Moving to Mexico, moving house or ready for makeover time? The holidays are upon us, and the shopping season is about to go mad! Buying furnishings within Mexico is the smart way to go, as the price of shipping to Mexico can be astronomical, and the delay in shipping goods might mean a Mexican wait (i.e. a looong time).
The Sales are NOW!
November and December sales in Mexico roll over into January, when stores want to move out stock before their new arrivals. The ‘Back to School’ sales in August later in the year are something to watch out for also, but the time for bargains is from now until February!
MND surveyed the scene of best places to buy cool home decor in Mexico – from basic necessities to up-scale, stylish furnishings with wow factor.
So, where do I begin shopping for home decor in Mexico?
It’s true, there are many sites out there, so we found some of our – and our features editor’s – favorites. The cost of furniture in Mexico is about the same as what you would pay in Canada or the U.S. Sprucing up your space with splashes of Mexican handicrafts, art and design elements is going to be a more affordable, and fun, part of your home interior design project.
Inspirational tip: We liked AD Magazine, Mexico’s Architectural Digest, for awesome design ideas.
Handy tips before you begin shopping in Mexico for home decor
Mexico, like the US, has modern and antique furniture ranging from Contemporary to Victorian, and there’s no reason to pay full price when you can get up to 60% and, in some cases, 80% for last-minute bargains.
Bargains
Beyond the regular sales times, the big department stores like Liverpool and Palacio de Hierro have specials all the time, plus brand ambassadors will often be there to offer even more discounts and big blowout sales. Placencia also has sales currently, offering 40% off (and sometimes more) on living room, bedroom, and dining room sets.
Payment Plans
Remember layaway? Some stores like Moblum and Gaia offer payment plan options with PayPal, scheduled bank transfers or recurring credit card payments. So you can splurge on a bulk buy, especially if you’ve got an empty house, or new rooms to fill, and catch up with payments in a leisurely way.
Delivery
Tiffany and Tom Pence moved to Querétaro from Florida in 2018 and report that “deliveries were the most interesting and entertaining part of buying furniture for us. Sometimes the delivery was scheduled 3 days away; other times the deliveries were 2-3 weeks later. Sometimes it was on an official store brand truck, other times on a pickup truck.” So just double-check check you’re clear on the delivery date and get a contact person’s name and number! You’re in Mexico now, and we came for a more relaxed lifestyle after all! It’s just part of it; no sweat.
Identification (yes, take it!) At each store, you’ll need to provide proof of address, and a passport as a form of identification before delivery approval. “My passport has been copied more times in the first 6 weeks here than all my previous years of having a passport. I’m sure my picture is up on the internet or a public bathroom somewhere,” Tiffany Pence says. So – just a reminder!
Give me the best shopping sites, beyond Amazon and Ikea!
Sodimac
It seems to be the most popular furniture and homewares emporium for the Mexican population, according to Similarweb’s traffic analytics. It’s a bit of a quagmire on the website, but bargain hunters and those on a budget can score.
Why shop here? Cheap and cheerful, all the simple basics. Good for kids.
DICO
Basics and bargains! Like Sodimac, the least expensive.
Why shop here? Deals! And cheap beds. Simple furnishings for a rental investment?
Solutions Mexico
We liked this one in Puerto Vallarta and Nayarit, with its invite to, “easily furnish your home in Mexico, whether one piece or your entire home.” They have professional interior decorators who will customize a furniture package and a wide range of gorgeous goods, from mid-range to higher-end.
Why shop here? They offer furnishing tips, over 200 suppliers and shopping tours to Guadalajara, Tonala and Tiaquepaque to hunt for wall art, rugs, decor items and lighting. They offer rental packages for rental owners who don’t want to invest in all their furniture at once, but want to rent their property right away. And their site is in English also, if that helps you!
Gaia Design
Stylish, modern, functional furniture, with a touch of the Scandi design vibe, and an easy-to-navigate website.
Why shop here? 60% off most items right now, free delivery over 12,000 pesos, and an average of 4.6 stars from all the testimonials. They also offer design services and discovery and design advice calls.
Moblum
Mid-range price, modern and stylish furniture from the basic to the more interesting.
Why shop here? Offers immediate delivery, flash sales, promotions, one year warranties. They also have a blog and a roster of interior designers – so you can brainstorm and seek advice.
Moda in Casa
More upscale contemporary furniture, with prices to match. Very stylish – which is immediately apparent on their home page, where the design editor has put some thought into presentation. They have stores in CDMX, Valle de Bravo and Mérida.
Why shop here? “Each piece is made using the best technology and materials in combination with the expert hands of our artisans who craft each piece to be a unique object.” Say no more.
Mobica
Great standard, mid-range modern furniture with a wide selection. Free design services and ‘lookbooks’ to browse through.
Why shop here? They donate to underprivileged children (always a plus point).
Bakan
They specialize in stylish outdoor furniture – from dining sets to banks and benches, umbrellas, and accessories – which combines functionality with good quality and design.
Why shop here? Their exclusive brands have anywhere from 40% to 60% price reductions right now.
Decada
I couldn’t resist these two hip young businesswomen who run this vintage furniture store in Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, where “each piece tells a story.”
Why shop here? Every piece of their eclectic collection is thoughtfully curated and hand picked, from a vast range of styles. Adding just one or two pieces might jazz up your basic items.
Lagunilla Market
If you’re looking for a quirky shopping experience, and a vast range of antique furnishings, head to La Lagunilla Market, a weekly morning traditional public market in Mexico City, located about ten blocks north of the city’s main plaza, in a neighborhood called La Lagunilla. There are three big, distinct zones dedicated to food, clothing, and furniture.
Why shop here? The authentic Mexican experience is full of oddities and genuine Mexican antiques to die for. Take a break between shopping and having tacos and a michelada at the lunch counter!
Mercado Libre
Mexico’s “Facebook marketplace” is just as spectacular in its range of offerings as its U.S or abroad equivalents. Anyone can sign up, and it’s user-friendly. You just need the stomach for hunting, a bit like thrift shopping. Pick your region, and dive in. There are many current bargains, coupon offers and payment plans connected to all the major Mexican banks. Interest free installment plans are also tempting for shoppers on a budget!
So, take a deep breath and enjoy the ride of mixing and matching this huge and eclectic range of home decor on offer in Mexico, that suits your style and your wallet. Sign up for their mailing lists to get final sale alerts and flash sales – happening now – and take advantage of their payment plans and free design or delivery services. And don’t forget Google translate – or your ID!
Henrietta Weekes is a writer, editor, actor and narrator. She divides her time between San Miguel de Allende, New York and Oxford, UK.
RVing, or traveling in a recreational vehicle, is an experience unlike any other. There’s nothing quite like taking your own bed, bathroom, fridge and other comforts of home with you, whether you’re camping in the woods or taking a road trip.
However, buying an RV can be a daunting experience, especially if you haven’t done it before. Trust me, I went through the process of buying an RV for the first time in 2020. If you’re thinking about buying an RV, here are some considerations and tips.
What to do before buying an RV
Choose the right RV type for you
The first decision in buying an RV is figuring out the right type of camper for your travel style. And the first major decision point is whether you want to be able to drive your RV or if you’d rather tow your camper. Here’s a high-level overview of the different types of RVs:
Drivable motorhome RV types:
Class A — large bus-like campers.
Class B — smaller van-like campers.
Class C — “classic” RV style, typically with an overcab bed.
Towed RV types:
Pop-up trailer — a small hitch-towed trailer that has sections that can be expanded out.
Fifth-wheel trailer — large to massive towed campers that are towed via the bed of a pickup truck.
Toy hauler trailer — a travel trailer that includes a garage for bringing motorcycles, bikes or other small vehicles.
Truck camper — a smaller camper that rides on top of a truck bed.
Each of these RV types has its advantages and disadvantages. It may seem simpler to get a drivable motorhome, but that means breaking camp each time you want to drive somewhere (e.g. to the grocery store or to explore a nearby attraction). Towable RVs can be left behind at camp when you want to drive somewhere, but they require much more effort to set up camp. If you plan to move sites often, you’ll spend a lot of time setting up and breaking down.
If you choose a towed RV type, make sure to check the towing capacity of your vehicle to see how much you can tow. You don’t want to go through the process of buying an RV just to figure out later that you now need to buy a more powerful truck to tow it.
Consider your options for buying an RV
Once you figure out which type of RV is best for you, you’ll need to figure out the best way to buy it. Should you buy new or save on a used RV? Should you buy from a dealership or a private seller? Is it worth buying an RV from a rental company for the savings?
The answers depend on personal preference — and budget. Used RVs can be much cheaper than new RVs but could have hidden issues.
My wife and I bought a former rental RV from El Monte RV for a fraction of the cost of a new RV. Our RV inspector checked it thoroughly and didn’t find any issues. Sure, the RV was a few years old and had 64,000 miles on it, but it had been well-maintained. We’ve only had minor issues the past few years — as with any RV.
Try renting before buying an RV
The best way of figuring out if an RV is going to be right for you is by trying it out yourself. Since each individual RV can be quirky, it’s best if you can rent the exact unit that you’re considering buying. If you’re considering buying an RV from an independent seller or from an RV rental company, ask if you can rent the RV for at least a few nights to try it out.
If you’re buying a new RV, you probably won’t be able to rent the exact unit you’re considering. However, try to rent a similar unit to make sure the size and features are a good fit for your travel style.
For example, my wife and I rented two models before buying our RV. The first rental required extending a slide to sleep in the master bed (see photo below). We learned that was a no-go for us, as we wanted the ability to book campsites that didn’t require the extra space to extend a slide.
After renting a towable RV, you might figure out you despise backing the unit into campsites. In that case, a motorhome might be a better choice. Or you might find that a Class C RV is too big and you’d rather have the flexibility of a Class B van. These are all personal decisions that are best figured out by renting an RV and trying it out yourself.
If you’re considering buying a former rental RV, consider taking advantage of Cruise America’s rent-to-buy program. This unique rental rebate program lets you get up to $3,000 off the purchase of a used Cruise America RV within six months of a rental. That gives you the chance to road-test a model. Plus, you practically get to try it for free — as the rental costs go toward your purchase.
Figure out financing and insurance
RVs aren’t cheap, and not all sellers will finance the purchase of an RV. If you aren’t paying cash, make sure you have financing lined up before you go through the process to buy an RV.
Also, contact your insurance company to set up insurance before you purchase an RV. You don’t want to have an accident shortly after driving your expensive new RV off the lot just to realize your insurance doesn’t kick in until a few days later.
Get your RV inspected by a professional
One of the best investments you can make when buying an RV is getting the unit inspected before you buy. RVs are generally assembled by hand and can have quirks or issues that you may not notice until after you’ve completed your purchase.
A full inspection will check systems and details that you may have never thought to check before buying your unit. When I bought my RV, the full inspection report stretched 94 pages and covered everything from inspecting the propane systems to a detailed inspection of the roof for any signs of leaks.
If you’re considering buying an RV…
RVing is one of the most freeing travel experiences there is. It’s incredible to head out on the road or into the wilderness with many of the comforts of home, giving you the ability to sleep pretty much anywhere.
If you’re only going to use an RV for a few weeks a year, renting is likely the most practical option. However, if you’d like to go on an extended road trip, want to camp more often or want to become a full-time RVer, you’re going to need your own unit.
An RV is not a cheap purchase, so make sure to do your homework. Figure out what type of RV works best for your travel style, decide on whether a new or used RV is best, test out the model you’re considering purchasing, make sure to have financing and insurance lined up, and — most importantly — have the RV inspected before you purchase it.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
Inside: Are you looking for ways to make money while you’re still in college? This guide has a variety of ideas for side hustles for college students that can help you get started. From online businesses to odd jobs, there’s something for everyone.
Are you a college student searching for ways to increase your income and improve your financial situation while balancing your academic commitments? We’ve got your back!
In this student-friendly guide, we’ll share side hustles for college students, giving you many opportunities to earn extra cash.
You can even learn to get paid to go to school!
Whether you’re tech-savvy, creative, or inclined towards offline work, you’ll find something that suits your preferences.
Let’s jump in and explore how you can transform your free time into a valuable money-making asset!
What is a Side Hustle?
Simply put, a side hustle is like having a little extra adventure on the side while you’re busy with your main gig, which in this case might be college classes.
It’s your chance to boost your finances and gather valuable experience that could pave the way for future career opportunities. It’s like adding a dash of extra flavor to your college life along with extra cash!
What side hustles can I do as a college student?
As a college student, you possess a unique set of skills and resources that can be leveraged to generate income.
Whether you aspire to know how to make quick money in one day or debate what should I do for a living, opportunities await you.
Stay tuned for the second part of this article, where we’ll explore a treasure trove of side hustles perfectly tailored for college students.
What can I do to make extra money as a college student?
As a college student, there are various ways to earn extra money.
Most importantly, you need to find something that works well into your college schedule.
That is why many college students prefer to learn how to make money online for beginners. That gives them the chance to make money on their time from their campus or anywhere else they choose to move.
Now, let’s move on to the best online and offline side hustles for college students that may be of interest to you.
This post may contain affiliate links, which helps us to continue providing relevant content and we receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the full disclosure here.
Best Online Side Hustles for College Students
As the digital era continues to expand, opportunities for online side hustles are becoming more prevalent.
These side gigs leverage the power of the internet allowing flexibility, diversity, and potential profitability without sacrificing full-time commitments.
From millennials to retirees, are venturing into online side hustles to supplement their income, make use of their skills, or explore new career paths.
1. Write Articles for Websites
If you have a flair for writing, you can explore freelance opportunities as a content writer for websites and blogs. Numerous online platforms offer paid writing gigs.
Create a portfolio of your writing samples, sign up on freelancing websites like Upwork or Fiverr, and start bidding on writing projects.
Learn how to Earn Money Writing.
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2. Build Websites
If you’re tech-savvy and have web design skills, offer website design services to individuals or small businesses looking to establish an online presence.
Showcase your web design work through a portfolio website, network with potential clients, and consider joining platforms like WordPress or Wix for easy website creation. Just make sure to use Kadence WP for themes!
This is a great gig for college students because you can take on more clients during your school breaks and none during finals week.
3. Starting an Etsy Business Selling Printables
Creating printables on Etsy is a popular and potentially profitable endeavor. It involves designing digital products that users can download and print at home.
Find the most popular digital products to sell on Etsy.
Beyond imagination and design skills, it is essential to learn how to optimize product descriptions and pricing, for which you can turn to comprehensive online courses. By following this how to sell printables course, you can equip yourself with the right tools to excel in this Etsy niche.
4. Create Videos
As a college student, there are two possible avenues for this side gig.
You can start a YouTube channel or offer video creation/editing services.
If you choose to venture into your own YouTube challenge, then you are able to monetize your videos through ads and sponsorships. Most importantly, you need to choose a niche for your YouTube channel, then create engaging content, and build a loyal audience.
Don’t want to be in the limelight? You can also offer video editing services on freelancing platforms.
5. Start a Blog
Share your knowledge or passion through a blog and monetize it through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and ads.
Pick a niche you’re passionate about, set up a blog using platforms like WordPress and Kadence theme, and consistently publish high-quality content.
This is not for the faint of heart, but college students traditionally have better success because of promotion through social media and engaging with readers.
6. Start an E-commerce Business
Launch your online store selling products you’re passionate about. Platforms like Shopify make it easy.
Source or create your products, set up an e-commerce website, and market your products through social media, email marketing, and search engine optimization.
One of the main benefits is an e-commerce business with low start-up costs, low ongoing maintenance, and the ability to remain open and generate sales 24/7.
7. Become a Freelancer
Explore freelance platforms for various opportunities like graphic design, programming, or digital marketing.
As a freelancer, you can work remotely and at your own pace. Create a compelling freelancer profile, showcase your skills, and bid on projects that match your expertise on platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, or Guru.
This is a great way to start building your portfolio of experience.
8. Write Your Classmates’ Cover Letters and Resumés
Engaging in the preparation of your classmates’ cover letters and resumes can be a rewarding side hustle.
Many employers today express concern about the lack of well-written cover letters and resume submissions they receive. By capitalizing on your writing skills, you can provide a much-needed service for your peers while earning some income.
Hence, build your proficiency with practice resumes, then decide on your charge per each document created.
9. Sell Stock Photos
If you have photography skills, sell your photos on stock photography websites like Shutterstock.
This is a perfect side hustle for young adults because you are constantly capturing the moments.
To get started, create an account on stock photography platforms, upload high-quality images, add relevant keywords, and start earning royalties when your photos are downloaded.
10. Write eBooks
Capitalize on your expertise in a specific subject and create eBooks to sell on platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. Design an eye-catching cover and promote your eBook through social media and book-related forums.
This is the first step to passive income before you even graduate!
11. Proofreading
Proofreading can be a fruitful side hustle for students looking to earn extra money.
By leveraging your writing skills, you can charge a fee to proofread and edit classmates’ assignments, theses, or essays. Also, many small businesses are always looking for help!
With platforms like Fiverror college bulletin boards, you can advertise your services and set your own rates, potentially making $25–$45/hour according to proofreading expert Caitlyn Pyle.
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12. Start a Podcast
Starting a podcast can be an excellent revenue stream, given the significant increase in podcast listenership, with 82 million Americans being weekly podcast listeners according to a 2021 study.1
Your revenue can come from sponsorships, donations, and offering premium content or services. It’s essential to plan your podcast content aligning with your targeted audience and consistently producing high-quality episodes to grow and maintain your listener base.
13. Work as a Virtual Assistant
If you’re looking to start as a virtual assistant without prior experience, don’t worry!
Many businesses look for virtual assistants for tasks like email management, data entry, or social media management. Find out exactly what is needed with this virtual assistant checklist.
Plus working as a virtual assistant offers the flexibility to work remotely, which is a benefit for a college student.
Learn how to jumpstart your side hustle with this free Virtual Savvy training.
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If you’ve ever wanted to make a full-time income while working from home, you’re in the right place!
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Best Offline Side Hustles for College Students
In this section, we delve into the world of in-person side hustles.
Ideal for those preferring tangible interactions and a more predictable income, these opportunities demand physical presence and often offer good remuneration for physical labor.
However, they come with their own set of challenges like fixed service hours and potential clashes with a busy schedule.
1. House Sitting
House sitting is an excellent side hustle for college students.
You can offer your house-sitting services to neighbors or anyone going on vacation. It’s all about providing peace of mind to homeowners by ensuring their property is secure and well-maintained.
Build trust in your community by offering reliable house-sitting services, and word-of-mouth recommendations will follow. Consider promoting your services through Trusted Housesitter.
2. Food Delivery Driver
This is an extremely easy way to make money.
Sign up as a food delivery driver for platforms like UberEats or DoorDash. After registering as a driver and meeting the platform’s requirements, you can start delivering food orders in your area.
This side hustle allows you to set your hours and earn extra cash while enjoying the freedom of the open road.
3. Offer Lawn and Gardening Services
For those with a green thumb or a passion for outdoor work, offering lawn and gardening services can be a lucrative side hustle.
All by helping homeowners in your area with lawn care and gardening tasks. Investing in basic gardening tools is essential, and you can advertise your services through flyers, local online groups, or by simply offering your services to friends and family.
In fact, this may turn into your full-time business like this high school student.2
4. Shovel Snow During the Winter
If you live in an area with snowy winters, don’t miss the opportunity to capitalize on it. Offer snow shoveling services to residents in your community.
Promote your snow shoveling services well in advance of the winter season to secure clients.
On a snowy day, you can easily make 200 dollars fast. Just by being prepared to respond promptly to snowfall, and ensuring that driveways and walkways are safe and clear.
5. Become a Tutor
Sharing your knowledge by becoming a tutor is not only a valuable service but also a great way to earn extra income.
You can tutor fellow students in subjects you excel in or offer your expertise to local school kids. You can also tutor your classmates who are struggling in class.
Advertise your tutoring services through college bulletin boards, social media, or tutoring websites.
6. Clean Houses and/or Offices
Cleaning services are in demand, and you can provide them to individuals or businesses in your area.
Invest in basic cleaning supplies and equipment, set competitive rates, and market your services through local ads, referrals, and social media.
A reputation for thorough and reliable cleaning can quickly build your clientele.
7. Edit Your Classmates’ Papers — For a Fee, Of Course
If you have strong writing and editing skills, consider offering your editing services to your fellow students.
Many students appreciate having their papers reviewed and improved by a peer.
Promote your editing services within your college network, showcase your skills, and offer reasonable pricing to attract clients. This can quickly spiral to making 300 dollars fast.
8. Become a Handyman or Handywoman
If you’re skilled in fixing household issues or performing basic maintenance tasks, this side hustle can be highly profitable.
Acquire a basic toolkit, and offer your handyman services locally. From minor repairs to assembling furniture, providing reliable and affordable solutions can earn you a good reputation and repeat business.
You can quickly get started on TaskRabbit today.
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9. Translator
This is a highly needed service! If you’re proficient in multiple languages, offering translation services can be a rewarding side hustle.
Create a portfolio that showcases your language proficiency and advertise your skills to businesses or individuals who require translation services.
Your ability to bridge language barriers can be a valuable asset to various clients.
10. Deliver Anything Else Someone Might Need
If you’re the proud owner of a vehicle or even a trusty bicycle, you can tap into the world of delivery services. While food delivery is a popular option, you can expand your offerings to deliver a wide range of items.
Consider offering delivery services for groceries, prescription medications, packages, and even care packages for college students.
People are always willing to pay for help.
11. Drive for Uber or Lyft
Becoming a rideshare driver with companies like Uber or Lyft is a popular side hustle that offers flexibility. Sign up as a driver, meet the platform’s requirements, and start offering rides to passengers.
The benefit is you can choose your working hours, making it convenient to fit around your class schedule.
12. Hauling Junk
Help people declutter their homes by offering junk hauling services. You’ll need access to a pickup truck or a vehicle with ample cargo space.
Advertise your services, establish rates based on the volume of items to be hauled, and provide efficient and responsible junk removal.
Seriously, I see three or more posts in my neighborhood with people asking for help to move their junk!
13. Turning Your Car into a Moving Advertisement
Ever wondered if you could make money while driving around town? Well, here’s an interesting side hustle idea – turning your car into a moving advertisement.
Some companies are willing to pay you to wrap your car with their branding, turning it into a rolling billboard.
As you cruise through town, you’ll not only earn money but also become a conversation starter. It’s a unique way to earn extra income while sparking interesting discussions about the products or services you’re promoting.
14. Offer Moving Services
Assisting with local moves can be physically demanding but financially rewarding. Advertise your moving services locally, and consider forming a team if necessary.
Ensure you have the necessary equipment, such as dollies and moving blankets, to facilitate the moving process. By providing a smooth and efficient moving experience can lead to positive reviews and referrals.
15. Entertaining Kids at Birthday Parties
Entertaining children at birthday parties is a profitable side hustle for college students, especially those who have a knack for acting or enjoy engaging with children.
This venture could earn you between $50 and $100 per hour.
Develop a repertoire of entertaining acts, start promoting your services through local event planners and social media, and offer packages for different party sizes.
16. Teach Music or Sports Lessons
Share your musical or athletic skills by offering lessons to aspiring learners.
Whether you’re skilled in playing an instrument, coaching a sport, or giving dance lessons, there’s likely a demand in your community. Advertise your lessons through flyers, social media, or local community centers.
Make sure you have the necessary equipment and expertise to provide quality instruction. This is what I did in high school and college.
17. Proctor Tests
If your college conducts exams, there may be opportunities for students to work as test proctors for a fee. Inquire about proctoring opportunities at your college’s testing center or academic department.
This can be a convenient way to earn extra income without straying far from your campus.
18. Become a Legal Street Performer
If you have a talent for street performing (e.g., playing music or juggling), consider performing in public spaces for tips.
Choose a suitable location, prepare your act, and follow local regulations for street performances.
Could you make $1000 in a day?
19. Be a Lifeguard
Lifeguarding is a responsible job that requires attentiveness and quick response in case of emergencies. If you’re a strong swimmer with the necessary certifications, consider working as a lifeguard at local pools or aquatic centers.
Unfortunately, this is a high-stress and low-paying job. So, you are better off considering one of these low stress jobs that pay well.
20. Offer a Painting Service
Offering painting services can be a rewarding side hustle, especially for those who find the task peaceful and enjoy bringing a fresh new look to rooms or entire homes.
Most homeowners dread the prospect of painting their own homes and are often willing to hire a handyman to do the job. You can easily make 500 dollars fast.
With minimal initial investment in quality brushes and rollers, you can unleash your creativity and transform spaces with color and design, choosing your own hours and clients in the process.
21. Sign Up as a Substitute Teacher
Working as a substitute teacher is an excellent opportunity for individuals who do not necessarily have a teaching certificate but possess a high school diploma and a clean background check.
My husband, having served as a substitute teacher, found the experience to be rewarding when he was in college.
Not only did it pay well, averaging about $131 per day, but it also allowed him the chance to engage in student activities and provide value to the local school district.
22. Babysitting
Babysitting is a viable side gig, particularly suitable for early childhood education degree seekers, offering flexibility and a rewarding experience while caring for others’ children.
It involves variable commitments mostly during evenings, weekends, and some weekdays, with an average earning potential of $17 per hour.
Securing babysitting roles can be accomplished through personal connections, local community outlets, and digital platforms likeCare.com and Sittercity.
Why is college the best time to start a side hustle?
Before we bid adieu for now, let’s ponder why college is the perfect breeding ground for side hustles:
Flexibility: College schedules often come with pockets of free time, making it easier to juggle academic responsibilities and a side gig.
Learning and Growth: Side hustles offer valuable lessons in time management, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship that complement your academic knowledge.
Networking: Your college is a hub of potential clients, collaborators, and mentors, providing a fertile ground for your side hustle to thrive.
Financial Independence: Earning your own money allows you to alleviate the burden of student loans and gain financial independence.
Employing multiple streams of income is the savviest thing you could do for your finances and your long-term wealth.
Tips to be Successful with Your Side Jobs for Students
One of the best things about side hustles, is you are able to get real-life experiences and knowledge. This side hustle may or may not become your full-time job, but the skills are transferable.
The goal is to find success, so let’s explore some essential tips to succeed in your side hustles as a college student:
Time Management: Prioritize your college commitments and allocate dedicated time for your side hustle.
Skill Utilization: Leverage your skills, whether it’s writing, design, or a particular subject you excel in.
Online Presence: Create a portfolio or profile to showcase your skills and attract potential clients or customers.
Networking: Connect with fellow students, professors, and professionals who might offer opportunities or guidance.
Also, don’t give up if your first side justle doesn’t work out the way you hoped. Keep going until you find something you love to do!
Are You Ready To Start Hustling?
As you set off on your side hustle journey, keep in mind that consistency, dedication, and adaptability will be your trusted companions.
Whether you choose to dive into online opportunities, embrace offline endeavors, or strike a balance between the two, every experience will play a part in your personal and entrepreneurial growth.
If you are going to be in various locations during your college years, it is best to look for remote jobs for college students.
Your path towards financial empowerment is only just beginning, and we’re thrilled to be with you every step of the journey.
Between each college exam and class, you can make money to pay for your schooling. I think that is a win-win to pay for college without loans.
Start your side hustle today and get on the path to financial freedom with Money Bliss.
Source
Statistica. “U.S. Podcasting Industry – statistics & facts.” https://www.statista.com/topics/3170/podcasting/#topicOverview. Accessed on October 4, 2023.SSt
10 News. “A CEO at 17: How this Colorado teen transformed his side hustle into a legitimate business.” https://www.10news.com/news/green-worx-landscaping-golden-colorado. Accessed on October 4, 2023.
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
If P-22,the late mountain lion, was the unofficial mascot of L.A., then Pinky the papier-mâché bird was the decidedly less majestic mascot of Eagle Rock, the small, hilly neighborhood tucked on the city’s northeast boundary.
No one’s quite sure how Pinky popped up. Around 2014, the bird appeared in a nest atop “Pillarhenge,” a famous (or infamous) series of columns built as the foundation of a would-be Great Recession-era housing development on Colorado Boulevard.
The development was never finished. Abandoned since the 2008 housing crisis, the property has served at times as a homeless encampment, dumping ground and playground for graffiti artists.
The pillars became a white elephant of the recession, an eyesore that locals have come to love, hate or begrudgingly accept. While Stonehenge evokes mysticism and Wiccans, Pillarhenge evokes confusion and dysfunction, serving as a concrete reminder of L.A.’s inability to deal with its housing woes.
The bird had a deeper fan base, becoming an Eagle Rock celebrity with a line of T-shirts and tapestries. For the last eight years, Pinky watched over a city that couldn’t quite figure out how to house itself.
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Then in April, Pinky was gone, stripped from its pillar-top nest. A sign perhaps? Was Pillarhenge coming down too?
Residents wondered what would rise in its place on 1332 Colorado Blvd., a long, narrow property that has never been developed.
Before the pillars, the property was known among locals as the place where an LAPD officer shot 18-year-old Mark Moser to death in 1978 after Moser’s pickup truck collided with an undercover police car at the end of a stakeout and subsequent car chase.
Resident Kevin Grace, Moser’s classmate at Eagle Rock High School, said the property has carried a bizarre mystique since the killing.
In March 2015, Grace co-founded “Friends of Pillarhenge Park,” a Facebook group tracking the property’s development and advocating for its potential use as a park. To date, the group has 824 members.
Developers have attempted to build something on the property over the last two decades, but never a park. Jay Vanos of Vanos Architects has been involved with the site since 2003, when he worked with a developer envisioning a 17-unit live-work space there.
It didn’t come to fruition and sold to another developer, who erected the now-famous pillars before going bankrupt. The lender took control for a few years before the property was sold to Imad Boukai for $1.9 million in 2016.
Boukai, chairman of Anaheim-based company General Procurement Inc., envisioned a four-story mixed-use development with 31 apartments above two levels of parking and commercial space.
He tapped Vanos, who planned a structure that would take up the vast majority of the relatively small lot, which covers just over half an acre. The plans became public in 2017, and due to its ship-like look, residents started calling it the Love Boat, a nod to the 1970s sitcom set on a cruise.
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“Let their imaginations take them where they will,” Vanos said.
As with most small towns subsumed by a big city, Eagle Rock residents felt protective of the community and wary of potential developers. They voiced strong opinions. Months of discourse and meetings with council members ensued, with some locals jeering at the nautical design and others expressing relief that the site would finally be developed.
“I’d rather suck it up and see it developed into a functional property,” said Grace, who was born in Eagle Rock. “Right now, it looks like something from a forgotten town. That’s worst-case scenario.”
The Eagle Rock Assn., a volunteer group founded in the 1980s aiming to guide the community’s growth in a sustainable way, published a letter in 2017 pointing out the significance of the site’s location. The property parallels a freeway offramp leading into Eagle Rock, so the Love Boat would be the first thing people see when entering the neighborhood.
The letter said the board was split on the design, but members support the development because the property had been “blighted and abandoned for so many years.”
Progress stalled again, and Boukai sold the unfinished property in 2022. He declined a request for comment. A source familiar with the deal suggested that building costs became too expensive since the lot is on a steep hill that requires significant grading and maintenance.
Next up was Ara Tchaghlassian, founder of American Tire Depot, a Vernon-based retailer with more than 100 locations. Tchaghlassian sold the tire company in 2021 and bought the Pillarhenge lot from Boukai months later for $2.765 million, real estate records show.
It appears the Love Boat will set sail after all,as Tchaghlassian is picking up where Boukai left off. He declined a request for comment, but a construction permit posted at the site shows the same plans mapped out by Boukai: a four-story development with 31 apartments, including three extremely low-income units, above two levels of parking and commercial space.
Grading began late last year, and Pinky was removed in the spring. The source said the complex will probably be completed in roughly two years.
“I’m sick of looking at it,” said Diane Lopez, who walks past Pillarhenge on her daily stroll. “Just build something. Anything.”
The pillars will remain, though they won’t be visible once the structure is completed, Vanos said.
As for why a developer would take on the headache of Pillarhenge, the answer is simple: the Transit-Oriented Communities Incentive Program.
L.A. has a housing shortage, and it needs a multifaceted approach to address it. As part of its housing element plan, the city is required to zone for a quarter-million homes by 2024.
To reach that goal, the city has introduced various incentives to encourage multifamily development as part of its Housing Element Rezoning Program, and the Transit-Oriented Communities incentive has been one its most successful tools.
The program encourages the development of affordable housing near bus and train stations by offering developers more density and less parking requirements for their projects if they build near transit centers.
According to the city’s planning department, over the last six years, 36% of new multifamily developments have taken advantage of the incentives, and the Pillarhenge project is one of them. It qualifies for the second tier of incentives, meaning it gets a 60% increase in the maximum number of units, an increase in floor-area ratio and a reduction in the number of required parking spaces.
“We need responsible, robust development that’s affordable and successful for Angelenos. Right now, we don’t have enough,” said Greg Good, a senior advisor on policy and external affairs for the Los Angeles Housing Department. “The Housing Department and the rest of the city are working relentlessly to facilitate and expedite that process, and we do that by creating programs that work.”
There are myriad reasons why developers abandon a project: running out of money, permitting problems, pandemics. During a housing crisis, it’s the city’s job to make multifamily housing a viable option for developers.
For Pillarhenge’s latest developer, the incentives may be enough to bring housing to the long-abandoned lot. For now, residents wait to see whether a Love Boat will be better than a Pillarhenge.
If it’s March, it must be time to talk about cars. The annual auto issue of Consumer Reports landed in my mailbox this week, and I spent some time skimming the pages.
I’m not nearly as interested in car info as I used to be, but I know that many folks are in the market for a new car, and I think Consumer Reports is a great source for info. Plus, it’s fun to review their findings to see what (if anything) has changed.
This year, the Consumer Reports website — even the part that’s not behind a paywall — has plenty of useful info. There are video reviews of top cars again in 2012, although external embedding has been disabled (meaning I can’t share a video with you here — you have to go to the CR website to see them yourself). You can access all of the free, public content from the site’s April 2012 issue homepage. But let’s review some of the major news.
Note: Because I continue to love my 2004 Mini Cooper (which I bought used), I’ll throw in random Mini stats throughout this article, as I do every year. Humor me.
Here are the Consumer Reports top-rated vehicles in ten categories (with previous years’ top cars in parentheses).
Affordable family sedan (formerly budget car): Hyundai Sonata (2011: Honda Fit)
Family hauler: Toyota Sienna V6 (2011: Toyota Sienna, 2010: Mazda5, 2007-2009: Toyota Sienna)
Family sedan: Toyota Camry Hybrid (2010-2011: Nissan Altima, 2007-2009: Honda Accord)
Family SUV: Toyota Highlander (2011: Kia Sorento, 2010: Chevrolet Traverse, 2009: Toyota Highlander, 2008: Hyundai Santa Fe, 2007: Toyota Highlander Hybrid)
Green car: Toyota Prius (2007-2011: Toyota Prius)
Pickup Truck: Chevrolet Avalanche (2011: Chevrolet Avalanche, 2010: Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2009: Chevrolet Avalanche, 2008: Chevrolet Silverado 1500)
Small car: Subaru Impreza (2011: Hyundai Elantra, 2008-2010: Hyundai Elantra SE, 2007: Honda Civic)
Small SUV: Toyota RAV4 (2011: Toyota RAV4, 2010: Subaru Forester, 2007-2009: Toyota RAV4)
Sports sedan: Infiniti G (2009-2011: Infiniti G37, 2007-2008: Infiniti G35)
Sporty Car: Ford Mustang (2011: Ford Mustang, 2010: Volkswagen GTI, 2007-2009: Mazda MX-5 Miata)
The magazine no longer picks a “best car overall”, but if it did, that honor would probably go once again to the Lexus LS 460L, which used to claim the top spot every year, and which continues to have the top road score for all vehicles (with 99 our of 100 possible points). (As in previous years, the Mini Cooper scored an 81 on the road test for 2012.)
To me, the big shocker was the rating of top automakers. For years, Honda has ruled the roost in the Consumer Reports‘ annual round-up. Not this year. This year, Honda fell to fourth place. Who’s number one? Subaru. (Although, to be fair, Subaru, Mazda, Toyota, and Honda are all bunched close together at the top of the chart.) Lowly Chrysler brings up the rear.
This year, there’s a clear winner in fuel economy. The Nissan Leaf gets an astounding 106 miles per gallon. (In reality, as a couple of readers have noted, as an electric car, the Leaf doesn’t actually use any gasoline.) The Chevrolet Volt gets 61 mpg to take second place. Then there are a bunch of hybrids at about 38-44 mpg. Consumer Reports says that the Mini Cooper gets 30 mpg, and that’s exactly what mine has averaged over the past six months (and it’s eight years old!). The worst fuel economy? There’s a four-way tie at 13 mpg: Cadillac Escalade, Dodge Ram 2500 (diesel), Ford Expedition EL, and Lincoln Navigator.
In addition to ratings of 276 vehicles, the 2012 auto issue also includes a round-up of top tires, info on individual model reliability, a summary of safety statistics, and a guide to buying used cars.
For a second year, the magazine has done away with some useful info for finding inexpensive gems. I miss the “most overlooked cars” list, for instance. I’m not sure there’s much use to the “top driving gripes” and the “features we love and loathe” lists that take up and entire page. This is USA Today level fluff; I’d rather see some sort of useful data.
Some of the material from the Consumer Reports 2012 Auto Issue is freely available on their website. For instance, check out these useful pages about used cars:
The best used vehicles for under $20,000
Best used cars for fuel economy
Other information, however, is locked behind a paywall. And don’t forget that you can always find great info on the Consumer Reports car blog.
From the Archives
Don’t forget that Get Rich Slowly features car-buying tips from time-to-time. Notable articles include:
I also recommend two older AskMetafilter threads:
The Consumer Reports car issue is an excellent resource. If you think you might purchase a vehicle soon, I recommend it. But I think it’s a little dangerous to pick up just for the sake of browsing. You may find yourself moved from merely curious to “itching to buy”!
As an Economic Unit in a Capitalist Economy, you probably spend most of your time scurrying about Maximizing your Utility. Right?
You buy things which give you pleasure, or sell them when the cash you’d receive is greater than the pleasure of keeping them. You choose the job that offers the best tradeoff between things like pay, stress, and time consumed, in an industry you chose based on the same criteria.
Even your leisure time is rationally allocated, optimized to get the most happiness from a finite amount of time, with cost factored in and weighed against the amount of extra work required to pay for leisure spending.
Although you’re probably having a good laugh at my deliberately optimistic oversimplification, this is the basis of free-market capitalism itself, and to a certain extent it works. In fact, most of the good aspects of our great leaps forward since the industrial revolution are byproducts of this free enterprise and trade. Neat inventions in food production, medicine, clothing, and everything else that brings us long lives and comfort, are side effects of the incredible ingenuity unleashed by setting smart and hard-working people free to run.
If that were the whole story, we could just shut down the government and sign an Ayn Rand novel into law and be done with it. But anyone with a deeper understanding of the market system is probably waiting to point out the other side of it:
Most of the bad aspects of modern society are brought about by the failure of humans to properly maximize their utility.
In other words, we make some incredibly stupid decisions. And the byproduct is pain, untimely death, and inefficiency.
The standard opinion on this inefficiency is that it’s just a few bad apples in an otherwise good system. Most of us do well at running our lives, don’t we? We know what we want, and our system is good at delivering it to us. But I’d say there is more to the story.
Most Americans, for example, are deep in unnecessary debt, overweight and poorly nourished, inactive and stressed out, and self-sentenced to a mandatory career of unsatisfying work just to stay afloat. We constantly buy things we can’t afford and don’t need, and the majority of the trading we do does not increase our net happiness.
We’re so easily manipulated that advertisers and politicians can pull our emotional strings with ridiculous ease just by replaying the same transparent ruses day after day, decade after decade.
“This $60,000 truck will bring you power and freedom to escape to the Hills of Freedom while towing your bigass boat.”
“This $60,000 SUV will keep your children save while adding a nice veneer of prestige and quality to your suburban life”
“Vote for my political party, and I’ll protect you from the other side who wants to drive this country into the shitter, attack your most core values, and take away all your prosperity for themselves.”
And all of this is done with virtually no awareness of how we are affecting our own ecosystem – the tiny veneer of air and plants that is the only thing between us and the lifeless vacuum of space. In fact, it would be difficult to imagine a less efficient way to maximize “Utility” than what the modern consumer does.
Given all this freedom, why do we screw things up so royally? Is there a way to maintain the power of the market while getting around the general idiocy of our own species?
Fortunately, the answer is built right into you, in the form of the genetic program you received at birth. The reason we suck at running our own lives is that we are evolved and programmed for a completely different set of surroundings. But this handicap can be overcome: by learning about our own weaknesses, we can compensate for them and lead much more productive, powerful and happy lives.
This is where the title of this article comes in. I recently read the book Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely at the recommendation of some readers. It’s not often that I find a book that crystallizes so many interesting concepts in one swipe, but this book does it. Everything the author proposes just makes so much sense. But as an MIT behavioral economist with mutiple books and over 75 published papers on his resume, these are not just the blowhard opinions of a financial blogger – the man actually does his own research and has an uncanny way of sharing it with the world with perfect accessibility.
There were a few key lessons that stuck with me after finishing this book. They are useful not just as curiosities of human nature, but as practical tools for overriding our innate ridiculousness and learning to live life more sensibly. When applied to personal finance, this equates to easily amassing way more money than everyone else.
And then of course, using that wealth in a more rational way in order to have a much more fun and generous life.
Relativity
Humans make decisions in relative terms, rather than absolute ones. Given a restaurant menu with varying prices, people tend to avoid the most expensive item, but are very comfortable choosing the second one on the list. Restaurants have learned this, so they will often insert a “decoy” expensive dish (which may cost no more to prepare than the others), which allows them to raise the price of everything else, making all alternatives look like comparative bargains. The same thing happens when shopping for clothes, cars, or television sets.
Rationally, we should be comparing list prices to all other ways of meeting the same needs, and to our own income. But our genetic wiring wants us to make quick decisions and move on, and in prehistoric times, comparing in relative terms was the way to get this done.
But this built-in flaw has implications on much bigger things than restaurant choices. We design our entire lifestyles by looking around us to see what everyone else is doing. Most of us position ourselves in the middle of the herd, and start feeling deprived if we sense we are near the bottom. The problem arises when the herd is comprised mostly of sheep, responding blindly to their own irrational instincts. So as a society we have a tendency to automatically run ourselves straight off of the nearest cliff.
Market Norms vs. Social Norms
Most of us know that it is socially inappropriate to ask our friends to cough up money when we invite them over for dinner, or to offer money to a romantic partner in exchange for sex. But if you take those exact two human needs and reframe them differently: it is normal to pay for a meal at a restaurant and the world’s oldest profession continues to thrive.
This is the core of the distinction between “market” and “social” norms. As it turns out, humans obey different rules when operating in a business environment, than they do when they perceive they are among friends and family.
We are more generous when we are reading from the Social Norms playbook, and we enjoy our lives more when doing it. This is why countries and cultures with stronger family and friendship bonds tend to be happier than the cold and impersonal market-driven ones – even if their incomes are lower.
You can use this to your advantage. By bringing more social exchanges into your life, you can live more happily and build a safety net that protects you from the sharpest edges of the market system. I saw a nice example of this about a year ago, when a close friend stopped by and saved my house from flooding as part of a routine visit to water the plants. Invite your neighbors over for dinner, share children back and forth for babysitting, and loan out your tools, lawnmower, and weekend labor as much as you can.
And if you run a company, bring some social norms into the way you treat customers and employees. Instead of dinging people with every conceivable fee or squeezing employees with the lowest legal level of vacation allowance, expand your trust and generosity towards them. Watch as their dedication to you grows and provides benefits much greater than the costs.
Loss Aversion and Overvaluing What We Have
When I wrote the opening story about ‘losing’ $12,000 in an earlier article about Strength, I took some heat in the comments about it:
“You did’t lose the twelve grand, Mustache, you just didn’t get the money in the first place! Totally different.”
But that choice of words was deliberate. I work hard to remind myself that although it feels different to have a brand-new $12,000 car roll off a cliff because I forgot to set the parking brake, or have an expected $12,000 deal fail to materialize after doing all the work, the financial effect is exactly the same, and thus I should not worry about either of them.
In everyday life, loss aversion messes with us more than we realize. We hesitate to sell things we are no longer using, because we become attached to them.
“I can’t sell my pickup truck for $12,000 – I paid $30,000 for it just a few years ago!”
“I don’t want to invest in stocks, because there might be a big crash which causes me to “lose” money. I prefer to keep the money in savings where it is guaranteed not to fluctuate.”
“I am afraid to seek out a new job or find myself a new home closer to work, because I might lose some of the comforts that I have grown accustomed to in the current situation”
.
The way to get around this is to recognize your own irrational loss aversion, and work to compensate for it.
For example, I keep a Craigslist app on my phone and fairly ruthlessly fire out ads to sell unused things when I stumble across them in the storage area of our house. I try to replace emotion with the more rational friend of statistics when deciding whether I should invest money, buy a more full-coverage type of insurance, or take any other form of risk. And in our upcoming move where we are “losing” over 1000 square feet of living space, I remind myself that there is no fundamental rule of humanity that dictates three people will be any more happy with 2600 square feet of interior space than they will be with 1532 square feet. I program myself to feel the “ChaChing!” instinct, which creates immediate gratification in the event of good monetary decisions, to compensate for my natural tendency to want shiny things NOW instead of investing for later.
Marketing and How it Plays Your Ass Like a Puppet
The thing about all of these cognitive biases is that even if you don’t round them up and get control of them, somebody else will. For over a century, the field of Psychology has been unearthing these things and studying them rigorously, discovering the joys and hilarious downfalls of the human animal. And for almost as long, marketers have been picking up the research and honing it for their own advantage. I recently read a quote from the head of one of the country’s largest ad agencies, which went something like this,
“It is generally understood in our industry that we aren’t fulfilling wants and needs – we are creating them. A new product first needs to create a market for itself, before it can be sold into it.”
Isn’t that revealing? I still admire many of the funny and creative people of the advertising industry and my own Dad worked most of his career in it, running his own one-man agency for much of my childhood. In fact, some of the lessons of that industry have surely soaked into my own approach, and you could view this blog as an ongoing Anti-Advertisement which aims to apply some of those principles in reverse.
But by golly, if you are going to be out there trying to kick ass in life and as an Economic Unit, you’d better go to battle with proper armor. And that means understanding your evolutionary weaknesses so you can avoid their tendency to turn you into a Consumer Sucka. We are all idiots at heart, but the more successful among us learn to compensate for our idiocy.
So I’d like to give my thanks to Dan Ariely for writing this book and his amazing contributions to society so far – I’m off to read the rest of what he has written.
More and more people are using company cars or using their own cars for business purposes in today’s economy. In fact, many people no longer own their cars but rely on their employer’s vehicles for all their transportation needs. Ensuring you are covered by a car insurance policy every time you’re behind the wheel is […]
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You know whatâs great? Having a job that allows you to use your skills, pursue your passions, and make money on your own terms. Whether youâre a dreamer looking to build a career off your skillset or an entrepreneur searching for a new side hustle, a self-employed job can get you to your goals. Part-time, […]
The post Top 29 Self-Employed Jobs (that are actually fun) You Can Start Today appeared first on Good Financial Cents®.
To my Brothers of the construction trades, the oil industry, the armed forces, and even plain old civilian office jobs. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, because I think we should all be free to make our own choices. But with the recent oil boom and bust, and the even bigger housing boom […]
Kim and I have been talking a lot about cars during the past few months.
She drives a 1996 Honda Accord with 226,000 miles on it. The car runs fine and has served her well, but she’s begun to think about the possibility of upgrading.
I still drive my beloved 2004 Mini Cooper, but the little guy has had some issues lately. (Right now, it’s in the shop because the clutch burned out. In the process of replacing that, the mechanic discovered that the transmission needed to be replaced — thanks to towing the car behind our RV for 15 months.)