When you are born and raised in the United States, becoming a cashier at a grocery store seems like a normal first step in your life. After all, it’s the world’s largest retail industry, and it provides employees with a stable job that can be performed anywhere. However, for Brenda Barnes, the job didn’t seem like a fit, and she struggled with it for years. That is, until she discovered a way to make money off her computer while also staying independent, which enabled her to finally quit her job and focus on becoming a full-time blogger.
Real Estate Investing
For those interested in real estate investing, Barnes’ story provides an example of how to make the most of a bad situation. When Barnes’ parents both passed away, she inherited their house and a large collection of papers related to it. However, the property was in a state of disarray, and needed a lot of work. That is, until she discovered the value of the property and decided to invest in it. Using her savings and the equity from her house, she was able to purchase a rundown duplex, and subsequently turned it into a rental property. By doing this, she was able to generate a stable income stream, which is all you need to know to be able to successfully invest in real estate (and cryptocurrencies).
Create A Blog
If you are interested in blogging, Barnes’ story provides an example of how to use your disability to your advantage. Similar to real estate investing, Barnes’ parents were both journalists, which provided her with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in regards to media and marketing. Despite not feeling that her disability was a fit for the workforce, she decided to use her skills to create a blog, Diary of a Real Estate Investor. The blog provides in-depth information about real estate investing and offers advice to those interested in following in her footsteps. Thanks to the increased demand for such content as social media evolves and more people become interested in real estate as an investment vehicle, Barnes’ blog is now worth about $500,000 and provides her with a reliable income. Additionally, as a real estate investor, she earns about $25,000 per month, nearly enough to cover her expenses.
Do What You Love
For many of us, earning a living is about waking up every day and doing what you were born to do. For others, it can be a matter of finding the right fit. For Brenda Barnes, it was a combination of both. After realizing her parents’ passion for music, she decided to follow in their footsteps and become a singer-songwriter. Despite her musical talent, she didn’t feel that it was the right fit for her because it required too much personal interaction with the public. However, after reading an article about freelance writing, she decided to give it a shot. What she discovered was that writing about what she loves is the key to becoming a successful writer. Thanks to her discovery, she is now able to live her dream and works remotely as a freelancer, covering topics such as parenting, lifestyle, and health, among others. Her clients include websites such as The New York Times and Forbes, and she makes about $150,000 per year, more than enough to cover her expenses.
Look For Opportunities
As mentioned, Barnes’ parents were both journalists, and this provided her with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in regards to media and marketing. Looking back on it, Barnes realizes that her parents likely gave her this skill set for a reason, and she uses this knowledge to her advantage. Even when she isn’t actively looking for a new project, she occasionally receives an email or phone call from a journalist, who is seeking her expertise for an upcoming piece.
While the above examples provide an insight into how Barnes uses her skills and knowledge to create a reliable income stream, it is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of tips. As she notes, there are many other ways to earn money, including online teaching, coaching, becoming a transcriptionist, and more. The point is, as long as you are able to generate a reliable income stream, anything is possible. With the right strategy and a little bit of luck, you too can be creating a passive income stream (at least the equivalent of) what you would need to support your lifestyle completely.