Your Money_ The Missing Manual - J. D. Roth [64]
Unclaimed property
The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators is a nonprofit organization that assists in "reuniting owners with their property". The group sponsors the site www.missingmoney.com, which lets you search unclaimed property records from participating states.
Common types of unclaimed property include bank accounts and safe deposit boxes; stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and dividends; uncashed checks and wages; insurance policies, certificates of deposit, and trust funds; and utility deposits and escrow accounts.
The Missing Money database includes 40 states and one Canadian province (Alberta). For other unclaimed property resources, check out the U.S. government's "Government May Owe You Money" page (http://tinyurl.com/GovtOwes) or contact your state's unclaimed property office.
Blogging
Let's get one thing straight: Blogging won't make you rich. But if you have something to say that people want to hear, you can put $50 or $500 a month in your pocket. (And some lucky folks are able to make blogging a full-time gig.)
Blogs don't have to be intimidating—my mother blogs. Sites like www.blogger.com and www.wordpress.org make setting one up a breeze. Pick a topic you're passionate about, start writing, and share the blog with folks you know. If you're able to build an audience—which might take a year or two—add a bit of tasteful advertising through Google Adsense (www.adsense.com) or Blogads (www.blogads.com) and you'll have some extra pocket money.
Other ideas
None of those options sound appealing? Let your imagination run wild: Do yard work for the neighbors (just like when you were a kid). Collect cans and bottles for the deposit. Babysit or petsit. Haul stuff. (I once met a man who earned $250 a week using his van to haul stuff for people he met on Craigslist!) Get a paper route.
There are tons of ways to make extra money in your spare time. But in order to make them work, you've got to be willing to put in some effort. So instead of sitting around watching TV or playing World of Warcraft, get out there and make some money!
A Pep Talk
After reading this chapter, some people will come up with all kinds of reasons they can't make more money. They'll think, "That's easy for you to say, but I can't because…" To be successful, you have to overcome this sort of negative thinking.
The truth is, there are no shortcuts. Despite some companies' promises, you won't get rich quickly stuffing envelopes or peddling vitamin pills. If you want to earn more, you have to put in time and effort.
Every aspect of personal finance has its naysayers (see Coping with Mistakes and Setbacks). Some people believe that being frugal is the same as being cheap. Others think that building wealth means you're a greedy capitalist. Of these limiting beliefs, the most common is, "I can't make more money." Lots of folks think people with high-paying jobs have something they lack, or that those people are lucky. There's no question that luck and talent play a role, but by far the most important factor in career success is perseverance.
Henry Ford supposedly said, "Whether you believe you can or can't, you're probably right." If you don't think you can spend a year working 60-hour weeks to earn enough to pay off your debt, then you'll probably never reach that goal. But if you truly believe that you can make a go of it, you'll likely succeed.
So get out there and do the work—and stick with it when others won't.
Chapter 7. Banking for Fun and Profit
"A penny saved is a penny earned."
—Benjamin Franklin
Banking is the cornerstone of our financial lives, yet few people give it much