Is your budget such that you frequently run out of money before you run out of month? If so, it may be time to look at some options to increase your income. Here are three paths you can start on today that can help you increase your income and build a better and more secure financial future.
If You're Entrepreneurial
Everyone has heard about #sidehustles and freelancing. In fact, a rather astonishing 86% of the American workforce says they derive additional income from a side hustle of one kind or another. And going this route has some definite benefits:
- Being your own boss. You get to choose your hours, what you're working on, and how you move your business forward.
- Your responsibility, your results. As you reach greater levels of success, you get the satisfaction and rewards of your efforts.
- Unlimited Possibilities. What you choose to provide as a product or service is only limited by your imagination. Choose something totally new, or build upon what others have found success in.
So, for example, subscription boxes have become very popular, even appearing on the hit television show Shark Tank. Create a product that people want or need on a regular basis and you're on your way. You get to make the decisions, you get to bask in your success. If that sounds like it might be your thing, here's some more detailed information on how to start a subscription box.
Have a Desire To Get An Advanced Degree?
If you're in a business field, getting an MBA can return big dividends. The average MBA holder enjoys about 50% more income than their Bachelor of Business counterpart. But in the past, getting that MBA may have seemed impossible because the only way to do so was through a traditional brick-and-mortar university that probably had prohibitive tuition costs. That's not so now.
An online MBA, or virtually any other degree, is available with schedules and fees designed to fit your needs. So if an advanced degree would help you advance your career and earnings, go for it.
Do You See A Promotion In Your Future?
If climbing the corporate ladder is your preferred route to financial and personal rewards, the time to start creating that is right now. Call it the squeaky wheel or whatever you wish, you need to do that which will bring the opportunities to you. Here's what career experts suggest:
1. Give Yourself the Best Chance for Success
While portions of a successful career could be attributed to luck or good timing, the majority of people with successful careers will tell you that they got to where they are through their hard work, determination and natural abilities. But how are you supposed to take advantage of all those things? Get a job that matches their personality. That's what Penelope Trunk advises women to do. By finding a career that works well with your natural abilities and tendencies, you give yourself the best possible chance for success by catering to your already ample talents.
2. Confidence is Key
In a room full of people, often the ones with the most confidence will stand out among the rest. However, it can sometimes be difficult to know how to build your confidence in the workplace. According to Lindsay Olson, in a U.S. News and World Report article, women can begin to build their confidence in the workplace in several ways. For example, use more assertive words, dress in a way that makes you feel capable, and speaking up when you have an idea or something to say. Even if you feel like your confidence is low at this point, you can always do small things each day to steadily build yourself up and set yourself apart from your coworkers.
3. Create A Place For Yourself
Large, successful companies often make it easier to blend in among the ranks than to stand out from the crowd. But if you want to be someone who steadily climbs that corporate ladder, you've got to find a way to make an impression on your superiors. One way you can do this, according to Jamie Hufford, in her post at FemaleIntel.com, is to become recognized for a specific reason. By doing this, you'll be creating a place for yourself within your company that no one else can fill quite like you can. You can implement this idea by striving to be known for a specific, positive reason or purpose. Becoming the "go to" person that fills a real need will help your superiors see just how indispensable and important you are to your company.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that if you've got the desire to create greater financial abundance, there are many ways to do so. It won't just appear tomorrow. But it's much more likely to be in your future if you prepare and take action today.
Beach lover. SoCal dweller. Life is never over unless you surrender. Keep going, the prize IS out there.
