Start now while ChatGPT is free to use.

The internet is abuzz with excitement about the fantastic chance to earn cash using ChatGPT. In this piece, we’ll delve into 12 simple methods to make money with this AI chatbot, providing you with practical examples to ensure your success.

ChatGPT, powered by GPT-3.5 technology and developed by Open AI, is an extraordinary chatbot. With Elon Musk as one of its co-founders and Sam Altman leading as CEO, this AI marvel possesses conversational abilities that closely resemble those of a human.

This groundbreaking tool unlocks a whole new realm of possibilities for engaging with technology and holds the promise of an exhilarating future.

Disclaimer: This article might contain affiliate links. By clicking on them, you can earn us a commission, but rest assured, there won’t be any additional cost to you.

Important Information About Earning Money with ChatGPT

ChatGPT, an intelligent language model, effortlessly predicts the following word and crafts precise written content. It learns from human prompts using RLHF, a clever technique that enhances its ability to comprehend and engage in natural conversations.

To make the most of ChatGPT, keep in mind the significance of giving clear and detailed instructions. You’re not only teaching the AI bot, but also honing your own skills in asking the right questions and providing essential information. Thoroughly examine ChatGPT’s responses and modify your prompts until you achieve the desired outcome.

For reliable results, you can utilize Originality.ai (currently in beta) to authenticate AI-generated content and detect potential plagiarism.

Despite its capabilities, ChatGPT may occasionally present information that is not entirely accurate. Always verify facts and make any necessary revisions.

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12 Proven Strategies to Generate Income Using ChatGPT

Uncover the top 12 methods to earn cash with ChatGPT.

Creating Videos with ChatGPT

With ChatGPT as your trusty companion, the possibilities are boundless when it comes to crafting captivating videos that have the potential to bring in some serious cash. By teaming up with other cutting-edge technologies like Pictory, Speechify, Murf.ai, and more, you can effortlessly create truly extraordinary videos.

Thanks to the power of AI, these programs have the ability to swiftly transform your lengthy content into bite-sized video snippets that are ideal for showcasing products, explaining ideas, and promoting your brand.

ChatGPT is the secret ingredient that will help you concoct the perfect script and provide video instructions that will maximize the potential of these remarkable technologies.

Let’s not overlook the importance of a voice-over, a vital element in any video production. With ChatGPT’s assistance, you can craft an exceptional script and utilize text-to-speech software to swiftly transform those words into a professionally delivered voice-over.

Harness this tool to compose polished scripts and instructions, and even generate keywords to enhance your video’s search engine optimization (SEO). In mere seconds, you’ll have a fully prepared video script and voice-over at your disposal. The more specific details you incorporate, the more impressive the final outcome will be.

Keep in mind, there is a great desire for creating videos — because, honestly, folks prefer watching over reading.

2. Professional Copywriting Services by Experts

Coming up with captivating text can be challenging, particularly when it’s a constant requirement. That’s where ChatGPT comes into play, providing a creative spark and assisting you in conquering the dreaded writer’s block. Whether you’re crafting compelling content that motivates action or seeking a new outlook, this AI tool proves to be exceptionally beneficial.

An extraordinary aspect of ChatGPT is its knack for producing text through various copywriting techniques. These techniques encompass AIDA, PAS, and BAB. Simply provide prompts like “Craft a PAS” or “Compose an AIDA,” and observe as the AI springs into action.

ChatGPT is a fantastic aid for writing. It assists with crafting content for websites, creating catchy ads, and describing products. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned writer, ChatGPT is the perfect tool. It streamlines your tasks and generates top-notch writing in no time. Bid farewell to tedious assignments and welcome efficient and influential writing into your life.

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Creating E-books: A Comprehensive Guide

Creating a fictional tale using ChatGPT takes teamwork and dedication. It’s crucial to express your ideas clearly to the AI and constantly refine your instructions, transforming your story into a captivating masterpiece. A classic illustration of this is the everlasting category of love stories.

Love stories that are skillfully written have a known track record of making money and sticking to a predictable pattern. Once you understand the usual ingredients and the captivating main character, creating a touching romance becomes easy.

However, don’t halt your adventure there. By pushing ChatGPT to its boundaries, improving your writing abilities, and embracing perseverance, you might discover the secret to producing popular e-books quickly.

Crafting Unforgettable Business Names and Captivating Slogans

Coming up with catchy names and memorable slogans for your business has never been easier, thanks to ChatGPT. This amazing tool makes the whole process a piece of cake, whether you want a step-by-step approach or have specific needs like target audience, location, budget, and more. With its vast knowledge, ChatGPT effortlessly generates tailored suggestions that perfectly align with your preferences.

For example, picture yourself dreaming of launching a trendy clothing boutique in the bustling city of San Francisco.

Simply inquire ChatGPT for ten diverse names and captivating expressions. In mere moments, you’ll possess an array of options prepared for use.

Prior to settling on a name, it’s vital to swiftly investigate on Google and social media to ensure it hasn’t already been taken. Additionally, you can conduct a complimentary online search for nationwide trademarks or examine trademarks by state.

With the assistance of ChatGPT, you may stumble upon an innovative name and slogan that could potentially generate substantial earnings on Fiverr. Therefore, why not take a chance and establish your business as genuinely distinctive amidst the competition?

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Utilizing ChatGPT for Translation Solutions

In order to ensure the accuracy of a translation, we must consider several factors. These factors include how individuals from diverse cultures may interpret it, any unique vocabulary or expressions, the intended audience, and the purpose behind the translation.

ChatGPT, with its advanced machine learning capabilities, can be trained to understand the complexities of various languages. However, this undertaking requires a significant investment of time and money.

If you’re looking for a quick way to make some extra money in the field of translation, offering your services as a translator is a great option. This specific type of translation doesn’t require a deep understanding of cultural differences or idiomatic expressions. With ChatGPT at your disposal, you can easily translate manuals, product descriptions, and training materials, opening up many opportunities.

To test ChatGPT’s translation skills, choose a simple paragraph and translate it into another language. Let’s say we take an English paragraph and translate it into Spanish as an example.

To ensure the accuracy of the translated text, you can compare it with Google Translate or have ChatGPT re-translate the Spanish text back into English. As shown in the example, the translation was flawless. This proves that even if you don’t have knowledge in your target language, you can still effortlessly perform standard translations.

Master the Art of Blogging: Unleash Your Creativity and Share Your Thoughts

To make amazing and special content with ChatGPT, it’s important to give the AI clear and detailed instructions. This helps the model create outstanding content that is unique and represents a specific point of view. When writing, be sure to clearly show the desired direction and include any needed background information.

But remember to add your own style and perspective to your writing. Use Originality.ai to make sure your content is genuine and doesn’t have any copied parts.

Want to learn more? Check out this complete guide on starting your own blog.

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Developing Intuitive Web Tools with Minimal Code for Effortless Navigation

ChatGPT is more than just creating realistic text. It’s a versatile tool that gives you the power to easily create personalized web tools.

With ChatGPT, the options are limitless. Picture your sales team using a custom calculator made specifically for calculating commissions. You won’t have to depend on a web developer or worry about paying for updates every time commission rates change. Thanks to ChatGPT, completing this task is now simple and worry-free.

Crafting Engaging Social Media Content

ChatGPT is like a superstar on social media. It excels at crafting awesome tweets, snappy captions for Instagram, clever articles for LinkedIn, and even scripts for TikTok. Whether you require a brief message or a lengthy composition, ChatGPT can handle it swiftly and efficiently.

I stumbled upon a Facebook post that emphasized the significance of precision, and ChatGPT provided a strong base that only required some individualized editing to make it truly shine.

Although there were a few times when the beginning lines were repeated, like “Are you tired from…”, the initial impact of the outcome stayed quite remarkable. Yet, by making a few adjustments, it can evolve into a totally one-of-a-kind and customized masterpiece.

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Revamp Blog Titles and Elevate Blog Posts

Making your blog posts better has never been easier. Let ChatGPT help you improve your writing and attract more readers to your blog. By understanding the basics of SEO, finding the right keywords, and using AI technology, you will see your blog become more visible.

Although it may not be perfect, using AI can greatly speed up the task of updating multiple blog posts, saving you precious time.

Don’t pass up the chance to show off your writing skills and take advantage of the profitable world of regularly updating blog content.

Top 10 Strategies for Crafting Impressive Bios and Resumes

Looking for a job can be tiring. Before you even click that “send” button, it might feel overwhelming. To stay ahead, try these tips:

Make your online presence better by updating your social media profiles.

Improve your resume to highlight your abilities and past experiences in the best way.

Customize your resume to fit the needs of each job you apply for.

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Creating and Selling Your Own Online Course: A Comprehensive Guide for Learning Platforms

Embark on a transformative journey in course creation with the incredible abilities of ChatGPT. Amaze your audience with captivating outlines and visually stunning promotional materials, all generated by this remarkable AI tool. Elevate the learning experience by incorporating multimedia content from platforms like Synthesia, which can produce mesmerizing videos. Expand your reach by offering your course on renowned e-learning platforms such as Udemy, Skillshare, and Thinkific, connecting with a larger audience.

Prepare yourself to craft a three-week course, dedicating three hours each day to master the art of harnessing ChatGPT for financial success. Let ChatGPT be your trusted companion throughout this educational pursuit.

Providing Travel Itinerary Support

Remember, ChatGPT’s understanding is based on information only up to 2021, so don’t anticipate the latest updates. Nevertheless, its extensive knowledge of diverse cultures, nations, and geography remains a useful resource for mapping out your exciting escapades.

Imagine the thrill of discovering fresh places, with ChatGPT as your trusty sidekick on your trip. Just have a friendly chat and craft an exclusive travel plan that suits your tastes. No other tool can match its smooth and captivating way of putting together travel itineraries.

Take advantage of ChatGPT’s suggestions as a starting point, and enrich them with current information on practicalities and expenses to transform your dreamy escapade into a feasible reality. The outcome will be an extraordinary travel plan that is nearly ready to be put into action.

With the assistance of ChatGPT, you can transform your love for exploring unfamiliar destinations into a lucrative opportunity. By crafting travel plans for fellow adventurers, you can convert your passion into profit.

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Concluding Remarks on Earning Income with ChatGPT

Discover the untapped potential of ChatGPT, the tool that unlocks your imagination and resourcefulness, propelling you towards limitless earnings.

The rapid progress of AI can be overwhelming for some, as the age-old question lingers: will machines replace human jobs? It’s a double-edged sword — while certain industries may witness job displacement, it also opens doors to fresh employment opportunities, like swift engineering.

Remember, although ChatGPT is currently available for free, this won’t last forever. The chance to earn money is on the horizon, with influential players such as Microsoft investing in OpenAI to incorporate this technology into their products and offer it as a platform to other companies.

Seize the moment and take bold action while the opportunity to monetize ChatGPT is at its peak. Don’t hesitate.

The post 12 Easy Ways to Make Money With ChatGPT (That Anyone Can Do) appeared first on Frugal For Less.

High income skills can be extremely important in a society that’s becoming more and more competitive by the day.

If you want to find a lucrative profession, it’s worth finding skills that are on-demand and highly compensated for your time.

But you want to know the best part about learning these new skills?

A lot of them can be learned absolutely free thanks to a ton of free online material.

And we’re going to show you how.

10 Best High Income Skills To Make More Money

We’ve put together this list of the 10 best high income skills employers are looking for.

Below you’ll find what the skill is about, how to acquire the proper knowledge, and how much money you can make.

With that said, let’s get on with our list of high income skills.

1. Copywriting

Would you start editing blog posts to practice copywriting?

Or maybe you really enjoy content creation.

Copywriting can be a difficult job to teach yourself, but if you have a good program, it doesn’t have to be that rough.

A strong method of learning reaches beyond the methods of teaching.

You need to know how a strong copy is organized, how you can improve your writing, and how you can assess yourself.

How To Learn This High Income Skill

Let’s take a look at some basic ways to get started learning this skill.

Read a Lot

Spend more time reading books, blogs, and even academic papers.

Make sure you take notes after everything you read.

Owing to diligent actions, the subconscious can store more knowledge and properly comprehend it.

You will be able to consume the information and make things even easier as second nature.

Get One-on-One Or Group Training

Self-learning is fine, and definitely you will go a long way.

Yet nothing is better than collaborating independently with a copywriter to help improve your skills.

After all, you were here and should take your copywriting abilities to the next level.

He or she will provide instant, clear guidance on what you think or what you like you need to perform well enough.

When It comes to group training, the feedback from your colleagues will be of great help for your personal improvement.

Work On Expanding Your Knowledge

Now that you have read all the books and practiced the skills, it’s time for the next step.

This is the time to broaden and improve the skills in other fields of advertising, promotion, story, customer analysis, and criticism.

How Much You’ll Earn With This High Income Skill

The average annual copywriter income is $47,838, with 80 percent of copywriters earning between $35k – $65k per year. This is based on data gathered from Payscale and Salary.com.

Although you probably won’t earn an extremely high income with this skill, this is one of the high income skills on this list that’s easier to start as a full-time job.

Most people start freelancing to break into this field.

2. Digital Marketing Consulting

Web design and growth, UX Designers, SEO, paid advertising, and content creation (YouTube videos) are all involved in internet marketing.

Online commercials are also included.

There are various targeting strategies for each channel.

Such outlets have different viewers as well.

Digital marketing is not a novelty in many brands, successful digital marketing now needs a proper link to your audience.

Taking Adwords from Google, you will use it to identify prospective customers that choose to purchase a particular product or service.

You may also create popularity with Google show and video advertising.

If you’re looking for inspiration, check to Dan Lok for his famous YouTube channel.

How To Learn This High Income Skill

You need to build the expertise required to run with all online marketing tools in order to become a good digital marketer.

Furthermore, you’ll need to acquire the skills needed so that you can blend them to produce the best performance.

It’s hard to acquire the proper knowledge for this skill.

Yet at the same time, you don’t need a college degree or a school class to be a specialist in digital marketing.

You don’t have to take a lecture, you don’t even need to waste time searching at Searches to see what tools to use.

There are countless online courses to help you gain the knowledge and skills to become an excellent digital marketing consultant.

How Much You’ll Earn With This High Income Skill

These guys make more money than you’d think.

A communications specialist might be looking at a salary of $40k to $60k a year. Whereas a consultant might be looking at a salary of $100k to $150k a year.

Those initial figures will set you at a $20-$30 an hour relative to a $50-$75 an hour.

3. Computer Programming

Computer programming is a way of instructing computers what to do.

These guidelines are named the code and computer programmers compose code for troubleshooting or carrying out an assignment.

There are several programming languages, but some of them have emerged as the most common.

Industry blog ‘The Mad Programmer’ has recently identified a study of 100,000 programmers that contains the top ten programming languages used; some of them are:

• JavaScript
• SQL
• Java
• Python
•  C#
• PHP
• C++
• C
• TypeScript
• Ruby

How To Learn This High Income Skill

Let’s take a look at the necessary steps to get started with this skill.

Inform yourself about a programming language

The first move in mastering programming is to be familiar with a programming language.

Most people start off with C, C++, Java, or Python.

At the outset, I personally like C++ because it’s neither too basic (because Python is), nor too library deficient (as is C).

C++ is very easy and still has excellent library help-best in all worlds!

Data Structures and Algorithms

Software structures and algorithms help to develop the required programming capabilities.

Knowledge of the data structures will help you to select the right data structures for the problem you solve. Keep in mind that certain skills might not be used in every work environment.

Get into competitive programming

You will start solving problems on web pages like SPOJ, Codechef, Codeforces, Topcoder, Hackerrank, Geeksforgeeks and more.

This is for after you’ve learned the data structures and algorithms.

In order of difficulty, it’s better to solve problems.

You should feel positive in your programming ability after overcoming about 100 mixed variety problems.

Conduct a project

It’s now time to develop some practical software when you have improved your problem solving and programming capabilities.

You can select and create a project using some common web development frameworks (Django, Flask, Ruby on Rails, etc.).

Explore

Software technology is abundant and broad with many fascinating subjects like:

• Computer Science are Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• Cryptography
• Cloud Computing
• Systems Programming
• Computer Vision
• Natural Language Processing
• Mobile App Development
• And many more

You should aim to discover as many fields of concern as practicable.

How Much You’ll Earn With This High Income Skill

The annual income of computer programmers is $63,903 a year by 2021.

Starter programmers are paid approximately $50k, and experienced programmers earn $85k.

This is becoming one of the most popular high income skills on this list.

With a little bit of experience, you can sometimes make it into the six figure range.

Keep in mind that employers have started to look for developers with strong soft skills as well.

4, Software Development

Software is becoming increasingly competent nowadays.

Today, it tends to make many things more efficient: from project management to keep an eye on income and expenditure.

Technology can be built in several forms that increase productivity and promote life.

Software development is the collaborative mechanisms involved in developing software applications that represent all aspects of the life cycle of application creation (SDLC).

SDLC methodologies support software design to fulfill a business need, software creation to meet the need specified, and software delivery to production.

How To Learn This High Income Skill

There are many different ways to acquire the necessary knowledge for this skill.

Choose the appropriate software engineering language for you

Lots of people get stuck when they start deciding which programming language (and framework) they should learn.

Ruby or Rail?

And Django and Python?

When you master a certain language/stack well, the move to a new one is not challenging.

This suggests that what you want to work on as you are a software developer is learning the basics of programming.

Practice, practice, and practice some more

While the stack you are learning doesn’t matter a lot, learning by doing does matter.

This involves putting aside some actual time to practice your latest art.

You have to set aside a considerable amount of time to study every day or every week.

After 10 hours of work, you cannot become a software developer.

Be patient, it won’t happen overnight.

Consider a supportive community in software engineering

As a software developer, having a group to work with will make or break your success — especially when you’re just starting out.

You have an inherent support net when you’re surrounded by a crowd of like-minded people: a network of individuals who you can rely on any time so you won’t get lost, or lack inspiration.

How Much You’ll Earn With This High Income Skill

According to the BLS, the average annual income for software developers was a 6 figure salary at $110,000.

The lowest 10% earned less than $66,740 and the top 10% earned more than $166,960.

This is one of the best high income skills in terms of pay rate.

5. Business Analyst

The Business analyst is a transition agent.

Business analysis is a systematic process in which organizations – whether profit-based, government or not – implement and handle the transition.

Job titles include not only corporate analysts, but also:

• Corporate system analysts
• System engineers and needs engineers
• Process analysts
• Product managers
• Product owners
• Corporation analysts
• Architects of businesses
• Consultants
• Data analysts
• And more

Other occupations that aren’t completely related include:

• Marketing
• Project management
• Sales management
• Software engineering
• Quality control
• Interface design

How To Learn This High Income Skill

Let’s take a look at how to acquire new skills with this occupation.

Obtain a BA in Company Operations, Administration or Accounting

You want to master some computer programming in addition to your bachelor’s degree in business.

Different roles of business analysts require different levels of technical expertise.

Keep in mind that the greater your computer skills the better you will be and the more money you will make.

Gain work experience

You can first gain experience in a role as a volunteer with a small firm or benefit from a summer internship.

If you already have another role with a company, offer to work on the type of projects undertaken by business analysts.

A business analyst has many transferable talents, and a business analyst ‘s role is extensive.

Obtain a Master’s degree or an Accredited Diploma

Many universities offer Masters and Graduate Certificates in Business Analytics which usually include courses in:

• Business Data Analytics
• Operations Research
• Project Management
• Database Analytics
• Predictive Analytics

The International Center for Market Analysis provides a technical credential named the Accredited Business Analysis Specialist for those with specialized experience in business analytics.

How Much You’ll Earn With This High Income Skill

The business analyst is likely to predict wage raises within the first 5-10 years.

It’s important to note that more performance will not have a significant impact on compensation.

Payscale.com reports, “A Company Analyst receives average yearly by $58,805.”

6. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is the process by which a commission is earned by promoting the products of others (or companies).

You find products and services you want, promote it to others, and earn a profit for every sale you do.

Affiliate marketing can be considered to be a process for the distribution across various parties of product creation and product marketing, where every party gets a share of the income according to its contribution.

Not just the marketing or the production of goods determines who you are as an affiliate marketer.

You may be the producer and the marketer simultaneously and yet profit from the simple concept of income sharing.

A high amount of affiliate marketers have started selling online through YouTube videos as another platform to promote their products and services.

And if you’re looking for inspiration, Russel Brunson is an expert in this skill.

How To Learn This High Income Skill

Ready to start? Let’s dive into learning this skill.

Free Blogging Course

If you’re looking to get into affiliate marketing for free through starting a blog, you can take our Free 5-Day Money Making Blog Crash Course.

Receive an email a day with a 30-minute video that teaches you the following:

• Set up your blog with hosting and WordPress
• Excellent copywriting tips for attracting an audience
• Basic keyword research
• How to drive traffic through social media and organic SEO
• Make money online with affiliate links

With enough experience, you can even turn your blog into a full-time online business. Of course, this is my favorite on this list of high income skills.

You probably won’t earn a high income at first, but you can slowly grow your business over time and even turn it into a passive income.

Choose the appropriate Niche for you

The first step in your training to become an affiliate marketer is to know the product or service you are selling.

You must begin with the greater picture in order to do this.

There is a space in which any affiliate marketer seeks to impact its audience.

You can run the risk of too wide areas and failing to make attempts if you’re too ambitious and seek to refer to too many niches.

The first step is therefore essential to find out who you are going to target.

However, it’s not easy necessarily because it comes first.

Research programs for promoting a product or service

The next move is to decide which software will assist you to support goods in your niche after choosing a niche.

This is where you take a closer look at how to become an affiliate marketer.

Affiliate marketing programs are sites between traders and affiliates that act as the intermediary.

As it can be difficult for tradesmen and affiliates to find each other, the relationship begins on these sites.

Build your platform

The two first steps were aimed at researching.

From there on you will start to build an affiliate marketing platform that helps you to succeed.

There are two most common types of working affiliate marketers:

• Create websites such as blogs or places of service
• Paid ads

How Much You’ll Earn

• Low-level affiliates can earn up to $300 a day
• Mid-level affiliates – $300 – $3,000 per day
• High-level affiliates – $3,000/day or more

With enough experience and proper skills, you can easily turn this into six figures or a full-time online business.

However, keep in mind that many people try affiliate marketing only to fail. It can take some time to acquire the necessary knowledge.

It’s definitely the high income skill on this list with the most potential.

7. Web Development

Web development is the design and operation of websites.

It’s the job behind the scenes that bring people the design of a website, operates efficiently, and performs well.

You can acquire this skill using a wide number of coding languages.

The languages they use depend on the types of tasks they perform and their platforms.

Worldwide high-demand and well-paid Web development skills are also a major factor in development.

It’s one of the easiest higher-paid areas to access, as you don’t need a college degree to start.

How To Learn This High Income Skill

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to pick up this high income skill.

HTML, CSS and JavaScript’s basic concepts

They are the bolts and nuts in all products on the website that you will deal with each day if you want to create dynamic websites.

1. The structure is dictated by HTML
2. CSS is excellent for design
3. Javascript enables things to function

WordPress’s basic concept

You should familiarize yourself with WordPress in order to become a web developer.

After all, WordPress powers 58% of all websites.

Once you build a WordPress platform, including material from your own consumers is reasonably straightforward (even though you have little experience with web development)!

SEO Basics

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. 

It applies to the way a website rankings inside a search engine like Google.

This is one of the most relevant credentials in the online industry.

You might think, “Why do I have to worry about how fast I find a website in search engines if I am a developer?”

Well, the contents are a large part of the SEO website.

However, the website’s internal configuration and coding also play a huge part.

How Much You’ll Earn With This High IncomeSkill

The median salary of web developers is $69,038.

The pay rate usually goes up to $126,373 and starts from $37,716.

This is a great skill to learn for those looking for a really high income with lots of training platforms.

8. App Development

An app developer is a software engineer whose primary duty is to build, test, and program applications for computers, cell phones, and tablets.

Usually, these developers work in teams and think of ideas and solutions for the general public or for a particular consumer need.

Web developers understand and use coding languages and may also work to create applications alongside graphic designers, data scientists, and other tech experts.

They also test and fix any bugs found prior to product launch.

How To Learn This High Income Skill

Let’s get into the details of picking up the necessary skills for app development.

Obtain a bachelor’s degree in computer programming

Many companies require a bachelor’s degree in:

• Computer engineering
• Information science
• A similar discipline for software developers

However, many major IT firms are recruiting recent university graduates.

Some firms require postgraduate degrees that focus on specific programming aspects.

Basic programming skills

For people who have basic programming skills but no university degree, some employers have entry-level positions.

Entry-level workers may also move to better-paid jobs if they appear to be competent at managing software creation.

Take an internship

There’s normally some sort of expertise required.

Students wishing to acquire expertise with this skill should take advantage of the numerous internship programs available.

This allows young developers to obtain real-world experience with programming languages and deadlines.

How Much You’ll Earn With This High Income Skill

• US mobile app developer median salary is $107,000 / year
• Indian mobile app developer median salary is $4,100 / year
• iOS app developer salary highest in the US is $139,000 / year
• Android app developer salary highest in the US is $144,000 / year

9. Cryptocurrencies (Blockchain Technology)

Cryptocurrencies have been recognized to the majority of people today as a global trend.

In this guide, we’ll tell you all about cryptocurrencies and how they can enter the global economic system. Furthermore, we’ll also expand on how to become a cryptocurrency expert.

You’ll find a major bank, major accountancy, an outstanding software company, or a government that hasn’t investigated, published a paper on it, or started a so-called blockchain project nowadays.

How To Learn This High Income Skill

Ready to start? Let’s continue with the learning process.

Get familiar with the process

Not all digital currencies can be mined, and a mining activity method can differ considerably from another.

One of the first steps you’ve got to take is to learn about the different cryptocurrencies to be mined and determine how and what you want.

A mining operation uncovers some of the world’s biggest coins, including bitcoin.

Bitcoin mining operations may now however be considerably less profitable than they were a few years ago.

This is due to the dramatic increase in the number of miners, the growing difficulty of mining.

Set up the basic components

Usually, the pocket, the mining program, and the mining equipment are three basic components of mining activity.

You’ll need your cryptocurrency wallet to store all tokens and coins that your mining effort yields.

Wallets are mainly encrypted online bank accounts with a unique address that enables you to securely send and receive tokens.

Many kinds of online wallets are inaccessible, and sometimes “cold storage” wallets do not run electronically.

Decide which one for your needs would be better until you begin to mine.

Be open to alternatives

As mining has become more popular and costly, new ways of participating in this process have started to emerge for less money and effort.

A mining pool is one of these new ways to participate in mining.

A mining pool is basically a community of miners who pool computational resources together and invest in digital currencies.

Therefore, we split the gain proportionally to the strength each unit may add to the operation.

Mining pools provide benefits and drawbacks, as you would imagine.

How Much You’ll Earn

It all depends on the market. Yet  some people say that they make $60 per day from Bitcoin and $20/day from Ethereum and $30/day from IOTA.

Total $110/day and it actually fluctuates between $90 to $200/day.

Although this can be an extremely lucrative high income skill, be careful as it’s extremely risky as well.

10. Public Speaking

You can think of public speaking as a presentation given live in front of an audience.

Community seminars may address a broad variety of topics.

The intention can be that the audience is educated, entertained, or inspired.

Visual aids are also provided in the form of an online presence to complement the speech for the audience.

A public speech is different from online presentations in many ways.

When it comes to online presentations and courses, they can be viewed whenever the audience wants to view them.

As for public speaking, there is usually limited to a single time or location. Keep this in mind when thinking about your scheduling options.

And if you’re looking for inspiration, Tony Robbins is renowned for his public speaking skills.

How To Learn This High Income Skill

Let’s look at the creative ways to learn how to become a professional public speaker.

Even if you don’t become a professional speaker, a lot of people use this skill to gain a jump start in public relations, start working as life coaches or get into business coashing.

Solve a problem or tell a story

You might go on stage to say an interesting tale as a comedian, how you leaped off a cliff to create a parachute.

Yet there is an exciting and encouraging community.

Offer a visually appealing presentation

The visual aid is not there to help you, it’s there to help your audience.

You will be able to communicate without seeing what is behind you on the screen.

That said, it’s time for a graphic redesign if the slides are so easy that a high school student can build them.

There are various online programs where you can create slides and infographics.

Create a website

You should have a website, without a doubt.

Any material must be installed on your website.

You can even start your own blog to start gaining an audience and driving sales.

There are also various platforms that can help you with building a website appropriate for you.

How Much You’ll Earn

Newbie speakers earn about $500–$2,500 per speech which is really good money.

Many in their field who are very well known. This includes best-selling authors that can bring in $20,000–$35,000 per speech.

Keep in mind that this high income skill may take a lot of practice and failure before you become truly proficient at it.

Usually public speakers who have strong soft skills make the most money.

Final Thoughts

All of the best high income skills to make you more money need practice and time. 

For this reason, try to choose high income skills you can learn that align with your personal and financial goals.

Do you want to make money? Or maybe you’re looking for job fulfillment or a nice work environment.

Some people only want to make money online.

Try to think about these things before you start investing huge amounts of time and energy into a specific skill.

Many people start investing tons of money only to find out it’s a skill they don’t enjoy doing.

For learning high incomes skills, Youtube tutorials, Udemy, Skillshare and forums are a strong starting point.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of high income skills.

Ready to start? Tell us about some skills that you’re looking at learning.

The post 10 Best High Income Skills To Learn To Make More Money appeared first on Frugal For Less.

When coming across a torn, damaged, or ripped check there can oftentimes be a whirlwind of questions and concerns.

The main concern obviously being, “Can you cash a ripped check?”

In this article, we’ll deep dive into the biggest question and what you can do to get your money

Spoiler alert: You can actually get your money in most cases.

So without going on too much, let’s dive right into if you can cash ripped money and how to do it.

Who/Where You Can Get A Valid Check?

Before anything, it’s important that the check is actually valid and from a trustworthy source.

The unfortunate truth is that people are out there to rip money out of your pockets with tactics that can be unseen.

When it comes to banks and money, it’s important to be sure the check is valid before it’s cashed.

This can save you from an awkward situation.

If you try to cash a bad check you’ll have to pay bank fees, plus take additional steps to actually receive your money.

Make Sure Your Check Is Legit

The first step is making sure the person who sent you the check is legit and trustworthy. 

If they’ve sent you a check for winning their sweepstake, lottery, or even just a prize, its more than likely that it’s a scam. 

Unfortunately, you don’t know every person or what their intentions are. The best-case scenario is that their account has insufficient funds. 

If that’s the best-case scenario, then what’s the worst case?

Well, the check writer can withdraw funds before you have the chance to deposit it.

So what if you’re faster than them?

That doesn’t work for a couple of reasons.

The first reason is you won’t know if they’re trying to scam you.

Second of all, when you deposit the check, it will still take a few days for the money to actually show up in your account.

Within that time they can withdraw the money and carry on.

This tactic can really hurt businesses in particular.

Be Aware Of Stolen Details

Another thing to keep in mind is that the check you’ve received could be stolen or their checking account could be using stolen details.

The original owner may be honest and have funds but they can easily reverse the money when they see a fraudulent transaction.

When it comes to verifying a valid check it’s important to know who/where you receive valid checks from.

Finding Valid Sources For Checks: Banks And Vendors

There are pretty much only 2 options to find a valid source for checks. The first and most common is your bank.

The second would be a trusted vendor.

Using A Bank

Banks are usually best because everything is already set up for you, and oftentimes it can easily be done online.

If it’s your first time ordering checks they may require you to visit the bank in person.

The process is very simple. All they will need is your login info and for first-timers, they’ll need to check your identity.

After a few questions, you’ll likely need to update any information that may have changed or confirm that everything has stayed the same. 

Now that everything is completed, it’s just a waiting game. They will either mail you a checkbook or you’ll have to pick it up from your bank in person. Regardless, they’re relatively cheap to order and cost about $25 on average.

Using A Vendor

When it comes to getting checks through a vendor, it’ll be a little trickier and may require more identification to help prevent fraud.

Ordering through a vendor will bring the possibility of a better deal than compared to your bank.

To start, you’ll want to search “order checks online” or cheap check orders”. 

Once you’ve found a vendor that seems legit, be sure to check reviews to confirm they’re a legit vendor. 

When going with a vendor they require much more info such as:

• Bank’s routing number
• Checking account number
• Your address and phone number
• The number you want checks to start on
• The date you opened your checking account

After a few more questions and requirements you’ll place the order and wait for them to arrive via mail. 

When you receive your checkbook, make sure to verify that they’re legit or you could end up in a lot of trouble. 

So now that we’ve gone through everything to look for in scams and how to properly acquire checks, what are the characteristics of a valid check? Are there some key things to look for? 

Characteristics Of A Valid Check

When verifying a check it’s vital to check for key things as you don’t want to be scammed. The good news is, it can be pretty easy to identify legit/fake ones. 

Here are the main parts to examine if a check is legit: 

• Bank phone number
• Verify the bank by looking it up
• Look for security features such as a security screen on the back, microprinting on the signature line, and the words “original document” on the back of the check
• Check how much the check is written for. A lot of times scammers will write more than what they’re supposed to pay
• Check for any discoloration or smudges as this can point towards an altered check

Verifying a check can be a little tedious if you check all of them, but it will save you a headache and money that’s rightfully yours.

If you have a torn, damaged, or ripped check its often smarter to just cash it with the teller.

Cash The Ripped Check With A Teller

When it comes to a check that is torn or damaged, there are a few different ways to cash them.

One of the easiest ways is to go through a teller. This route typically has the most success.

The reason for that is because, with an automated machine, it can’t work for you and tries to help you out.

With machines, it’s either accepted or declined and no in-between. So if you try to deposit them it might not be in your favor. 

That’s why going through a teller will be the most successful.

Step 1: Find The Nearest Branch

The very first step to getting your check approved is to find the nearest branch. This can be done by simply searching your bank’s name online.

Chances are you won’t have to travel far as it’s the bank you decided to go with.

Step 2: Proper Documents

Before heading out to the bank you’ll want to make sure you have the proper I.D to have everything approved. You can use any form of I.D such as driver’s license, passport, military I.D, etc. 

Also, make sure you have your debit card as most banks will require them. If you don’t have one you’ll likely need to fill out a form to acquire one. These can cost roughly $5 depending on your bank.

Step 3: Give Them A Notice

When depositing the check just let them know about any damage to the check.

Giving them a heads up will likely increase their willingness to help you through the process. 

Step 4: Check Your Bank’s Policy

Most banks will not charge a fee for depositing a check but some may – depending on the bank. In some banks, you’ll need to directly deposit the check into your account rather than getting cash.

Be sure to know your bank’s policy beforehand.

Lots Of Benefits Of Going With A Teller

The major benefit of depositing checks with a teller is that they won’t give automated responses as an ATM would.

Most of the time they’ll be willing to help and work with you throughout the process. This can be very beneficial with any torn or damaged checks.

They will also help you work through the process of fraud if that unfortunately happens. 

For business, a damaged or torn check can be detrimental and hurt your business by a large amount. Going through a teller they’ll be able to help you step-by-step on what to do and how you can avoid future problems. 

It’s also important to note that most banks will require a signature on the back of the check. This step can be very easily forgotten.

For smaller amounts, they will usually let it slide. But for larger amounts you’ll want to sign the back.

This helps them avoid fraud and know that it’s really you.

So if you’re debating on going through a tell or ATM, the safest, and best way is through a teller.

This will ensure you’re going to have the best chance of getting a check deposited into your bank account.

Going through an ATM will provide speed and convenience but has the possibility of not accepting the check. 

Deposit The Check Electronically

If you’re looking for speed and convenience then maybe depositing a check electronically is a perfect option for you.

With the capabilities of depositing your check literally worldwide, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Or does it?

Before we dive into the negatives about mobile banking will first go over the positives and why it might be good. 

Let’s face it, nobody really wants to drive to the bank and wait for either an ATM or teller, that reason right there is why 38% of the nation choose to do online banking over in person.

Everybody wants speed and convenience – for good reason too.

Another great reason to do mobile banking is the availability that it offers, you can literally do it anytime, anywhere. So whether you’re on lunch break and received a check from a friend. Or out in Guam for a week and decided that it would be a good time to deposit your check. 

Regardless of where or what time it is, you’ll always be able to deposit your check unlike traditional forms of depositing money.

Next, the benefit of going paperless. 

With virtual access, there will be no more annoying receipts and junk mail from your bank. This is great for anyone that loves to keep things simple.

Following the simplicity, you’ll also have full control over money, all from a device in your hand.

So if you deposited a check into your savings and not checking account, well then just simply transfer it over within seconds. It sounds crazy but it’s really that easy.

Finally, mobile banking and depositing checks are safe.

Although it can sound scary sending over a check virtually. Most banks and financial institutions use encryption to safeguard and protect your personal info and any checks that are deposited into your bank account.

If you have any worries just give your bank or financial institution a call and ask about re safety of their mobile banking.

Although speed and convenience are great there are still a few drawbacks when it comes to electronically deposit a check. 

The first negative is that not all phones support mobile banking, this means you cant deposit a check virtually. Also, keep in mind that not all banks offer mobile banking.

The other disadvantage is the safety factor. Although most banks are secure and safe, not all of them might be. So be sure to give them a call and figure out exactly how they’re keeping your info safe.

The final disadvantage will have the most impact. 

Going through a virtual device will bring security to the eyes of the bank. This will cause long delays in processing time. It can take up to 10 days to receive your money depending on the bank and how much the check was written for.

The positives of virtually depositing a check outweigh the negative by a large margin, it’s beyond worth it to anyone looking for speed and convenience. 

Just think about how much easier it is to take a minute out of your day and instantly have your check deposited.

Rather than taking 30 minutes to an hour taking a  trip to the bank and waiting in long lines.

Cash The Check With An ATM

The perfect mix of safe and speed would be going through the ATM. This route will involve some driving but in the end, it will be much faster than going through a teller.

It’s also much more secure than an untrustworthy online bank.

With many benefits of anything will come some negatives, for starters will be going over the positives of choosing an ATM.

When going through an ATM most thanks will put the funds directly into your account with no hold. Others may take a little longer depending on how much you’re depositing.

Another small benefit is they won’t always require I.D so if you’re having one of those days at least you’ll be able to deposit a check even if you forget your license.

ATM’s are all around the world, this will allow for easy access to withdrawing and depositing any money. It’s better to have it with your bank but obviously that won’t always be the case.

If you don’t use an ATM with your bank there’s typically a little fee that you’ll need to pay.

For travelers, ATM’s can be huge.

Having the satisfaction of knowing where an ATM is can literally save your life. Maybe your card doesn’t work or you just need some cash to have some fun. Regardless, an ATM will always be around you to save the day. 

ATM’s are similar to drive-thrus. After a long day’s work the last thing anyone wants to do is walk in, wait in a line, and talk and try to figure everything out.

Instead just pull up, cash your check and youtube good to go.

As stated before there are some negatives involved with an ATM.

The first problem is if it’s not directly linked to your bank, you’ll likely be paying a fee. This can hurt but you’ll have no choice if you need cash on the spot. 

Another disadvantage is if you live in rural areas. With a smaller population and town, there will be a lot less ATM’s conveniently placed around the town.

This can make it hard and even completely destroy the purpose of an ATM. 

Another thing to keep in mind is ATM’s are automated. This means they will either accept or not accept your check. Oftentimes there can be a misunderstanding and it will reject your check for no reason at all. 

This can be a huge problem for any checks that have been torn or damaged in any way. Which will probably end up leaving with no choice but to go to the teller inside.

The final problem that happens with an ATM is they can run out of money.

There’s no worse feeling than waiting patiently for your turn at the ATM and when you arrive, there’s a mechanical error or just not enough cash to withdraw. 

So, if you’re looking to cash a check that has some damage, it’s always worth giving an ATM a shot but there’s a decent chance you’ll end up going into the teller to have them take a look for you. 

Use A Prepaid Card

Prepaid cards are very beneficial to anyone that wants to deposit and withdraw checks from ATMs.

When going with a prepaid card you’ll be able to have a direct deposit.

This is great to avoid checks completely. With the ability for your employer to send you a payment directly you’ll no longer have to hold or even need to make a trip to the bank. You’ll be able to spend the money instantly as well.

4 Benefits Of Prepaid Cards

There are many, many benefits of a prepaid card, so let’s dive right into it.

1. No Credit Check

When banks hand out prepaid cards, they won’t be running a credit check.

This is great news for anyone that might be struggling with their credit. Now there’s no worry as they hand them out to anyone as long as the check is accepted.

2. No Overspending

Another benefit is the fact that you can’t overspend.

This will help keep your credit inline or on the rise. Without the temptation to spend more money than you have, there won’t be any risk involved.

3. Can Use Locally And Online

Moving on from credit issues, one benefit that helps everyone is the ability to use it online or in-store.

With a regular check only some stores will accept and no online source will be able to take the check. But with a prepaid card, you can use it anywhere at any time.

4. They Can Help Pay Your Bills

Next, the benefit of being able to pay your bills. This can be huge for anyone that regularly receives checks and would rather have it go straight to your bank account. 

3 Disadvantages of Prepaid Cards

With every positive, there will be some negatives. The good news is the positives outweigh the negatives.

1. You Might Receive Checks

For starters, the biggest disadvantage would be that you’ll still receive checks from time to time. Whether it’s from relatives, friends, etc. 

With prepaid, there will be spending limits which won’t allow you to receive help if you need it.

2. The Fees

The unfortunate truth about prepaid cards is that there will be either annual or monthly fees based on your bank account.

So even though you’ll eliminate checks, for the most part, you’ll still be hit with some fees.

3. No Interest

Not earning interest can usually push people away from prepaid cards.

This means the money you store in the account won’t benefit you long term.

With an account that builds interest, you’ll be earning an additional percentage that your bank offers. This is great if you keep a lot of money stored in an account.

But with prepaid that’s just not possible, unfortunately.

There Are Pros And Cons To Prepaid Cards

So when it comes to prepaid cards, there’s a lot of positives as well as negatives.

The major benefits are that you’ll be able to almost completely eliminate checks which will remove the risk of damaging the check or any scams.

You’ll also be able to have the money deposited directly into your account if your employer has the capabilities of that.

The negatives are that you won’t be able to build interest over time. As well as you might still receive checks from others.

All in all, the decision is up to you. But here is the big question – Can you deposit a ripped check?

Can A Torn Or Ripped Check Be Cashed?

When it comes to depositing a ripped or torn check, the best answer is it depends.

Unfortunately, there’s not an exact answer for everyone as it depends where the rip is. Well, dive deeper into what you can do and what will typically still be able to be deposited.

The other thing to take a look at is if the check is being deposited into an ATM, teller, or mobile banking.

Where Can The Rips Be?

First, we’ll start with where the rips can and can’t be. 

If there happens to be a rip over important info such as signature, serial number, routing number, etc. then you might be out of luck, and it’ll be best to just seek a replacement check.

But it’s always worth checking with your bank as all banks will have a different policy.

But maybe (hopefully) the rip is in a small and unimportant place such as a corner of the check.

With a place like this, there won’t be much affected in terms of important info.

These checks will usually be accepted.

An ATM might not like it but a teller will accept it in most cases.

What About Damages Or Spills?

The final thing that can likely mess up or ruin a check is any damage or spills.

Accidents happen but a spill can ruin a check completely which will result in them likely not accepting it based on how bad it is.

So now the question comes, what and who will accept torn or damaged checks?

ATM’s will likely give the biggest issues. This is because it examines the entire check and will need to match the specifications perfectly. 

ATM’s are typically very strict, either it’s accepted or it’s not. They aren’t humans which means they won’t be able to work with you or help you figure it out.

So unfortunately if you have a ripped check, an ATM is probably not the best route to take.

When Mobile Banking Declines Your Check

The next in order of not accepting is mobile banking.

With this method you’ll need to put your check in the camera, the good news is you might be able to fix the check enough to trick the camera. 

Obviously don’t alter the entire check but fixing it to get a good photo might just do the job.

If mobile banking and ATM are unsuccessful the best option is to just go to the teller. With this option, you’ll be able to work with a highly experienced human that can work directly in your favor.

They’ll take a look and decide whether they can accept the check based on the bank’s policies. But they’ll likely do their absolute best to help you out.

It Depends

So the simple answer is it depends on a few factors.

The very best chance of getting a damaged or torn check deposited is to go with the teller as they can directly help you.

With an ATM it’ll be pretty strict and likely not accept it.

Finally, online banking is a great second option as you might be able to temporarily fix the check and get it deposited.

Will Banks Accept A Ripped Check?

When trying to get a torn check approved by a bank solely depends on the bank and their policies.

Some may want to do everything they can to help you while others might not want anything to do with it.

Why Wouldn’t Banks Want To Help?

A common question is “Why wouldn’t they want to help?”

The main reason a bank wouldn’t be able to help you is they want to avoid fraud at all costs.

They don’t know you or your intentions and they’ll need to treat everyone the same.

Which unfortunately hurts the vast majority of people that truly just want to get their money for a check that was accidentally ripped or torn.

Here are some common responses and ways to possibly get them to accept your check.

Use Tape

If you plan to use a taped check be sure it’s invisible tape so they can still read everything. That’s what’s most important to them.

Bring I.D.

Another tip is to bring your I.D. With more trust they’re more likely to help. 

The parts of the check that are most important to keep clean and legible are the signature, account number, routing number, and bank name. 

The bank may decide to reject the check if any of those are missing.

Honesty Is Extremely Important

Your best bet is to go in with all honesty.

Just explain exactly how it happened and come prepared with any documents that might be helpful to you.

One tip would be to even call ahead and see if they’ll accept the check.

Even if they give you a no, it’s still worth going in and to show them everything.

Another tip that can be useful is giving the bank the check was drawn from and see if they’ll be able to help you.

For example, if it’s Bank of America, then take it to them and explain exactly what happened. 

If your check is declined you’ll have to take it back to the person, bank, or business you got it from and ask for a replacement.

Bring The Proper Information

All in all, banks will need a routing number, signature, bank name, etc. to accept the check. This is vital information and they can’t help you if these are missing.

Although, it’s always worth taking it in to see what they can do.

If you’re planning on taping the check be sure to use clear tape so they can still read it.

Make sure to always bring your I.D and explain exactly what may have happened and they’ll likely be happy to help you through the process.

Bank of America is probably one of the most lenient banks when it comes to accepting a ripped or torn check.

Final Thoughts: Can A Ripped Check Be Cashed?

All in all, if you happen to have a damaged, torn or ripped check there are many options to try.

The best odds of getting the check deposited is by going straight to the teller. They’ll likely help you and work with you in your favor.

But if you’re looking to avoid any scams in the future it could be best to go with a prepaid card or try direct deposit over a check.

We’ll leave that decision up to you. But for now, we hope you’ve been able to resolve your questions and put that cash into your account.

Ok, so we’ve answered the question of,” Can you cash a ripped check?”

If you read this far, you may have noticed that we are a financial blog that shows people how to make and save money.

Would that interest you?

Then we suggest opening these recent posts in a new tab:

• Top Apps That Pay You To Play Games
• 20 Survey Sites To Earn Extra Money Online
• How To Get Free Stuff On Your Birthday Without Signing Up

The post Can You Cash A Ripped Check? What To Do With Torn, Damaged & Ripped Checks appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Wondering how to sell everything you own?

In our many cross-country moves (13 homes in 5 states in 15 years) my wife and I have typically sold our things to avoid the cost of a moving truck.

That’s one reason to get rid of stuff.

Maybe you’re planning a traveling lifestyle and need to go light, or you need to free up some space in the house.

Perhaps you plan to rid yourself of worldly possessions so you can join a monastery.

Or you just need to raise some cash.

Whatever the reason, if you’re planning to get rid of some or all of your things, you might as well get top dollar for them.

The problem is, selling a camping tent isn’t the same as selling your old cell phone.

And where do you go to sell old comics, or silver coins, or tools?

Check out the A-to-Z list below (every letter is covered!).

Whether you’re selling just one item or many, you’ll find some great tips on where to get the most for everything in your home, starting with…

Aluminum Cans

In states with “bottle bills,” you can return aluminum beer and soda cans for the deposit, usually 5 cents each (we got 10 cents each when we lived in Michigan).

In other states you can sell them as scrap metal, but the current value of aluminum makes them worth only one or two cents apiece.

Check out these other things you can scrap for cash.

Appliances

Craigslist is the place to sell appliances.

If that old stove or fridge is broken, you can put it in the free section.

Someone will take it away for the scrap metal, saving you a disposal fee.

Or bring it to a scrap metal buyer yourself to get a few bucks.

RECraigslist.com says the scrap value is $8 to $28 for most kitchen appliances.

For appliances in good condition, try your hand at selling online, in places like:

• Facebook Marketplace
• LetGo
• OfferUp

If you can ship it, like for small appliances, look at eBay, Amazon, or Mercari.

Aquariums

You can sell aquariums and related equipment on AquaBid.com.

Or, to avoid shipping hassles, just sell the stuff through Craigslist,

Backpacking Equipment

I’ve sold gold-prospecting equipment on Craigslist, and I’m sure you can sell backpacking gear that way.

But to get top dollar you’ll do better going where the best buyers are.

For example, Backpacking.net has a forum for selling gear.

Batteries

Small batteries don’t typically have any residual value, but if you have a car or boat batteries around, you might be able to sell them.

Google “battery buyers” to find a recycler near you.

There are online buyers as well, like Rockaway Recycling.

Bicycles

The easiest way to sell a bicycle is to put it out front with a sign on it.

I got $35 that way for an old bike that I bought for $30.

With a little more work (a photo and description), you can get a higher price on Craigslist.

If it’s a truly valuable bicycle, see if a local bike shop will either buy it from you or sell it on consignment.

Books

Bookscouter has a great search tool to find the best place to sell your books online.

Just enter the ISBN number and see your options.

Textbooks get the most money, but you can sell other books as well.

For faster cash (and no shipping hassles) try a local used book store.

Most pay only in the form of store credit, but I once got $15 cash from a local store for a small stack of books.

Boxes

BoxSmart.net and BoxCycle.com buy cardboard boxes.

They usually buy only large quantities, so this is an option for after a move (once you’ve unpacked all those boxes).

Calendars

If they’re vintage (old and interesting), you can sell calendars to antique dealers and other local vintage item retailers, like Old Seattle Paperworks, for example.

You can also sell collectible calendars on eBay.

Cameras

BuybackWorld buys used cameras.

Craigslist is another option, and for the fastest cash try a local pawn shop.

Cell Phones

Swappa.com has no fees to list and sell your cell phone (buyers pay the fees).

Gazelle buys phones directly from you.

Local iPhone repair stores sometimes pay cash for phones — even broken ones, since they can fix them for resale.

Clothes

Google “clothing consignment store” and the name of your locality to find a place that will sell your clothes for you.

For instant cash try Plato’s Closet or Buffalo Exchange.

Either will pay cash for popular name-brand clothes. A rummage sale is the best place to sell the rest.

Coin Collections

A local coin shop will buy your coin collection for cash, but first use an online coin price guide to see what each coin is worth.

CoinTrackers.com says you can expect to get at least 60 percent of retail value.

Selling on eBay is more work, but should get you the best price.

Comic Books

GetCashForComics.com buys single issues or whole collections.

SellComicBooks.us also buys comics directly from you.

NewKadia.com does appraisals and connects you with buyers.

Computers

If your computer is still functional, try selling it through Craigslist.

Otherwise, you can learn how to how to scrap a computer to sell the metals and components.

Diabetes Test Strips

If you have leftover diabetes test strips, don’t throw them away.

You can get cash for the test strips and lancets from RescueTestStrips.com.

DVD Movies

Pawn shops are the place to sell your DVDs fast for cash, but don’t expect them to buy anything other than popular movies.

Put the rest in your next rummage sale.

Electronics

The Amazon Trade-In program is a great place to sell used electronics, although you’ll be paid in Amazon credit, not cash (which isn’t a problem if you shop online regularly).

Best Buy also has a trade-in-for-credit program.

Pawn shops, Craigslist, and rummage sales are some of your other options.

Exercise Equipment

Johnson Fitness and similar stores that sell used exercise equipment also buy it.

Craigslist is your best bet otherwise, and your next rummage sale is always an option.

Fishing Gear

What do you do with all that old fishing tackle in the garage? Try SellFishingTackle.us.

But they generally buy collections, not individual pieces. A pawn shop or your next rummage sale is your best bets for the rest.

Furniture

Craigslist is one of my favorite places to sell furniture.

I also like furniture consignment stores, because you can get that stuff out of the house right now, even if it will take a while to sell.

Of course, you’ll give up 50% or so as a consignment fee, but often we’ve done better that way anyhow, because the furniture store gets a higher price.

Gift Cards

If you have store, restaurant, and other retailer gift cards you won’t be able to use, they can be sold for 50% to 90% of the remaining value.

Think about all those gift cards you collect over the years for birthdays, holidays, or your anniversary that you just don’t use.

There are only so many regifting opportunities out there.

This is an excellent solution for ditching those unused gift cards for cash.

See our post on where to sell gift cards for more on how to cash in.

We suggest Raise or Cardpool.

Handguns

If you don’t have a local pawn shop or gun shop where you can sell your handguns, there are places to sell online.

For example, CashMyGuns.com will give you a quote, send you the packaging materials, and then send you a check once they get your guns.

They say it’s “safe, legal, and hassle-free.”

Ink Cartridges

Old ink cartridges get you $4 each at Staples when you buy new ink.

Sites like SellToner.com buy used ink cartridges and toner, but only in larger quantities.

Jewelry

The fastest way to get cash for jewelry is to sell it to a local jewelry shop.

If it’s made of silver or gold, try a coin shop or precious metals buyer.

Use an online metals value calculator to determine what you should be paid, which is usually at least 75% of spot value for silver and closer to 90% for gold.

Junk

Try selling possibly-useful junk at a rummage sale.

If the items are metal, sell to a scrap dealer.

You can check the current scrap values of various metals online.

I recently made $15 selling broken lawn furniture and other metal items to a metals buyer.

Kayaks

Play It Again Sports buys used kayaks and canoes, and they’ll give you cash on the spot.

But with a bit more work, you’ll probably get more selling it yourself on Craigslist.

Kids Clothes

Your kids outgrow their clothes.

If you’re not donating, sell them at in-person or online consignment stores, like ThredUp or Swap.

Knives

If you have hunting knives or antique knives and they are valuable, there are places that sell them for you on consignment, so you can ship them off and wait for a check.

CuttingEdge.com takes knives worth more than $100, and Arizona Custom Knives wants only knives worth at least $200.

You keep 75% of the sales price.

Lamps

Lamps and lighting are great for resell.

People are crazy about them.

Sell on Craigslist or Ebay.

Lawn Furniture

Craigslist, furniture consignment stores, and a rummage sale are the best options (in that order) for selling used lawn furniture.

If it’s junk, but made of metal, sell it to a scrap metal dealer.

Luggage

Craigslist is again a good way to go, although my wife and I have also sold used luggage to a second-hand store, and rummage sales are always an option.

Magazines

There are online tutorials on how to sell magazines.

It’s typically only old ones that have value,  and they can sometimes be sold locally to places like Old Seattle Paperworks.

Sometimes it’s just the vintage ads that have value, so you can make more by cutting them out and selling them on eBay.

Music CDs

If (a big if) you have popular titles, you might get as much as a dollar each for your CDs, at a pawn shop.

My wife and I once got 50 cents each for just 4 of 20 CDs we wanted to sell.

The rest went in our rummage sale.

Newspapers

Newspapers generally have value only if they’re old.

You can sell them by birth-date on eBay (people buy them as gifts for friends’ birthday celebrations).

Or you can clip out old ads to sell; check out the vintage ads for sale on eBay to see what you might get.

Old Stuff

Anything that’s old could have some cash value at an antique store.

You can sometimes determine this with a quick check on eBay, but look for items with actual bids or sales to get an idea of the real value (sellers can ask anything, after all, but it doesn’t mean they get it).

Plastic Bottles

Recycling centers in many cities buy plastic bottles (and soda bottles are returnable for the deposit in states with “bottle bills”).

At the moment you’ll get only about a half-cent each, so you’ll need a lot of them to make it worth your time.

Photography Equipment

This includes cameras, lenses, light boxes, tripods, etc.

Today, in our internet age, you can even rent them out, making recurring passive income online for lending your photo gear.

Photo equipment is pricey so there’s definitely a market of people looking to rent gear for a fraction of the price of buying.

Look at places like:

• Lensrentals
• Borrowlenses
• Kitsplit

Postcards (Old)

You might be able to sell old postcards at an antique store, and we’ve seen them for sale at used book stores too.

Online, you can sell them at CardCow.com.

Quilts

The Antique Man says he buys vintage quilts.

Otherwise you can read over what others have said about how to sell a quilt on eBay.

Radios

NewerAntiques.com has radios on their list of items they buy (it generally has to be old).

Of course, a pawn shop is a possibility, and when all else fails, put it in your rummage sale.

Small Appliances

Start with your kitchen to uncover appliances you hardly ever use or have never used.

Here are some examples:

• Blenders
• Espresso makers
• Breadmakers
• Icecream makers
• Toasters
• Electric hand mixer
• And, more!

Some brands have a loyal following too, like Rae Dunn ceramic mugs, bowls, and other goods.

Declutter your space and make money doing it!

If you’re in your kitchen and have more than 2 appliances on the counter, ask yourself if you really use that old panini maker or countertop grill.

If you don’t, get rid of it.

Sports Equipment

Play It Again Sports buys everything from used baseball bats to snowboards.

If you have one of their stores near you, that’s probably the fastest way to get cash for sports equipment.

But you may get a better price selling on Craigslist.

Toilet Paper Rolls

Yes, you can sell you used toilet paper rolls — the cardboard part leftover.

Toilet paper rolls on eBay sell for about $20 for 100 rolls if you include shipping.

People use them for craft projects.

Tools

Local buyers, like Jim Bode Tools who offers some options for selling tool collections.

Just Google “sell used tools” with the name of your locality.

Pawn shops are your second-best bet, and then there is Craigslist and that rummage sale.

Toys

Once Upon a Child stores buy used toys.

If there isn’t one near you, try selling the toys on Craigslist or at rummage sales.

This is good for childhood toys you held onto, old toys your kids don’t play with or collectibles like Cabbage Patch, Beanie Babies, or vintage Barbie dolls, and others.

ToyMart.com buys vintage and collectible toys.

Trees

Believe it or not, you can sell the trees around your home, if you have enough.

A friend had a few acres around his house “select cut” and made several thousand dollars.

If you can’t find a local lumber company that will come to you, check out SellYourTrees.com.

Urine

The letter “u” was a tough one for this list, but there was that case of the guy who sold his urine for $20 per ounce on Craigslist.

Buyers need the urine to pass drug tests, so to do this you have to be drug-free and willing to participate in their deception.

Video Games

A local pawn shop is the fastest way to cash in, but you may get more selling your video games online, using a website like  Glyde.com.

You can also sell directly online to places like VIP Gamestore or Princeton Record Exchange.

Watches

If you have a valuable watch to sell, try buyers like WatchBox or Moyer Fine Jewelers.

To get maximum value you should also get price quotes from several local buyers, like jewelry and pawn shops.

Wedding Dresses

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com lets you list your dress for sale for $25, and charges only $5 to list bridesmaid dresses.

Your other option is a local clothing consignment store.

Wine Corks

Sell them on eBay for up to 25 cents each.

The price depends on the type, shipping costs, and the size of the batch.

Buyers use them for craft projects.

X-Rays

If you have x-rays from medical or dental procedures you’ve had done, don’t throw them out.

They have valuable silver in them!

BW Recycling buys x-ray films in all 50 states, as does Cash For Silver USA.

You may need more than one x-ray for them to be interested.

Yard Tools and Equipment

Larger items, like riding lawn mowers, are best sold via Craigslist.

Smaller tools (clippers, rakes, edgers) can be sold at a local pawn shop, or in your next rummage sale.

Zebras (Stuffed Animals)

Yes, I needed at least one thing starting with “z” that might be found around the home, and can be sold for cash.

Where do you sell used stuffed animals?

Well, my wife and I used to sell them at flea markets (they were one of our best sellers), but vintage stuffed animals are probably best sold on eBay.

Selling Everything Else

If you don’t see it on the list above, or even if you do, you might want to try one of the following ways to sell your stuff.

Have a Rummage Sale – This is usually the last stop before just throwing things out or donating them to a thrift store.

Tip: To generate more traffic, advertise a few large or valuable items on Craigslist and note that they can be seen at the rummage sale.

Sell to Pawn Shops and Second-Hand Stores – When my wife and I moved from Colorado to Florida, we sold large batches of stuff to the owner of a second-hand store.

He even came to the house to get it all. Pawn shops are more selective, but they’ll buy many odds and ends.

Try Craigslist – This is one of my favorite places to sell anything worth at least $20 (it’s not worth fielding the phone calls for lower-priced items).

Sell at a Flea Market – Many flea markets have inexpensive daily rates, and you’ll have more potential buyers looking at your stuff than you’ll ever get at a rummage sale.

Sell to an Estate Buyer – These companies commonly buy a whole house full of stuff at a time.

Google “estate buyers” and your city to find one.

To get them to come and give you a quote you may have to first move and then offer them everything left in the home.

Sell online – Or, if all else fails, sell online. There are tons of places to sell used condition goods, other than Craigslist and Ebay, like:

• LetGo
• OfferUp
• Mercari
• Poshmark
• Depop
• Ecwid

Another great resource for selling is online neighborhood groups and sites, or networking sites like Meet Up, Nextdoor or groups on Facebook or LinkedIn.

There are hidden gems throughout your home that are right under your nose, and ready for selling.

Rummage through your stuff and sell it all, on your own.

What do you think?

If you have a few of your own tips on how to sell everything you own, please share them with us below … and keep on frugaling!

The post How To Sell Everything You Own: An A-Z Guide appeared first on Frugal For Less.

It’s not difficult to adopt millionaire success habits.

The truth is, these routines exist among top millionaires.

There are things that they do, that anybody can do, which many attribute to their success.

Is there some mysterious secret to being rich that most of us don’t know?

Or, are there things that rich people do that any of us can do?

There are!

This article will show you 17 money habits of the rich you can adopt.

Let’s dive in!

The Wealthy are Different

The wealthy are different from you and me but not in the ways you might think.

Largely they aren’t dozens of IQ points smarter, they don’t have some money guru advising them, and they haven’t figured out the secret to alchemy.

Wealthy people just tend to have better habits than many of us, but they are habits we can practice too.

Your jaw will drop at some of these stupid simple habits that anyone can adopt.

Here they are!

1. They Aren’t Flashy

This habit is what separates a lot of wealthy people from some rich people.

Perhaps the ultimate example is Warren Buffett versus the kind of people you see on Rich Kids of Instagram.

Warren Buffett is the second wealthiest person in the world and probably the smartest investor in history.

He is currently worth more than $75 billion.

Buffett lives in the same house he bought in Omaha, Nebraska in 1958, as late as 2013, he still had a flip phone rather than a smartphone, and his favorite hobby is not the high stakes poker games some rich people enjoy but bridge.

Wealthy people tend to live below their means.

This is why you don’t hear of people like Warren Buffett declaring bankruptcy, but you often hear about professional athletes and musicians who have had to take that step.

Of course, when you have almost 80 billion dollars to your name there isn’t much you could do to lose all of it.

Those of us with considerably less can follow the example of wealthy people like Warren Buffett.

How to Do It?

Don’t upgrade your life every time you see an upgrade in your income.

Keep your housing costs at 30% or below of your income.

Stock your emergency fund with six months worth of expenses, fully fund your 401k and IRA accounts.

Once you’ve done those things, you can have a little bit of fun Rich Kids of Instagram style.

2. Early Birds Get the Worms

It can be hard to drag yourself out of a warm bed in the morning but doing so has a lot of benefits.

It gives you time to exercise, another habit of the wealthy, before the day gets away from you.

Exercising in the morning has been shown to increase energy and productivity.

Getting into the office before most of your colleagues gives you time to get your workday started.

And, you can do so without as many interruptions whether they be coworkers who like to chat or phone calls.

Those who get up early are shown to have better quality sleep.

And, we are only beginning to understand how much impact good sleep has on overall health both physical and mental.

How to Do It?

Try to go to bed earlier at night.

If you find it difficult to fall asleep, do something during the day to make you tired, like exercise or evening house work.

Relax at night, take an hour to turn off electronics, take a warm bath, settle into bed and fall into slumber.

And make sure to set your alarm clock to wake up early the next day.

More sleep can help you feel better and make it easier to rise earlier the next day.

3. They Network

The old saying, “It’s not what you know but who you know” is the reason wealthy people network.

It’s also why it’s essential for those of us aspiring to be wealthy too.

Networking can help you find a better job, find a new employee, and can help you surround yourself with other successful people, another habit of the wealthy.

How to Do It?

There are networking opportunities all around you.

In person, book yourself to go to an industry conference or fundraiser.

Mingle, meet new people, spark conversation and exchange business cards.

You can also network online, which is even easier.

Go on LinkedIn, find peers in your industry and comment on their work.

Head to Facebook groups, ask questions, answer questions, establish yourself as an expert and provide value to the conversation.

You would be surprised how many business contacts and leads you can gain from simple networking.

Try it!

4. They Don’t Watch Television

Americans spend an average of five hours a day watching television.

This is an enormous waste of time, and something wealthy people don’t do.

There are countless things that you could be doing that would be more beneficial; exercising, reading, getting more sleep, preparing a healthy meal.

But maybe the most beneficial thing you can do with at least some of those hours is starting up a side hustle.

How to Do It?

Everyone should have more than one source of income.

Your side hustle doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, at first anyway.

Drive for Uber or Lyft, baby or pet sit, clean houses, sell things on a site like Poshmark or eBay.

One day your side hustle may start bringing in enough money to allow you to quit your 9-5.

Even if it doesn’t, having extra money coming in can go a long way towards helping you meet your financial goals.

5. They Keep it Simple

All of us only have so much energy to expend.

Wealthy people don’t expend their precious energy on mundane things because they need it to deal with important things.

This helps us avoid what is called decision fatigue.

When you have too many decisions to make, even if most of them are small decisions, your willpower and ability to make good decisions starts to wane.

This is why Steve Jobs wore the same outfit every day and why Warren Buffett eats the same fast food breakfast sandwich most days.

Don’t waste time and energy dithering over little things that don’t matter.

There’s a bigger picture.

Examples of big time wasters are spending too much time on what color shower curtain liner to buy or whether to serve broccoli or asparagus tonight for dinner.

How to Do It?

Some good ways to take these kinds of decisions off your plate is to build a capsule wardrobe.

This consists of basic pieces that work together that you can mix and match to create tons of outfits.

You can also come up with a dozen recipes that everyone in your family likes and just rotate them.

When you do have big decisions to make, make them in the morning after a full night of sleep and not while you’re hungry.

If you’ve ever been starving and decided to stop for a fast food meal rather than going home and cooking, you know how hunger can affect decision making.

Limit your options.

Choice is a good thing but too many choices can be overwhelming, and we can freeze with indecision.

If you are faced with a dozen choices for your 401k plan, you don’t have to read the 75-page prospectus for each one.

Thirty minutes of research will allow you to narrow down your choices to the best three.

From there you can investigate all three more fully, so you make the best decision.

6. They Have Patience

Wealthy people do not practice instant gratification in any area but especially not in areas concerning money.

That’s why you never hear of a wealthy person who became that way through some kind of get rich quick scheme.

They know building wealth takes time and anyone or anything promising to make you rich fast is a scam.

Investing is a long-term thing.

Even small sums of money invested and left untouched for enough time can become big sums of money.

Growing a business (or a side hustle) takes time.

If you abandon every investment or every project you start because they didn’t make you rich in six months, you are never going to achieve wealth.

How to Do It?

Just slow down.

Take your time and above all, practice.

Practice makes perfect and the more you practice patience, the better you’ll get at it.

7. They Make Their Bed in the Morning

What could this possibly have to do with being wealthy, making your bed is such a small thing?

Ahh, that’s it precisely.

Making your bed is a small thing, but small things often have big consequences.

Making your bed in the morning gives you a sense of accomplishment before you’ve even left your bedroom.

Because one good habit serves as the foundation for further good habits practiced throughout the day, making your bed first thing in the morning is an easy cornerstone to lay.

It doesn’t take any thought, time or much effort but it sets you up to make good decisions throughout the day.

Think about your eating habits. If you eat a healthy breakfast, you don’t want to “ruin” the effects by eating an unhealthy lunch.

If you got up early to work out in the morning, you don’t want to undo that hard work by coming home and polishing off a bottle of wine.

How to Do It?

Make your bed in the morning, that’s it!

If you’re not doing this already or not doing it consistently, this will add a few minutes to your morning routine.

So, make sure you wake up a little earlier or reserve some extra time in the morning to do this.

You will be surprised at how good this makes you feel.

Good decisions lead to more good decisions.

8. They Choose Their 5 Carefully

Jim Rohn believed that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.

Those people have the most influence on our behavior, our decision, and our self-esteem.

Who are those five people for you?

Are they people with the same habits and goals that you have?

Are they positive, optimistic people?

Do you feel good when you spend time with them?

If you answered “no” to any of those questions, you need to reevaluate who you allow into your life.

How to Do It?

Pick your 5 people carefully.

You should be surrounded by people who are successful, healthy, smart, happy, and who support you in making good decisions and discourage you from making poor ones.

9. They Are Educated

When you think of someone being educated, that doesn’t necessarily mean they attended an Ivy League school or even attended college at all.

It means that wealthy people are always learning.

How to Do It?

Take an interest in learning.

Read a lot of books or audiobooks, some of them should be personal finance related.

Listen to podcasts, read newspapers including a few from outside the US, it’s a great big world out there and what happens in other places can affect the US economy and your money.

10. They Enjoy Their Work

We spend too much of our lives working to hate what we do for a living.

This isn’t to say that everyone has to have their dream job.

There are only so many of us who have what it takes to become an astronaut or professional athlete.

But if you want to be happy and successful, you must find some enjoyment and fulfillment from the work you do.

This doesn’t always happen overnight, and sometimes it takes a few tries to find what we enjoy doing.

That’s okay.

Remember, wealthy people, are patient.

Most everyone has to pay their dues in the beginning, and that often means spending a lot of your time doing things you might not enjoy.

As long as you are in a position to move up to a position you will enjoy, that’s okay.

How to Do It?

If you don’t enjoy your work, you have to come up with a plan to find something better.

This is where networking and being around positive, successful people can come in.

They can help you find work you will enjoy.

11. They Know When to Move On

While wealthy people are patient, they also know when to cut their losses and move on.

We all hate to admit we w’ere wrong and that’s what makes us refuse to admit defeat and continue to sink time and money into something or someone that is not going to be beneficial.

How to Do It?

Take action.

When it becomes clear that despite your time and effort, something is just not going to work, whether it’s a job, a relationship, or a side hustle, learn from your mistakes.

Remember what you did right, and move on to the next thing.

12. They Are Less Risk Adverse

Wealthy people are not afraid to take a risk but a calculated risk.

They may jump out of the airplane but they have triple checked their parachute.

Many of us have passed up an opportunity because we were afraid of the risk.

That might mean you didn’t take a great job offer on the other side of the country because you were afraid to leave what was familiar.

Or, you turned down a promotion at your current company because you were too comfortable at the level you were at.

How to Do It?

Take calculated risks.

Being afraid of a new challenge or leaving the familiar are never good reasons not to take a calculated risk.

Don’t be afraid to fail.

13. They Know Where to Spend

Sure wealthy people might drive older, less flashy cars than rich people but the car they bought was a reliable car.

They could have spent less on a car than they did but spending the least amount of money possible is not a habit of the wealthy.

They buy for quality because they want to get the most for the money they do spend.

In other words, they are frugal, not cheap.

How to Do It?

Be more cognizant of the spending decisions you make.

You don’t have to be cheap here.

It’s about making money-smart decisions.

14. They Look After Their Things

The reliable car the wealthy person bought ten years ago is reliable because they looked after it properly.

They researched to find a good mechanic whom they can trust, they schedule regular maintenance, they don’t ignore warning lights, and they have the proper insurance coverage so if there is a problem, they don’t take the financial hit.

Even high-quality things won’t last forever unless you take care of them correctly.

That kind of little upkeep now and then whether it’s regular oil changes for your car or regularly polishing your shoes, makes the things you spend money on last even longer.

How to Do It?

Take care of your belongings.

If you value and watch over your stuff with care, it will last longer, saving you money and saving you time by having to replace it in the near future.

15. They Take Emotion Out of Investing

As I write this, the Dow Jones has just plunged 1,175 points, and $4 trillion has been lost over a period of eight days.

If you let emotion rule your investing decisions, you might panic as many people have clearly done and start selling off your investments.

That would be a mistake.

As Warren Buffett says, “Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.”

How to Do It?

When you invest money, you have to tune out scary headlines and the pundits on CNBC shouting at you.

Once you have done your due diligence, investing should be a hand’s off, set it and forget it endeavor.

Remember, another habit of wealthy people is patience.

16. They Don’t Make Wishes

While some of us make wishes, wealthy people make plans.

We might wish to save a million by age 40, but wishing is all we do.

Wealthy people will take the steps they need actually to do it:

• Save 20% of their income
• Stay out of credit card debt
• Network so they can stay on the lookout for a better opportunity, and
• Spend their spare time making extra money with a side hustle rather than watching television or playing video games

Meanwhile, the rest of us are blowing out birthday candles and hoping for the long end of the wishbone.

How to Do It?

Again, take action.

Take your life into your own hands.

Create a plan, take action to execute it and measure your progress and results.

17. They’re Lucky

The definition of lucky that we mean is “Luck equals opportunity plus preparation.”

Take the networking to find a better opportunity for example.

A wealthy person planning to attend a networking event will do a lot of preparation ahead of time.

They will know who is attending, what they do and for whom.

They know who they want to talk to.

They know something about that person and their company.

They have copies of their updated resumes with them.

They get business cards from the people they want to further engage with and follow up the next day to schedule something, even if it’s just a casual meeting over coffee.

Those are the kinds of people who “luck into” good opportunities.

How to Do It?

Try some of these tips above.

Planning and preparation can get you far.

Anyone Can Do It

Did you notice anything about this list?

Despite the fact that the word “Wealthy” is in the title, most of the habits we listed have nothing to do with money and they are things anyone can do.

It’s because these habits don’t only apply to money.

Broadly speaking, wealthy people are successful in other areas of their lives too because they have these good habits.

Things like being patient, surrounding yourself with good people, and not making decisions based on emotions are good habits and have positive impacts on our overall lives.

Start with what is probably the easiest thing on this list, making your bed every morning.

Then choose another thing, maybe choose one that takes a little more effort, like going to a networking event.

Every week or month, add another thing until these habits of the wealthy are your habits too.

You will be surprised how easy it is to incorporate these habits into your everyday life and the tremendous impact they will have.

The post 17 Millionaire Success Habits Anyone Can Adopt appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Textbooks are a necessity for anyone in college, but there’s one major problem…

They can be very expensive. In fact, the average cost for textbooks is $1,000 a year.

This is where our amazon textbook buyback review comes in.

Instead of just having them collect dust on a bookshelf, we’re going to look at how you can get some money back using Amazon textbook buyback.

Although you can’t always get the full amount of money back or return every textbook, it’s a great way to at least get a little cash back. 

There may be some questions still lingering so let’s dive right into the biggest questions when returning textbooks through amazon. 

Is It Worth The Hassle?

Although selling textbooks to Amazon will have benefits such as making back some money, helping others, and making space for something else in your room. 

There are also some hassles that can make this whole experience not so fun.

The first major disadvantage is that it can take roughly 10-14 days to actually receive money, although it’s not crazy long it can prevent some that need cash quickly. 

Next, the might quote a price for the textbook, but that doesn’t always mean that’s what you’ll receive. When they receive your book you’ll get a final price, if you’re not happy with it they can always ship it back to you. 

Another hassle is that you’ll only be paid via Amazon gift cards. Although this is ingenious for amazon it can really be a killer in sending them your book as you won’t be getting cash.

Although there’s a load of benefits. Even the negatives can outweigh the positives depending on your needs. 

How Much Will Amazon Pay?

There are many different prices depending on the condition, type of book, and the market. 

Selling unused textbooks can make up to 80% of their initial purchase value, this is a great way to earn your money back. But in a  lot of cases, you won’t get the full 80%.

Although you’ll still be losing money, it can seem like a large payday because you won’t need the book anyway. 

What Books Does Amazon Want?

Amazon will accept a wide variety of books. To get top dollar it will need to be a new book without any damage. 

But, new books aren’t always the case because odds are that the book has been used. That’s perfectly okay because Amazon will still pay a decent amount for these used or worn down books.

Heres is an in-depth look into their condition guidelines. 

New: This is exactly what it seems, this book must be brand new and you can be offered roughly 80% of the original purchase price for a brand new book.

Used – Like new: This is a book that has very minimal damage, just about none at all. You can get close to 80% of the original purchase price

Used – Very good: This book usually classifies as a well-kept book that might have some damage but overall minimal. 

Used – Good: The book will show wear from consistent use. Although you won’t get top dollar this could still be a great way to get some extra money for a book that’s no longer being used.

Used – Acceptable: This is the least amazon will allow. There is visible damage but everything still functions properly, there might be markings, rips, etc. 

Rule Of Thumb For Amazon Textbook Buyback Book Conditions

Binding

When examining your textbook you’ll want to examine the binding. The binding is kind o like the spine of the book. If there’s any damage there, the whole book can fall apart. With a weak or damaged binding, it makes books easier to fall and can even allow for detached covers or pages.

Pages

The pages are also very important to check because a lot can be wrong with them. The biggest issue would be missing pages because without certain pages the book could get a little confusing. So when examining be sure that all the pages are there or amazon could lower the initial price you were told.

Water Damage

Water damage can be either a huge issue or no issue at all. But if it is a major issue such as discoloration, wrecked pages, or destroyed covers then you might take a huge hit on how much you’ll make. With water damage, the price goes down because it simply just doesn’t look good or isn’t as usable.

Written Notes Inside Book

Having any notes that were written in the textbook can decrease how much you make. This is because it shows that it’s used and not everyone wants to have someone else notes. Unfortunately, not all notes written on textbooks will be good and this might hurt the value even more after amazon examines it.

Amazon Textbook Buyback Process

Step 1: Open an Amazon Account

The first step is to open an amazon account.

Without one, you won’t be able to do any of the following steps. It’s a very simple and quick process consisting of only a few questions. You’ll want to sign up as a marketplace individual seller unless you plan to sell more than 40 textbooks.

Step 2: Search For Your Book

To sell your book you’ll need to search the book by title or ISBN code. Your book must match the exact book to get an estimate on price; This helps ensure that its the same book. You can do this at the textbook buyback page. The process is very simple and straight forward for your convenience.

Step 3: Assess The Condition

You’ll then want to assess your book for any damage. A good book is one that has no damage to the binding, pages, or cover. You then will need to submit the condition to Amazon as that’s how you’ll get paid. You will then get an estimate for the book, but that can change if the book is either better or worse than the condition you stated.

Step 4: Ship To Amazon

Amazon makes this very simple and even includes free shipping. The only hassle is you’ll need to print off your own shipping label. Once they receive the book you will be sent your money and the book is now off your hands!

Step 5: Collect Your Money

The one major disadvantage is that you will only be paid by amazon gift cards. This will be sent directly to your account. It’s estimated that you can receive up to 80% of your book’s purchase price. This number will fluctuate depending on the condition. Regardless, it’s still a great deal for a book that’s no longer being used!

15 Alternatives To Amazon Textbook Buyback

BookByte

BookByte is a fantastic company that is buying books back. The only requirement is that you send at least $10 worth of textbooks. They even offer free shipping. 

To find out how much you can make you’ll need to type in either the ISBN, title, author, or keyword to find your book and get an estimate. 

To get paid you will need either a PayPal account or they can mail you a check.

Barnes and Noble

Another great option is Barnes and Noble. This is a very well-known company located around the nation. One thing they offer is they buy back textbooks. This is a great way to put some extra cash in your pocket.

To get started you’ll need to search the book on their site with your books ISBN number. From there you will get your quote. If the quote looks fair to you then you can ship them the book for free!

eCampus

This company offers some of the top prices. In fact, they commonly will beat Amazon’s prices! eCampus has become one of the most competitive out of all the options. This is a major benefit to anyone selling a book as they’ll offer high prices.

To get started all you need to do is search your book by ISBN. Youll get your quote and if it looks good to you, you’ll ship it in.

A plus is that shipping is free.

To get paid you have two options: Paypal or in-store credit.

Decluttr

Decluttr makes it very easy to sell more than just textbooks. They will also accept any cell phones, CD’s, DVD’s, legos, and much more.

To get started you’ll need to search your books ISBN number. If you’re happy with the quote then you can ship the book to them.

They offer free and insured shipping. A benefit is that you will be paid the day after the company confirms your shipment.

Knetbooks

This company’s main mission is to buy back books in a fast, simple, and profitable way. Their system works similarly to all the other companies except they like to work faster.

The process is simple.

All you need to do is enter the books ISBN number for a quote, if the price looks goo, you can then ship it in.

The best part is that instead of waiting for mail or PayPal, they can directly deposit the money into your bank as soon as the order is confirmed. This is way better than only receiving store credit with the Amazon Textbook Buyback program and other competitors on this list.

Bookstores.com

This company is similar to the others, they offer two different options when shipping your books. You can select either PayPal or instore credit. 

The benefit of picking in-store credit is that you will get roughly %10-15 more than choosing PayPal. 

To qualify for free shipping you must send them at least $15 worth of books.

BooksRun

BooksRun is one of the more competitive companies, up there with eCampus. They will be offering some of the highest prices, which is a huge benefit to anyone selling books.

In order to sell, you’ll need to have at least $15 worth of books.

Once you checkout, you will need to print out the prepaid shipping label and send it within five days after creating the order.

Textbooks.com

As their name states, they’re interested in textbooks. Which is a huge benefit if you have any unused textbooks laying around. 

This company is offering cash for any textbook. Not only can you sell on their site but you can also purchase directly from their site. 

To get a quote you’ll need to enter your books ISBN. from there you print the free UPS label and ship it out.

They pay via PayPal or check.

Cash4Books

Their name says it all. This company is buying books for cash. They work similarly to other companies such as the process they work.

The process starts by searching the book with the ISBN number. From there you will get an instant quote, if the numbers sound good to you then you can ship it in for free.

Once they receive the book, they will inspect it, and if it’s in good shape you will get paid via PayPal or check.

Sell Back Your Book

This company is perfect for anyone that is looking to sell a bundle of books. With their advanced search option, you can search bulk ISBN numbers and get quotes instantly.

They also have an app that allows you to scan the book and get even quicker quotes.

They do have a more strict process for what books they buy. Here are some examples of what they do NOT buy:

• Advanced reader copies
• Books with no ISBN
• Offensive material
• Encyclopedia sets

Heres the textbooks they do NOT buy:

• Teachers editions
• Instructor’s editions
• Annotated instructor editions

BookScouter

This website could give you the most money. The way they work is they will search for 38 different vendors to give you the best price.

All you have to do is enter your books ISBN number and you’ll see the best prices. From there you will ship it in for free.

When they receive the books you’ll likely be paid via PayPal or check.

TextbookRush

With over 1 million books for sale, TextbookRush is almost guaranteed to buy your book. Not only d they but books, but they also buy electronics, games, and movies.

You can sell them your items through their app or website. Shipping is free for every item and you’ll be paid via PayPal, cash, or in-store credit.

So if you have a unique book and want it gone, Text ookRush might be the best option for you!

BookFinder.com

This company has been in business since 1997! They have received many accolades from prestigious publications such as Forbes, The New York Times, and Lifehacker.

They work similarly to BookScouter by comparing their prices with multiple vendors and giving you the highest price.

Shipping is free and they’ve even expanded to the UK and Canada.

Campus Books

CampusBooks has been around for a long time similarly to BookFinder.com. They accept a large number of books almost guaranteeing every book.

The books the won’t accept are those that are missing supplemental material.

They will search for multiple buyback sites to give you the best price. Shipping is free and you will be paid via PayPal, check, or in-store credit.

TIP: Its best to sell between August or January to get the highest prices.

CKY Books

This company offers more than just books, they will also buy movies and CDs. So if you’re looking to make some room, you might want to consider CKY Books.

They offer free shipping but the order must be worth at least $20. You can choose to be paid by either PayPal or a check.

This is a perfect buyback company for anyone that lives on the east coast as this company is located in Kentucky.

Final Thoughts

Having unused books laying around and collecting dust can be irritable especially when you need more space. Amazon is the king of books and with the Amazon Textbook Buyback, they will buy back just about any book. 

You can make up to 80% of the original purchase price with Amazon.

But, Amazon isn’t the only option there are many different ways to get cash for your unwanted books!

Did You Find This Amazon Textbook Buyback Guide Helpful?, Then You’ll Love These Articles About Amazon:

• 12 Ways To Make Money With Amazon
• 10+ Best Ways To Save Money With Amazon
• 10+ Best Apps For Free Amazon Gift Cards

The post Amazon Textbook Buyback Review: Can You Really Make Extra Cash? appeared first on Frugal For Less.

If you’re trying to get rid of some coins, you’re probably asking yourself, “How much does Coinstar charge?”

In this article, we cover how the machine works, alternatives and ultimately how to avoid their fees.

What Is Coinstar

Coins are an inevitable byproduct of using cash for your everyday payments.

While everyone has wallets or purses that they can keep cash in, holding onto coins has always been a nuisance.

So what do most people do?

Throw them in a jar, the cup holder in your car, or in a piggy bank, then what?

There is going to be a time where you are going to need to cash these coins in.

Whether it be a rainy day, you need to clean out your car, or you simply want a little extra cash.

While you could take the coins with you, it can be quite the burden.

The only reasonable solution is to have the coins exchanged for cash.

There are a few ways to do this ranging from a few minutes of your time to more time consuming methods.

The first is going to be Coinstar.

You may have seen a coinstar machine at your local grocery store.

These machines accept coins and allow you to exchange them for cash.

They have been in business since 1992, processing more than 43 billion coins.

However, when using Coinstar, you will have to pay a fee when cashing out.

While this may be understood as they have to make money as well, it can be a little annoying.

There are ways to get around the fees and alternatives to Coinstar for cashing in your change.

Today, we are going to look at what Coinstar is exactly and how you can avoid their fees.

How Does Coinstar Work?

Using a Coinstar machine is quite simple.

The hardest part of the process is having to carry all of your coins to the actual machine.

This is easy if you only have a single jar, but for those with larger coin collections, you may need a cart.

I have seen many people take full shopping carts of coins to the machines over the years.

I would also suggest setting aside a little time if you have a lot of coins to cash.

Coinstar is very quick, but if you have a large stash, it is going to take a little while.

Not to mention, most stores only have one machine.

This can result in having to wait in line if someone is using the machine.This is where a cart can be a huge help.

Looking at the Coinstar machine, you will notice a metal hinged tray with holes in it.

This is where you will dump your coins a little at a time and slide them into the machine.

The tray will hold a couple of cups worth of coins.

Lift the tray to allow the coins to slide into the machine.

This will need to be done slowly as the opening only allows for a certain amount of coins to drop in at a time.

You may have to move some coins around to ensure they all go in without jamming.

The Coinstar machine has a touchscreen that will display the current amount of change that it has counted.

This does have a delay to it, so you may need to wait until it catches up before cashing out.

Once all of your coins have been deposited, you will need to listen to ensure that the machine has stopped counting.

The machine will alert you once it has finished counting.

Before beginning the cash out process, you will need to check the coin return slot to see if any coins did not make it through.

This is there for coins it does not recognize such as foreign currencies or game tokens.

Once you have confirmed that all of your coins have been deposited, you can start the checkout process.

The checkout process will allow you to choose from various options which range from donating them, cashing out, or trading for a gift card.

Each has their pros and cons, but for most people, they will simply cash out.

Cashing out usually means that you will receive a paper voucher with the payout amount.

You can redeem this at the stores’ customer service desk to get paid.

Do I Need To Sort Or Roll My Coins?

The best thing about Coinstar is that there is no sorting or rolling needed.

Sorting your coins refers to putting all of the like coins together.

Rolling them refers to what banks do when they package them up in paper coin rolls for easy distribution.

Neither is required with Coinstar.

You can bring your loose coins in any container you would like.

Simply pour the coins into the machine and Coinstar does all of the sorting.

Taking the time to roll them before bringing them to Coinstar will just mean that you will have to spend more time unrolling them at the machine.

While this makes transporting easy, it can be a pain and quite messy in the store.

My suggestion is to collect your coins in a sturdy plastic jar.

This makes it easy to transport, it is reusable, and if dropped, it will not break.

It also makes it easy to pour your coins into the machine when it’s time to cash them out.

Where Can I Find A Coinstar Near Me?

Coinstar machines can be found all over the world in most large grocery stores.

Coinstar reports that 90% of the US population lives within 5 miles of a Coinstar Kiosk.

The next time you are in your favorite grocery store, look toward the customer service area.

This is where the majority of Coinstar machines are found.

Chances are you have been walking right past a kiosk during your weekly grocery runs and not even know it.

You can always call around to local stores as well to find out if they have a kiosk available.

This is a great way to ensure that it is in working order as well and what type of kiosk is available.

We will get into the different upgraded kiosks available later.

The last thing you want to do is haul all of your change to a machine just to find out it is out of order.

You can also use the Coinstar website to find a Coinstar kiosk near you.

Is Coinstar Free?

The most discussed topic about using Coinstar is “is it free”?

After all, you are simply using it to exchange your coins for cash, so you want to find a way to save money.

There are a few different ways to look at this with the first being the most used solution – getting a cash voucher.

Getting a cash voucher is simply using the Coinstar machine to count your coins and exchange them for cash.

This is much like using an ATM for getting cash out of your account, so there will be a fee.

You can also use your coins to exchange for a gift card to over 20 popular restaurants or retail stores.

Lastly, you can choose to donate your coins to charity.What you do with your coins is up to you, but some choices may come with a fee for their convenience.

How Much Does Coinstar Charge? (Fees & More)

If you are choosing to cash out your coins for cash, that will come with a fee.

This is advertised as a processing fee which is the way Coinstar makes its money.

Choosing this route will take 11.9% from your total as the processing fee.

While many people are not bothered by this amount, those with larger amounts of coins can really feel the pinch.

For example, if you are cashing in $100, you are going to be charged $11.90 for the transaction.

Coinstar does say that fees can vary by location.

To ensure you understand your specific store’s fee, it is best to check with your store or Coinstar to verify.

Can I Avoid The Fees?

While cashing in coins will require a fee, there are ways to avoid the fees.

If you are looking to cash in a large amount of coins, that fee is going to hit hard.

Even if it is a smaller amount, it is still your money that you are not getting.

So why not get the full amount?

When using a Coinstar machine, there is no way to get cash without a fee.

There is no way around this, sadly.

However, you can choose the gift card option to avoid having to pay fees.

How this works is when you go to the cashout process, you can simply choose a gift card instead of cash.

Coinstar currently partners up with more than 20 popular stores and restaurants to choose from.

This allows you to apply your full amount to a gift card instead of cashing out.

While you may be wondering why this would be any different, it’s all business.

The fee that they would normally charge you for cash gets passed on to the business that you will be shopping with.

This fee is a small price a company will pay to get you in their door or on their site to turn you into a customer.

More than likely, they will recoup that fee eventually, so it’s a win-win.

This is going to be your best bet if you are wanting to get all of your money without being charged a fee.

Donating The Coins To Charity

Another less popular, but fee free way of cashing in your coins is to donate them to charity.

When cashing out your coins at a coinstar machine, you will notice the option to donate to charity.

Coinstar lists out a variety of charities to donate to through their machines, including the American Red Cross.

The best thing about this option is that it is tax deductible.You will simply just need to save the donation receipts for your records.

Any donations through Coinstar are done fee free.

This is usually one of the least used ways that people utilize Coinstar.

Not because people do not want to donate, but because it is a time and energy invested task.

Most who are willing to load up their coins and take them to a machine are going to want cash or gift cards.

Nevertheless, Coinstar does give you this option and it is great for those who want to go this route.

Taking Your Coins To A Bank

If you are looking to get all of your cash for your coins, Coinstar may not be the way to go.You can use a tried and true way of cashing your coins that people have been using for years.

That process includes taking your coins to a bank.While this is not as convenient as taking it to a Coinstar machine, this is one of the ways to cash your coins with no fees.

However, this can’t always be done at any bank.

Many banks will require that you currently bank with them to take advantage of their coin cashing amenities.

This may require a little leg work on calling your bank or banks in your area to see if they allow free coin cashing.

This is also a great time to ask them if there are any requirements on bringing in coins to have them cashed.

Many banks will require that the coins be loose or rolled before bringing them in.

Banks that have coin counting machines usually want them loose as this minimizes time used to count the coins.

Some banks may want them rolled for easy weighing.

Either way, this is one quick and easy way for you to get your coins counted and cashed in.

Can I Use Coinstar For My Small Business?

One frequently asked question that people have with Coinstar is the availability of using the machines for their small business.

Small businesses have a need for cashing in their change from their registers.

Taking this to a bank can be time consuming.

Using Coinstar can be convenient, especially if you are already out buying supplies for your business.

Coinstar states on their site that their machines can be used for small businesses.

This is a great help for those who need to quickly exchange coins for cash and are not worried about the fee.

This is also great for businesses who want to use their change to make a charitable donation.

Buying Bitcoin At Coinstar

With technology advancing every day, it is important for services like Coinstar to keep up with consumer demand.

However, you may be thinking, what could a coin machine possibly do to become more advanced?

Coinstar has recently rolled out a new service with the popular service Coinme.

Coinme is a cryptocurrency exchange site designed to help consumers buy and sell popular cryptocurrency.

Coinstar has teamed up with Coinme to allow you to buy Bitcoin at their kiosks.

Bitcoin is the most popular form of cryptocurrency and is widely accepted across different industries.

The best part is, you do not have to use your coins to purchase the bitcoin.

In fact, you cannot use coins to purchase Bitcoin, only cash.

First, you must locate a Coinstar kiosk that is Coinme partnered.

Next, you will simply select Buy Bitcoin, accept the transaction terms, and enter your phone number.

Next, you will insert your cash (up to $2500 USD) into the cash acceptor.

Then you will receive a voucher with a Bitcoin redemption code.

You can then log in to coinme.com/redeem to create an account and claim your Bitcoin.

Cyrptocurrency enabled machines are rolling out daily across the nation, so if your store does not have one now, check back frequently to find one.

AmazonCash At Coinstar

It is no secret that Amazon is the leading retail giant.

They are at the forefront of developing new and exciting technologies, including their own way to pay for transactions.

This service is known as AmazonCash.

Coinstar has partnered up with Amazon to allow their Kiosks to serve AmazonCash users.

New Coinstar machines are being placed all over the US that will allow you to add cash to your Amazon balance using AmazonCash.

This is just another way that Coinstar is making their machines more valuable to their consumer base.

Coinstar Pros & Cons

So now that you know just about everything you need to know about Coinstar, let’s look at the pros and cons.

Pros

Convenient

One of the biggest pros of using Coinstar is it’s convenience.

With many banks now needing coins rolled up to be exchanged, Coinstar prevails.

You can simply dump your load of coins into the machine and get your cash or gift cards.While you will still have to cash in the cash voucher you receive, this is done quickly at a customer service center.

This makes using Coinstar one of the quickest ways to cash in your coins.

However, for those who save their coins by rolling them as they collect them, it may not be the most convenient.

Fast

Coinstar is known for being fast.

Considering that there is not a line at the machine, the process is much quicker than using a bank.

Whether you have a jar full of coins or several water jugs full, using Coinstar is the fastest way to get cash now.

When using a bank, you will have to find a bank that exchanges them, ensure that you don’t have to be a member, and make sure they do not charge too much.

This can eat up your time and make it much more time consuming to get your cash.

Easy To Get Gift Cards

If you are going to use your coins to purchase a gift card, Coinstar is an easy way to do it.

While there are many ways to get free gift cards, exchanging your coins for a gift card through Coinstar is fee free.This is one way you can get the full amount of your coins and avoid the Coinstar cash fees.Since Coinstar works with many different retailers, you can easily find a gift card that you can use or give as a gift.

Instead of exchanging your coins for cash, then going to buy a gift card, you can simply choose the “get gift card” option through Coinstar.

Cons

Takes A Percentage For Cash

With the premise of this whole article being how to avoid the Coinstar fees, this is going to be the biggest drawback.

When choosing the cash option, you are going to have to pay a fee.

This means that the total you may have had in mind is going to be cut by your location’s processing fee.

Of course, we have looked at various ways that you can avoid this in this article, so hopefully you have found a way to do so.

Inside Other Stores

Another drawback to using Coinstar is the fact that they are found inside other stores.

Large stores such as Sams, Walmart, and other grocery stores around the nation house the Coinstar machines.

This means that you will have to lug your coins into the store to access the machines.

This isn’t too bad as you can utilize the store’s services to cash out your voucher.

However, you are at the mercy of the store’s hours to get it done.

Limited Free Options

Much like the cash fee, another big downfall is going to be the limited free options available.

The only free options are going to be getting a gift card and donating it to charity.

If you are wanting cash in your hand and not a gift card, you are out of luck if you are unwilling to pay the fee.

Final Thoughts

With Coinstar being the only real self-serve change counting machine on the market, you don’t have many choices to choose from.

You are basically left with being ok with the fee, getting a fee free gift card, or donating it to charity.

I hope that this article has helped you figure out how you can avoid the fees from Coinstar.At the very least, I hope that you got a better understanding of what Coinstar is and how it works.

If you have any other comments to add as to how much does Coinstar charge, let us know in the comments below!

The post How Much Does Coinstar Charge (And How To Avoid Their Fees) appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Are you struggling to save money? Feel like you’re constantly short on cash? It’s a lot easier than you might think to save as much as $20,000 in one year.

The key to saving money is just making a few simple lifestyle changes.

This post will tell you all about ways you can save without sacrificing the things you love. Before you know it, you’ll have saved $20,000 in a year — and be better prepared for a financially independent future.

Just read on for some tips on saving and budgeting, then read our 10 super simple steps to save $20,000 in a year.

When should you start saving?

Why is it that we tend to look at saving money as an “adult” thing to do?

A lot of people living on a tight budget, including college students, teenagers, newlyweds and young professionals, feel like it’s too early for them to start saving.

But why?

The reality is, you don’t need to be settled down or “adulting” to start saving money. Even if you can only afford to save $1 a week, the sooner you start, the more your savings will grow.

Starting to save young is one of the most common habits of financially successful people.

Experts say that the first step toward becoming financially independent and being able to retire young is putting as much money aside each month as possible. Just $25 per paycheck will add up surprisingly fast.

So, to answer the question: you should start saving as soon as possible. It’s not about how much you can save — it’s about starting early, and keeping up with it.

Savings, not sacrifice

One of the main reasons people don’t start saving young is that they feel like they have to sacrifice some part of their lifestyle to save money. This is especially true with college students.

But that’s not actually true. You’ll be surprised by how little the changes you need to make to save money are. Once you start saving, you’ll hardly even notice any difference.

In fact, some experts say that a lifestyle that saves you money is actually better for your health, both mentally and physically.

People who save aren’t just better prepared for the future — they’re healthier, and happier!

With that in mind, there’s pretty much no reason not to start saving, right?

What does $20,000 really look like?

Before we get into the best ways to save $20,000 dollars in a year, let’s talk about what that amount of money actually looks like.

No, I don’t mean a physical stack of $20,000. I mean in terms of your budget and day-to-day lifestyle.

To put that amount of money into a more realistic perspective, I broke down $20,000 into things we all spend money on within the span of a year.

So, here’s what $20,000 in one year really looks like:

• $780 — A trip to a nationally recognized coffee house, 5 days a week, for one year.
• $3,000 — The cost an average American spends on meals out in one year.
• $700 — Cost of a new iPhone 11.
• $2,000 — A year of new clothes, spending around $161 per month.
• $720 — Two domestic flights, bought at the average cost.
• $1,500 — Standard cost for a new laptop.
• $8,171 — Average gas costs for a medium-sized sedan in one year.
• $700 — One year of a standard gym membership.
• $1,000 — 3 concert/sports games tickets at $100 each, plus one music festival ticket at $700.
• $565 — Average cost for alcoholic drinks in one year.
• $900 — One brand new sofa, bought on clearance.

Altogether, those expenses add up to just over $20,000.

Am I saying you just need to cut all of those things out of your life to save $20,000 in one year? Of course not. This list just goes to show how everyday expenses and costs that seem small at the time can add up over the course of a year.

By changing small habits and cutting down on unnecessary expenses, you can easily save much more than you expect.

How to save $20,000 in one year

With all that in mind, let’s talk about the practicalities. How can you actually go about saving as much as $20,000 in one year?

Honestly, it’s a lot easier than you might think. Once you start saving, you’ll be surprised by how simple it is.

Of course, saving money will look different to everyone. We all have different habits, incomes, and expenses to focus on. There is definitely no universal money-saving tactic that will work the same way for everyone.

That said, there are general things that everyone can do to try to cut down their annual spending.

Here are 10 really easy examples, in no particular order of importance.

1. Set (and stick to) spending budgets

One of the easiest ways to start saving money is to set spending budgets for yourself.

It’s really easy to overspend if you’re not keeping track of your spending habits. When you keep all your money in a single checking account, you can easily just keep swiping that debit card without really realizing how much money you’re losing.

That’s where specialized budgets can help! Set aside a certain amount of money for each expense every month, and you won’t need to worry about going over.

You can do this through budgeting apps (highly recommended for someone who uses their phone a lot), or with the cash envelope method.

With the cash envelope method, you can physically keep track of your spending by setting aside a small amount of cash in multiple envelopes. You can have an envelope for groceries, one for nights out, one for coffee and snacks, etc. As soon as the envelope is empty, you’re out of money for that expense that month!

Whatever method you choose for setting your budgets, just make them reasonable, and stick to them. Before you know it, you’ll be saving thousands every month.

2. Limit your monthly subscriptions

These days, pretty much everything is done online. It’s so easy to sign up for a subscription — whether it’s to a streaming service, a membership club, a magazine, or anything else.

Most of those subscriptions seem pretty small. $5-$10 a month may not seem like a big deal at the time. But the more subscriptions you sign up for, the more you are going to spend.

Even worse, most of those monthly fees are automatically taken out of your bank account each month — so you might not even notice you’re losing money!

As an easy step toward saving, take a second look at all of your subscriptions. If it’s not absolutely necessary, cancel it. You’ll be surprised how much you save without those monthly charges.

Love your streaming services too much to let them go? Consider sharing a plan. A lot of services allow multiple people to use one account, so you can share those costs with your friends, partner, or family.

3. Don’t buy any new clothes

As a nation, Americans spend way too much money on new clothes.

The list earlier showed the average amount an American will spend on new clothes every month: around $161. But a lot of people spend much, much more than that.

Setting a budget for your clothes spending every month is a great way to save money. But if you want to take it a step further, why not try to buy no new clothes at all, for a whole year?

It’s easier than you might think. There are tons of places to shop for used and second-hand clothes, at a fraction of a price and just as much (if not more) of the fashion.

Check out your local thrift stores, garage and yard sales, second-hand shops, and online flea markets.

It takes a little more effort to find what you’re looking for second-hand than it does in a mall, but the savings are definitely worth it. Plus, limiting yourself to used clothes only will help you curate a style that’s unique to you — instead of wearing all the same name-brand stuff that everyone else has.

On top of that, buying clothes second hand is much better for the environment. The shipping and production of new clothes produces tons of pollution! You can go green and save money at the same time by changing your shopping habits.

4. Take another look at your insurance plans

This is a big one.

We all need car, health, and life insurance, there’s no denying that. But are you paying more than you need to for your plans?

With the help of a financial advisor (or a trusted financially-savvy relative or friend), take another look at your insurance plans. There may be cheaper options available to you.

When it comes to health insurance, for example, you might have access to an employer-sponsored health plan that you don’t know about. Even part-time employees have access to insurance benefits through some companies — ask your employer if as health plan is available for you.

With an employer-sponsored health plan, you could save thousands on your health insurance.

You might also want to consider health sharing plans as a money-saving alternative, to help you prepare for emergency medical costs.

For car insurance, make sure you shop around with multiple companies to find the best quote. Also, remember to take advantage of any discounts that apply to you: accident-free, student discounts, bundling home and auto insurance, etc. Ask your insurer about any discounts you might qualify for.

The point is, insurance is a necessary cost, but it’s not a cost that has to be consistently high. Look into all the ways you can save on your insurance plans, instead of blindly paying your monthly fees.

5. Avoid spending traps

What makes saving so hard??

Well, part of it has to do with the fact that we live in a culture that encourages us to spend money on things we don’t need. The pressure to spend money is constant, and it’s pretty easy to give in.

Remember, saving money is all about making small changes to your lifestyle. One of those changes is avoiding spending traps.

What is a spending trap, exactly?

A spending trap can be defined as any situation where you are encouraged to spend money. For example, when a store has a big sale: you might not need a new TV, but when you see a new TV marked down to 75% its original cost, it’s pretty hard to resist, right?

Don’t get sucked into those scenarios where you’re pressured to spend unnecessary amounts of money. You can avoid spending traps by not going to the mall or big shopping centers — especially not around the holidays or Black Friday.

You can also resist temptation by spending less time online. Targetted ads on social media are silent budget killers — the more time you spend logged off, the less likely you are to see them!

Picking up a budget-friendly hobby like art, music, hiking, or surfing will help you to stay offline and out of the malls. Instead of being tempted to shop, spend your time doing something you love!

6. Plan your meals ahead of time

Remember that $3,000 a year the average American spends on meals out? Yeah, that’s a lot.

But it doesn’t seem like a lot while you’re doing it. Taco night with friends, a quick sandwich on your lunch break, a drive-through meal on your way home from work… over time, those meals add up.

You don’t need to quit eating out entirely to save money — that would be no fun. But you can reduce the amount you spend on food by planning your meals ahead of time and going out more often.

Just take a little time at the start of every week to make a plan. If you’re busy during the weekdays, cook a few meals ahead of time that you can box up and take to work with you, or have ready to go when you get home at the end of the day. Plan out a few easy breakfasts that you can make every morning.

Meal planning apps can be a huge help with this, as can a regular food delivery service.

And yes, occasional meals out with friends or family can totally be a part of your plan. It just comes down to limiting spending on food — when you have enough to eat at home, you won’t be paying as much for delivery, fast food, and midday lunches and snacks. You’ll see those savings start to add up right away!

7. Have parties at home

Let’s be honest: clubs, bars, and restaurants are overrated. They’re loud, crowded, and above all else, expensive.

Next time you’re planning on getting together with friends or family, consider doing it at home instead. You can save tons of money by cooking and celebrating at home, instead of going out. Plus, it’s a more intimate, quiet, and all-around more pleasant experience.

Did you know that Millennials have totally revolutionized the traditional dinner party?

While dinner parties used to be all about cooking fancy, expensive dishes and showing off your wealth, these days they’re just about spending time with people you love. Millennials throw dinner parties today, not because they want to show off, but because they don’t want to spend so much at restaurants and bars.

Here’s a little cost comparison:

A standard-quality bottle of wine might cost $40 in a restaurant, or $10-$20 per glass. That same bottle could cost as little as $15 in the grocery store — that’s less than $4 per glass!

The same goes for food. Like I talked about earlier, the average American spends thousands every year on meals out, when they could be spending hundreds cooking at home.

So, if you’re looking for ways to save money without sacrificing that time with your friends and loved ones, ditch the night out for the night in.

8. Find new ways to work out

The last thing you should sacrifice to save money is your health. And the good news is, you don’t have to.

A healthy lifestyle doesn’t need to be expensive. The truth is, gyms, health food companies, and influencers make ridiculous amounts of money selling healthy habits that people can get for free.

Paying $50 per month for a gym membership? That might be a necessary expense — if you’re really dedicated.

But let’s face it, guys: a lot of us just use our gym memberships to stretch, lift a few weights, and run on the treadmill. That’s totally fine (no exercise shaming here), but you don’t need to be paying $50 a month to do it!

Consider building your own home gym. You really don’t need much: a jump rope, a few free weights, maybe a yoga mat or exercise ball — whatever works for your routine. You can get a great workout at home, without spending too much.

Need a personal trainer to tell you what to do? You can find tons of free exercise courses and videos online. There are also plenty of apps out there to help you perfect your workout routine and maintain a healthy weight.

Again, if you love your gym membership and use it all the time, there’s no need to quit. But if you think you can get the same workout for free, why not save that money?

While we’re on the topic of health: remember to be cautious of diet or health plans. You don’t need to pay for monthly meals, diet pills, or supplements to lose weight or stay in shape. Those unnecessary costs can get really high.

Just get regular exercise and eat a balanced diet — it’s healthy, easy, and free.

9. Quit one expensive habit

Want to challenge yourself, and save money?

Try to quit one expensive habit for at least one year.

We all have habits that cost us. Whether it’s smoking, drinking a lot of soda or coffee, buying too many shoes, or a certain fast food you just can’t stay away from — try quitting that habit for one year, and see how much money you save.

Obviously, quitting a bad habit is a lot easier said than done. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track:

• Change your daily routine. If there’s a certain time of day when you run for coffee, for example, take that time slot out of your day. Take the long way home, spend that time reading or exercising instead, etc.
• Swap it for a new habit. Try trading out your habit for a new, less expensive one. Are you a chronic shopper? Try browsing thrift stores to get that same thrill, instead. Addicted to soda? Try sparkling water.
• Track your savings as you go. If you see how much you’re saving by avoiding your habit, you’ll be more motivated to stick with it. Calculate the monthly or weekly costs of whatever your bad habit is, and add those costs up after you quit. You can see how much you’ve saved!

After a year without that habit, you’ll be surprised by how much money you’ve saved. Not only that, but you’ll realize how easy it actually is to go without it!

Quitting bad habits is always a good decision, for your health, happiness, and budget.

10. Set up automatic transfers into your savings account

Saving $20,000 a year comes down to a little over $1,600 a month.

If you really think you can save that amount every month, why not commit to it?

Setting up automatic transfers into your savings account will help you to stick to your budget and avoid overspending. If you use online banking, you can easily set up an automatic transfer on your own. It’s especially helpful if you get your paychecks through direct deposit!

As soon as money comes into your account, you can have a portion of it automatically transferred into savings. That way, you don’t even have to worry about budgeting and saving for the month — it’s already done.

Of course, your monthly savings should be beyond your essential monthly fees. In other words, only set up an automatic transfer for an amount of money that won’t be spent on rent, gas, bills, groceries, and other essentials that month. You can also change your monthly transfer amount as your budget changes.

You don’t necessarily have to set aside $1600 every month to save $20,000 in a year. But transferring as much as you can into savings on a regular basis will help you to avoid overspending and stick to your long-term plans.

Plus, it’s free — you don’t need to work with a financial advisor, or even set foot in a bank to get it set up.

Bonus tip: make long-term plans for the future

The best way to keep saving money is to know what you’re saving for!

Setting realistic goals and long-term plans for your future will help you to stick to your budget, and keep up with your savings. Remember, saving money isn’t just about being more secure. It’s a way of investing in a happier, more successful future.

Whatever your goals are — whether it’s retiring young, being able to travel and see the world, or buying a nice house — write them down, and make plans to achieve them!

Budgeting apps can be a big help when it comes to planning for the future. It’s like having a free, personalized financial advisor with you all the time.

Where to save your money

So, you’re planning on setting aside at least $1000 a month or more to save $20,000 in a year. That’s awesome — but where should you put that money?

There are a few options, depending on what you’re saving for.

One of the easiest places to save your money is in a savings account. Savings accounts are easy to open at most banks or credit unions, and perfectly safe.

Not only is a savings account a safe place to store your money without spending or losing it, but it’s also a way of earning interest. Interest rates vary depending on the bank, but pretty much all savings accounts will let you earn interest on your money over time.

Plus, setting up an automatic monthly transfer from your checking account into your savings account is one of the easiest ways to save money and avoid spending over your budget.

Another option for saving and collecting interest is a retirement account. Again, the policies will vary depending on the institution, but many retirement accounts collect interest over the years.

The main benefit of putting money into a retirement account is that, unlike with a savings account, you can’t pull money out of it until you reach retirement age. So everything you save is super secure!

Speaking of retirement accounts: do you have access to an employer-matched 401k plan through your company? If so, you should be taking advantage of it. Investing money into a 401k can double, even triple your retirement savings.

Saving vs. investing: which is better?

Since we’re talking about safe places to store your savings, it’s worth mentioning investment, too.

Should you be investing some of the money you saved?

The answer is, yes — if you have some money to invest. But you shouldn’t neglect your savings for investment opportunities.

As a general rule of thumb, it is always safer to put your money into savings than to invest it, especially if it’s a high-risk investment.

However, investing will help you grow your wealth and become financially stable. It’s one of the best ways to start earning passive income.

If you’re just starting your journey toward financial stability, my advice is to prioritize savings. Once you’ve saved $20,000 in a year, you can consider investing some of that money into a source of passive income to grow your wealth.

To put it another way, you can look at your savings as an investment in yourself. The more you invest, the better off you’ll be in the long run.

Looking for more savings tips?

Remember, saving money will look different for everyone.

If you’re a student, a new parent, a digital nomad, or someone just starting out in a new career, you might be struggling to figure out the best ways to save money. But don’t worry — there are plenty of resources out there to help you!

My advice? Learn as much as you can from your peers. There are tons of helpful blogs and websites out there written by people just like you, for people just like you.

Want to >save money while you’re traveling? Or, looking for ways to spend less as a new mom? What about sticking to a budget in college?

There is tons of great advice out there — all you need to do is start looking for it.

While you’re at it, talk to your friends, parents, family members, etc. about saving and budgeting. Using all the resources and advice available to you will help you to get inspired and start saving toward those long-term goals!

Get inspired, make a plan, and start saving

Saving up to $20,000 in a year is seriously easier than you might think.

You don’t need to have a ton of money to start saving, and you don’t need to make any major sacrifices. All it takes is some dedication and a few simple changes to your lifestyle and habits.

To sum it up, here are the steps you need to take to start saving as much as $20,000 in a year:

1. Make a plan: figure out what your long-term goals are, and set your budget to make them possible.
2. Get inspired: once you realize how easy it is to start saving money, you’ll be even more motivated to keep going, and achieve your goals.
3. Put your savings somewhere safe: open a savings account or retirement account. Don’t let your savings sit in your checking account where you can spend them, and definitely don’t store a bunch of cash under your mattress (trust me, it’s just not safe).
4. Watch your progress: keep track of how much you’ve saved, and keep it up!

Once you start saving, you’re on the road to financial stability. It’s easy — and the sooner you get started, the better!

If you have any other tips or tricks on how to save $20,000 in a year, let us know in the comments below.

The post 10 Ways On How to Save $20,000 in a Year appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Do you dream of avoiding regular jobs so you can learn how to live without a job and still live a good life?

The truth is, you need money to live.

There will always be bills that exist, whether it’s your rent for your house or your food and travel costs as a digital nomad.

Things cost money and you need things to survive (food, water, shelter, etc.).

What if you learned that you could work part-time or work a non-job and still live a good life?

Would you be interested?

Keep reading to learn how you can accomplish just that and don’t forget to bookmark this post to come back to it later!

8 Ways to Achieve a Job-Free Life

How do you actually achieve a job-free life?

Well, this takes multiple things in order to take place.

A little bit of income diversification, some expense controlling, mixed in with changing your money mindset, putting good habits into play and more.

Check out these 8 ideas to get you started.

1. Change Your Money Mindset

This is huge.

Changing mindset takes some real work and it involves reshaping the way you think about money.

Money is fuel, it helps you survive and it will come and go.

Know that it will be in your life always and you’ll need to treat it well for it to work for you well.

More on this down below.

The bottom line is to keep an open mind about money and be flexible.

This is the key to start and continue to live well without a job.

2. Diversify Your Income

Income diversification is all about having multiple streams of income.

This is great and something you should strive for because it’s a good way to secure that you’ll have consistent income coming in.

And, a well kept secret among the wealthy.

People diversify their income with and without 9-to-5 jobs so there is a ton of flexibility with this.

What You’ll Need for Income Diversification to Work

• A good attitude
• Patience
• Internet access

Having a good attitude and being patient really goes hand in hand.

When you start this journey, the money won’t start pouring in by the thousands immediately.

You have to be patient and see the course through.

Some Ways I Diversify My Income

When I began teaching digital marketing and blogging courses a few years ago, I never dreamed that I could be completely hands off and still make money.

Today, I enjoy income from those courses month after month with absolutely no work, no promotion, and no effort.

I still receive income from Udemy courses I created years ago that I haven’t touched in a long time.

I make this money passively.

This is an example of income diversification.

Other examples include:

• Creating digital products like ebooks, printables, etc.
• Investing
• Real estate
• Passive income apps
• Other ways

Here are 10 opportunities to diversify your income that you probably haven’t thought of:

1. AirBNB

Whether you own or rent your house, AirBNB is a great option to help you make money passively.

How it works?

You welcome guests into your home for short-term renting.

You can rent out a room, your garage, or your entire place, your choice.

Charging $90 to $400/night or more will mean you can earn hundreds to thousands to your monthly income passively.

It’s free to join AirBNB and the only cost you might incur is in toiletries/decor for your space, like linens, towels, furniture as needed, etc.

This is one of my favorite forms of passive income.

Could you imagine your home paying for itself?

Well, this is totally within reach with AirBNB.

Other short-term rental marketplaces include HomeAway and Roomster.

Click here to read more on AirBNB.

3. Freelancing

Freelancing is a way for you to monetize your skills to make extra money.

You can even turn freelancing into your full-time gig.

Many people are making more money freelancing than working for an employer in a 9 to 5 job.

For example, if you are a computer programmer for a living, then you can spend your off time doing freelance computer programming work for clients.

It’s relatively easy to transition most skills to freelance for an opportunity to create a new income stream.

Here are some examples of freelance businesses you can start for yourself:

• Graphic design
• Copywriting
• Editing
• Translation
• Transcription
• Voiceover
• Animation
• Illustration

Advantages of Freelancing

Like most things, there are pros and cons.

Take a look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of freelancing.

• Freedom
• Flexibility
• Unlimited income potential
• Be your own boss
• Create your own schedule

Disadvantages of Freelancing

• Instability
• No benefits
• You are responsible for your own taxes

More on the Perks of Freelancing

You will get the opportunity to enjoy benefits common to being self employed, like freedom and independence.

How amazing would it feel to wake up at 9 am to start your day instead of 5 am?

Or, work from home in your home office rather than commuting an hour or longer to get to your workplace?

And then, there’s the flexibility of picking who you want to work with.

Choosing your clients is a big perk that many freelancers love.

If you don’t mesh well with a particular client and it’s draining you or making you unhappy, you have the power to not take on that project.

If you crave being your own boss and no longer be micromanaged, then freelancing may be just what you’re looking for.

Lastly, the income potential is a big draw for people.

Consider if you earned $80,000/year as a website developer, working for a company.

Working for yourself, you could set a rate of $10,000 per website project and if you did 2 projects per month, your salary would be $240,000!

That’s 3X your employee salary in this example.

It doesn’t always work this way but the potential is there.

Looking at The Drawbacks of Freelancing Life

Then, we have the drawbacks of freelancing.

First, there’s instability.

You are in charge of finding work.

There might be slow months and fast months.

It can be scary, especially in the beginning while you’re building your network.

You could be working with a long-term client and they suddenly decide to quit.

You’re out that income and you have to find a replacement client.

These are all obstacles that freelancers face.

Not to mention there are zero benefits.

Working a traditional job through an employer, you get to enjoy health benefits, dental, 401(k), paid vacation, and more.

This just doesn’t exist as a freelancer.

And on top of that, you manage your own taxes.

All things to consider when deciding on if you want to venture into freelancing.

Is it worth it?

You decide.

As a source of additional income though, it might be a great fit!

4. Starting a Side Business

Starting a business means you will be building your own business on the side.

This will be like a second job, outside your primary employment.

Starting a side business can be very rewarding, creating something from scratch.

You’ll want to start by creating a business plan.

It doesn’t have to be formal at all, just a way for you to get your ideas, plans, and goals on paper.

Then, as you move forward in your business, you can look back on your plan to see if your current course is in line with your goals.

Examples of businesses you can start:

• Mobile notary
• Digital marketer
• Ecommerce store owner
• Accountant
• Bookkeeper
• Pet sitter
• House sitter
• Babysitter
• Landscaping
• Flooring Installation
• Furniture assembly
• Resume writing

The list goes on!

Think about your passions and expertise to hone in on what kind of business you can operate.

5. Thrift Store Flipping

With thrift store flipping, you source products from thrift stores and then you resell in places like:

• Ebay
• Amazon 
• Other online marketplaces
• Garage sales
• Facebook Marketplace

For example, you can find a vintage t-shirt for $2 at a thrift store and resell on Ebay for $20.

Your profit is $18 (before fees)!

You can also source products from other places too like Walmart, your local pharmacy, etc.

Like buying a cell phone case from Facebook Marketplace for $5 and reselling for $15.

Your profit is $10 (before fees)!

There are tons of opportunities here and people making a full-time living flipping.

How to Do Flipping?

You can flip products.

Flipping can also be done for websites, domains, services like digital marketing and others, etc.

If you’re curious to kick this off, just get started.

Flipping can be done with just about anything of value.

Check out these additional examples:

• House flipping
• Car flipping
• Sneaker flipping

The main takeaway with flipping things is that you want to buy low and sell high.

This couple made $133,000 flipping products!

6. Selling on Amazon FBA

Amazon FBA is the service Amazon provides their sellers where they fulfill orders for them.

FBA stands for “fulfilled by Amazon”.

This means if you are an Amazon seller, instead of shipping products to customers directly, you will ship your goods to Amazon.

Then Amazon will be in charge of fulfilling and delivering the order to the customer.

If you are looking for less stress and a more hands-off approach to Amazon selling, this is for you!

Becoming an FBA seller is a low barrier to entry kind of job that anybody can get started with.

You can pick a niche, sourcing one category of product or you can sell a mix of different items.

There is a lot of flexibility with this and it’s an excellent opportunity to make more income for yourself.

7. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is an ecommerce model where you pass on the fulfillment to your supplier.

Instead of shipping products to customers, your supplier will!

It’s kind of like Amazon FBA but for your private online storefront.

For example, if you sell baby shoes and your customer orders 3 pairs of shoes, instead of you shipping the order from your warehouse, you’ll place an order with your supplier and they will direct ship to the customer.

Ecommerce store owners love this because it requires much less capital for operation.

It also takes a big responsibility off their hands so they can focus on other parts of the business.

8. Dropservicing

Dropservicing is basically dropshipping but for services.

With dropshipping, your product supplier ship goods to your customers.

And then with dropservicing, it’s the same scenario, where your services supplier (your freelancer) provides services for your clients.

Some niches you can explore with dropservicing can include:

• Graphic design
• Video editing
• Proofreading
• Copy editing
• Transcription
• Translation
• Animation
• Illustration
• Bookkeeping
• And, other services!

This is a great business to pursue because you don’t need any skills to do it!

Dropservicing Examples

For example, you don’t have to be a writer to run a copywriting dropservicing business.

You don’t need to be an editor to run an editing dropservicing business.

Make sense?

Your job will be to manage the whole project.

So, you’ll do tasks like get new clients, charge your fee, find your freelance service supplier, communicate the job requirements to your freelancer, and other duties.

Dropservicing, like dropshipping is pretty flexible.

You can run this kind of business alongside your primary job or this can be your main source of income.

Either way, it’s a nice option for additional income that you should consider.

9. Forex Trading

Trading forex (short for foreign exchange) means you’ll be buying and selling currency for the purposes of making profit.

This won’t make you rich overnight, contrary to what you might have heard but it is a nice side stream of income.

You can do trading for an hour or a day or ten hours a day, your choice.

You’ll be your own boss and you can work independently or with a team.

If you are unfamiliar with trading foreign exchange, you should take a look at the courses on Skillshare.

There are a ton of classes on forex trading so you can have your pick, for a low monthly fee (under $12/month) plus, you can take classes on other passions you may have like knitting or learning a new language.

Skillshare has it all!

You can even take classes on broadening your skills for the purposes of adding more income streams, like learning copywriting or proofreading.

I have been on Skillshare for a while and absolutely love it!

There are tens of thousands of classes all at your fingertips and you’ll never get bored.

Check out Skillshare to learn more.

10. Day Trading

Day trading is about buying and selling stocks during a short time frame.

So, it’s kind of similar to forex trading except it doesn’t involve foreign exchange, it involves stocks.

Create your own schedule, work alone or with others, connect with a community of other traders on social media and make money trading stocks.

Check this out and if you don’t know how to day trade, look at learning this skill, as it’s a very valuable skill that you’ll be able to use forever.

3. Establishing a Budget

Controlling your spending and creating a budget are two smart things to do if you decide to avoid having a job.

Because expenses can add up quick and if you don’t have a plan in place for your budget and spending, you can eat up all your available money fast.

Look for ways to spend less and adopt a frugal lifestyle.

Here are some ideas to look into:

• Go minimalist
• Scale back spending
• Make lifestyle changes at home
• Avoid eating out
• Cut out luxuries

Adopting Minimalism

Being a minimalist means that you’ll be living a life with less material things.

You might have little furniture in your home, no clutter, a simple wardrobe, etc.

Being minimalist naturally saves money because you aren’t spending your income on the extras: clothes, home goods, and other shopping.

Scaling Back Your Spending

Changing your spending habits means more money in your pocket.

This could mean stopping your weekly runs to Starbucks or cutting out going to the movie theater altogether, in lieu of watching movies at home with your streaming provider.

Here are 10 other ideas to help you save:

• Make pet food at home
• Walk more places instead of driving
• Try carpooling
• Switch to non-name brands
• Meal prep
• Batch cook
• Cut your hair at home
• Time your water usage (showers and brushing teeth)
• Go to bed earlier
• Cut out snacking

This is a mix of different things you can do, some of which may even help you get healthier and lose weight (like walking and stopping snacks).

Lifestyle Changes at Home

Some of the above may include lifestyle changes you can adopt, in order to save the most.

Keep these in mind, along with being mindful of the bad habits you might have that are costing your money, like:

• Leaving the lights on when you leave a room
• Keeping appliances plugged in that you don’t use (like toaster, TV, etc.)
• Keeping the A/C running all day
• Running cable TV or multiple streaming providers
• Staying up late (consuming resources like electricity and food)
• Having an expensive major cell phone carrier
• And, other ideas

Some of these may take some real work but will definitely be worth it, to help you live a good life without a job.

Cutting Eating Out

Fast food and restaurant takeout is expensive.

Couple that with how easy it is to order delivery from Doordash or UberEATS and you’ve got sky high costs that can easily be avoided.

If you are used to eating out, this one will be tough but try to avoid eating out in favor of eating at home.

The whole idea with this to avoid these easy food options (fast food), which tend to be more expensive.

Have you ever noticed that in a grocery store, if you buy chicken thighs or chicken legs, it’s much more expensive than if you bought a whole chicken and broke it down yourself, at home?

Or why sliced bread and cheese and other ready-made foods are more pricey than the whole forms?

This kind of stuff is all around you.

Try to spot these budget busters and make changes.

Your wallet will thank you.

Cutting Out Luxuries

These luxuries include extras in your life like getting your hair done at the salon or barber shop, luxury vacations, or even house cleaning services.

Adjusting this part of your life to eliminate these things will make it a lot easier for your money to last.

4. Keep An Eye Out for New Income Sources

The key to living a job-free life is having multiple diversified income streams so, it’s important to always be on the hunt for new income opportunities, preferably ones that can earn you money passively.

Two passive income sources you should definitely keep in your arsenal if possible is real estate and investments.

Exploring Real Estate

Through real estate, you’ll have a year-round stream of income.

You can go with short term renting (like AirBNB) or long-term rentals like getting a tenant to sign a 12-month or longer lease.

A smart way to do this while living rent free is to invest in a multiplex.

If you bought a 4-plex apartment building, for example, you could live in one unit and rent out the other three units.

A friend of mine did just this and made enough money from the other 3 tenants to pay for the mortgage, live rent-free and make a profit above that!

Looking at Investing

Investments are great because your money will grow (hopefully) over time.

There are many different types of investment vehicles you can pursue.

5. Be Open to Change

Being flexible and being open to change will help you go far.

Because change can and will most likely happen.

Your freelance income could evaporate overnight.

Or, your investment could tank unexpectedly.

Roll with the punches and keep a positive attitude if life throws a wrench in your plans.

6. Saving on Housing

Your housing cost is probably your largest expense.

If you want to live a job-free life, you will want to keep all your expenses as low as possible, including housing.

This might mean sacrificing some of your wants, at least in the beginning.

Here are some ways to save on housing:

• Living with other people
• Renting a room instead of an entire house
• Living in an area with less amenities
• Living away from a large city

This may not have to be your way of life forever but as you build up your multiple income streams, it’s one of the easiest ways to save every month.

Living with Other People

This could mean rooming up with your college roommates or moving back home with your parents.

The main benefit of living with others is splitting the expenses:

• Cost of rent/mortgage
• Utilities
• Other potential household costs (groceries, laundry, etc.)

Imagine if you lived on your own, in a $1,000/month 2-bedroom apartment.

Then, imagine if you lived with one person in that same apartment.

Your cost would instantly be cut in half, to $500/month, assuming you split costs 50/50 with the other person.

Consider this an option to lower your costs.

Renting a Room

Next, you can look at renting a room which can be even more cost effective.

You can rent a room in a house for a few hundred dollars per month and oftentimes that will be your only expense.

That means you get the benefit of living in a space with electricity, internet, etc. and you won’t have to financially contribute to those costs!

The drawback of renting a room though, is, you may not have free range of the entire place, like you would if you had an apartment or house with roommates.

In a roommate situation, usually each roommate gets a room and shares common areas.

With renting a room, this is not always the case.

Sometimes the room may come with a microwave or mini fridge and you’re expected to live out of that room, not sharing the other parts of the house, excluding bathroom.

It can be a much cheaper alternative but you will have to weigh in on the pros and cons of each scenario.

Living in an Area with Less Amenities

If you move to an area of town with less amenities, it will likely be cheaper.

I had a family member recently move to a big area.

He lives in a metropolitan with access to shops, dining, tons of places to visit and enjoy entertainment.

It’s a great side of town even though it comes with a price tag.

By moving just 20 minutes outside that area could lower his rent by at least $400/month!

You see how amenities come into play with your living expenses.

By keeping it cheap and picking a less desirable area with less amenities, you can save money.

You can always travel to the areas you want to “play” and partake in the amenities.

Living Away from a Large City

This plays off the previous point.

Moving outside a large city will usually get you a lower housing cost.

7. Saving on Transportation

Your transportation is pretty important.

And, probably the second highest expense you have, after your housing cost.

Here are some ways you can lower your transportation cost:

• Carpool
• Share a vehicle with a roommate or family member
• Walk
• Bicycle
• Take public transportation (train, bus, etc.)

8. Make Your Income Work for You

This means making your multiple money sources create more money for yourself.

You can achieve this through investing:

• Real estate
• Stocks and bonds
• Foreign exchange

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is in order to live without a job and still live a good life, it takes work.

And, a mix of good habit forming ideas in making money and saving money.

Can it be done?

Absolutely!

Is it worth it?

We think so.

The freedom, flexibility and independence of living job-free is something a lot of people don’t get to experience.

You get to live your life and be tied to a 9 to 5, working through most of it.

If you have any other tips on how to live without a job and live a good life, let us know in the comments below!

The post 8 Ways On How To Live Without A Job And Still Live A Good Life appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Today I’m going to review the 15 best places to buy glasses without insurance.

Keep in mind most of these places accept vision insurance, so your purchase will be cheaper if you have it.

But just in case you don’t, you’ll still be able to purchase some new eyeglasses at an affordable price.

1. Zenni Optical

The first stop on my list is one of the most popular eyeglass shops online, Zenni Optical.

Zenni is widely known for its affordable glasses for women, men, and kids to fit just about any style you or your family members prefer.

About Zenni Optical

As a San Francisco Bay Area company, Zenni was at the forefront of tech savvy, forward-thinking companies.

Two scientists founded the business was founded in 2003 to provide fashionable glasses at affordable prices.

With a mission to give people glasses they can actually afford while still letting them look like a million bucks, Zenni quickly grew from a small business to a large eCommerce site.

What Zenni Optical Offers

Zenni Optical offers non-prescription glasses, sports glasses, goggles, and prescription eyewear online.

In its product lineup, you will see fashionable glasses at some of the most affordable prices to allow those with and without insurance a chance to get the glasses they have always wanted.

With a wide variety of ways to shop the large selection, you can easily find the right glasses for you.

The Zenni Difference

With 14 other places to choose from on this list, you may be wondering, what makes Zenni different from the competition?

Zenni Optical is so confident in its prices, customer service, and quality it offers comparisons to other major glasses shops on its website.

Zenni uses state-of-the-art materials and the most technologically advanced processes to manufacture each pair of glasses.

Each pair is custom made and ships directly from the Zenni factory to you, cutting out middleman and retail overhead costs.

By operating as an online eCommerce business, Zenni is able to allow you to shop from the comfort of your home and build out the perfect pair of glasses.

My Opinion

If you are looking for affordable glasses without insurance, but still want to look as fashionable as possible, Zenni Optical should be on your list.

With most options for cheaper glasses, you are going to sacrifice looks or quality, but with Zenni, you get to save money, because the money ships straight from the factory to you.

I would not hesitate to get my next pair of glasses from Zenni, and I may check out what I can find as a backup pair, because all of its glasses are so affordable.

2. Costco Optical

If you have ever shopped at Costco, you know you can find just about anything you ever need in the wholesale store.

What many people do not know is that Costco has its own vision center, Costco Optical.

Costco Optical offers affordable eyeglasses and sunglasses for those with and without insurance to ensure you get an affordable set of glasses.

About Costco Optical

Costco Optical is a division of Costco wholesale and only operates inside Costco stores. However, not all Costco stores offer Optical.

Because Costco is a membership store, you will get an exclusive selection of brands and styles to choose from for prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses.

The Costco Optical center provides affordable glasses for those with and without insurance, and expert advice from highly trained opticians.

You can even schedule an eye exam to help you determine which glasses are going to be best for you.

What Does Costco Optical Offer?

As one of the newest options that Costco Optical has to offer, universal-fit glasses are rapidly becoming one of the most popular glasses on the market.

You can get HD progressive, polarized, transitions, blue anti-reflective, regular anti reflective, and multi functional lenses in just about any frame.

These lenses allow you to build out the perfect set of glasses for what you need the most, using new frames or your existing frames.

You can also choose from a wide range of brand-name designer frames, sunglasses, and contact lenses in the optical center.

Costco accepts most vision insurance plans, but is also an affordable place to shop for glasses without insurance.

The Costco Optical Difference

One of the biggest differences Costco Optical offers is the exclusive selection of glasses for members.

This allows you to shop a wide selection without worrying about a busy eyeglasses store.

While Costco Optical is only available in Costco locations, visiting one of its many locations allows you to get an exam and speak with a highly trained optician to figure out which glasses are going to best suit you.

You will also get access to exclusive sunglasses and contact lenses as a member.

My Opinion

As a Costco member, having access to the optical center is a definite plus.

I really like that Costco members are rewarded with affordable, exclusive designs so you are not getting the same eyeglasses as everyone else.

Depending on your budget, getting a Costco membership to take advantage of the optical center may be a wise investment. Plus you can shop the store’s wide selection of other affordable products.

3. Sam’s Club Optical

Like Costco, Sam’s Club is a wholesale superstore that offers groceries, clothes, and just about anything you could need outside of building materials.

There are many ways to save money shopping at Sam’s Club, including buying glasses.

Eyeglass wearers need a Sam’s Club membership to take advantage of the Sam’s Club Optical center for trained opticians and exclusive glasses.

About Sam’s Club Optical

Sam’s Club Optical was created to offer affordable eye wear to Sam’s Club members with and without insurance.

The optical center makes it easy for anyone to create the perfect set of eyeglasses to fit your sight, style, and shape.

With professional opticians to walk you through each step, you can get the glasses you need by choosing frames, lens style, lens material, and any add-on options, such as UV protection.

What Does Sam’s Club Optical Offer?

Only Sam’s Club members can take advantage of Sam’s Club Optical offers.

Through the optical center, you can get a professional eye exam, as well as exclusive glasses and designer frames.

In-store eye exams can help you and your optician decide on which set of glasses are going to be best for you. You will also be able to order contact lenses.

Sam’s Club accepts most vision insurance plans but is also an affordable place to shop for glasses without insurance.

The Sam’s Club Optical Difference

One of the biggest differences you will get when shopping with Sam’s Club is the exclusivity of shopping at a members-only eye center.

What this provides is a quicker shopping experience and a better one-on-one appointment with a highly trained optician.

Sam’s Club Optical also has a quick turnaround and makes building your custom set of glasses super easy so you get your glasses sooner.

My Opinion

If you are a Sam’s Club member, taking advantage of the optical center is a no brainer.

For those who are not Sam’s Club members, getting a membership can get you cheaper glasses and allow you to take advantage of all of other shopping perks.

Check with your local Sam’s Club to ensure the location offers a Sam’s Club Optical center; not all locations do.

4. Walmart Vision Center

As one of the largest retail stores in America, Walmart also has one of the largest networks of vision centers.

While not every Walmart offers Vision, most larger Walmarts across the globe do.

Let’s take a look at what makes Walmart Vision a great choice for those looking for eyeglasses without insurance.

About Walmart Vision

Walmart Vision is a vision center located inside Walmart stores. It’s home to highly trained optometrists.

At Walmart’s vision center, you can get start to finish eye glasses that are perfect for your style and eyesight.

Walmart Vision’s main goal is to offer affordable, high quality glasses for those with and without insurance.

What Does Walmart Vision Offer?

To start, Walmart Vision offers eye exams by optometrists to get a better understanding of what type of eye glasses you need.

Next, you can build out your glasses from a large selection of designer or budget-friendly frames.

Fill those frames with the lenses you need to finish off the perfect look and feel for your glasses.

Walmart Vision Center services are available to anyone with no membership, with or without vision insurance.

The Walmart Vision Difference

Walmart’s biggest competitive edge is how accessible and affordable it is.

Walmart has always been known to offer low prices on grocery and household items, so it is only right for the vision center to follow.

You’ll get a great selection of prescription glasses and find affordable contact lenses.

My Opinion

With thousands of Walmarts across the globe, Walmart’s vision center is one of the most accessible eye centers on this list.

The best part is, you do not have to have a membership or insurance to purchase affordable glasses at Walmart’s vision center.

In my opinion, this is one of the easiest and cheapest options to find fashionable glasses without insurance.

5. Target Optical

Target Optical offers affordable eyewear for those with and without insurance to ensure everyone has easy access to the glasses they need.

From eye exams to personalized eyewear design, Target Optical has a little bit of everything for everyone.

About Target Optical

Target Optical is very similar to most of your in-store, superstore vision centers.

They operate inside Target stores and do not require a membership or insurance.

Target Optical is perfect for those who regularly shop at Target, as you can get your eyeglasses while doing your other shopping.

What Does Target Optical Offer?

Like Walmart or Costco’s vision centers, Target Optical offers an all-in-one solution for your eyewear needs.

Schedule an appointment with a professional optometrist for an eye exam to figure out what prescription you will need.

After you have had your exam, you can build out your glasses to fit your style and budget.

Target offers a wide variety of frames from designer, high-end frames to the most budget-friendly, affordable glasses.

The Target Optical Difference

The best thing about Target Optical is that it is accessible to anyone.

You will not need a membership to take advantage of the services at Target Optical, which makes it affordable for those with or without insurance.

In keeping with Target’s reputation for affordable prices on stylish fashion, you will get some of the best prices on eyeglasses and even contact lenses.

Lastly, you will get free shipping, hassle free insurance, protection plans, and Target’s world-class customer service.

My Opinion

As an avid Target shopper, having a vision center in a place that I frequently shop is a huge plus.

With many ways to save money at Target, shopping for cheaper eyeglasses is icing on the cake.

In my opinion, this is an easy one for Target lovers, as you can get everything you need from a vision center, all in the same place you shop for groceries and household goods.

6. Eyeconic

Founded in 2011, Eyeconic makes your eye health and wellness its number-one priority.

This really shows in every pair of glasses and contacts it offers online and in retail stores.

About Eyeconic

Eyeconic was founded by a not-for-profit organization called VSP to provide affordable and fashionable eyewear to fit any budget.

With a network of more than 38,000 doctors, you can trust that your eyewear is in the hands of trained professionals.

Eyeconic focuses on finding the perfect-for-you pair of eyewear or contacts so you have the best fitting and performing eyewear possible.

What Does Eyeconic Offer?

With an easy-to-use online store and a couple of physical locations in Illinois, Eyeconic can help just about anyone find exactly what they need.

For in-store services, you can take advantage of personalized assistance and eye exams from optometrists.

Online, you can use Eyeconic’s virtual try-on program, which allows you to upload a photo of yourself and see how a set of glasses will look on you.

You can choose from thousands of designer and budget-friendly brands to fit any budget, whether you have insurance or not.

The Eyeconic Difference

What makes Eyeconic stand out from the competition is its attention to detail and quality.

Each set of glasses goes through a 25-point inspection before coming to you to ensure it meets Eyeconic’s quality standards.

You will also get the benefit of free frame adjustment to make sure your glasses are always fitting the way they should.

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you can return it for free.

My Opinion

If you are looking for an easy way to shop affordable glasses without insurance, Eyeconic is a smart option.

You do not have to live in Illinois, where its physical locations are, to take advantage of the many great features it offers.

With great prices, easy-to-use services, and an online shop that has everything you need to build out the perfect set of glasses or contact lenses, Eyeconic is an easy choice.

7. Warby Parker

If you have ever searched for affordable eyeglasses without insurance, you have most likely heard of Warby Parker.

Founded on the belief that eyewear should be affordable for anyone, no matter the budget, Warby Parker has helped people get the glasses they need at a price that they can afford.

About Warby Parker

Warby Parker is a nationwide online and brick-and-mortar retail eyewear company.

Created by two students, Warby Parker started when one of the pair lost his glasses on a trip. The cost of replacing them was so high, he actually went a full semester without them.

Since then, the pair created Warby Parker to allow others to find the eyewear they need without spending outside of their budget to afford them.

What Does Warby Parker Offer?

With a large number of locations across the nation, you can find a Warby Parker in most densely populated areas.

In store, you will find highly trained and experienced optometrists who will walk you through an eye exam to find your prescription.

Nationwide, you can get the benefit of affordable eyewear by shopping Warby Parker online. You can browse thousands of eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contacts to fit your prescription and style.

You can also take advantage of its home try-on program, which allows you to pick five frames to try on at home for free before you buy.

The Warby Parker Difference

The biggest difference you will notice with Warby Parker is the focus on affordable eyewear.

Built on the principle that eyeglasses should not be as expensive as most make it, Warby Parker helps customers find great savings on eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contacts.

The try-on-at-home program is something that makes Warby Parker stand out, as well; most companies do not offer such a program.

Warby Parker’s “buy a pair, give a pair” program allows your purchase to support someone in need.

My Opinion

Warby Parker may seem like your ordinary glasses company, but it is much more than that.

The fact that this company focuses so hard on providing the most affordable glasses to not only those who purchase, but also for those in need really puts the company ahead of the competition.

I could see it expanding storefront operations and offering more locations to those across the world.

8. 39DollarGlasses

39DollarGlasses is an online-only glasses store that provides affordable eyewear for those with or without insurance.

You can choose from a variety of glasses, including computer, driving, narrow, round, teen, and toddler glasses.

About 39DollarGlasses

Created by eye doctors, 39DollarGlasses’s mission was to create an inexpensive method for people to get high quality, finished prescription glasses.

This mission has led to 39DollarGlasses being one of the best places to buy glasses without insurance.

With such a high volume from customers all over the world paired with no unnecessary overhead from physical locations, 39DollarGlasses has been able to offer the same high quality materials at a lower price than competitors’.

What Does 39DollarGlasses Offer?

39DollarGlasses offers a wide variety of affordable eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. You can find some of the most stylish and designer frames for up to 70% off retail prices.

This allows you to get the eyeglasses you want at an affordable price without sacrificing style and functionality all while staying within your budget.

Because this site is operated by eye doctors, their expert advice is only a call away.

The 39DollarGlasses Difference

Because 39DollarGlasses does not have a physical storefront, you get to take advantage of shopping online.

You can save time by not having to deal with long lines or having to park at a busy mall just to get your eyeglasses.

You will also save a lot of money, because 39DollarGlasses passes its savings from not having storefront overhead down to the customer.

My Opinion

Unless you are a fan of walking into an eyeglass store and getting the full experience of waiting in line and paying extra money, 39DollarGlasses is the way to go.

With an easy-to-use site and prices that are much cheaper than most, there is no reason not to check the site.

In my opinion, this is one of the easiest ways to buy budget-friendly eyeglasses online.

9. GlassesUSA.com

In a world of online stores beating out physical stores, it’s no surprise you are seeing more and more online glasses stores pop up.

GlassesUSA.com is one of the many online glasses sites that have made their way to the top.

This is thanks to keeping a business strategy of offering affordable eyeglasses for those with and without insurance.

About GlassesUSA.com

GlassesUSA.com is a strictly online eyeglasses store that does not have any physical locations.

This allows it to save on overhead costs and ship directly from dealers to offer some of the lowest prices on stylish eyewear.

You can get some of the best deals on custom prescription glasses and save big on most designer frames, as well, to keep you in style.

What Does GlassesUSA.com Offer?

GlassesUSA.com offers some of the best prices on the most popular designer eyewear in the industry.

You can choose from a wide selection of prescription contact lenses up to 25% off.

GlassesUSA.com uses a virtual mirror to allow you to see how any pair of glasses will look on you before you order.

You can also purchase sunglasses and progressive lenses. No matter what type of budget you are on, GlassesUSA .com has a pair of glasses for you.

It accepts vision insurance, offers a student discount, and offers affordable glasses for those without insurance.

The Glasses USA Difference

Much like any strictly-online eyeglasses store, GlassesUSA.com allows you to take advantage of low prices due to low overhead costs.

The savings from not having physical stores gets passed down to the consumer to allow for affordable glasses.

As the largest online eyewear retailer of designer and in-house brands, GlassesUSA.com offers something for just about everyone.

My Opinion

GlassesUSA.com is one of the most popular online glasses retailers for many reasons that are easy to see with one visit to the site.

The focus on making high quality glasses affordable to people of all budget ranges shows that it cares about customers.

The virtual-try-on feature is a great addition, as glasses are one thing that many people can be very picky about. Seeing what they will look like on your face before you buy is perfect.

10. EyeBuyDirect

EyeBuyDirect is another online-only eyewear company that has quickly climbed the ranks as one of the most popular sites to buy glasses without insurance.

Offering a large selection of designer and budget-friendly eyeglasses and sunglasses, EyeBuyDirect puts affordability at the forefront.

About EyeBuyDirect

EyeBuyDirect was founded by Roy Hessel, who noticed the lack of access to affordable eyeglasses across the world when traveling abroad.

He created EyeBuyDirect to allow quality eyewear to be accessible and affordable to everyone.

By controlling and overseeing everything in-house, from concept to manufacturing, EyeBuyDirect saves money.

Due to low overhead costs and eyeglasses being shipped straight from the factory to you, you pay less for eyewear.

Since 2015, EyeBuyDirect has donated more than 612,000 pairs of eyeglasses to partner charities, including The Lions Club and Feed The Children.

What Does EyeBuyDirect Offer?

EyeBuyDirect offers both designer brands and in-house brand frames with prescription lenses at some of the cheapest prices online.

When shopping for eyeglasses, you can send in your prescription to EyeBuyDirect to build out the perfect eyeglasses for your style and budget.

You can shop a large variety of eyeglasses for men, women, and children to get more affordable eyeglasses for the whole family.

EyeBuyDirect also offers a wide selection of prescription sunglasses that are perfect for keeping your eyesight 20/20 while protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays.

The EyeBuyDirect Difference

EyeBuyDirect works with a large network of eye doctors to help you get affordable eye exams with or without insurance.

Simply send in your prescription to EyeBuyDirect, pick out your frames and lenses, and you will have your new glasses delivered to your home at a cheaper price than most eyewear stores.

EyeBuyDirect also offers guides and tutorials on how to read your prescription, and the different shapes of faces and frames to allow you to better understand what type of glasses you need.

Because these glasses are so affordable, EyeBuyDirect is a great choice for those with or without insurance.

My Opinion

In my opinion, EyeBuyDirect is one of the top-tier online-only eyewear retailers.

It serves customers well with affordable eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses, and a blog full of great tech knowledge.

However, it does not offer contact lenses, which is a little odd for an eyewear retailer. If you are not concerned about contact lenses, this could be a great solution for you.

11. GlassesShop.com

GlassesShop.com was launched in 2004 by a group of eye doctors who deeply understand the need for more affordable eyewear solutions.

Having delivered more than one million pairs of eyeglasses since 2004, GlassesShop.com has been able to maintain high quality products at affordable prices.

Shipping to more than 45 countries worldwide, GlassesShop.com is on a mission to provide everyone with affordable eyewear without sacrificing quality.

About GlassesShop.com

An American owned and operated business, GlassesShop.com showcases unbeatable customer service and highly competitive pricing.

As an online-only eyeglasses retailer, it offers some of the lowest prices. As with most online stores, overhead costs are much lower than physical eyeglass stores.

Because it’s owned and operated by eye doctors, you are going to get some of the most professional customer experience and knowledge in the industry.

A strict set of quality control protocols ensures every pair of glasses it sells is of the highest quality.

What Does GlassesShop.com Offer?

GlassesShop.com offers just about the same items as EyeBuyDirect, including eyeglasses and prescription sunglasses.

One downfall here is that GlassesShop.com doesn’t offer contact lenses, which could be a deal-breaker for some.

The low prices from shipping directly from the manufacturer allows GlassesShop.com to offer affordable eyeglasses for those with and without insurance.

If you need to get more information about the best types of glasses for you, check out the tips and guide section to learn more from the eye experts at GlassesShop.

The GlassesShop.com Difference

One of the biggest differences that GlassesShop.com offers is unbeatable customer service and a high quality-control standard.

With an international logistic center, GlassesShop.com is able to provide stylish, high quality eyeglasses at some of the lowest prices on the market.

Because GlassesShop.com is owned and operated by eye doctors, you can rest assured you are getting good advice and knowledge.

Although this site already offers low prices, it also runs sales and deals throughout the year to allow you to save even more money.

My Opinion

When shopping for just about anything that I am not an expert in, such as eyeglasses, I want to know the company I am dealing with has the right expertise.

GlassesShop.com’s team of eye doctors allows you to speak to a professional about your eyewear needs and questions.

With cheap prices for those with and without insurance and sales that run throughout the year, GlassesShop.com may be one of the most affordable places to buy glasses without insurance.

12. Ambr Eyewear

Built on the basis of providing better designed, better looking, and better performing glasses than anyone on the market, Ambr Eyewear has skyrocketed to the top of lists for those looking to buy glasses without insurance.

Offering a wide variety of eyeglasses that are made to protect your eyes from harmful rays, Ambr Eyewear has got you covered no matter what type of lifestyle you live.

About Ambr Eyewear

Launching just two years ago, Ambr Eyewear comes from very humble beginnings.

The idea of Ambr Eyewear came forth from the couple Sacha Cahill and Dan Nugent not wanting to look like cyborgs with the out-of-date frames that were available at the time.

They come up with stylish, high quality glasses that not only helped you see, but out-performed in the sun, in front of computer screens, and even indoors.

Within the first three days of opening their homemade website, the couple had sold every pair they had in stock, thanks to media outlets and influencers.

This is what projected Ambr Eyewear into the large ecommerce site it is today, helping people in more than 80 countries find better glasses.

What Does Ambr Eyewear Offer?

Ambr Eyewear offers a wide selection of women’s, men’s, and children’s glasses that are affordable for those both with and without insurance.

Its innovative technology allows you to build your frames with industry leading lenses. This includes a blue light lens technology that protects your eyes from the hard blue lights of laptops, tablets, and phones.

Ambr Eyewear also offers a Virtual Try On feature that allows you to upload a photo of yourself to see how a set of eyeglasses will look on your face. This allows you to find the perfect style for your face without playing the guessing game and potentially spending money on glasses you don’t like.

The Ambr Eyewear Difference

Because Ambr Eyewear is an online-only eyewear store, you get the convenience of free worldwide delivery and returns.

With a 24/7 customer support team, you will never have to wait for questions to be answered.

The biggest difference you will notice with Ambr Eyewear is that its glasses are built and designed for those who spend more time in front of computers, TVs, or phones.

These specially built lenses are available in prescription, non-prescription, and ready readers to fit a variety of needs.

My Opinion

While Ambr Eyewear is not the first place I would look for everyday glasses, if I want a set of glasses that will reduce the strain on my eyes when using a computer, Ambr Eyewear would be my first choice.

While most other eyewear sites focus on a broader selection of eyewear, Ambr is filling the niche for those who need glasses to protect their eyes from screens.

13. Felix + iris

As one of the most personalized shopping experiences you can get from an eyewear company, Felix + iris leads the industry in customer satisfaction.

Felix + iris takes the time to get to know your personal style and optical needs to cater your shopping experience and give you the best glasses.

About Felix + iris

Felix + iris is looking to change the way consumers shop for prescription glasses.

It wants to give you a better shopping experience and provide the highest quality glasses at affordable prices, whether you have insurance or not.

The company has taken the traditional experience of shopping for glasses in store and made it much more convenient for those with busier lives.

By having in-house optical experts and advanced tools, Felix + iris is redefining the way consumers shop for glasses.

What Does Felix + iris Offer?

At Felix + iris, you get to choose from a wide selection of women’s and men’s glasses.

With the sophisticated filtering system, you can build out the perfect set of glasses for your style and face shape.

Felix + iris offers more than a dozen in-house collections to choose from that will set you apart from other eyeglass wearers.

You can also get an at-home fit kit that will allow you to test frames before you buy. This lets you see exactly how a set of glasses will fit on your face before committing to a purchase.

The Felix + iris Difference

The biggest difference that sets Felix + iris apart from the competition is its personalized shopping experience.

Where most sites are designed to simply fit an average consumer, the site takes into account your personal style and optical needs when recommending the best frames and lenses for you.

Its high quality control ensures every set of glasses you recieve is of the highest quality and fits you perfectly.

With a team of optical professionals, Felix + iris is here to help you every step of the way when shopping for new glasses.

My Opinion

When shopping for myself, I want the process to be as easy as possible.

The fact that Felix + iris focuses on making the eyewear buying process so personalized shows how committed it is to customer service.

If you are looking to buy eyeglasses with the support of a company that is looking to give you the best glasses possible for YOU, Felix + iris is the way to go.

14. Firmoo

Firmoo joins the ranks of online eyewear companies that have really made a name for themselves over the last decade.

Firmoo follows the same business model as most online-only eyewear stores, so you will get to save money due to low overhead costs.

The company advertises savings of up to 90% off retail prices on its eyewear.

About Firmoo

Firmoo has been operating since 2009 and has quickly grown to one of the most popular online glasses stores. Its low prices make it a great place to shop for budget-friendly glasses with or without insurance.

Firmoo’s quality control is one of its most well-known qualities. Each set of glasses has to pass a strict quality-control testing procedure before it is shipped out to ensure the consumer gets the best set of glasses Firmoo can produce.

What Does Firmoo Offer?

Firmoo offers a robust selection of glasses in all shapes, sizes, and performance levels for women, men, and children.

You can also find a nice selection of sports glasses, accessories, and clip-ons.

While prices are already some of the lowest in the industry, you can take advantage of everyday sales, clearance selections, and coupons on the site.

One of Firmoo’s most prized features is its one-on-one service, which allows you to chat with an expert about your eyewear needs.

You can also take advantage of a 30-day return period and a three-month warranty to keep your glasses protected.

The Firmoo Difference

One of the biggest differences you will notice with Firmoo is the large variety of eyewear on offer.

The company’s dedication to high-quality glasses at affordable prices makes it a top choice for those looking to buy glasses without insurance.

Building and ordering your glasses is easy online.

My Opinion

The thing that I like most about Firmoo is that it puts so much emphasis on one-on-one service.

Most online stores are built to provide a shopping experience that does not allow for communication with an actual person, but Firmoo allows for eye experts to be ready to answer your questions within 24 hours.

15. America’s Best

One of the largest franchise eyeglasses stores in America, America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, is part of National Vision.

America’s Best can contribute its success to its industry-leading qualities, such as providing value, employing professionals, contributing to the greater good, and looking into the future.

All of these qualities help America’s Best continue to grow and innovate to offer high quality, affordable eyeglasses for anyone’s budget.

About America’s Best

With a headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, America’s Best branches out across 31 states with more than 700 physical stores and growing.

America’s Best aims to provide value to the industry by offering high-quality eyewear at some of the lowest prices on the market.

Whether you order online or in person, you will get great service, as the company employs proven professionals in the eyewear industry. By investing in the latest technology, America’s Best is able to ensure that you are getting the best service available.

It also partners with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help local communities in need.

What Does America’s Best Offer?

America’s Best offers designer and in-house branded eyewear for men, women, and children.

Its low prices make it easy for anyone with or without insurance to get the glasses they need. You can also shop a great selection of affordable contact lenses..

The America’s Best Difference

The biggest advantage America’s Best has over competition is the fact that, in addition to the large selection of glasses online, it operates more than 700 stores across the United States.

In its physical stores, you can take advantage of free eye exams, visual field tests, and one-on-one appointments with a professional eye expert.

You can also take advantage of monthly contracts for contact lenses or America’s Best’s Eye Care Club.

My Opinion

In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with an online eyewear store, as it is convenient, allows you to easily shop and compare, and you get to shop from anywhere in the world.

While most of the stores on this list are online-only or offer a couple of stores, America’s Best offers an online store with more than 700 physical locations to better serve its customers.

With a wide selection of glasses and contacts at affordable prices, America’s Best is one of the best places to shop for glasses if you do not have vision insurance.

Final Thoughts

This list should make things easier when it comes to buying or replacing eyeglasses without insurance.

I hope this list will help you find the glasses you need at an affordable price without having to deal with insurance — or, if you don’t want to, even leaving the house.

Do you have any other items you’d like to add to this list of the 15 best places to buy glasses without insurance? Let us know in the comments below!

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