ONE STEP FORWARD

Just a couple of weeks ago, as soon as my pay came in, I took another leap into being financially independent. It's not often that I can tick off an item on my To-Do List towards achieving my dream life, so it was a W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L feeling to cancel yet another credit card! YAY! Take that you credit card corporations! 

Now there's one less debt to pay each month, lowering the amount of money I need each month and I'm less dependent on my monthly salary. And thus, with this new development, I am really looking forward to getting that dream life I want. The one where I get to stay at home working on my own business(es), take care of my kids myself instead of leaving it to the nursery or a maid and get to travel all I want (because my business(es) are going to be so very successful, see). 

But first, I need to quit my job. To be able to do that, of course I need to have a stable income from my at-home businesses, which currently consist of selling jewelry on Etsy and at Craft Markets as well as some freelance writing. I have to admit, I haven't been able to build a steady income yet from these sources, but I acknowledge that I just have to try harder.

As most work-at-home moms and home-based entrepreneurs will tell you, when working for yourself you'll need to put in time and effort like it's a full-time job (and sometimes, even more when you're playing more than one role: as product-maker and packager, marketer, accountant and general admin staff). I've decided that I need multiple streams of income and have identified some that I can work on right away:-

1. Selling jewelry on my Etsy store, lovefatejewelry.etsy.com

Action: Create more jewelry, take better pictures and list more items

2. Freelance writing

Action: As a writer for a magazine with 9 years' experience, I really should reach out to all the contacts I've made throughout the years and start pitching stories

3. Designing and selling PDF downloads online

Action: Design PDF downloadables like calendars, journal pages, travel itineraries, etc and open up a website for 'em

4. Blog (and I'm not talking about this blog)

Action: Pick one topic I'm passionate about (there are so many things that interest me, really) and just start blogging about it consistently, and I'm sure traffic and subsequent ad income will come in sooner or later.

These are just some of the crazy ideas I have that I think will help generate income. I think I should focus on these first before moving on to other stuff (as I build my business empire muahahaha!). That said, I am also in the midst of planning and publishing a book with a dear friend of mine (I was feeling down and out at work one day, wondering how much longer I would have to do what I am currently doing, whilst my ambition has always been to be a magazine publisher, not just write for one. Then I decided I could publish a magazine-style book first, as books need less capital and there is virtually no deadlines for producing one, so I could do this at leisure). So look out for that (just don't hold your breath) and stay tuned as I share tips and inspirational information that hopefully will help me reach my destination: MY DREAM LIFE.

xx