#Also the writer of this article needs to put like ten dollars in the Car Jar

[a-solitary-sea-rover-backup]

The rumors were true! SailGP Team 10 IS Germany!

Two of Germany’s leading sports stars – four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel and double Olympic sailing bronze medallist Erik Heil – came together today, alongside team owner Thomas Riedel, to announce the Germany SailGP Team. Germany will be the latest nation to contest the purpose-led global racing league, which kicks off its fourth season on June 16-17 with the Rolex United States Sail Grand Prix at Navy Pier, Chicago. …

The new Germany SailGP Team was unveiled during SPOBIS 2023 in Düsseldorf where the team introduced itself and presented its ambitions for the upcoming season. SailGP co-founder and CEO Sir Russell Coutts presented a yellow wheel of the F50 to Heil and Vettel as a symbolic welcome to SailGP.

…

The German team will compete in the first event of the global league’s fourth season, which starts in Chicago next month, June 16-17. In addition to Heil, female German-Brazilian double Olympic champion from Rio and Tokyo, Kahena Kunze was also announced as the team’s strategist. The full line-up will be announced next month.

I joked about Kunze and her Olympic teammate Martine Grael starting SailGP Brazil in the past— well, if she’s getting some experience like this, maybe we might see that too, someday…

[master-sass-blast]

This Life is Infinite: Chapter One.

OH YEAH. IT'S TIME, BITCHES!!!

Summary: The Infinity War Fic aka I do whatever the fuck I want with the Russo's canon.

Get ready for the most ambitious crossover in CHC history.

Pairing(s): Piotr Rasputin x Reader, Nathan Summers x Wade Wilson, Alexandra Rasputin x Nikolai Rasputin, and Kitty Pryde x Illyana Rasputin.

Rating: M for canon typical violence and death threats.

Word Count: 10k... oops.

Set after "Children of the Gods: Part Three."

Author's Note: Tentatively, I’m back from my hiatus. Things are nowhere near settled with my mental health, but I’m feeling well enough to post again.

I think it mostly goes without saying that updates for this series might be a little irregular going forward; not only do I need to take care of myself, but I also need to find a better balance with posting fanfiction and the rest of my life. As always, I will do my best to be clear with you all about what to expect in terms of updates and wait times.

Thank you again for your compassion and understanding.

Taglist: @marvel-is-perfection, @chromecutie, @super-darkcloudstudent, @girl-obsessed-with-things, @leo-writer, @emma-frxst, @sadstone-s

It’s not every day that mysterious, leather-clad men appear –quite literally, considering they teleported in—in your kitchen unannounced.

(Okay, perhaps they don’t qualify as “mysterious” when one of them is your dad, one of them is your brother, and the third is your uncle, but there’s a fourth man with them that you don’t recognize, so you like to think that the principle of the expression remains intact.)

You glance between Nate, Wade, your uncle, and the aforementioned unrecognized fourth man, then lift the box of cereal you’d been pouring into a bowl by way of greeting. “Breakfast?”

***

(The fourth man, as it turns out, goes by the code name “Kronos” –which, in terms of super cool code names, ranks at about an eight.)

“There’s a war coming,” Nate explains while the four of you stand around your kitchen counter. “Apocalypse is stirring. He’ll be sending his allies to Earth to initiate the first stage of the war, so that he’ll encounter less resistance when he comes to rule.”

“‘s called ‘The Decimation,’” Wade interjects as he shovels spoonfuls of Lucky Charms into his mouth. He points at his bowl, then jerks his head at the fridge. “D’ y’all have chocolate syrup?”

“Yeah, second shelf on the door.” You take another bite of your cereal, swallow, then ask Nathan, “What… what happens with ‘The Decimation?’”

“One of Apocalypse’s allies, Thanos, will arrive with his armies and generals. He’ll use his own forces to annihilate the heroes of Earth, then he’ll finish assembling the Infinity Stones and gauntlet and use them to wipe out half of all life across the cosmos.”

You purse your lips together and eye your dad warily. “If… if this was anyone other than you saying this, I’d say this all sounds like a hackneyed comic book and-or movie plot.”

“His information checks out,” Kronos says, voice low and gravelly. “Our cross-temporal intel confirms communications between Apocalypse and Thanos. We might have a few weeks to prepare for Thanos’s arrival –and that’s if we’re lucky.”

Wade snorts and mutters something that sounds suspiciously like “handwavey bullshit” under his breath.

You look to your uncle. “And you’re here because…”

“Need to talk to Xavier,” your uncle answers, “and then alert the Avengers and anyone else that can help us face Thanos.”

“Right,” you say slowly. “And you stopped here first because…”

“I was hungry,” Wade blurts as he drizzles more chocolate syrup on top of his cereal.

“You have credibility,” Nathan says while shooting Wade an equally annoyed and endeared look. “Xavier and Piotr listen to you, and the rest of the X-Men listen to them. We can’t afford to deal with a bunch of hesitating and infighting right now. We need to get our shit together and defeat Thanos, or the world as we know it is fucked.”

“Question.” Wade lifts his spoon. “Does Donald Trump die in this decimation bullshit?”

“We’ll deal with him later,” your uncle stage-whispers to Wade.

“If you’re all sure…” You wait for all four of them to nod, then sigh and shrug. “Alright. I think most of the X-Men are training right now. Let’s go talk to them.”

***

“This all sounds fucking insane.”

Wade gasps. The eyes on his mask widen as he lifts a gloved hand to where his mouth is under his mask. “James Doohan used a no-no word! My goodness gracious golly!”

Scott Summers scowls, but otherwise ignores Wade. He turns to the Professor, expression incredulous. “Do you believe… any of this?”

Xavier grimaces. “Our sources through Kronos” –he gestures to your uncle’s colleague—“have been confirming the intentions of Apocalypse for several years now. The difficulty was always in determining when Apocalypse would act, and in which timeline –though, now that we have Cable’s intel, we’ve been able to figure those two details out.”

“If Thanos is as powerful as you’re saying,” Ororo pipes up, looking at Nathan, “then how are we supposed to defeat him?”

“Any way we can,” Nathan fires back, expression grim.

“Our intel says that Thanos only has three of the six Infinity Stones, along with the gauntlet,” Kronos adds. “If we can keep the last three stones out of his hands and defeat his armies here on Earth, we’ll have better odds of facing Apocalypse down the road.”

“Right,” Jean says. “And where are the last three stones?”

“The Mind Stone is in the possession of Vision, an android created by Ultron, who now works with the Avengers,” Kronos explains. “The Time Stone is in the possession of Doctor Stephen Strange, who leads an order of sorcerers and magic users in New York. The Soul Stone… has yet to be located.”

“And we’re sure that Thanos is coming here?” Ororo asks, brows raised in skepticism.

“One of the unifying features across the pertinent timelines is a battle that takes place on Earth, specifically in the country of Wakanda,” Kronos answers. “Regardless of the other features in the timeline, there is always a major confrontation between Thanos and the forces of earth there.”

“Great,” Rogue deadpans, expression flat. “Now we just have to convince them to let us in. ‘Excuse me, your Majesty T’Challa, but there’s an evil spaceman that is collecting all powerful rhinestones and he’s going to come here to try and wipe out half of all life on Earth, so we need you to let us into your country with strict visitation policies to we can help you fight him.’ Yeah, that’ll go over real well.”

“We don’t have time to waste on sarcastic bullshit,” Nathan grits out, cybernetic eye flaring as he glares at Rogue. “We’ll handle getting the Avengers and Wakanda on board,” he says, turning to the Professor. “I take it we can trust you to get your team and Magneto collected?”

“I’ll contact Erik,” Xavier promises before looking over at your husband. “Piotr, would you mind calling your family? I believe, given the severity of the coming conflict, having as many hands as possible would be in our best interests.”

Piotr nods. “Konechno –of course.” He looks up at you from where he’s sitting, confusion clear in his sky blue eyes—

“You good to come with us?” Nathan asks, tapping your shoulder lightly to get your attention. “We’ll need help talking to Stark.”

“Huh? Uh –yeah. Sure.” You look back at Piotr; the request to ask for five minutes, just five minutes, to talk to your husband is on the tip of your tongue—

Nate tugs you –gently—a couple inches closer, then says, “Bodyslide by five.”

The room blurs, then disappears from view.

***

You’ve only bodyslid with Nathan a handful of times –and each time you do, you’re always caught off guard by how fucking weird it feels.

Your stomach lurches like you’ve just gone down the steepest drop on a rollercoaster, even though the ground remains steady beneath your feet. In a flash, there’s a brand new room in front of you –sleek, monochromatic cabinets, white marble countertops, stainless steel appliances and fixtures, the works. The space oozes sophistication, function, style –and money. So much money.

Given everything you’ve heard about Tony Stark, it makes sense.

“Deep breaths,” Nathan says. He places a steadying hand on your shoulder while you blink rapidly. “In through the nose, out through the mouth.”

You do your best to comply –though it’s a bit difficult, given that your brain is shrieking ‘sensory overload’ while trying to adjust to the new lighting, the new sounds, the sensation of having moved without really having moved at all, at least in the sense of walking or riding in a car—

And then alarms start blaring. Red lights flash, klaxons go off, the works.

Wade swears and claps his hands over his ears. “Christ! For a guy who has literal robots that can wipe his ass with dollar bills, you think he’d invest in something a little easier on the ears!”

“Wilson!” The klaxons and red lights cut out, replaced by various whirring noises and the sound of hurried, angry footsteps. “I swear to God, if you’ve hijacked one of my jets again, I’m gonna –who the fuck are all of you?”

Tony Stark looks… nothing like what you see in the papers. Granted, his face and hair look largely the same, but he’s not wearing the crisp, stylish suits that all the magazines, articles, papers, and interviews feature him wearing. He’s got on a worn, holey Metallica shirt, ripped, grease stained jeans, and a pair of scuffed sneakers that look like they might’ve been purchased ten years ago, for all that they’re barely holding together.

The army of security bots hovering and whirring around him, however, do fit his press image.

“Jon Snow!” Wade chirps, waggling his fingers at the harried “genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist.” “Long time, no talk. How’s Daenerys doing?”

“Summers, would you do me a favor and put your psychopath on a leash?” Tony asks, tone less than polite or pleasant as he focuses on Nate. “Preferably a nice short one that’s far away from me?”

“We’re here to talk,” Nathan says –though he does stop Wade from trying to play with the knives in the block on the kitchen counter. “It’s a matter of life and death. The well-being of the entire universe is at stake.”

“Yeah, been there, done that,” Tony says, looking none too impressed.

“One of your colleagues may have mentioned his name,” Kronos interjects, taking a step forward. “Does the word ‘Thanos’ ring any bells?”

Tony’s expression sobers for an instant, but he hides it quickly enough. “This is private property, and you’re all—”

A red being with a green suit and a yellow gem in the center of his forehead emerges from the floor. He places himself between Tony and the rest of you. “Would you like me to escort them out, Mr. Stark?”

“Ah, Casper the Friendly Android with No Concept of Personal Boundaries Despite the Infinite Knowledge!” Wade fires back, waving cheerfully. “How you doing, twenty-twenty?”

Vision sighs, longsuffering. “You have been expressly forbidden from these premises, Mr. Wilson.”

“Unless he’s here under my direct supervision,” Nathan fires back. “Stark, we need to talk about this—”

“Tony?” A tall, elegant woman with red hair wearing a tailored, navy blue dress walks up behind the man in question. She flashes you all a polite smile, but there’s no missing the way her gaze cautiously assesses each one of you. “I’m guessing these aren’t –oh. Wade’s here.”

Wade waves in response. “Hi, Miss Potts! How’s being a CEO?”

“It’s going very well, thank you,” Pepper replies politely –though, this time, she’s scanning the room for missing objects and-or visible damage. When nothing turns up, she looks back at Tony. “Are we escorting them out?”

“They claim to have information about the end of the world,” Tony says, tone flippant –though the grave expression on his face belies his snark. “About Thanos.”

Recognition flashes over Pepper’s face, though her polite mask never fully slips. She nods, then says, “Are we going to listen to them?”

“Probably should,” Tony replies in the same lackadaisical tone. “I’m not turning off the security drones while Wilson’s here, though.”

“Just for that, I’m pissing in your Ficus before I leave,” Wade huffs.

“That seems like it’s for the best,” Pepper tells Tony, smiling going tight at the edges while she stares at Wade. She takes a breath, steeling herself, then steps past Tony and nods at the rest of you in greeting. “Sorry for the confusion. Would you mind coming with us, so we can talk somewhere more comfortable?”

***

“I started connecting the dots after Thor left,” Tony explains, twirling a pencil between his fingers as he paces back and forth. “He mentioned Thanos briefly –but with the destruction and repurposing of Loki’s staff, the straggling records of Dormammu’s attack and the use of the Time Stone by Strange, the roles that the Tesseract and Loki’s staff played in the attack on New York by the Chitauri…” He sighs, pausing to stare out at the window at some unseen object before grimacing and shrugging. “It wasn’t hard to figure out.”

You’re all gathered in a conference room –which, as with the kitchen, carries the same modern, sleek style. Floor to ceiling windows show off the training grounds and the forest that conceals the base from the rest of the world. A massive plasma TV takes up one of the far walls, while the other walls are taken up by various dormant, holographic and electronic displays (made by Stark himself, no doubt). A black, oblong table sits in the center of the room, with leather, silver studded swivel chairs positioned around it.

“How many are there?” Tony asks, looking first at Kronos, then at Nathan. “How much time do we have?”

“There are six Infinity Stones in total,” Kronos says. “Thanos already has three –the Space stone, which was contained by the Tesseract, the Reality stone and the Power stone. Your colleague, Vision—” he gestures to the android “—is in possession of the Mind Stone already, and Stephen Strange has the Time Stone. Our agents have been unable to confirm the whereabouts of the Soul Stone, but we’re certain that Thanos doesn’t have it.”

“Yet,” Tony adds, tone pessimistic.

“As far as time goes, we have a few days at most,” Nathan says, crossing his arms over his chest. “Maybe a week, if we’re lucky.”

Tony grimaces. “That doesn’t bode well for rebuilding international relations on a dime. Or team morale for that matter.”

“Sort it out,” Nathan gravels out. “We’ve got bigger issues.”

“We won’t have time for issues if we can’t even pull a team together,” Tony snaps.

“If it helps…” Kronos withdraws a flash drive from his jacket pocket and holds it out to Tony. “The evidence of Thanos’s collection of the stones and his plans to come here.”

Tony accepts the flash drive. He turns it over in his fingers a couple times –no doubt mentally comparing the drive to the technology he’s created—then pockets it. “And Xavier’s on board with all this?”

You blink when you realize everyone’s staring at you. “Uh –yes. He’s contacting Erik Lensherr for some additional support, and the rest of the X-Men are ready to take on Thanos as well.”

“Great.” Tony stares down at the table for a moment, expression slightly melancholy but otherwise inscrutable, but then he snaps back to his usual self. “Good meeting. I’ll text you with the details.”

“Ooh, does that mean we’re trading numbers?” Wade gasps, pressing his hands on either side of his face. “I’ll put you on my favorites list.”

“I’ll contact Xavier,” Tony amends, shooting Wade a slightly harried look.

“We’ll be ready,” you assure him, at a loss for what else to say as you hook your arm around Wade’s to keep him from messing with the holographic display system.

“Vision will escort you out,” Pepper says with a polite smile and nod.

“I’ll make you a friendship bracelet, Tony the Tiger!” Wade calls as you and Nathan gently usher him towards the door. “Wait –stop shoving me! I need to get his wrist size!”

“Later, gorgeous,” Nate says with a barely suppressed smile.

Under any other circumstances, you’d laugh, but the stony foreboding weighing down your gut makes it too hard to even muster up a chuckle –especially when you catch Tony slumping down into one of the conference room chairs with a despairing expression on his face. You force yourself to focus on getting Wade out of the Avenger’s headquarters without stealing anything –though that does little to calm your swirling thoughts. How in the hell are we gonna pull this off?

***

“Are you okay?”

You sigh, instinctively wriggling back against Piotr’s chest as he lays down behind you. “Define ‘okay.’”

It’s nearly midnight now. Between contacting other allies for help –Nathan had you all bodysliding around New York for the better part of the day to reach out to the Hell’s Kitchen figures—and learning up about Thanos’s army and what could be expected in a confrontation against him, you didn’t get home until well after dinner.

You’re in bed now, too tired for anything else. You stare out the windows that overlook the balcony, purposefully trying to keep your mind blank so you don’t grow overwhelmed by the chaos buzzing in your brain.

Because this is insane. This is beyond mutant trafficking or petty grievances between groups of mutant rivals or even being gunned down by the mafia. This is beyond abusive parents, groups of hateful bigots, or anti-mutant legislators.

It’s –quite literally—the fate of the entire world. The entire galaxy. Based on Nathan’s reports of the future, half of all life is wiped out. People, animals, plants –all gone, dissolved into piles of ash… and for what? So some egomaniac can have his moment of glory?

Your stomach curdles when you even try to contemplate a life without Piotr.

“Hey.” Piotr draws you in close when you start crying. “Tische, myshka. Everything is okay.”

“But it’s not.” You sniff, wiping at your eyes with your sleeve. “Nothing about this is fucking okay, Piotr. Someone’s gonna wipe out half of the damn universe because he wants to jerk off to it later.”

“He has to go through us, first,” Piotr reminds you as he presses soft, sweet kisses against your cheek.

“We don’t have the numbers,” you point out bleakly. “We don’t have the ammunition. We don’t have the time to make a solid plan, or to prepare any extra defenses, or—”

Piotr hugs you tight. He kisses the top of your head. His hand strokes up and down your arm in an attempt to soothe you.

You grip his other hand, holding him close to you. You focus on how warm and solid he is. How wonderful he is and how lovely your life is with him. “I love you, Piotr.”

“And I love you, Y/N.”

You squeeze your eyes shut and cry some more.

***

The call comes in at five thirty in the morning.

“Stark’s brought around the other Avengers and Wakanda,” Nathan says, sounding far more alert than you ever will at this godforsaken hour. “We’re lifting off at seven.”

“Roger that,” you manage while Piotr turns on the bedside lamp and blinks the sleep out of his eyes. “We’ll be ready.” You set down your phone when the call ends, then groan and drop your head into your pillow. Why can’t the end of the world ever happen in the afternoon?

***

The Blackbird jets are loaded to maximum capacity. Aside from carrying the X-Men and the X-Force exclusive members, you’re also ferrying the Hell’s Kitchen vigilantes, Piotr’s family and Allison, your uncle and his team, and the younger children and their parents to Wakanda for safe-keeping (your uncle’s reasoning was that an enemy of the institute might notice the sudden lack of protection and decide to attack the younger, more vulnerable students and their families for vengeance, so it was better to be safe than sorry).

You keep close to Piotr or to the cockpit, but there’s still no avoiding the tense, cramped feeling.

You’re not the only “birds” in the sky, either. It’s practically a whole convoy, flying out to Wakanda in what might’ve been a formation if Wade didn’t occasionally grab the control and try to do a “barrel roll.” Magneto and his forces are flying in their own airship, while the Avengers are leading their pack in Tony’s custom, “cutting edge of technology” jets.

You watch the small fleet of jets that belong to the Avengers, lips pursed into a tight line. Your gaze darts over to the navigation board every few seconds, tracking your miniscule progress across the Atlantic Ocean towards Wakanda.

There’s a heavy sigh behind you, and then an even heavier pair of arms settle around your shoulders. “Myshka. You should rest.”

You “hmm” softly to let Piotr know you heard him, but you don’t step away from the cockpit door.

He kisses the top of head and starts gently rubbing your neck with his thumbs. “Will be several hours before arrival, dorogoy. There is nothing you can do until then.”

“It feels like wasting time,” you murmur back –because, naturally, Piotr’s seen to the heart of the issue already. “We’ve got so much to do.”

“And we can do nothing until we arrive in Wakanda.” Piotr kisses your temple, then gently nudges you away from the cockpit. “Come sit with me, lyublyu. You will need full energy when we land.”

And that, above all else, is the only reason you let Piotr usher you over to the nearest seat.

You crawl into his lap once he sits, curling up in his arms. You lay your head on his shoulder and let his warmth combined with the gentle thrum of the jet’s sonic engines lull you to sleep.

***

Wakanda is simultaneously everything and nothing like what you expected.

There’s a force shield that surrounds the inner part of the country that gives way as the convoy of ships pass through it. It almost seems to shimmer out of view before revealing an elegant, shining palace and curved, glimmering towers that comprise the larger part of the city. Lush jungle and towering, ice-capped mountains border the city, split by a winding river and rushing waterfalls.

It almost looks too beautiful to be real.

The awe-inducing visuals and technology don’t stop as the convoy flies out to a glittering, black glass structure that, on the navigation board, is labeled as the lab of Princess Shuri. The convoy swoops around to a massive hangar at the base of the building, landing just inside on the polished stone and metal floor.

Waiting for all of you in the hangar is King T’Challa Udaku; he’s wearing a black robe embroidered with silver thread and a vibrant kente scarf, and generally looks every bit as poised and unflappable as he did in the UN interviews. He’s flanked by his Dora Milaje soldiers –who are undeniably badass with their armor and spears, and you catch Ellie, Yukio, and Kitty all staring at the women in awe—and his partner, Nakia, and his sister, Princess Shuri.

Tony and Professor Xavier handle the introductions with the King, which lets you stretch and take in the hangar and throngs of superheroes. You recognize a few of them –Captain America aka Steve Rogers, Ant-Man aka Scott Lang and his entourage --including a man with dark hair styled like Elvis that you recall seeing in some sort of news interview a while back and a young woman with curly brown hair and warm eyes that’s holding his hand-- and War Hero ,aka James Rhodes, aka Tony’s best friend and “work wife”—but some of the entourage members are new to you.

You take a moment to stretch out your back –sleeping in Piotr’s lap isn’t the worst quality rest you’ve ever had, but given the configurations of the jet seats it was a little cramped—and admire the glimmering, inlaid lights on the hangar ceiling. Swanky.

“We have space prepared for the upcoming preparations and hosting all of you,” T’Challa says, voice cutting through the din of the crowd with ease. “If you would all follow Princess Shuri, please.”

Shuri smiles, then motions for everyone to follow her out of the hangar.

Half of the Dora Milaje break away from the formation, keeping a protective line between the princess and everyone else.

You fall into stride alongside your husband, well-practiced by now at matching your steps to his long stride.

***

The “prepared space” winds up being three massive rooms, each with smaller rooms sectioned around the main spaces, a kitchen-slash-rec area that joins the three massive rooms in the center, and three large, communal style bathrooms with multiple stalls for toilets and showers. The main rooms have several long, workstation style tables at them, with some beds stationed at the fringes, and the smaller rooms function only as bedrooms, mostly for the families with kids and the handful of couples present.

“This interface,” Princess Shuri says as she taps on a small disk embedded into the wall, “will let you contact security and staff if you have questions or need to speak with someone. There’s one in each room, for easy access. It will begin glowing and beeping if someone’s trying to send a call to you; you answer by pressing the base,” she explains, demonstrating on the disk.

“We’re expecting another group of people,” Tony pipes up. “Strange is collecting some of our allies from the South Eastern Quadrant. They should be here in the next sixteen hours, give or take.”

Shuri nods. “We’ll contact you when they arrive.” She offers the group a magnanimous nod and smile, then strides out the hall you all entered through, flanked by the Dora Milaje soldiers.

For a moment, no one moves. You all stand around, hesitating as you all try to take in the new scenery and space.

Alex moves first. She sighs, then grabs her duffel and strides towards the nearest workroom. “No point in waiting.”

Her initiative seems to jolt everyone else out of their daze. Everyone sections off, largely sticking with the groups of their original affiliation.

You amble alongside Piotr, peering around the workroom as you try to decide where to set your pack. Here goes nothing.

***

We’re staring down the apocalypse, you muse as you watch everyone set up shop, and it’s all coming down to sewing machines.

It’d come as a shock when Alexandra had lugged the sleek, white machine out of its carrying case. She’d set it on one of the tables, then lifted bolts of thick, rugged Kevlar out of one of her duffels next. Thread, scissors, measuring tape, and gridded cutting boards follow the Kevlar—

And then the sewing machine jammed as soon as Alex turned it on.

“Ty meshok der'ma,” Alex mutters under her breath as she fiddles with the internal mechanisms of the sewing machine. She glares at the gears, grumbling and swearing while she prods at them with a pair of tweezers. “Kakogo khrena tvoya problema?”

The situation seems mundane in its inanity.

The end of the damn world, and we’re being thwarted by twenty pounds of plastic and metal.

“Day mne poprobovat'.” Nikolai crouches down next to his wife. He adjusts the reading glasses perched on his nose, then aims a small flashlight at the interior of the machine. He murmurs and tuts in Russian while prodding at the machine –and then he makes a soft noise of exclamation. “Broken needle. Pryamo tam.”

“Sukin syn.” Alex uses her telekinesis to draw out the metal shard, then lets out an exasperated sigh and spreads her arms when the machine finally makes the proper start up noises. “Thank you.”

“Be nice,” Nikolai chides her with a teasing grin. “Is uncomfortable, having metal stuck in organs. You would not want to work either.”

“I’ve had metal in my organs,” Alex grumbles as she gets her sewing machine configured. “I still managed.” She smirks when Nikolai laughs, then kisses her husband’s cheek before motioning for you to approach. “Come here, ptitsa. I want to reinforce your suit; I need your measurements.”

You round the table, shucking off your sweatshirt so Alex can measure your torso. “Is there anything I need to do?”

“Just hold still, malenkiy,” Alex murmurs as she runs her tape measure around your waist.

“I make no promises,” you joke.

Alex snorts, then moves her measuring tape up to your ribcage.

***

The waiting is, somehow, worse now.

At least on the plan there was a promise of a destination. A sense of the temporary, that you’d be up and moving and doing again within a few hours.

Unfortunately, reality is so often different from how you envision it, just as it is now. Because the reality of the situation is that there are only a limited number of people capable of helping. Nate and Tony are working with the Princess to configure weapons to fight Thanos’s forces, Hank and the healers are preparing a makeshift medical bay, Frank, Wade, Mikhail, and Neena are cleaning and checking guns, Alex, Piotr and Nikolai are taking turns working on fabricating armor for those who need it—

Leaving you with nothing to do. Aside from keeping those who are working well fed and hydrated and managing the kids, all you can do is sit and watch while everyone else prepares.

It’s agony. Your chest aches from stress, and your stomach’s churning so much you can barely choke food down at mealtimes. I need to help more. I need to do something, dammit.

It’s like being in line for random execution and having no idea whether you’re going to be shot or not.

You stay close to Piotr. You run food and snacks and drinks for anyone who needs it. You help manage the kids when the need arises –but since most of their parents are here, the incidents are far and few between.

You sit. And you wait.

It’s all you can do.

***

“Absolutely not.”

“You need to be reasonable.”

“I am. It’s perfectly reasonable to keep a fourteen-year-old off a fucking battlefield!”

Alex sighs. She leans back in her seat and raises an eyebrow at her eldest daughter. “Normally I would agree, but I don’t think you’ll have much say in the matter. Your ability to control her is notably lacking.”

Artemis huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “You try reining in a teenager who’s realized there’s no consequences to her actions.”

“I’m not judging, merely observing,” Alex assures her daughter. “But, at any rate, it’s not unreasonable to predict that she’ll join the fray at some point. Body armor is a necessity.”

“It’s an invitation! She’ll take it as permission!”

“Artemis?” Allison sticks her head into the room, then strides over to her mentor-slash-surrogate mother. “Is everything okay? Who’s getting permission to do what?”

“No one is,” Artemis grumbles, even as she holds her arm out so the teen can lean against her side. “Especially not you.”

Allison lets out a disgusted sigh and rolls her eyes. “I already told you—”

“You’re not fighting.”

“I can handle myself!” Allison snaps. She jerks away from Tatianna, scowling. “You’re treating me like a baby!”

“Compared to me, you are a baby,” the older woman points out drily.

“It’s not your burden to bear,” Alex interjects, fixing the testy teen with an even –though not harsh—stare. “Teenagers shouldn’t have to fight for the future of the world. That’s for adults to handle.”

“No one gets to decide,” Allison grits out, “what my burdens are. And this isn’t about ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t.’”

The corner of Alex’s mouth twitches. She looks up at Artemis, brows raised.

Artemis sighs. She tips her head back, staring up at the ceiling, then looks down at Allison. “You need body armor to keep you safe. That does not mean, however, that you’ll be joining us in the fight against Thanos.”

Allison sweeps her tongue along the inside of her cheek. She crosses her arms and cocks her head to the side. “Pretty sure you don’t get to decide that.”

“Pretty sure you should listen to me,” Artemis fires back, “since I have more experience and am telling you that it’s too much for you to handle.” She lets out an exasperated breath when Allison rolls her eyes, then waves her hand dismissively as if to say ‘I tried.’ “Get her set up.”

Alex nods, then waves Allison over. “Alright, malenkiy. Let’s get you sorted.”

***

“Are you asleep?”

“Nyet.” Piotr rolls over, drapes an arm over you, and kisses your forehead. “I would ask you the same, but…”

You manage a small chuckle. “Pretty obvious answer, yeah.”

The two of you are in one of the private rooms –if only because (aside from your status as married) it has a bed big enough to accommodate Piotr. There’s a small window that overlooks a cavern beneath the lab. Dim, blue light seeps through the glass pane, but it’s not enough to properly illuminate the room.

Piotr’s fingers skim over your upper arm. “Why are you not sleeping, myshka?”

“Can’t,” you admit, voice wavering. You take a deep breath through your nose and try to calm yourself. “I just… I can’t handle not doing anything. It gives me too much time to think about what might happen.”

Piotr croons gently, drawing you in closer so he can tuck you against his chest. He cradles your head with one massive head. “Dorogoy. You know such things are not good for you.”

“Yeah, I know,” you grumble, eyes stinging with unshed tears. “Doesn’t mean that knowledge stops my brain any.”

“Ya znayu,” Piotr murmurs as he kisses your temple. “But everything is going to be alright, myshka.”

“Except it really might not be,” you argue, voice shaking. You grip the material of his shirt, as though he might be wrenched away from you at any moment and whisked away into the wind. “It really might not, Piotr.”

Your husband doesn’t say anything in response to that. He merely holds you closer still and strokes his fingers through your hair.

You press your forehead against his chest and start weeping quietly.

***

The second day is much like the first –a slow, agonizing crawl punctuated by overwhelming anxiety and exhaustion.

You linger at the table where Nate, Tony, and Ellie are modifying guns, handing the three various tools and materials when they ask for it. You watch their progress numbly, brain devoid of anything other than wordless worry.

At least, you watch until Nate texts Piotr to come get you.

“Davay, myshka,” your husband coaxes as he lifts you off your stool. He grunts slightly as he shifts you into a bridal-style hold, then carries you away from the table and out of the room. “Let’s have lunch.”

“But—”

“Is important to stay fed and hydrated.”

“—I was helping.” You peer past Piotr’s arm –then sigh when Nathan gives you a sympathetic, concerned smile and waves you along. “Baby—”

“Just for little bit.” Piotr sets you down when you ask, but he keeps a hand on your shoulder, just in case. “Is not good to sit and stew in anxiety.”

You drop your gaze to the floor. “You can’t prove anything.”

Piotr lifts his hand from your shoulder and cradles your cheek. He strokes his thumb against your skin, waiting until you look up at him before speaking again. “Come have lunch with me, moya lyubov’,” he says with an adoring smile (which you’re certain is a deliberate, tactical move on his part to make sure you don’t try and argue, and dammit if it isn’t working). “I would enjoy your company.”

You scuff the toe of your sneaker against the floor, but ultimately acquiesce. “Alright. I guess I should take a break.”

***

The snooping starts after lunch, while Alex is chewing Frank out for spray-painting his bullet proof vest.

“What, are you looking to ruin perfectly good Kevlar?” Alex gripes as she tosses Frank’s “Punisher” vest aside. “You want to break down the material? Get shot out like some schmuck because you decided to be an artist?”

“It’s strategic,” Frank argues with a good-natured, crooked grin. “Keeps my enemies’ line of sight trained on where I have the most protection.”

Alex nods and makes a sarcastic noise of assent. “‘Strategic.’ Is that what it is? Ya ne mogu v eto poverit'. V moye vremya my nazyvali strategiyu pobedoy, a ne stavili svoyu grebanuyu vizitnuyu kartochku na kazhdoye sovershennoye nami proklyatoye ubiystvo. Get your ass over here, drama boy.” She scoffs and starts measuring Frank’s chest and shoulders. “‘Strategiya,’” she scoffs. “What a load of horse shit.”

“Akh akh,” Nikolai tuts as he walks into the room with a plate of food and glass of water. “What is happening here?”

“I’m pretty sure I upset the apple cart, sir,” Frank says, unabashed.

Nikolai chuckles while Alexandra brings up to speed, ranting in irritated Russian. He sets the plate and glass on the table next to his wife, kisses her head, then ambles back out to the kitchen—

And that’s when you notice it. Or, rather, her.

Natasha Romanoff, aka the Black Widow. Renowned spy, assassin, weapons and espionage expert, and former member of the Avengers if the debacle surrounding the Sokovia Accords is to be believed.

She’s sitting at the kitchen counter on barstool, tapping away at her phone –which isn’t inherently suspicious, but her line of sight lets her look directly into the room you’re all situated in and—

She’s watching Alex.

At first you think she might be watching Frank (which, fair enough, having a mass murderer, somewhat unstable vigilante around is a reasonable cause for caution). But when Frank gets up and walks out (probably to go find Karen), Natasha doesn’t even move. Her gaze –when she’s not looking at her phone—stays fixed on Alexandra while she works at her sewing machine.

For once, you’re grateful Piotr is as large as he is; he makes a great hiding spot to do countersurveillance from.

Natasha approaches slowly, but deliberately. She talks to someone on her phone –whether she’s faking or not doesn’t matter to you, because she still uses it to get off the barstool and amble around while she’s talking. Then, she has a conversation with Captain Rogers, which she uses to get a few feet closer to the doorway.

At some point, you’re not certain if she realizes you’re watching her, only because she gives up the pretense of trying to hide her snooping entirely. She leans against the doorframe, watching Alex intently while she marks, pins, and cuts out fabric.

It’s Illyana who has enough of the whole thing first. Three minutes into Natasha standing in the door way, the blonde sighs, sets her phone down on the work table, and glares up at the red head. “Kakogo khrena ty khochesh?”

Natasha purses her lips slightly. She acknowledges Illyana with a brief glance, then turns her focus back to Alex. “Alexandra.”

“Natalia,” Alex says by way of greeting, not even bothering to look up from her work. “Are you here to help, or are you here to waste my time?”

She grimaces, but recovers and smiles politely. “It’s been a long time.”

“So, you’re here to waste my time,” Alex surmises as she pins a pattern to a piece of heavy black Kevlar.

Natasha swallows reflexively, then turns on her heel and walks away.

***

Half an hour later, it’s Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes’s turn.

The two supersoldiers are far less covert than Agent Romanoff. They stand in the middle of the rec room, a few feet away from the door, and don’t make any attempt to hide their conversation or the fact that they’re watching Alex (and, to some extent, her children and Nikolai as well).

Illyana says something to her mother a few times, but Alex waves her off –and, in general, seems unbothered. “U nas yest' rabota, snezhinka. U nas yest' rabota.”

“Did you know him?” you ask, later, when the Rasputin kids are out of the room. “The Winter Soldier?”

You’ve heard enough through the grapevine to know about the basics of the man’s story –captured by Hydra, experimentation, brainwashing, being coerced into murdering.

(It all sounds chillingly familiar.)

“We crossed paths,” Alex admits with a shrug. She slides a piece of ceramic armor plating inside a Kevlar pouch, then starts sewing the pouch shut. “Overlap was common back in the day.”

“Do you think he remembers you?” you murmur, glancing out at the kitchen (fortunately, Rogers and Barnes are gone for now).

Alex pauses. She purses her lips, then shrugs and resumes working. “I don’t know. He went through a lot with the forced mind wipes. There’s really no way of knowing.”

“Are you going to be in trouble if he does remember you?”

Alex huffs and favors you with a gentle smile. “I’ve gotten out of worse, ptitsa. Don’t worry so much.”

You say that like it’s easy, you think while the knot in your stomach coils tighter.

***

There’s a brief reprieve around dinner. You even manage to relax a little, smiling and chuckling as Piotr and Mikhail bicker and generally irritate each other as much as humanly possible.

Work starts up once more as soon as everyone’s done eating. You nestle yourself against Piotr’s side, relaxed via the virtue of being too tired to be stressed—

And then Tony Stark walks in.

Or perhaps “walk” isn’t the right term. He moves with an air of grandeur and utter self-assurance –which, even with your limited exposure to Tony Stark, you can tell is a “brand standard” for him. He tosses an apple up and down in one hand as he breezes along, expression blasé to the point of looking disinterested as he strides up to the table where Alexandra works.

If it weren’t for Natasha, Captain Rogers, and Sergeant Barnes scoping out the Rasputin matriarch earlier, you would’ve pegged Stark’s visit as entirely coincidental.

“What’s your deal?” Tony asks, leaning against the table next to where Alex is stationed at her sewing machine.

No pretense. No niceties. No attempt at subtlety.

Alex’s lips quirk into an annoyed grimace. She looks up and over the top of her machine for a moment, staring at Nikolai (likely trying to find any scrap of his infinite patience for herself), then lowers her gaze once more and says, “Usually, it’s not answering vague, pointless questions asked by nosey individuals.”

“You’ve got half my team twisted up just by being here,” Tony continues, unruffled. “I’ve seen Romanoff stare down the Hulk on a rampage without flinching. What about you is so special that you make her nervous?”

“Interesting,” Alex comments, almost to herself. “And here I thought, after the Berlin incident, your ‘team’ was largely disbanded. Something about ‘not agreeing with your leadership.’”

Tony’s face twitches, mouth briefly stretching into a pained grimace before he smooths it back out. “You don’t exist.”

“Everyone’s concept of self is different,” Alex mutters as she rips out a crooked seam on an armor pouch.

“There’s no record of your birth. Or your parents, for that matter. Your marriage license has no given maiden name. No history of education, doctor’s visits, driver’s license –nothing until you turned twenty-four.” He takes a bite of his apple, swallows, then says, “People don’t just ‘poof’ into existence as full grown adults. It doesn’t happen.”

“Perhaps,” Alex retorts as she resews the faulty seam, “you are just not very good at finding things.”

“I can find anything.”

“Except, it would seem, a way to keep from trying my patience.”

Tony watches her for a moment longer –then, when she doesn’t say anything, he turns and starts striding out of the room. “I’m going to figure out what’s up with you. There aren’t any secrets that can hide from my A.I.”

Alex doesn’t dignify his departure with a response –but her eyelid twitches as she continues her sewing.

You look up at Piotr, only to find he’s watching Nikolai. You look over at the Rasputin patriarch, and your heart sinks when you see the worried expression on his face.

Nick sighs, then stands and rounds the table. He ambles up behind his wife, drapes his arms around her shoulders, and kisses the top of her head before he starts murmuring to her in quiet, loving Russian.

You lean against Piotr’s side, giving him a reassuring squeeze even though the only thing you feel is disquieted. You force yourself to take a deep breath and relax your jaw as fear starts crawling up your spine once more. One thing at a time. One thing at a time, that’s all you can do.

Except, it seems, when everything decides to happen at once.

***

Meeting the Norse god of thunder is… intense.

Though, that may have to do with the entourage of people he brings with him.

Around three in the morning, Dr. Strange shows up with the remaining allies –Thor, god of thunder, and his brother Loki, god of magic, Bruce Banner aka the Hulk, a woman by the name of Carol, and a group that calls themselves the “Guardians of the Galaxy” (which happens to include a talking raccoon and a sentient tree).

“Just when you thought, like, it couldn’t get weirder,” Kitty mutters to you as she stares at the newest arrivals.

You nod. Granted, your usual metric for all things weird is Wade, who has basically explored every avenue of zany, bizarre, and disturbing—

But yeah, this is pretty fucking weird.

“Where do we stand in preparations for the arrival of Thanos?” Thor asks Tony.

“We’ve got most of the busywork done,” Tony says, outlining the weapons upgrades and the armor work that’s been done. “We waited for major planning until we had everyone here and better intel.”

Thor nods, then gestures to two women standing with the “Guardians of the Galaxy,” one with green skin and dark hair and the other with blue skin and cybernetic enhancements. “This is Gamora and Nebula, daughters of Thanos. They’ll be able to provide information on the strength and size of his forces.”

“Good,” Steve pipes up from where he’s standing with Sam Wilson and Sergeant Barnes. “The sooner we have a plan, the better.”

“It can wait until we’ve slept,” Alex decides, voice crisp. “We won’t come up with anything good while we’re fried.”

Tony blinks, then scowls. “Thanos could be here as soon as this coming morning.”

“Then we’ll be doubly fucked if we’ve stayed up all night trying to scrape together a plan,” Alex replies, unmoved. She crosses her arms when Tony glares at her. “The younger and less experienced of us need rest if this is going to work.”

“I’m with the lady,” Quill pipes up, brushing past Tony. He gives Stark a smile that, if you had to wager, is supposed to be charming but just comes off as arrogant. “I think you’ll find that we… don’t really roll with plans. It’s not our style.”

Alex stares at Quill for a moment, expression vastly unimpressed. She sighs, blinks slowly, shakes her head, then turns on her heel and strides back to the room she’s been sharing with Nick. “Absolutely not. I’m going back to bed.”

As if waiting for a cue, everyone else disperses, muttering about being tired and “needing an IV drip of espresso.”

You shuffle off with Piotr, hand in hand, shivering slightly from nerves. Please just let this go well.

***

“Both the Chitauri and the Klyntaar forces number into the tens of thousands. The Chitauri have sentient airships capable of carrying infantry forces while wreaking their own havoc, in addition to chariots that can carry up to five marksmen at a time. He also has tanks the size of this building that can demolish anything in their path.”

Everyone is gathered in one of the main work rooms. A majority of the people present hang back at the fringes, content to watch while Tony, Captain Rogers, King T’Challa, Alexandra, your uncle, Thor, Quill, and Natasha hash out a strategy.

“He’s trying to overwhelm us with sheer numbers,” Steve says in response to Gamora’s information.

“It might work,” Natasha murmurs, gaze focused on the worktable in front of her. “We don’t have near enough firepower to chip away at that many grunts.”

“Not if we play our cards right,” Alex says, crossing her arms over her chest.

“There’s also our siblings,” Gamora adds with a pained grimace.

Off to the side, Nebula scoffs. “They’re hardly family.”

“Thanos collected beings throughout the galaxy to serve him,” Gamora explains. “To act as his eyes and ears and eliminate his foes. Aside from Nebula and I, he has four other ‘children.’ They’ll be acting as his generals and commanders in the fight –and helping him track down and capture the final infinity stones.”

Tension ripples through the room.

“What do we know about these Infinity Stones?” Alex asks after a moment of fraught silence.

“The stones were originally created by the Celestials,” Loki pipes up from where he’s leaning against a wall. “Their magical properties are tied to aspects of the universe –time, space, reality, and so on. Only beings of immense power can wield them without severe consequences.”

“Thanos has the gauntlet that accompanies the stones,” Thor adds. “With it, once he assembles all six stones, he’ll be able to use them simultaneously.”

“He wants to wipe out half of all life on Earth,” Gamora says, voice wavering slightly. “That’s been his single goal ever since I’ve known him.”

“All men want to be gods,” your uncle jokes half-heartedly.

“Can the stones be broken?” Alex asks.

Loki chuckles, incredulous. “These are magical tools created by the most powerful beings ever known to the galaxy… and you want to break them?”

She shrugs. “Best not to overlook the simplest solution.”

“I’m taking that as a ‘no,’” Steve interjects. “So, if we can’t destroy them, how do we fight them?”

“The only thing powerful enough to combat the effects of the Infinity Stones are the Infinity Stones,” Loki answers.

“And we only have two,” Natasha surmises, expression drawn and grim.

“Three.”

Everyone looks up and turns when Illyana speaks.

She smirks, tilting her chin up when Natasha meets her gaze. “We have three Infinity Stones.”

“Vision has the mind stone, and Dr. Strange has the time stone,” Kronos argues, shaking his head. “The soul stone is still missing.”

Illyana’s smirk broadens. She lifts her hand, curling it as if she was holding something.

A sword materializes in her hand –and in the center of the sword, small but unmistakable, is a glowing orange gem.

Your uncle’s eyes widen. “Holy shit.”

“Three,” Illyana repeats, looking supremely confident and self-satisfied. “Unless there is elusive seventh stone?”

Loki smiles ruefully, shaking his head. “The Goddess of Limbo pulls through. Well done.”

“Okay, but Vision’s stone is in his head and Strange has his stone in a necklace around his neck,” Tony interjects, gesturing to each person in turn.

“Amulet,” Dr. Strange mutters under his breath.

“Your stone disappears if you’re not holding it,” Tony continues, pointing to the sword as Illyana dematerializes it once more. “What’s stopping Thanos from finding it and taking it?”

“I am only person who can use Soul Sword,” Illyana says, arching her eyebrows. “It is bound to me until the next in my line is ready to take my place.”

“My family has been bound to Limbo’s magicks for generations,” Nikolai clarifies when Tony starts sputtering. “Illyana is the keeper of the sword, which means only she can call upon it. Thanos would need our blood to have access to it.”

Tony grimaces. “Still risky.”

“Better than nothing,” your uncle fires back.

“We have a shot of taking down Thanos with the other three Infinity Stones in our camp,” Steve says, planting his hands against the worktable's surface. “Without them, we’re as good as sunk.”

“Well then,” Alex says, smirking. “Let’s make sure we don’t waste our opportunity.”

***

“For the love of god, stop talking.”

“I’m just saying,” Quill starts, spreading his hands in a defensive gesture.

“You’re not saying shit!” Alex snaps, lifting her head from her hands to glare at him. “You’re just wasting our time!”

Once the planning started, a large portion of the crowd dispersed to help wrap up the last of the weapons modification. The leaders from each faction stayed behind –Tony, T’Challa, Steve, Natasha, Thor, Peter Quill, Xavier, your uncle, Alexandra, and Erik—to plan, along with Gamora, Nebula, and Loki so they could offer up information on Thanos, his forces, and the Infinity Stones.

You’d also hung back, since you didn’t have the skills necessary to do the weapons modification. If all I can do is sit around like a nervous lump, may as well do it where I won’t be in the way.

“This plan just isn’t our style,” Quill argues, either immune or completely ignorant to the exasperated sighs and death glares the others are giving him. “We like to take things looser, add a little pizazz.”

“How many times did your parents drop you as a baby?” your uncle asks, staring Quill down. “No, I’m serious,” he adds when Quill glares back at him and opens his mouth to argue. “I’m genuinely at a loss for how you can be this fucking dense.”

“We’re up against overwhelming numbers and powers no one here has ever seen, let alone fought against,” Natasha adds. “We need to allocate our resources carefully if we want even a chance at victory. The three wave strategy is our best chance.”

“Okay,” Quill says, pressing his hands together. “I think we just all need to relax—”

“You’ll be pretty fucking relaxed when I gut you,” Alex grumbles as she pinches the bridge of her nose.

“Look, the way I see it, Thanos can’t take us all at once!” Quill reasons. “If we hit him with everything we have—”

“We have to survive his armies, too,” Tony adds, words clipped. “Or there won’t be any of us for Thanos to be hit by.”

“No.” Alex glares at Quill when he keeps trying to argue, startling him into silence. “Look at them.” She points at Gamora and Nebula. “These are your friends, da? Your teammates and companions, da? This is their abuser we’re facing. If we lose, what do you think happens to them? Do you think someone that wants to destroy half of all life will have mercy for them? Hm? If you care about them, you pick the plan that has the best shot of ensuring their safety. Got it?”

Quill swallows reflexively. He stares down at the holographic display of the future battlefield, jaw working. He exhales through his nose, slow and stuttered, then nods. “Alright. We… we do the three wave strategy.”

“So glad we can agree,” Alex says, turning her attention back to the battlefield schematic. “Now, we were discussing where to put our snipers…”

***

“—I need both their arms. Trust me, it’s the only way this is gonna work.”

“Look, I’m normally all for a little dismemberment, but I don’t think forming our own amputee league is gonna net us a win here.”

You shake your head as Wade banters back and forth with the talking racoon –whose name is Rocket, apparently—then look over at Nathan. “How long have they been at this?”

“Going on three hours now,” Nate replies. A soft, endeared smile flits across his face when he looks at Wade, but his expression sobers when he resumes his soldering job. “How’s the final plan looking?”

“Everyone but Quill was leaning towards a three-wave tactic.”

Nathan grunts. “Yeah, he seems like a jackass.”

“Alex threatened to gut him.”

“Hey!” Wade shouts, sounding genuinely wounded. “No disemboweling without me!”

“Quill wanted to do an ‘all for one’ attack directly on Thanos.” You sit down next to your dad, studying his face while he works. “You’ve actually fought against these people before. Do… do you think dividing our forces up will actually work?”

“The issue is the land and air forces,” Nathan says, shaking his head. He attaches a power unit to the base of a rifle, then starts welding the compartment shut. “This time doesn’t have the necessary shielding to repel the Chitauri and Klyntaar forces for that long. We’ll have to fight the grunts; holding some of our people back to make sure we have someone to take on Thanos is our best bet.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll win, though,” you point out.

He offers you a melancholy half-smile. “That’s war, kid.”

Your heart sinks further. “Do we even have a chance?”

“Statistics says we do,” Nathan says he strips a piece of wire before threading it into the gun.

“That’s not what I asked.”

Nathan sighs. He looks at you for a long moment, then says, “I think we have the best shot possible with what we have right here, right now.”

You gulp, then nod. It’s still not technically an answer to your question –let alone a positive one—but…

You’ve learned that, sometimes, it better not to dig at these sorts of questions at all.

***

“We’re dividing our forces into thirds.”

You’re all crammed into the rec room post dinner. In the center of the room, by the counter, Tony, Steve, Natasha, and Alex are addressing the crowd in turns.

“The first wave will consist of high stamina fighters and snipers,” Steve says. “There’s a shield system that extends several hundred kilometers around the lab’s perimeter. Wakandan soldiers will join the line of snipers who will pick off any of Thanos’s forces that make it through the shields.”

“We’ll also have any fighters with enhanced stamina on standby, in case there’s a larger breach,” Alex adds. “Their job will be to protect the sniper line from being overrun by the enemy forces.”

“The second wave will be air support,” Tony continues. “Myself, Rhodey, Wilson, and any flying mutants will head out when the Chitauri airships come in. Princess Shuri has a fleet of attack drones at the ready, which can be manned from headquarters in the lab. HQ will have a complete look at the battlefield; all intel will be coming from them during the fight.”

“Third wave is everyone else, save for Illyana, Dr. Strange, and Vision,” Natasha says. “We’ll join the fray when the second wave of Thanos’s forces arrive. The final three” –she nods to Illyana, Dr. Strange, and Vision in turn—“will wait in central headquarters until Thanos arrives, to prevent early capture of the remaining Infinity Stones.”

“In the meantime,” Tony says, “we’re going overtime on modifying rifles to be sonic weapons. They’re more effective against the Klyntar forces than regular firearms. All hands on deck. If you can’t solder, you can run supplies back and forth and help perform diagnostic tests at the firing range. Clear?”

Everyone nods, then breaks off to start working on constructing and testing more “awesome guns.”

You slid your fingers between Piotr’s. Your heart’s in your throat, racing a mile a minute. Your mouth feels dry.

If you were the religious type, you’d start praying. As it is, you make a plea with the universe on the off chance it decides to listen to you –for once.

Please. Please just let this work.

***

“So… about the three-wave plan—”

Tony slams down the compartment piece he’d been working on against the table. He glares at Quill, face strained with barely constrained rage and impatience. “What the fuck is your deal?”

“It’s just not sitting well with me,” Quill continues, leaning against the table. “I’m more of a ‘solo moment’ style person. More of a lone wolf.”

You gape at him. “You… you work with a team of five!”

“I just think that there needs to be a more focused confrontation with Thanos. Y’know, for someone to challenge him, man to man—”

“Some get this idiot out of my face,” Tony snaps, looking around for anyone that might be willing to assist –or, at the very least, drag Quill out of the room by his jacket collar.

“You’re not listening to me!”

“You’re wasting my time!”

“Why does every problem come back to you?” Alex stalks into the work room, eyes glowing a dull shade of copper as irritation takes hold in her. She strides over to Quill, looking like a menace in black leather and Kevlar. “How much more of a nuisance can you possibly make yourself?”

“I’m just pointing out some flaws in the strategy!” Quill argues, holding up his hands in a defensive gesture. “I’m being the devil’s advocate!”

“You’re pointing out dick,” Agent Barton, alias Hawkeye, points out from the side (where he’s modifying some of his arrows to release sonic pulses).

“Look,” Quill presses on, ignoring Clint’s comment. “We need to make sure this thing is airtight—”

“We don’t have time for ‘airtight,’” Nathan growls, cybernetic eye flaring. “The goal is to survive, not to create perfection.”

“I really just think—”

Alex scowls –and then her hand snaps out and closes around Quill’s neck. She slams him against the edge of the table, sneering down at him while he coughs and claws –futilely—against her iron grip. “You’re past the point of being a nuisance. You’re a fucking liability.”

Quill wheezes, face slowly turning red.

“If I was paid every time a man like you told me how to do my job…” Her voice trails off, and she lets out a sardonic chuckle. “Let me make something clear to you, Peter Quill.” Her hand tightens around his neck, which makes some ominous creaking noises as she presses against layers of tissue, cartilage, and bone. “I am not about to have an asshole like you risk the lives of my children, the people who are putting their own lives on the line to protect the world, or the future of the damn universe. If you’re going to keep being a jackass about this…” She smirks. “I’ll kill you. I’ll do it right here, right now. I am not going to have a hazard like you on my team or on that battlefield.” She grins nastily, leaning in closer as Quill’s eyes bug out. “Best thing is, no one really knows you’re here. No tracks to cover, no family to pay off, no authorities to worry about. You’d be an unfortunate casualty in war. No one would fucking miss you.”

A chill runs down your spine. You gulp, stomach twisting as you look from Alex, to Quill, to Alex again. Is anyone going to stop her...

“I really don’t know how to make this any fucking clearer, but since you’ve proven to be thick-headed, I’ll summarize: you stray from the plan in any way, and you’re dead. Got it?”

Quill nods hastily. He gasps when Alex releases him, collapsing to the floor. He hacks and coughs, one hand rubbing at his throat while his skin slowly fades away from an angry magenta color.

“So glad we understand one another.” Alex smirks, then turns on her heel and strides out of the work room like nothing even happened.

You purse your lips, trembling while everyone goes back to work like nothing even happened. You try to focus on sorting pieces into containers for the fabricators to grab from, but with your shaking hands it’s near impossible. You duck your head, gritting your teeth together as your stomach churns angrily. I just want this all to be over.

***

The call comes in a couple hours later.

“We’ve got temporal disturbances outside the shield perimeter,” Kronos shouts while alarms blare overhead. “Thanos’s forces have arrived and are attempting to break through to our location.”

Your stomach drops as everyone starts scrambling. You grab your flight jacket and goggles, throwing them on haphazardly. You start running towards the hangar –then stop and switch directions. “Piotr!”

He pauses when he hears your voice, turning and catching you as you leap into his arms. He kisses you briefly –desperately—then pulls back and cups your face in his hands. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” You give him a quick hug, then pull away and start sprinting towards the hanger where the rest of the air support is gathering. Tears sting your eyes, but you wipe them away and force down your fear and preemptive grief. Focus. You have to focus.

It’s time.

[thesobouquetme]

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21 Best Side Jobs for Firefighters

Does your firefighting schedule have you working one day on and then off for two or three days? 

If so, then you might find that your wallet has nothing but figurative flies in it by the end of the month. If you’d like to pad your bank account, it helps to have a side hustle or a second job. 

So, what are the best side jobs for firefighters?

We recommend the following 21 side jobs for firefighters:

Blogger

Real estate agent

Carpenter

Personal trainer

Landscaper

Uber/Lyft driver

Bartender

Security guard

CPR instructor

Waiter

Nurse

Lawn mower

Youth league coach/referee

Mechanic

Customer service rep

Dog walker

Delivery driver

Emergency technician

Painter

Online teacher

Tow truck driver

In this article, we’ll discuss each of these awesome side jobs in more detail, including how much money you can make so you can choose the right side hustle for you! You’re not going to want to miss it.

21 Lucrative Yet Flexible Side Jobs for Firefighters

Blogger

The first (and in my opinion the best) side hustle you can take on is blogging. This site is run by a firefighter looking to make more money on the side, and there’s no reason you can’t do the same as well. 

Your blog doesn’t necessarily need to be about firefighting, but rather, anything that you’re passionate about and interested in.

Blogging best practices dictate that you add content to your blog at least weekly or every other week. To increase your chances of ranking on the first page of Google search results, you need to follow search engine optimization or SEO rules. 

Use keywords throughout your writing, and try to publish content every now and again that’s longer, say, 2,500 or 3,000 words or more. 

Yes, these posts take a long time to write, but if you get a lot of views, then the time and effort will have been worth it.

If you’re worried about spending money on a domain, you don’t necessarily have to. These days, you can make a free, professional-looking website in minutes.

How much money can you make blogging? 

The answer depends on how often you write, if your blog ranks well, and how much traffic you get. 

Man blogging on computer.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS–which we’ll use as a resource throughout the rest of this guide–notes that writers and authors earn $30.39 per hour, which is $63,200 a year. 

However, that number varies greatly as I know several bloggers who are making thousands (and even tens of thousands) every month from their blog!

Real Estate Agent

Yours truly is also a real estate agent/blogger/firefighter. Helping someone find their dream home or selling a property so they can move on to something bigger and better is a great experience, and as a real estate agent, you’ll do that all the time.

You can either get hired as part of a real estate team or work as an independent real estate agent. The latter sounds great, especially if you have a primary job as a firefighter, but it’s not necessarily all it’s cracked up to be. 

You have to find the properties that are available, list them, tour them, and negotiate the sales price. Choose between going freelance or being part of a team carefully.

As for touring homes, while your clients will request times to see a property, it’s ultimately up to you (and the homeowner) when you will show a property. Even on those days when you’re firefighting then, you can still do some showings before or after work. 

Showing properties isn’t all you’ll do. Once a buyer finds a home they love, you’ll guide them through the buying process from start to finish. You don’t necessarily have to see the client in person to do this, which makes real estate a great option for you.

BLS says that real estate brokers and sales agents on average earn $24.39 per hour or $50,730 a year. 

Again, this number can vary greatly depending on you, your network and how much time and effort you put into growing your business.  However, it’s not uncommon (at least in my area) to work with several agents who make well north of $100k every year.

Carpenter/Handyman

Perhaps you’re useful with your own two hands and some tools. If so, then carpentry might be a field you want to look into doing outside of firefighting. As a carpenter, you will approve sketches and blueprints that come your way, measure out supplies for projects, shape and cut the materials, and then assemble.

The job of a carpenter can be a full-time one in and of itself or a side gig that you do to keep money coming into your bank account. To become a carpenter, you only need a high school diploma and some formal schooling through an apprenticeship program. Then you can get to work.

Carpenter working.

Carpenters earn $24.24 per hour, which is $48,330 a year, notes BLS. That’s not too shabby!

While being a handyman doesn’t necessarily require any formal schooling it too can be a great way to bring in extra income.  

There is a HUGE demand for contracting services right now and people will pay top dollar for quality and professional work.

Personal Trainer

As a firefighter first and foremost, you need to be in peak physical condition to handle the rigors of the job. That means you probably spend a lot of time in a gym, be that at a facility or even your own home gym.

Instead of working out just for yourself, why not show others the benefits of fitness by getting a side gig as a personal trainer? 

You can either seek a personal training job through a gym or visit clients in their own home. No matter which way you choose, you get to help your clients achieve all their fitness goals, whether that’s losing weight, gaining muscle, or learning to push themselves harder with their training.

The BLS quotes your earning potential as a personal trainer at $19.42 an hour or $40,390 a year, but this is flexible. You can set your own prices if you’re not part of a gym, which means your earnings potential is even higher! 

Landscaper

Do you love spending time outside but find that your firefighting job doesn’t really allow for it? 

For your side hustle, tend to nature and beautify homes as a landscaper. You’ll manage lawns, cut shrubs, remove overhanging tree branches, plant flowers, add rocks, carve out yard walking paths, and so much more.

As an aside, part of the job does include killing off pests such as wasps, ticks, and mosquitoes, but the rest is a lot of fun. 

Like what you need to do to become a carpenter, it’s recommended you have some skills and background to do this. This might be a multi-year apprenticeship, so perhaps hold off on applying to landscaper jobs until you’re certified.

When you can enter the field, BLS says landscape architects make $33.35 an hour or $69,360 a year. 

In addition, there are several things you can do that are similar but go great with traditional landscaping work.  

For example, I know a guy who bought a stump grinder and offers stump grinding services.  

Uber/Lyft Driver

You have a car, right? Why not put it to work as a driver for popular taxing services Uber or Lyft? 

While this may not be for everyone, I know several people who have worked as a driver and they seemed to have a great experience with it.

When you get approved as a driver for either service (or both), you put a sticker or sign in your car denoting your status as an Uber/Lyft driver and then get started.

Here’s how it works. You check the app and see who needs rides and where. Then, you choose to accept the ride. Uber or Lyft will take their cut, but you earn the rest, as well as a tip if the customer is feeling generous. 

The cool part about being a Lyft or Uber driver is there’s no limit to the amount of money you can earn. Indeed says the average national salary for a driver role like this is $30,513, but it all depends on how much you feel like driving each day.

If you live in a quiet area with not a lot of people, your earnings may be more limited compared to someone who calls a bustling city home. Still, whether you rely on being a Lyft/Uber driver as your second hustle or your third hustle, it’s a solid option. 

Bartender

Pouring drinks for people is an art, and one you can discover when your side job is that of a bartender. Ideal if your firefighting schedule leaves your weekend nights open, bartending lets you meet interesting people and always be at the heart of the action in your city or town.

Becoming a bartender isn’t necessarily easy, admittedly. You’ll have to learn the names and ingredients of hundreds of different cocktails and drinks. Then, you have to put your knowledge to the test to earn your bartender’s license.

However, depending on where you live/work the bar you work for may not require a license.

Once you’ve got that license, you can begin applying to jobs at bars and restaurants. Just know that some bartending jobs might lead to pretty late nights. 

You don’t want to burn too much of the midnight oil so you can be fresh for your firefighting job, so think carefully about how this side gig would fit into your schedule.

BLS says bartenders earn $11.39 and hour or $23,680 a year, but that’s not including those sweet, sweet tips that will surely keep you afloat financially. 

Security Guard/Bouncer

Do you have it in you to prevent people from getting where they’re not supposed to go? As a security guard, it’s your responsibility to protect information and valuable assets so these don’t get into the wrong hands. 

Similarly, with the bartender job a lot of bars and nightclubs are always looking for security.  Perhaps you can consider spending your evenings doing security.  

I did for 2 years and it was a great side gig!

Your security job could take you to many different places. Perhaps you’re security at a retail store, a bank, an office, or even a music and entertainment venue. 

Either way, expect to be standing on your feet for the entirety of your shift, which is the only downside. Otherwise, just look mean and intimidating and you’ll excel.

Security guards may earn $14.29 and hour, which is $29,710 a year, states BLS. 

CPR Instructor

When you were training to become a firefighter, you learned how to administer certified cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. You’ve perhaps even used the skill a time or two before when on the job.

Why not keep your CPR skills nice and sharp by working part-time as a CPR instructor? 

Your second job will have you instructing classes of nurses and other medical professionals, showing them the ropes of applying perfect CPR.

You’ll likely use a dummy in most demonstration scenarios, or you could even perform CPR on a real person. Most CPR instructors are part of the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or other medical centers, so start there when applying for jobs.

This is a lucrative side hustle, too. CPR Certification Online HQ says you could earn $52,790 annually as a baseline, with some CPR instructors even raking in close to $65k a year depending on location.

If you’re feeling really ambitious and you have your ACLS or PALS card you could become an instructor for one of those courses as well.  

You could easily turn this into your own company that provides training services for individuals or companies to complete their new certification or renew their outdated certifications (think daycare centers, dentist offices, chiropractic offices etc).

Waiter

It may be a standard side job, but don’t discount working as waitstaff. Unlike a job as a bartender, you’re constantly running around from table to table, taking orders, serving food, bringing empty plates back to the kitchen, and processing customer bills when working as a waiter or waitress. 

Being great at this job is all about being able to remember orders. Having a vivid personality also helps, as customers will enjoy interacting with you. 

That will also help you generate more tips, a must in waitering as it is in bartending. That’s because BLS says waiters and waitresses make $11 an hour, which is $22,890 a year. You’ll need tips for a job like this to be lucrative enough for you. 

Nurse

If you think you’ll need a long-term side gig, nursing is a pretty fantastic pick. You will have to pour many of your spare days into studying nursing so you can pass the NCLEX-RN exam. 

Then, you have to get your state license and you can finally begin applying to jobs as a registered nurse.

You may even take your role one step further, spending more time on medical schooling to become a nurse practitioner, or an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). 

As a nurse or a nurse practitioner, you help diagnose patients, provide them treatment, and hopefully save their lives. Sadly, this can’t always happen, so that’s something you’ll want to keep in mind if you plan on getting into nursing.

Like being a bartender, nurses can have long hours, so try to schedule your nursing shifts so you’re not firefighting on the same day.

The BLS notes that registered nurses earn $35.24 an hour or $73,300 a year. Nurse practitioners bring in $55.67 an hour, which is $115,800 a year.  

If you’re unfamiliar with the fire service you’d be surprised to learn how many firefighters/paramedics also work as nurses and physician assistants.

Lawn Mower

Do you have an awesome ride-on mower that you love to use? Do you sometimes wish you could mow the neighbor’s lawn as well? Why not take all that extra energy and enthusiasm and put it towards a secondary job?

As a mower, you’ll clean up lawns, including some of the most overgrown ones. You can even start your own lawn mowing business, which The Balance says can earn you $5,000 to $50,000 a year as you’re just getting started. If you’re more established, you could make anywhere from $160,000 to $250,000 annually. 

In fact, I know a firefighter in a neighboring town who started a VERY successful lawn mowing company and then got into firefighting.

Do keep in mind that mowing is a seasonal job for many parts of the country, so you might need a third part-time job to bring the money in (usually snow plowing if you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow in winter). 

Youth League Coach/Referee

Another great side job for firefighters is working as a youth league coach or referee. 

As a coach, you get to inspire teams of kids to work together, learn their skills and values, achieve victory, and understand what’s important about defeat. You can also foster what could become a lifelong love of sports in these kids. 

If you’re a youth referee, then you get to oversee the games, ensuring the kids play fairly while everyone still has a good time. 

Glassdoor says you may be able to earn upwards of $40,089 a year as a youth league coach. Just make sure you go for the paid positions only, not the volunteer jobs. 

Mechanic

You enjoy tinkering around with your own car, and when your buddy had a problem with his vehicle, you were able to fix it right away. 

That has you wondering, maybe you could charge for your vehicular expertise?

Absolutely! As a paid mechanic, you’ll diagnose all sorts of car issues, from the more common ones to the tough-to-find problems. 

You’ll also issue preventive maintenance, including changing out filters, balancing the wheels, rotating tires, changing oil, and tuning up the engine.

You do need some training to become a mechanic, but then you could earn about $20.24 an hour or $42,090 a year, notes BLS. 

Even if you don’t know much about cars, oil change places are always looking to hire hardworking and ambitious people.  This could be a great place to start!

Customer Service Rep

If you’d prefer to work from home, you don’t only have to be a blogger. You can also work in customer service. This job is often remote and requires a high-quality telephone.

You’ll be trained on how to handle customers, who will call with questions, feedback, and yes, sometimes complaints.

On the phone, you’ll guide the customer through their problem, working actively with them to come up with a viable solution.

If you by chance can’t help, then you’ll redirect the customer to someone who can. Overall, your role in customer service is important in inspiring customer satisfaction and loyalty to whatever company you represent. 

According to BLS data, as a customer service rep, you might make $16.69 an hour, which is $34,710 a year. 

Dog Walker

Are you an animal lover? Can you not get enough of warm, fuzzy, sweet creatures? Take the edge off your tough firefighting job by getting into the side hustle of dog walking. 

It’s your duty to take other people’s dogs for walks while the dog’s owner has to work or be in school. 

You may walk one dog at a time or several, talking them to the park, around the block, or through the neighborhood. This job is really a win-win, as you get to spend time around sweet animals and get lots of exercise too. 

Oh, and having a posse of pups with you is often a great way to meet people, whether as friends or something more.

The hourly earnings for dog walkers varies by state in the US; you can check out a comprehensive salary list courtesy of Care.com here. On average, expect to make at least $15 an hour. 

Delivery Driver

Earlier, we talked about driving for Uber/Lyft as a side hustle. Another driving-related job you might want to try is being a delivery driver. 

Now, what you’re delivering will definitely vary. 

You could drop off pizzas, mechanical parts, medical equipment, or all sorts of things. Besides just delivery, you have to pick up these items too, so you’re driving a lot.

Becoming a delivery driver usually only requires a high school diploma. This job, if you’re lifting heavy cargo especially, is a great way to get exercise and be paid for it. 

Speaking of pay, BLS says you’ll make $15.69 an hour, which is $32, 020 a year. 

However, if you’re working as a firefighter chances are you’re responsible for driving some pretty big trucks.  

Have you considered getting your CDL and driving commercial vehicles?  There could potentially be plenty of money to be made in your off time.

Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic

The fact that you can work as an EMT/paramedic on the side is one of several reasons I urge aspiring firefighters to go to paramedic school rather than get a fire science degree! 

Click this link if you want to read more about Paramedic vs. Fire Science.

Another medical-related job to consider is being an emergency technician like a paramedic or EMT. You’ll work with emergency departments and transfusion clinics to transport people to life-saving medical treatment. 

This can get old quickly if part of your firefighting duties include EMT or Paramedic work, but you can do it part-time. 

Also, there’s room for growth, as you could earn your certification to make even more money. Getting the certification can be done online, so already a role like emergency tech fits into your schedule nicely.

BLS says your earnings as an emergency technician will be $17.02 an hour or $35,400 a year. 

Painter

Few people want to paint their homes or businesses, but it’s a job that needs to be done. 

Enter you, the professional painter. 

Either by yourself or with a team, you’ll head to the site, paintbrush in hand, prime up the walls, and then paint them an appealing, fresh new color. 

Besides just buildings, your job as a painter could take you to bigger jobs, such as painting bridges, equipment, and machinery. This is a great job if you want to put your stamp on the world!

When working as a painter, BLS says you’ll earn $19.37 an hour, which is $40,280 a year. 

Also, as someone that works in the real estate industry I can tell you that there is a huge demand for good painters!  It’s an easy and relatively inexpensive way to give life to old or outdated properties.

Online Teacher

You have lots of knowledge in that head of yours, and you’d love to impart it with the world. As an online teacher, you can do just that, and all from the comfort of your own home. 

If you’re an expert at something, then you can teach it to others and make money doing it.

Perhaps you teach foreign students how to speak English or teach budding musicians to play guitar. Per Glassdoor data, you can earn $42,579 a year teaching, which should surely supplement your firefighting income nicely. 

Tow Truck Driver 

The last side job we recommend for firefighters is tow truck driving. Yes, that’s right, one more driving job. As a tow truck driver, you’ll go long distances carrying freight like food supplies, farm machinery, or equipment. 

Or, if you’re ambitious, you could even start your own towing service.  Being an emergency tow driver for vehicles during storms or other emergencies can be a very lucrative side job!

You could be driving for days at a time, which will fill in those blank days on your schedule when you’re not fighting fires.

Although it’s physically demanding, getting the goods to their destination as a tow truck driver can provide a lot of satisfaction. 

You will have to enroll in a professional truck driving school to get this job, as operating a tow truck is nothing like driving even a firetruck. You’ll also need to obtain your commercial driver’s license or CDL.

Once you find the towing job for you, you could earn $21.76 or $45,260 a year, says BLS. 

Conclusion

These days, it seems like everybody’s got a side hustle. As a firefighter, you’re no different. 

With this list of more than 20 great side jobs to consider for more money, you can do what you like as your main job and your secondary job too! 

from FirefighterNOW https://firefighternow.com/21-best-side-jobs-for-firefighters/

From https://catherinelee4.blogspot.com/2020/08/21-best-side-jobs-for-firefighters.html

source https://catherinelee4.wordpress.com/2020/08/01/21-best-side-jobs-for-firefighters/

via Blogger http://pppearlyn.blogspot.com/2020/08/21-best-side-jobs-for-firefighters.html

[shazyloren]

The Dragon Club: Chapter 40 - Offices and Encounters

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/12018519/chapters/28252617

-----------

Jon flicked the lights on to his brand new office. Small, but still had enough space for the two desks he'd had installed for him and his new apprentice Alys Karstark. She had given him some of her work on the female orgasm and while he had found it weird she'd chose to write on that in particular, her writing style was everything he was looking for on his sight. She gave balanced arguments, she gave correct facts but the emotion was there too. So now here they were, both of them looking at the light and white space which held potential.

"Let's get started then" Alys excited spoke as she went to her desk by the window, it was ten stories up in the office building and the view was quite magnificent. Jon could see Valyrian from the window, the tallest building in the skyline. Alys plonked her bag on the desk before plodding to the small kitchen at the back of the office. She shouted to Jon through the door. "Do you want a coffee, Mr. Snow?"

"Please, two sugars and a small amount of milk" Jon replied as he switched his own computer on. He had a bookshelf on the spare wall installed, 6ft across and floor to ceiling length which held books upon books upon books. There was fiction, non-fiction, feminism books, animal books, ones on politics and ones on writing.

Jon loved reading a book, and even thought he was only paying the apprentice three hundred dollars per week as a starting wage (she was only seventeen), he said she could take any of the books home for extra reading if needs be. He glanced at the clock, ten. They would usually be doing nine to five but as he had some errands to do (get a second key made so she could get in and out on weekends if she wanted to write) they were starting at ten.

"The water tastes decent, I'm surprised" Alys said as she returned with two coffees, putting Jon's down on his placemat. He had a photo frame of his family he'd put on his desk and one of him and Daenerys dancing at Arya' wedding. There was also one of Lyanna his niece. Alys had put a photo down of her and her cat, which Jon thought was the grumpiest cat he'd ever seen. "So, what's first on the agenda"

She booted up her computer too. "Well, I'm going to make an announcement on my site of a new writer. Then we're going to work on your first piece together. I know you're more than capable but I think we need to make the right impression and with a stand out first piece for you on the site, you'll get welcomed very quickly. but of course, we need to agree on what it is you want to write about. There's several stories I've picked up on that need addressing"

"You said you wanted to cover the election?" She asked.

"Yes, but I've not formed enough of an opinion on each candidate to start that yet. There is some more pushing concerns such as the sexual assault allegations against that hollywood producer, the WWF's new partnership with Valyrian, the education levels of animal welfare in schools, many things. But I want you to choose, let it be something you're passionate about seeing a change to"

"Okay, while you're making the announcement, I'll get to researching" She nodded in happiness and began by taking some books of the shelf before opening google chrome and diving head first in whatever it was she wanted to cover. Jon opened up his site and opened a new section on his announcement page. After half an hour it was posted.

Date: Monday 12th June 2017

Time: 10:39 AM.

Announcement: It is with my greatest pleasure that I can announce that the wolf online has a new writer! Alys Karstark is an apprentice writer who wants to go into Journalism. She will be covering subject we've already touched on here and new ones that have never been explored before. Her first written work will be posted by the end of the week. Welcome Alys!

Jon nodded before he got to answering some emails before her began helping Alys with her first piece. They bounced ideas back and forth before they realised it was five to five, and Daenerys would be meeting him here with Jorah to go to dinner afterwards. Saving their works on the computers and shutting them down, they locked up and made their way to the elevator together. "Good first day, you hit some real good points today. You've got a lot of potential"

"Thank you Mr. Snow" She blushed a little in embarrassment.

"Please, call me Jon" He laughed. She muttered a small okay before they reached the bottom of the lift. When it opened, Daenerys was stood at the bottom waiting with Jorah lurking a few feet back. Jon grinned and almost skipped to her. "Hello, my fiery dragon"

"Hello, stupid wolf" She grinned. Jon rolled his eyes. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Yes, sorry, where are my manners!" Jon fumbled a bit and found that he was the one blushing. "This is Alys Karstark, my new apprentice"

"Pleasure to meet you, Alys" Daenerys held a hand out to shake. Alys' eyes went wide. She shook her hand a bit too enthusiastically. "Do you need a lift home?"

"Oh that's okay, I just got my first car. Thank you for the offer though, I appreciated it!" She held onto her handbag a bit tighter before excusing herself. "Good evening, Mr. Snow. I'll see you tomorrow" Jon raised an eyebrow at her. "Jon, Sorry"

She walked off leaving the three of them. "She seems nice"

"She is actually. And she seems to actually want to do some good in the world rather than just go through the motions of life. Her writing is excellent, almost better than mine I'd say" Jon smirked as Jorah came over to them. "Evening Jorah"

"Good evening, Jon" He nodded. "Are we ready, the car is expensive and I don't want it being stolen"

Daenerys shook her head as Jon offered his arm for her to take. She does. The three walk out of the building and turn left towards the Rolls royce. It's a beautiful evening, the sun is still bright in the sky meaning the temperature is still warmer than most days during spring. They laughed as Jorah recounted the story of his niece painting him as a fairy and giving him in, before suddenly, Jorah froze.

"What is it?" Jon hissed. Daenerys gasped. They turned to see a woman stood a few feet from where they were. She had her hands up as if to say she did not mean any harm, that she just wanted to talk. Instinctively, Daenerys hid behind Jon.

"Miss. Qaath" Jorah spoke at an even tone.

"I- I'm not here to s-shout" She said shakily. Her hair was greasy , her skin sallow and her eyes were dull. She was wearing grey sweatpants and a white tee with a black leather jacket and trainers. She wasn't doing well, as you would expect someone who lost a child. "I promise"

"You also promised to leave Miss. Targaryen alone, you don't seem to be honouring that promise" Jorah replies. He didn't reach for his gun, but he flexed, showing it to her. Jon felt the energy in his body drain at the situation before him. What was going to happen? He did not know.

"I just want to talk" she said, not moving a muscle from her spot.

"Then do it and be on your way" Jorah snapped.

"I-I saw the article, I saw you admit what you failed to do for me and my child" She said shakily. "My little Rose suffered and you didn't do anything to help, but I see now, I see that it was not your... child. It was not your responsibility and I was looking for someone to blame" Daenerys came out from behind Jon a little, to see her properly. Jon felt her hold onto him tightly however. "I've been... consumed with grief... and I've let it get the better of me, and I'm sorry"

"Sorry?" Jorah asked incredulously. "You attacked Miss. Targaryen in her own office!"

"I know" She looked at the floor.

"Did you send the message?" Jon asked, wanting more information.

"Message?" She said confused.

"We received a message demanding Jon stay away from Daenerys, a threat. We thought it may be you" Jorah sniffed.

She wracked her brain, she looked like she was having a hard time thinking. "I don't know of a message, I don't know many things these days"

"Why are you really here?" Daenerys asked. "And how did you know I was here more importantly"

"I've been following you" She said sadly. "Not all the time, just whenever I feel the anger again, i'd wait outside your apartment and see if you'd show, if you looked happy. I'd cry every time you looked happy, annoyed I wasn't" She breathed in deeply. "And then, I found out something, perhaps it's karma for being horrendous to you"

"What is it?"

"I'm dying, a tumour, same as Rose, both beyond treatment" The air was silent. Jon felt his breath be sucked out of his lungs. He heard Daenerys gasp and even Jorah's stance shook a little. "I had a scan... lit up like a christmas tree. I won't be on this earth long, I'll be with my little Rose soon. I just had to make peace, for my own peace"

"Doreah, I- I don't know what to say" Daenerys' voice was shaky.

"Don't say anything, it's better this way" She sighed. "I do have a parting gift for you - information"

"Information?" Jon furrowed his brow.

"A man approached me and asked for my service, he wanted me to spy on you. I don't know what he looked like, he kept a hood up while he spoke. But you say you received a message of warning, it's probably him. Just thought you should know" She said as she began to walk away. "Goodbye, Daenerys. I'll see you in the afterlife"

If there is one, Jon thought.

[seoagencyspecialist]

Affiliate Marketing Strategy That Works! Make Your First $10,000 Online

Affiliate Marketing Strategy That Works! Make Your First $10,000 Online

Affiliate Marketing Strategy That Works! Make Your First $10,000 Online Source by profunnelbuilder

Online Rumored Buzz on Online Affiliated Marketing

On the web Affiliate Selling is usually a earnings sharing enterprise involving a website proprietor and an on-line service supplier. The web site operator will location commercials on his web sites to both help present the product owner's items or to mail potential patrons to the service supplier's Internet-site, all in trade to get a share within the earnings. Affiliate Marketing and promoting Program An affiliate marketing online and promoting methodology is usually known as an affiliate plan, but additionally may be known as a pay out-for-effectiveness program or an affiliate plan. An affiliate plan is definitely a promoting Useful resource for the e-business enterprise that operates it, referred to as service provider or advertiser in addition to a supply of earnings with the e-business enterprise that participates in it, known as an affiliate or affiliate or writer. You'll discover 3 ways to generate income by affiliate promoting and advertising: one) Pay per Click on or Expense-for every-simply click on affiliate programs: Every time a possible customer leaves the affiliate Website by "clicking" across the hyperlink resulting in the product owner's Internet-site, a sure amount of money is deposited contained in the affiliate's account. This sum of money is likely to be pennies or {dollars} relying on the merchandise and diploma of the Price. 2) Pay again for every Information or Price ticket-for each-guide affiliate packages: The service supplier pays the affiliate a set worth for each customer who clicks because of and often takes and movement inside the service supplier's web web site, for instance finishing an on-line examine, registering on the web site, or opting-in to obtain e-mail. three) Pay again per Sale or Price-per-sale affiliate packages: Every time a sale is designed because of promoting and advertising in regards to the affiliate's Internet web page, a proportion, or Price, is deposited within the affiliate's account. The Amazon Story

The entire world's most vital bookstore has Most likely probably the most affluent examples of an associates program (termed their affiliate system). Amazon now has properly a couple of million affiliate entrepreneurs! That could also be over 1 million Web web sites actively promoting their options every second of every day. Amazon generates about 40% of its earnings by its associates software program. Which is in extra of $three billion in earnings every yr! As Yet another (to a point humble by comparability) occasion, Zeald generates above fifty% of its earnings utilizing its particular person distinctive associates program. Admittedly, not fairly billions of greenbacks however that's definitely quite a few kilos of income every 12 months. A lot of different e-organizations work affiliate programs: E.g. barnes&nobale, dell,one-800-bouquets, rackspace managed internet hosting and many others. Affiliate Programs as a Marketing and promoting Useful resource The two key Execs to service supplier/ one. Tie web advertising work straight to a direct or income. two. The service supplier pays just for results. The two huge Strengths to affiliate 1. Further provide of earnings for affiliate who additionally sells gadgets/services 2. Key supply of earnings for affiliate who supplies leisure or data Two Methods to Working An efficient Affiliate Selling one. Purchase an unlimited and affiliate membership. e.g. The Amazon associates purposes have in extra of 1 million members as quite a few as: - RVPart - Sells components for leisure cars and motor houses. - Dilbert - Web site for take a look at cartoons, Get pleasure from sport titles, ship out Digital greeting playing cards etcetera - Books for Directors - Internet-site for enterprise enterprise assessments and lists within the currant leading-selling enterprise enterprise-connected books offered by Group week, The Ny Conditions, the Wall Street Journal, U.s.a. At the moment, in addition to different publications. - HaperCollins - Its web web site to promote its authors and their books. However, like fairly just a few information publishers. HaperCollins sells its publications through bookstores and in a roundabout approach to the general public. two. Purchase a lesser variety of extremely environment friendly affiliate entrepreneurs which have a considerable amount of web site web site site visitors and current Internet content material articles, companies and merchandise which may be straight linked to the product owner's companies and merchandise. Online Online Affiliated Marketing - An Overview Affiliate Packages for a Earnings Provide Collaborating in an affiliate system and after that getting probably the most out inside your participation will contain: - Selecting the correct service provider and associates program in your e-business - Absolutely grasp the phrases from the affiliate settlement - Incorporate personalized backlinks to product owner's net web page from affiliate Web sites - Set up site visitors at affiliate web site to extend merely click-troughs to service supplier web site. Main ten Suggestions for Deciding on the Affiliate Utility That Is Preferrred for you 1. It is vital to detect a service or product for which You'll discover there's need. The services or products actually needs to be such that you'd in all probability respect and luxuriate in promoting and advertising it. You possibly can probably get began by looking for "Affiliate Functions" within the main search engines like google and yahoo. 2. Affiliate MarketingThe services or products must be related to your web site. 3. It's often clever to hitch an affiliate system that could be prolonged standing, Danger-free and safe and it has an outstanding standing within the internet globe. This may be very simply verified from the Higher Enterprise Bureau or different related companies. Visits to Boards and Dialogue Teams may even provide you with a number of precious particulars. 4. Most affiliate utility suppliers give a fee of 5% to 50%. The fee you make to the sale of an merchandise is your key earnings. So though deciding on an affiliate software program you must evaluation the fee paid out out and select on a way that pays on the very least 35% that you must run your group correctly. 5. There needs to be an accurate monitoring system in place to report every of the clicks and product sales produced from the textual content backlinks and banners put in your web web site, e-mails along with different commercials. six. One essential situation that's often ignored will be the "hits for every sale ratio". This implies the quantity of hits that should be designed to a Textual content Url or Banner to generate a sale. This may offer you an plan regarding how a lot guests is important proper earlier than a sale is designed. seven. How often are commissions compensated? That is one other vital make any distinction that needs to be considered. Most reputed organizations shell out their associates common month-to-month or in the event that they accumulate a naked minimal fee of $50 to $ 100 or as indicated by you. It's good to forestall any utility that wants numerous earnings to get to the least sum of money. eight. Affiliate Functions are usually solitary tier or two tiers. A person tier utility pays you for it doesn't matter what enterprise you have got produced. Alternatively a two tier methodology pays you for the group you have created and as well as a fee for the earnings produced by a sub- affiliate, you have got sponsored. A two tier utility is all the time helpful. 9. Prolonged standing reputed companies give an entire vary of kit and sources for instance Banners, Textual content Backlinks, Brochures, Internet-sites and instruction for his or her associates. When choosing look out for such companies as they completely make lifetime much less of a problem and aids you enhance your property based firm. 10. Lastly, you will have to learn by way of and have an understanding of the association earlier than you be a part of being an affiliate though it transpires to usually be the perfect group on earth. Information the Affiliate Settlement The affiliate settlement designed by the service provider and agreed through the affiliate, defines all elements of the affiliate system and ordinarily consists of: - Kinds of Web websites service provider will settle for to the affiliate system - Types of backlinks permitted and pointers about their use. - Routine and funds phrases of service charges and commissions - Phrases of utilization of service supplier image, title and Online web page - Specialised specification that the Internet-site ought to fulfill up with, if any - Limits on sorts of content material that will look on affiliate web sites - Specs for compliance with all authorities authorized pointers, ordinances, pointers, and legal guidelines. Affiliate Monitoring Items - Make it potential for service provider to regulate the way in which it credit click-throughs - Monitor window of your time during which affiliate would possibly get credit score for only a click-by technique of - Report and retail retailer affiliate particulars - Supply fee/fee evaluations Read the full article

[kerrychelly-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City

[elinordserna-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City

[shumparker1953-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City

[jalenjones214-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City

[jacobj865200017-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City

[kelseybookies-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City

[garyfcrosby1975-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City

[mikomillers-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City

[iverraylen203-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City

[sexy-butts-blog]

7 Stupid Easy Ways To Fix Your Finances In 2019

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on.

You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now.

There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash.

That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health.

Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash

You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in nights and weekends, earning a few extra bucks can be a game changer.  Enter, the survey side hustle.

Online surveys are an easy and convenient way to earn a few bucks from the comfort of your couch. Keep in mind, though, that they do require you to pay attention and actually read each and every question. The company can tell if you just fibbed your way through the survey and will not pay you for it. They may even remove you from their program.

While there are numerous survey sites you could try, they're not all created equal. Some rarely have surveys for you to take or make it extremely difficult to cash out. Luckily for you, we've sifted through all the survey companies and have come up with a list of programs where you can *actually* earn some money. They include:

Pinecone Research

Survey Junkie

Global Test Market

Ipsos

Examine Your Credit

If you are suffering from low or even no credit, it's important to keep an eye on your credit score. Not only will this allow you to see your progress, it can also help you catch any errors or inconsistencies.

While you are entitled to a free credit report from each credit reporting company (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), Credit Sesame is my preferred monitoring program. Not only is it free, but you can check your credit report and score as often as you like. Pretty snazzy, ey?

It be totally scary to look at your credit score, I get it.  But knowing what's negatively impacting you NOW can help you in a year's time when you go to make a big purchase.  Follow these steps to earn some money and trim expenses, but also make sure you understand your score and how to improve it!

Trim and Sift It

Money-saving apps and programs are a dime a dozen these days. I've even written about some in the past. But as of December of 2018, my two favorites are Trim and Sift.  Using apps on your phone to simplify and optimize your spending habits is a great way to save without breaking a sweat!

Trim

Trim is an online, desktop based program that automates ways to save you money. After you securely connect your accounts, Trim will inspect each one to determine if there are any potential money saving options. Specifically, Trim excels at examining and notifying you of your recurring subscriptions, discovers if you can save money on your cable, and allows you to automate your savings. You can even request account alerts via text for things like overdrafts, low-funds, or large purchases. Best of all, it is free.

Trim takes security very seriously and therefore they have implemented 256-bit SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and read-only access. Your account info is not stored of their servers. To learn more about Trim or to sign up, pop on over here.

Sift

Sift is an app that focuses on your credit cards and their purchases. Named as one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2018, it maximizes your cashback and rewards, while tracking all the benefits available for each of your cards. It will automatically update you on any perks that may be available to you due to using a specific card. For example, theft and damage and warranties, time left to return, and price protection. The latter is my favorite perk, as it will help you save money on previous purchases if you used certain cards when buying an item that has decreased in price.

As for Sift's security, information is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank grade encryption. All of their servers and databases have very strict access control and all data transmitted and stored is anonymized. To give Sift a try, check it out here.

Save and Earn

When was the last time you evaluated your savings accounts? Do you know what kind of interest you are earning on your funds? If you use a big bank, with lots of brick and mortar locations, it is likely you aren't getting as much as you could. Solve that problem by considering an online bank. My favorite is Capital One 360. Not only will you receive up to a $100 bonus when you open an account, but because they don't have any physical locations, you get a higher yield interest rate. They have a large network of ATMs and offer mobile deposit, allowing you to get most of the benefits of a typical bank with less fees and a higher rate on your savings.

Surf's Up

As mentioned above, online surveys are a nice way to change your finances by earning some quick cash. But the internet has more to offer than that. For example, Swagbucks is an easy way to earn gift cards. Swagbucks offer the typical surveys, but they also reward you for watching videos, shopping online, and more. It's totally free and you can redeem your points earned for pretty much any gift card out there, including MasterCard.

If you want to earn some major cashback on your online purchases, you've got to give Ebates a try. Depending on which merchant you buy from, you can get up to 50% back. As a good example, when I switched from AT&T to Verizon for my mobile service, I got $75 cashback just for shopping through Ebates. That was a pretty outstanding month, but I typically reel in at least $20 a month just for shopping at online stores I already planned to buy from using Ebates.

(Re)Build Your Budget

You can't change your finances for the better if you aren't sticking to a healthy budget. I talk a lot about budgeting here at Frugal Beautiful, but my post How to Fall in Love with Your Budget is particularly useful.

Alternatively, there are several books on the subject that have helped me, and others like me, to create a budget and not deviate from that plan. A few of my favorite include:

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any

All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love (I absolutely love the authors, who run the fabulous finance blog Club Thrifty.)

Once you've read up on the subject, consider an online budgeting software like Mint or Personal Capital. It is easier than using pen and paper, especially on the go.

I use both of these apps.  I love that Mint has a little doughnut chart that shows me how much I'm spending in each category (sometimes it's horrifying!) and that Personal Capital shows me the overall picture of how I'm doing to track my net worth.  It's super motivating!

Hustle Hard

My personal favorite way to improve one's personal finances is to find a side hustle. I've written extensively on my most profitable side hustle: Airbnb. Seriously, without the money I make hosting travelers on Airbnb, I'd be in a world of hurt. Owning a home has been a much more expensive endeavor than expected, specifically due to a major increase in taxes and numerous repairs not found before closing. Airbnb has helped me stay on track with my budgeting and retirement goals.

As of this writing in late 2018, I'm earning over $750 a month just renting out my spare room with minimal work as an Airbnb host. 

Another quick and easy option is to drive for Uber or Lyft. It's simple and fast to get started with either company and can bring in some significant cash quickly. Cha-ching!

Start Saving With Just $1

One of my most popular posts is the Mason Jar Money Method .  If you're a fan of the envelope system from Dave Ramsey or have cash on hand, this is for you.  You start with a giant mason jar, and start with $1.

Each week your savings grow from there and you begin to build better habits to make those bigger weeks work- you have about $1300 by year's end.  What could you do with $1300 more dollars in the bank?  Maybe put it towards next year's Christmas gifts and travel? New tires?  A vacation? You will be $1300 ahead by this time next year.

So, what are you waiting for? It's never too late to get a handle on your financial life. Hop to it, friend, and best of luck!

Additional Reading:

Top Ten Articles to Read When You Want To Invest

How to Balance Debt Repayment with Holiday Expenses

What You Need to Know Before Going Car Shopping

7 Things to Do at Work to Help Pay Off Your Loans

4 Ways To Detox From Overspending

How I've Lived On An $800 Monthly Budget In The City