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EPISODE 27 ~ MAKE MORE: Freelance Writing: Use Your Words As A Side Hustle Or Permanent Job

This time we’re talking about being a freelance writer.  This can be a profitable and satisfying full-time job or side hustle.  And just think of all of the companies that need things written, from blog posts to articles, grants to technical manuals.  My guest is Charles Silberman, a teacher by day and writer by night.

You’re really entrepreneurial and have also created some online courses.  THat’s a bonus we’ll get into later.  But first, tell us about your day job to set the scene.

I’m a PE teacher in Maryland.  I teach physical education in Montgomery County Maryland.  I teach ages 3 – 12.  I like it because I can make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of youth at a foundational level.  I wanted to branch out because I love writing, had been doing it for my profession for free for some time, and I knew I wanted to monetize it because being a teacher does not pay that great and comes with debt. 

Why did you choose writing as your side hustle?

It’s easy for me because I can sit down and right a high quality piece in a short period of time.  For me it’s easy. If you do something you truly love and have a passion for it will be easy to do the work. The hard part if you don’t know how to be an entrepreneur. While it has been easy to make the money, it’s not a get rich quick scheme. If you have expectations that you will make money on the very first day, it’s not like that.

Have you always been a good writer?

No!  I went from being diagnosed dyslexic in high school —I am not- my writing was that bad— to remedial writing classes and one-on-one help doing basic worksheets on things like subject-verb agreement to where I am now.  I overcame great personal odds in my youth that I was lucky to turn into something I am now doing well at.  As a famous song says, “Teach The Children Well.” Give them something they can grow by or something to that effect. But, obstacles are not to be seen as a moat that can not be crossed either.  I want to inspire people, I guess is what I am saying.

Some of your writing projects have been in line with your training as a teacher.  Was that synchronicity nice?

•I contribute to a blog for international PE equipment company. It’s amazing.

•An app company needed 50 reviews of educational apps. I used each app and wrote a detailed review for it. They put those 50 reviews in their app so that the reviews I wrote showed up on educational apps with my name on the byline. It was an exciting moment.

There is a variety of writing work available.  One of our steadiest writing jobs is for a criminal lawyer.  What do you do for him?

My first long-term client, who still remains faithful, is a criminal lawyer. I have done pages upon pages of content for him. Many were on topics I knew nothing about like forensic science and ballistics, which forced me to grow. What was interesting was that the first set of articles had to do with car accidents, and I had been in a significant accident, so I was able to write from a very personal level.

You have even gotten paid to write poetry, right?

My first favorite project was for a person who wanted to start a poetry site that I helped write poetry for.  I cannot count how many I have written, but I enjoy it so much.

And writing for clients on Fiverr lead to other things, right?

I am doing great now, but the confidence I gained going through this process, and the things I have taken risks to do are tremendous because of small success along the way early on and with the help of a mentor.  In addition, much of what I have learned, I have been able to apply right back to my field, including using the platform that helped me get started – Fiverr and what I earn there – to fund many projects that are related to my work.  I have turned that into a now growing platform of things. I’ve created 4 online courses.  And I have an online store as well as my presentations and greater projects coming in the pipeline. Things I get paid for! Things snowball, and where you start is not where you finish. 

I guess even your online courses involve writing?  How did you create them?  And how do you market them?

I wrote the majority of the content for 4 online courses that I created.  They are going really well.  I just presented at a big (400) person PE conference on two topics that relate to my course. And because of my presenting at this conference, I am helping create an activity pack where I was given free equipment, and am working on a 25-page document for this company to create activities using that equipment.  And if it all works out, I could get a share of sales of that.  I’ve now got two websites that bring in revenue too.  writeguy4us.com and newphysicaleducator.com.

What has the extra money meant to you and your life?

I am single. As a teacher it has given me extra money to save. To not feel like I am living paycheck to paycheck. Helped me with student loans. Helped me get new car when I was in an accident. Helped me do fun things I wanted to do. It’s amazing. My summers have never been so enjoyable. Don’t have to do summer camp. Can travel, see family and really enjoy myself while writing.

And now, the big question I always ask: What kind of money have you been able to make through your writing?

I had been working part time at a rec center making $300-$400 month for 20 hours. I came on Fiver in 2015 and in the same 20 hours made $800.  That was just the beginning.  Now I average between $25 and $30/hour.

Congrats!  What do other people need to know if they want to make money writing like you do?

• Find a mentor. Someone who knows how to do what you are trying to do.

  • You have to have a plan and know exactly what you are trying to sell or create.
  • And finally, know your prices and how much time you want to give to something for that price.

Charles has written a guest blog post about different kinds of writing work AND he has created a video that explains more about how he is juggling multiple side gigs and how you can too.  That will ALL be available at EasyMoneyShow.com/27.

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EPISODE 27 ~ SAVE MORE: Used Cars: Shop For Used Cars At New Car Price

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I want to encourage you to buy only used cars from now on.   Never new!

I know, I know, you don’t want to buy somebody else’s problem.  But cars these days are built to last a long time and I’m not suggesting you buy a car from the 80’s1  Instead, I’m gonna show you how to buy a used car at the exact moment that it’s lost the most value but is still a great vehicle.

I”m sure You know that cars go down in value, but did you know that a car’s steepest depreciation occurs between ages zero and three –an average of 45%?  That means buying used is not a bummer. It’s a benefit. It opens up a whole new range of vehicles to you.

For instance, which would you rather drive, a Lexus or a Taurus? Gosh, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that the vast majority of you said a Lexus.  A brand new Lexus ES3350 costs about $47-thousand dollars.  Ouch.

But guess what? You can drive a Lexus for the same price as a Taurus. (It’s just that it will be slightly used.)  I did a price comparison between a new Taurus and a used Lexus:

2017 Ford Taurus SEL sedan brand new:

$23,500

or

2014 Lexus ES350 sedan with 38,046 miles:

$23,500

Amazing. You can get a three year old Lexus with low mileage —37-thousand miles— for the same price as a brand new Taurus. That’s the story of vehicle depreciation. Dramatic, isn’t it?  The key is to get a used car that’s 2-4 years old.  That’s the sweet spot for scoring a deal based on the biggest period of depreciation.  Of course, if you REALLY want to save money, you’ll buy a used Taurus!  SO let’s do that math real quick.

Once again, I based this on a low mileage, 3-year old vehicle.  And 9-thousand in savings?  Fantastic!  My work here is done.

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EPISODE 27~ FIND YOURS: Missing Wages: Discover Your Hard Earned Money From Previous Jobs

Find unclaimed money with The Easy Money Show

If you think you may be owed back wages from your employer, search the Wage and Hour Division, also known as the WHD —not to be confused with WMD. Much nicer, actually! The Wage and Hour Division has a database of workers who have money waiting to be claimed. WHD is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor. It’s the department that enforces many of our nation’s labor laws. When WHD find violations, it often recovers unpaid wages on behalf of employees. The agency tries to locate all employees due back wages and give them the good news. But when it can’t find an employee, WHD holds their back wages for three years. After three years, if the agency still can’t find you, it is required to send the money to the U.S. Treasury. That’s why it’s important to search now! This free money disappears! I checked out the database and you start your search by entering your employer’s name, not your name. I suggest searching every version of your employer’s name. For example, I would search ABC news, where I used to work, but also Disney, because it owns ABC. If a list of companies or subsidiaries pops up and yours is on the list, then you enter your first initial and last name to see if the WHD has money waiting for you! Finally, if you find something, you can start the claims process right online. THIS is government working for the people like it should. I hope it works for YOU.

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EPISODE 27~ GUEST BLOG: Freelance Writing: Five Kinds of Work for Freelance Writers

By Charles Silberman

Finding work as a freelance writer does not have to be hard. There are a ton of needs, and not always enough high quality writers to fill them. Jump online and search for what you want to write about and test the waters. Writing as a freelancer is about trying and failing until you succeed.  Here are several opportunities for writers:

Blog Posts

Blog posts are great because everyone seems to have a blog these days, but most people don’t have enough time to keep their posts updated regularly. Getting started writing blog posts can be really easy, especially if you start by creating your own blog or join a freelancing site like Fiverr.com where potential clients can seek out your writing services. It may take some time to find people who are willing to give you a chance, but once you build a portfolio and gain some positive reviews, it becomes much easier to find clients to write blogs for.

Reviews

Reviews are important in determining how people decide what to purchase and who to purchase from, and so many individuals and businesses trying to sell online seek to build positive ratings. This means they need reviews to get traction in their sales, and they will often provide a product for free in exchange for an honest good review. There are groups online specifically established for this cause. Search for protect testers on Facebook to find a group.

Website Content

If you’ve ever searched for something online, you know that there are tons of websites. One major way websites get ranked is through the type of content they produce, especially in terms of search engine optimization (SEO). Thus, small and large business need website content that will engage readers and help translate to sales. You can start your journey through an online freelance platform such as Up Work. Build your portfolio, and before you know it, you will be reading websites you searched for with your work on it.

Editing

There are many individuals who need their writing to be improved so it is easily read and has a clear message, such as employees of large companies and students working on papers. If you have training in editing or a degree in English, you may be able to work as an editor. There are numerous editors out there, from professionals to good, experienced writers. You can try to hook up with one of them or start with an online freelancing platform or a professionally affiliated editor platform.

Your Passion

Do you love something? I love teaching, so I write a lot about that. I write some articles for free, but my writing is mainly associated with a course I teach or a project that will bring monetary gains. Find some publications related to what you love to do and offer them some free writing to build your reputation and then hope that some will start to pay you after a few solid articles or even from day one.

Other Ideas to Start Writing:

  • Resumes
  • Product Descriptions
  • App Descriptions
  • Health and Fitness
  • Technology

Guest Name: Charles Silberman

Guest Title: Freelance Writer and Course Creator

Guest Contact:

Charles’ writing portfoli: www.writeguy4us.com

Charles’ Site for PE Teachers: www.newphysicaleducator.com 

Charles’ Online Courses:

ssww.teachable.com/p/pe-limited-space

ssww.teachable.com/p/integrating-literacy-into-physical-education

ssww.teachable.com/p/field-day

ssww.teachable.com/p/new-peteachers

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EPISODE 26 ~ TOP TIP: Gas Station Swindles: Avoid Spending Extra Cash From Towing Companies & Gas Stations Schemes

Last week I alerted you about tow truck drivers who steal other companies’ calls and then overcharge you. Now a warning about what often happens next. This heads up is courtesy of an undercover investigation I did. We parked a car by the side of the freeway. Tow truck drivers we hadn’t ’t called pulled over to pick us up and, of course, overcharged us every time. And then every single one took us to the same gas station —A station several miles away. They made U-turns and passed up half a dozen other possible shops to take us to that one? Why? We later learned that gas station pays tow truck drivers a bounty to bring cars there. And if they’re willing to engage in that shady practice, who knows what kinds of shenanigans they’d pull when fixing your vehicle! Lesson learned: when you car is towed, always have a shop in mind and ask to be taken there and nowhere else.

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EPISODE 26 ~ MAKE MORE: Consignment Shops: Find Out How To Step Up Your Game From Selling At Consignment Shops To Owning One

Let’s talk “making more” by converting your secondhand clothing into cold hard cash. Or helping other people sell their clothing and taking a cut. I’m talking about either selling your clothes at a consignment shop OR owning that consignment shop! I spoke with Sandra Packwood, owner of Do You Deja Vu in Warrenton, Virginia, to find out more.

How did you first get started in the consignment business and how many years has it been now?
I’ve been open 7 years and weathered all kinds of economies, and still my business – and those who consign with me – thrives. consigning with my store is a great, easy way for people to make money. I sell fabulous items at terrific prices.

Tell us how it works. A customer brings you a sack of clothes and what happens next?
I personally go through the items people bring me because I am the one who curates what we will and will not sell in my shop.

Let’s tell people what sells best. You’ve brought some bestsellers to our studio for me to check out. Tell us about these garments. What makes them such hot stuff? And how much can you sell them for?

The bestsellers by far are accessories like belts and scarves because they can fit most anyone. In addition, high-end designer items like Gucci do very well. But I also carry normal store brands like Ann Taylor because I want to appeal to a broad spectrum of clients.

You then put the clothes you accepted on display. Is there a time limit for how long you’ll try to sell them? And if something doesn’t sell, what do you do with it?
Yes, I limit the amount of time I leave things on display. I keep the store fresh. Customers have a choice of getting their clothing back or allowing me to donate it to several charities that I work with.

The women who consign through you, what are they doing it for? Spending money? Money to live on? What?
Some truly need the money. Others sell things so they can buy others and freshen their wardrobes. many live here and might like the opportunity to make some “mad” money, as one of my consignments calls it.

For those who might want to OWN a consignment shop rather than selling at one, what’s the most fun or satisfying thing about the business?
I am also a stylist, having worked for Jil Sander and Escada. Many of my customers walk through the door and announce, “Sandra, dress me!” And I do. Time and again.

Who would be more likely to consign through you than do what you do, how does the commission work? What’s your cut and what’s theirs?
A common commission in the business is 50/50. I also do 60/40 sometimes.

OK, Give me some examples of customers who have really scored and made significant money selling clothing at your shop.
One woman brought me a fur to sell and I cut her a check for more than $4,000.

And what about you, Sandra? Is owning a consignment shop a good living for you?
I am a single mother. I support myself and 3 kids. It’s a living in the high five figures for me. AND, more importantly, I am doing something I absolutely love.

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EPISODE 26 ~ SAVE MORE: Shop Where You Sell: Buy Gorgeous Threads At The Consignment Stores Where You Sell

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Sandra Packwood, owner of Do You Deja Vous, already taught us how to sell at consignment shops. Now, she’s doing double duty by  teaching us how to “Save More” by consignment shopping, as well!   

So Sandra, the women who shop at your store, are their finances tight and they can’t afford to shop retail?  Or are they upscale but like a bargain?  What brings them in?

Both!  I get all kinds of women of all different ages and means.

Do you find that some people have to get over the idea of wearing someone else’s “used’ clothes?

Rarely.  Interestingly, the ones who are the most squeamish are teenage girls, perhaps because their parents have always bought them everything and they don’t understand the value of what they are getting.

What would you say to those folks to help them get over it?

Many of the clothes for sale in  my shop are brand new with tags on.  Others have been drycleaned.  Everything is in top condition.

Now let’s talk about the deals people get when they shop at a store like yours.,  Give me 2 or 3 examples of what things would cost new versus what you sell them for.

Gucci scarf: Original price $500.  Consignment Price: $222.

Kate Spade shoes: Original Price: $200.  Consignment price: $39.

Kate Spade Dress: Original Price: $350.  Consignment price: $129.

Would you say your shop is pretty typical as far as the percentage savings people can expect?

Yes, savings of 50-75%.

Do you think your customers wear your clothing on the down low and keep it a secret that they bought it at a consignment shop?  Or do they brag about it? 

Both!  Some women tell me they get so many compliments.  Some don’t tell because they don’t want their friends to come because they wear the same size and they don’t want the competition!

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EPISODE 26 ~ FIND YOURS: Class Action Lawsuits: Qualify For Lawsuits To Discover Your Unclaimed Money

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Every day, lawyers settle class action lawsuits on behalf of consumers.  With so many settlements out there, chances are you have purchased products that weren’t all they promised to be, somebody sued, and you could be due some money back.  Normally, the courts require companies to send eligible consumers letters.  But often they don’t know who their customers are or you toss the letter because it looks like junk mail.  Luckily there’s now a website that tracks class action lawsuits and even allows you to apply for them online.  The site is: TopClassActions.com and it’s free to consumers.  Looking at the site right now, there are tons of interesting cases. 

•For example, you could be eligible for a few dollars if you ever bought Honest Company Dish Soap, which claimed to be free of sodium laurel sulfate.  The plaintiffs say it was NOT free of that chemical and the case is ongoing. 

i•Here’s another one:  Electrolux Home Products Inc. has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit alleging some of its dryers were defective and when lint built up they would catch fire.  ELectrolux has already agreed to pay consumers up to $1,300 if they actually experienced a fire and $350 toward a new dryer if you have not had a fire.

•One more: Homeowners who purchased AZEK decking boards made of PVC could get up to $2,000.  AZEK advertised that the decking required little maintenance and only periodic cleaning.  Consumers say the boards were actually so weak that they weren’t even suitable for outdoor use.

TopClassActions even has a newsletter that lets you know about new lawsuits and settlements each week, so if you don’t see something you’re eligible for right away, you may down the line.  Check it out and claim your money!   Every year, millions of dollars worth of class action money go unclaimed.

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