Remaining motivated - finding a work/life balance

JennaA

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How do you all do it? I'm struggling right now to find a work-life balance.

These forums inspired my bf and I to draw up a spreadsheet so we now know exactly what debt we owe.

I've written about my background in other posts but just a quick recap...I'm full time employed working up to about 40 hours per week. My salary is ok. My bf works his a** off but his wage could be better. When he is offered overtime he makes quite a significant amount but we can't rely on that because things vary every month. Between us we are currently looking at about 8k debt although the majority of mine is owed to my mum so no interest. We bought a property in December and completed in March so now have a mortgage ekkkkk! It's all been a bit of a reality check as where we would quite freely spend whatever before hand, now we are watching our pennies. I know that everyone experiences this sort of thing when they buy a place, but its making me very uneasy.

I'm finding it difficult finishing work at 5pm, fitting in an hour in the gym, getting home to wash, iron, cook etc and then sitting down to hit the surveys. I'm always on the go and don't often sit down until 9:30pm when the last thing I want to do is jump on the IPAD and starting working some more.

What do you guys do to ensure that you still have a life outside of all of this online money making malarky? If you had to choose one thing that is the most profitable what would it be? I don't think I'm getting it right at the moment. I'm trying to do too many things and its stressing me out. Def want to stick with Global Test and Roamler but feel that I'm missing out on the significant money makers.

Probably looking to make an extra £300 a month if possible. That will chill me out a little and stop me constantly working out and looking at my finances.

Help!

From an exhausted, de-motivated MS user who wants her life back (and the finances to treat myself occasionally) :)
 

Jon

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completely feel and understand this post

as someone that works a full time job + earning online + this site I am knackered most days

Remind me..

What things do you already do?

I only do high paying work for my time so I am looking at


63336 (lol)
edig
field agent
roamler
Appen

surveys + swagbucks and co just arne't worth my time


work life balance.. I have none..

I think for people like me and you where we work eight hours a day as well its important we try to get that work life balance..but its important to remember we CHOOSE to do this extra stuff
 

busybusy

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I am going to state the obvious, but sometimes the obvious isn't obvious.
Can you cut back on your spends to ease the pressure on what you do earn? You don't need to be a hermit with zero social life.
Cut out the gym and do free exercise. Be a mystery diner so someone else is cooking the tea. Snag free film tickets.

I am not swagbucks crazy, just have it running in the background and do the zero effort clicks, slowly collecting points and points do make prizes.
 

JennaA

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My main things are GTM and Roamler but I do also complete YouGov and OnePoll surveys. They don't take to much time and although they are slow, payout is worth it. I can't get to grips with Field Agent (plus tasks in my area aren't the easiest) and I delete my SwagBucks account a month back because that was just torture. I signed up to Clixsense but even that seems like alot of effort for not alot of reward and I can't face anymore surveys.

I tried to sign up to 63336 but I'm on the waiting list. Failed to pass the application for TakeNote. Keen to look into Appen or Lionbridge but although I've read a few things I still don't completly know where to start and what to expect!?! I've looked at the websites and the different things that I can apply for but I can't see on the site where it actually describes what the jobs entail?

I know that we choose to do this but by the looks of things for alot of us we also need too. I'm one of them people that doesn't like to owe any money so to me getting my debts paid off asap is an achievement and a hige relief. Probably like alot on these forums. I guess it doesn't help that I feel that I am ALWAYS at work and to me thats not what life is about. It's about experiencing new things and having a happy, fun time but of course money is required to fund these experiences. Catch 22 really!

I've kind of got it into my head, that the quicker we pay off everything the sooner we can relax a little, stop being so unsociable (the last month or so has consisted of quite a few nights in) and start building towards a future. I think I put to much pressure on myself. Whilst I don't currently have the time and find alot that I am doing a waste of my time, I can't stop because every little helps.

Sorry deep post. Haha. Just feel a little defeated today and in desperate need of something that may speed up my earning a little.
 

Jon

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here is all the details about applying for the UK leapforece jobs

https://www.leapforceathome.com/qrp/public/job/36
 

Jon

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have you looked into eDigitalResearch

its mystery shopping for websites

have you looked into Mystery Shopping at all really?
 

JennaA

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Hi busybusy (love the name, can totally relate!)

I am trying all of these things but I guess its just a slow process.

Bf and I are having a very low key few months with minimal outings. Since Monday we haven't spent a penny between us and have started taking lunch into work which is great.

I did leave the gym a few years back but rejoined last month because we signed up to Prudential who gave us half price membership. Although I grumble about going, I do like it because I feel so much better after I've been and used to struggle to motivate myself to exerices for free. Especially in the winter when its cold out. We also have free cinema tickets through Prudential - once a week for Vue or Cineworld. Highly recommend this package!

Interested in getting into a Mystery Shopper. Can you claim back your money for this as well?
 

JennaA

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Nope. Haven't looked into Mystery Shopping. Apart from the odd free (I think!?!) meal how do you benefit from it?
 

Jon

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If you have ZERO experience with Mystery Shopping go and sign up for market force http://uk.marketforce.com/

They have a LOT of the big companies onboard. The instructions are easy to follow. You get your expenses back + fee.

They run payroll twice a month which is also handy


Once you have gained experience then we can help you move onto more harder but higher paying shops/audits
 

Jon

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Read this thread from top to bottom

http://www.themoneyshed.co.uk/index.php?topic=643.0

will give you an insight as our blue dog friend talks about her experiences from starting out
 

JennaA

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Thanks loads Jon. Appreciate it.

What kind of fee do MarketForce give for a shop? Signing up now.
 

Jon

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it varies

you can't talk about fees or the clients publicly - If you do I will end up in more trouble than I did last week!
 
P

Pheebs

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I think it's important to keep things like going to the gym in your life. If you start to cut back others things too, all you'll be left with is work.

Like Jon said, your best bet is to ditch the surveys/swagbucks etc. and go for the jobs that will actually pay you something significant.

Roamler
Field Agent
edigitalresearch
Market Force

All good options for your situation.

If you're looking for £300 per month - taking an average month being at 30 days - you obviously need to make an average of £10 per day from extra sources. I'd say that's definitely doable on those four options above. You could certainly make £200 on them.

Another option is to use the above as a way to get some of your 'gym' time in at the same time. Perhaps you could run between some of the tasks/cycle to them?
 

busybusy

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There are also really useful threads on mystery dinning.

http://www.themoneyshed.co.uk/index.php?topic=1119.0
plus
http://www.themoneyshed.co.uk/index.php?topic=1266.0

Also lots of fun stuff you can do for free/cheap. the green site and Hotdeals often have posts that may inspire.

At lot of art galleries are free, I used to love going but my children get bored so the day out ends quickly with me stomping off declaring "OKAY LETS GO HOME THEN!!" with my husband looking at me with a I told you so face.
 

JennaA

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Ahhhh thanks guys. How great are you lot :)

Signed up to Market Force and my application has been successful. Excited about this!

Will look into edigitalresearch tonight.
 

CubaCat

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I know you're looking to make money but I agree with busybusy in that it's often easiest to cut costs first (or at least at the same time as trying to earn more). Taking your own lunch to work is a start and will save you loads - I've brought my own to work for years. No spend days are great too, you'll soon be addicted to NOT spending money ;D .

Probably telling you stuff you already know here but cut your food shopping budget by shopping at Aldi/Lidl (which has the added advantage that it's much quicker than shopping in mainstream supermarkets so will leave you with extra free time). Swap your mobile contract and utilities over to the cheapest you can find. Have a clear out and sell things you no longer need or want.

With regard to the gym, are with with Virgin Active? I ask as I was tempted to sign up with them a few months ago with a Prudential deal but the cost of the gym + Pru payments was ridiculous (and I didn't really need the Prudential cover), so I started running instead. It's free, really good for you and makes you feel great running out in the open with all the fresh air, plus you can join your local running club for about £20 per year. That's right...per YEAR! I start with mine next week :) . I also bought a couple of workout DVDs for about a fiver each that only take 20-30 mins per workout and do them at home if the weather is awful. Seriously, I know you have reasons for re-joining the gym but I'd honestly be re-thinking it, especially given your new mortgage responsibilities. Most gyms are around £50-60 per month depending on where you live, so even at half price that would be about £25-30. Multiply that by 12 months then double for the both of you (if you both attend) then it's at least £600 per year (plus the Prudential payments, of course). It will also free up a good 60-90 mins-ish of your time each evening (a run or DVD can be as long or short as you want it to be).

To earn a bit more I'd definitely recommend Roamler. It won't get you anywhere near your £300 on it's own but it'll be a start and you can do tasks on the way to/from work, at lunchtime or on weekends.

Also, make sure you sign up with Streetbees - there's a thread about them on here.

I've also been looking into <ahem> adult services and I'm going to set myself up as a webcam model in the next week or so now I'm back from holiday - you don't have to get naked if you don't want to but obviously it depends on what you're comfortable with. I'm hoping that in time this will be my main source of additional income and all you need is a computer and a webcam, which most laptops have built in these days.
 

Jon

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I suppose this work life balance comes form both ends of the spectrum

You can be trying to achieve it working more and earning more to give you a better quality of life

OR

You can try and achieve it by having less out goings and giving you more spare cash and better quality of life

It would imagine the sense trying to maximize your earnings online helps you gain a sense of control and to be fair you can't ALWAYS lower you costs (contracts etc)
 

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