Trent at The Simple Dollar posted about this yesterday and it started me thinking. How can I diversify my income? Where are places where I can make a little or a lot?

Since I was 13, I’ve been sewing clothes. I’ve made 4 Civil War era gowns (one done from an authentic pattern to its specifications and 3 done from modern patterns), 2 wedding dresses, 1 bridesmaid dress, other dresses, little summer outfits, pants, tunics, lots of stuff. Lately I’ve been focusing more on quilting, because I like it better. It suddenly hit me, however, that I could augment my income by taking in some sewing, as they used to say.

A helpful poster on TSD suggested that I advertise my services on Craigslist. Today’s been very busy at work, but tomorrow or this weekend I’ll definitely get around to that. I also need to practice my skills on altering. I can do simpler things like hems, but when it comes to altering something commercial, I need to learn more. Last year I found a $1 book at a library sale which lays it out. And a good friend got me a whole pattern-designing book/CD-ROM as a wedding/graduation present.

I experimented with ads a bit on here, but I think I’m going to take them off. Doesn’t seem worth it unless I had much higher traffic. Also, I can’t control what’s being advertised, which bothers me. If, say, I was a well-known blogger then I could get someone like ING to advertise on my site-instead of steroid stores. I mean, what the crap? Steroids?

Instead, I’m looking into something where I could post reviews or somesuch periodically (say, weekly?) and be paid to post.

I’ve been looking at PayPerPost. But I’ll have had to be on here 90 days. That would be in early November. So look for such content around that time. I definitely don’t intend to do it more than twice a week, probably only once. And if I do it twice, I’ll probably have my own entries that day too. Because I don’t want to be a corporate shill and I don’t want this blog to be about that.

But since the blog is about finance and it’s a legitimate way to earn some money and we need money to pay off our debts or save for retirement…(see how I’m justifying it to myself?) I’m going to do it. As long as I can find relevant things to write about. Like finance.


{ 7 comments }

Tammy B. September 20, 2007 at 6:49 pm

Hello!! Thanks for stopping by my blog last week. My aunt writes product reviews for http://www.associatedcontent.com. and gets paid about $25 for each article, I believe. You might want to check them out!

Mrs. Micah September 20, 2007 at 6:52 pm

Thanks, Tammy!

Kyle September 20, 2007 at 9:16 pm

Best of luck coming up with another source of income, when I was in CC debt I picked up a 2nd job at the home depot to help pay it off and it helped quite a bit. Hang in there, You will find something! Nice blog as well.

Anonymous September 20, 2007 at 10:18 pm

I worked 2 and 3 jobs at a time. I slept in between jobs. This helped pay off considerable debt I owed. You could also advertise sewing in the newspaper. You could repair or alter clothes. You could also get a small business loan and open up a shop. There are a few that do alterations, custom sewing and dry cleaning all in one. You could also sell gowns on E-bay. You could do babysitting, yard work and help elderly people ect.. if you wish. There are all kinds of things you could do. Good luck. Annette P.S. I worked an office job when I was younger. Then I worked at a resteraunt at night. They even gave me a free dinner…

Anonymous September 21, 2007 at 2:44 am

I really like your other sight too. One good way to deal with people is integrity. We have to know how to exercise it. It wins over honesty due to not everyone will agree on everything. It is a good thing to study. I learned about it in college. Good luck!! Annette

CatherineL September 21, 2007 at 1:11 pm

Hi there. I noticed there is also a site called review me, and they pay up to $400 per review. It may be worth you checking it out.

Hilda September 21, 2007 at 6:06 pm

I’ve been looking for ways to augment my income too. I’m not as skilled as you are so I just look around the house for something I can sell on-line.

Hey, maybe you can contact your local dry cleaners and see if they need someone to do minor alterations.

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