon. 

Holiday Bonus Time

    A lot of folks are looking forward to some kind of Holiday cash bonus.  This is big deal for me as it is for most. This can be tempting to be silly and buy or blow it in any way.  When you are not used to having extra money it may make you use poor judgement. I do not think I will be getting much back on taxes this year. I should probably pay off one or two small credit cards. Then take the money paid on those bills and apply it to the next lowest balance. Then roll it to the next.
     All this sounds great if you can apply it. Something however always pops up and by March I am pretty much hand to mouth again. I have tried and failed many times. I have about six hundred dollars of dental work that has to be done. I will try not to fail this year. But I most likely will fail. Because when I pay the dentist I will have used up my credit card paying fund. Then I usually get new glasses in January The annual visit to the optometrist ends up costing $80 to $150 if I end up getting glasses or lens with the deductibles.
     So as you see I have more than plowed through the bonus I will receive. Top it off with the fact I have double downed on a couple of credit card bills and poof. Broke again. Add to it a couple of stupid purchases I made because I deserve it. It is the Holiday Season you know. By the end of January I am feverishly awaiting my tax return. Which was late last year.
     Also add the fact that I already know that my health insurance, dental insurance, vision care insurance and long term disability insurance payments are going up. When the auto insurance is going to be renewed it will most likely go up too. Grocery bills are going up too. As a loaf of white bread is now $1.50 and milk is $4 a gallon.
     All of these factors are going to more than offset the fifty cent raise I received last year. Causing me to have less money every week. Did I mention that my rent also went up? As has gasoline.
     I do appreciate the holiday bonus. I was however in a position that I really needed it. One should not get themselves in that position. But just about everybody I know is in the same boat. So when that Holiday Bonus comes in think a minute. That warm fuzzy feeling of being quite wealthy will dissipate soon. You can find yourself further behind and nothing or no one to bail you out. I am a full time worker that is supposed to get forty hours a week. I have been scheduled 37 to 38 hours the last several weeks. Further dropping my weekly income.
     If this is what they call a better economy I dread the future or if another economic meltdown occurs. 

Holiday Bonus Time

    A lot of folks are looking forward to some kind of Holiday cash bonus.  This is big deal for me as it is for most. This can be tempting to be silly and buy or blow it in any way.  When you are not used to having extra money it may make you use poor judgement. I do not think I will be getting much back on taxes this year. I should probably pay off one or two small credit cards. Then take the money paid on those bills and apply it to the next lowest balance. Then roll it to the next.
     All this sounds great if you can apply it. Something however always pops up and by March I am pretty much hand to mouth again. I have tried and failed many times. I have about six hundred dollars of dental work that has to be done. I will try not to fail this year. But I most likely will fail. Because when I pay the dentist I will have used up my credit card paying fund. Then I usually get new glasses in January The annual visit to the optometrist ends up costing $80 to $150 if I end up getting glasses or lens with the deductibles.
     So as you see I have more than plowed through the bonus I will receive. Top it off with the fact I have double downed on a couple of credit card bills and poof. Broke again. Add to it a couple of stupid purchases I made because I deserve it. It is the Holiday Season you know. By the end of January I am feverishly awaiting my tax return. Which was late last year.
     Also add the fact that I already know that my health insurance, dental insurance, vision care insurance and long term disability insurance payments are going up. When the auto insurance is going to be renewed it will most likely go up too. Grocery bills are going up too. As a loaf of white bread is now $1.50 and milk is $4 a gallon.
     All of these factors are going to more than offset the fifty cent raise I received last year. Causing me to have less money every week. Did I mention that my rent also went up? As has gasoline.
     I do appreciate the holiday bonus. I was however in a position that I really needed it. One should not get themselves in that position. But just about everybody I know is in the same boat. So when that Holiday Bonus comes in think a minute. That warm fuzzy feeling of being quite wealthy will dissipate soon. You can find yourself further behind and nothing or no one to bail you out. I am a full time worker that is supposed to get forty hours a week. I have been scheduled 37 to 38 hours the last several weeks. Further dropping my weekly income.
     If this is what they call a better economy I dread the future or if another economic meltdown occurs. 

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Money Leaks

     Not making a lot of money I have to really watch out for money leaks. A blown $100 can put me into a bind for a month. So as hard as it is for me I have to really watch. A big thing is that I no longer like to go out much. Eating out or bars. This is a major money leak for most of us. If you make enough money to cover the necessities and have money left this is not as much of an issue. But as a low wage earner it matters. 
     Clothing shopping can be a big expense. I have enough clothes to last the rest of my life. Except for things that wear out quickly such as work shoes, pants, (the shirts are provided) and underwear. Most of this I can get from gifts. If anyone asks me what I want for a birthday or Christmas I just say one of these items. So I may not be up to date on some of the current styles. But that is OK. Most of the classic stuff doesn't really go out of style anyway. Do a closet search and you will be amazed as to what you find. A wash and ironing may make something come back to life.
     Electronic gadgets can be a big money leak. The latest computing tools. Televisions. Phones. I just seen some new kind of  TV that costs $9000. How much better can it be? Can you make do with a modest TV? A less than state of the art phone or computer.
     OK you have decided to not eat out that much anymore. So you are going to be cooking at home now. I have found a pretty good swing in prices. The store that has the best prices is ten miles away. So you average a fifty cent saving per item. If you buy twenty items you save ten dollars. So then you take out three dollars for gas and save seven dollars. So unless you get several items you won't save much or anything at all. So you need to make a list and allow some time to make a saving. A lot of cleaning supplies, detergent, stationary, home items, food basics etc. can be purchased at dollar stores. Some stores have better meat than others. The choice of meat you pick can greatly affect your food bill. All meats have pretty much the same nutritional values. Some just take more work to taste the best.
     Transportation weighs heavily on your budget. Your car being the second most expensive item you have. Not having a car payment for years was nice. But I felt that I needed to get another car before the other one died and would not any trade in value. Just because you have a car you don't have to use it if you can walk or ride a bike. The last few weeks I have had to make several one hundred mile round trips. I have bought much more gas than usual. Regularly getting by on twenty dollars of gas a month or less. As I can get by with a bicycle.
     Hobbies or sports can be a big leak too. Golf can cost a lot of money. So can most any hobby or leisure activity you participate in. Try to find something less expensive to do with your free time. Notice I said free time not leisure time. Leisure costs money, free time is free.
     Habits and vices can cost money. $5 a day adds up to to $1825 over a year. Take two $5 habits and that comes to $3650 a year. I need to stop the smoking. That'll save me $1825 per year. Maybe I will feel better too.
      You can also save money on your energy bills. Unplug or put appliances on strips and shut them off when they are not in use. Use modern efficient lights. Turn them off when not needed. Use less lights at night. Sometimes a night light will do just fine when just watching TV.
     These little things can save you some money. The less you have to spend the less you have to make. Or the more you can save. Another thing I need to work on.
   
   
     

Money Leaks

     Not making a lot of money I have to really watch out for money leaks. A blown $100 can put me into a bind for a month. So as hard as it is for me I have to really watch. A big thing is that I no longer like to go out much. Eating out or bars. This is a major money leak for most of us. If you make enough money to cover the necessities and have money left this is not as much of an issue. But as a low wage earner it matters. 
     Clothing shopping can be a big expense. I have enough clothes to last the rest of my life. Except for things that wear out quickly such as work shoes, pants, (the shirts are provided) and underwear. Most of this I can get from gifts. If anyone asks me what I want for a birthday or Christmas I just say one of these items. So I may not be up to date on some of the current styles. But that is OK. Most of the classic stuff doesn't really go out of style anyway. Do a closet search and you will be amazed as to what you find. A wash and ironing may make something come back to life.
     Electronic gadgets can be a big money leak. The latest computing tools. Televisions. Phones. I just seen some new kind of  TV that costs $9000. How much better can it be? Can you make do with a modest TV? A less than state of the art phone or computer.
     OK you have decided to not eat out that much anymore. So you are going to be cooking at home now. I have found a pretty good swing in prices. The store that has the best prices is ten miles away. So you average a fifty cent saving per item. If you buy twenty items you save ten dollars. So then you take out three dollars for gas and save seven dollars. So unless you get several items you won't save much or anything at all. So you need to make a list and allow some time to make a saving. A lot of cleaning supplies, detergent, stationary, home items, food basics etc. can be purchased at dollar stores. Some stores have better meat than others. The choice of meat you pick can greatly affect your food bill. All meats have pretty much the same nutritional values. Some just take more work to taste the best.
     Transportation weighs heavily on your budget. Your car being the second most expensive item you have. Not having a car payment for years was nice. But I felt that I needed to get another car before the other one died and would not any trade in value. Just because you have a car you don't have to use it if you can walk or ride a bike. The last few weeks I have had to make several one hundred mile round trips. I have bought much more gas than usual. Regularly getting by on twenty dollars of gas a month or less. As I can get by with a bicycle.
     Hobbies or sports can be a big leak too. Golf can cost a lot of money. So can most any hobby or leisure activity you participate in. Try to find something less expensive to do with your free time. Notice I said free time not leisure time. Leisure costs money, free time is free.
     Habits and vices can cost money. $5 a day adds up to to $1825 over a year. Take two $5 habits and that comes to $3650 a year. I need to stop the smoking. That'll save me $1825 per year. Maybe I will feel better too.
      You can also save money on your energy bills. Unplug or put appliances on strips and shut them off when they are not in use. Use modern efficient lights. Turn them off when not needed. Use less lights at night. Sometimes a night light will do just fine when just watching TV.
     These little things can save you some money. The less you have to spend the less you have to make. Or the more you can save. Another thing I need to work on.