We both work...but we still need more money! What are some ways we can earn extra cash?
Before you take on that second job, make sure the money you have is working as hard for you as you do for it. Tweak your savings accounts and investments to max out your return, like with a high-interest savings account or CD. You're not going to make thousands of dollars in a month or two -- it'll be a slow and steady gain, but one you can count on. Other sure moneymakers are money market accounts, savings bonds, and government-sponsored T-bills bought and sold at auction through the Internet. All of these options have time variables -- a six-month CD might earn you 4.59 percent, while a year commitment will net 4.85 percent. It just depends on when you want to access that extra cash.
Also, try to find extra cash that you already have. Monitor your spending for one month. You may be surprised to learn that you actually have more money than you think -- you're just spending it here and there (think coffees, lunches, and impulse buys) without even knowing it.
Once you figure out where your money is going, you can put yourself on a budget that should leave you with more cash each month. If you've already taken these steps and you still can't come up with any extra dough, then the solution would be to bring in more money. But, please, don't try any too-good-to-be-true, get-rich-quick schemes. If your job pays by the hour, you can give your income a significant boost by working just one additional hour a day, five times a week. At $8 per hour, that will leave you $2,080 richer by the end of the year! If you're a salaried worker, consider whether it's time to ask for a raise. If you've put in the hard work to back it up, negotiating for a salary increase each year is acceptable and even expected in most instances. And, if you're like most Americans, you have a big, fat, four-figure tax rebate coming your way. Be sure you make the most of that money too!
>> More Money Q&A with Jean Chatzky
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Jean Chatzky is a money coach and the financial editor for the Today show. She is the the author of of five books including the upcoming Make Money Not Excuses: Wake Up, Take Charge and Overcome Your Financial Fears Forever.
>> Buy it now
>> Check out her website, jeanchatzky.com
by The Nest Editors
7/1/08
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