Dreamcatcher. Blogger. Bossmum. Adventurer.
Would you like to know how you can play 2 soccer matches with just one ball? BOLA is the most influential soccer ball, helping children all around the world. And you can be part of it…
Here is my latest article that just got published đ€© Having grown up in a soccer nation, I was particularly fond of writing this one. One ball, two matches. Do you want to find out more?
Please read and share! The more people read my articles, the more work I will get †thank you!
Would you like to make your money work for you without having to invest too much? Here are some ideas on how to create a passive income and make your savings grow over time.
Wouldnât we all like more money to spend on vacations, luxury items, a new car and everything else our heart desires?
Unfortunately, unless you win the lottery or have the funds to invest into projects with a fast and high return, your dreams will always stay just that. Dreams.
Most of us will have to keep slaving away, following the 9 to 5 grind, in the hope that one day we will have enough savings to get at least a little step closer to those dreams.
However, here is the good news. You can create one or several passive income streams that over time will help increase your assets. You invest a little time and money in the beginning, then sit back and relax while you watch your returns come back.
There are several ways to create a passive income on a tight budget. Not everything might be right for you, but thereâs bound to be something on the list we compiled that suits you and will help you achieve your financial goals.
You donât have to be Shakespeare or John Grisham to make money from writing. Since electronic self-publishing on platforms such as Amazon has become a thing, thousands of writers have been able to make their work available to a broader audience and earn a living on the side.
Forget being rejected by gigantic publishing houses. Kindle is the future - and it can certainly enhance yours. There are an estimated 700,000 authors publishing e-books worldwide. All you need to do is find something that youâre passionate about and that others might want to read.
Itâs a good idea to browse through Kindle categories and see whatâs most popular. Once you have decided on your genre and topic, get writing. It might pay to hire someone for proof-reading and designing your cover, and once youâre happy simply upload your book and decide what you want to charge for the download. Depending on the price Amazon will pay you royalties for each download.
Our tip: Keep the price cheap. It might mean less royalties, but your book will likely be downloaded more often which in turn means more money.
Yes, this one is very obvious, but we are not talking about hiding each dollar that you can spare in a money tin. Rather, get a little cash together and put it into a high-yielding savings account or a certificate of deposit. Both offer much higher interest rates than your standard everyday bank account, so you can watch your money grow right in front of you.
High-yielding savings accounts are a great way to park your money. They usually have fixed interest rates that will help you increase your funds as long as you donât touch them. Some accounts may have fees attached to them, while others require a minimum amount in order for you to get your interest. So it pays to shop around and see what suits you best.
While savings accounts are great for long-term investments, certificates of deposits can help you work towards short term goals. The way they work is simple. You deposit a small amount of cash for a fixed term and receive higher interest on your money. Itâs a great way to save up for a new car, an overseas holiday or other higher expenses you know are coming.
Our tip: Make sure you choose the right term for your certificates of deposit. If you decide to dip into your funds early, you will most likely have to pay a penalty fee and end up making a loss.
Are we crazy? Maybe a little. But it would definitely be crazy to miss out on free money! We all shop, so why not use apps like Ebates to receive cash back on items you need anyway? The rewards might seem small, but it all adds up. And since these sites are free to join, there is no upfront investment needed.
Cash back websites earn their money through commissions every time you make a purchase via the direct link to a retailer they supply. A portion of these earnings then gets passed on to you either in the form of cash or via points that can later be redeemed in gift vouchers. The choice is yours.
If youâd rather earn money without spending anything, try Shopkick. You do get points (or kicks) for shopping, but also for simply walking into a store or scanning bar codes. Once you have enough kicks you can grab yourself a gift card and start shopping for real.
Our tip: Donât get sucked in and go on a spending spree. Stick to your everyday purchases, but make them using the direct links so you get money back.
If you love shopping and have a bit of time on your hands, you could become a mystery shopper and get paid for what you love plus get some freebies as you go. More and more retail companies employ mystery shoppers to ensure their stores meet and exceed customersâ expectations. You will be given an assignment, act as a customer in a department store and write about your experience afterwards.
If you want to sign up as a mystery shopper you need social and communication skills, be computer savvy and know how to write a basic report. Depending on the task and the company, payments might not be great. But it doesnât cost you anything to get started and the rewards will accumulate over time. The Mobee App letâs you find missions nearby using the GPS on your smartphone. You donât get paid cash, but collect points that you can trade in for gift cards.
No, weâre not talking drugs and weâre not telling you to sell off your organs. However, you can actually shed some pounds and earn money while youâre working toward your health goals! Exercising regularly is easy for some. Others start out with a bang and a roar, but sooner or later bad habits kick back in and the motivation dwindles. This is where Apps such as DietBet, HealthyWage and GymPact provide the perfect incentive to keep going. Why? Because they actually pay you for losing weight.
They each work similar. You set a goal, maybe you want to lose 20 pounds over 6 months. You then place a bet how much that goal is worth for you. Some Apps have set amounts, others let you choose freely. If you meet your goal, you get your money back plus any additional winnings depending on the program you signed up with.
So potentially youâre gaining a much healthier lifestyle and filling your pockets with some extra cash. Winning on all sides!
Surveys are not just a great way to pass the time. You can also get paid by giving your opinion on everyday topics such as your favourite food and drink, your last holiday and your furry friends. Each survey gives you a certain amount of points which can be cashed out, mostly via PayPal, or redeemed in vouchers. Some sites also offer points for playing games or watching videos.
So forget wasting your time on social media or watching funny YouTube videos. Marketing research websites are becoming more and more popular, and thereâs nothing wrong with signing up to as many as you like to increase your cash flow. However, be aware that there are black sheep out there, so choose the ones that have a reputation for paying out.
Our top 3 survey websites are
How often do you pay for something that costs $1.99 or $23.95 or $70.94 and so forth? If you were to round that up to the nearest dollar each time, would you miss a few cents here and there? Probably not. So why not put them aside and let them build up to something bigger? With Acorns you can do that automatically every time you swipe your card. The money you save this way is invested for you either in portfolios or towards retirement schemes. It costs as little as $1 per month depending on the services you want to use.
Have you got a spare room youâre not really using? Or a sleepout thatâs been empty for a while? Why not put it on Airbnb? Depending on where you live, accommodation might be scarce, so potentially you have a goldmine right in front of your nose.
You decide whom you let in and for how long. The shorter the stay, the more money you can potentially make as people are usually willing to pay more bucks for a couple of nights than a whole week. All you have to do is keep the place neat and tidy and your guests happy. According to surveys the average Airbnb host in the US makes around $20,619 profit per year.
Airbnb does charge fees in order for you to advertise your room, but itâs usually only a percentage of the rent youâre asking for. It doesnât get any easier, does it?
Our tip: If youâre renting yourself, but have a room to spare, check with your landlord first before advertising. Sub-letting without consent can be reason to terminate your rental agreement.
You donât have to be a millionaire to invest into properties, stocks or even loans and maximise your profits with interests and returns. If you have a little bit of cash you could join a peer-to-peer lending platform such as Lending Club and earn interest rates of 10 % and more. You can invest as little as $25 and buy into a single loan, rather than putting all your eggs in one basket. The more often you place small investments, the less you have to worry about one going wrong.
If youâd rather get into real estate try Fundrise. Rather than investing into big projects, you buy shares into a trust which in turn uses your money to develop real estate projects. Every time one of your projects makes a profit, your wallet will get bigger. You can start investing as little as $500 compared to hundreds of thousands to get started in the ârealâ real estate market.
This might not be the fastest way to earn a passive income, but writing a blog can potentially earn you the big bucks if you have a passion for it and a bit of time to spare. Patience, consistency and a good game plan are the key to success. Find a topic that youâre fond of, do your research to find the best way to present it online, and build your audience as well as your networks. Over time you can generate money through marketing and advertising, but also through sponsoring and guest posts.
Once your blog attracts a steady number of viewers, itâs time to up the game. Promoting services or products on your blog can create a nice source of income without you having to do anything. Affiliate marketing is not as complicated as it sounds, and you get paid either by sales or a flat rate.
If youâre unsure what products would suit your blog most or which vendors to contact, try ClickBank. The website offers tens of thousands of digital products that you can dip into to advertise and sell online. Commissions are as high as 75% of the retail price and you choose when and how often you want to get paid. Because most products are based on subscriptions, recurring income from happy customers is guaranteed.
Google AdSense is another free way of making money through your blog. You decide how the ads will look like to ensure they match the style of your blog, and Google places targeted ads without you having to do anything.
Note: This article was meant to be published on an external website. Unfortunately I happened to run into a black sheep that never intended to pay for the work I did. So if you find this article anywhere else on the web… it’s MINE!
Have you got a website or email address with Vodafone? Then this will be of great interest to you. Vodafone is shutting down several services by the end of February 2019. Find out if you are affected.
This one was a bit tricky to write, as I had no idea about any of this.
But I managed to write up an article mostly for business owners that are affected by Vodafone shutting down their email, web hosting and domain name registration and hosting services by the end of 2019.
If you’re a business owner in New Zealand who has a website, email or domain on any of the Vodafone servers, you might want to read this to see how it affects you and what you can do if you don’t want to lose your data.
The article was written for Energise.
Are you after a wedding cake for your ceremony? We have compiled a list of the trendiest styles and flavours for next year.
Here is another article I have recently written for Collective Concepts. It’s all about wedding cake trends in 2019 and it will definitely make your mouth water.
Online reputation can make or break your business. Here is what you need to know about how to use your online presence in a beneficial way.
When you run a business, having an online presence can be super beneficial to increase your audience, build relationships with your customers and provide that extra bit of service.
However, especially social media can be the downfall of your business if you don’t work on having a positive online reputation.
My latest blog post for Energise explains why online reputation is important and how you can make sure you use it to advance your business.
Do you know what a wedding celebrant in New Zealand does? I had no idea idea, until I got to write this article for Collective Concepts.
Growing up in Germany where people get married either traditionally at church or at the civic office through a registrar, the term wedding celebrant (which is quite common here in New Zealand) was very foreign to me. So when I got asked to write a blog about what a wedding celebrant actually does, I was quite intrigued.
Here is what I’ve found out.
This blog post was written for Collective Concepts. If you’re thinking about getting married in New Zealand, feel free to like them, browse their other articles and check out their services.
Would you like to know how to make German Vanillekipferl? They are by far the best Christmas cookies you have ever tried!
Christmas in Germany without Christmas cookies is pretty much no Christmas at all đ so despite being on the other side of the world in blazing heat, I am trying to get into a festive spirit.
Today I am going to tell you how to make German Vanillekipferl. They have always been my favourite and are so unlike most biscuits you can find around, whether during Christmas or not.
So here’s the recipe (slightly modified for New Zealand ingredients)…
And this is what they should like when they’re finished. If you have a recipe you would like to share, please pop it in the comments below!
Meanwhile, enjoy!
Are you new to Whangarei or travelling through? Check out all the fun things you can do in my first article that just got published on Travelista.
I have returned to my passion, writing, and have just finished my first article for Travelista!
If you’d like to find out more about Whangarei, the city I have been calling home for the last 8.5 years, please follow the link below to learn about all the fun things to do in Whangarei.
New Zealand is one of the adventure countries in the world. Adrenaline junkies really get their money’s worth. Today I’d like to show you the best places to skydive in New Zealand.
Bungee jumping, white water rafting, abseiling, skydiving, … You name it, and New Zealand will be able to offer it to you. Adrenaline junkies will LOVE this beautiful country because apart from its stunning scenery it also has an unlimited supply of action-packed activities.
Today one of my best mates decided to skydive in the scenic Bay of Islands, up in the North Island. That sparked me to show you the best places to skydive in New Zealand.
If you think anything is missing or if you have done a skydive and would love to share your story, please do so in the comments below!
You think there is nothing to do north of Auckland? Think again! Some of New Zealand’s best skydiving locations are in the far north of the North Island!
The most northern skydive operator is situated in a small town called Kerikeri, which is most famous among backpackers for the abundance of fruit picking jobs in the summer time.
Skydive Bay of Islands offers tandem jumps in up to 20,000 feet – one of the highest in New Zealand! 85 seconds free fall and the chance to land on a pristine white sand beach? Yes, please!
Prices
9,000 ft from $299
12,000 ft from $329
16,000 ft from $399
20,000 ft from 559
(Prices may vary and do not include pictures etc)
Until recently Skydive Auckland was the only operator offering jumps from 20,000 feet high. They are located about 45 minutes from the city centre and have more than 20 years experience.
Prices
9,000 ft from $295
13,000 ft from $325
16,000 ft from $425
20,000 ft from $595
(Prices may vary and do not include pictures etc)
Located right between Auckland and Hamilton, the small town of Mercer is not well known for its adrenalin sports. However, Go Skydive New Zealand is your go to if you want to start small and your budget is limited. In return, you get to enjoy breathtaking views over the Coromandel Peninsula, the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Prices
7,000 ft from $250
9,000 ft from $295
13,000 ft from $335
(Prices may vary and do not include pictures etc)
Tauranga is the gateway to White Island, the active volcanic island offshore clearly visible most days. If you’re lucky, you will catch a good view from above when jumping with Skydive Tauranga. Your choices are a bit limited, though.
Prices
10,000 ft from $325
12,000 ft from $375
(Prices may vary and do not include pictures etc)
The city on the shores of Lake Taupo is known as the adventure capital of the North Island. Skydive Taupo offers fantastic views over the crystal blue lake as well as the nearby Tongariro National Park, including Mount Ngauruhoe, better known as Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Prices
12,000 ft from $279
15,000 ft from $359
(Prices may vary and do not include pictures etc)
There are 3 major areas to skydive in the South Island. Motueka at the very top is less known, while the adventure capital of the south, Queenstown, and the glaciers on the edge of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park invite thousands of visitors each year that are seeking an extra bit of thrill.
This will probably be the only jump during which you get to see both islands. Skydive Abel Tasman is New Zealand owned and operated and offers a range of competitive packages.
Prices
9,000 ft from $279
13,000 ft from $329
16,500 ft from $419
(Prices may vary and do not include pictures etc)
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
You have the choice between two operators, each located at one of the big glaciers in the National Park. Which one will you go for?
| operator | Skydive Fox Glacier | Skydive Franz Josef |
| prices | 9,000 ft from $249
13,000 ft from $299 16,000 ft from $399 |
13,000 ft from $319
16,500 ft from $419 20,000 ft from $559 |
(Prices may vary and do not include pictures etc)
It comes to no surprise that most of the skydive operators can be found in or near the adventure capital of the South Island. NZOne is located in the heart of Queenstown, while Wanaka is a 1 hour drive northeast and Glenorchy (Southern Alps) about 45 minutes northwest.
| operator | NZOne | Skydive Wanaka | Skydive Southern Alps |
| prices | 9,000 ft from $299
12,000 ft from $359 15,000 ft from $459 |
9,000 ft from $299
12,000 ft from $359 15,000 ft from $459 |
9,000 ft from $289
12,000 ft from $349 15,000 ft from $439 |
(Prices may vary and do not include pictures etc)
There are a few things to keep in mind when you plan to go skydiving. Safety comes first, so make sure you listen to your instructors and pay attention to the safety briefings.
New Zealand does not have age restrictions on skydiving. Usually, as long as you’re over 30kg and can fit into one of the harnesses, you’re basically good to go. Children and teenagers younger than 18 simply need a letter of consent from their parents or caregivers.
There is, however, a maximum restriction on weight! If you’re close to or over 100kg (220lbs) your chances of being accepted to jump are slim.
Also, if you have any known medical conditions it pays to seek advice from your doctor first.
