My Ways To Make Some Extra Money Has Paid Off!

My Ways To Make Some Extra Money Has Paid Off! It's been awhile since I wrote on here, but I did decide to go back to school and am taking the prerequisite courses for nursing (anatomy and physiology I and stats are done; A&P 2 and micro comes next semester.)

I've been working and going to school in the evenings and plan to keep my job until I start nursing school. In the meantime, I've been trying to find other ways to make some cash and pay down credit card debt and keep rent money flowing when I do give the job up.

I've done a lot of helping people move their belongs and lawn mowing on the weekends, which has helped me raise extra cash.

John Benson photo

I read a bunch of different ways to earn money and about personal finances from Reddit and articles on NosyNation about getting my finances in order.

Those sites were really helpful. I scoured craigslist and backpage in my area and found a few good gigs that paid cash. The extra cash has been socked away and put towards my CC debt.

I've earned about an extra $1500 bucks so far in the last 5 months.

The only bad thing about using this method is that it's not always consistent, especially the moving.

One weekend I'll see three or four listings for moving help. That's all fine and dandy, and I call them up and offer my services.

The problem comes the next weekend: Nobody needs help.

I also picked up lawn mowing gigs, too. Those were pretty consistent -- lawns need to be mowed every week -- and I've got some good clientèle so far.

Now that winter is here the mowing stopped and the snow started. It hasn't been very snowy around here, so I haven't been busy, which is probably why I'm writing this.

The extra money has been great, but I think I may try to continue doing this on the weekend.

I do have about 4 hours after my "real job" where I could do something simple like stock shelves or be a cashier.

Should I get a another job?

I want this debt paid before I start my RN program but I also realize that Americans are more in debt now than ever.

According to an article just published by USA Today, http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/07/29/america-debt-loads/13152651/, one-third of Americans are in delinquent debt.

When it's delinquent, it means that the debt is way past due and they closed the account and have put the debt to collections.

Thirty-five percent of Americans get phone calls from collection agencies because they don't pay their bills.

I'm lucky that I don't have this style of debt. I've always paid the minimum amount on my credit cards -- while raking up more purchases on them.

Nonetheless, I have debt but have always paid on it. I've been working to pay it down the past two years. (I made some mistakes when I got my first credit card my freshman year in college. 'Hey, this is free money. Let's go party!')

I only have a 1K left to pay down and then I'm home free. I think that's why I'll get a second job.

I may also try to explore other avenues to try and find ways to make some extra money. I've signed up on a few writing platforms like Hubpages. I've also got an account on Fiverr but I'm not sure what I can sell just yet.

An egg is an egg is an egg

Did you know that there are so many ways to cook egg? Not that I have personally tried them all. But the few egg recipe variations that I’ve tried in my kitchen have made my cooking a lot richer.

Omelettes can be done in as many ways as there are possible ingredients and herbs. It can be Chinese inspired with Mandarin chorizo, bell peppers, and greens of your choice. I have tried cheesy veggie omelettes; fruity omelettes with chopped dates, garlic, and shredded chicken; pizza-inspired omelettes with mozzarella cheese; and many more. In fact, you can make omelettes with random ingredients from the fridge and it will turn out yummy and fun.

Then there are the custards, French toasts, hard-boiled eggs with dressing and tossed greens, salted eggs that go well with fried bananas and sweet potatoes, poached eggs with saucy kale that are delicious with garlic-toasted wheat bread, frittatas and quiches, the list can go on and on.

The latest thing I have with eggs is the egg-steamed-in-coffee-steam. I know of a well-known resto that cooks this using the espresso machine steam wand to steam the egg; but since I don’t have such a machine at home, I use my large cooking pot to steam the whisked egg. Instead of plain water to steam the egg, I use coffee. It is best to use organic eggs or eggs from free-range chickens, by the way. I present the soft and yummy coffee-steamed egg with any topping that fancies me at the moment. Its unique taste goes best with country bread, prosciutto, and fresh lettuces with French dressing. 

Eggs are versatile ingredients, not to mention nutritious. It’s a shame if all you knew of eggs is the regular oval-shaped egg.

What's Cooking: Possible Career Change and Learning the Fastest Way to Become a Nurse?

Today, one can become a nurse through more ways than were available then in the traditional nursing schools and programs. Accelerated and short-term nursing programs are increasingly being offered nationwide. I'm writing about this because I'm thinking of making a career change. Here's my research, for anybody else who comes across my site, about the fastest way to become a nurse.

1. Take diploma or vocational nursing programs. Community schools offer courses that lead to licensed vocational nursing (LVN) or licensed practical nursing (LPN) jobs. The program usually takes between 1 and 2 years which involves training students on hands-on and practical care for patients who are generally stable. The actual length that a student finishes the program largely depends on whether the student is attending school fulltime or part-time. To become licensed, a student who has completed the program must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX – PN).

2. Become a registered nurse through an associate degree program. Most community colleges around the country offer the 2-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). (Source: How long is nursing school for RN?) By far, this is the shortest route to becoming an RN. Your best bet would be to visit a college in your community and seek the guidance of a nursing college advisor. The advisor will be able to provide you with important information regarding prerequisite courses, SAT or ACT percentile required, and length of time to finish the degree. You might also want to know whether the program offered by the college will earn you credits to a bachelor’s degree in nursing, should you decide to pursue one.

3. Enrol in a 12- to 18-month accelerated BSN if you already have a bachelor’s degree in another field. A word of caution though; this accelerated baccalaureate program caters to courses on a full-time basis only. The education and learning process is highly focused and rather intense compared to the more traditional four-year BSN course. Even the program’s admission standards are somewhat higher than usual; you have to submit yourself and hurdle a comprehensive pre-screening procedure prior to your acceptance in the program. Make sure you possess at least a 3.0 GPA, which is typically required by schools. Some schools and learning institutions might require higher GPA than 3.0

On a positive note, graduates of accelerated programs are highly preferred by many employers because of their enhanced personalities and broad background. Because of their previous experiences, they generally exhibit more maturity and compassion, and unusually high level of motivation. They are also more controlled under nerve-wracking situations and more tolerant of the many issues that are present in the workplace.

4. Take a four-semester generic master’s degree program. With greater concentration on research and theory, this program generally provides training to both nursing and non-nursing degree holders. In addition, the program trains and grooms them to become advanced practice nurses or APNs. The whole program takes an average of 4 semesters which includes 1 semester of clinical internship. If you are asking about how many years of college to be a nurse, remember that you don't have to do a bachelor's or master's degree to be an RN. All you need is a 2 year nursing degree but the additional education will help you market yourself in the field.

5. Enrol in online nursing programs. Online programs make it possible for you to become a nurse faster or slower than others, depending on how you pace with your studies. Registered nurse programs have not only become shorter and quicker to finish. They have also become more economical and accessible.
Nursing programs available online include Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) for paramedics and practical or vocational nurses, RN-to-BSN for graduates of associate degree in nursing, and higher nursing programs, such as Master of Science in Nursing or Nursing Doctorate. Online programs also make it possible for those currently employed to study in their own time and pace.

Licensure

Before you can practice the nursing profession, you need to review for, and pass the National Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses or NCLEX-RN. In the case of LPNs, they take the corresponding licensure as mentioned earlier. Qualification and requirements vary by state; it is best to inquire from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) – the administering body.

Work Environment

Nurses work in various environs, like hospitals, medical facilities, doctor’s private clinics, schools, homes for the elderly, medical and healthcare centres, and government agencies.

Undoubtedly, nursing ranks among the highly stressful occupations anywhere in the world, yet it also offers fulfilling rewards economically and professionally. There is great respect for the profession, its demand increases steadily, and nurses earn a handsome salary.

To be a vegan or not to be

Reaching the age of fifty plus (please don’t ask plus what) makes one aware of proper nutrition and the importance of veggies. Never mind that they were taught back in prep school; it often takes 5 decades for some learning to sink in, and eating vegetables is one of them.

In theory, I’ve done my homework and know not only the vitamins and minerals, but also the PUFAs and the MUFAs (poly- and mono-unsaturated fatty acids to you). But actually practicing and eating nutritious and healthy food is definitely a much more difficult thing to swallow than theory.

I think it is not a good idea to drum on veggie hotdogs, veggie meat, gluten ham, tofu liver spread – they just highlight the craving for meat. The wars waged against meat, GMOs and processed food sound like overkill to me. I believe that the focus should be more on making veggies and fruits more delicious and appetizing on the dinner table, not by making meats look more evil. And certainly not by making poor substitutes like rubbery gluten ham that does not taste like ham at all – these only glorify the real ham because, the truth is, nothing would taste like ham but the real thing. Veggies and fruits must taste good because they taste good, not because they can be made to taste like something else. (I've even stopped using my best nonstick cookware that has Teflon in favor old cast iron, stainless steel, and old copper pots and pans.)

Well, hard-line vegans will dismiss this as baloney, but going vegan all the way is so unappetizing and unappealing. If the bigger chunk of the populace were to be the target, then that’s no way to promote vegetables. It’s not a feasible idea to turn people used to eating sizzling golden glazed baby back ribs to make a 360-degree turn and eat tasteless blanched greens.

I do my part by eating greens, nuts, fruits, beans and lentils, roots and rhizomes, stems, sprouts, seeds, kernels and grains, vegetable and fruit-based oils, and herbs and aromas. In fact, I think that the secret to making the palate enjoy vegetables and fruits is variation - not only in taste, but variation in color and texture.

Growing up, I saw eating vegetables as a chore and a form of discipline which I had to comply with. Who wanted chores, anyway? Eating vegetables was equated, somehow, with punishment. It is no wonder that children grew to prefer other food. These kids grow to become parents themselves, and unwittingly transfer the same feelings to their children.

I have a big transparent jar of mixed nuts, corn kernels, peas, dates, raisins and corn flakes that I place in the living room. The children demolish them while watching movies on weekends. They don’t even need coaching. Again, it is the variation of taste and texture that they find appealing. I wonder if they’d munch with the same gusto if the jar was filled just with peas. They would take a few handfuls maybe, but not with the delight that they showed every time they dipped their hand inside the jar and came up with an exciting mix.

When we started with our backyard garden, it was with a few boxes of lettuces, kale, collards, mustard greens, and spinach.  The most edible to me, then, were the lettuces. With heavy mayonnaise, the lettuces were usually drowned in the sinfully oily dressing. But later, I discovered that lettuces were just as tasteful as they are; and when mixed with dates, toasted almonds, tomatoes, and a splash of mustard or vinegar, I could feast on them. The fun thing was, when the children saw me eating with obvious delight, they helped themselves with the salad, too, then munched like they would any other food. It has not been difficult to make them eat veggies ever since. 

I’m a moderate vegetarian with love for good meat and poultry. But I could also devour bowls of purely veggie-and-fruit mixes. The secret, like I said, is in the variation playing on your tongue. That it’s healthy for you, too, is a bonus.

I've been feeling tired lately

Lately, I've been asking myself, "why do I feel so tired?" Feeling fatigued and exhausted all the time can't be good for my body, and it has prompted me to look into why I'm always feeling sleepy. I realized energy drinks and caffeine won't help in the long run to help stay awake. The key is to find out the cause of being exhausted all the time. We'll look at a few reasons for drowsiness in this article.

'Why am I tired?'

I've learned that feeling fatigued can be difficult to pinpoint because there can be a lot of causes. A few causes are stress -- emotional and physical; problems with what is eaten -- i.e., food intolerance and deficiencies; along with any number of other causes, including medical. Stress can make a person tired. Emotional stress can cause physical duress, which, in turn, makes a person exhausted. It is also possible that sleep is issue. Quality of sleep is important, and a good 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a good starting point. Some people need more; some people need less. Either way, it's possible you could be stressing your body by sleeping too much or too little. You may also have medical issues like anxiety, grief, depression, and other issues that can cause exhaustion. Eating the right foods is also important. Our bodies need a balanced diet, which many Americans don't, to keep running at optimum. Without eating correctly, your diet may lack in minerals and vitamins. It's also possible to feel so tired and exhausted all the time if you have a medical problem. Ones that come to mind are the flu, sleep disorders, anemia, diabetes, cancer, heart issues, sleep disorders, and a host of many others. 'How do I stay awake?'

Tips to keep awake

A few good methods to stay awake during the day involve slowing down and an attitude tweak. More than likely, you are trying to do too much, which is causing a lot of stress in life. Cut back and remove some of the stresses. This is easier said than done, I know. But a large stress that people seem to get so caught up in is worrying about stuff they can't control. Focus on what you can control. Far too often, we worry about things we can't control. It doesn't make any sense to worry about a problem that may or may not affect you. One of my favorites: Exercise. Regular exercise can help relieve stress. Exercise seems counter-intuitive -- i.e., if you're tired now, you're going to be more tired afterwards. But during exercise, our brains release endorphins that make us feel good.

Eat right

Yes, eating right was mentioned earlier. But Americans don't do it. Fourteen percent of Americans eat at least two fruit servings and three vegetable servings a day, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. A good supplement to eating right is a multivitamin. And if you're looking for a source for good information about nutrition, take a look at the USDA "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" -- don't worry, these tips are good for non-Americans, too. Although I'm no medical expert, and I'm not providing any medical advice, I hope this information has helped you with the question, "why do I feel so tired?,' and provided some insight into being exhausted all the time.