THE GOAL PATROL | THE FINANCIAL HACK

Creating multiple streams of income without wearing yourself out can be quite tricky, especially if obligations such as family, school or even your nine to five job take priority. The goal is to find what is easy and convenient… FOR YOU. Here are a few examples of Multiple Streams of Income that I recommend.

Open an eBay Store: Unlike your classic brick and mortar places of business, your eBay store is a virtual brick and mortar store (minus the overhead.) Just think. There are no costs for leasing space. No utilities. No hassle of hiring employees or having set operating hours. An eBay store allows you the luxury of making money on your own time and on your own terms. If you’re looking for inventory, start by shopping your closet. In my 13 years experience with eBay, I find that new/gently used shoes/handbags/accessories and perfumes are quite popular. Certain books and children’s clothing are popular as well. You can choose to auction your items or sell them outright at a set price (Buy It Now.) Here’s the catch: If you wish to be successful at your eBay store, you must keep inventory in stock at all times (even if it’s just a few items) and a variety of items is preferred. Be mindful of the pricing of your items. Your item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
Find something you enjoy doing, or are good at… AND FIND A WAY TO MAKE MONEY DOING IT: Are you bilingual? Offer private lessons, or consider teaching an ESL class. Good in Math? Consider becoming a Math Tutor. Are you a “techie?” You’d be surprised how many people would rather NOT install Windows on their computer or do the simplest of troubleshooting when it comes to their computers. That’s where you come in. Do you enjoy exercising, working out and eating healthy? Consider becoming a Personal Trainer. Can you play the guitar, piano or other instrument? Same applies. Do you love animals? Consider dog sitting or becoming a dog walker. Babysitting is very popular among teenaged/college females. Signing with an agency would guarantee you hours and if you’re good at it, word of mouth is the best referral. Catch my drift? These are just a few examples of skills you can tap into to make extra money.
Write a Book: Years ago before the age of the Kindle and e-books, self-publishing was the most cost efficient way to get your book to the masses. Now, all you need is the manuscript, a good editor (or editing software) and VOILA! Your book is available as a Kindle e-book for $5.99. That isn’t so bad if you’ve sold 2000 units and counting! NOTE: Freelance writing isn’t off limits either. It may take a while to find one, but there are some publications who will PAY for your article submissions so keep your writing skills sharp.
Become a Substitute Teacher or a Realtor : If your schedule allows, become a substitute teacher. Subbing one day a week could generate an additional $200-$300 monthly depending on whether you hold a college degree or are certified by the state to teach. Also, with the housing market bouncing-back, real estate can be an effective income producer. I’m a licensed Real Estate Broker and it’s always good to have my license to fall back on if necessary. NOW IF ALL ELSE FAILS…..
Get a Part-Time Job: As much as I hated working part-time jobs in my life, I did it any way because I had to. In high school I worked for a popular fast food chain, in college I worked at a gas station (not as a mechanic lol,) I’ve worked for a grocery chain, I’ve worked making copies at night for a law firm (through a temp agency) you name it, I’ve probably done it. I can recall working a nine to five, driving home, grabbing a quick bite to eat, then heading to my six to ten (or six to later depending on where I was working.) Retail is ALWAYS available, video stores were once popular (until Redbox and Netflix dominated,) and let’s not forget fast food restaurants. For many, fast food is the absolute last resort, but if there were nothing else and you really needed the income, you’d take it. If you just can’t fathom working in fast food, consider Starbucks which offers its employees (even its part time employees) health insurance. There are many people working there just for the health benefits.

So as you can see, there are many ways to generate multiple streams of income. It all depends on your area of expertise as well as your flexibility. Don’t rely on just one stream of income, if possible, have SEVERAL STREAMS because they all have one common denominator; Getting you one step closer to reaching your financial goals. GOAL AFTER IT!!! They aren’t called “Multiple Streams of Income” for nothing.

Circa 2013: My FIRST 1/2 Marathon Race Medal from the DRC Half (Nov 2013). This medal was 13 HALF marathons and one FULL marathon ago. It all ended in May 2015 after a visit from a sports doctor revealed I had CMP (Chondromalacia Patella) which simply means over my 20+ years of constant exercise and 18months of marathon running, I managed to wear down the cartilage in both knees (mostly my right knee) causing excruciating pain if overused. Anti-inflammatory medication is necessary and can takes weeks to heal. I retired my running shoes three days before my 44th birthday.

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I was depressed for a couple of months knowing that which I had grown to love, I could no longer do. The air in my lungs on those cold morning runs alone. My thoughts free floating and as light as my stride. Yep. Those days are gone, but the memories remain. I accomplished some tremendous goals while running although I didn’t accomplish them all. One goal I set was to run a half marathon in all 50 states. At the time of my retirement, I had only run in three (TX, OK, IL) however all three were in an 18 month period. Wow. I accumulated all those medals in a year and a half! One of my BIGGEST accomplishments as a runner was running a full marathon (26.2mi) within 6mos of beginning my running career. That was a goal I set for myself. I ran two 5K races four half marathon races and went straight for a full marathon. Some asked me how did I do it when some people train for months at a time. I just knew I could do it. The race itself took me 5 hours to complete, but making good time was not my goal. FINISHING was. Running pushed me to set and achieve goals I never thought I would or could do. This spoke volumes in my life then and now. I can do what I set my mind to… AND YOU CAN TOO! I may not be an active runner anymore, but running will always be in me and a part of me.