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How To Pay Off Credit Card Debt Faster
The post How To Pay Off Credit Card Debt Faster appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.
According to NerdWallet, the average credit card debt for the American Family is nearly $16,000. Â That is a considerable amount, and the monthly financial burdens can quickly become overwhelming
You may feel as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel as you see no end in site. How in the world did I let this happen and what can I do about it now?
You certainly do not want to be like me and go down the path of bankruptcy. Don’t do that.
Instead, you simply need to know where to turn for in order to get the help you need to pay off your credit card debt as quickly as possible.
The truth is that you may not even realize how much debt you have or where to begin. Let’s tackle your debt by helping you figure out the simplest way to get rid of your credit card debt as fast as possible.
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HOW TO QUICKLY PAY OFF CREDIT CARDS
The first thing you have to do is take responsibility for it.  Whether your debt is a result of severe financial times or frivolous spending, it doesn’t matter. But, before you even think about getting out from beneath your credit card debt, you need to be ready to make it happen. That means you have to be willing to put in the hard work and make the lifestyle changes necessary to achieve your goals.
Once you do that, you are ready to take steps to pay it off.
1. Transfer your balances to zero or lower balance cards
When you have a lot of credit card debt, you will want to try to lower the amount of interest you pay. Since that compounds every month, it can mean your $50 payment will only reduce the debt by $10.
Take some time to do some research to find zero interest rate transfer cards or those with a low introductory rate. Â If you can drop your interest payments, that will allow you to focus on paying off your credit card debts.
By consolidating your credit card debt onto one or two cards, you may find you save a significant amount of money in interest while working to pay off the balances.
2. Use your house
When mortgage rates are low, it might make sense to refinance your home. Doing so may allow you take out a loan large enough to cover the balance you owe on your home plus your total credit card debt, without increasing your monthly payment.
If you can borrow more money, you can use that additional amount to pay off your credit card debt. Then, all of your debt will be in one monthly payment – your mortgage.
Or, if you would rather not refinance, consider taking out a home equity loan. Use what you’ve paid towards your home to pay off your credit cards. The interest rate is often lower what your credit card company charges.
3. Use a personal loan to pay off credit card debt
If you do not own a home, talk to your bank about a personal loan (secured or unsecured). Just like a home equity loan, you can pay off your balances and have a single monthly payment, often at a lower rate than credit card companies charge.
4. Get rid of your cards
If you are committed to paying off your credit card balances cut them up. That way, you will not be tempted to add more debt to your balance. However, what you should not do is close the account. Keep it open and continue to pay on it to help increase your credit score.
For some people, cutting them is just not an option. If you find this is you, then you need to put your cards on ice. Literally. Put the card in a baggie filled with water and drop it into your freezer.  Now,  you won’t be tempted to dig it out and use it as you would have to put in a LOT of effort to do so.
Do what you have to do to stop spending. There is no way around this. Until you are ready to change your attitude towards spending money, you will not be able to get out of debt. This starts by cutting off the spending. Period.
Read more: Â How to Break the Cycle of Credit Card Debt
5. Know how much you owe
Sadly, most people have no idea how much credit card debt they have accrued. You have to know how much you owe before you can implement a plan to pay it off.
Make a list of the current balances owed, minimum monthly payment and the interest rate. Then add up total the amount of debt you have AND the total minimum monthly payments. Â This gives you a better picture of the amount of debt you currently have outstanding (and, it may not be pretty to look at).
The debt payoff bundle gives you every form you need to track, monitor and pay off your debt once and for all!!
6. Find money
Once you know how much debt you have to pay off, take a second look at your budget. Find places where you can cut back to have more money to pay your debt. That may mean scaling back or eliminating dinner out for a while, so you have another $100 to use towards your credit card balances.
Think about making some short-term sacrifices for long-term gain. You will not need to scale back forever. Once you are out of debt you may even find you don’t miss those items you cut out of the budget!
7. Start paying them down — One at a time
There are two different rules of thinking when it comes to paying off credit card debts.  One says pay the higher interest rate, and the other says the highest balance. You can read more about those below.
No matter which method you decide to use, start with ONE debt and work on it first. Get it paid in full before you try to pay others.
You can use a debt payoff calculator to find out long it will take to pay off your credit cards and know how much you’ll save in interest along the way.
8. Consider debt consolidation
Sometimes, the best way out of debt is to consolidate them all into a single payment. You may find that you ultimately pay less over the life of the loan vs. what you would pay in interest on each card alone.
While credit card transfers are an option (as mentioned above) you may also want to try debt management or a consolidation program. These include counselors who may be able to negotiate (on your behalf) to reduce the rates or payment terms.
Rather than make the individual payments on each debt, you make a single payment each month to the agency. They then transfer the payment to the creditor on your behalf.
If you do not own a home or are unable to qualify for a credit card or personal loan then debt consolidation may be the answer.
HOW DO YOU PAY DOWN YOUR CREDIT CARD BALANCES
If you do not opt for one of the options above and instead want to tackle your balances on your own, there are two methods you can use.
Highest Interest Rate First (Avalanche Method)
The avalanche method of debt repayment starts by first tackling the debt with the highest interest rate. You will want to pay as much as you can towards this debt first, continuing with minimum payments on all other debts.
For example, if the minimum monthly balance is $25, try to double, if not triple, the payment. Combine this amount with any additional income freed up in your budget to pay towards your debt. Your focus should be only on this single debt until it is paid off. Continue making the minimum required payments on your other credit card balances.
Once your first card is paid off, roll the monthly payment you were making on that card onto the next card. So, if you were paying $150 on card one and $30 on card two each month, you will now pay $180 towards the balance of your credit card. Continue to do this until all of you are debt free.
Using this method results in paying less interest, therefore, less overall debt. Â As you tackle the one that accrues interest at a higher rate first, you will eventually pay out less to the company. Â The downside is that you may end up tackling an overall higher balance first, which can result in it taking longer to make progress, and you becoming discouraged.
Lowest Balance First (Snowball Method)
The snowball method does not take interest rate into account, but rather balances. Review your list of debts and find the one that has the lowest balance. This is the one you will focus on first.
You will follow the same rule as you would if you were paying down the higher interest rate card first. Â Find any additional money you can in your budget and add that to the minimum monthly payment of the lowest balance card. Â Continue paying on that card until it is paid in full. Â Once that happens, roll that payment into the next balance. Â Repeat this process until all debts are paid off.
The reason that this works is that it tends to be more encouraging. Â You will see that you are actually making progress as you can achieve a balance paid in full more quickly, which gives you the motivation to proceed. Â The downside of this method is that you may have to pay a bit more in overall debt due to additional interest on the cards.
The thing is that one of these is not “right or wrong.” I hate when I see so-called experts trying to degrade someone for trying one over the other. Â We are all different and we know what will motivate us to help us stay on track. Â Decide which of these two works best for you.
8. Use Windfalls
While you are working yourself out from beneath your mountain of debt, there may be times when extra money finds its way to you. You may get a raise or a bonus at work. This may be the year you qualify for a tax refund. When you get extra money of any amount, do not use it as you want. Instead, apply it towards your debt.
If you want to tackle this as quickly as possible, you may need to sell things you do not need or even get a second job. There are many ways you can make money at home, many of which will not interfere with your regular full-time job.
STAYING OUT OF CREDIT CARD DEBT
Once your credit card debt is paid in full, you never want to allow yourself to get into that situation again. Â Here are things you need to do:
1. Figure out why you got there in the first place
Was the reason you had debt due to poor saving? Are you a spender? Did you just not have a budget and had to use it to cover living expenses?
Whatever the reason, you need to make sure you know what lead you down that path, to begin with, and make changes in your life so that it doesn’t happen again.
2. Have an emergency fund
Many times, people turn to credit cards when they have an unexpected expense. This is where your emergency fund will come into play. Instead of turning to a credit card to bail you out, you will use your emergency fund balance instead.
Read more: Â How to Rapidly Build an Emergency Fund
3. Never charge more than you have in the bank
Far to often, people will charge in advance of a paycheck or other income source they plan on coming their way. Â But, what happens if that fails to come through? Â Can they pay off the balance?
If you can not pay off your balance with the money in your checking or savings account, then do not charge it. Â Just because you are owed money does not mean it will come through.
4. Always pay balances in full every month
It can be tempting not to pay off your card and keep more of the money for yourself. Â However, this will just put you back into the same situation you just got out from. Â Make sure your entire balance is paid off every single month. Â No exceptions.
5. Review the perks
Many people use credit cards because of the perks. These include cash back, free offers or even airline miles. Â However, what do you have to spend to earn the reward? Is it worth racking up a hefty balance just to get something free?
Companies can change their programs at any time. Â You could lose those you’ve earned or no longer be eligible to earn new ones. Â The perks may sound great, but are they really worth it?
Trying to pay off credit card debt is not easy. However, can you continue to live with the financial strain they are causing you? Only you can decide that it is the right time to pay off credit card debt.
The post How To Pay Off Credit Card Debt Faster appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.
Source: pennypinchinmom.com
How to Prepare for the End of Your Unemployment Benefits
Before the coronavirus reached the U.S., unemployment was low and few could have anticipated a global pandemic. However, as the pandemic and ensuing recession took hold, a record-breaking number of people filed for unemployment benefits to stay financially afloat.
âCOVID-19 led to an incredible number of American workers being without work,â says Julia Simon-Mishel, an unemployment compensation attorney. âAnd itâs caused a huge need for individuals to file for unemployment insurance.â
Unemployment insurance, or unemployment benefits, can offer an essential lifeline. But if youâve never accessed these benefits before, you may have questions about how they work. You might also be asking: What do I do when my unemployment benefits run out and Iâm still unemployed?
This article1 offers tips about what you need to know about filing an unemployment claim. It also addresses the following questions:
- How do you prepare for the end of unemployment benefits?
- Can your unemployment benefits be extended?
- What can you do when unemployment runs out?
- Can you refile for unemployment after it runs out?
If youâre just getting ready to file or need a refresher on the basics of unemployment benefits, read on to have your questions answered.
If youâre already collecting benefits and want to know what happens once you reach the end of the benefit period, skip ahead to âSteps to take before your unemployment benefits run out.â
Common questions about unemployment benefits
Experiencing a job loss is challenging no matter what. Keep in mind that youâre not alone, and remember that unemployment benefits were created to help you.
While theyâre designed to provide financial relief, unemployment benefits are not always easy to navigate. Hereâs what you need to know to understand how unemployment benefits work:
What are unemployment benefits?
Unemployment insurance provides people who have lost their job with temporary income while they search for and land another job. The amount provided and time period the benefits last may vary by state. Generally, most states offer up to half of a personâs previous wages in unemployment benefits for 26 weeks or until you land another full-time job, whichever comes first. Requirements and eligibility may vary, so be sure to check your stateâs unemployment agency for guidance.
How do you apply for unemployment benefits?
Depending on where you live, claims may be filed in person, by phone or online. Check your state governmentâs website for details.
Who can file an unemployment claim?
This also may vary from state to state, but eligibility typically requires that you lost your job or were furloughed through no fault of your own, in addition to meeting work and wage requirements. During the coronavirus pandemic, the government loosened restrictions, extending unemployment benefits to gig workers and the self-employed.
When should you apply for unemployment benefits?
Short answer: As soon as possible after you lose your job. âIf you are someone who has had steady W2 work, itâs important that you file for unemployment the moment you lose work,â Simon-Mishel says. The longer you wait to file, the longer youâre likely to wait to get paid.
When do you receive unemployment benefits?
Generally, if you are eligible, you can expect to receive your first benefit check two to three weeks after you file your claim. Of course, this may differ based on your state or if thereâs a surge of people filing claims.
2020 enhancements to unemployment benefits for freelance and contract workers
In early 2020, the U.S. government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act. In addition to other benefits, the CARES Act created a new program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. This program provides unemployment benefits to independent contractors and other workers who were typically ineligible. That means that if you donât have steady W2 incomeâfor instance, freelance and contract workers, those who file 1099s, farmers and the self-employedâyou still may qualify for unemployment benefits.
âThat program is a retroactive payout,â Simon-Mishel says. âIf youâre just finding out about that program several months after losing your job, you should be able to file and get benefits going back to when you lost work.â
Because legislation affecting unemployment benefits continues to evolve, itâs important that you keep an eye out for any additional stimulus programs that can extend unemployment benefits. Be sure to regularly check your stateâs unemployment insurance program page for updates.
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“Itâs really important to keep on top of all the information out there right now and be aware of what benefits are available to you.”
Steps to take before your unemployment benefits run out
In a perfect world, your job leads would become offers long before you reached the end of your unemployment benefits. But in reality, thatâs not always the case.
If youâre still unemployed but havenât yet exhausted your benefits and extensions, you may want to prepare for the end of your unemployment benefits as early as possible so you donât become financially overwhelmed. Here are four tips to help you get through this time:
Talk to service providers
Reaching out to your utility service providers like your gas, electric or water company is one of the first steps John Schmoll, creator of personal finance blog Frugal Rules, suggests taking if youâre preparing for the end of unemployment benefits.
âA lot of times, either out of shame or just not knowing, people donât contact service providers and let them know what their situation is,â Schmoll says. â[Contact them to] see what programs they have in place to help you reduce your spending, and basically save as much of that as possible to help stretch your budget even further.â
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Save what you can
To help prepare for the end of your unemployment benefits, a few months before your benefits end, Schmoll suggests cutting back spending as much as possible, focusing only on necessities.
âIf you can try and save something out of the benefits that youâre receiving while youâre receiving themâit doesnât matter if itâs $10 or $20âthatâs going to help provide some cushion,â Schmoll says. Keep those funds in a separate account if you can, so youâre not tempted to spend them. That way youâre more prepared in case of an emergency.
If you hunkered down during your period of unemployment and were able to save, try to resist the urge to splurge on things that arenât necessary.
âThere might be temptation to overspend, but curtail that and focus on true necessities,â Schmoll says. âThat way when [or if] you receive an extension on your benefits, you now have that extra money saved.â
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Seek additional financial aid
If you find that your savings and benefits arenât covering your expenses, and youâre reaching a point where you no longer qualify for benefits, look into other new benefit programs or features designed to help during times of crisis.
For example, there are programs across the country to assist people with rent or mortgages, Simon-Mishel says. Those programs are generally designed to keep those facing financial hardship from losing their home or apartment. You may need to show that you are within the programsâ income limits to qualify, or demonstrate that your rent is more than 30 percent of your income. These programs vary widely at the state and even city level, so check your local government website to see what might be available to you.
As you prepare for the end of your unemployment benefits, explore which government benefits or government agency may be best suited for your needs.
Keep up with the news
During economic downturns, government programs and funds often change to keep up with evolving demand.
âItâs really important to keep on top of all the information out there right now and be aware of what benefits are available to you,â says Simon-Mishel. âYou should closely pay attention to the social media of your state unemployment agency and local news about other extension programs that might be added and that you might be eligible for.â
Options for extending your unemployment benefits
If youâre currently receiving benefits, but theyâll be ending soon, youâre likely wondering what to do when your unemployment runs out and asking if your unemployment benefits can be extended. Start by confirming when you first filed your claim because that will determine your benefit end date.
If youâre wondering, âCan you refile for unemployment after it runs out?â the answer is yes, but youâll have to wait until your current âbenefit yearâ expires. Note that a benefit year is 12 months from when you file a claim. If you filed at the beginning of June, for example, you generally can’t file again until the beginning of the following June.
You may get 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, depending on your stateâs rules at the time. Most states extended the payout period to 39 weeks in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Check your stateâs website for the particulars on what to do when your unemployment runs out.
If your claim is still active but youâll be in need of additional financial relief after your unemployment benefits run out, here are your options:
File for an unemployment extension
During extraordinary economic times, such as the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government may use legislation like the CARES Act to offer people more benefits for a longer period of time, helping many people concerned about whether unemployment benefits can be extended.
For example, in 2020, for most workers who exhaust, or receive all of, their unemployment benefits, a 13-week extension should automatically kick in, Simon-Mishel says. This would bring you up to 39 weeks total. However, if more than a year has passed since you originally filed and you need the extension, you will likely need to file a short application provided by the government. Details vary by state.
As youâre determining what to do when your unemployment runs out, reach out to your unemployment office. Itâs important to do this before your benefits expire so you can avoid a missed payment. You can also confirm youâre eligible and that you can refile for unemployment after it runs out.
Ask about the Extended Benefits program in your state
Can unemployment benefits be extended beyond that? In periods of high unemployment, you may qualify for a second extension, depending on your state.
âAfter those [first] 13 weeks, many states have added a new program called Extended Benefits that can provide another 13 to 20 weeks of unemployment when a state is experiencing high unemployment,â Simon-Mishel adds. This means you may be able to receive a total of up to 59 weeks of unemployment benefits, including extensions. The total number of weeks of unemployment you may receive varies based on your state and the economic climate.
Itâs hard enough keeping up with everything as you prepare for the end of unemployment benefits, so donât worry if you donât have your stateâs benefits program memorized. Visit your stateâs unemployment insurance program page to learn more about what benefits are available to you.
Beyond unemployment benefits
While life and your finances may seem rocky now, know that youâre not alone. Remember that there are resources available to help support you, and try to take things one day at a time, Schmoll says.
âRealize that at some point your current situation will improve.â
If you find that your benefits arenât covering all of your expenses, now may be the time to dip into your cash reserve. Explore these tips to determine when itâs time to use your emergency fund.
1 This article is not legal advice and should not be construed as such. Eligibility for unemployment benefits may be impacted by variations in state programs, changes in programs, and your circumstances. If you have questions, you should consider consulting with your legal counsel, at your expense, or seek free assistance from your local legal aid organization.
Articles may contain information from third-parties. The inclusion of such information does not imply an affiliation with the bank or bank sponsorship, endorsement, or verification regarding the third-party or information.
The post How to Prepare for the End of Your Unemployment Benefits appeared first on Discover Bank – Banking Topics Blog.
Source: discover.com
20 Of The Best Entry Level Work From Home Jobs
Looking for entry level work from home jobs?
Are you wondering, “How can I work from home with no experience?”
I know it may seem like every job out there today requires several years of experience. This makes it very difficult to find a job, especially if you are brand new to the field and trying to get your start.
It can be difficult to find a way to make money from home when you are brand new, but it’s not impossible to find entry level work from home jobs.
Everyone has to start somewhere, and if you want to start working from home, then I have a great list of no experience work from home jobs for you to look into.
Now, just because these jobs, businesses, and ways to make extra money don’t require experience, it does not mean that they will be easy! Remember, good things don’t come easy.
You may have to learn a new skill, take a course, and so on.
Also, please remember that entry level means you are starting from the bottom and working up. That means it may take a while to establish yourself. Still, there is room to grow in many of these jobs.
What you’ll find in this list of entry level work from home jobs are new careers and businesses you can start without having a college degree or years of experience.
There are many ideas on this list that involve starting a freelance career by using existing skills, like if you have a good eye for spotting grammar and punctuation errors, then you may be interested in proofreading.
There are other ideas on this list that will require you to learn some new skills – all ones you can easily pick up online.
The most important part is that all of these jobs are 100% work from home ideas. Yes, these are all jobs you can work from the comfort of your own home, while you travel, etc.
Finding a work from home job can be a great way to make money.
After all, it’s what I do, and I love it!
And, there are so many different options depending on what you are looking for. You may be able to find entry level work from home jobs that are part time, full time, that work while you are traveling, and so on.
Plus, many of the entry level jobs from home on my list allow you to have a more flexible schedule, where you may be able to choose the days you work, your hours, and more.
So, if you are looking to start making extra money or if you want a new career path that lets you earn money from home, this list is especially for you.
Before you’re scared off by any of these ideas, please remember that you don’t need to be an expert in any of them right now. As with any new job, you learn as you go and can find training as well.
Related content on entry level work from home jobs:
- 12 Passive Income Ideas That Will Let You Enjoy Life More
- 15 Of My Best Working From Home Tips So You Can Succeed
- 15 Outdoor Jobs For People Who Love Being Outside
- 15 Home Business Ideas & The Free Courses You Need To Get Started
Below are 20 entry level work from home jobs.
1. Create a blog to earn an income.
If you’re looking to work from home, I recommend that you think about starting a blog.
You don’t need previous experience, and most bloggers are brand new to blogging anyways!
I was brand new when I started my blog many years ago, and I learned everything I know along the way.
I read lots of online articles written by other bloggers who were once in the same spot I was, and I have also taken several great courses to help me improve my blog over the years.
I created Making Sense of Cents in 2011, and since then, I have earned over $5,000,000 from my blog.
Blogging allows me to travel full-time, have a flexible schedule, and I earn a great income doing it.
My blog was created on a whim as a way to track my own personal finance progress. When I first started my blog, I honestly had no clue what I was doing. I didn’t even know that people could make money blogging!
One of the reasons that blogging is one of the best entry level work from home jobs is because blogging is quite affordable to start.
You can easily learn how to start a blog with my free How To Start a Blog Course.
Here’s a quick outline of what you will learn:
- Day 1: Reasons you should start a blog
- Day 2: How to determine what to blog about
- Day 3: How to create your blog (in this lesson, you will learn how to start a blog on WordPress – my tutorial makes it very easy to start a blog)
- Day 4: How to make money blogging
- Day 5: My tips for making passive income from blogging
- Day 6: How to grow your traffic and followers
- Day 7: Miscellaneous blogging tips that will help you be successful
2. Sell items through Amazon.
Yes, you read that correctly. You can sell items on Amazon while working from home.
Even if you have no experience, you can earn money selling all kinds of items on Amazon, from books, work out equipment, electronics, and more.
Amazon has many people who sell items and earn money from home. Most have no experience selling things online or have ever worked at Amazon.
Jessica Larrew, of The Selling Family, is a friend of mine, and she and her family started selling things on Amazon FBA a few years ago without any experience – they made over $100,000 profit in their first year! And, they were working less than 20 hours a week total.
Jessica now has a FREE 7 day course that will teach you everything you need to know in order to start selling on Amazon. I recommend signing up for it now!
I interviewed Jessica in How To Work From Home Selling On Amazon FBA, and we talk about:
- How Jessica started selling on Amazon FBA
- What exactly Amazon FBA is
- How to choose what to buy and sell
- How much a person can expect to earn
- The positives of selling on Amazon, and more
3. Teach English online.
This one will probably surprise you, but there are entry level work from home jobs where you teach English to kids in other countries. You don’t need to have been a teacher or speak a language other than English.
The requirements are that you have experience working with kids. That can include mentoring, tutoring, coaching, babysitting, or being a parent.
That’s a pretty easy requirement, though!
You can typically earn around $14 to $22 per hour by teaching English online.
Learning how to teach English online has become extremely popular, making it one of the best online jobs from home for many good reasons – it’s flexible, there’s a high need for teachers, and it pays pretty well.
My top three picks are ones my readers have recommended and ones I have researched:
- VIPKID
- Qkids
- Education First
Learn more at Make Extra Money By Learning How To Teach English Online.
4. Tutor from home.
To go along with the above, you can also work from home as an online tutor.
Course Hero is a website that has entry level work from home jobs where you help high school and college students with course-specific questions.
Course Hero was founded in 2007 and is an online learning website where students can find tutors and search by their specific school to find study guides, videos, practice problems, class notes, and step-by-step explanations.
Using the website, students connect with Course Hero tutors on a wide range of subjects and classes, which makes this a great option for people with different educational backgrounds and experience.
What might surprise you to learn is that you don’t need to have experience as a tutor, professor, or teacher in order to become a Course Hero tutor.
However, you will need to share information that proves you have expertise in the subjects you would like to help students with, such as degrees or previous work history.
Tutors earn an average of $3 for each question they answer on Course Hero. Earning between $12-$20 per hour, Course Hero tutors earn an average of $300 a week.
Here’s how this online tutoring job work:
- You apply here to become a Course Hero tutor
- When you are available to answer questions, you do so on the Course Hero website
- You get paid
Learn more at How To Make $300+ Weekly As An Online Tutor With Course Hero.
5. Become a virtual assistant.
Several years ago, I was a virtual assistant.
I had no previous experience, and I simply learned skills as I worked.
Virtual assisting is a field that is growing a lot, and there are lots of entry level work from home jobs as a virtual assistant.
Virtual assistant (VA) tasks may include social media management, formatting and editing content, scheduling appointments or travel, email management, and more. Basically, you can get paid to do any task that needs to be done in someone’s business, but doesn’t need to be done by them.
My friend Kayla is a full-time blogger, virtual assistant, and project manager who earns over $10,000 per month while working from home. She is also the founder of $10K VA, a course where she teaches exactly how you can make a consistent $10,000 per month as a virtual assistant!
Kayla used to work a full-time job as a credit analyst, earning about $2,000 per month. She was struggling to make ends meet while paying off debt, so she started a side hustle as a virtual assistant.
I interviewed her at How Kayla Earns $10K/Month From Home as a Virtual Assistant, and we talk about:
- The amount of money a beginner virtual assistant can expect to earn
- How to find your first virtual assistant job
- The steps to become a virtual assistant without previous experience
- Her best tips for being a virtual assistant
And more!
6. Evaluate Google’s search engine results.
A Search Engine Evaluator (also known as a Google Rater) is where you rate websites based on their quality and usefulness.
You are rating websites to help Google improve their search engine results.
This is one of the entry level work from home jobs that almost anyone can do – you don’t need to be a technical person in order to make money as a search engine evaluator.
Another great positive is that you can work in the language of your country, as Google operates in nearly every country around the world.
Learn more at How To Become a Search Engine Evaluator.
7. Manage Facebook advertising for small businesses.
Did you know that you can make a living from Facebook? With Facebook advertising, you can help businesses expand their reach.
And, yes, this is a skill that you can learn!
Last year, business owners spent over $88,000,000 per day on Facebook ads. This is expected to continue to grow, and it is one of the largest advertising spaces that exists.
My blogging friend Bobby Hoyt knows a lot about this topic. Bobby is a former high school teacher who paid off $40,000 of student loan debt in a year and a half. He learned how to run Facebook ads on his own to earn extra money. Bobby now runs the personal finance blog Millennial Money Man full-time, as well as a digital marketing agency for local businesses that he started in 2015.
I interviewed Bobby about entry level work from home jobs running Facebook ads, and in our interview, you will learn:
- How he started earning income through running Facebook ads
- Why small businesses want Facebook ads
- How a person can find their first Facebook ads client
- How much you can make doing this type of work – the average is around $1,000 extra a month per client
Also, Bobby has a free webinar on this topic too. His webinar (you can sign up here) will teach you how to start this business even if you’re brand new, how to find paying clients, and more.
8. Get paid to share your opinion.
This isn’t exactly a job, but it is a way to make extra money.
And, you don’t need any previous experience.
Yes, you can get paid to share your opinion!
Companies use surveys all the time to learn what their current and potential customers think of their products, services, and company. With the surveys you take, companies get valuable opinions on how to improve their products, and that’s what they are paying you for.
Below are the survey companies I recommend:
- American Consumer Opinion
- Survey Junkie
- Swagbucks
- InboxDollars
- Opinion Outpost
- OneOpinion
- Pinecone Research
- Prize Rebel
- Product Report Card
- Survey Club
9. Create an online store of your own.
This is one of the entry level work from home jobs that many people are surprised to hear about. But yes, you can start your own online store, and you don’t need to have tons of experience or a lot of money to do so. Many people start with absolutely no background.
I had the opportunity to interview Jenn Leach of E-commerce and Prosper, who explains exactly how to start an online store.
Jenn is a corporate mom turned e-commerce store owner and blogger.
She started her online business a little over three years ago, and since then, she has developed and grown three successful online e-commerce stores earning an average of $19,000 per month.
She is super successful despite only spending around 5-10 hours per week on her e-commerce business.
You can read our interview at How Jenn Makes Over $10,000 A Month With Her Online Store In Less Than 10 Hours Per Week.
10. Start a bookkeeping business.
I’m sure you’re surprised to hear that bookkeeping is an area with entry level work from home jobs, but it definitely is.
A bookkeeper is someone who tracks the finances of a business, handles billing and payments, making spreadsheets, etc., but that doesn’t mean you need to be an accountant or have any related experience.
Ben, from Bookkeeper Launch, helps people get started as bookkeepers even when they don’t have any experience. Ben is a CPA who founded his business after realizing that many businesses needed better bookkeepers.
In our interview, we talk about:
- What a bookkeeper is
- The typical clients a bookkeeper has
- How much new bookkeepers earn
- How to become a bookkeeper
- The positives and negatives of bookkeeping
You can read all of his answers and more in our interview Make Money At Home By Becoming A Bookkeeper.
Also, you can sign up here for a free series that will teach you more about running your own virtual bookkeeping business.
11. Find stuff to resell.
This is one another one of the entry level work from home jobs that anyone can start. That’s because we all have lots of stuff in our house that we can probably sell online.
Have you ever found something that you thought you may be able to resell and actually make some money?
Melissa’s family earned $133,000 in one year through buy and sell flipping, and they were working only 10-20 hours per week.
Yes, just 10-20 hours a week!
Some of the best flipped items that they’ve sold include:
- An item that they bought for $10 and flipped for $200 just 6 minutes later
- A security tower they bought for $6,200 and flipped for $25,000 just one month later
- A prosthetic leg that they bought for $30 at a flea market and sold for $1,000 on eBay the next day
You can learn more at How Melissa Made $40,000 In One Year Flipping Items.
12. Write online as a freelancer.
I know so many people who have found entry level freelance writing jobs. You don’t need a background in writing or a degree in English or creative writing.
A freelance writer is someone who writes for a number of different clients, such as websites, blogs, magazines, advertising companies, books, and more. They don’t work for one specific company, rather they work for themselves and contract out their writing.
My friend Holly from EarnMoreWriting.com (as well as the popular personal finance blog Club Thrifty) is a very successful freelance writer and has earned over $200,000 writing online!
Her freelance writing course includes nine video modules, several printable worksheets, and awesome add-ons, too. Here are some of the things you can expect to learn if you take her freelance writing course:
- Discover the #1 most important thing you can do to get paid writing jobs
- Learn how to find entry level work from home jobs as a writer and move up over time
- Learn how price affects the amount of work you get
- Learn which types of jobs help Holly earn the most pay, and where you can find them
- Find out which online platforms work best for finding paid work, and how to use them
- Learn how to structure your work day to earn six figures or more
Learn more at How I Earn $200,000+ Writing Online Content.
13. Transcribe audio or video into text.
Transcription is the art of turning any audio or video content into a text document.
There are many businesses looking for transcriptionists too – since general transcriptionists convert audio and video to text for virtually any industry, there really isn’t a typical client. Some examples include marketers, authors, filmmakers, academics, speakers, and conferences of all types.
Beginning transcriptionists earn around $15 an hour to start.
There are many transcriptionist jobs that don’t require experience, and most transcriptionists learn more and improve their skills as they work.
You can learn more about becoming a transcriptionist in the interview Make Money At Home By Becoming A Transcriptionist. The interview explains:
- What a transcriptionist is
- How you can get started as a transcriptionist
- What kind of money you can expect to make
- The type of training you need, and more
14. Find proofreading jobs online.
Finding entry level proofreading jobs online is very possible.
All you need to work as a proofreader is a laptop or tablet, an internet connection, and a good eye for pointing out mistakes.
Proofreaders look for punctuation mistakes, misspelled words, lack of consistency, and formatting errors.
In 2014, Caitlin made slightly over $43,000 by being a freelance proofreader.
You’ll learn more about this in my interview with Caitlin that I link to below, but proofreaders take content that other people have written and then go over it with a fine-tooth comb. You might be proofreading blog posts, print articles, academic articles, website copy, ad copy, books, student papers, emails, and more.
This job is for a very specific type of person who LOVES to correct grammar or makes a note of spelling mistakes on a restaurant menu… it takes a certain “eagle eye” ability to be good at proofreading!
I interviewed Caitlin on what it takes to become a proofreader, and in our interview we go over questions such as:
- What a proofreader does
- How much proofreaders earn
- How quickly a person can start making money as a proofreader
- The steps needed to become a proofreader
You can find out about entry level work from home jobs and more at How To Become A Proofreader And Work From Anywhere.
Caitlin has put together a FREE 76-minute workshop, where she answers all of the most common questions about becoming a proofreader, and she even shows you how to use the most popular tools used by proofreaders around the world. You can sign up for free here.
15. Learn how to become a scopist.
Scoping is when you are editing legal documents for court reporters. This is different from proofreading for court reporters.
I interviewed an expert on the topic – Linda from Internet Scoping School. She has been scoping for over 35 years and has taught scoping online for around 20 years.
She also has a free course that will introduce you to scoping so that you can decide if it’s one of the entry level work from home jobs you want to pursue. You can find the free course by clicking here.
Scopists who are working with an average court reporter tend to make around $30,000 to $45,000 per year working pretty much full-time.
You can learn more at How To Become A Scopist.
16. Assist with podcasts.
Currently, there’s a huge demand for podcast virtual assistants.
There are over 800,000 podcasts out there, and that number just continues to grow. Podcasts are still a pretty new area, and that opens the door for lots of new entry level work from home jobs helping with all of these new podcasts.
While the podcast host can record themselves, other tasks like editing and publication take time, so many podcasters outsource their work to freelancers or virtual assistants. Also, some podcasters may not know how to do those things, or they may choose to focus their time on other areas.
Some of the different services you could do as a podcast virtual assistant include:
- Audio editing
- Marketing and promotion
- Publication
- Distribution
- Show note creation
Learn more at How I Make $1,500 A Month As A Podcast Virtual Assistant.
Also, you can sign up here for free information on learning more about how to become a podcast VA. In this free resource, you’ll learn more about what exactly a podcast virtual assistant is, the services you can offer, and starting rates.
17. Work as a freelancer.
Freelancers are people who work for others by doing part-time jobs. A business may hire you on for one-time gigs or you may get a long-term job with a company as a freelancer.
In addition to some of the freelance jobs I’ve already mentioned (writing, proofreading, transcribing, and bookkeeping) there are even more entry level work from home jobs out there for people who are able to leverage existing skills, like:
- Graphic design
- Web design and development
- Video editing
- Sound design
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Programming
- Photography
This is one of the best work from home jobs because you can use a skill you already have and start finding work on job platforms like UpWork and Fiverr.
18. Find a work from home job in customer service.
Many large companies outsource their customer service departments to people who are working from home.
Customer service representatives may be responsible for a number of things, such as:
- Working at an online call center
- Working as a chat agent
- Offering technical support
- Virtual assistant tasks
- Working as a travel agent
This is becoming one of the best entry level work from home jobs because the number of large companies who need online customer service reps is growing. Companies like Apple, American Express, UHAUL, and more offer basic training for new hires.
19. Secret shop.
Funny enough, many people think that you have to “know someone” or have previous experience in order to become a mystery shopper.
But, that’s not the truth at all.
You don’t need any previous experience in order to become a secret shopper.
This won’t be a full-time job, but it can give you some extra money each month. And, yes, there are some mystery shops that can be done by phone and online.
I remember when I first heard of being a secret shopper. I was working at a retail store and we regularly had mystery shoppers come in to grade how we were doing. We never knew who the mystery shopper was, but we would get to read their report afterwards.
I thought it was so interesting that people were getting paid to shop!
Not long after hearing about it, I decided to try mystery shopping to make extra money to help pay off my student loan debt.
I regularly earned around $150 to $200 a month mystery shopping, and I earned free items/services as well, such as $100 to spend at restaurants (which I had to grade while I was there), makeup, and more.
If this sounds interesting to you, you can join Bestmark by clicking here. This is my favorite mystery shopping company, and the only one I used back when I was mystery shopping, so I know it’s legitimate.
Learn more at Want To Make An Extra $100 A Month? Learn How To Become A Mystery Shopper.
20. Become a voice over actor.
A voice over actor is the person you hear but rarely see on YouTube videos, radio ads, explainer videos, corporate narration, documentaries, e-learning courses, audiobooks, TV commercials, video games, movies, and cartoons.
This job doesn’t require previous experience or special skills – you just need to have the right kind of voice that companies are looking for.
In 2014, Carrie replaced her salaried day job to become a full-time voice over actor. People are constantly asking her how she got her start and how they can too.
So, she created a six-week online class, and it sold out. Several of her students booked voice acting jobs before the class was even over!
I was excited to learn more about this work from home job, so I interviewed Carrie to learn:
- How she got into this interesting career field
- Who the common clients are
- How much money a beginner voice over actor can expect to make
- The positives of this job
- How to find your first job
- The costs, and more
You can read my interview with her at How To Become A Voice Over Actor And Work From Anywhere.
How can I make money from home with no experience?
As you can see, there are many different options for you if you are looking for an online job or work from home business with no experience.
I hope you are able to find what works best for you and your situation.
What entry level work from home jobs would you add to the list above?
The post 20 Of The Best Entry Level Work From Home Jobs appeared first on Making Sense Of Cents.
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