Start A Side Hustle And Create An Income

Could This Be You?

Have you received the infamous pink slip telling you that your services will be without value to your present employer in 30 days? Perhaps, you've found your retirement income is just not enough. It barely pays the bills, or maybe it doesn't.

What are you going to do? You could get another or an additional job. But, what kind of job? Do you really want to allow another employer to call the shots concerning your career and by extension your life? You have experiences and skills to offer. So, maybe it's time to take back control of your future.

Time to turn those ideas and passions that you have into your own dream job. In fact, it could be time to start that business that allows you to create and sell your own product, your hard-won skills, or your own thoughts and ideas.

Let's talk about the kind of business you want to start. Is it product based, service based, or knowledge based? Not sure? Well, let's take a quick look at some of the basics.

Product Based Breakdown

Do you have a new or improved idea for a product you want to sell? If so, do you have the financial resources that will allow you to create or manufacture that next great product? 

Maybe you prefer to sell an established product. Where andfrom whom will you purchase it? Can you afford to  buy it in bulk and warehouse it, or will the drop shipping method work better for you?

Which outlet do you see yourself using to put it into your customer's hands? Your own website, EBay, Amazon, Etsy or a shop around the corner ?

Service Based Breakdown

Your skills are your product. Can you perform it often enough, or charge enough for each performance to make the additional income you need?

Again, what method will you use to get it into your customer's hands? 

Knowledge Based Breakdown

Your thoughts, ideas, and passions are your product. Think writers, journalists, and thought leaders.

Once again, which outlet will you employ to place this into your customer's hands, and what kind of an income will it bring you?

Three Things To Keep In Mind

• Finances, how are you going to live while you are launching your new business? 
• Preparation, do your due diligence. Don't make any of these decisions without having done some research.
• Legalities, do not jeopardize  your assets by skipping this step.

If you have questions or just want to leave a comment I would love to hear from you.

  ~~Joyce

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My Favorite Tips For Cleaning A Multi-Pet Household

Using Natural Earth Friendly Products

After years of using the most popular cleaning products on the market, I would love to say that I felt better going a more natural route. That would not be the truth. Actually, one of my sweet fur babies has a fungal illness in his lungs. Even on medications he has difficulties breathing and everything from changes in the weather to cleaning products can send him into coughing fits.

So, while in my home this information applies to my pets, maybe in your home your children or your spouse suffers from allergies. With a bit of a tweak these tips can help you too.

Keeping Up With Pet Fur And Pet Dirt

• Brush your dogs every day. The less fur and dirt floating around your home, the less heavy cleaning you will need to do. Most dogs love the attention they get while being brushed and it counts as individual time spent with them.
• Use doormats outside the door and washable throw rugs inside. Dog paws are magnets for dirt and mud.
• Cover your furniture with sheets. They take up less space in your washer than conventional furniture covers and dry faster. When you have unexpected guests arrive they can be whisked right off and no one needs sit on dog fur.
• Use a Swiffer sweeper with the dry cloth every day. It does a much better job than a broom at grabbing and holding dirt and fur than an ordinary broom and it has a better reach under the furniture.
• A lint roller is a handy item for any upholstered furniture. 
• A long handled duster is wonderful for not only those high hard to reach places, but for getting behind and beneath your furniture.
• Don't forget baking soda sprinkled lightly on your carpet. When you vacuum it you get better pick-up of dirt and fur. The air in the room will smell cleaner and so will your vacuum.
• If you have pet beds without removable covers, take them outside and sprinkle with baking soda. The longer you can leave the soda sit the better. When you are ready brush the excess off into a trash can. Bring bed inside and vacuum off.

Washing The Laundry And Floors

• For those washable pet items, I recommend a mix of 1 cup baking soda and baby soap to the wash cycle and 1 cup of white vinegar added to the rinse cycle.
• Keep a spray bottle of 1 to 1 mix of white vinegar and water. This can be used for those accidents that pets will occasionally have. On your carpet or other fabrics, spray and blot. Repeat as necessary until the stain is gone.
• Wash your floor with 1 cup baking soda to 1 gallon warm water. Rinse after as it will leave a cloudy residue on the floor.

So there you have it. The method I use and the products. If you have any other suggestions or just want to say Hi, please leave me a comment. I would love to hear from you.

 ~~ Joyce

Standard Dishwashers Versus Drawer Dishwashers

Doing The Homework

I have always done my dishes by hand. Don't get the wrong idea, it isn't one of my favorite household chores but, it must get done. Lately, I have been thinking, it would be nice to load them up, and walk away. So I began looking , on-line of course, to see what is what in dishwashers these days. Ultra quiet operation, tall tubs, moveable racks, a third rack, cutlery baskets on the door, dedicated knife drawers, and so many cycles it made my head spin.

But, we are only two most of the time my Honey and myself, so how much washing space do we need? That's when a friend suggested dishwasher drawers as an alternative. Back I go to the internet to see what is available in those models. You can purchase a single drawer or double drawers that fit in the same footprint as a standard dishwasher. The bottom drawer is larger and will accommodate smaller pots and pans. 

It seems, that though these machines have been installed in kitchens for around 10 years, there aren't that many brands. They are also rather pricier than their standard cousins. 

Looking At The Comments

I took the time to read the many comments and consumer reports. Most of the features of the standard dishwashers were looked on favorably. The many washing cycles were more a matter of how you like to wash your dishes or what dishes you wash. This definitely caught my interest because I have old china, crystal, and cutlery that I like to use frequently. My Gram always told me to use whatever I have and not leave it sitting in the china cabinet for someone else to use someday.

Of the drawer models, the comments came in at opposite ends of the spectrum. People either loved the convenience and they worked well or they didn't clean well or work well. There were no complaints about what fit in them, which lead me to believe they understood the limitations before making their purchase.  

The Decision Is... Drumroll Please

I am going to continue washing my dishes by hand. The few dishes Michael and I generate at any given meal rarely take more than 10-15 minutes to clear up and wash. In the summer months, I love looking outside at the birds in the feeder and bath as I do the dishes. As for my china and such, I can't see myself trusting those lovely old things passed down from my Mom and Gram to a heartless machine. 

Just as a sidenote, the dishwashers I researched were; Bosch, Fisher & Paykel, KitchenAid, and Miele.

 ~~ Joyce