Friday, October 23, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
My favorite blog post ever
From Christina:
"You already know deep down that getting a job isn't what you want. So don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. Learn to trust your inner wisdom, even if the whole world says you're wrong and foolish for doing so. Years from now you'll look back and realize it was one of the best decisions you ever made."
This is from my favorite blog post ever entitled "10 Reasons You Should Never Get a Job" by Steve Pavlina.
As I was waiting for the internet to connect today, I decided to give this post another read for extra inspiration. (I have a copy in my work-from-home-stuff binder.)
I'll give you the highlights here, but seriously, it's 100% worth the time to read the entire thing. So, here are the top 10 reasons why you should never get a job:
1. Income for Dummies. Getting a job and trading your time for money may seem like a good idea. There's only one problem with it. It’s stupid! It's the stupidest way you can possibly generate income! This is truly income for dummies.
2. Limited experience. You might think it’s important to get a job to gain experience. But that’s like saying you should play golf to get experience playing golf. You gain experience from living, regardless of whether you have a job or not.
3. Lifelong domestication. Getting a job is like enrolling in a human domestication program. You learn how to be a good pet.
4. Too many mouths to feed. Employee income is the most heavily taxed there is. In the USA you can expect that about half your salary will go to taxes. The tax system is designed to disguise how much you’re really giving up because some of those taxes are paid by your employer, and some are deducted from your paycheck.
5. Way too risky. Many employees believe getting a job is the safest and most secure way to support themselves. Morons.
6. Having an evil bovine master. When you run into an idiot in the entrepreneurial world, you can turn around and head the other way. When you run into an idiot in the corporate world, you have to turn around and say, “Sorry, boss.”
7. Begging for money. When you want to increase your income, do you have to sit up and beg your master for more money? Does it feel good to be thrown some extra Scooby Snacks now and then?
8. An inbred social life. Many people treat their jobs as their primary social outlet. They hang out with the same people working in the same field. Such incestuous relations are social dead ends.
9. Loss of freedom. It takes a lot of effort to tame a human being into an employee. The first thing you have to do is break the human’s independent will. A good way to do this is to give them a weighty policy manual filled with nonsensical rules and regulations. This leads the new employee to become more obedient, fearing that s/he could be disciplined at any minute for something incomprehensible.
10. Becoming a coward. Have you noticed that employed people have an almost endless capacity to whine about problems at their companies? But they don’t really want solutions – they just want to vent and make excuses why it’s all someone else’s fault.
Read the rest of the story here!
"You already know deep down that getting a job isn't what you want. So don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. Learn to trust your inner wisdom, even if the whole world says you're wrong and foolish for doing so. Years from now you'll look back and realize it was one of the best decisions you ever made."
This is from my favorite blog post ever entitled "10 Reasons You Should Never Get a Job" by Steve Pavlina.
As I was waiting for the internet to connect today, I decided to give this post another read for extra inspiration. (I have a copy in my work-from-home-stuff binder.)
I'll give you the highlights here, but seriously, it's 100% worth the time to read the entire thing. So, here are the top 10 reasons why you should never get a job:
1. Income for Dummies. Getting a job and trading your time for money may seem like a good idea. There's only one problem with it. It’s stupid! It's the stupidest way you can possibly generate income! This is truly income for dummies.
2. Limited experience. You might think it’s important to get a job to gain experience. But that’s like saying you should play golf to get experience playing golf. You gain experience from living, regardless of whether you have a job or not.
3. Lifelong domestication. Getting a job is like enrolling in a human domestication program. You learn how to be a good pet.
4. Too many mouths to feed. Employee income is the most heavily taxed there is. In the USA you can expect that about half your salary will go to taxes. The tax system is designed to disguise how much you’re really giving up because some of those taxes are paid by your employer, and some are deducted from your paycheck.
5. Way too risky. Many employees believe getting a job is the safest and most secure way to support themselves. Morons.
6. Having an evil bovine master. When you run into an idiot in the entrepreneurial world, you can turn around and head the other way. When you run into an idiot in the corporate world, you have to turn around and say, “Sorry, boss.”
7. Begging for money. When you want to increase your income, do you have to sit up and beg your master for more money? Does it feel good to be thrown some extra Scooby Snacks now and then?
8. An inbred social life. Many people treat their jobs as their primary social outlet. They hang out with the same people working in the same field. Such incestuous relations are social dead ends.
9. Loss of freedom. It takes a lot of effort to tame a human being into an employee. The first thing you have to do is break the human’s independent will. A good way to do this is to give them a weighty policy manual filled with nonsensical rules and regulations. This leads the new employee to become more obedient, fearing that s/he could be disciplined at any minute for something incomprehensible.
10. Becoming a coward. Have you noticed that employed people have an almost endless capacity to whine about problems at their companies? But they don’t really want solutions – they just want to vent and make excuses why it’s all someone else’s fault.
Read the rest of the story here!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
HireMyMom!
From Jenna:
So, as one of our research endeavors, we joined HireMyMom.com. I have to say that so far, I think the membership is worth the money. We paid $30 for a quarterly membership. Everyday, new jobs are posted from employers (and individuals) looking for mostly project based, work from home type of help. (hence the name hiremymom, which I think is awesome!)
If you're interested in a job, you apply directly to the company and go from there. So far, I actually did get a writing gig from there and have applied for several others. The writing gig paid for the membership already, so even if nothing else comes out of it, that was worth it. I do check it everyday though, and especially if you are interested in project based type of work, this is a great resource to consider. I would recommend it!
HireMyMom.com
So, as one of our research endeavors, we joined HireMyMom.com. I have to say that so far, I think the membership is worth the money. We paid $30 for a quarterly membership. Everyday, new jobs are posted from employers (and individuals) looking for mostly project based, work from home type of help. (hence the name hiremymom, which I think is awesome!)
If you're interested in a job, you apply directly to the company and go from there. So far, I actually did get a writing gig from there and have applied for several others. The writing gig paid for the membership already, so even if nothing else comes out of it, that was worth it. I do check it everyday though, and especially if you are interested in project based type of work, this is a great resource to consider. I would recommend it!
HireMyMom.com
Friday, October 9, 2009
How I Got to Where I Am - Christina's Story
From Christina:
First, I want to mention, due to Jenna's post, I've been gathering items in my house and posting them up on eBay. What fun that is. And selling coupons? Who would've thought? What a great idea! I wonder what other ideas are out there?
And now, the short version of my story...
- My first job out of college was for a marketing company with a woman who I'll just call "Bitch Master." That was the start of the hatred for the office.
- The next job was a joke, but it was pretty fun. On Fridays, the owner brought in a fruit basket, and we'd use the contents to have some nice food fights. There's probably still some rotten fruit under the desks there.
- The following job was at a .com company that bombed. I was there for 6 months. I wish that position had lasted a little longer because I was really getting good at ping pong.
- The next one was at another .com, but a successful one (they're still doing good). They had a basketball court IN the office. For the first few years I was there, they allowed dogs. It was one of those places. It was somewhat fun until they became corporate-y. (Corporate-y = new building with gray cubes, no shorts, no flip-flops, no dogs and the basketball court was turned into a merchandise photo area.)
- The final job was the one that took the cake and secured my hatred for the cubicle once and for all. Every day I walked in, I felt like my soul was dying. It was like working in the movie Office Space (but way less funny). Thankfully, they put me out of my misery and laid me off (along with about 3/4 of the rest of the company) in February.
And what do you know? Things have been looking up ever since then! I've been learning more and more about affiliate marketing, I got to spend the summer in my flip flops hanging out with my kids, and life has been GOOD!
Our finances are actually better than ever right now. (That's another story for another day.) Will it last? Well, I hope it will only get better from here. I can't wait to see what happens...
First, I want to mention, due to Jenna's post, I've been gathering items in my house and posting them up on eBay. What fun that is. And selling coupons? Who would've thought? What a great idea! I wonder what other ideas are out there?
And now, the short version of my story...
- My first job out of college was for a marketing company with a woman who I'll just call "Bitch Master." That was the start of the hatred for the office.
- The next job was a joke, but it was pretty fun. On Fridays, the owner brought in a fruit basket, and we'd use the contents to have some nice food fights. There's probably still some rotten fruit under the desks there.
- The following job was at a .com company that bombed. I was there for 6 months. I wish that position had lasted a little longer because I was really getting good at ping pong.
- The next one was at another .com, but a successful one (they're still doing good). They had a basketball court IN the office. For the first few years I was there, they allowed dogs. It was one of those places. It was somewhat fun until they became corporate-y. (Corporate-y = new building with gray cubes, no shorts, no flip-flops, no dogs and the basketball court was turned into a merchandise photo area.)
- The final job was the one that took the cake and secured my hatred for the cubicle once and for all. Every day I walked in, I felt like my soul was dying. It was like working in the movie Office Space (but way less funny). Thankfully, they put me out of my misery and laid me off (along with about 3/4 of the rest of the company) in February.
And what do you know? Things have been looking up ever since then! I've been learning more and more about affiliate marketing, I got to spend the summer in my flip flops hanging out with my kids, and life has been GOOD!
Our finances are actually better than ever right now. (That's another story for another day.) Will it last? Well, I hope it will only get better from here. I can't wait to see what happens...
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
eBaying It!
From Jenna:
Well not that this is any big news to anyone, but obviously eBay was one of the first outlets that came to mind when I thought of making some money online. So of course I'm going through my house and getting into the "minimalistic" mindset of getting rid of anything and everything I don't need. Of course with that though, you always have to be sure that whatever you're selling is at least going to be worth your time in terms of shipping and eBay/Paypal fees too.
Anyway, this is not a tutorial for how to make money with eBay, since we all basically know how to do that, but it is to share some ideas of looking at things a new way.
Since I've been doing some research on eBay, I was amazed to find people flipping all sorts of things on eBay that I never would have thought of, like coupons! Just yesterday, I even purchased a coupon myself from an eBay seller. The coupon was for 20% off my entire purchase at a store I was going to make a large purchase at anyway. I paid $1 for the coupon, and received it within minutes because it was an e-mail coupon. When I got the e-mail, I was so impressed by the idea. The seller had subscribed to an e-mail list which got her this coupon. On the bottom of the coupon, it had a link "send to a friend", so it was totally legit that she sent me this coupon and it won't be a problem for me to use it. But she took the "send to a friend" idea and made money off it, and of course she can "sell" it an unlimitted amount of times. GREAT idea!
Now obviously, we're not talking major money with something like that, but I went for it. And it's opened my eyes to other possibilities too.
While reading my son a book the other day, Big Bird was looking for things to sell on Sesame Street. He picked up 4 empty ketchup bottles off the street, and put them in his "store" not because he thought they would really sell, but because he didn't want the shelves to look empty. He didn't think anyone would buy them at all. But just then, the Count came by and bought them because he wanted to count them. :) That's like eBay. Sometimes the object you're trying to sell has value much beyond what you perceive because it's opportunity, convenience, or investment to someone else.
I'm raiding my fridge as we speak...
Well not that this is any big news to anyone, but obviously eBay was one of the first outlets that came to mind when I thought of making some money online. So of course I'm going through my house and getting into the "minimalistic" mindset of getting rid of anything and everything I don't need. Of course with that though, you always have to be sure that whatever you're selling is at least going to be worth your time in terms of shipping and eBay/Paypal fees too.
Anyway, this is not a tutorial for how to make money with eBay, since we all basically know how to do that, but it is to share some ideas of looking at things a new way.
Since I've been doing some research on eBay, I was amazed to find people flipping all sorts of things on eBay that I never would have thought of, like coupons! Just yesterday, I even purchased a coupon myself from an eBay seller. The coupon was for 20% off my entire purchase at a store I was going to make a large purchase at anyway. I paid $1 for the coupon, and received it within minutes because it was an e-mail coupon. When I got the e-mail, I was so impressed by the idea. The seller had subscribed to an e-mail list which got her this coupon. On the bottom of the coupon, it had a link "send to a friend", so it was totally legit that she sent me this coupon and it won't be a problem for me to use it. But she took the "send to a friend" idea and made money off it, and of course she can "sell" it an unlimitted amount of times. GREAT idea!
Now obviously, we're not talking major money with something like that, but I went for it. And it's opened my eyes to other possibilities too.
While reading my son a book the other day, Big Bird was looking for things to sell on Sesame Street. He picked up 4 empty ketchup bottles off the street, and put them in his "store" not because he thought they would really sell, but because he didn't want the shelves to look empty. He didn't think anyone would buy them at all. But just then, the Count came by and bought them because he wanted to count them. :) That's like eBay. Sometimes the object you're trying to sell has value much beyond what you perceive because it's opportunity, convenience, or investment to someone else.
I'm raiding my fridge as we speak...
Monday, October 5, 2009
Am I On My Way?
From Christina:
Well, I have some exciting news. I got my first check from affiliate marketing this weekend! I know what you're thinking. "What the hell is affiliate marketing?" I know because that's pretty much what my friends and family ask me every time I bring it up. :)
Here's a brief explanation from an article I wrote entitled "Working at Home Moms - How to Become One Through Affiliate Marketing"
Joe's Company sells hot dog stands. You love hot dog stands and you love writing about hot dog stands. You see that Joe's has an affiliate program, and you sign up for it and get your own unique link. Now, whenever you write about hot dog stands, you include your unique link to Joe's hot dog stands. Whenever a sale is made through your link, you get a commission. Woot!
Affiliate marketing is sales through the Internet. Or, it's matching up someone who has a problem with a product that you think can help them.When you make a sale for someone else's product, you get a commission. The commission can be anywhere from 4% - 75%.
Affiliate marketing is what I want to do when I grow up. :) Some people are born to sing or dance, and I was born to be an Internet Marketer. I just was. My mom and stepdad were the first ones to have a computer. I met my husband online. I've worked in the e-commerce field for about 8 years before being laid off. (Oh, that reminds me. I have to tell you how I got to this point in my life. Next post!) I love the Internet and I see the opportunity there.
So, to have a check come through my affiliate marketing efforts is AMAZING to me. It's like my dream is coming to fruition. The dream is that I get to work when I want, where I want. The dream is that I get to stay home with my kids and enjoy them growing up. The dream is that I don't have to work for anyone. I am my own boss! I am feeling this more and more every single day. I know I can do this. I know I will do this.
And if you're out there thinking "I want to be a stay at home mom, but affiliate marketing doesn't seem like it's up my alley.", that's OK. This blog is not about affiliate marketing. This blog is about tapping into your creative resources, following your passions and never settling. If we can do it, so can you. No matter which path you decide to take.
So, am I on my way? I believe so! But you'll have to keep reading to find out for sure. :)
Well, I have some exciting news. I got my first check from affiliate marketing this weekend! I know what you're thinking. "What the hell is affiliate marketing?" I know because that's pretty much what my friends and family ask me every time I bring it up. :)
Here's a brief explanation from an article I wrote entitled "Working at Home Moms - How to Become One Through Affiliate Marketing"
Joe's Company sells hot dog stands. You love hot dog stands and you love writing about hot dog stands. You see that Joe's has an affiliate program, and you sign up for it and get your own unique link. Now, whenever you write about hot dog stands, you include your unique link to Joe's hot dog stands. Whenever a sale is made through your link, you get a commission. Woot!
Affiliate marketing is sales through the Internet. Or, it's matching up someone who has a problem with a product that you think can help them.When you make a sale for someone else's product, you get a commission. The commission can be anywhere from 4% - 75%.
Affiliate marketing is what I want to do when I grow up. :) Some people are born to sing or dance, and I was born to be an Internet Marketer. I just was. My mom and stepdad were the first ones to have a computer. I met my husband online. I've worked in the e-commerce field for about 8 years before being laid off. (Oh, that reminds me. I have to tell you how I got to this point in my life. Next post!) I love the Internet and I see the opportunity there.
So, to have a check come through my affiliate marketing efforts is AMAZING to me. It's like my dream is coming to fruition. The dream is that I get to work when I want, where I want. The dream is that I get to stay home with my kids and enjoy them growing up. The dream is that I don't have to work for anyone. I am my own boss! I am feeling this more and more every single day. I know I can do this. I know I will do this.
And if you're out there thinking "I want to be a stay at home mom, but affiliate marketing doesn't seem like it's up my alley.", that's OK. This blog is not about affiliate marketing. This blog is about tapping into your creative resources, following your passions and never settling. If we can do it, so can you. No matter which path you decide to take.
So, am I on my way? I believe so! But you'll have to keep reading to find out for sure. :)
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Speaking of Conquering the Fear...
From Christina:
I think Jenna's post is timely for me and fits in perfectly with a story I overheard at the grocery store last night. I was standing in line to get Powerball (I didn't win - darn!) and the cashier was telling the man in front of me this great story. Now, I only heard the last part of it, but I got the gist.
She was saying how her girls wanted to go on this trip but that the trip was $500, which she didn't have at the time. Then she said, "So then I wondered should I just sign them up for this trip and then trust that the money will show up somehow, or do I tell them they can't go? Well, I decided to book the trip and have faith that God would come through. And what do you know? Within 4 days I had all the money back. 4 days. And not only that, the company provided the bus, so we didn't have to pay for that and other great things happened too."
Now, I'm a big believer in the Law of Attraction, and if you are too, then you'll recognize this as such a great story of how LOA works. And if you're more religious, then you'll identify it as God coming through and providing. Either way, it's the same result. She booked the trip and had complete faith that things would work out.
And that is what Jenna's post was all about. You identify what you want. (For us, it's that we want to be home with our kids, make a good living and have the freedom to do what we want on our own schedules.) Is it scary? Yes because you don't know how it's going to happen. But, you've got to break through that and TRUST that the Universe (or God or Source, or whatever is the most comfortable for you to identify with) will take care of the "how" and that in the end things will work out. And not only that, they will work out better than you expected.
Don't believe us? Then keep reading this blog to see how it all unfolds. We don't really know either, but I have a good feeling in the end it's going to be better than we could have ever imagined. :)
I think Jenna's post is timely for me and fits in perfectly with a story I overheard at the grocery store last night. I was standing in line to get Powerball (I didn't win - darn!) and the cashier was telling the man in front of me this great story. Now, I only heard the last part of it, but I got the gist.
She was saying how her girls wanted to go on this trip but that the trip was $500, which she didn't have at the time. Then she said, "So then I wondered should I just sign them up for this trip and then trust that the money will show up somehow, or do I tell them they can't go? Well, I decided to book the trip and have faith that God would come through. And what do you know? Within 4 days I had all the money back. 4 days. And not only that, the company provided the bus, so we didn't have to pay for that and other great things happened too."
Now, I'm a big believer in the Law of Attraction, and if you are too, then you'll recognize this as such a great story of how LOA works. And if you're more religious, then you'll identify it as God coming through and providing. Either way, it's the same result. She booked the trip and had complete faith that things would work out.
And that is what Jenna's post was all about. You identify what you want. (For us, it's that we want to be home with our kids, make a good living and have the freedom to do what we want on our own schedules.) Is it scary? Yes because you don't know how it's going to happen. But, you've got to break through that and TRUST that the Universe (or God or Source, or whatever is the most comfortable for you to identify with) will take care of the "how" and that in the end things will work out. And not only that, they will work out better than you expected.
Don't believe us? Then keep reading this blog to see how it all unfolds. We don't really know either, but I have a good feeling in the end it's going to be better than we could have ever imagined. :)
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