image by Keith Williamson

If your family is facing a tough economic future due to a job loss, have you ever thought of paying ahead on your utility bills?  By adding extra money to your payments for water and power is like money in the bank should your income experience a serious decline.  Even $20 extra each month helps build up a credit balance.  With winter on the horizon, now would be a good time to start this practice, which is essentially setting money ahead of time to pay for heating bills.  I’ve done this, and it’s a good feeling to see a credit on my power bill each month.  If you’re struggling to pay utilities, you’re near to rock bottom.  When the extra funds are there, this is a good way to help insure your family’s well-being if/when hard times hit.

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by bfshadow

I’ve thought a lot lately about the importance of having cash on hand.  Severe weather and natural disasters routinely shut down access to banks and ATMs, and in fact, ATMs can be emptied of cash in no time by panicked customers.  A worst case scenario, such as an EMP or economic collapse, would shut down banks for long periods of time.  Even if the dollar was devalued, there would still be some value left in saved cash.

I recommend storing enough cash at home to get you through at least a week.  In the case of an evacuation, this cash would be useful for hotel stays, fuel for your vehicle, food, supplies, and more.  If hordes of evacuees descend on a town, your cash-in-hand might mean a good night’s sleep in a clean hotel room if a hotel manager decides he or she would rather have cash than payment by debit or credit cards.  And forget writing a check in an emergency.  Out-of-town checks are rarely, if ever, welcome.

Are you planning for something much bigger than an ice storm, such as an economic collapse?  In that case, set aside as much money as you think you’ll need to cover the mortgage payment or rent, utilities, food, and other necessities for several months.

Be sure to stash smaller bills, no larger than $20s.  You may not be able to break a fifty- or hundred-dollar bill.  Store $50-100 in small bills  in your emergency kit/Bug Out Bag, and a similar amount in your vehicle.  If money is tight, try to set aside just ten dollars each week in order to have a nice stash of cash in a few months.  Around the house, divide your cash in three or four different bundles.  If your kids are responsible and mature-ish, let them know the location of one of the stashes.  If there is ever a time when parents aren’t around, that money may help your kids survive in difficult circumstances.

Protect your cash from the elements as well as severe weather and natural disasters common to your area.  Just remember all your hiding places and save your money for true emergencies!

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by alancleaver_2000

Mike said, “That said, a statement like this just doesn’t make 100% sense. If our economy experiences hyperinflation or a complete meltdown shouldn’t I feel a bit like a fool for working my butt off the next six months to pay some credit card companies $2,000 when two years from now I might be able to sell a banana for $2,000 or if the credit card companies no longer even exist?”

Then Sierra Dave chimed in, “I chose having the food, debt be damned. Any argument otherwise is to leave you unprepared.”

There were a handful of comments who supported my position.  Master Po said, “Don’t fall for the idea that debt will disappear if TSHTF in the economy!! Unless our nation literally falls apart into a Mad Max world, I assure you someone somewhere WILL eventually come looking for repayment of that debt. And don’t be surprised if the full weight of law and government is behind them!”

image by MENE TEKEL

And Mary kind of stradles the fence, “Mike makes a point that I have pondered myself. From a stand point of my principles, I couldn’t do it, because I believe in making good on what I owe. For me, it’s my “word and credibility” that would keep me from taking on debt for tangibles and hoping the credit card companies wouldn’t be around to collect.  On the other hand, having a small amount of debt that I would still pay off, even if the dollar wasn’t worth as much probably wouldn’t bother me, after all, it would be the boat we were all in.”

So, this Survival Survey asks, “Where do you stand on debt in the face of a coming economic collapse, be it hyperinflation, deflation, whatever?  Do you rack up debt buying food and other supplies and not worry about paying off the debt?  Do you pay off all debt, except for maybe the mortgage, as quickly as possible?  What should you do about debt in today’s very uncertain world?”

Mike and Sierra Dave have made some very compelling points, and I’m considering making the minimum payment on that last bit of Visa debt this month!  What say you?

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by motoyen

In the current financial climate, many people are giving a lot of thought to how they should use their money. Some are happy to carry on as normal, but others may be interested in finding the best way to save or invest their money, and make it grow.

Choosing the right way to save or invest is important. When inflation is high, the interest rates available on most savings accounts won’t keep up with increasing prices – meaning that in real terms, your money would be losing value. That has led many people to consider other options, such as investing in gold.

Investing in gold has proved lucrative for a lot of people in recent years. But like any investment, it has its risks, and some people may prefer to stick with the safer (but potentially less rewarding) option of a savings account.

Why is buying gold so popular?

Throughout the ages, gold has been something of a ‘universal currency’. It’s held by almost every central bank in the world, and no matter what is going on in the global economy, it tends to keep a relatively high value. Most importantly, that value can grow. Someone who buys gold one year can often expect to sell it for significantly more in ten years’ time – or even the next year.

image by www.CourtneyCarmody.com/

Buying gold is not without its risks, though. In the short term, any market can be very volatile, meaning your investment could lose value from time to time. It’s also potentially prone to ‘bubbles’ in which the value increases quickly over time but then falls back significantly.

Could regular savings be a better option?

Most savings accounts can’t give you the kind of returns that buying gold could offer, but saving is still much more predictable and stable over time. Your money will almost certainly grow year-on-year, if only by a small amount. You don’t risk a sudden drop in value, and even though savings can technically ‘shrink’ when inflation is high, they will still obviously grow if you pay money into your savings account at a faster rate than inflation.

To put this into perspective, imagine inflation remains at 4% for a year (a relatively high rate): on $1,000 of savings, you’d simply need to make sure you added about another $40 that year to keep up. For 2% inflation (a more typical rate), you’d only need to pay in $20. And even if you didn’t, $1,000 of savings could still help a lot in a financial emergency.

Ultimately, buying gold and paying into a savings account are two completely different things. Buying gold is basically more suitable for experienced investors who can afford to potentially lose some of the value of their investment. But if you’re simply looking to save for a rainy day, or provide security for your family, a savings account is probably the best option.

Some things to keep in mind

You should only invest your money if you’re financially secure. Although saving can provide financial security in itself, it’s probably not possible if you’re already struggling financially – and it might not even be a good idea if you have debts to repay.

This was a guest article by Nicholas Boyle.

Given the choice of saving or repaying debt, you should firstly make sure you are comfortably covering your debt repayments, and then consider saving some of what’s left of your disposable income – you might decide it’s worth focusing on repaying your debt first, to minimise the amount of interest you pay in the long run.

<script src=”http://forms.aweber.com/form/38/473556438.js” type=”text/javascript”></script>

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

“Every woman should have at least two different ways she can earn money.”

Now that the economy has tightened up and many families are struggling to make ends meet, I appreciate the wisdom of this statement more than ever.  It’s the principle of having a back-up plan, a concept foreign to most people.

If you’re into preparedness, you’re putting this principle into action, perhaps without realizing it.  Your food storage is a back-up plan in case store-bought groceries ever become too expensive, difficult to access, or depleted.  The vegetables in your garden are a back-up plan if your food storage supplies run low.  (Back-up plans to your back-up plans are always a good idea.)

If you’re saving money, you’re already in the back-up-plan mode.  Suze Orman, like all financial advisers, has long stressed the importance of being debt free.  However, with the changes in our economy, she now says, “Save, save, save!”  Your savings are a back-up plan to a possible job loss.  If you’ve been buying gold and other precious metals, that’s a back-up plan to your cash savings!

There’s a vital need now more than ever to have a back-up plan to your source of income.  The past year or two has taught me that no job, no career field is truly safe anymore.  I’ve seen teachers and attorneys lose their jobs overnight.  The construction industry in our city is at an all-time low with its’ workers seeking jobs anywhere they can find them.  A seemingly stable career can end in a flash with a pink slip.  If that happened to you or your spouse, what would you do?  Do you have more than one way of (legally!) earning money?

photo by Judy Baxter

Alternative ways to earn money is one of the best back-up plans you could have.  My friend, Pat, who passed along the advice, is not only a 4th grade teacher but also a licensed masseuse.  Another friend runs a produce co-op and has learned how to design websites.  Women are amazingly creative, and SurvivalMoms will always figure out a way to provide whatever their families need.  SurvivalDads too, by the way!

Now is the perfect time to take stock of the interests, skills and knowledge you have.

• What talents do you have that, perhaps, have been neglected due to the busy-ness of your life?
• Is there a direct sales company you have long admired that offers quality products with a low start-up cost?
• Did you once, long ago, prepare for a career that was sidelined for one reason or another?
• Can one of your hobbies become a source of income?
• Have any of your closest friends said, “You should do that for a living!” or “You’d be so good as a _____!”?  Maybe it’s time to take their advice!
• Does your family participate in an activity or hobby that could be turned into a family business?
• Is there a partially-finished college degree in your background?  Could you dig up your transcripts, take a few classes, and complete it?
• What need do you see in your community that you have the ability or desire to fulfill?

Be creative and think way, way outside the box.  One of my friends decided to start a pizza delivery business to people living in the far outlying areas of her city.  Sure enough, she began collecting orders and spent her evenings driving long distances to the homes of hungry, pizza-craving customers!

The internet has opened an ever-expanding door for income opportunities, and most have the advantagesof having minimal or no start-up costs and being home-based.

It’s not boom time in America anymore, and who knows when, or if, our economy will truly recover.  A second or third source of income, however small, may be a back-up plan now but could someday become your primary career.

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by CP

If you could start a simple, home-based business today that would provide a product or service that might be in demand when the stuff hits the fan, what would it be?  Kiri asked this question a few weeks ago, and I thought it might be helpful for all of us to brainstorm answers together.  Here are a few ideas I had.

• Learn or improve upon your sewing skills and be able to sew and tailor clothing.  When times are tough, people have to make do with whatever they have and might appreciate the skills of a seamstress.
• Learn how to cut hair.  This might sound kind of crazy, but let’s face it.  No one wants to end up looking like a poster girl for the Greatest Depression.  Do you really want 5th graders in a Social Studies class fifty years from now exclaiming at the sight of your picture in their textbook, “People were really ugly back then!”?  Sooner or later, everybody is gonna need a haircut!
• If you have lots of land, consider developing a large plot dedicated to compost.  City dwellers might pay a pretty penny for some of that rich soil.
• Do you have a green thumb?  Raising seedlings for sale just might be the ticket to earning extra cash or for bartering.  If you’ve stocked up on heirloom seeds, or really any seeds, and know how to save seeds, you’re already a step ahead of everyone else.
• Warm, knitted socks and lap blankets for the winter would be great for both sale and barter.  Energy prices may skyrocket and moms will be desperate for ways to keep their homes and families warm.

I think Kiri is on the right track here.  Regardless of where the economy goes, either short-term or long-term, having one or more ways to earn extra money is a tremendous asset.

What products or services can you think of that a SurvivalMom could use to start a home-based business that would also be in demand in the future?

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by sirqitous

Q:  Will the prices of gold and silver go up or down?

A: The answer is BOTH.  What you need to see is the long-term trend and forget about the day to day, week to week NOISE.

If the governments of the world stop printing money, the price of precious metals will go down. However, in my opinion, there is way too much debt (both real and derivatives) to be paid off without printing money.

Q:  Regarding 90% silver coins versus 40% silver coins, would the 40% coins retain the same value in a bartering situation?  In other words, would it at least be valued at 40% of the price of silver?

A: I personally don’t like 40%.  You are adding another variable for people to remember, and forget!  For me, it’s easier to remember that coins minted in 1964 and prior are 90% silver.  It’s much harder for me to remember that coins from 1965-1970 (and only in half-dollars) are 40%.  Plus, the 40% halves have the “sandwich” look on the edge.  You can see the alloy.  When you look at a 90% coin, there is no ambiguity.  It’s solid in color.  This is only my opinion, but I don’t like the 40% coins.

Q:  What about stocking up on nickels?

A: I know James Rawles recommends buying nickels, and he may be absolutely right.  Personally, I don’t like nickels.  War nickels are silver, but even I have to look up their content from time to time because I don’t see them every day.  Imagine someone with no experience or reference materials trying to decide how much a nickel is worth.  I prefer easy – 90% silver is very straightforward.  Now if the nickel goes up in price, the coins may be good as an “investment”.  In a collapse scenario, I do not like them.  I very much respect Jim Rawles but would disagree with him here.

Q:  If there is an economic collapse, what will be used as money?

A: Food, bullets, water, cigarettes, and booze (I especially like the airplane-size booze bottles.).  Toilet paper, tools, fingernail clippers, etc.  Anything that would be hard to find in the event of a collapse.  Even diapers might be used as money.  Think creatively!

Q:  What’s the best form of precious metals in a collapse scenario?

A: Silver, those 90% silver dimes, quarters, halves, dollars, Silver Eagles, silver rounds – in that order, will be especially useful as a currency because they are all easily identifiable.  Everyone knows that a 1960 dime, for example, is 90% silver, and it has the denomination right on the face of the coin.   Fractional gold might also be a useful currency.

image by Le Petit Poulallier

Q:  What about sterling silver flatware?  Could it be used as currency?

A: Typically, sterling silver is marked as “.925” but not always.  The problem comes when trying to value the flatware.  Will people have a scale to accurately weigh the flatware?  When weighing the knives, how much of the flatware weight is the cement and rod in the handle?  In my opinion, convert the sterling flatware to silver rounds, Silver Eagles, etc., but know that when you convert flatware to silver coins, you will only be paid anywhere from 75-85% of the melt value for your flatware.  Our refiner, for example, gives us 86-88% of melt value for Sterling Silver flatware.  In addition, some refiners won’t accept less than 500+ ounces of Sterling, thus placing a lot of market risk on dealers.

Here is an interesting caveat though.  I have heard that the rich survived better during economic, social crises because of their silver flatware.  Supposedly, the silver’s medicinal qualities protected against a lot of diseases.  I personally want to research this more and am considering getting an old set of Sterling silver flatware to use as our main “silverware” just in case things go sideways.

Q:  How do I find a legitimate precious metals dealer?

A: Ask a few key questions.  How long have they been in business?  What is their reputation?  By the way, don’t bother with the Better Business Bureau because members get a good rating by paying them a fee.  Call local coin dealers and see what they have to say.  Compare prices and fees.  There are some really good online retailers and some really bad ones.

DISCLAIMER:  I am not a registered financial or investment adviser.  Please do your due diligence because I do not share in your gains, or your losses!  Research, research, research.

Everything state above is MY OPINION ONLY!  I recommend to all my customers – do your homework, constantly!!!!

© 2010 – 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

We live in a crazy, crazy world and one that doesn’t seem ready to return to normal any time soon.  In fact, we may never see “normal” again.  We’re told to pay off debt and save money at a time when unemployment is at historic highs in many parts of the country.  On top of that, Americans are being advised to venture into the previously unknown worlds of food storage and buying silver and gold.

I hope my blog and webinars will assist you in getting a handle on food storage, but when it comes to precious metals, I turned to Chris Slife, President of Howling Coyote Silver, for answers.  At one point, Chris was a high school teacher of history and economics, but ten years ago his interest in precious metals took a more serious turn.  He came to the conclusion that financial security lay in investments in silver and gold, specifically in the physical ownership of these metals.  Now he’s in the precious metals business full-time.

Several days ago, some of my Facebook readers posted questions for Chris to answer.  I’ll let him answer those questions in his own words.  Watch for his answers to additional questions coming up in Part 2.

Q:  How do I know what a real gold or silver coin looks like?

image by sirqitous

A: My best advice is to visit a local coin shop and purchase a 90% silver dime, quarter, and half dollar.  Compare those to their more modern counterparts.  Immediately, you will notice a difference.  Study the real coins, their appearance, and weight, and you’ll be ready to distinguish real silver coins from something less.

Weight is key for both gold and silver coins; they “feel” heavy.  It’s important to know the weight of the coin(s) that you are interested in.  Easy to download the info from the web.

Here is some information about specific silver coins that may be helpful.

Silver Rounds: Look for .999 and one troy ounce on the coin.  The advantage to these coins is that they have a cheaper premium but are less recognizable than other silver coins.

Silver Eagle:  Look for the date on the obverse (front), and look for “1 oz fine silver – One Dollar” on the reverse (back).  Silver Eagles are US currency and very recognizable, but they come with a  high premium.  All pure 1 oz silver coins should weigh 31.1g, or 1 oz.

Silver Coins:  also known as 90% silver.  The advantage to these coins is that they are U.S. currency, have a low premium, and are very recognizable.  These coins include pre-1965 quarters and dimes.  Their main disadvantage is that they are bulky, but then again, so is silver in general.  Other silver coins that I like are Silver Maples, Silver Philharmonics, and Perth Mint products.

Old Silver Dollars:  These are 90% silver.  I like them because they have a face value, and the Morgan dollar in particular, is easy to recognize.  They are .7734 oz. of silver.  I recommend buying only common date dollars.  1921 Morgans are very common.  There are many other common dates so do some research.  Go buy a common silver dollar and have them “ring” the coin for you.  A Morgan or Peace dollar has a distinctive “ring” to it.

image by motoyen

Q:  What about purchasing gold coins?

A: Three common gold coins you’ll find in most coin shops are the Gold Eagle, the Krugerrand, and the Maple Leaf.  Each has advantages and disadvantages for the buyer.

Gold Eagle:  22k, comes in 1, ½, ¼, and 1/10 oz. sizes.  Its main advantage is that it’s easily recognizable, but these come with very high premiums.

Krugerrand:  22k, usually seen in 1 oz size.  This coin usually has a low premium but isn’t as recognizable as an Eagle.

Maple Leaf:  24K, usually seen in 1 oz size.  Again, this coin usually has a low premium, but it’s not as recognizable as an Eagle, and it scratches easily.

Other commonly seen gold coins are the  Chinese Pandas, Austrian Philharmonics, Australian Nuggets; name brands gold bars are good as well (JM, Engelhard, Sunshine, Credit Suisse, RCM, Perth Mint, and Pamp)

Buy a Blue, or better yet, a Red Book of U.S. Coins.  Get the larger edition because you can see what the coins look like.

Q:  Will gold be confiscated again?

image by Velo Steve

A: The government can do anything it wants.  Or at least try!  We strongly feel that the “confiscation” fear is a red herring for unscrupulous dealers to sell over-priced coins.

By the way, during the 1930s, people who had their coins confiscated kept them in bank “safety” deposit boxes!!!!!  (Read that one again and again…..)

Q:  Is gold and silver an investment, or insurance, or both?

A: I recommend buying gold to people who have a large amount of “paper” assets that need to be hedged.  If you have all your assets denominated in dollars, Euros, et cetera, and the currencies get devalued, so do your “assets”.  Gold will keep your purchasing power stable in the event of a currency crisis.

(Disclaimer: I am unable to give specific advice as to any specific dollar amounts since I am not a registered financial advisor.)  Conclusion, gold is an insurance policy against currency devaluation and general economic malaise.  If the economy breaks down, like I said before, I would prefer 90% silver.

image by kevindooley

Now, if I were looking at gold and silver as an investment, I would lean towards silver or gold and silver stocks.  I think the upside for silver and gold and silver stocks is great.

By the way, when I talk about gold and silver, I am referring to physical gold or silver unless stated otherwise.

Finally, here’s a piece of good advice.  Go out and buy Michael Maloney’s Guide to Investing in Precious Metals. It is a great place to start your education.

DISCLAIMER:  I am not a registered financial or investment advisor.  Please do your due diligence because I do not share in your gains, or your losses!  Research, research, research….

Everything state above is MY OPINION ONLY!  I recommend to all my customers – do your homework, constantly!!!!

© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

I’ll bet you think I was born knowing all about blogging.  You probably think that putting this blog together was a piece of cake and that I did it blindfolded.  No?  Well, you’re right!  In the early days of this blog, circa June, 2009, I would actually sit and cry in frustration.  I felt so stupid.  And old.  On blogging forums it seemed that the oldest person there was 24, and they all spoke a common language I didn’t understand.

Eventually, I found my way to Problogger, and that was my salvation.  I picked up on a bit of terminology — SEO, ‘above the fold’, pageviews, backlinks, and so on, and after a while I felt worthy of the name, ‘blogger’!  Darren Rowse, the head guru at Problogger, put together simple steps that help me understand how to organize my blog and, importantly, how to earn money with a blog.  Yes, I actually earn money each month!

A blog is an ideal home-based business because you can write on any topic under the sun, anywhere, anytime, and the sky’s the limit.  In the blogosphere, no one has to know your age, what you look like, or whether or not you graduated at the top of your class, or at the bottom.  I’ve seen successful blogs that focus on something as narrow as laundry and as broad as travel.  A blog is where you can let your own personality and life experiences shine.  You can write at odd times of the day, you can share your own photos and artwork, your blog can be very personal or you can write under a pseudonym.  Not all blogs are centered around long, wordy articles.  Some contain only tried-and-true recipes or Top Ten Lists or unusual photos.  It’s your own creation.

Here are three tips I’ve learned for getting started.

1. Choose a blog topic that will hold your interest for at least a year.  Many professional bloggers say that it will take at least three years to become a success, and you don’t want to run out of steam four months in.
2. Plan on spending hours and hours each week becoming educated in all the facets of blogging.  There’s a lot more to it than just writing a few paragraphs every once in a while. A second good resource for you is Copyblogger.
3. Let your voice be heard.  Your unique personality will set your blog apart from all the others.

If you’d like to attend what I call “Blogging University”, Darren Rowse’s e-book, 31 Days to Build a Better Blog gives step-by-step instructions for creating a blog you’ll be proud of.  I have to admit, it took me five years to get my Bachelor’s Degree, so I’m sort of doing the ’310 Days…’ version of Darren’s book.  I’ve been so impressed with Darren and the quality of information I’ve found on his blog and his related forum, ProBlogger Community, that I became an affiliate.  In other words, I earn a bit of a commission when someone purchases Darren’s book through my blog.

Look, if I can start a successful blog at the age of 49, anyone can do it!  I don’t know hi-tech from nothin’ and yet, here I am.  Don’t be surprised if it takes a couple of different blogs or different versions of the same blog for you to find your groove.  My own blog went through about five different styles before I landed on this current theme, and wouldn’t you know, I’m getting ready to make some changes again!

Adding another stream of income is so important, and establishing a money-earning blog just might work for you.

© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Dam those outgoing streams

More and more I’ve come to realize that the secret to surviving an economic collapse is twofold.  First, decrease your expenses as much as possible, and second, find ways to bring in more income.

If you use your debit card for most expenses, it’s easy to track where your money goes.  Go to your bank’s website, log in, and scroll through two or three months worth of your banking records.  No doubt your search will dig up numerous expenses that are unnecessary and even wasteful.

When I did this, I discovered we were paying $14.95 each month for some credit report service I had forgotten to cancel and that my third-grader had signed up for an expensive game on a cell phone.  Both services were canceled on the spot.

Our Direct TV was scheduled to double in price, following a year at an introductory price, and I put my foot down.  “This is ridiculous!  I refuse to pay $100 a month for TV!”  We dropped that service, bought an HD antenna from Denny’s Antenna Service and now we pay nothing, plus we don’t get 500 channels anymore with absolutely nothing worth watching!  When there’s something we absolutely have to watch, we tune in to hulu.com.

image by www.CourtneyCarmody.com/

I’ve been surprised by how easy it is to let go of things we once thought were necessities.  When we’ve faced lean months, it’s been nice knowing that our expenses are pared down as well.

Get those streams flowing

Cutting out unnecessary expenses will probably not be enough to make life financially comfortable during tight times.  In fact, many families have already eliminated every possible extra and are still struggling.  The second piece of financial survival, then, is developing other streams of income.  This is key.

To use an example from nature, streams come in all sizes and from all directions.  Sometimes they dwindle down to a mere trickle only to become a roaring river further downstream.  Eventually, many streams empty themselves in a much larger body of water.  Think of that body of water as your bank account, and all those little streams as income from a multitude of sources such as Craigslist, eBay, tutoring, selling homemade crafts, etc.  Fifty bucks here, $230 there, and pretty soon you’re talking about some real money.

With multiple income streams, you have a bit of insurance in case some of your tutoring students drop out, for example, or your hand-knitted bun warmers aren’t selling.  If nothing else, we have all learned hard lessons about the unpredictability of our economy and the wisdom of having a back-up to the back-up.  Each stream of income is a back-up to the others.

Sure, a traditional 40 hour a week job will bring in steady and significant income, but when those are hard to come by, a bit of creativity and hard work can pay some nice dividends.  Traditional part-time jobs are an option, but they tend to be low-paying with inflexible hours.  Fortunately, there are many, many ways to earn money, earn better than minimum wage, and do it on a schedule that is helpful to your family’s lifestyle, not a  hindrance.

Meet a need, provide a want

Each stream of income starts with determining a need or a want and figuring out how your unique set of skills and knowledge can meet them.  Consider this.  People want to know:

• how to save money
• how to become more attractive
• how to be smarter
• how to feel special
• how to earn money
• how not to be afraid (of buying a car, making a decision, of homeschooling, etc.)
• how to be safe (physically, financially, emotionally)

Tap into one or more of these, and you may have the start of a successful business, or two, or three! 

What skill or knowledge do you possess that would meet one or more of these needs and desires?  Are you an expert at couponing?  Have you helped your family become debt free?  Are you one of those shoppers who can find amazing bargains anywhere?  There are moms out there desperate for that information and expertise.

What experiences do you have that would provide guidance and reassurance to someone’s fears?  Have you been a long-time homeschooler?  Are you an auto mechanic who could give tips on what to look for when buying a used car?

Make a list of everything you know how to do and your areas of expertise.  Include hobbies and skills that maybe you take for granted.

Get ready to take the plunge

From this point, you have the seed for an online business, a person-to-person real life business, or both.  Both is best.  Why?  Because putting a skill or knowledge into real-life practice polishes those skills and helps you build on them, but having a website or blog that teaches how to do what you know how to do (whew!) reaches a vastly larger audience.

If you decide that an online business is something you want to pursue, decide if a website or blog best suits your purposes.  A website is generally composed of static pages that rarely change.  You post information, product photos, perhaps, some ads, and that’s it.  A blog is livelier with new information every few days.  Many companies have both a blog and a website.

Let’s use the example of Carolyn who knows how to can everything from fresh salmon to lentils.  Her pantry is full to the brim of her home-canned goods, and she decides to take this skill and put it to work.  Carolyn can approach food co-ops, churches, moms groups, even her county extension office to see where she might begin to teach classes.  With a bit of local advertising and emails to friends and family in the area, she’s ready to begin.  If her classes are helpful and interesting, word will spread and she’ll have other teaching opportunities.  People will pay good money to learn something new.

Carolyn can easily put her knowledge of canning on the internet.  She’ll need a website to call her own and some time to put her blog or website together, but once it’s finished, it can also be a source of income.  An inexpensive video camera can record segments of her live classes or short demos in her own home.  Posted on her site and YouTube, they are sure to draw visitors.

To whoever invented the internet, thank you!!

image by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

I’m no expert when it comes to building a website or blog, but here are some tips for creating an online presence and income that have worked for me.

1. Decide on a domain name for your site.  I purchased mine from GoDaddy but there are many other companies that offer the same service.
2. Create a website or blog to tell others what you have to offer.  A website that teaches, for example, canning using step-by-step instructions, with photos and videos will soon attract visitors.  If you know how to weld, do the same thing.  People want to learn new skills.  Smart people want to learn practical skills.
3. If putting a website together is 100% foreign to you (it was to me!), there are tutorials and websites galore.  Only go out and buy a how-to book if you absolutely must have a hard copy in your hands.  There are many smart people whose online business is teaching others how to create websites and online businesses!  Go figure!
4. Two sites that have taught me the most about how to create a successful blog are Copyblogger and Problogger.  Prepare to learn a lot from these guys!  Even if your goal is a website and not a blog, you will still learn oodles from them.  Darren Rowse’s book 31 Days to Build a Better Blog should be required reading for every new blogger.  (Note: I’m an affiliate, but have been a loyal follower of Darren’s since the earliest days of my blog.)
5. Keep it simple.  You can always add fancy doo-dads to your site later.  If your website is too cluttered, people will immediately look for another one.
6. Look for affiliate programs that have products related to your area of expertise.  Amazon is popular, Google AdSense is popular, and there are many, many others.  Commission Junction, LinkShare and Clickbooth are three affiliate networks recommended by bloggers that I know.
7. Work hard.  Whether you’re establishing a real-life business or something online, it requires hard work.  I spent hours and hours putting together TheSurvivalMom.
8. Once your website or blog is established, it may attract advertisers who want to place their ad somewhere on your site.  Every dollar, whether from an affiliate program or a direct advertiser, counts.

Can one of these side income sources become a roaring river?  Yes!  I have developed two side businesses in my lifetime, and in both cases they began bringing in more income than my original traditional job.  Gradually, I phased out the traditional jobs and set my full-time focus on developing that secondary stream of income.  Eventually, those became major sources of income.

Going back to my stream analogy, every stream is worth developing.  A busy eBay business may slow to a trickle and dry up temporarily while a steady income from algebra tutoring sessions may become overwhelmingly busy.  Develop each stream, one at a time.  Determine which, if any, can also become an online business, and go for it!

© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.