Welcome! Feel free to settle in, get comfy and take a look around.
Grab a cup of hot cocoa, or a caramel swirl latte, or a nice big glass of cabernet.
My hope is that you’ll find this site to be interesting, helpful and maybe a little entertaining.
So What’s a Side Jam?
A Side Jam is a way to make extra money on the side, whether it’s online or otherwise.
Have you ever found yourself in a financial bind, knowing a huge bill was coming up?
Or maybe you had to pay for some unexpected expense, which then left you short at the end of the month?
True confession: Yep, me too.
In fact, this happened so many times, I finally decided enough was enough.
The constant struggle of living paycheck to paycheck had to stop. I needed a way to supplement my income, and it had to be something I could do from home.
I knew it could be done — you always hear about people making a living online, working from home and becoming successful entrepreneurs. But how in the world do you get started? I mean, an average person like myself, no special skills or training — it’s possible, right?
I started Googling phrases like “how to make extra money on the side”, “how to make money online”, “legitimate ways to make extra cash”, things like that. And I happened to stumble upon some blogs that focused on money-making gigs and side hustles.
And first I thought, “Wow, I could totally do this.”
Meaning: I could handle working some side gigs and hustle for a few extra bucks each month. I signed up for every account I could get my hands on — survey sites, focus groups, online testing, ad-watching, email-opening, you name it.
And it worked. I started bringing in some extra cash. Not quite consistently, but it was happening.
Some gigs were clearly more lucrative than others. So I started paying attention to which ones were bringing in the most money, with the least amount of effort.
But then this other epiphany hit me, right smack in the forehead —
I could TOTALLY do THIS — “THIS” meaning a blog.
A blog about making money. A blog about side hustles, extra income, part time gigs, and everything else I had been trying. Starting a blog to share what I’ve learned about making money on the side.
If I was seeking out this type of information, then surely there were dozens of other people doing the same. And why not share what I’m learning with everyone else?
There should definitely be an audience for this kind of stuff, since frankly, that audience is me. And anyone like me.
What You’ll Find Here
This site focuses on all of the different ways I’ve tried to make extra money, including:
How to reduce debt, increase savings, pay off student/parent loans, stop using & pay off credit cards, prepare for retirement, and continue to pay all of the regular bills that come in on a daily basis.
- Check out my MAKE $$ section – This is where you’ll find Resources & Reviews on the different ways to make extra money on the side. You’ll find details on what I tried, how much money I made and what successes (or challenges) I had with each one.
- The SAVE $$ section is where you’ll find posts about ways you can save money when you’re operating on a tight budget, or have lots of bills to pay.
- And then there’s my DEBT JOURNEY section — which gets into all the details of my monthly debt payments, expenses, and purchases that maybe weren’t the smartest choices but seemed okay at the time. This section is more about my accountability, but feel free to pop on over if you need a chuckle. 🙂
What’s in a Name?
Mastering the Side Jam – A Journey to Becoming Financially Responsible.
Full disclosure: I have not fully mastered any of this.
The point of using that word is to show a conscious effort to learn, modify and improve my financial situation.
Nobody is perfect (no matter what you read on the internet.) There is always an amount of trial & error required to make any improvement, whether it’s financial, personal or professional.
This is my experimental journey into being financially responsible — That’s my dry, self-deprecating humor. Because my entire life has been based on “spend now, worry about it later“.
So delving into this new mindset is quite different than what I’ve been accustomed to.
And as for the “Side Jam” references?
I wanted this blog to convey lots of energy and life — showing ways for everyone to improvise and take chances.
In order to succeed financially, you need a fair amount of give and take — to strike a balance, lend a voice of reason and live in harmony with both wants and needs.
Instead of a Hustle, It’s More of a Dance.
Because let’s face it, worrying about money is not fun. So why not make it a fun process, pushing those worries into the past for good?
I’d rather dance my way through it, jamming to the beat of all the creative ways I can find to make money & pay off debt.
And once I’ve accomplished that goal, you better believe there will be one hell of a party … paid with cash only, of course!
So This Blog Is All About My Side Jams.
Feel free to reach out with any feedback or comments.
And let me know if you have any Side Jams you’d like to share.
I’m learning as I go along, and look forward to having you join me on this journey.