Finance Archives - 3 Kids and Us

3 Side Hustles for Busy Moms

December 31, 2022 by admin

Whether you’re a full-time employee for fencing contractors in your area or work from home while taking care of your children, you might be looking for a few ways to earn some extra income in the New Year. Finding a side gig to help you earn some extra cash can be difficult when you are a busy mom with an already hectic schedule and limited free time, but it is not impossible! No matter what your schedule is like or how much extra money you are looking to earn, keep reading to learn about a few side hustles you can pick up in 2023.

Monetize Online Content

In the last few years, numerous social media influencers across various platforms have showcased how simple it can be to earn money on social media with the help of monetized content, ads, and brand deals or company sponsorships. Today, one of the most popular social media sites for monetization is TikTok, which makes it easy for creators like you to earn money based on views per video. In 2023, try to step up your social media game and monetize your content, and you might be surprised by how much money you can make.

Freelance Writing

If you excel in the field of English or have a natural passion for writing, finding freelance writing jobs for individuals and corporations should be relatively simple. Sites like Upwork can easily match you with writing jobs and can pay between $15 and $50 per hour, depending on the job. This is an easy job to take on in your free time as you can create your own schedule and write as you please.

Dog Walking

Looking to earn some extra cash and squeeze a workout into your schedule? Dog walking might be a great option for you. Sites like Rover and Wag can match you with dog owners in your area who are seeking someone to walk or provide additional care for their pets and can pay you a flexible rate that starts at around $15/hr. You can pick up walks on your own terms, meaning that you can work this job around your schedule; plus, dog walking is not too time-consuming, and is fun for animal lovers! Having the opportunity to get your daily steps in while spending time with a cute animal and earning some extra cash is the perfect side hustle for any busy mom.

3 Reasons to Buy a Motorcycle

September 7, 2022 by admin

Whether you’re looking for a new hobby this fall, searching for a new community of friends, or searching for some new unique ways to save a little extra money on gas, there are countless reasons to consider getting a motorcycle.

Taking a motorcycle to work can switch up your daily commute, adding some excitement to your daily routine, and making a major, positive difference in your physical and mental health.

If you’re on the fence about buying a bike and might need more convincing, here are 3 of the top reasons you should buy a motorcycle.

More Fuel Efficiency

One thing that many drivers don’t realize is that motorcycles are far more fuel-efficient than typical cars since they are smaller than most other vehicles and do not require their engine to work as hard. This means that the average motorcycle is more fuel efficient than even the top hybrid vehicles on the market, and a great option for individuals looking for unique ways to save a little money on the cost of gas.

Add Excitement To Your Commute

If you’re getting bored with your daily commute to and from work, switching up your ride might help. Not only is riding a motorcycle to work more fun than driving your regular car, but doing so can help to improve your mood on an otherwise boring commute that you might find yourself dreading, so you’ll always arrive at work in a great mood! Plus, riding your bike home at night can be a great way to decompress and put you in a better mood after a long day at the office.

Build A Community

The motorcycle community is massive, and always eager for new bikers to join! If you’re looking for an easy way to make friends in your area or want to join a community of like-minded individuals with whom you can bond over a shared interest, owning a motorcycle is a great place to start. Once you buy your first bike from Get Lowered Cycles, it’s easy for riders with all levels of experience to find events like group riding sessions that allow you to make friends with fellow bikers.

Owning a motorcycle is a great way to add some excitement to your daily life and switch up your routine while saving money on transportation and joining a new community of friends.

Feeding a Family of Four? Here’s How You Can Reduce Your Grocery Bill

June 30, 2022 by admin

It takes a lot to feed a family of four—or more—each and every week, and with the way kids grow, you’ll be running back and forth just to keep food on the table. But all that grocery shopping can begin to add up in the money department, even if you have a good-paying job at a place like ThriveMD or a law firm.

Luckily, there are a few easy ways you can reduce your grocery bill without going above and beyond.

Drop Name Brands

There’s nothing wrong with name-brand items, and many of them are actually pretty decent, but not all of them are worth spending the extra money on. Instead, try going for the generic equivalent of whatever item you need. In many cases, you and your kids won’t even be able to tell a difference, and in the event that the name brand is considerably superior to the cheaper version, you can always shell out a few extra bucks for that specific item.

By settling for the off-brand items, you’ll start to rack up the savings in no time.

Budget for the Necessities

If you’ve ever gone shopping with your kids, you’ll know how easy it can be to wind up with a mountain of unnecessary items in your cart, and they’re not the only guilty ones—we’ve been there, too.

While there isn’t anything bad about getting the occasional treat or junk food, getting too many of these kinds of items can put you over your budget and really isn’t that good for you anyway. Instead, create a shopping list and only budget for the items that are absolutely required, such as milk eggs, bread, whatever you plan to eat for dinner, etc. No chips, cookies, or cases of soda, but we won’t tell if you want to get one little treat.

Take Advantage of Deals and Rewards

Many stores offer reward cards that you can get if you are a loyal customer, and all it takes is in most cases is giving them your email address. While this can be frustrating and seem like a waste of time when they ask you and all you really want to do is get your stuff and get out, taking those two minutes to fill out your information can save you a good chunk of change in the long run. These reward cards can grant you deals on items, earn you exclusive rewards, and build points every time you shop which can then be used for more groceries.

Spend a Little, Save a Lot

By sticking to these tips, you’ll find that saving money on your routine trips to the grocery store can actually be remarkably simple. You’ll be able to keep the fridge stocked, bellies full, and your wallet a little thicker.

Money-Saving Tips for Large Families

March 19, 2022 by admin

Budgeting can be hard when you have a large family to provide for. Studies show that families are reluctant to have more than 2 children, citing finances as the biggest reason.

Here are a few money-saving tips for larger families.

Minimize Vehicles

Although having only one vehicle can sound stressful, or impossible, for parents who have to transport multiple children to events and activities on top of driving themselves to work, the money you would save on insurance, maintenance, and fuel just might be worth it.

Public transportation can save hundreds of dollars annually in comparison to fuel for cars, not to mention the elimination of the possibility of unplanned vehicle maintenance (which always seems to be necessary at the most inconvenient times). Taking public transportation or walking to work if possible can be cheaper than driving, and if you have friends whose children attend the same school or participate in the same activities as yours, arranging to carpool can be much easier than you might think. While having one vehicle might take some getting used to, it can save a ton of money.

Buy in Bulk

Investing in a Costco or Sam’s Club membership and buying groceries or other household items in bulk just might be worth it. Buying bulk amounts of non-perishable food items, beverages, and cleaning supplies or toiletries can save hundreds of dollars per year and will minimize your trips to the grocery store that put you at risk for impulse purchases.

Eat at Home

Preparing meals and eating at home is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to save money. The average household spends hundreds of dollars each month on fast food and restaurants when the very same meals can be prepared at home for a fraction of the cost. Try meal prep services like Lean Kitchen to help you save time getting meals together, and save dining out for special occasions.

Take Advantage of Second Hand Items

Take second-hand items like clothing and home goods from friends and family who are getting rid of these things. This is easy to do if you have friends with children close to the ages of your own. Thrifting or shopping at second-hand stores is also a good way to find deals on gently used items like clothing and toys. Plus, using second-hand items is good for the environment!

Consult a Financial Advisor

If you find it too difficult to stick to your monthly budget no matter how hard you try, it might be time to enlist the help of a professional. Meet with a financial advisor to create a budget that is realistic for the family and let them determine what is and is not working, and where effective improvements to your ways of budgeting can be made. Sticking to a budget is key to saving money and alleviating financial stress!

How To Shop for An Oriental Rug

February 11, 2022 by admin

The first step in buying an oriental rug is determining what type of rug you want. Persian rugs and oriental rugs both fall under the category of oriental rugs, but there are quite a few diverse types of oriental rugs out there that vary based on colour, size, and design. To buy an oriental rug that suits your tastes and home decor, you’ll need to identify exactly what you’re looking for so you can find it easier!

Consider your space, style, and budget

The first step in shopping for any style of rug, whether it’s a traditional Persian or a country and western cow print, is considering your space, style, and budget. Do you want something bold? Something neutral? How much can you spend? The last thing you want is to walk into a local store or surf online with no idea what you’re looking for.

A glossary of terms

Knowing how to speak about an oriental area rug starts with acquiring a vocabulary of the relevant terms.

Learning these eight basic terms will give purchases the vocabulary you need to talk about a carpet like a connoisseur.

The loom

Carpet weaving starts with a loom. These can be amazingly simple in construction, as used by the weavers of nomadic tribes. Carpet weavers affix long poles to the floor at a distance apart from the desired length of the finished rug.

The warp

The warp is the yarn strung taut between the two poles of the loom.

The weft

Weavers pass weft threads cross wise through the war threads in an alternating pattern to create the basic under the carpet’s structure.

Selvage

The selvage is a strip on the lower border of the carpet “against which the weft is secured…typically, the selvage will feature decorative motifs.”

The knot

With certain exceptions, oriental carpets are made with only two knots: the Turkish, or symmetrical, knot, and the Persian, or asymmetrical, knot. These knots are generally but not exclusively associated with carpets produced in the regions they are named after.

Pile

Weavers trim the tuft ends of knots to create the oriental carpet’s pile. As rug expert Niels Larson notes, this happens “once the carpet is finished but before it is removed from the loom.”

Abrash

Abrash is many connoisseurs highly prized mottled or striped patches of a single colour for the vitality it brings to normally monotone carpets.”

Kilims

In its most basic form, a hand-woven rug, a kilim is a flat weave carpet consisting of the warp and weft, but without any knots attached. In the words of rug experts, a kilim’s “surface texture becomes increasingly delicate in direct proportion to the number of warp threads and their proximity to one another.

The fringe

When a knotted or pileless carpet is finished, warped strings at either end of the loom are cut, creating a fringe. Depending on the region where it is produced, weavers can incorporate further decorative elements into the fringe, such as knots.

Avoid salespeople who don’t know what they are talking about

Salespeople at rugs stores may not always know what they are talking about. If you go into a store and it seems like salespeople are blowing smoke, feel free to walk out. You don’t need to be talked into a $2,000 rug or pressured into buying something you don’t like. Take your time, do your research well and find what fits you best!