Considering I feel I
can live, frugally but okay, on my social security if all my "non shelter
cost" bills are gone and my shelter costs up to date, I had to realize one
basic fact. There's no way I can come into funds sufficient to pay them all
off. I tried to some extent this time last year, but little emergencies popped
up here and there. So, if I can't get rid of them in one swoop, then the other
side of the coin is to increase my income.
At 76? Sure, she says.
After considering my age, my limited income to lay out for
car fuel, and other issues, these are what I think are my best options.
Etsy
Free Lance Writing
Swagbucks, now that I am getting the hang of it, is now
generating almost $10 a week. Granted that right now I must cash it in almost
at quickly as I accumulate it, at least it covers cat food and litter plus some
groceries and other incidentals that we all forget we do need to cover.
Eventually I'd hope I could let it just build up. And the weekly amount should
slowly increase as I continue to learn the ropes.
Etsy does not generate much at all. I am fortunate if I pull
in anything more than $20 a month. Part of that is because I am not good at
marketing. I am good a "making," not "promoting." I need to
try to do more in that area.
Free Lance Writing, when I was even just doing it part time
evenings and weekends back in the 80s and early 90s, pulled in from $75 to $150
a week. I have not pursued that since 1994, over 20 years ago. I have begun to
look into it again. But the field has changed and evolved. Back then, writers
mailed in their work. Now it's electronic. The result is that they are now
receiving more than 10 times what they did back then. The competition is
fierce. Folks are yanking "stuff" directly from other sites and
media, stripping the byline, and submitting it. This slows down the entire
process.
Back then, when a market said it paid on publication (which
can mean 2 months to 2 years), it was no problem. I was younger. Now, it means
a lot. So I must also look at when they pay.
At this point, I need to do things that do not wear me out,
efforts that are matched to my current skill sets and my comfort zone. It will
not do for me to stress out and make myself so sick that I cannot accomplish
anything at all.
An onsite job is no longer an option for me, not even a part
time one. I thought about it last year. But I'm not sure I could pull any shift
on a consistent basis, not even a short one. At this stage of my life, I really
do not think I can put out a ton of effort without repercussions.
Still, these are three viable options. And the results
should improve steadily, but very slowly.
Goals are important, even when they are as uncertain as
these. They keep me looking in the right direction.
Onward and upward!
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