Learn How To Make Lots Of Money While Working A Four-Hour Work Week

Have you heard of the 4 hour work week? Of course, I mean a 4 hour work week where you still make a lot of money. Doesn't that sound good? If you only worked four hours a week, you could travel, volunteer, do anything you want the rest of the week. But exactly how does one get to the point where you can do this?

Well, right off the bat, I know it sounds like a gimmick, but it is not. It takes a lot of work. And you have to have the desire and stick-to-it-ness to do it. And it probably involves using the internet, but if you are reading this post, you are already familiar with the internet and more than likely could use it in a business or to create a business.

It involves finding a niche and leveraging your skills to make money. You can be a freelance writer, blogger, computer programmer, a whole bunch of things. Then you have to work hard and maybe collaborate with some folks. Join some forums and read up on how to make money on the internet. Once you get started, then you can build up your business. When you reach a certain level of success, you can then start to outsource some of the tasks. That is how you get your business better and better and then start working less and less, as you outsource more.

It is also good to interact with folks of like mind, who also want to succeed in this way. That way you can ask questions and get new ideas, and maybe find one mentor or more. You can start learning all of this from such sites as Project Getaway, which is designed to bring entrepreneurs together in exotic locations to succeed in business while designing a four hour work week type life/work balance. You can become a member of the Project Getaway forum, and get right into the game.

The other good part is that you can do some of these internet businesses with little or no upfront cash. Just get in there and do it. Find out how on the forum.

What a great way to get out of debt and make lots of money for the future. And have fun too.

Savings At The Thermostat

I was listening to an energy show on the radio this afternoon, and they wre talking about how to save on heating costs. One way was through the thermostat. They said the control should be set at 68 degrees in the winter. Even one or two degrees over that can make your heating bill go up one or two percent. This winter, I have been keeping it at 70, so I have been losing a little money there. I am setting it back to 68 this afternoon.

Debt Fast Sounds Like A Great Idea

It is still January and there is still time to make New Year's resolutions. I am going to reaffirm that I am going to save money and pay off debt. Cut back. Simplify. Enjoy small things. Free things.

This coming after I just got back from a very expensive vacation. But I am hoping the vacay fits into my freelance way of life and isn't money ill spent. Plus, I had a great time.

But now that I am back, it is time to settle down. I need to spend time at home with my critters, simplify, smell the roses, so to speak. Save money, Invest. I have to to if I want to do well in the future. First things frist: Get rid of the debt.

Here is a great article on how someone paid off $18,000 in a year by going on a debt diet.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/14/pf/anna_newell_jones/index.htm

Lost In The Casino

I just got off the cruise ship and am taking a moment to reflect on my vacation. It was a wonderful trip to the Caribbean. I heard lots of good music, saw some good friends, made some new ones, and relaxed and caught up on my sleep. I spend too much money on the cruise itself. Even though cruises can be a bargain, this one is not. But the extra money I spent is worth it, I believe. This is my third year to go and hope to go again in the future. I justify it because it seems to me that I would end up paying just as much if I were going to all the islands individually. Oh well, at least I am trying to justify it. I think in the long run, the money will be worth it.

One thing though, I went to the casino last night. I only play slots and only the low baller slots at that. At one point, I had one $164, which is a lot for me. I should have cashed out. You know what they say--pigs get slaughtered, and I lost $80. So I feel blue about that today. Just can't afford to lose $80 like that. Funny, I also like to play bingo, but there were no games onboard. People laugh at bingo and say it is only for old people. I kind of like it, but admit I wouldn't want to play everyday. I might look for some bingo sites and play myself. Might be fun.

Buying Business Supplies Cheaply

At work, we are always on the lookout for deals on office supplies. That is probably not unusual, especially in this day and age. We buy our business checks, pens, paper, printer ink, etc., and we seem to run those items like crazy. We have our suppliers, but they are not always the cheapest, so we might start looking online. Of course, quality and prompt service are also considerations, not just price. But now that companies are more competitive, I am sure we can find better prices, along with quality and fast service without any problem.

In business or personal life, every little penny adds up. So it is good to look for ways to cut costs on such things as supplies, so you don't have to cut costs by laying people off; or in personal life, doing without things you want or need. I am trying as hard as I can to find ways to trim fat here and there (including my waist line!).

Depressed: Just Checked My Credit Scores

I am totally bummed and shocked. I just checked my credit scores and they are pretty low. I have been credit challened for some time, so on one level I shouldn't be shocked. But I have been diligent in paying my bills, and my balances have really gone down. So why are my scores lower than they were the last time I checked?

I am on payment plans, and on several of my accounts, I am very close to having my balances down to my credit limit. Which is really good, as opposed to being way above credit limits. So what is wrong? I apparently was late on one payment recently. But that is enough to bring my scores down from average to fair or poor? Give me a break! I know the credit scores have been tightened, but this is unreal. Hopefully, the scores will go up a little in a few months.

Confessions Of A Shopaholic Review

I had wanted to go see the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic, but it came and went from the theater before I could see it. And then I forgot about it. Now I am visiting my sister in Boston, and we always watch movies. And it was on today! So we watched it.

To start off, it was very good. The story is about a young woman who is right out of college and a shopaholic and up to ears in debt. She gets a job at a finance magazine and finds a niche as a columnist, writing about personal finance. She is also being hounded by a debt collector for her $9000+ of debt to a department store.

She learns to write about finance at warp speed and gets quite a following. She falls in love with the editor, and has to keep evading the debt collector.

As things usually happen, everything comes to a head in a bad way. She gets exposed by the debt collector during a live TV interview, and she accidentally gives away her bridesmaid dress for her roommate's wedding. Her boss, her love interest, who also is falling for her becomes disillusioned when he finds out she has been lying to him about her personal problems.

But not is all lost: She sells all of her designer clothes and bags and pays off her debt. She gets her bridesmaid dress back and is able to be in the wedding at the last minute after all. Her boss buys the magazine company, and she gets her job back.

It is a very good movie. There is only a couple of realtiy problems. One, the movie makes a big deal about how could she write about personal finance when her own finances are in such a mess. Well, it happens all the time. You don't need to be debt free to be able to write about what you should do. As a matter of fact, writers can be very knowledgeable in many areas in which they themselves dont excel.

Also, there is a slight problem about the movie's handling of the debt collector. The Fair Debt Collections Act would never allow a debt collector to show up at your house or humiliate a debtor on national TV. Can you say LAWSUIT??? Well, it does make for a good movie though. Very entertaining, and many people would be able to relate to her situation and the feelings of shame that accompany an out of control spending habit.