10 ways to make money online when you're flat broke

Today, I am sharing some of the most popular and easiest ways for you to make money on the internet even if you're flat broke.

It can be hard for a lot of us financially after Christmas. Not just because of all the extra spending on gifts and festivities but because we have our children returning to school.

You have two waves of extra costs.

First, Christmas. Then, the second wave, with the cost of school uniforms, stationary and school fees. Schooling can be the biggest expenditure of all and the biggest cause for stress in families both big and small.

So, I put a list together of ways you can make money for free. No PC? Don't worry about it, because there are choices that can be done from your smartphone.

Bonus idea: Blog from your phone with Blogger.

Heck! just so you know it is possible. I am writing on my smartphone right now. Yes! I know I haven't earnt a cent from writing for Mumtential. But, other blog writers are making serious money doing what I do.

You can write a great article and even add a few images, links and videos too, all on your phone. (That's what I am doing, right now.)

But, for creating great graphics, optimizing images and creating good pdfs. You do need a computer.

It is up to you as a writer. I prefer doing alot of my writing on my smartphone, because I am free to write anywhere. At the beach. At a park. You get it.

I hope you are ready to make some cash this year Boss mums, because here's your list!

1.) Survey sites

Ditch all those crud paid survey sites you have yet to earn any money from and check out my favourite survey site called Swagbucks.

Swagbucks is a online survey site like no other available in Australia. You get to decide what reward you receive in gift cards from popular stores or cash into your PayPal account.

Swagbucks pays you too:

• Answer polls and surveys.
• Search the internet on their website search bar.
• Discover Swagbuck deals
• Shop online through Swagbucks and get cash back through their swagbuck point rewards.
• Watch videos and read articles to earn points.
• Play online games and earn 10 - 400 swagbuck points.

Swagbucks makes earning cash easy for everyone. I have made over 300 swagbuck points over the past month even though I rarely have had time to enjoy all the earning opportunities on offer. I have been mainly answering survey's and window shopping the online stores here and there.

Here is a link for you to the  Swagbucks website where you can join up and start getting rewarded.

2.) Sell your stuff on eBay 

eBay is arguably the best online selling platform in Australia. It has a great reputation for being a safe buying platform with a huge catalogue of products to choose from.

If you have a look around your home, you are sure to find items that you no longer need or want. Instead of throwing them out, why not make some of your money back?

I decluttered our home and found over 20 items that I can sell on eBay and make a little money from once I post them.

Some thing's to consider first.

It can take a while to sell something if you are new to eBay, because you won't have any buyer feedback or rating's yet.

As the seller, you do have to cover postage too. So, I sell items that are small and don't weigh more than 1.5 kgs to keep costs down.

I charge for postage to keep costs down. This can cause your items to be online  for a longer period at times. It depends on the product you are trying to sell and how much you decide to charge.

3.) Sell your skills or services on Airtasker .

Airtasker is the most popular website in Australia for people looking for work doing tasks that they are skilled in from other people who need help and are willing to pay for it.

For example here are some of the tasks you could do:

• Moving a couch.
• Cleaning their home.
• Painting a room/ whole house.
• Web design.
• Sharing a post on your social media.

It is free to join Airtasker and you can begin earning as soon as you sign up.

Some thing's to consider first.

There are many people using Airtasker which means there are a lot of jobs as well as competition. So the more great feedback you get. The more you will stand out and be able to get more jobs at a higher pay rate.

You will have to pay a small commission to Airtasker for using their service once you begin earning through them.

But, I know a couple of people who have built businesses just through using Airtasker so, the earning potential here is very high.

4.) Sell your art and crafts

For those that are artistic and able to make great clothing, jewellery, teddies and other niche items. You can join other awesome crafters at Etsy.

I have to be honest here and tell you, I lack the creative talent needed for etsy. But, I have heard they are a great platform for those gifted crafters to start selling on and make good money.

5.) Sell designer t-shirts with you as the designer on teespring.com. 

If you are creative and artistic, this is a great option for you.
How it will work is that you choose a product you want to sell and create your design.

Then, you send your product design to Teespring and they make it and ship it to your client directly from Kentucky, USA for a small fee.

You receive the profits without the headache of storing, packaging and posting your products. I like the sound of that.😎

6.) Become a drop shipping business owner and open online store with Shopify.

It costs you nothing to get started with shopify, because they offer a free no obligation trial to get your store up and running as soon as possible.

Here is a video to help you learn more about starting a dropshipping business.

Some thing's to consider first.

This company is going to take a lot of time, research and effort from you to become successful as a dropship store.

7.) Become a YouTuber

There are so many creative vloggers making serious money through YouTube. It is growing in popularity as a great source for users to be informed, entertained and learn on for free.

It costs you nothing to join YouTube  and become a vlogger.

Some thing to consider first.

If you want to build a brand and become a serious YouTuber you do need a few essential things like a good DSLR camera, computer, lighting and good editing software to start you off. But, many Youtuber's start out with their iPhone and laptop.

8.) Become a tutor and teach English online 

Teach from anywhere in the world. You can make $20 - $50 a hour as a English language tutor.

You can apply to be a tutor with italki. To find out about how you can apply with italki, click here.

If you have a degree you can tutor through VIP kid.

9.) Become a writer. 

You can be a freelance writer and write articles for blogs and online magazines.

Here are a couple to get you started.

• Listverse pays $100 for original 10 item listicles.
• moneypantry pay $30 - $150 for 1000 - 2000 word articles.

10.) Write and self publish a great kindle ebook and sell it online.

If you can write and have ever had a good idea for a book than this could be your calling.

Find out how to self publish your book and sell it on Amazon through their KDP publishing program.

Whether you need extra money to pay off some bills or if you want to have more breathing room financially.

I hope you find a side hustle and make some good dough for you and your family this year.


Your Friend

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Car maintenance: how to jump start a flat battery

Source: fugly.com

Today, I am writing a post to show you how to jump start your car if you have a flat battery.

It is really helpful to know basic car maintenance as a lifeskill. I believe the more we can do ourselves, the more independent we become and in my opinion, stronger too.

Damn! The car won't start!

There could be a few reasons for your car not starting, but one of the main reasons is usually because you have a flat battery.

It is never a good time to be caught out with a flat battery. Especially if you are on your own and don't know what to do.

When you have a flat battery the best option to get your car started is to grab your jumper cables and ask a good Samaritan (who is close by) for a hand by letting you use their car to jump yours.

Most of the time you will find a good Samaritan who is more than happy to help. They may even have their own set of jumper cables if you don't have your own.

But, I really recommend that you buy your own set of jumper leads and store them in your car boot (trunk of your car) at all times. This will save you so much time and stress if you do.

I know you've already got this in the bag! So here we go! 😉

To safely jump start your car, here are the steps to follow:

Important safety note: Never let the clips on your jumper cables touch eachother while you are performing this task.

1.) Go to your car boot (or trunk of your car) and take out your jumper cables.

2.) Find a good Samaritan with a car who is willing to help you.

3.) Park both vehicles next to eachother or bonnet to bonnet so the jumper leads can reach both vehicle batteries.

4.) Place both vehicles in Park and shut off the ignition in both cars. Remember to engage both cars parking brakes as well.

You must attach the jumper lead clips in the right order.
So, please follow the order as I have written it here:

5.) Attach one of the red clips to the positive terminal of your car battery.

The positive terminal will have "POS" or "+" symbol on it. In some cases the positive terminal will be thicker than the negative one.

6.) Then, you attach the other red clip to the positive terminal of the other car.

7.) Then, you can attach one of the black clips to the negative terminal on the other car's battery.

8.) Then, you can attach the last black clip to an unpainted metal surface on your car that isn’t near the battery.

Use one of the metal struts that holds the hood open.

I have seen many people attach the last black cable to the flat car batteries negative terminal when jump starting a flat battery. But, it is not recommended.

9.) Then, ask your good Samaritan to start the working vehicle and let the engine run for a few minutes.

10.) Then, try to start your vehicle. Remove cables in reverse.

Here is the steps to remove your jumper cables.

Negative off your vehicle's battery.
Negative off other vehicle's battery.
Positive off other vehicle's battery.
And lastly, positive off your vehicle's battery.

Don't shut off your engine before you have driven around for atleast 15 minutes. This will help by giving your battery the time it needs to recharge itself.

Your vehicle should start straight away if all the steps have been followed in the order they are written.

Yep! You did it and are ready to cruise the streets. Yay!

If you have any trouble or it doesn't start. Then, please check these trouble shooting tips below.

• Make sure that the cables are properly connected and have the good Samaritan run his or her engine for five minutes. 

• Then try to start your car again. If it still won’t start, your battery may be beyond help and you are going to need to get a new car battery.

You may need to get a new car battery: 

• If your car still won't start even after 5 minutes of the good Samaritans car running with your cables connected properly.

• If the car won’t start the next time you use it, It is most likely to be because the battery isn’t holding a charge and needs to be replaced.

There is another way you can jumpstart your car if it is flat.

The Jumpstarter battery pack available both online or at any local autostore.

Source: www.supercheapauto.com.au

I like them because you don't need a good Samaritan to get you back on the road. And even though it is a more expensive option than jumper leads. You are on the road SO much easier and it saves you a lot of time and stress in the process too.

There is a easy step by step tutorial on how to use a jumpstarter available online via the Supercheap Auto website.

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What's new on Netflix in January 2018

Today I am writing about the most popular new release films and tv shows on Netflix this month including our families top picks.

Are you a fan of Netflix?

If not, maybe it is because your not sure if it is worth paying for. Even though it is less than $15 a month in Australia. I really wanted to be sure before I started paying up. So, I signed up for a free month trial first. I have been using Netflix ever since.

The full Netflix catalogue of films, documentaries, stand up comedy and tv shows including Netflix originals have everyone covered in our home and I  bet your home is no different.

What's popular on Netflix this month?

Popular new movies

• The Lego Batman movie
• Beauty and the Beast
• Ride Along 2

Bright

Our Rating: 8/10
Why: I like the story line and if you are a fan of Lord of the Rings or supernatural/Sci-fi, you will like it too.

This is the latest film starting Will Smith as Scott Ward, who is a racist cop in a world where elves, fairies orcs and human's have been coexisting on earth, since the beginning of time. His partner Nick Jackoby, is the first orc cop on the police force played by Joel Edgerton.

While on the night beat they find themselves stumbling upon a young elf girl and a lost relic that is powerful enough to destroy the world, placing the unlikely duo in the middle of a supernatural turf war.

Source: Netflix.com

Our Family favourites

Kid's choice

• Moana
• Shaun the Sheep: The movie

Mum and Dad's choice

• Ride Along 2
• Dave Chapelle: Equanimity and the bird revelation.

Popular new Tv series

• Comedians in cars getting coffee
• Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
• Teen Titans Go

Source: Rottentomatoes.com

The Good place

Our Rating: 9/10
Why: This is a fantasy comedy that comes straight from the US. It is the funniest and the most well written tv show I have seen in a long time. I love it when a show surprises me with a few intelligently placed twists in the story. It is awesome.

It centres around the character Eleanor Shelstrops after life. Eleanor has been bought into the paradise realm of Heaven. Only problem is that she knows, she's not meant to be there.

If you haven't seen it yet. You are the reason my summary is so vague, but trust me it is only because I don't want to spoil it with the storyline and characters who all help bring the story to life.

Our family favourites 

Kid's choice

• Fuller House: the 2nd half of season 3
• Teen Titans Go

Mum and Dad's choice

• The Good place 
• Dave Chapelle: Equanimity and the bird revelation.

Here is a quick list of a few more binge worthy tv shows and family movies to kick back and watch these school holidays.

Family movies

• Cool kids camp
• Ballerina
• Fantastic Beasts
• Rogue One:  A Star Wars Story
• Mr Fuzzypants
• The Jungle Book

For the littlest kids

• Miraculous: Tales of  Ladybug and Cat Noir
• Spirit: Riding free
• Kong: King of the apes.
• Some assembly required.

Source: Disney 

Teen picks

• Project MC2
• My babysitters a vampire
• The Flash
• The Arrow

Mum and Dad picks

• Greenleaf
• The Ranch
• Santa Clarita diet
• Stranger thing's

If you are yet to sign up to Netflix you can get a month for free by when you you sign up here.

Are you a fan of Netflix?
Or
Have you found something cheaper or better provider for tv shows and movies? What provider do you use to watch your favourite tv shows and movies?

Please let me know in the comments below.

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7 easy slow cooker dinner recipes.

Today I am posting about my go to favourite slow cooker dinners. They are easy and cheap to make. I have one recipe for every day of the week covered.  So, you can get on with being the awesome super boss mum that you are.

But first, here is why slow cooker's are awesome.

I love using our slow cooker.

Partially because I hate cooking and partially because Brisbane is SO darn hot and I can't stand sitting over the stove in this heat.

But, there is another awesome reason I love using a slow cooker and that's because it saves me so much time. I just throw the ingredients in. Set it and walk away.

No need to worry about burning our meals - which I am a pro at by the way. Or being tied to the house when the pool is way more inviting in our Brizzy heat.

Lets get into my list of 7 easy and cheap slow cooker recipes.

#1 Slow cooker drumsticks
Serves 6

Chicken drumsticks are one of the cheapest meats to buy next to mince. You can find this delicious recipe at All recipes.com.au.

#2 Slow cooker Irish stew
Serves 4

To me, stews are soul food. They are so easy and delicious that I always look forward to dinnertime when I am making one. You can find this easy recipe at kidspot.com.au.

#3 Slow cooker Chilli Con Carne
Serves 6

D loves chilli and this is such a yum recipe that the kiddos will eat it too. I found this gorgeous recipe at kidspot.com.au.

#4 Simple Beef Stew
Serves 4

One of my favourite meals to make in our slow cooker when we need to stretch the budget is beef stew. I found this great recipe at eatingwell.com.

#5 3 Bean Sweet potato Chilli 

This is an amazing vegan recipe for a meatless dinner night. I found this delicious recipe at mywholefoodlife.com.

#6 Slow cooker Sausages and potatoes

Sausages are another cheap meat that will fill everyone's belly at the table. If you are lost for ideas check out this simple recipe here at theslowcookinghousewife.com.

#7 Slow cooker whole chicken
Serves 6 

When we hear slow cooker, like most of us. We think stews but here is a delicious roast chicken recipe you can make in your slow cooker. I found this awesome recipe at theslowcookinghousewife.com.

Okay my lovelies. It's time to get cooking, but before I leave here are a few more recipe ideas that I use.

• Curried Sausages 
• Slow cooked corned silverside
• Buttered chicken 
• Slow cooker hangi (traditional maori meal with a modern twist.)
• Chunky garden veg casserole 

I hope you found a recipe to fit your families tastebuds. 

One quick tip that I always  do when I cook a slow cooked meal.

Beside me always giving our slow cooker a good spray with spray on cooking oil. To stop food sticking to it and making it really easy to clean.

I combat the heat generated from our slow cooker by placing it in our garage while it cooks.

It is a win - win for me because I get a night off from the stove and our home stays cool even in the Summer.

What do you think Boss mum crew?

• Did I miss a great recipe that you love in this post? 
• What do you love making in your slow cooker?

Let me know in the comments section below. 

Your friend

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