Keep Your Money to Yourself Part 3: Supplement Your Income

February 14th, 2008 • Related • Filed Under • by erica

When trying to increase your cash flow and thereby keep your money to yourself, it is important to find ways that can supplement your income without having to spend too much time or effort on your part. Not only does this help ease the burden in troubled times, but it is very satisfying to watch your bank account increase little by little every day. This third article in its four part series focuses strictly on eight things you can do to supplement your income.

Affiliate Programs: I mentioned Affiliate Programs in Part 2 of this series, and I am revisiting this issue because of its effectiveness. You see, even though having affiliate links on your website can save you money, it can also supplement your income when your customers, family and friends shop through your website. The best part about being an affiliate is that you are able to find out first what discounts an affiliate company is offering. By placing linked coupons on your website, your website will soon become the place where your acquaintances will look first for the best deals, thus supplementing your income when your affiliates pay you a commission. A few excellent choices are Commission Junction, Affiliate Showcase, and ClickBank.

Google AdSense: For anyone running a website or blog who does not want to go to the trouble of searching for and picking out affiliates, then Google AdSense is the perfect solution. When you sign up, you go through a three step process to create an HTML that you then paste on your website or blog. Google AdSense then reads the tags you create for your site and posts related ads that it changes constantly. It’s a sweat free way to make extra money that takes you less then a half hour to set up.

Blogging: Whether you own a business or are just looking to make some extra cash, a blog can actually help you achieve both goals. By writing something interesting and informative, you can build up a loyal readership that can easily turn into a clientele. Post some affiliate banners or ads from Google AdSense on your blog pages, and soon you will be adding bit by bit to your bank account, plus building your expertise and credibility among your “fans.” Check out HubPages or WordPress for a few places to get started blogging for free.

Freelance Writing: By occasionally writing articles for websites like Helium or Constant Content, you will be able to supplement your income a little at a time. Both companies sell articles to other websites giving you cash in your pocket as well as giving you a chance to become an expert in your field. Post links to your articles on your websites and your colleagues will soon believe you are an expert and look to you first for advice on shopping.

Surveys: If you have very little time to create a supplemental income, then I recommend you try filling out surveys. They are delivered to your e-mail inbox and you fill them out on your own time. (Just be sure to create a new e-mail to receive these offers or you will soon be inundated.) MyPoints has many wonderful survey offers which they give you points for, and those points can be turned in for gift certificates. Also check out Cash Crate for a plethora of offers that will net you cash fast.

Secret Shopping: Secret Shopping is a valuable tool to many businesses when they want to know exactly how customer-oriented their employees are. Obviously, when they watch their own employees to decipher this information, an employee is going to be on their best behavior. Many companies hire Secret Shopping Companies to gather this information on the sly. When you apply for these assignments, you are given a time frame, a scenario to play out, and a target to watch and review. You complete the project in your free time and then fill out a survey later. The Secret Shopping Company pays you once a month (usually the month after you complete the shop). Just be sure to NEVER PAY to become a secret shopper, as making you pay is a common Secret Shopping Scam. I’ve worked with SG Marketing, Bare International and Shop N Chek in the past, and all three have paid when they said they would. Also, check out this thorough list at Moms Wallet for other companies.

Online Auctions: Whether you are looking to sell a business product or something from your home, online auctions are a great way to move your items without spending a lot of time or effort to get the best price for your goods. Sign up for a free eBay account and you will soon be moving your product without investing much of your own capital. If you do go this route, be sure to always respond quickly to any comments and to do your best to keep your ratings up. By doing so, you will make more sales since ratings give people a sense of confidence in you and your products.

Use a Card that Offers Cash back Bonuses: Although I brought up getting a rewards card in Part 1 of this series, it bears mentioning again. A rewards credit card is always a better decision then a regular credit card since you can receive annual cash bonuses. Discover, Citibank and Chase all offer low interest cards that have no annual fees, plus you can cash in any time of year.

Be sure to check out the first two articles in this series (Cut Your Expenses and Get the Best Deals). Also, come back next week for the final article on strategies for increasing your income.