Impacting the youth: Why you should consider becoming a high school counselor

Reading Time: 2 mins

We live in a world where people are experiencing anxiety and stress at an all time high. One group in particular, high schoolers, are dealing with these emotions on an even larger scale. With homework, social controversies, and the “unknown” of the future at the forefront of the minds of high schoolers, there is an even greater need for high school counselors. If you have a passion for helping others navigate the ups and downs of life, a compassionate attitude, and a willingness to serve, then maybe you should consider becoming a high school counselor.

Over the next few minutes, we are going to look at the role of a high school counselor, the need for counselors, and how you can go about becoming a high school counselor.

 

The Role of a High School Counselor

High school counselors can easily be described as superheroes without a cape. They have a wide variety of roles within a school setting. From helping students select which classes to take, which college to go to, and also how to handle life’s twists and turns, they are seemingly well versed in almost any problem a high schooler might face. Also known as guidance counselors,, the original “role” of a high school counselor was to assist students in making future college and career choices. Today you can expect a high school counselor to handle questions regarding sex-education, substance abuse, mental health needs, and so much more.

 

The Need for Counselors

As mentioned earlier, anxiety and stress, especially in adolescents, is at an all time high. This is one of the biggest reasons as to why high school counselors are needed. Being able to understand what causes anxiety, depression, and stress, is beneficial to anyone; but it can be life changing for those still trying to figure life out. Besides learning how to handle personal struggles, high school counselors are also needed to help make sense of what is going on around the student. Some students are experiencing a rough home-life, or substance abuse, and again a counselor can help steer the student towards the right resources & agencies to help them heal.

There is no denying the need for high school counselors. By offering sound counseling, you have the ability to change the trajectory of a student’s life. Now let’s turn to the last topic of this discussion: how to become a high school counselor.

 

How to Become a High School Counselor

In order to work in the public school setting, you must hold a graduate’s degree. The question then isn’t what level of education should you chase after, but rather, which master’s program is right for you.

While earning your master’s in counseling, MAC, it is important to pick the right program. Let’s look at a few in particular:

● Counseling Diverse Populations: This program focuses on learning how to counsel different people groups as well as the cultural significance that can be associated with some topics.

● Substance Abuse Counseling: By learning how to properly communicate and help students (and/or their families) recover from abusing drugs or alcohol.

● Professional School Counseling in Secondary Schools: This program focuses on career and life planning for students in high school. As a broad program, it surveys a variety of the daily challenges that high school students face.

These are just a few of the many different programs that are available while earning your master’s in counseling. The first step to this rewarding career is to find your program, open your mind, and start the education process.

The post Impacting the youth: Why you should consider becoming a high school counselor appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

44 ways to make extra money

Reading Time: 19 mins

Looking for easy ways to make money on the side? We’ve got lots of ways to make extra money online and offline. Some are easier than others but we’re always finding new ways so keep checking back!

If you’re not already a subscriber, sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest updates and check out our popular money-making articles 10 easy ways to make quick cash, Benefits for over 60s and Online surveys: easy cash for your opinions.

 

• Make extra money from your stuff
• Make money just by being you!!
• Make extra money online
• Make money having fun
• Get creative
• Earn cash helping others
• Make money part time

 

Make Extra Money from your stuff

1.make extra money from your driveway

If you don’t use your garage or driveway you could rent it out for money – particularly if you are in London or another parking-unfriendly city. Just register with a site like JustPark, put your postcode in and wait for desperate would-be parkers to contact you.

For more details read our full article on making money renting out your driveway or garage.

 

 

2. Rent our your spare room

If you’ve got an empty bedroom, why not take in a lodger? You can earn up to £4,250 tax-free income on your spare room, and with a summer of sport including Wimbledon and The Ashes coming up, there’s never been a better time to advertise your room. Check out roomgo to advertise your room for free.

If you don’t like the idea of someone staying in your home long-term, just rent it out for a few days or weeks at a time through Airbnb or HomeAway. It can make you more money in the long-run too.

For more information read our article on renting a room for tax free cash.

 

3. sell your personalised number plate

Seriously, it’s amazing how much money these are going for now. If you have a number plate with ‘MAGIC’ or ‘LOONY’ or even ‘GR8 GAL’ or similar you could be really surprised how much it would sell for now. In fact the reg F1 went on sale last year for £15,000,000!

There are regular auctions going on where you can sell your number plate or buy others as an investment to sell for profit later. Contact the DVLA for more information or check out our article all about it here.

 

4. Sell unwanted DVDs and CDs

Make some extra money selling your old, unwanted DVDs, CDs, games, books and tickets on websites like Ziffit, Amazon.co.uk, eBay and MusicMagpie. In fact, why not de-clutter your whole house and sell everything you no longer need?!

For more information read our full article on making money selling old books, CDs, DVDs and video games.

 

5. sell your designer clothes

Have you got a few nice bits and pieces in your wardrobe? Or perhaps you’ve got some fun items from your gran or your auntie that could class as ‘vintage’ now.

There’s a HUGE market for vintage clothes – designer or not – and if any of your bits have a bit of a label (Chloe, Hermes, Lauren) then you could really make some cash, probably at a local auction.

But if you’re just good at picking up items that are probably 1980’s or older at jumble sales and car boots, you could make some good money selling them on.

See how you can make money from vintage clothing and accessories here. 

 

6. Make money recycling your gadgets

Recycle your gadgets for cash. It’s quick, FREE and could make you over £200. From mobile phones to cameras, games consoles and more, by recycling your gadgets you can make a mint and help the environment.

If it’s a mobile phone you’d like to recycle use the MoneyMagpie phone recycling tool. Just click on the make of your phone and we’ll show you which recycling company will give you the most for it. Do it now!

See more ways to make money by recycling your gadgets here

 

7. Make £100 a month with ads on your car

OK, if we’re being honest, not everyone can get this. The companies that put ads on people’s cars for money have very specific ideas of who they want.

However, if you have a decent car, drive a lot and you don’t mind having Vimto or Heineken or something splashed across your bonnet, then this can be a lovely way of making money without effort at all. Full insurance is provided against any damage to the paintwork of your vehicle caused by the advert’s placement, so you don’t even need to worry if something does happen.

See our article here on how to make money with ads on your car for the links to companies that do it and how best to apply.

 

make money just by being you!

8. be a model – whatever you look like!

You…yes you!…could be a model and make money for standing around! It really is living the dream.

Take a look at our article here on how to become a model, whatever you look like. In fact, if you look really odd you could make good money through the Ugly Models Agency. Seriously. Take a look.

 

9. Have your true story published

Sell true-life stories to newspapers and magazines can be fairly lucrative, you can earn between £200 and £2,000 depending on the story. Take a Break magazine offers up to £1,000 for sensational stories, so if you’ve got something to say don’t hold back!

Check out our full article on how to sell your story.

 

10. Take part in clinical trials

Did you know you can make up to £4,000 taking part in clinical trials? Volunteering for clinical trials doesn’t have to involve taking risky drugs. Many trials are perfectly safe – some are simply sleep studies or psychological tests. The exact nature of the trial (along with any possible risk of side effects) will be clearly explained so you can make an informed decision.

If you’re in any doubt about any aspect of the trial, ask. If you’re still not convinced, don’t sign up for anything you’re not happy with – risking your health or your peace of mind for a bit of extra money isn’t worth it. See GPGP.net, Trials4us and GlaxoSmithKlein to find trials in your area, and check out The British Medical Association for more information on clinical trials.

For more information read our full article on making money taking part in clinical trials. 

 

11. get paid for your opinion

Online surveys are a great way to make some extra money or store vouchers. Never pay to join an online survey site and set up a separate email account so your personal one doesn’t get flooded with spam.

Survey sites we recommend include:

• Swagbucks
• Nielsen Online Panel
• InboxPounds
• Toluna
• The OpinionPanel Community
• LifePoints

For more information take a look at our article on online surveys. 

Join inCompass and earn £20 for your first month

Speaking of surveys, this is particularly good!

Join Ipsos MORI inCompass and earn £20 for your first month and £10 every month after.

All you have to do to join is complete a five minute questionnaire and then install the free app.

They are currently only looking for Android users.

If that sounds like you then what are you waiting for?

Sign up here. 

 

12. Review products for money

There are companies out there that will pay you to review products including all sorts of cosmetics.

To find out about these opportunities, sign up to our freebies and competition newsletter and get freebies delivered to your inbox every week.

 

13. get into Mystery shopping for freebies and cash

Mystery shopping is a fun way to earn some extra money while shopping, or testing services at local restaurants and pubs. Sounds like a dream job! TNS is looking for new shoppers nationwide to assess a variety of different businesses such as shops and restaurants. Read our essential article about mystery shopping for more useful links and information.

Download our FREE eBook on how to make money and get freebies through mystery shopping here

14. Be a life model

If you’re comfortable with nudity, you could make extra money as a life model. Pay depends on where you are in the country, but you could earn between £8 and £10 an hour. Take a look at our article on how to make money as a life model for details of how to get started.

 

 Make Extra money online

15. make money just for downloading an app

If you like to earn for downloading apps check out Nielsen Online Panel. You won’t get paid for downloading it, but you will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win up to £30,000 – so there’s potential to make a LOT of money doing nothing.

 

16. make money shopping

Basically, by joining a cashback site, you’ll get a bit of money back on everything you buy.

All you have to do is sign-up (absolutely free) and shop through the cashback site’s portal. It’s exactly the same as online shopping any other way, but they’ll be able to track where you make your purchase so both they and you can get paid for it.

Two of our favourite cashback sites are TopCashBack and Quidco , both of which are absolutely free to join.

You really are getting money just for shopping as normal – why wouldn’t you sign up?

 

17. make money being on Twitter

OK, so just joining Twitter won’t make you a millionaire – but it is a fantastic, quick paced forum for picking up little extra  jobs to make extra money on the side. Try @extrapeopleltd who tweet ads for lookalikes and extras or go to TwitJobSearch, type in what work you want to do and see how many tweets pop up!

Read our 5 ways to make money using Twitter.

 

18. make £700 in a free, easy online competition

Have you heard of the Pick My Postcode? It’s an entirely free (and very easy) competition site. They give away at least £700 a day to people who have a winning postcode. All you have to do is sign up for free putting in just your email address and postcode. Then you check back each day to see if your postcode has won. You get 24 hours to claim your cash so you need to look every day. Easy – sign up here!

 

19. Make extra money blogging

There are occasionally websites seeking bloggers to write daily posts, reviews and adding links. It won’t pay really well but it can be a useful little earner for little effort – particularly if you already enjoy writing your own blog. Check on Gumtree under both the part-time work and the media, design and creative tabs.

For more information read our full article on how to make money blogging.

 

make money having fun

20. Get paid to party

Become a consultant for The Body Shop. The Body Shop recruits people to sell their products at special beauty parties in people’s homes. If the party goes well, you could earn over £100 in just one evening as well as receive lots of beauty products for free. What’s more, as you get to decide when you want to host these evenings, you can work as little or often as you like.

 

21. get friends into clubs

Like clubbing? Do you have lots of friends? Make extra money by bringing them into clubs. Go to Velvet PR for free. Tell them where you live and they’ll let you know which clubs need promoting.

To find out more, read our article on becoming a club promoter. 

 

21. Get paid to buy alcohol

Yes really!

If you are 18 or 19 years old and looking for a well-paid part-time job – this is it.

How about getting paid to go to the pub?  Plus you get to keep the drink!

All you have to do is have a valid passport or driving licence and right to work in the UK. Head to Serve Legal to find out more.

 

22. be Festival staff

Festaff supplies casual staff for over a dozen music festivals in the UK including Bestival, Creamfields, Wickerman, Camp Bestival, Isle of Wight Festival, Sonispshere, Rockness and Beachdown. This work is seasonal, they’re always recruiting, so if you fancy going to a festival next year for free, and make some extra money as well, keep an eye on Festaff for recruitment opportunities. Pay is minimum wage – but you do get free entrance to the festival and camp facilities.

If you like the idea of free festival tickets then read our full article.

 

23. get paid to be a friend!

Yes, this is an actual thing. There are businesses out there that will charge people to have a friend. Ever thought of that?

As you can see in this article, there is quite a thriving business in the States where people pay someone to be their ‘mate’ and go hang out together.

You can do it in this country too – there’s nothing to stop you copying their idea and doing it here. Maybe you could add in extras like organising trips to shows or galleries. You could even have two or more ‘friends’ coming out with you at a time – you make money from all of them and they get the added bonus of meeting other people.

24.be a film extra

Want to be in a movie with your favourite celebrity? Always thought it would be fun to see your face on the big screen? Acting extras are ordinary people that are essential to setting up scenes in films or television shows. You can earn £65 for 9 hours of work, with a £20 bonus… not to mention the bragging rights if you are in the same shot, even momentarily, with lead actors. The Acting Website offers loads of information on how to become an extra, and you can see a directory of extra’s agents on UK Screen.

Take a look at our article on how to become a TV or film extra for more information.

 

25. Get paid to review music

If you’re a music fan you can turn your passion into extra money, sign up to the unique Slicethepie website for free and become a scout. This basically involves getting paid to listen to the music of unsigned bands from all over the world and review it. Obviously, your reviews have to be competent and fairly well informed, but need only be a few sentences long.

Initially you won’t make much, but as you get a better scout rating (i.e. the more reviews you make, and the more they agree with the majority of reviewers) you can make more and more.

Read more about it in our article on how to make money by listening to music.

 

26. Be a pedicab driver

Driving a pedicab/bug/rickshaw is a great way to stay in shape, meet loads of people, offer emission free transport to London’s visitors and make yourself some extra money. The Bugbugs Community offers training with an accredited National Cycling Certificate awarded. The cost of training is £50, with a £100 deposit required for the duration of your employment, you keep everything you earn, so the harder you work, the more you make.

To find hundreds of job opportunities, as well as all the best offers and discounts for students, check out Studentbeans.com.

 

27. make money with video games

Yes, believe it or not, you can actually make money by playing video games!

There are various ways to do it, including being a reviewer (some experienced reviewers make serious money by videoing themselves playing the games and commenting on them) and writing guides to video games.

Of course, the ultimate is to actually design a game yourself that gets made and sold worldwide. We can’t all do that but if you’re a mad-keen gamer you’re in a good position to create a winner!

See how you can make money as a video gamer here.

 

28. get paid to test food – including chocolate!

It must be the best job in the world…to get paid to eat chocolate all day!

Admittedly food testers have to test all sorts of foods, including dog-food in some cases (!) but it’s not a bad way to earn a crust.

See here how to make money as a food tester.

 

 Get creative

29. Sell your photos

You don’t have to be a pro to sell your photos. Nor do you need to albums full of dramatic shots. If you have a library of decent, ordinary digital snaps just sitting in folders they could be making you extra money. Online agencies like 123RF, Fotolia and Picture Nation may be interested in buying them from you. You’ll get a royalty fee each time one of your pictures sells. You may be surprised at how many websites and businesses will be interested in using your pics – and are willing to pay for the privilege.

Read our full article making money by selling your photos.

 

30. make and Sell cards

To make a bit of extra money on the side you could start up your own card business. Starting up your own business sounds like a lot of work, but with Phoenix Trading it doesn’t have to be. To start off you simply order an Introductory Pack, which contains an application form which you then fill in and return along with your first order for cards.

Read our full article on making money writing greeting card messages for more ways to make money from cards.

 

29. make cakes and sweets and sell them

The beautiful thing about earning by baking is that it’s straightforward and flexible. It isn’t something that you necessarily have to do on a regular basis – if you’re a little short of cash one week, it’s easy enough to hunt down your next local car boot sale and get baking. All you’ll really need is to have a good few recipes under your belt and a reasonable idea of what people would buy.

You don’t have to be qualified for this, but there are hundreds of baking/cake decorating courses you can go on which are likely to benefit the quality of your products.

For more info on selling your own cakes and sweets read our article.

 

31. Create web pages

One of the most popular sites in the US is Squidoo. It is a site where people create a lens (their own webpage) on their favourite topic. The site then makes money from advertisers and links. It then pays 5% of its profits to charity, retains 45% to cover its admin costs, which leaves 50% of the profits for the writer or the charity of their choice. So get started writing about any of your favourite topics, it is free to set up and you can start earning some royalties.

 

32. Write travel guides

Get paid to write travel guides at SimonSeeks. They are looking for intelligent, well-written and grammatically correct guides of holiday destinations. Register and upload your guide, await approval from the site’s editorial team, and get paid based on its popularity.

 

33. Write a story

If you’re a budding writer, you could try your hand at writing a short story for Clonepod for a bit of extra money. Clonepod produce science fiction and fantasy podcasts from work its users send in. They’ll pay you $25 through PayPal for a 2,000 word story that they like, and they don’t ask for any rights to the work at all – which is great if you want to try selling the story over and over again. Go to the Clonepod website to find out more.

 

34. Become a voice-over artist

Do family and friends comment on how you never shut up? Now you can earn extra money and put your voice to good use. Subscribe with Voices.com, upload a sample of your voice and quickly and easily apply for voice-over jobs. (You may find that you get head hunted if you have a distinctive voice!). If you are successful you can earn up to £50 an hour!

 

Earn extra money helping others

35. Host and teach foreign students

Can you teach English language? If you have time on your hands and a spare room, you could host a foreign student in your own home and earn extra money giving them tuition. To host and teach English in your home visit the InTuition Languages website or give them a call on 020 7739 4411. You could also rent your spare room out to a foreign student and get a bit of culture at the same time as extra money. For more useful information have a look at our article on hosting foreign students.

Read our full article on making money by hosting foreign students.

 

36. get into childminding

This is a great way for mums to make money while looking after their own kids.

It used to be that you had to charge a set amount for the children and babies you cared for, but now the market has opened up and you can charge whatever parents in your area will pay.

There are checks that your local Council will do and there’s an application process you have to go through, but we explain all that in our article here all about how to make money as a childminder.

Check out our articles for more information childminding.

 

37. Become a personal tutor

If you’re a graduate, and eligible to work in the UK you could earn extra money as a home tutor for a range of subjects and levels, usually on a one-to-one basis at the clients’ home. See London’s Learning website for details on tutoring in London or agencies like Personal Tutors for more information on nationwide tutoring.

For more information on who to contact and how much you could earn, have a look at our article on earning money as a tutor.

 

38. Become a dog walker

If you’d like to combine your love of the outdoors and animals then dog walking can be a great way to earn some extra money too! Earnings range from £6 to £10 per half hour. Register your self as a dog walking company at Petpals. For more information read our article on how to make money from dog walking.

 

39. Earn money for yourself and for charity

Become a charity fundraiser and do your bit for good causes whilst you earn! Charities are constantly on the lookout for people to stand on the street and persuade passers-by to pay monthly amounts to their cause. You can earn between £8.50 and £11 an hour, on average, and the work is flexible. It involves being outside and meeting people, of course, but you could get a lot of abuse from pedestrians. There are several commercial organisations that run campaigns but they keep a percentage of the money raised. Better to work direct for the charity if you would like to do this. Just a few of the organisations looking for fundraisers directly are Shelter and Concern.

 

40. Make money referring friends

There are more and more companies offering to pay you to refer your friends. The website Refermehappy has a load of companies that do it, and you can join as either a ‘referrer’ or a ‘friend’ and you both get a referral bonus from the company. Plus, we’ve got loads more companies to look out for in our article on referring friends.

Companies that pay you to refer include:

• Quidco – £2.50 cashback every time a friend joins up
• Virgin Media – £50 off for you and the person you refer
• TopCashBack – Up to £15 cashback for referring a friend
• RAC – £25 M&S voucher for recommending a friend
• Plusnet – Save money on your monthly bill for recommending a friend
• Groupon – £6 every time you refer a friend
• Cineworld Unlimited – You’ll both get one month free unlimited membership

 

 

Make money in your own time

41. Become a ‘virtual assistant’

If you’ve got secretarial experience, you could work for small businesses – from the comfort of your own home! Experienced virtual assistants charge up to £25 an hour, visit societyofvirtualassistants.co.uk.

For more information read out popular article on making money as a virtual assistant.

 

42. Get paid to iron

By doing other people’s washing and ironing you can make cash when it suits you, whilst catching up with the EastEnders omnibus! Bring in customers by putting an advert in the local paper, handing out leaflets in your local area or, for more professional advice, check out Mark & Sue’s Ironing Service. If you want to start up your own ironing service business you can buy a starter kit for £175 (which includes your own website, flyers, business cards, and the like). This is quite a comprehensive kit but you could probably do it cheaper yourself – see our article on how to make money by running an ironing service.

43. write letters to magazines

 

Did you know that a lot of magazines pay money – or give gifts – for ‘readers’ letters’? The thing is, they don’t get many so the field is wide open for you to make some easy money by writing friendly – or funny – letters.

See our article here about writing letters for magazines. Some of them pay £200 for a good letter or photograph!

44. make money asking questions

If you’re friendly and like to work flexible hours, being a market researcher can be a great way to pull in the extra cash.

As you can see in our article here about being a market researcher, there are various ways you can do it.

You can do market research on the phone, knocking on your neighbours’ doors, sopping people in the streets or visiting people in your locality after setting up an appointment with them.

You get paid either an hourly rate or a job rate. It’s good for mums, students or anyone who wants work that will fit around their lives.

 

P.S. JOIN MAGPIE MONEY AND MAKE MONEY JUST READING OUR ARTICLES!

Magpie Money is our new scheme which rewards you for being a great reader.

Once you’ve joined, you’ll be ready to gather Magpies by:

• Reading our articles
• Taking part in competitions
• Leaving comments
• Doing surveys
• Taking advantage of offers

​​​​​Once you’ve collected 750 Magpies you can trade them in for a £5 Amazon voucher.

Even better, we’ll give you five Magpies just for joining!

Sign up and start collecting now. 

 

More great reading

• 10 easy ways to make quick cash
• Online surveys: easy cash for paid surveys
• Benefits for over 60s
• Make money from misery: selling your story and more
• Get paid to deliver
• Mystery shopping
• Make money as a life model
• Make money by listening to music
• Make money being a film or TV extra
• Rent a room for tax-free cash
• Make money childminding
• Make up to £80 an hour as a private tutor
• Make £60 an hour by dog walking
• Get your friends to make you money

Let us know any of your tips and secrets on ways to make money by commenting below!

The post 44 ways to make extra money appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Make money as a professional gift wrapper

Reading Time: 6 mins

Are you a dab hand when it comes to wrapping gifts?

Do your friends and family come to you when they need a present wrapped well?

Then maybe you should consider becoming a professional gift wrapper.

• What does a professional gift wrapper do?
• What skills do I need to be a professional gift wrapper?
• How do I begin setting up my service?
• How much can I make?
• Case Study

 

What does a professional gift wrapper do?

When it comes to birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Weddings, and other special occasions, many people dread the thought of wrapping presents.

Maybe they’re just not very good at wrapping an are embarrassed at what the results might be. Others simply haven’t got the time to spend wrapping lots of gifts.

This is where professional gift wrappers come in. They charge to wrap people’s presents to a professional standard, taking the stress out of these special events.

On top of individuals who may choose to use their services, professional gift wrappers can also be great for businesses. If a company employs a lot of staff and wants to give them all Christmas presents, for example, someone’s going to need to wrap them, and they might just decide paying you to do it is the easiest option!

 

What skills do I need to be a professional gift wrapper?

Well, no prizes for guessing you have to be good at wrapping…and when we say good, we mean really good.

If someone is paying for your service then they’re going to expect a professional result, so you need to make sure your wrapping is absolutely top-notch. It’s possible you’ll be wrapping presents in front of a client – not only will you have to wrap it well, but you’ll have to do-so under pressure!

On top of that, you’re going to need to have some idea of how to sell your services, so a strong marketing sense will go a long way.

You’ll most likely want a website, even if it’s just a simple one, so people in your area can find you via Google. To begin with, you’ll probably also want to get the word out in other ways. Start by posting in local Facebook groups or even printing out some flyers and putting them through letterboxes.

In many ways, wrapping is the easy bit – it’s making sure people know about your service that’s going to be the initial biggest challenge.

 

How do I begin setting up my service?

The great thing about setting yourself up as a professional gift wrapper is it’s a really flexible way to make money. In fact, you can do it all from the comfort of your own home if you want.

However, with flexibility comes some tough choices, and you’re going to need to decide what exactly works best for you.

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself:

• Are you going to work from home or are you going to go to your customer’s house? Working from home might be less demanding but it will limit your reach. If you’re willing to travel then you have to factor in the cost of petrol or public transport.
• Will you be providing your services just to individuals or will you be advertising to businesses as well?
• How much are you going to charge? Will you be charging per item or will you be charging per hour?
• Will you be providing the materials (e.g. will you be bringing the wrapping paper) or will you let your client decide?
• Would you be interested in expanding your business? Will you help people actually source the gifts and get them delivered straight to you, or are you only interested in wrapping?
• How far are you willing to take this business? Will you employ extra hands to help you during busy periods (and do you feel comfortable doing that?) or would you rather only take on what you can manage?

We ask these questions because there are so many ways you can approach this and you need to decide what’s right for you. Just make sure you’ve given everything consideration.

 

How much can I make as a professional wrapper?

How much you can make is going to really vary depending on how you approach your pricing structure and how many customers you can draw in.

For example, if you’re only targeting individuals then you might want to charge per item. This means you may charge as little as £3 for a small item, £5 for a medium item, and £7 for a larger item. If you’re travelling to the client then you’ll most likely charge a little more to cover your fuel and time.

If you’re getting bulk orders, especially from businesses but possibly from customers with lots of presents needing wrapping, then you might find it easier to charge per hour. £10-£12 an hour to begin would be reasonable if you’re just getting started and wanting to establish your service. However, once you’ve made a name for yourself and demand increases, it wouldn’t be extreme to charge £25-£30 an hour.

Professional gift wrapping is still quite niche, so you may find the lack of competition in your area allows you to charge a little more than you might otherwise.

Basically, charge what you think you’re worth, making sure you’re covering expenses and able to attract customers.

 

Case Study: Alison Westwood

We spoke to Alison Westwood, who runs Eclipse Gift Wrapping with her husband, to get a little insight into running a gift wrapping business.

 

What inspired you to get into professional gift wrapping?

I started my working life as a physiotherapist, but contracted a severe form of viral meningitis in 2003. This left me very unwell for a long time. Some years later, as I was recovering, I started playing with the idea of getting back to work. I began selling jewellery and clothes via house parties and small events with a friend. I was asked on one occasion if I could gift wrap something and, although I could, I felt my efforts were a bit unprofessional. This lead to me attending a gift wrapping course and it went from there.

I have developed my skills over time by taking interest in origami, furoshiki and the properties of various materials. I am currently phasing out all non-recyclables so everything we use will be either recyclable or reusable.

 

Do you work from home or do you travel to your clients?

I do both. We have corporate clients in various locations such as London. We travel to them in order to teach their staff how to gift wrap or to deliver an on-site gift wrapping service – sometimes we take a whole team of gift wrappers! There’s also one-to-one training here in our workshop, group workshops, demonstrations and team building sessions.

I have trained people from countries such as Nigeria and Ghana in my workshop, and have trained people from other countries using Skype.

 

What are the most important skills needed in becoming a professional gift wrapper?

Being a perfectionist and paying attention to detail are important; also being a practical person, good with your hands. Of course, it’s also about delivering good customer service, so excellent communication skills are vital. Being able to work under pressure is also very useful, as gift wrapping a beautiful and potentially valuable item whilst being watched by the client is not something everyone can do!

 

What would be your best advice for people looking to make money as a gift wrapper?

Start small. Use a modest but good quality selection of materials and build up a strong client base underpinned by personal recommendation. I think one of the best ways to make money from gift wrapping is to offer it as a valuable adjunct in a small retail business such as a gift shop –  it highlights the business as providing added value for money.

The post Make money as a professional gift wrapper appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

10 places around the world that will pay you to move there

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Are you a struggling millennial finding it hard to make ends meet? Did you know there are places in the world that will actually pay you as an incentive to live there?

We’re not joking, it’s real!

So, kiss the bedsit and daily grind goodbye and get ready for your new life in one of these 10 places My Baggage has revealed that will pay you to move there.

 

Santiago, Chile

Are you a savvy minded entrepreneur? The capital of Chile wants you! Santiago is offering anyone who sets up a business in the city up to $40,000 USD to move there and get their plan up and running. There are two programs available, one which is for female entrepreneurs only and the other for newly created start-ups which have been running for three years or less. Not only will you be granted a generous visa, but you will also receive a network of contacts and a complimentary working space.

 

Antikythera, Greece

This idyllic island located between Crete and the mainland has a dwindling population of just 22 residents. In a last-ditch attempt to attract new residents, Antikythera is offering new would-be residents an attractive monthly bursary to call the place home. You can expect to receive $565 a month for living here for the first three years. Native Greeks and families are given priority but if you want to live on an isolated island and get back to nature then this is the ultimate opportunity. It is important to note, that this island is incredibly isolated and there isn’t even a shop.

 

Vermont, USA

The state of Vermont in the USA is actively trying to recruit new residents with the tagline, ‘Work anywhere, live in Vermont,’ through a worker relocation program. New residents can expect to receive up to $7,500 USD to cover their costs of moving and to help them settle into their new homes.

 

Ponga, Spain

This rural town in the north of Spain is trying to attract young people and families to help restore its population. With only 800 people calling the place home, they are offering young couples a hefty payment of €3,000 to make the move, with an extra €3,000 for every child. To qualify you have to commit to living in the village for at least five years, so you better start brushing up on your Spanish.

 

Candela, Italy

This quaint traditional Italian village is located just an hour away from Puglia beach and two hours drive from Naples. What used to be dubbed Little Naples has seen a sharp decline in its population in recent years, with only 2,000 residents currently calling the place home. The mayor has come up with a plan to attract new residents. He is offering people up to €2,000 to relocate to the village, with €800 for singles, €1,200 for couples and €1,500-€2,000 for families. To be eligible for the grant you will have to be willing to live in the village permanently, rent a house and have an income of at least €7,500 a year. This is all incredibly doable! The town has good Wi-Fi links and its traditional old-style houses and cobbled streets will make you feel like you’re living in a movie set.

 

Kaitangata, New Zealand

If you want to have your own little piece of middle earth, then this opportunity in Kaitangata is too good to miss! In a bid to attract more residents, you can buy a house along with the fourth acre of land for the price of $165,000. Although it is still a steep payment, you will be able to take a mortgage out to cover this and you will get more for your money than you would in other areas of New Zealand.

 

Albinen, Switzerland

The small village of Albien in the Swiss Alps is trying to attract new families to settle. Although it is popular with tourists, there are only 240 residents that call the village home, but they are hoping to change this. People who plan to build or buy a home in the village can qualify for a grant of $26,000 USD per adult and $10,659 USD per child. To qualify you must have lived in Albinen for ten years as a permanent resident, which if you are making it your forever home, is more than doable.

 

Alaska, USA

If you think you can brave the cold, then Alaska is the state that keeps on giving. If you have called this place home for one full calendar year, you qualify for a payment from the Permanent Fund Dividend. This yearly payment allows for everyday Alaskans to benefit from the money made from the mining industry. In 2019 every Alaskan was given a grant of $1,600 USD, which is not too shabby for just calling this state home. So, if you love the outdoors and enjoy getting back to nature, this is definitely a destination to consider.

 

Manitoba, Canada

Manitoba is located between Ontario and Saskatchewan. The province is a diverse landscape with the wild arctic tundra to the north and forests and prairies to the south. Known for harsh winters, temperatures can reach -40°C in winter and the city Churchill in the north of the province is known as being a popular home for Polar Bears. Manitoba is often overlooked by newcomers who favour Toronto, Vancouver or Calgary, but if you are wanting to set up a business, there is a town in Manitoba that will pay you handsomely to start it there. The Rural Municipality of Pipestone wants you! If you are looking to set up a business there, they will give you a grant of $32,000 CD. There is also an initiative to encourage people to build or buy a home here, with some lots going for as little as $10 CD. With high costs on the east and south coast, a scheme like this is incredibly attractive!

 

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Oklahoma is struggling to retain residents and it is particularly felt in Tulsa. To combat this, similar to Vermont they are offering a handsome relocation package and remote working grants. If you are a remote worker who fancies taking the plunge and heading to the second biggest city in Oklahoma, you will find impressive benefits awaiting you. You will receive an initial payment of $10,000 USD and will receive a rental stipend, not only that, you will be eligible for a space in 36 Degrees North, a popular co-working space in downtown. Tulsa wants to redefine itself from its former oil glory to move into the home of tech and start-ups.

The post 10 places around the world that will pay you to move there appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

How to Create Professional Invoice Templates for All Types of Businesses

Every legitimate business entity is mandated to issue an invoice and a receipt to their clients and customers. Whether it be through paper, Paypal or an online invoicing solution, that invoice serves as a record that documents the products and services purchased, the quantity acquired, the price of each item, as well as the date and time that the sale happened.

For site owners, bloggers, freelancers an brandds, that invoice can also act as a receipt which serves as proof of payment for the items listed on the invoice.

With so many different payments and charges going back and forth, it’s important for a business to be able to issue a professional-looking invoice because this document is a reflection of their brand. Not only that, but it will make it easier for the consumer to see what the company is, and what service was provided. When all of these templates and invoices look the same, it’s easy to have all of your finances get mixed together and become a big mess.

To clean up and uncomplicate this process, we heavily recommend you build a better business and first impression for your brand, by investing in a custom template or design for all of your invoicing needs.

This can be easily achieved as there are already plenty of invoicing templates available online… many of which that have the ability to update into your regular invoicing template or software solution.

With all of this in mind, here are some tips on how to create professional-looking invoice templates, regardless of the type of business entity.

Marketing Business

If your business is in line with marketing and advertisements, it will help if your invoice reflects your expertise in crafting effective strategies based on the latest trends in the market. Make sure to include in the invoice template the name of your business, as well as your company logo or brand. Also include both the seller and payer contact information in creating your template.

Consulting Business

Regardless of the consulting services you provide, your invoice template must allow you to personalize its content to include lines that describe in detail what your clients are being charged for. Keep in mind to include sufficient space in the body of the invoice for you to be able to specify your service details such as a specific description, your rate, the amount that your client is charged, as well as the subtotal. An elegant design will definitely reflect your exemplary services.

Legal Firm

While preparing an invoice is necessary for any business even for a legal firm, oftentimes there are more important tasks that need to be prioritized. This is why professional-looking templates will prove to be of an advantage because the invoicing process is optimized.

Just take a look at any of the top legal brands online and you will see that each of them has a unique and professional look to their sites. They probably have a custom logo design as well. All of these elements should also be included within your invoicing and master template files.

Also, ensure that your invoice includes the payment terms, as well as the due date, in order for your client to have ample time to prepare for your payment.

Freelance Business

Freelancers are often flexible, being experts at several skills. Apart from a polished invoice template, the main characteristic of a freelancer should be reflected in the invoice template they prepare. Thereby, it is important to include a space in your template where you can write specific notes for specific clients because for sure, no two clients will acquire the exact same services.

Stand Out from the Crowd with a Professional Template Design

To wrap things up, professional-looking invoice templates make the invoicing process more convenient especially to the administrators and personnel tasked to do the job. The same is true for all documents and notifications sent out from your company or brand. Once you’ve mastered this process with your invoicing and financials, be sure to scale it across all paper and electronic customer notifications you might be sending out.

Aw with everything associated with your business and brand, a professional-looking template also guarantees that the expertise of the company is reflected in the invoice, enabling the company to gain the confidence of their clients. The happier your customers are, the more likely they are to return for service once again.

The post How to Create Professional Invoice Templates for All Types of Businesses appeared first on Zac Johnson.