AMWC Polls

Check out our polls to the left-hand side of the page. We will be changing them every week or so to reflect different WAH options, opinions, and ideas.

If you'd like to see a certain poll just drop us a comment and we'll put it up. Having an interactive site is important to us as it will lend support to the WAH community.

Stop by and tell us what you think!

QualityGal Needs SEO Writers

QualityGal is a web page building service. They need ghostwriters to dish up SEO-content on a variety of subjects.

I applied to QualityGal last week. If you choose to apply you will need to use an email server other than hotmail or comcast. I heard back right away (well, except that this was an email account that I never use so I didn't know that I'd heard back. When I remembered to check there I had all of her other emails but not my test assignment email...it was in the spam folder) and I am now ready to do my test assignment (if they'll still have me).

Every article of 500+ words is worth $10. I feel that a lot of the content is similar so you don't need to do a lot of research. QualityGal actually states that she would rather you stuck to your area of expertise so that you didn't have to go searching around. Time is of the essence.

I'll let you know how things are going with this lead. Just check back to this post!

Residual Income, Passive Earnings With eHow

Okay, Folks, I have to admit that I nearly missed the boat on this one. As you know I currently write How-To articles for Demand Studios at $15 a piece. I've made $555 in about two months time as I started on 8/6/08. Really, this isn't bad money, right? But what if I told you I could have kept the rights to my articles and made a consistent amount of money that actually grew month after month? Well, I still can, and after I use the immediate, upfront pay from Demand Studios to pay October's bills I will be doing just that. I kick myself that I've already given away 37 articles that could have been earning me passive income for years to come.

Here's How It Works
The Writer's Compensation Program (WCP) at eHow will pay it's writers a share of ad revenue for each page impression. So each month the writer will earn residual income that they didn't have to do any extra work for. You can't make more hours in a day for working, but you can make your completed articles work for you. Passive earnings are the top way to boost your work at home income because you can be doing other things while your articles are sitting there.

How To Make Your Money Faster
I wouldn't have thought that this would be an entirely lucrative solution but fellow WAHM has shown me the light. Maria over at My Work At Home Mom Blog as simplified this process and the payoff has been great for her. She's also written an ebook well worth its cost about how to be successful at eHow and earning passive income there. Just take a look at her month-by-month stats. She started out low but the articles grew for her each month. Keep in mind that all of that income is residual. She did no extra work to earn that money.

With Maria's ebook you will avoid her own learning curve and earn your residual income that much faster. How does an extra $900 per month sound to you?

Daily Routines

This is when of my biggest downfalls. I have no day-to-day routine. I just do things when I see they need to be done and move on. I have no predictable plan of attack or reasonable structure to my day.
So far, this works for me. It may not work for you. And, it may not be the best thing that works for me either. I may be (okay, definitely would be) more productive and focused if I had a routine. Eventually I'll get there.

I think that talking to other work-at-home professionals is a good way to get started. Ask them how they structure their time and activities. It's a great way to figure out what will and will not work for you.

Experiment a lot. Move your schedule up, down, and all around until you find something that works for you.

As for me, I'm trying. I've started substitute teaching again and so each day brings a new work time and that makes it difficult to pin down a good work-at-home schedule. As I delve into this a bit more I'll post the resources I'm using and whether or not they're working for me.

The Well-Fed Writer

This is a great read for anyone considering freelance copy writing as a career. Copy writing includes online articles, business brochures, ads, headlines and so on.

Peter Bowman's easy style will help you get your idea off the ground...even if you think you have no clue what you're doing. Right now, I have this checked out of the library, but I will be buying a copy second hand when I have to return it.

Oh, and he endorses what I've thought all along, you don't need to be the best writer. Just be persistent and put yourself out there. There could be writers better than you but they may not be getting their names out to the big clients. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. The early bird gets the worm. Just trying to see how many euphemisms I can squeeze into this post. That would seem to be all.

Good Morning!

Professional Blogging

There are opportunities for bloggers to make money posting or ghostwriting for other networks or right on their own blogs.

I began this blog pretty proud of myself for figuring out how to format it and get it up and running. Now I also blog elswhere and it has become a comfortable habit for me. I am still playing around with different formats, monetization, and concepts but I get the general idea.

I run Green Kids, an online source for eco-friendly tips to raising children. I also generate (hopefully) thought-provoking discussions everday at Question of the Day.

If you already run an active blog you may be eligible to sign-up with companies like PayPerPost that will pay you to post a specific blog on your own site. Read the fine print about how long the blog must remain active.

Here's a short list of professional blogging job boards:
Bloggerjobs
Problogger
Performancing (I haven't had any luck here yet, but it's a very informative site)
SimplyHired (has a few ads for professional bloggers)

Problogger also has a plethora, that's right plethora, of great blogging and social media info.

Depending upon your personal goals; professional blogging may be for you. It's an excellent way to diversify and most of all its fun!

Content Production and SEO

I know that I have seriously been neglecting my duties here at Morning so let's jump right back in and I will try to catch everyone up with what I've been learning and doing!

Demand Studios continues to be my rock at the moment. I think content producing is my wahm forte. Content producers write articles that cover niche topics. These articles are then sold to webmasters and online marketers to use on niche sites where they earn revenue through ads and affiliate programs.

Whew! Yeah, I've been busy. Content producers write articles that have a certain density of the keyword phrase (usually the title phrase) in them so that search engines (like Google) will find the content, and thus the site, easily. More traffic from the search engines equals more people clicking the ads which means higher revenue to the site. The way I'm doing it right now I end up selling my rights to the material and therefore get no revenue share from the site but I do get that upfront fee of $15 (that's the Demand Studios payment...depending on which content-seller you write for the pay will be different).

You can also produce content for your own use. Building niche websites with ads and affiliate links means that you then keep 100% of the profit instead of selling your content to a large house for upfront payment. This kind of building takes a lot of time and effort. Since I'm back to substitute teaching I don't yet have time to learn web design in order to accomplish this. But it may be exactly what you need!

I hope that this post lays out search engine optimization (SEO) clearly for you. That is the easiest, no-frills way to explain what niche content does for a site and a webmaster. Well-optimized content is the most important part of building a monetized (for profit through ads) site.

Check out SEO for Dummies for more in-depth discussion of content producing for search engine optimization.

Informative Post

As I navigate through the gazillion online content writing sites I like to post about what I'm finding. I joined a site called Informative Post today. I am still awaiting a confirmation email, but from what some other Content Producers on AC say; Informative Post is promising.

Much like AC they pay a small amount upfront and the rest of the money you accrue through page views. I'll let everyone know the pros and cons of Informative Post as I become more familiar with it.

Demand Studios

Yes, I like writing. I love everything about it. From the words on the page to the quirky people who also call themselves writers to late nights just me and my laptop. I want to write more because it is something that comes easily to me.

To this end, I have been researching other sites to write for that will help to expand my portfolio and put some money in the bank (or PayPal...I'm not picky). Today, I applied to write for Demand Studios. They contract with 60 other sites on the Web that buy content to publish or distribute. Currently, they are hiring writers to submit copy for the site eHow. Basically, the writer chooses an article title such as How To Tie Your Shoe, writes the article and submits for review and (hopefully) payment. Demand Studios will pay $15 for each article and you may submit as many as you like. Your queue can hold ten titles at a time and after each is reviewed it frees up a spot to add another.

I had read threads on different forums that indicated the wait to hear from Demand Studios was anywhere from several months to 3 to 6 hours. It all seems dependent upon how your application stands out; especially your writing samples. I submitted my application at 3:10 this afternoon and I had an approval email at 3:16!

So far, I have set up my account and submitted one article. I'm going to wait to see if that one is accepted or if the editors will give me some revising pointers. After I know for sure what they want in an article I'll jump in.

Visit Demand Studios to find out if this opportunity would be something you would enjoy.

I hope everyone is doing well. Please let me know if you have any questions about online earnings or a topic you'd like to see covered here!

All of Your Eggs In One Basket...and Other Wise Words

I've tried many different online methods of making money this summer. Thus far, they have all been legitimate business from which I have been able to make some extra money. However, none of these could pay my bills on their own. This realization leads me to discuss the importance of multiple income streams.

As an online entrepreneur (um, and I am one because I have business cards that say so) the first "rule" that you need to be aware of is that you cannot rely on one thing to bring you all of the money you need. Also, getting started is the hard part. Right now, I am researching and, through trial and error, finding out what methods are most time and cost effective. Combine the winning methods and you have a good start at earning your potential.

It is also in your best interests to figure out what you enjoy doing. The activities we find pleasure in automatically have the potential to earn us more money simply because we are good at them and have no problem spending some significant time devoted to them. I enjoy writing. It doesn't matter what the subject of my rambling happens to be; I just like putting words to paper (or screen). Thus, I have been searching for more writing sites and building a good Web writing resume.

Find what works for you, what you love doing, and what activities are earning you the most money for your effort. With this formula you cannot go wrong. Stick to your goals and doors will open that you never realized existed.
Above all, have fun!

How to Find Progressive, Green Hosting for Your Websites

As I've mentioned before, I plan on moving this blog and creating other websites as my knowledge about web design improves. I am currently reading articles at Associated Content to learn simple, low-cost ways to build sites. If you would like to view these articles just visit my profile at Digg.com!
Since I am just learning, I will lay this out so that others who are just learning can follow along easily. In order to build sites one needs web hosting. Hosting companies provide you the server space and bandwidth necessary to build as many sites as you'd like. Since the inception of this blog I have been carefully researching companies. There are a lot out there and I needed to make sure that I found someone who catered to their clients and had excellent support. I am also interested in a company that is eco-concious and affordable. It is important to me that any site that hosts my blog and other websites be progressive both socially and environmentally. It takes a huge amount of server power to host so many domains, and that equals a lot of electricity.
I have found that ThinkHost is the perfect fit for me. Not only do they have a great support package for us newbies but they are also green; getting their energy through wind and solar power. Socially, they favor grassroots causes, providing no-cost hosting to environmental groups and community non-profits. They have no shareholders and no debt. The revenue made is distributed among the staff, goes back into the business, and is donated through their free web hosting. With no corporate "fat cats" they are free from pressure to compromise for the sake of profit. Their staff is active in environmental, social and political issues as well.

Because everyone is trying to do their part to be green I have provided a link to ThinkHost below so that you can get started too!



It is an affordable,eco-friendly opportunity! If you are an online store owner you should know that ThinkHost provides a free shopping cart with their web hosting package. They have many other freebies available to everyone. Take a peek!

A Recap of Today's Activities

I wanted to give a quick overview of what my day looked like today. This is a typical day for us.
10am-2pm Working at GBB- Cutting fabric for patterns, assisting customers, keeping track of the brood!

3-4:45pm Writing articles for AC, cleaning house

The rest of the night was devoted to dinner-making, bedtime routines, and surfing the Net for ideas!

I wrote and submitted 3 articles today and one yesterday. I've started writing 20 other articles that I plan to finish and submit by Thursday.

Here are my earnings so far for July:
CashCrate: $15.78
AC: $3.45
ChaCha: $23.80

Right now it doesn't look like a lot, but it is better than nothing. Also, I am monitoring other signs that things are moving in the right direction. At CashCrate, I've gained 6 referrals now. AC articles are quick to write and people have already begun to view the one article that I have published.
I'll keep you posted as things grow!

Keep Going

It is hard for me to keep steam behind an idea in order to see it get off the ground. I haven't the patience, at times, for anything less than instant gratification. Well, then this venture is giving me a tutorial in how to wait, how to plan, and how to enjoy each step along the way.

I have offically begun using my ChaCha access as a fully-trained Guide. As an added surprise, it has turned out to be a lot of fun. I have been proposed to. I have answered questions pertaining to, shall we say, male anatomy. I have assisted someone in finding the State Attorney General's office phone number for reasons of emanicipation. A varied lot to be sure. And I've made about $30 in a couple of hours (probably about 3). Not bad.

Associated Content accepted my first article for $3.44 upfront payment. This does not include payment for page views. If I could get over my writer's block and write 8-10 articles per day, that would be some decent money as well.

CashCrate is something that I do every now and then between article writing and ChaCha. I have about $20 in my account. I have four referrals who are now earning money with me!

It's been exciting to see things begin to flourish. I have been pretty neglectful in the past two weeks as business is booming at the boutique. I feel like I haven't had a lot of time to look after my time investments like I should. I think that's what makes this even better though. The fact that I haven't been entirely attentive or involved and things are still beginning to happen however slowly. I promise to see this through and I hope that you'll stick with me as well on this adventure. Thank you!

About My Work-Out-of-Home (WOH) Job!

Okay, so you caught me. It's not coffee time here. I had my cup on the road today in between running errands this morning. I also wanted to confess that I'm not just lazing around all summer on the Interweb. I do have a very part time job that I adore! I work in a local, mama-owned baby boutique aptly named Garden Baby Boutique. The owner sews (of which I am eternally jealous) the most beautiful and unique pieces. She also takes custom orders and just has an uncanny knack for choosing the perfect coordinating fabrics and colors. Many customers come in with only a vague description of what they are looking for and they trust in her to flesh out the gritty details and provide a quality product that they will love. She completes her custom orders so quickly that long-time customers know that calling two days before an event requiring a one-of-a-kind look is no problem for her. She is beyond accommodating and wonderful to work with and for. Somehow, she never fails to please.

She keeps her store stocked with local artisans and her own line of children's clothing, personalized baby blankets, bibs, burp cloths and diaper bags that are gorgeous enough to double as regular bags as well. Combine these baby must-haves with Melissa and Doug wooden toys, puzzles, and art supplies and she has a winning shop that appeals to a variety of people. Especially the littlest ones!

Earn Extra Money with CashCrate

Another online avenue for income is the get-paid-to (GPT) market. In my endeavor to raise some extra cash I am only blogging methods that I have researched, used, and found effective. I'm also only interested in free, or very low cost, options. We're trying to make money here, not spend it. To this end, I have found that there are certain sites to stay away from (I'll save that for another post) and a few that are worth the time and effort.

One of those sites is CashCrate. CashCrate is a GPT site that offers surveys to it's users. After each survey you press Submit and CashCrate pays you the rate that was posted for that survey. You NEVER need to give out any credit card information. You can make decent money filling out only the free surveys. The site is extremely user-friendly and it's very easy to see what you have earned. Your cash out options begin when you have earned $10. I have seen this company issue real checks and I will post my first as soon as I have it in hand.

http://cashcrate.com/660351

Please click on the link above to sign up with CashCrate. It's a neat way to make some extra money. I have a lot of fun with it!

I'm also here for those who sign-up through me. Answers to any questions, tips and tricks, and personal attention while you start making money online is available to you!

Jessica

Becoming a ChaCha Guide

Now that I think of it, my first foray into an online income started with the innovative company, ChaCha. The reason I had forgotten this is because I haven't actually used my account yet. To get you started I'll give a quick overview.

ChaCha is best described as a human-based, portable search-engine. As a user you would text any question you have to 242242 (spells chacha). Only standard text fees from your carrier apply. In a few minutes you have answer sent back in text. This is what the Infoseeker sees. As a Guide you are on your computer and logged into the Universe. A doorbell sounds and a pop-up gives you the option of answering a query. Using the resources provided by ChaCha you quickly search the Internet for an answer. You reply back in a box and ChaCha sends a tiny url to the user as well. It's a nifty invention for both Infoseeker and Guide. As a guide you are paid .20 per answered query. Since answering a query takes under 3 minutes you can answer many and the money adds up quickly.

You must apply and receive an invitation to test. After you accept the invite you take the 3 subject Fitness Test. Once the test is passed you take the simulator test and get to see how the Universe really works. Answer 15 questions and wait approximately 24 hours for the results to be sent via email. I know many people who are Guides and doing great. You only work when you want to and you can do other things on your computer while in the Universe. It really doesn't get much better for the Internet-addicted!

To apply please visit www.chacha.com

You can use my email as a reference during the initial application. Just comment below with any questions and I will email you.

I'd love to assist you in passing the exams. Using my email will give you a one-on-one start to the world of ChaCha.

Happy ChaCha-ing

Jessica

Submitting to Associated Content

If you find yourself sitting around, reading all you can about earning money online you'll never make a cent. With some things (and this would be one of those things) you just have to jump right in.

My first leap into online income was in the form of writing for Associated Content (AC). I had read some great things about AC and (finally) decided to sign-up and start submitting. Content Producers (CP) are paid upfront for their content writing and published articles continue to earn Performance Payments per one thousand page views. Each one thousand page views will earn the CP $1.50. Although this doesn't sound like much, if you do it right AC can work very well for you. Keep in mind that you are writing content. People will be doing searches looking for information on a certain subject. If you plan your AC articles, titles, and keywords right then the search engines will point the searcher to your article. So, forget everything you learned in your Creative Writing classes and think like a searcher. Do your research by finding out what people are searching for now. If you are a fast, accurate writer it is possible to turn out between 10-12 articles per day.

To get started visit: http://www.associatedcontent.com/
To view my profile and articles click here.

Oh, and thanks for looking!

From time to time, I will link to my articles from this blog. Enjoy!

Jessica

Getting Started

I'm just sitting down to my first cup of coffee this morning. I wanted to share with you what the purpose and goals of this blog will be. I have an enormously blessed and happy life. Two gorgeous kids and a tireless, handsome guy to share everything with. In February I left a perfectly good job. Not a great job; not my dream job. In fact, it was only good in regards to the pay. I couldn't continue my twelve hour days supporting something that I do not thoroughly believe in. The same week we signed on a new house I quit my job. With no prospects for full time work, I became a substitute teacher. This has gone very well. This is what I would legitimately call a perfectly good job. But not in regards to the pay. I pinch my pennies and do my best but in the end I wonder if I can really come out ahead.

Now, it's summer. The substitute gig won't be back until September. I'm home with my children and that makes me unbelievably happy. Still, there's the niggling thought in the back of my head that I need to figure out a way to earn income while I'm at home. This blog will record my very newbie efforts and, hopefully, help someone else in the long run.

When I say "newbie" I really mean it. I'm not at all Internet savvy (I do have commonsense, however) and most of my earnings will come from online methods since the goal is to stay home. I am such a bonafide newbie that I'm actually impressed with myself for setting up this blog so well. Once, I've learned a bit I may move this blog to my own, hosted website; we'll see. When I read other blogs that talk about feeds, keywords, page views, etc my eyes kind of glaze over. Here, I 'd like to decode that mystery for everyone and give it all meaning.

At the same time, I'll be posting tidbits about our family, our busy life, and home improvement projects with our new home. I'd love feedback and welcome comments and suggestions. If you ever need clarification concerning a topic; please let me know. Let's get started right away. I have a nice smattering of options to share already. I think that no matter what your personal goals are you can find something that's right for you! Good luck, to all of us.