Do you like listening to music? My daughter listens to music most of the day. As an artist, she likes to have some tunes playing when she works on her art.

You can listen to music while you’re doing just about anything. There are dozens of music apps out there with large music selections. Some will charge you a monthly subscription fee.

However, there are several free music apps too. Yep, I said “free”. We like the word “free” attached to just about anything here at Money Peach.

But free music? Score! (Pun intended 🙂 ). Here are some free music apps that will keep you tuned up for hours on end.

Free Music Apps for You

Check out the music apps listed below. All of them are free and won’t cost you a dime. We’ll share a bit about what each one has to offer so you can see if it’s right for you.

Note: you don’t have to stop at one free music app – take advantage of as many as your storage space allows!

1. Spotify

Spotify is the app my daughter uses, and arguably one of the most popular music apps. They have millions of songs available.

It’s easy to set up your free account with Spotify. You can set it up using your email address or your Facebook account.

Once you join, you use the Browse and Search features to find songs you like. You can also build playlists based on your favorite songs.

Spotify has a “Your Library” feature too. This feature helps you create a library of your favorite songs. You can store up to 10,000 songs in your personal library.

Spotify helps you find great songs by sharing what friends, artists and celebrities are listening too. In addition, they have other features to help you find new music, such as Discover weekly and Daily Mix.

Bonus: The Spotify Connect feature helps you transition from one device to another. You can listen to Spotify on your phone, PC, tablet, TV, in your car and more.

P.S. Like a radio, Spotify shares ads on its free subscription. If you want to avoid the ads, you can sign up for Spotify Premium.

Spotify Premium is free for the first 30 days. After that it costs $9.99 per month plus tax. There is a discounted Premium plan for students, as well as a Premium Family plan too.

2. Pandora

Pandora is a free music app that works differently than Spotify. With Spotify, you choose your playlists and make your own music library.

Pandora, on the other hand, creates a radio station for you based on the genres, artists and music you like best.

Pandora is powered by what it calls The Music Genome Project. The Music Genome Project is an algorithm that helps the app create a radio station tailored specifically for you.

You can listen to your tailored radio station on mobile devices, your desktop computer, your TV or in the car.

Note: Pandora’s music selection isn’t as large as Spotify’s. Therefore you might not enjoy Pandora as much if you like listening to wider varieties of music.

Also, the free Pandora app comes with commercials like a regular radio station does. If you want commercial-free listening, you can choose one of Pandora’s two paid plans.

Pandora Plus

Pandora plus is free for the first 30 days and $4.99 per month after that. Its features include:

• Unlimited personalized stations
• Up to 4 stations for offline listening
• No ads
• Unlimited skips and replays
• High quality audio

If you’re looking for a bit more, consider trying out the Pandora Premium Plan.

Pandora Premium

Pandora Premium expands on the features that Pandora Plus offers. The first 30 days are free. After that you’ll play $9.99 per month.

In addition to the Pandora Plus features, you’ll get:

• Search and play any song
• The ability to create playlists
• Downloadable music

The Premium plan might be worth it if you’re interested in avoiding the ads and having these bonus features as well.

3. iHeartRadio

The iHeartRadio app allows you to stream thousands of radio stations and podcasts for free. You can listen to iHeartRadio in your car, on your mobile device, on your desktop and more.

iHeartRadio allows you to listen to radio stations around the world. You can listen to music stations, news stations, comedy stations and more.

In addition, you can create your own music station using the iHeartRadio library. Their library gives you millions of songs to choose from.

They have every type of music genre, including:

• Top 40
• Hip hop
• Jazz
• Country
• Rock
• Alternative

And many others as well. Another great feature of iHeartRadio is that it will suggest radio stations for you based on your listening history.

For instance, if you like Alternative music, iHeartRadio will suggest Alternative stations from around the globe.

They have access to both online radio stations and live radio stations worldwide. This means you’ll never run out of music options, no matter where you are.

This can be a great app for you if you’re traveling or if you move to a new town.

If you want additional features, iHeartRadio has a Plus plan and an All Access plan. Here are the details on the two plans.

iHeartRadio Plus

iHeartRadio Plus gives you the following features:

• You can play any song, anytime
• Unlimited skips
• You can save songs to your personal playlist
• You can instant replay songs from the radio

iHeartRadio Plus costs $4.99 per month.

iHeartRadio All Access

The iHeartRadio All Access plan comes with all of the features of the Plus plan, plus:

• You can listen offline
• Unlimited access to millions of songs
• You can create an unlimited number of playlists

The iHeartRadio All Access plan costs $9.99 per month as of this writing. The upgraded plans are great, but with the option to listen to radio stations around the world, the free iHeartRadio app is clearly a great plan.

4. Jango

Jango is a free online music streaming service that allows you to create custom radio stations. All you have to do is start by choosing your favorite band or singer.

Jango will play songs by that artist, and will play songs by other similar artists too. You can rate songs on the app so that you can hear them more frequently, or never again.

Jango has hundreds of pre-made radio stations based on certain genres too. You can listen based on the genre you’re interested in at any given time.

Some genres include:

• Hits from the 80’s
• Christmas Classics
• Hip hop
• Jazz
• Classical
• Country

And other genres. You’ll find lots to choose from here. And guess what: Jango works hard to minimize commercials.

As of this writing, you’ll only hear one commercial a day if you sign up using your Facebook account. And the mobile apps are currently commercial free!

Note that because Jango is an online music service, you can’t download songs from the site.

5. Deezer

Deezer is a free music app that allows you access to over 53 million songs. It works on most all devices, and you can listen online or offline. Note that Deezer’s free plan works only on mobile devices.

When you listen to songs on Deezer, you can rate the songs. This will help Deezer tailor your playlists to what you like to hear.

Deezer’s free plan comes with the following features:

• Occasional ads
• Shuffle play (meaning you can’t choose the order you hear songs)
• Mobile device listening only

If you want other features, you’ll have to pay for an upgraded plan. Deezer has a couple of different ones to choose from.

Deezer Premium

Deezer Premium costs users $9.99 per month. Note that students can get it for half price. The Deezer Premium plan features:

• Ad-free music playing
• Unlimited music
• Offline mode playing
• You can play on any device – not just mobile devices

With Premium and the other Deezer plans, you get the first month free too. Also with the Premium plan: get a $20 discount if you pay annually instead of monthly.

Deezer Family

The Deezer Family plan costs $14.99 per month. It includes all of the features of the Premium plan, but with the ability to have six user profiles instead of just one.

Another great app to choose from.

6. TuneIn

TuneIn lets you listen to over 120,000 radio stations for free. You can listen on mobile devices, home devices, in your car and more.

Along with music, TuneIn lets you listen to podcasts and sports games too. You can listen to talk radio, news radio; pretty much any radio station you can think of.

The TuneIn music selection has individual tracks in a wide selection of genres. TuneIn offers curated playlists as well. They have a variety of music genres including:

• Top 40
• Hip-hop
• Rock
• Latin
• Country
• Jazz

And others. They also have throwback hits spanning from the 1960’s and forward.

Note that if you want to listen to live sports, you’ll have to upgrade to the Premium plan. However, if your local radio station has the rights to stream a live sports game, you can listen to it with the free plan.

As with most sports listening venues, you’ll get more access to free sports if you want to listen to college games than you will for pro games.

The TuneIn Premium Plan

The TuneIn Premium plan costs $9.99 per month. When you get it, you can listen to most all live sports games for free. In addition, you’ll get commercial free music too.

With TuneIn’s free plan you’ll have commercials with your music selection.

7. SoundCloud

SoundCloud is one of the more seasoned free music apps, having launched in 2008. They have over 30 million premium song tracks, and a large selection of hit songs and indie artist songs as well.

SoundCloud lets unknown artists upload their music too. This can be a great way to hear new songs long before they hit the airwaves.

In addition to music, you can listen to podcasts and audiobooks on SoundCloud. If you’re looking for music, you can search by song, artist or album to find songs you want to hear.

Note that you have to have their Go+ plan to listen to premium song tracks. The SoundCloud Go+ plan is $.9.99 per month.

8. Google Play Music

The free Google Play Music app lets you listen to up to 50,000 songs of your choice. You can subscribe to podcasts as well with the free plan.

Other great features of the Google app is that it allows you to download your music and play it offline if you have their Unlimited plan.

The Unlimited plan costs $9.99 per month and in addition to the ability to download and play offline, it gives you:

• Access to 40 million on-demand songs
• Ad-free, uninterrupted listening
• Unlimited live radio

Note: if you upgrade to the Family Plan you can get up to six users for a total of $14.99 per month.

9. Slacker Radio

Slacker Radio has pre-programmed music stations in several genres. You can listen to:

• Alternative music
• “Chill” music
• Christian music
• Blues
• Classical
• Comedy
• Country
• Dance/Electropop
• Holiday
• Heavy metal

And others. In fact, they have over 100 stations available on Slacker Radio.

With the free version of Slacker Radio you can get handcrafted radio stations and custom stations.

If you want to get upgraded music choices, check out these Slacker Radio subscriptions.

Slacker Radio Plus

Slacker Radio Plus is $3.99 a month. In addition to the handcrafted and custom radio stations, you get:

• Ad-free music
• Maximum quality audio
• Unlimited skips

There’s a Premium plan available with Slacker Radio too.

Slacker Radio Premium

The Slacker Radio Premium plan is $9.99 per month. You get all of the features of Slacker Radio Plus, and these other features as well:

• Offline listening
• Play on demand features

Lots of choices with Slacker Radio. Bonus: they have news stations and weather updates as well.

10. Amazon Prime Music

Amazon Prime music has ad-free music access to Amazon Prime members. They have curated playlists and personalized stations.

In addition, they have over 2 million songs you can stream. You can create your own personalized playlists too.

Amazon Prime Music works on supported devices such as:

• Echo devices
• PC and Mac computers
• Android and iOS smartphones
• Fire phones, tablets, TVs and sticks

And more. But again, this is only free if you’re an Amazon Prime member. If you’re not, you can subscribe to Amazon Music.

Amazon Music has a much bigger selection of tunes than the free

An Amazon Music membership comes with several options, including:

• Amazon Music Unlimited
• Amazon Music Unlimited for Students
• Amazon Music Unlimited Family Plan
• Amazon Music Unlimited Single Device Plan

See the Amazon Music website for information on what each plan costs.

11. Playlist

Playlist is a free music app with a twist. You can use it to listen with others and comment while you listen. It’s music and social media together.

You can also follow friends on Playlist and see what songs they like too. Playlist has over 40 million songs in their music library.

They have thousands of playlists as well. You can find playlists made by your friends or by Playlist’s music experts.

Playlist is a great app for connecting with friends through music. The social media aspect of Playlist is a nice touch, don’t you think?

Note that Playlist only works for iOS phones as of this writing.

13. AccuRadio

AccuRadio is a free music app that’s been around since 2000. Although they do play ads, they offer unlimited skips.

AccuRadio has dozens of music genres available, including:

• Country
• Christian
• Alternative Rock
• Celtic music
• Music by the decade (50’s, 60’s, 70’s, etc.)
• Top 40
• New Age
• Opera
• Punk and Underground
• Heavy Metal
• Regae
• Jazz
• Blues

And lots more. They even have the Spa Channel – soothing music for you to relax with. You can search for a specific artist or keyword with the AccuRadio search bar too.

Bonus: AccuRadio has a “buy music” option. This option allows you to purchase songs to listen to offline.

14. 8tracks

8tracks is a fun way to get cool, free music playlists. Check out some of the playlist genres they have:

• Workout essentials (great for when you’re at the gym)
• Party essentials
• Chill essentials
• Most popular
• Sleep songs
• Indie essentials
• Hip hop & rap essentials
• Study songs

And more. Within each genre they have dozens of playlist options with catchy titles. The playlists on 8tracks are created by users. This means you’ll find lots of interesting and refreshing music playlists.

You will have ads with your music if you choose 8tracks’ free option. However, they have a paid option too.

You can get unlimited, ad-free listening for just $4.99 per month. Oh, and the first 14 days are free.

15. Shazam

Shazam is a different kind of free music app. It is an app that recognizes music and TV around you.

It can tell you the name and artist of any song playing around you. It doesn’t matter whether it’s on your phone, on the TV or playing overhead at a store.

Shazam calls itself “the best way to discover, explore and share the music and TV you love.” Bonus: When you listen to artists on Shazam, they’ll tell you what they’re listening to these days as well.

When you tag a song, you can replay a small portion of it. No, you can’t replay the whole song. However, Shazam does include a link to a video of the song so you can listen to the whole thing.

Every time you listen to a song, you’ll get to see a biography of the artist. In addition, you’ll get recommended music from similar artists.

Note that Shazam comes as an add-on if you use Spotify. However, you can get the app as a standalone app too.

16. YouTube

My kids listen to tons of YouTube music videos – for free. YouTube has music videos uploaded by artists and music companies, and by users as well.

An independent user might upload a certain song, a list of songs by an artist or a playlist of different songs.

YouTube is a nice option because you can watch the music videos along with listening to the song. Some videos include the lyrics as well.

Note that you may not get the video – or lyrics – with all YouTube music uploads. This is because some are uploaded by amateurs and not by the actual artist recording company.

P.S. YouTube has a paid music listening app too. Their paid music app subscriptions start at $9.99 per month. They allow you to listen offline and ad-free.

17. Musi

Musi is an app that helps you create YouTube playlists. It’s free, but it’s only compatible with iOS as of this writing.

Musi allows you to organize your playlists as you wish. It has a social media component too: you can share your Musi playlists with friends.

Another cool thing about Musi: it does have ads with in the app – however the music isn’t interrupted by ads.

Bonus: Musi has a sleep timer. This is a great feature for those who like to fall asleep listening to music. Just set the timer for when you want your Musi app to shut down.

18. Spinrilla

Spinrilla works a bit differently than most free music apps. Spinrilla will let you download free hip-hop mixtapes.

Yes, only hip-hop. But it’s free, and you can listen offline as well. You won’t find that with most other free music apps.

They have single songs as well, and you can create your own playlists. In addition, you can share your music with friends too.

And if you’re an artist, Spinrilla will let you upload your own music to the site. Spinrilla can be a great venue for finding new, up and coming hip-hop artists as well.

And sort of like YouTube, Spinrilla has a comments section for songs. It allows you to leave comments on songs or mixtapes so you can share your thoughts with others.

19. Slicethepie

Slicethepie not only lets you listen to music for free – they pay you to do it! Every time you listen to a song and leave a review, you’ll earn cash.

This isn’t a typical way to listen to free music. However, it is a great way to discover new artists and up and coming songs.

When you’re ready to cash out, Slicethepie will send your money to you via PayPal. Yes, it does take time to leave a review, but the site also pays you to do so.

Slicethepie plays the whole version of each song. However, you only need to listen to 90 seconds of each track in order to leave a review.

Note that the better the review you leave, the more you’ll get paid for it. A “better” review is one that’s detailed, somewhat lengthy and written with proper grammar and spelling rules in mind.

Reviews that are written poorly won’t get paid very much. However, well written reviews can qualify for bonus payments too.

You need to earn a minimum of $10 before you can cash out with PayPal.

As I mentioned before, this isn’t a traditional way to listen to music. However, if you’re listening anyway and want to get paid, consider Slicethepie.

20. MusicBee

MusicBee is another free music app that works differently than most. MusicBee doesn’t give you free music to listen to.

Instead, MusicBee helps you to organize the music you have on your devices. It’ll help you find, manage and play music on your computer.

MusicBee supports podcasts and web radio stations too. It’s simple to import your device’s music to MusicBee using the MusicBee wizard.

It has an automatic tagging system with templates for your files. However, you can manually edit your tags as well.

Bonus: MusicBee displays pictures and lyrics while you’re listening to your songs.

MusicBee is a one-man operation – a guy manages the site for free in his spare time. If you like the way MusicBee organizes and plays your music, consider donating to PayPal to help cover the owner’s website expenses.

What Do I Need to Know About Free Music Apps?

You might be wondering where the catch is. I mean, are these free music apps really free? No one really gives anything away for free nowadays, do they?

Yes, the music apps mentioned here really are free. Here are answers to some common questions about free music apps.

Read them to learn all you need to know about playing music for free.

Are Free Music Apps Legal?

YES. Really – they are! The reason these sites can let you listen to music for free is because you’re only streaming the music. You can’t listen offline.

Many of the sites that play free music do have an option for you to listen offline. However, they will typically charge you for it.

The money you pay to download and keep songs is paid out, in portion, to artists and music companies. Because of this, you’re not illegally pirating the music.

So don’t worry: you’re completely within the confines of the law when listening to the free music apps mentioned here.

What Devices Can I Play My Free Music Apps on?

Every site that allows you to play free music has a list of devices. Some sites, like Playlist, only work on your Apple iOS phone.

Other sites let you listen on a variety of devices. In addition, there are plans within each music site. Some plans let you listen on any applicable device.

Other plans may only let you listen on one device. Check each site’s terms and conditions for information on which devices apply to each site and each plan within a site.

What’s the Catch?

Free music apps don’t necessarily have a “catch”. However, they do have rules and regulations. Be sure to read over the terms and rules of a free music site before you sign up.

You don’t want to end up having to pay them each month when you were planning on getting free music.

Most of the apps here have one or more paid subscription options. Know what those options are and how they work before you sign up.

And if you find a paid option might work better for you, know what you’re getting in to. Check things like subscription time periods. Can you cancel anytime or do you need to complete a certain number of months?

Are there cancellation fees? What do you get with each subscription package? These are the things you’ll want to know before you choose a paid music subscription option.

Just know what you’re getting into before signing on the proverbial dotted line.

Summary

You probably know you should be saving more money each month. Why not save money on the music you listen to? No more buying CDs or paying for music subscriptions.

Listening to music on free apps like the ones mentioned here can be a great way to get a large music selection for free.

Although you can’t download the songs in most cases, you can listen for free to your heart’s content. And as mentioned, some apps will let you listen offline as well. Just choose the app or apps that fit your music listening preferences.

If you want to be able to own the download versions of songs, there are many ways to do that. You can buy them individually on Amazon or through the apps mentioned here.

However, if you’re only wanting online listening, a free music app can be a great way to go.

Have you used any of the free music apps listed here? If so, which ones do you like best? Which ones do you not care for?

We’d love to hear your opinion. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Personal finance nerds will tell you to save as much as possible. Live in a box if you have to and achieve FI ASAP.

The YOLO crowd, on the other hand, will say “Save??? What for?” Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die, right?

Somewhere in between those two extremes lies the right answer for you. Here’s hoping the information we share today will help you find that answer.

Saving money is important for a number a reasons. Let’s start by discussing the “whys” of saving.

Why Saving Money is Important

Although the average person might disagree, saving money is important. According to this recent Trading Economics article, the average savings rate in America in July of 2018 was 6.7%.

This is a better number than we’ve seen in the past. However, is it enough? If you have an income of $50,000 per year, 6.7% equals $3,350 in savings each year. Whether that’s enough depends largely on you and your financial goals.

Saving money is important for a number of reasons. Saving money will help you set a hedge against future expenses.

For instance, saving money in an emergency fund will help you protect yourself against job loss. And against unexpected large expenses such as home repairs.

Saving money for retirement will help ensure you can indeed retire. And it will help you have enough money to cover post-retirement expenses.

Similarly, saving money for large purchases such as a car will help you stay out of debt. Can you save at least 20 percent down for your house purchase? If so, you’ll avoid having to pay private mortgage insurance.

Private mortgage insurance can easily run $150-$200 a month. Not having that expense will make managing your budget much easier.

And putting at least 20 percent down on your house will also help you protect yourself against a housing bubble burst like we had in 2007-08.

Saving money is important because it gives you a hedge against the many financial unexpecteds that can come up in life. Start saving today to help protect you and your family.

Having a plush savings account isn’t just for handling emergencies. You may want to start saving to create a better life for yourself.

Saving Money for the Good Things in Life

Saving money can help you achieve financial goals as well. Saving money isn’t just about protecting yourself against the bad. It’s about giving yourself a chance to experience the good in life.

Maybe you have a dream of traveling the world. Or of retiring early and helping the less fortunate. Saving enough money will help you achieve those dreams.

If you save enough you could spend a year living in another country such as Costa Rica. Or you could pay cash for a house.

Money isn’t everything. However, it certainly makes life easier when you’re not struggling for it. Having a plush savings account helps guarantee money won’t be a struggle.

But why is saving money so difficult? It seems like saving big money is left for the few. The rich. The $100k+ income earners.

If he were here, Ronald Read would tell you differently. He spent his life working as a janitor and a gas station attendant.

When he died at 92 he was worth over 8 million dollars. This Motley Fool story will show you how he did it.

If a janitor can become rich, why can’t more of us regular Janes and Joes do the same?

Why We as a Culture Don’t Save Much

I believe there are a few prominent reasons saving money is elusive these days. See if you agree with me.

We Live in a Consuming-Focused Society

Marketers and advertising companies have spent the last few decades conditioning us. They’ve worked to convince us that we “need” stuff. Or that our lives will be better with said stuff.

The guys in the beer commercials are always surrounded by hot chicks in bikinis on a nice boat. Women with the “right” clothes, shoes, hair and makeup are automatically happy.

In sending these messages, companies have convinced us that we need “stuff” to live well. What that “stuff” is doesn’t matter. Each of us falls prey to a different lure.

Maybe it’s the new car lure. Or the $200 jeans lure. Whatever you think you can buy that will increase your joy.

But the truth is that “stuff” only makes us happy for the short-term. Soon enough our new thing will become un-new. And we’ll want something else to replace the joy we felt when we first got it.

It’s a cycle that will never end until you stop falling for the lie. Happiness comes from within, not from the outside.

However, the lure of stuff isn’t the only nemesis to saving money. In many circles it’s not cool to not spend money.

It’s Not Cool to Save

Depending on your friend or family circle, it might not be cool to save. People living the YOLO life want others along with them for the ride.

After all, it’s more fun to spend with reckless abandon when someone’s doing it with you. If you want to increase your savings, find friends who have similar goals.

The online personal finance blog world is wonderful for connecting with savers. Some might say they’re too focused on saving.

And there has to be a balance. Life isn’t all about money – whether it’s saving it or spending it. If you’re abandoning all joy in life for the sake of a plush savings account that’s not good.

Somewhere in your life there lies a balance. You’ll find the ability to save more yet not stop living life. So, exactly how much money should you be saving?

How Much Money Should I Be Saving?

You might be wondering exactly how much money you should be saving. The answer to that question depends on you and your financial goals.

There’s no right or wrong answer to how much money you should save. Experts will give you target percentage amounts, and that’s okay.

However, it’s your life and your financial goals at stake. You’re the only one that can decide how much money you should save.

That being said, there are ways you can determine how much you should be saving.

Start with Your Goals

Consider starting by writing down your financial goals. What are they? An emergency fund with six months worth of expenses in it?

A million dollars so you can retire early and live off the interest? Paying off your mortgage in five years?

Whatever your financial goals are, write them down. Next, divide the amount of money you need by the number of months you want to have it in. Here’s an example.

Savings Scenario 1

Let’s say you have three financial goals:

1. To save $3,000 for a vacation in one year
2. Pay off your $5,000 car loan in two years
3. Save $10,000 for an emergency fund in three years

You’d divide your goals out like this:

• Vacation fund: $250 per month
• Car payoff: $208 per month going toward principal
• Emergency fund: $278 per month

You’ll need to find $736 per month to reach your savings goals. Let’s do another example with bigger goals.

Savings Scenario 2

Let’s say your financial goals look like this:

1. To save $20,000 for an emergency fund in two years
2. Pay off your mortgage of $125,000 in five years
3. Save $50,000 for your kid’s college fund in ten years

You’d divide your goals out like this:

• Emergency fund: $833 per month
• Mortgage payoff: 2,083 going toward principal each month
• College savings fund: $417 per month

Now you know you need to find $3,333 per month in your budget to go toward savings. If the savings number you’ve arrived at isn’t doable you’ll need to rethink your goals. Or you’ll need to find a way to bring in more money.

You might find that your savings goals seem daunting. That okay. A bit of discomfort won’t hurt you. In fact, you might find that discomfort motivates you to reach your goals as soon as possible.

But know that you’ll be going against the grain if you have big savings goals. We live in a culture that isn’t exactly keen on saving money. You may have to change your view about saving money.

How to Change Your View About Saving Money

Changing your view about saving can be difficult but it is possible. I like to view saving money as a twofold benefit:

• Saving money brings you peace as you protect yourself against emergencies
• Having a plush savings account means you’ll have money for fun stuff

In other words, saving brings you peace and saving brings you joy. My emergency fund means I don’t have to worry about large expenses.

My vacation fund means we get to go to Disney next year. And we won’t have a credit card bill waiting for us when we get home.

WOW. Doesn’t that sound awesome? Start changing your view about saving money. Stop  viewing it as a punishment.

Instead, view it as a gateway to freedom and peace. If you’re not used to doing so, changing your view about saving will take some work.

Use self-talk to help you change your attitude about saving. Say things to yourself like:

“It will be SO nice to have $20,000 in my emergency fund. Then if I get laid off I won’t have to worry about money.”

“I can’t wait to go to Jamaica next year and pay cash for it.”

“I’m so excited to buy that new-to-me car and not have to worry about a car payment.”

Psych yourself up. Retrain your mind so that saving becomes a good thing and not a roadblock to fun. Trust me: you’ll have a LOT more fun paying cash for a car than you will spending with reckless abandon.

There won’t be any residual guilt. You’ll be at peace knowing you saved and planned for your purchase.

Want to learn some ways to make saving easier? Try these tips.

Ways to Make Saving Easier

I’m the first to admit saving money can be hard. This can be especially true if you’ve never saved before. Or if you have a lower income. If you’re not into the habit of saving – or if you want to learn to save more – try these tips.

Automate Your Savings

One great way to make saving money easier is to have your bank or employer automate it. Put your savings on a “set it and forget it” plan.

If you never see the money in your checking account you’ll be less tempted to spend it. Just have it automatically deposited into savings. Then forget the savings account even exists.

I’m telling you it works. And it’s an easy way to have your savings account grow without much effort on your part. This next tip is similar, but different.

Treat Your Savings Like a Bill

When you pay your electric bill you just send in the money and forget about it. You don’t sit and ponder about other things you could do with that $100.

Treat your savings deposits the same way. Add them to your budget each month the same way you add other bills.

So many times we put money in savings – and then dream about all the fun we could have with it. A cool jacket goes on sale. Or your friends say “Let’s go to Vegas for the weekend!”

None of those ideas are bad in and of themselves. Just don’t consider your savings account balance as you ponder acting on them.

Remember: that money you put into savings, it’s gone. It’s the same as if you’d given it to your mortgage or utility company. The bill has been paid – forget about the money you used to pay it.

Some people recommend opening a savings account at a different bank. Keep it separate from your checking account. For instance, you could put it in a high-yield online account.

Do what you need to do to keep from withdrawing the money. After all, it is called a “savings” account.

Save Unexpected Money

Another way to save more money easier is to commit to saving all unexpected money. Unexpected money is any money outside of your regular earnings. Some examples of unexpected money can include:

• Money you get as a gift
• Bonus money from work
• Tax refunds
• Money you get from returning something
• Overtime money
• Unintentional overpayment of bills
• Money you find on the street/laying around the house

If you hadn’t planned on getting it, put that unexpected money straight to savings. Even if you had planned on getting it you can do that.

For instance, take tax refunds. Maybe you know you’re getting money back from Uncle Sam. Make a plan to spend it in a way that allows for goals and fun stuff. For example, save 40%, put 40% toward debt and blow 20%.

That way you’ll be able to have some fun with the refund, but also be able to work toward your financial goals. Another way to make saving money easier is to earn more money.

Earn More Money

If you’re finding it difficult to find money to save, consider earning more money. Here are some ideas for bringing more money into your life.

• Ask for overtime hours at work
• Get a second job, such as delivering pizzas or working retail
• Sell items you have at home that you no longer need or want
• Start a side hustle

A side hustle is a business you can run in your spare time. Want some ideas for side hustles? Consider these examples.

Freelance From Home

There are several types of work you could do from home as a freelancer. You could find graphic design gigs, writing gigs, editing gigs, data entry jobs and more.

Or, you could work as a virtual assistant. It’s not uncommon to make thousands of dollars a month as a virtual assistant. 

Other ideas include blog/website design, working as a customer service rep and selling handmade crafts on sites like Etsy.

Not interested in online work? Consider these ideas.

Start a Lawn Care Business

If you like mowing lawns or shoveling snow, why not start a lawn care business? Advertise to people in your neighborhood via flyers.

Care for Kids or Pets

If you’re great at caring for others, why not start a babysitting business? Or a pet sitting business? You could start a dog walking business or poo scooper business too. One easy way to get started is to advertise your services on Care.com.

Clean or Organize Homes

Are you good at cleaning and organization? People pay good money to have help with house cleaning. You could schedule weekly or monthly jobs as needed for loved ones or neighbors.

If organizing is your skill you could offer your services to people you know. Most homes have areas that need some organization.

Advertise your services to help clients organize basements, office spaces or garages.

Start a Handyman Business

If you’re good at fixing things around the house why not start a handyman business? Charge on a per-hour basis for small home repair tasks, assembly tasks and more.

There are so many ways you can earn more money. The ones mentioned here are just a few of the more common ideas.

Make a list of your skills and talents and use the list to come up with ideas of services you can offer. Take all of the money you make, set aside 30% for takes and put the rest in savings.

There are other ways to increase the amount of money you have to save. Why not cut expenses to have more money to save?

Ways to Cut Back on Expenses in Order to Save More

You have many options for cutting back on expenses in order to save money. Try some of these ideas for cutting costs and put the extra money into your savings each month.

Eliminate Unnecessary Services

How attached are you to your cable or satellite TV package? To your magazine subscriptions? Do you have a housekeeper or other services you could cancel?

Or at least cut back on? Go through your budget to find services you can live without. Even if it’s only for a year or two.

Rethink Self-Care Expenses

Salon trips and gym memberships are expensive. However, it’s important to take care of yourself too.

Have you considered working out at home or outside when the weather is nice? Or doing your own manicures and pedicures?

Maybe you could switch to a cheaper salon or gym. Look for ways you may be able to cut back on self-care expenses or eliminate them altogether.

Re-Assess Your Daily Living Costs

How much per month are you spending on groceries? On utilities and transportation? Would a little menu planning help you save money on groceries?

Could you cut down on transportation costs by carpooling or taking the bus? Can you find cheaper car insurance rates? Get creative with your expenditures and try and scale back.

Go through every line item on your budget (you have a budget, right?). Work to reduce or eliminate each expense.  Take the extra cash each month and put it straight into savings.

Okay, we’ve covered several ways to help you save more money. But you might be wondering how you should decide on your savings rate if you’re facing serious debt. Here are some thoughts.

How to Handle Saving When You’ve Got Debt

It can be tough to think about saving money when you’ve got oodles of debt payments each month. But saving money is still important even when you’ve got debt. Check out these suggestions.

Save at Least a Little Bit

Start automating your savings anyway – even if it’s just 1% of your income. Then move up from there. Make it 2%. Then 3%.

Getting used to saving in small increments makes it easier to save bigger money.

Remember That Paying off Debt is Still Saving Money

It might not feel like it, but in a way paying off debt is saving money. When you pay $500 on your credit card you’ve just increased your net worth by $500.

Provided that all other numbers remain the same, that is. Each time you pay money toward debt you’re bettering your financial situation.

You’re making it a little bit more secure, lowering your debt load, payments, etc. Give yourself credit where credit is due. Use the debt snowball method to eliminate payments as soon as possible.  You’ll get to a point eventually where you can increase your savings rate.

Transfer Debt to Low/No Interest Cards

If you’re facing a lot of debt, consider transferring some or all of it to low/no interest credit cards. The less interest you pay each month, the faster you’ll pay off your debt.

Look for good introductory credit card deals with no annual fee and a small or non-existent balance transfer fee.

Paying off your debt should definitely be top priority when you’re thinking about savings. But having at least some money in savings is important too.

Dave Ramsey recommends having $1,000 in savings before you start working on your debt snowball. This money helps cover unexpected expenses. That way you won’t have to resort to credit card usage if a small financial emergency arises.

Now that you’ve started your savings account, where should you house it? And when can you use it? Consider these thoughts.

What Do I Do with My Savings Money?

So, you’ve started a savings plan. You’re putting at least some money into savings each money. Earned interest will help it grow.

Before you decided where to put the money you need to determine its purpose. If it’s meant as an emergency fund it should stay in a no-risk account such as a high-interest bank savings account.

Are you using it to reach long-term goals such as early retirement? Then you may want to consider higher risk investments for more growth potential.

Talk to an investment expert for advice on how to invest the money. But if the savings are meant as a security blanket for your family, I advise against investing it.

After your emergency fund has 6 months worth of expenses, then you can save to invest. Once your savings is in place, this next step is important.

Only use the money for its intended purpose. You might find it tempting to buy something big once you’ve got $20k in the bank for emergencies.

Don’t do it. You could end up with some serious buyer’s remorse. Use the money for what you intended it for. Then save more money if you want to buy or do something big.

You’ll grow to like being covered financially for all of your future needs. It’s a peace that can only be understood once you have it.

So, how much money are you saving these days? Did this article help you think of ways to save more? How do you find more money for saving? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment for us!

The truth is the diamond industry will tell you that any “reasonable” or decent person will spend at least two-to-three months’ worth of salary on the ring.

And there is this preconceived notion that the more you spend on the ring, the more you love your girl. Or the more deserving she is of a big rock. Or, the more financial stable you are.

In other words, a big rock shows you are wealthy. It shows you are fully in love with your girl and that she is the BEST girl on earth. This is the message that society has pawned off on us.

And the same message follows in many ways when it comes to the cost of the wedding.

However, there is a lot more to think about when it comes to marriage besides the wedding and the ring.

If you’re planning on getting engaged I encourage you to read this post before doing so. The information here could save your pocketbook and your impending marriage.

How Should I Decide How Much to Spend on an Engagement Ring

Are you listening to industry-imputed standards when it comes to buying the ring? If so, you can plan on spending 2 to 3 months’ worth of your salary on said ring. However, that number was created by the diamond industry.

Their goal with that advertising tactic? Get more business and make more money.

I’m assuming your goal in getting engaged isn’t to line the pockets of the jewelry industry. If it is, go ahead and spend 3 months’ worth of your salary on a ring. Now, that’s not a bad thing. It’s just that you should plan a bit before you spend. If your goal is to have a long and prosperous marriage, read on.

There are several factors you should consider when deciding how much to spend on the ring. It’s not bad to spend a lot on a ring. It’s just that you should consider certain factors before doing so. Here they are, in no particular order.

Factor #1: Determine What Your Girl Wants

Like it or not, your wife-to-be’s opinion matters when it comes to the ring. After all, she’s the one who has to wear it every day. You want her to be proud of the ring sitting on her finger, right?

Here’s the deal – not gonna lie. Most girls do care at least a little bit about the size of the rock. Not all, but most. After all, her friends and family members are gonna want to see that baby. And your girl is gonna want to show it off.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to get the biggest rock your credit limit will allow. There are other ways you can show your love for her. How you treat her on a day-to-day basis matters immensely, for example.

But as far as the ring goes, start listening for hints from her. Leave a jewelry ad laying on your coffee table. Watch and see what grabs her attention.

If the engagement is planned and not a surprise, do some window shopping together. See what types of rings she gravitates toward. Then, keep them in mind.

Finding out what your girl wants is important. But so is the next step: determining what you can afford to spend.

Factor #2: Figure Out What You Can Afford

Figuring out what you can afford to spend on an engagement ring is vital. Yes, you may have twenty grand in credit card limits open and waiting. Or, the jewelry store might happily loan you $30k for a ring.

That doesn’t mean you should spend it. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help determine what you can afford to spend.

What is My Current Income?

What is your current take-home monthly pay? Not gross – take-home. You’ll want to know exactly how much cash you have coming in each month. That is the important determining factor.

This is a simple question to find the answer to. Just look at your last month’s worth of paychecks. If you get paid twice a month and each check is $1,000, then your monthly take-home pay is $2,000.

Your monthly income is an important factor in the ring cost decision. After you get married you and your wife will be a family. And part of your job as a member of said family is to make smart decisions along with your wife. Financial and otherwise.

Now let’s move onto factor #3.

Factor #3: Assess Your Overall Financial Situation(s)

This is an important step. Both you and your wife-to-be have a financial picture. You’ve got money in a checking or savings account (hopefully both).

You may have consumer debt, student loan debt, car debt or other debt. I’d encourage you to sit down and make a list of what you have in cash including investments. Don’t forget retirement savings.

Now make a list of any debts you owe.

Next, have your girl do the same – or do this together with her. You don’t have to tell her you’re planning on popping the question. If the engagement is a surprise, just make up a believable story about how you read a great article on Money Peach about 4 people who became millionaires.

Or, actually read the article. It will inspire you!!  Then tell your girl you want to make a plan for your own journey to millionaire status. And ask her if she wants to join you.

The reason you’ll want to try and get an idea of your girl’s financial situation too is simple. Once you’re married, her debt becomes your debt. You’ll need to know what you’re facing so you can make a plan to pay off the debt.

And, your individual debt amounts should influence how much you spend on the ring. If you’re both drowning in debt, you’ll want to seriously consider spending less. Here’s why.

Why Your Financial Situation Matters

This recent Dave Ramsey Solutions article says that money issues are the number two leading cause of divorce. Infidelity is number one.

In fact, money is the number one issue couples fight about. If you want to give your marriage a strong foundation to build on, start with solid financial ground.

Sit down and analyze your financial situation and your girlfriend’s financial situation. If you’re facing debt or a lack of savings, make a plan for improvement.

Follow the link above about how to pay off debt and start moving toward debt freedom. Automate a savings deposit amount each paycheck. Your employer’s human resources department should be able to help you do this.

The point is that establishing a great financial foundation for your marriage is important. And that starts with carefully considering engagement and wedding costs.

Once you know what your financial situations are you can move forward with the ring purchase.

Okay, so you have some tips for finding what your girl wants. And you’ve got a clear picture of both your financial situations. You should have some idea of what you want to spend on the ring. Now it’s time to shop.

Luckily, I’ve got some ideas for you for saving money on said ring. Here are some tips.

Ways to Save Money When You Buy Your Engagement Ring

Even if you’ve agreed that you want traditional rings, there are ways to save money when you buy. Check out these options for saving money on engagement rings.

Buy Your Engagement Ring Online

Buying an engagement ring in a store can be very emotional. You and your girl, trying on ring after ring. A smooth-talking salesperson buttering you up.

Images of a grand wedding playing in your head as your girl models different rocks. It can all be very enticing. And it can make you want to spent more.

Not to mention the fact that brick and mortar jewelry stores have more operating costs. This typically means that their prices will be higher.

Conversely, online diamond sellers don’t have as high of operating expenses. Therefore they can often sell rings for less.

Plus, shopping online is much less emotional that shopping for rings in person. You can keep your head on straight and not get caught up in the whimsy of it all.

Two popular online ring retailers are James Allen and Blue Nile. Both sites have pre-made rings and allow you to custom design a ring too.

At the very least, consider visiting an online retailer before you head into a store. Compare prices and write down cost comparisons before you buy.

Bonus: both online and in-store diamond retailers have sales – take advantage of one if you can.

Know the Four C’s of Diamonds Before You Buy

Before you buy a diamond you may want to have an idea of what to look for. And what to watch out for. As with any industry, not all diamond sellers are honest.

People have gotten taken as they buy engagement rings. Don’t let that be you. Let’s talk a little bit about diamond characteristics.

Diamonds are classified by the four C’s: cut, clarity, color and carat. Here’s what you need to know about each.

The Cut

The cut of a diamond refers to its shape and to how effectively it reflects light. A diamond that’s cut well will appear brilliant and “sparkly”.

A poorly cut diamond will appear dark and “lifeless”. A well-cut diamond can also appear larger than its poorly-cut counterpart of the same size.

The Clarity

Diamond clarity grades range from FL to I3. Here are some definitions that will help you as you shop.

• FL is considered a flawless diamond. It has no visible inclusions blemishes to a skilled grader (inspector) using a 10x magnification tool. P.S. only 1 in 5,000 diamonds are considered flawless
• IF means internally flawless. They appear identical to a FL diamond unless viewed under 10x magnification (by an expert grader) These diamonds are also very rare
• VVS1-VVS2 means the diamond has very, very slight inclusions. They are clearly visible to a grader with 10x magnification but aren’t visible to the naked eye
• VS1-VS2 diamonds have “very” slight inclusions as opposed to “very, very” slight inclusions. Inclusions are generally not detectable to the naked eye
• SI1-SI2 diamonds have inclusions that are slightly detectable to the naked eye
• I1-I3 diamonds have inclusions that are usually visible to the naked eye

Be sure you know the clarity factor of the diamond you choose. The more flawless the diamond is, the higher the price of the ring will be.

The Color

The color of a diamond refers to color of the diamond. Diamonds can range in color from clear to a pale yellow. The more “colorless” a diamond is, the higher the quality is considered.

A diamond’s color is reflected by its grade. Here are some color grade descriptions you can use as you shop.

• D through F diamonds are considered colorless. These are your most expensive diamonds and have no yellow in them.
• G through J diamonds have a faint yellow color in them. They are called “near colorless”.
• K though M diamonds are stones where the color begins to be detectable to the naked eye
• N through R diamonds have an easily seen yellow or brown tint
• S through Z diamonds generally have too much color to be considered a white diamond

Generally, shoppers looking to save money on a ring will select a color in the G through J arena. Note that the color of the gold in your ring will matter when selecting a color grade.

If you choose a yellow gold setting instead of a white gold setting, it will generally make the diamond appear more yellow.

The Carat Weight

The carat weight refers to the weight of a diamond. The more carats a diamond has, the more expensive it will be – all other factors considered.

For example, a diamond with N through R color that weighs a carat might cost less than a D color diamond that weighs half a carat.

It’s important to take all four of the “C”s into account when you shop. You might decide you’d rather have a small flawless diamond than a larger one with visible flaws.

Only you and your beloved can make that decision, however. I’d encourage you to think about that before you make a purchase decision.

Consider Diamond Alternatives

If your girl is in agreement, you could consider some less expensive diamond alternatives. Here are some options.

Cubic Zirconia

Cubic Zirconia is a manufactured stone that’s made to look like a diamond. CZ is made to look like a flawless diamond. This “perfect” stone can be a giveaway to someone who knows diamonds.

But most people probably won’t ever know unless you tell them. Just make sure your girl knows and agrees if you go this route. You don’t want her to inadvertently find out.

The cost savings on CZ rings are extensive. Whereas a 1-carat real diamond can cost $1500 or more, a 1-carat CZ diamond can go for $20.

Of course, you could have the CZ stone set in a real gold ring for added value. Again, be sure your girl knows you’re going the CZ route before buying. Honesty is paramount in a marriage.

Buy A Different Type of Gemstone

There are other gemstones that typically cost less than diamonds. You could get an engagement ring that has a different gemstone in it.

Maybe you could get a stone that reflects your girl’s birthday month. Here are a list of months and coordinating gemstones.

• January – Garnet
• February – Amethyst
• March – Aquamarine
• April – Diamond
• May – Emerald
• June – Pearl
• July – Ruby
• August – Peridot
• September – Sapphire
• October – Tourmaline
• November – Citrine
• December – Tanzanite

I have a friend that has an Amethyst as the main stone in her wedding ring. My stepmom has a Tanzanite stone in her ring.

Bonus: if you’re using a different gemstone in your ring you can get a bigger rock for less.

Buy a Ring that Has Sentimental Value

Sentimental value is important when it comes to engagement ring purchase. I know people who have spent very little (comparatively) on their rings and love them.

Once couple I know found some adorable rings at a flea market. They’re not expensive, but the couple loves the unique design. And they know they’ll never see another couple with the same set.

Another couple I know has tattooed wedding rings on their left hands. They created the tattoo design themselves. Again, sentimental and inexpensive.

Maybe you have a family ring – one that your grandma or mom wore – that you want to give her.

Conversely, maybe your girl is a Trekkie and would love a Star Trek ring.

Or maybe not. You both might be into Star Trek now. But 30 years from now she might wish she had a more traditional ring.

The point is to consider the sentimental factor. Which ring will best symbolize your love for each other?  Which will be a daily reminder of your love and friendship?

Consider the sentimental factor as you go ring shopping, and not just the size of the rock.

As you can see, there are many ways you can spend less on an engagement ring. You might decide in the end that you want a traditional diamond.

And that’s okay. It’s just nice to know there are options.

How to Pay for Your Engagement Ring

Now that you know a bit about engagement rings, it’s time to pony up the cash. If you don’t already have it set aside, here are some tips for saving the money.

Get Some Side Hustle Income

A side hustle is an income earning activity that is in additional to your traditional job. A side hustle can be anything from delivering pizza to starting a lawn care business.

Here’s a list of 84 side hustle ideas to get you started on earning cash for that ring.

In a big hurry? Check out this post on 46 Ways to Get Money Quickly.

Automate Your Savings

Another way to save up some cash to pay for the ring is to automate your savings. Take the amount of money you want to spend on the ring. Divide it by the number of months you want to have the ring in.

Then, have your bank take that dollar amount from your checking account and put into your saving account. Have them automate the transfer every month until you’ve saved enough.

Your employer might be able to divvy up your paycheck and put some in savings each payday too.

Sell Your Stuff

Do you have items lying around the house that you no longer use? Maybe you have a gaming system or recreational vehicle you can sell.

Or maybe you can sell that expensive car with the big payment. Buy a quality used car instead. Take the cash you’ve saved and use that to buy your girl’s engagement ring.

Similarly, you might have some non-retirement investment funds you could sell to get the cash. Try to come up with ideas for paying cash for the ring as opposed to financing it.

It’ll make that big moment all the sweeter.

Oh, and as a bonus, here’s the Money Peach post on 7 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding.

Now that you’re engaged, you’ll have a wedding to plan!

Summary

At the end of the day, only you can decide how much you want to spend on the ring. An engagement ring is one of the most important purchases you can make.

I’d encourage you to take all of these factors into consideration as you shop. Getting married is one of life’s few very important milestones.

Choose your ring accordingly. Determine what matters most as you choose a ring to give to your beloved. And think long-term about the financial implications of your purchase.

An expensive ring is perfectly fine – as long as it doesn’t put you in dire financial straits. Wishing you the best of luck as you begin your new life as a married couple!

What are your thoughts regarding how much to spend on engagement rings? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Five years later I’m still making a steady income that helps me stay home with my kids and yet still support them. Luckily, freelance writing isn’t the only business you can run from home.

Along with many other work-from-home options, you can also become a virtual assistant and work from home. In fact, some virtual assistants, like Money Peach’s own virtual assistant Kayla Sloan, make more than $10,000 a month!

At this point you might be wondering: What is a Virtual Assistant? And how can I become one? Well, my friend, this is your lucky day.

In this article, I’m going to tell you exactly what a Virtual Assistant is. And I’m going to show you how you can become one and start making money from home too.

If you’re looking to run a successful business from home; one where you can:

• Create your own working schedule
• Design your working hours around your “real” life
• Determine your income
• Make a difference

Then you might like working as a virtual assistant. Read on, and see if working as a Virtual Assistant from home might be your dream job.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

You might be wondering what exactly a virtual assistant is and what one does. Well, simply put, a Virtual Assistant assists people with their online and brick-and-mortar businesses.

When you start working as a VA, your goal will be to help people run their lives more efficiently. So, are you great at being a support person and helping others wade through their to-do lists?

Do you have a knack for being organized and helping others organize their lives? Then keep reading for more information on exactly what a Virtual Assistant does.

How Much Money Can I Make as a Virtual Assistant?

One of the great things about working as a Virtual Assistant is that the money you’ll earn is often well above minimum wage.

In the United States, it’s not uncommon to earn $20-$30 an hour, or more, working as a VA. Virtual Assistants who have established a reputation for being great at what they do can earn much higher wages.

When you first start your VA business you may need to take a lower wage in order to sell yourself. Consider asking for $15 an hour, for example, to attract clients to give you a chance.

If you don’t live in the U.S. you can certainly still work as a Virtual Assistant. People hire VA’s who live outside of the U.S. all the time.

If you are a resident of another country, expect to earn an hourly wage that is consistent with your country’s income earnings.

What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

A Virtual Assistant can do any number of tasks designed to help people with their businesses. When you start your own VA business, you can customize the business to do the types of tasks that are best suited for your skills and interests.

Here is a list of some of the types of tasks you might be asked to do as a VA.

• Data Entry
• Website design and/or website management
• Customer support tasks such as processing orders and/or refunds
• Graphic design tasks
• Content creation or management for blogs
• Schedule management for business owners or individuals
• Bookkeeping
• Social media management
• Content research
• SEO research or management
• Video creation or editing

And more. The list of items you may be asked to do as a VA is pretty long. However, the good news is that when you start your own VA business, you’re in charge.

You get to decide which tasks you’ll do as a VA and which you won’t. And you can customize that list based on your own goals, skills and talents.

If you’re feeling uncertain about your ability to work as a VA, don’t worry. I’ll share a list of skills that can help you determine if working as a Virtual Assistant is right for you.

What Skills do I Need to Have to Become a Virtual Assistant?

Depending on what types of services you offer for your VA business, the necessary skills you need will vary. Here are some examples of skills that work well with being a Virtual Assistant.

• Organization skills
• Customer service skills
• Administrative skills
• Technical skills
• Communication skills

Now, let’s break down each of these skill sets a little further so you can get a better idea of what you need to know.

Organization Skills

Organization skills are an essential element to being a successful Virtual Assistant. Many people who hire VAs do so because they lack the time or skills to run their businesses in an organized manner.

As a Virtual Assistant, you’ll be helping people bring calm to their life or business’ chaos. For instance, if you work as a VA for a blogger, you’ll help them run their blog more efficiently.

You might review and edit articles, and schedule those articles for publication on the blog site. If you work as a VA for a public speaker, you might help them organize speaking engagements and other commitments.

Or, if you work for a VA for a company president, you might help him or her keep track of meetings and other tasks.

Depending on what type of business owner you’re working as a VA for, your tasks will vary. But on some level, most of those tasks will require you to be able to organize them successfully.

Not organized by nature? No worries: organization is a skill set that can be learned. However, you will need to take time to learn and implement organization skills if they don’t come naturally to you.

Now let’s talk about the customer service part of being a Virtual Assistant.

Customer Service Skills

A successful VA also has great customer service skills. I’ve heard it said that good customer service skills are defined by this one skill:

The ability to make bad things that happen to a client go away quickly.

While this is definitely a true definition of good customer service, there is also another aspect to it. Good customer service skills lie in your ability to ensure life runs smoother.

A Virtual Assistant needs to be committed to providing good customer service to their client. And they often need to be committed to providing good customer service to their clients’ clients.

As an example, that might mean helping ensure your client’s customer gets their order quickly and correctly. Or making sure the customer gets a fast refund on a product they returned.

In the case of providing good service to your client, you may need to help ensure your client’s deadlines are met. Or you may need to help him or her retain travel plans.

If you have a service-oriented heart – one where client care is a top concern – you’re on the right track.

As a person who’s won several corporate awards for good customer service, I can tell you this:

Providing good customer service requires a very others-focused view in life. A successful VA has a goal of ensuring the lives and businesses of his/her clients run smoothly.

That might mean taking on tasks that aren’t your client’s strong area of expertise. Or putting out fires that come up in the form of unhappy customers or missed deadlines.

In short, good customer service means in a lot of ways that you are responsible for being a detective of sorts. You look for ways to help your clients run life more efficiently.

Then you help those same clients implement a system to make that efficiency a regular part of their life. Next, we’ll talk about some potential administrative skills you may need as a VA.

Administrative Skills

Administrative skills are another important part of being a successful Virtual Assistant. Here is a list of some of the administrative skills it might be helpful to know as a VA.

Planning and Scheduling Skills

Virtual Assistants are often responsible for assisting clients in planning a work or daily schedule. For instance, you might coordinate speaking engagements or team meetings. Or, you might coordinate sales meetings with potential new clients.

Depending on the type of business you’re helping a client run, scheduling duties may vary.

Calendar Management Skills

VAs also might help a client with calendar management. For instance, a client will want you to schedule in regular gym workouts around client or team meetings.

They’ll ask you to find a way to fit in all that they have to do. This might require working with other people to find coordinating openings in schedules.

Record Keeping Skills

Record keeping is often another important job for Virtual Assistants. You might be asked to organize documentation of client sales or of meetings with potential clients. Or, you may assist a client in processing and tracking client payments or balances due on bills.

In short, you might be asked to keep the paperwork part of a client’s business in good order.

Staff Management Skills

Many Virtual Assistants are also responsible for staff management. Our own Kayla Sloan, who is the VA for Money Peach, is responsible for designating writing assignments to the team’s writers.

Other VA positions might have you coordinate conference calls or team meetings. Or, you might be responsible for training new staff on how things are done at the company.

Depending on the what your client needs, your staff management duties will vary. These types of skills can help increase your earnings as a VA.

Research Skills

Research can be another part of a Virtual Assistant’s job. For example, Kayla might be asked to research article ideas for Money Peach that readers would find interesting.

A blog client might ask you to do the same. Conversely, a client who runs a retail store might ask you to research ideas for products to sell.

As a VA you need to be willing to take the time to find what your client needs you to find.

Technical Skills

Technical Skills are another part of many Virtual Assistant careers. For example, since you’re working remotely, you’ll need to have basic computer skills.

You’ll need to know how to work with Word, with Excel and with similar software programs. You may need to learn how to work with task management systems such as Asana or Trello.

Or, you may need to know how to operate the various social media outlets such as Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. This is because many clients hire VAs to help with social media management.

If you don’t have these skills now, don’t worry; they can be learned.

Communication Skills

Good communication skills are another important part of a successful Virtual Assistant business. Since you’re responsible for managing your client’s business in many ways, you’ll need to be able to communicate to the team what needs to be done – before it needs to be done.

For instance, Kayla has set up a communication system where our writing team gets advanced notice of articles due. When I have an article due for Money Peach, I’ll get several notices reminding me of the due date.

This helps me as a writer stay on top of my assignments. And it helps Peach ensure new articles are published in a timely and consistent manner.

The more services you are able to offer as a VA, the more clients you can gain. Luckily all of the services a VA offers can be learned.

Working as a VA also requires a bit of intuition. You need to have the ability to see what your client needs before they know it. Contrary to popular belief, this is a skill that can be learned as well.

Why You Might Like Working as a Virtual Assistant

So, what are some of the benefits of working as a VA? Let’s talk about them here.

Flexibility

First and foremost, working as a VA can be a very flexible business. Since you’re working from home, you can do many of your tasks in your pajamas in your home office.

Many VA jobs have a large list of remote tasks, which means you can complete those tasks at your convenience.

For instance, a client might say “I need you to complete this data entry task by Friday at 9 a.m.” Whether you complete the job at 3 in the morning on Thursday or 5 p.m. on Wednesday is up to you.

Variety

Another great thing about working as a Virtual Assistant is that the business usually involves quite a bit of variety. Since you’ll likely be doing many different tasks, you’ll never be bored.

Control

As a Virtual Assistant you’ll be considered a contracted worker. Basically, this means you’ll be responsible for keeping track of your business expenses. You’ll also be responsible for paying taxes on the income you earn.

Bonus: you get to choose what types of tasks you offer as a Virtual Assistant. Since you’re technically self-employed, you can choose to offer services that best fit your skills and interests.

Although there are some extra aspects of work as a business owner, the control you have is nice. You can designate nearly every aspect of your work and plan as you please.

Higher Earnings

Another positive about being a Virtual Assistant is that your hourly wage could potentially be higher than it would if you were working for a company.

When you work as an assistant for a company, they take part of the profit. However, when you work as a self-employed Virtual Assistant, the money is all yours.

Kayla was working as a credit analyst for a small town bank before she started working as a VA. Her income today is four times what it was working as a credit analyst!

When you have your own VA business you don’t have to split the income with anyone you don’t want to. How does that sound?

Ready to learn more? Let’s talk about some steps you can take to start your own business as a Virtual Assistant.

How to Start Your Own Virtual Assistant Business

So, you know what a Virtual Assistant does. Another very important question lies ahead. How do you get started in a career as a VA?

When Money Peach’s Virtual Assistant, Kayla, started her business, she had to start from scratch. It took her years to learn important aspects of a Virtual Assistant Business, such as:

• What services you should offer – and what services you shouldn’t
• How to get the best clients and earn the most money
• Tips for running your business with optimum efficiency
• How to negotiate a contract

And more.

But the good news is that you don’t have to start from scratch. When Kayla learned to optimize her business, she grew her income to over $10,000 per month. She knew she could help others do the same, so she created a course to help you do exactly that.

Her program help people like you skip the tough up-front work and go straight to earning money.

With Kayla’s program, $10K VA, you’ll have all the tools you need to start your own Virtual Assistant business.

Bonus: Depending on where you’re at in your work-from-home journey, Kayla’s $10K VA course has three separate options for you to get started with.

The Basic Starter Package

The $10K VA Basic Starter Package requires a small investment of only $197. This course will teach you everything you need to know from the basics to the advanced. You’ll learn how to start and scale your business to reach your income goals and beyond!

The Standard Package

Kayla’s $10K VA Standard Package is a $297 investment. This course will teach you everything from the Starter Package, plus you also get access to a Bonus Video Module where Kayla interviews other successful VAs who share their insider tips and tricks from their own successful businesses. She also brings on guest experts each month to help you learn new skills so that you can offer new services to your clients!

The Pro Package

The $10K VA Pro Package is for those who truly want to make their Virtual Assistant business into an established and flourishing business. The Pro Package requires a pleasingly affordable investment of just $397.

The program offers much more than the other two courses, including one-on-one coaching sessions with Kayla to get all of your questions answered, plus an exclusive group where you will get actual leads from Kayla’s network of business owners who are looking to hire a VA. These leads will more than pay for your entire investment!

BONUS: The Money Peach Discount!

As  you can see, Kayla’s $10K VA course offers much more of a return on your investment than other courses do. You’ll only pay once to get Kayla’s step-by-step blueprint on starting and operating your own successful Virtual Assistant business.

But because Kayla is Money Peach’s first virtual assistant, Kayla’s offering a special additional discount for Money Peach readers.

When you type in the promo code PEACH, you’ll get $50 off whichever course you choose. What an incredible deal! If you’re serious about making money as you work from home, this is your opportunity.

Claim your $50 Discount!

Everything you need to know about starting your Virtual Assistant business can be found in the Pro Package. And since the course is self-directed, you can work at your own pace. You can finish up as quickly as you want. Or, you can take your time and learn as your schedule permits.

Kayla’s course will teach you how to start and how to scale your business. You’ll even learn how to add your own VA to help you with your business for if it grows too big for just one person to run.

And, you’ll have lifetime access to Kayla’s business running wisdom. You’ll also get access to free, downloadable worksheets for everything you need to run your business.

In addition, you’ll earn other important aspects to owning and running a Virtual Assistant business, such as:

• How to choose a business structure
• Tips to find clients
• How to network efficiently
• Deciding on a pricing structure
• How to raise your rates so you can continue to earn more money
• How to start your business website
• The basics of contracts and invoicing

And more!

Kayla has proven that she knows how to start and grow a successful business as a Virtual Assistant. Now, let her teach you to do the same.

Kayla regularly has to turn clients away due to her busy workload. This means there’s more than enough clients for you to choose from in your own VA business. In other words, Kayla’s happy to share the Virtual Assistant wealth with anyone who wants to earn it.

Being an Employee as a Virtual Assistant

Know that you do have the option to be employed with a company as a Virtual Assistant. There are some business owners and companies that seek out VA’s as employees.

However, there are pros and cons that you need to know about if you choose to be an employee.

The Pros

You won’t have to keep track of income and expenses as an employee in a VA position. Your employer will do that for you and you’ll just collect your check.

Another pro of working for someone in an employee capacity is that you won’t have to grow your business. Once you’re hired you will keep your job – as long as you’re good at it.

A person who is employed with a company as a VA has a steady income. Your paycheck will be the same every week. Some people prefer the stability of that.

However, there are downsides to working as an employee in a VA job or any job.

The Cons

If you work as an employee in a VA position, you likely won’t be able to make your own work schedule. The company will likely have certain days and hours they’ll want you to work.

Also, if you’re employed by someone else you won’t be able to control your earnings. When you have your own VA business YOU decide how much money you’ll earn.

Similarly, if you’re employed by someone as an employee you don’t get to choose the services you offer. You simply show up and do what you’re told to do.

Final Thoughts

If you decide you want to generate income from home as a Virtual Assistant but don’t want to start your own business, being a virtual assistant employee does come with some benefits, like a predictable paycheck, and the ability to just show up and do the work without worry about the other aspects of owning a business.

However, as someone who has had their own freelance writing business for five years now, I have to say that I love the freedom it provides.

Working for yourself has so many wonderful benefits. You get to choose your work schedule, your job duties and your income level.

You don’t have to worry about working for people you don’t get along with. If you end up with a client that’s difficult to work with, you simply stop providing services for them.

When you work as a Virtual Assistant in a business owner capacity, you have choices. Choices that aren’t available to many people who work in an employee capacity.

If you like the idea of helping people in an administrative capacity, and like the idea of business ownership, consider working as a VA.

Yes, it will take some work to get started and build an established business. Kayla’s $10K VA program can certainly help speed up the growth of your business.

However, you have to take the initiative and commit to working the course and your business. Are you ready to stop being tied to dismal earnings and mundane jobs? Tired of other people telling you what to do and when?

Or tired of being away from your loved ones while you sit at a desk? Consider working as an independent Virtual Assistant. Like Kayla, you might find more freedom than you ever imagined possible. And the pay…well, it’s a great way to make a living. 😉

It’s not uncommon to pay as much as $200 a month or more to get all of your favorite sports cable channels. That’s a lot of cash — enough to pay for a nice little annual vacation.

But what if I told you that you could potentially stream your favorite sports teams or channels for free? I’m willing to bet I now have the attention of you sports-loving guys and gals, as well as your oh-so-patient spouses who might be sick and tired of shelling out big time cash for your sports watching addiction. 🙂

Yes, believe it or not, there are options out there that will allow you to stream sports for free.

However, you need to know that the majority of the mainstream sports programs you probably watch aren’t truly available to stream for free.

Check out the details below on each free sports streaming option and find out if they’re truly free. You’ll also find out what you can watch for free — and what you can’t — on each venue.

But also know that there are other options for sports streaming that may not be free but can save you money over traditional cable and satellite options. We’ll discuss those too.

The Best Ways for Free Sports Streaming Free

Here are some of the best ways you can stream sports for free and save money on your cable or satellite bill. We’ll talk about what you’ll find for free on each site. Read on to learn the truth about what they really offer viewers who don’t pay for some sort of subscription.

ESPN

Yes, you can get ESPN 1, 2, 3, all the way up to ESPN8MM when you pay for it with your cable or satellite subscription.

OR, you can stream it for free. When you go to the ESPN website, you’ve got several free sports streaming options. For no cost at all you can stream:

• Football
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Soccer
• Hockey
• Golf
• Tennis
• And more

Not every sports game is available to stream for free on ESPN. Some games are allowed to be streamed for free. Most games are not. In fact, you’ll find a pretty small selection of games and shows that you can stream for free.

Most of ESPN’s online programs require login access from your cable or satellite company. ESPN also has its own streaming service, ESPN+, for only $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year.

It’s important to know that ESPN+ doesn’t give you access to all sports games, either. Noticeably absent from its streaming schedule are the BIG games. The football and baseball games you can’t miss.

But they do promise to aire one MLB game each day and a large host of other sports games and shows.

If you’re not too picky about your content, though, you can check out ESPN’s free streaming selection to get your sports fix.

Facebook Watch

Facebook Watch is Facebook’s streaming service. The service kicked off in August 2017. The free streaming service largely features personalized video recommendations.

The videos feature a variety of different topics:

• Recipes
• Motivational talks
• TV show and movie clips
• Stand-up comedy clips

Just to name a few. The service also has some sports viewing options. They’ll show one MLB game per week, as well as soccer, basketball and other sports games.

You may also find varying professional sports games uploaded onto the site by Facebook users. These aren’t official videos, but they’re there.

Along with sports games, you’ll have access to various sports news shows and videos.

To get access to the official sports videos, you need to start by having a Facebook account. Note that your Facebook account has to follow the sports organizations you want to watch in order for games or shows to populate.

For instance, if you like baseball, you need to follow the official MLB Facebook site to get access to games. So, after you’ve followed the channel you like (in my case it’s MLB live), you get on the Facebook Watch page: Facebook Watch.

If you aren’t already logged in, the site will prompt you to do so. From there, you can see the shows and organizations on the left sidebar. They’ll show every sports organization you’re following on Facebook.

When you click on the organization’s Facebook page, it will populate the sports events that are available for you to watch.

I found this avenue for free sports streaming to be easy and convenient.

Yahoo Sports

Yahoo Sports is another popular service that’s mentioned as a way to stream sports for free. The site definitely has a lot of sports news. The articles featured there are almost endless.

However you won’t find any games on the site. Instead, you’ll find links to services that will let you stream sports for a price, such as Sling TV, which we’ll talk about later.

Fox Sports

You would think that Fox Sports would be the ultimate place for free sports streaming, next to ESPN. The Fox Sports website has loads of videos sharing news about the latest sports figures, coaches, etc.

The site also features video links to a variety of games such as baseball, football, soccer, etc. However, when you click to watch a game, you’ll be directed to Fox Sports Go. Browsing on Fox Sports Go – and even watching games there – is free.

However, in order to access viewing privileges, you have to log in with your TV service provider. In other words, you have to pay for a TV viewing service to get access to the Fox Sports Go free streaming games. Close to free sports streaming, but no cookie.

Laola 1

Laola 1 is another streaming site that’s often mentioned in free sports streaming articles. The site definitely does stream sports for free. And while it’s a Germany-based site, you can click on “English” in the bottom taskbar and watch shows narrated in English.

The problem with this site is that you won’t find any of the popular sporting events available here. No NFL, MLB or NBA. Instead, you’ll find loads of games such as volleyball and some soccer games.

This site does include commercials in its streamed videos, however you can sign up for their Premium non-commercial service for just a few dollars a month.

Also, many of the events they claim to stream will just reroute you to another paid service.

Alternatives to Free Sports Streaming

So, we’ve covered five of the most popular free sports streaming services. In the end, it turns out they’re really nothing special. Most of them offer sports news and articles, but not anything worth getting excited about.

Are there other options than paying an arm and a leg for expensive cable and satellite subscription prices? Why yes, there are!

And although they’re not free, they are somewhat more affordable than traditional cable and satellite subscriptions. We’ll go over those options now.

Sling TV

I mentioned Sling TV earlier, and I think it has a lot to offer in terms of affordable sports viewing for true sports aficionados. Sling has three subscription options; here’s the scoop on each one.

Sling Orange

Sling Orange costs just $25 a month. It comes with 29 different cable channels at this writing. The sports channels it features include:

• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPN3
• ACC Network Extra ESPN

That’s it for sports channels, but at least you know that ESPN will carry most if not all of the big games. Sling Orange also has other channels, including Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, A&E and AFC.

Sling Blue

Sling Blue costs $25 a month as well. The Blue package comes with 42 cable channels at this writing. The sports channels it features include:

• NFL Network
• NBC Sports
• NBCSN
• Fox Sports

Note that Fox Sports and NBC Sports are only available through Sling in select markets. So you’ll have to contact them to see if they’re available in your market. I suggest doing that before you subscribe so you don’t end up disappointed if they’re not available where you live.

Along with those sports channels, you also get cable channels such as National Geographic and National Geographic Wild. The Travel Channel, The History Channel and The Independent Film Channel (IFC) are featured here too.

Sling Orange/Blue

If you want the entire sports channel package Sling TV offers, you can sign up for the Sling Orange/Blue combo package. This package comes at a discount, priced at just $40 per month.

This is lower than most cable and satellite packages with sports channels.

Sling Extras

No matter which Sling package you choose, you also have the option to do an “extra”. Extras are specially priced packages you can purchase in additional to your Sling Orange, Blue and combo packages.

If you’re a sports fan, you can get the sports package extra for just $5 more per month. The Sports Extra has channels such as NHL Network, NBA TV and Outside TV.

It also has ESPN-U, Bases Loaded and the Stadium Channel. Keep in mind that the channels you get in your Sports Extra package depend on which Sling package you have.

So, if you only have Sling Orange, you won’t get the same Extra sports channels you do with Sling Blue. Check out the Sling website for more information on affordable sports viewing or you can see our full review of SlingTV here.

Hulu with Live TV

You may have heard of Hulu. It’s a popular streaming service that’s working hard to catch up to Netflix.

Hulu recently added their Hulu with Live TV package. When you subscribe, you can watch over 50 TV and cable channels live, including sports channels. Here are the sports channels included with Hulu with Live TV:

• CBS Sports Network
• BTN (The Big Ten Network)
• ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News and ESPNU
• Bases Loaded
• ESPN Goal Line
• NBC Golf
• NBCSN
• The Olympic Channel

They have a large selection of sports channels as you can see. The price? $39.99 a month – after your free 7-day trial. Not a bad deal for that nice sports lineup.

Hulu with Live TV also features other cable channels such as The History Channel and TruTV. You’ll also get the Travel Channel, the Disney Channel, Fox News and Fox Business, among others.

Hulu with Live TV could be a great alternative to your traditional cable or satellite package.

Playstation VUE

Playstation VUE is another cable alternative for sports fans. It’s a bit more expensive than Hulu with Live TV or Sling TV. However, it’s likely cheaper than your sports-laden cable or satellite package.

Let’s start with the price. Playstation VUE starts with its Core package for sports lovers. The Core package is $49.99 per month. They do have a cheaper package called the Access package for $44.99 per month.

The Access package includes ESPN and ESPN2 but that’s it. The Core package has additional sports channels, including:

• ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN SEC and ESPN News
• NBC Golf
• Fox Sports North and Fox Sports North Plus

As you can see, the Core package offers a lot more channels for sports lovers. However, in addition, if you subscribe to the Core package or higher, you can purchase a Sports Pack add-on.

For an additional $10 a month, you can get these additional channels as well if you choose:

• Bases Loaded
• ESPN Classic
• Goal Line
• Eleven Sports
• 8 other sports channels

Note that the Sports Pack add-on is not available if you get the Playstation Vue Access package.

Playstation VUE Supported Devices

If you want to get Playstation VUE, you’ll have to own or purchase a PS Vue supported device. The list of supported devices (at this writing) are as follows:

• PS3 or PS4
• Roku Players
• Amazon Fire TV
• Apple TV (4th gen and up)
• Android TV (Android OS 4.4 and up)
• Certain tablet and mobile devices
• Your PC with a web connection

Playstation VUE is a bit more expensive than the others we’ve featured here. However it could be cheaper per month than what you’ll find with your local cable or satellite company.

Still Prefer Cable? Find a Stellar Deal with Cable or Satellite

If you’re not thrilled with any of the options listed here, you could go another route. You could search local cable and satellite companies in search of a stellar introductory deal.

Sometimes cable and satellite company will run highly discounted packages for new customers. Warning: if you decide to go this route, please read the fine print before signing a contract.

There are often additional fees, rules and regulations with these introductory deals. You might find that you can get charged extra if you cancel early, for instance. Or there might be hidden monthly fees that jack up what you pay each month.

Installation fees and equipment rental fees can be a part of cable and satellite packages. Take those into account before signing on the dotted line.

Add in up-front costs for installation and monthly fees for equipment rental etc. You just might find that you’re not getting such a great introductory deal after all.

But sometimes you’ll hit the jackpot and find a truly great promo with a cable or satellite company. If that’s the case, go ahead and take advantage of it.

Just be sure to cancel your subscription before the rates go back up to regular pricing. You don’t want to see a “surprise” doubled bill in your checking account deductions one day.

Summary

Cable and satellite subscriptions that include sports packages are usually pretty costly. They’ll take a nice chunk out of your monthly budget.

If you’re interested in potentially rerouting that money to use for other things, like maybe reaching financial freedom, you might want to consider some of the alternatives mentioned above.

Some of the free sports streaming options are noteworthy. They’ll allow you to get your sports fix. However most don’t accompany streaming the big games – or at least not a lot of them.

There may be a better alternative if you’re sick and tired of shelling out big cash for sports cable packages. Consider some of the paid streaming services like the ones mentioned above.

Options like Sling TV, Hulu, and Playstation Vue may not be free, but they’re often cheaper than cable or satellite. They could be a nice median choice for you and your budget.

Have you ever tried any of the free sports streaming options? If so, what did you think of them? Similarly, have you tried any of the lower priced sports streaming options like Sling TV?

What was your experience if you have tried them? Share in the comments below – we’d love to hear from you!

Or Click Here Grayson!

In an earlier post on the Money Peach blog, Peach talked about he and his wife’s decision to start tithing money to their church.

He shared what led up to their decision to start tithing, and how tithing would eventually change their lives forever, and I couldn’t agree more. I can say with 100% confidence that being a faithful tither has blessed my family and I just as it has blessed Peach and his family.

Therefore, we thought Money Peach readers deserved a more expansive post on tithing and the benefits of it. What is the history of the tithe? Where did it come from? When did it start? There are many questions regarding tithing and we thought we’d touch on some of those questions as well.

As always, we welcome your insight in the comments section on this important and sometimes controversial subject. We’ll give our opinions on tithing in this post, however please know that we’re not saying our opinions have to be your opinions.

Before we start, we just want you to feel comfortable in the fact that the Money Peach blog is a judgment free zone. 🙂  In the end all we want is for this post to bless you and encourage you. After all, that’s what God calls us to do.

The Tithe Definition and How it Relates to the Offering

Simply put, a tithe is a tenth.

In Biblical terms, the tithe is for giving to your local church. The Bible first talks about tithing in the book of Genesis. In Genesis 14:19-20, Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, blessed Abram (soon to be called “Abraham”).

He said “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

When Abraham received this blessing, he gave the high priest a tithe – or a tenth – of all the spoils he received from his victory against his enemies. And so began the concept of the tithe.

This Biblical concept continues today with Christians all over the world.

As Christians, we are called to give tithes and offerings. Our tithes are to consist of a tenth of our income to our local church. This is to be our steadfast gift to the Lord.

Offerings are Different

In Proverbs 3:9, we read “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;:

Remember that during the time period Proverbs was written, firstfruits may not have been seen as a metaphor as we see it today. Instead, this literally meant firstfruits from vine, the first 10% of your crops, or the first tenth of your livestock.

The keyword when thinking of the tithe is it comes FIRST. Before you do anything with your “fruits”, or income in today’s world, God is asking you honor with with your first 10%.

With that said, offerings are gifts over and above our tithe commitment. Some examples of offerings might include:

• Additional gifts to your church for things like building funds or families in need
• Disproportionately large tips to waiters and waitresses (one of my favorite types of offerings 🙂 )
• Random acts of kindness such as buying the coffee for the guy behind you in the drive thru
• Contributions to community or other charities
• Other giving as you feel led by the Lord

Therefore, a tithe is a basic starting place for giving, and it’s meant to go to the church you attend. That might be a brick and mortar church in your area, or it might be an online church.

Give Where You’re Fed

Some people say your tithe should go to the “place that feeds you” spiritually. Maybe you don’t attend a local church, but instead watch church services weekly on television or online.

In that case, you might send your tithe to that church. The point is to make tithing a regular part of your budget just as you do with anything else.

It’s a way of honoring and submitting yourself to the God you serve. And it’s a way of keeping your flesh in check.

Your Money Isn’t Meant to Only Serve You

Paul calls us in Galatians 5:16 to “walk by the Spirit so you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. And yet the world we live in today makes it so much easier to serve ourselves (myself included).

Everywhere we look, we’re encouraged to buy this, that, or the other thing for our own pleasure and happiness.

But setting aside ten percent of our income and giving it back to God allows us to walk by our spirit and not fulfill the never-ending lusts of our flesh. It’s a form of self-discipline in a world where it’s so easy to idolize money and the stuff it buys.

Remember, money is simply a tool. It’s meant to meet our needs, but it’s also meant for us as Christians to use it as a tool to help those who are unable to help themselves. Tithes and offerings are some of the ways we can help others in the name of Christ.

Imagine what the world would look like if all Christians on Earth sent off a tithe to the local church? Would we still need to rely on the government to take care of attempt to take care of those who are less fortunate or unable to take care of themselves.

Again this is only my humble opinion, but I truly think if the world gave a regular tithe, the government would become irrelevant in terms of “helping” those in need.

The Trust You Put in God

How many of us like losing money?

Ummmmm….yeah, that would be no one.

This is exactly the reason why I think it’s so difficult for us to give our money to the local church because it feels like we are losing a little (or a lot) of it, right? If you stop to think about why you feel this way, start thinking about paying your taxes each year. It just doesn’t feel good!

What’s the difference?

Because you don’t really have a choice, do you? The government is literally forcing you to hand over the money you worked so hard for and if you’re like me, you may not be thrilled with the way they handle it. In fact, you just may not TRUST the government to do the right thing with it.

The next question I would ask is this: do I TRUST God?

If your answer is “yes”, then one way to trust God is with His money. Remember, God created everything, including money, and therefore we are only giving back to God what is already His. And to take this a step further, He’s only asking us to give 10% of it back to Him so He can do far more with it than we could ever dream about.

But Isn’t Tithing an Old Testament Law, and Aren’t We Free from the Law?

This is a great question! Some people believe that because tithing was established as a part of the Old Testament law we’re no longer required to do so. To be honest, they do have a valid argument for sure, but then again I don’t believe this is worth arguing over 🙂

Here’s why…

Yes, the tithe was established as a part of Jewish law and yes, we are free from the law as born-again Christians since Christ came to free us from the law, which the New Testament calls the law of sin and death.

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” –John 8:36

Honestly, I don’t think we should spend time caring about who is right or wrong, but I instead believe the practice of tithing for New Testament believers is much more of wanting to send a tithe versus having to send a tithe because of an Old Testament Law.

Plus, tithing helps us keep control of our flesh as I mentioned earlier and giving a small portion of God’s money back to Him helps us keep in mind that money isn’t everything. Money is important for sure and it does touch every aspect of our lives, but it’s definitely not everything.

The takeaway here is not whether or not you should feel guilted into giving a tithe, but rather feel compelled to give a tithe based purely on the belief that God can do more with a small portion of this money than we can do with all of our own.

Tithing on Gross Income or Net Income?

Important: God’s love for us doesn’t depend on whether or not we tithe. I can guarantee that He doesn’t need our money. Keep in mind, He created everything. Everything.

Also God loves us no matter what and we know this because His Word says so.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8

In other words, God loved you long before you became a Christian – and He loves you even if you’re not one. After all, He sent Jesus to die for our sins long before we knew that we even needed redemption.

Similarly, God loves you the same whether you tithe on your gross income, your net income, or not at all. I personally don’t think God really cares about the math as much as He cares about your trust in Him. Whether you tithe before taxes, after taxes, or you do the math and realize you accidentally sent of 9.8% versus the full 10%, God cares more about why you’re tithing and less about how the math works out.

But if you are looking for something more concrete, think about the word firstfruits. This was the word found in Proverbs 3:9 which is referring to the very first thing you do with your firstfruits, which in today’s world is your income. Firstfruits means before everything, including Uncle Sam.

Another great way to think about it is this: ask not how much of our money should we give to God, but how much of God’s money should we keep for ourselves 🙂

Tithing When You’re in Debt?

Another question you might be wondering about is whether or not you should tithe when you’re in debt. I truly believe the answer to that question is 100% up to you.

The Bible doesn’t talk about stopping tithing for any reason. However, some people feel more responsible when they’re putting all extra cash toward debt.

They might stop tithing while getting out of debt and then resume tithing. That being said, it’s important that if you’re cutting out tithing while getting out of debt, that you do it with a pure heart.

Stopping our tithe for the purposes of paying off debt and then not fully committing to getting out of debt is not being a good steward of the money God has fortunately blessed us with. For instance, let’s assume we cut out tithing to get out of debt and then we are still taking large vacations twice a year. If this is the case, we may need to reevaluate where God stands in our lives, right?

Remember, God won’t punish you for it (Jesus already took our punishment for us on the cross), but you are taking away your own blessing of being able to give.

What About the “Uncle Sam Tithing” Deduction?

You also might be wondering whether or not the money you tithe should be counted as a charitable deduction. Is it okay to get pay less in taxes or even get a check back from your tithe via Uncle Sam?

Or is doing so a self-centered endeavor? If you look online you’ll find several opinions on this subject just like you will see regarding every other Biblical subject.

So the question becomes, is it bad to claim the deduction on your taxes when you tithe? And if you do claim the deduction, aren’t you in essence not “giving” the ten percent?

In my humble opinion (and Peach agrees), claiming your tithes as charitable deductions on your taxes is simply another part of being a good steward of God’s money.

After all, the better you steward your money, the more you have to give away, right? Responsible money management has several facets:

• Earning to the best of your ability
• Budgeting and managing those earnings responsibly
• Tithing and giving where led
• Paying taxes where due
• Being a good accountant by taking advantage of monetary laws

So, yes, go ahead and claim those charitable deductions on your income tax return. Just be sure to give a tenth or more of that tax return back to the Lord. 🙂

What About Credit Card “Tithing” Rewards Points?

Another question people have regarding tithing is whether or not it’s okay to pay your tithe with your rewards credit card.

My first thought regarding this is that it depends on your reasoning and your intent. Some people pay tithes with credit cards out of convenience and others do so to gain credit card rewards points.

The thing to remember is God wants your tithe to come because you truly want the tithe to be used to bless others. He doesn’t want you to tithe just so you can get airline miles or cash back at the end of the year.

The desire to send a tithe to the church should come before your desire for rewards points. If you still feel guilty about these tithing kickbacks from the credit card companies, you can always donate your cashback or miles to your local church 🙂

The Borrower is Still Slave to the Lender

The last thing God wants you to do is to be a slave to the borrower and get yourself into credit card debt when you pay your tithe via your card.

If you do choose to use a credit card for tithing, make sure to remain diligent about budgeting, pay your credit cards off each month and do not allow those rolling balances to accrue. And if you get a large check at the end of the year from your cash back rewards you can try what a friend of mine does – he tithes on that income as well 🙂

“But, I Don’t Have Enough Money to Tithe!”

You may feel as if you don’t have enough money to tithe. After all, if you’re spending everything you make as it is, how can you possibly give ten percent to the church and still have money to pay your bills?

Let me encourage you that most people (not all, but most) make enough money to tithe with. They are often just spending their money in other places instead.

I know a family who makes close to $100k a year, has very, very little debt and yet doesn’t feel they have enough money to tithe with. This isn’t a criticism; just an observation I wanted to share.

I know their finances well, their expenses well, and that they spend all that they make and don’t budget. First off, it’s tough to find extra money when you’re not budgeting or at least tracking your everyday spending habits.

Secondly, human nature dictates that we’ll automatically spend what we have, whether it’s $10 or $1,000. Without a financial plan in place, it’s very, very easy to nickel and dime yourself into broke. Or, at least into paycheck-to-paycheck living.

I’ve also been there myself. In fact, it was the nickel and dime spending that got myself and my husband into $60k worth of consumer debt. However, once we started our monthly budget, we were able to better see where our money went and we suddenly found we had a lot more money to give away!

Again, not judging anyone here, but you might be surprised at how much budgeting and will change your financial life forever.

Tithing on Any Income – Yes You Can!

I know another story about a single mom. She was raising three kids on a ridiculously low amount of income. Her child support totaled $300 a month and house payment was $250 a month.

She also worked a job that paid very little but she wanted to start tithing based on her trust in God. She was compelled to keep the 90% and give God the 10% back so he could do more with it than she could do alone. The amazing part of her story is that she’s been tithing for over forty years straight, and she’s tell you she has always had more than ever needed.

She doesn’t live a life of luxury by any stretch of the imagination and has never made more than $35,000 per year. But this woman – my own mother – still drives a 2004 car that she bought new and it still looks new to this day. She also takes her kids and grandkids out to eat on occasion and she has enough money for her weekly bowling league outings.

My mom taught me that no matter what your income is, stepping out in faith and tithing will never result in your harm. After all, we have God’s promise that:

“Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. -Luke 6:38

The Promises of God

God isn’t a fairy-tale God who sprinkles magic fairy dust on your tithes. However, He does love to bless His children. All of them, and He so appreciates a gift given in faith.

Malachi 3:10 says “Bring all tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”

We aren’t to tithe for the purpose of getting back. However, when we tithe for the right reasons – in faith, to honor God and to bless Him – we can be assured of having all that we need and more.

I know a lot of Christians, and I have yet to meet one who tithes with a pure heart and with trust in God that isn’t blessed in return in more ways than one. Chris Peach, the founder and editor of this blog, will agree – as humans we can only do so much, but God can do so much more than we can imagine…and He’s only asking for 10% 🙂

Becoming a Cheerful Giver

Which reminds me: giving with a cheerful heart is important. The Bible tells us that God loves a cheerful giver in 2 Corinthians 9:7.

He doesn’t want anyone to give out of compulsion. If you’re not at that place yet where giving feels like a great thing, don’t feel guilty.

Instead, work to get to know God. Study your Bible, especially the New Testament. Find out about the goodness of God with your own eyes through His word.

I’m convinced that the more you get to know Him, the more you’ll fall in love with God and understand how much He loves you. At that point, you may not be able to contain yourself from giving – cheerfully. 🙂

Also, start small if you need to. Give one percent, then two percent, then five percent to your church. Start giving offerings as you feel led. Tip 25% instead of 15 or 20 percent. Bring some food to your local food shelf.

Letting go of your money and becoming a cheerful giver often takes practice but I can tell you from experience that once you become a cheerful giver, the feeling of blessing others through your tithe will be one of the best feelings you will ever have in your life.

But What if the Church Squanders the Money I Give?

This is another concern I hear often from Christians. They worry that they can better put to use the money they might tithe by choosing recipients on their own.

My first thought regarding this very important subject is that if you have that little trust in your church, you’re not at the right church. You should be attending a church where you trust the leadership and trust them to be the best steward of His money as possible.

My second thought is that it’s important to do your duty regarding tithing and let God handle the rest. If the place where you’re giving is misappropriating funds, God will handle that. You do your duty, and leave the discipline of undisciplined money managers in the church in God’s hands.

The Takeaway

It’s important to know that God loves you with His whole heart – whether or not you tithe. His unconditional love for every person never fades.

And whatever your opinion on tithing, I’d be willing to bet that if you tried it you’d be blessed by it. When done right – and in combination with good money management – tithing results in many blessings.

And you also get the personal satisfaction (in a non-prideful way, of course) of knowing you’re helping bless the world alongside God. After all, He’s given so much for us – isn’t it fun to give Him something in return?

So, what are your thoughts on tithing? Have you tried it? How did it affect your life? What other concerns or questions do you have about tithing? Or, how can we help you to manage your money in a way that makes tithing possible?

We’d love to help. Share your thoughts and concerns in the comments section below. We’ll do our best to answer them as best we can.

And if you wanted to learn more about tithing, here is a personal story for the Founder of Money Peach, Chris Peach.

However, I didn’t start to truly study the Bible until about 11 years ago. In my humble opinion, knowing and understanding the Bible changes lives.

For me, I felt like I couldn’t have an honest relationship with God until I really knew who He was. I turned to the Bible for that information and haven’t looked back.

I now have a relationship with God based on who the Bible says He is instead of on my own assumptions. What a difference!

However, I know Bibles can be expensive. Thankfully, there are ways you can have access to a the Bible via a free bible download, a free bible app, through the the mail, or even some other unique ways you may not have thought about.

If you want a free Bible you have multiple options. Here are some resources for you that will ensure you never have to pay to read God’s Word.

How to Get a Free Bible Download

There are several ways you can download a free Bible onto your personal computer or phone. Check out some of these options and see which you like best.

1. BiblePath.com

BiblePath.com has a free Bible you can download onto your personal computer. The download works for Windows 95/98, ME, XP and Vista 7.

This is a King James version Bible that is customizable in regards to font size, font size and color. That makes it a great choice for those who may have vision problems.

2. Bible Guide

Bible Guide also has a free Bible download available. This Bible download also works only on Windows operating systems. Specifically, it works for Windows 7, 8, 10, Vista and XP.

This too is a King James Bible version.

3. Audio Treasure

Audio Treasure allows you to get an audio version of the Bible that you can download for free. This site uses MP3 files for your download. There are several versions available for free on this site.

4. Free Bible Download for Mac Users

You might notice that most of the free Bible downloads mentioned here were for Windows PC. Follow the upcoming link if you want a free Bible download for Macs.

How to Get a Free Bible App

In this day and age of technology, there are Bible apps too. And yes, some free Bible apps exist. Here are some you can try.

5. YouVersion Bible App

In my opinion the YouVersion app is the most popular Bible app for both iPhone and Android users. Also, the YouVersion app can sync with your desktop and both your Google Voice or Amazon Alexa voice consoles.

The app comes in 52 different languages and 57 different versions in the english language alone. One of my favorite perks of this free app is the ability to have the app read you the bible in a very easy-to-listen voice. Now you can “read” your bible in the car, at the gym, or even on a run.

Fun Fact: As of this writing, there are over 327 million downloads for the YouVersion Bible App!

6. Life Church Bible App

The Life Church Bible app for Apple is rated 4.9 out of 5 stars on the Apple apps page.  It comes in dozens of languages besides English, including:

• Arabic
• Spanish
• Vietnamese
• Traditional Chinese
• Greek
• Hebrew
• German
• Japanese

And others. The Apple app store says this is the #1 rated Bible app. You can choose from several versions of the Bible too, including NKJV, NIV, ESV and more.

Luckily, the Life Church Bible app is available for Android devices as well.

7. King James Bible App

This app provides you with a free version of the King James Bible. The King James Bible (KJV) is one of the most widely read Bible versions. The app is rated 4.6 out of five stars.

Get the Android version of the King James Bible app here.

Looking for an Apple app version of the King James Bible? Try this King James Bible app for Apple.

Related: Thoughts on Money and God

How to Get a Free Bible by Mail

There are places that will send you a free Bible in the mail. Here is some information on the ones we found.

8. FreeBibles.net

FreeBibles.net is a non-profit organization that has sent out over 30,000 Bibles free of charge. They’ll send a free Bible to someone who requests one, provided that person is:

• Sick or living in a nursing home
• Incarcerated in a local prison
• Homeless

You might be wondering how a homeless person can be sent a Bible. Well, the requirement for the homeless person to receive a Bible is that they live in a shelter part-time.

That way you have an address where the Bible can be sent to you if you’re homeless. Note that there is a limit of one free Bible that can be sent to each person.

Also, you can’t request a certain version (such as NIV or NKJ) to be sent. Since most of the Bibles these guys mail out are donated, the versions sent out will vary.

Don’t qualify for a free Bible under the FreeBibles.net standard? Don’t worry: they have a link to a website that will help you get an inexpensive Bible.

Prices on the site they link to start at under $5 per Bible. When I was searching the site, I found Bibles for sale as low as $2.79.

9. MyFreeBible.org

MyFreeBible.org is another company that sends free Bibles to people. This organization exists to “help people discover God through His Word.”

They ask that you only request one free Bible from them. Note too that this organization will send NIV New Testament versions only.

10. Gideons International

So, Gideons International is the organization that puts Bibles in hotel room drawers. While they don’t provide free Bibles to everyone, they do send them out in some cases.

If you go to their FAQ page, you’ll see that Gideons will provide a free New Testament Bible for you if:

• You are a member of the Armed Forces
• You are a patient at a U.S. Veterans Hospital

Also, if you are a chaplain, you can get Gideons Bibles versions for placement in military bases. Contact Gideons International through the link above for more information.

Side note: I’ve heard that other organizations and people such as battered women’s shelter residents can receive free Gideons Bibles too. Check with Gideons International directly for more information.

11. Family Broadcasting Corporation

Family Broadcasting Corporation (FBC for short) is a radio station that shares the Word of God. They broadcast radio shows that talk about God on a regular basis. They also broadcast on some television stations and on shortwave radio.

And if you live outside of the U.S (where religious freedom isn’t as prevalent) they’ll send you a free Bible. Just click on the link above for information on how to get your free Bible from FBC.

12. United States Bible Society

The United States Bible Society will send a free Bible to anyone who asks. In fact, the U.S. Bible Society has given away over 400,000 Bibles to date.

Simply go to their website using the link above, fill out the form and wait. Note that it can take up to 30 days for them to process your request.

Also, according to the picture on their website, you can expect to receive the King James Version of the Bible. Bonus: they’ve got a free Bible app you can download as well. Just look for the link on the site’s homepage.

How to Get a Free Bible in Person

Yes, there are places that will give you a free Bible – a hard or soft cover real book – to keep. Personally, I like reading the Bible in a book format. To me, there’s something about holding a book in your hand when you read that makes it more fun.

If you’re looking for a free Bible in a book format that you can have forever, consider these sources.

13. Your Local Church

Many churches will happily give you a free Bible just for the asking. Ask at the church you attend. If you don’t currently attend church, call or stop by a church near you.

Tell them you’d like to have a Bible at home and ask if they have any they give away. I’d be willing to bet that most churches will say “yes” to that request.

14. Your Hotel Room

If you’ve ever snooped through the drawers in the nightstand at a hotel, you may have found a Bible. The Gideon’s Bible has been making an appearance in hotel room drawers since 1908.

According to this article, a Christian businessmen’s group started putting the Bibles in hotel rooms to encourage it’s many traveling members.

The tradition continues to this day. The Gideon group provides hotels with enough Bibles to put one in each room. It also hands out plenty of extras to housekeeping staff for “refills”. In other words, they’re happy to have you take one home.

15. Your Local Library

Some libraries have Bibles in their catalog that you can check out and read from home. Although you can’t keep the Bibles, you can check them out or go and read them anytime you like.

Note: some libraries have sections where they offer books for free or for you to buy for cheap. If you want a Bible for yourself, check these shelves to see if they have any Bibles they’re giving away.

Read the Bible for Free Online

There are also many sites that have the entire Bible published on their website for you to read. These sites offer free online reading of the Bible for anyone, at any time.

16. Biblica

Biblica is an International Bible Society. Their goal is to bring the Word of God to people around the world. On their website they have a free version of the Bible you can read any time.

The Biblica online Bible is a NIV (New International Version) and you can access it simply by going to the site.

You can also pull up specific verses or search by topic at this online site.

17. Bible Gateway

Bible Gateway is a free online Bible site that allows you to search by verse or by topic/keyword. This is the site I use most often when looking up Bible verses.

One of the things I like best about this online Bible is that it has dozens of version of the Word. It has versions in foreign languages as well.

Bonus: You can also sign up to get on the Bible Gateway email list. If you do, they’ll send you a “Verse of the Day” each morning.

18. Bible.com

Bible.com also shares dozens of versions of the Bible in several languages, including Spanish and French.

This site does something different in that when you click on some versions, you’ll get a history of how the version came to be. Also, this site has some audio Bible versions as well.

19. Bible Hub

Bible Hub will let you read the Bible online and/or search verses and topics as well. One cool thing about Bible Hub is that it includes a commentary section at the bottom of its pages.

It uses several different commentaries too, so you can get the opinion of several experts. Some of the commentary versions Bible Hub uses include:

• Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
• Matthew Henry Commentary
• Jamieson-Fausset Brown Bible Commentary

And others. Also, when you search by verse, the site will populate several versions of the verse for quick reference.

20. Study Light

Study Light has dozens of online Bibles you can read for free. They also give you free access to Bible concordances and dictionaries.

Bonus: You can search for verses via keywords as well.

21. Blue Letter Bible

The Blue Letter Bible site shares the Bible online, and shares study resources as well. You’ll find Bible commentaries, devotionals, references and more.

This site has a verse of the day too, and a reflection/short article on the verse. Lots to love here.

I know for me that the Bible has changed my life for the better. People – Christians included – make mistakes. We can by hypocritical and reflect badly on the true character of God.

However, for me personally, once I started reading the Bible on my own my relationship with God changed. I started learning about His character and His love for us firsthand.

That revelation allowed me to see past the flaws of humankind and focus on God’s unconditional love for all mankind.

If you’re looking for a sneak peak into the all-encompassing love of God, read the Bible. Or if you’re just looking for free or simple ways to have the Word with you always, utilize the list above.

Free Bibles are available in so many places – take advantage of them!

What’s your favorite way to read the Bible?

Please share in the comments below so we can all help each other find get access to God’s word!

If so, this is your opportunity to declutter. Dozens of organizations and businesses are happy to receive your donated books. By donating your unused books, you have an opportunity to share them with others who love to read.

Bonus: You’ll have more free space in your house too!

Where Should I Donate My Books?

You might be wondering why you should donate your books instead of selling them or throwing them away. Well, I can think of two reasons.

First, donating your books means they’ll have a chance at being re-used instead of sitting in a landfill. Second, by donating your books you’re encouraging others to read.

This article from Real Simple says there are many science-based reasons to read an actual book. Here are some of them:

• Reading increases intelligence
• Reading can help fight brain-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s
• Reading can help a person relax
• Reading before bed can help a person sleep

So, by donating your books you are creating a potential to help others in many ways. Here are X different places you can donate books; some local and some via the internet.

Where to Donate Your Books Locally

There are places you can donate your books right in the city you live in. Here are some of the most common places to donate used books near you.

1. The Goodwill

Do you have a Goodwill thrift store in your area? If you haven’t been to it, you should check it out. They have phenomenal deals on clothing, household goods and more.

Shopping at Goodwill can save your family loads of cash. But you can also donate new or gently used items to Goodwill. There are over 150 Goodwill stores in the United States and Canada that will happily accept your books.

Goodwill uses the money they get from selling your books and other items to provide job training and placement for people in the community where the store is located. So, by donating your books to Goodwill, you’ll have a hand in helping people find meaningful employment.

2. Salvation Army

According to their website, the Salvation Army “exists to meet human need wherever, whenever and however it can”. Pretty cool, huh?

The Salvation Army will schedule a pick-up time and date and come right to your house to get your books. They also accept clothing, furniture, appliances and more.

After they pick up your books or other donations, the Salvation Army sells them to other organizations. Then they use the money to fund rehabilitation programs that help people overcome addiction.

3. The Epilepsy Foundation

My mom has had Epilepsy since she was a kid, so we like to donate stuff to the Epilepsy Foundation. Along with books, the Epilepsy Foundation accepts other household goods such as:

• Clothing, jewelry and accessories
• DVDs, CDs, computer software
• Records and tapes (ask your parents – they’ll explain 🙂 )
• Toys, games and puzzles
• Small appliances
• Linens
• Small furniture items that can be carried by one person

And more. The Epilepsy Foundation will come to your house and pick up your donated books and other items. Then they sell the items to other organizations and use the money for Epilepsy research.

The Foundation also supports organizations that give care and support to those suffering with Epilepsy.

4. Local Thrift Stores

Many cities have local thrift stores that aren’t associated with national organizations. Most local thrift stores are run by some type of local church or charitable organization.

If you have local thrift stores near you, call or visit their website to find out if they accept book donations. I would imagine most do.

5. Your Local Library

Local libraries often accept book donations as well. Libraries generally do one of two things with the donated books they receive:

• They put them on library shelves for members to borrow
• They put them in occasional book sales to earn money that will be used to support the library’s expenses

By the way, if you are interested in buying different books after you donate, the library can be a great place to shop. Our local library always has several shelves of books available for sale at low prices.

Some books are even priced “make a donation”, meaning you can pay whatever you wish for the book. But if you’re not interested in buying more books, you’ll certainly do yourself good by donating some of your own.

6. The Little Free Library

Have you ever heard of the Little Free Library? Those are the little house-shaped boxes that reside in many neighborhoods.

The goal of the Little Free Library is “building community, sparking creativity, inspiring readers”. When you see a Little Free Library, you can borrow a book, or you can donate books.

If you don’t have a Little Free Library in your neighborhood, consider having one installed. They’re a great way to get people reading. And, you could start the collection by donating your own books.

7. Women’s Shelters

Many larger cities have women’s shelters in them. Women’s shelters house women and children that have left abusive or dangerous situations.

Women and children sometimes spend many months at shelters. They’re taught to live independently, get a job and form healthy relationships.

Having books to read to pass spare time and educate themselves is important. Contact a women’s shelter near you to see if they will accept your donated books.

8. Vietnam Veterans of America

Vietnam Veterans of America is another organization that serves our military. When you call to schedule a pick-up, they’ll come to your house and take your books and other household items.

The VVA uses profits from your donations to provide services to veterans. They also provide services to those currently serving.

Note: the VVA doesn’t have locations in every state; check their website to see if they have services in yours.

9. Habitat for Humanity Re-Stores

Habitat for Humanity works to build homes for needy individuals and families. The Habitat Re-Stores sell used goods to earn money to build more homes.

Some of the items the Re-Stores sell are house-building supplies they couldn’t use. For instance, they might sell windows someone had donated that need scraping and painting.

The Re-Stores also sell household items that people have donated. Many of the stores will take furniture, building supplies, dishes, lamps, etc.

Some, but not all, of the stores will take books and similar items. Find Re-Store locations near you, and call first to see whether or not they take donated books.

10. Hospitals

Your local hospital may take donated books as well. Children’s books are especially favored at many local children’s hospitals.

You might wonder why a hospital would want your old books. Well, some kids and adults have to spend several days, weeks or months in hospitals.

Many hospitals have libraries available so that longer-staying patients can keep entertained. Check with local hospitals near you to find out which ones accept donated books. The hospitals may have parameters around what types of books they accept as well.

11. Paper Retriever

Paper Retriever is a recycling business that uses your recycled books to earn money to help others. For example, if you’ve got a Paper Retriever location near you, they might use the money they get from recycling your donations to help local schools or women’s shelters.

Not all states have Paper Retriever locations. Paper Retriever currently has location in the following states:

• Texas
• Illinois
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• Maryland

Click on the link above if you live in one of these states to find out if there’s a Paper Retriever near you.

12. Your Local School, College or University

Many local colleges have libraries and will gladly accept your donated books to add to their catalog. Call local colleges and universities near you to find out which ones accept donated books.

Some local elementary and secondary schools may accept your book donations as well. Schools in poorer areas seem to be most eager to accept donated books. Talk to school librarians at your local schools. for more information.

13. Local Literacy Programs

Many local cities have specialized literacy programs that will accept your book donations. The availability, terms and conditions change with each program.

Just google “literacy programs near me” for more information. The search should populate a list of programs. You can contact each program to see if they’re interested in your book donations.

14. Freecycle or Craigslist Free Section

You can always advertise your books on the Craigslist Free section or on Freecycle. You might end up donating them to a local school library, or just to some guy who wants or needs books.

Giving away stuff on a free site might not seem like a “donation” per se. But you never know how big of an impact you can make on people just by giving them stuff.

Your freebie books might help a person or family recovering from homelessness. Or they might benefit a struggling community. Just give, and let life do the rest.

Places You Can Ship Your Books for Donation

Other companies that may not be near you allow you to ship your books for donation. Check out some of these options and see if they tug at your heart.

15. Operation Paperback

Operation Paperback is a cool organization that collects books and sends them to our overseas military troops. They also distribute books to troops and veterans here at home.

Serving a tour of duty in the military can be an incredible amount of work. However, depending on where you’re serving there’s also down time.

And many remote areas are free of regular wi-fi service. Your donated books give troops a way to learn and entertain themselves at the same time.

Note: Operation Paperback wants children’s books too.

Tearjerker warning: they send the books to deployed soldiers so they can read them to their kids here at home via a webcam. If that doesn’t make you want to donate to Operation Paperback, I don’t know what will!

16. Reader to Reader

Reader to Reader is a non-profit organizations dedicated to bringing free books to under-resourced schools and public libraries. They focus on serving the nations poorest communities.

If you want to send your books to them so they can give those books to underprivileged communities, just visit their website. You’ll find a tab on the site that says “Lend a hand”.

That tab will provide you with the address where you can send your books.

17. Kids Need to Read

Kids Need to Read is another organization that helps provide books to underprivileged kids and communities.

You can donate cash to Kids Need to Read, or you can donate your books. Note that they only accept books that are in “like new” condition.

18. Books Through Bars

Books Through Bars is a charitable organization that provides books to men and women in prison. The books they collect are sent to people who write letters asking for books.

Books Through Bars may or may not accept the type of books you want to donate. If you go to their website, you’ll find a list of the types of books they do and do not accept.

19. Books for Africa

Books for Africa collects books to send to students living in….well….Africa. Their website says they’ve shipped over 41 million books to 53 African countries since 1998. Wow!!!

If you want to send your books to this great cause, just check their website. The website will share which types of books they accept. Note: they’d really appreciate it if you’d send a donation to cover shipping with your books. However, a monetary donation is not at all required.

It just helps cover shipping costs as sending books overseas is a bit costly.  Also, they do have locations in Atlanta, Georgia and St. Paul, Minnesota. You can drop your books off at their warehouse if you live near one.

20. African Library Project

The African Library Project uses book donations to start children’s libraries in African communities. Their website says that most children in Africa grow up without books to read. 🙁

That’s changing thanks to the African Library Project and similar organizations. To date, they’ve established nearly 2,300 libraries in African communities.

You can donate your gently used children’s books to this cause and help kids in Africa learn to read.

21. Books for Soldiers

Books for Soldiers started when a guy had friends in the Gulf War asking for books as they dealt with massive downtime. His arsenal of books soon disappeared, but the requests for books didn’t.

Books for Soldiers turned into a non-profit mission to get books to soldiers all over the world. If you want to donate books to military troops, just head over to their website.

On the right sidebar you’ll find a tab that says “Click here to enter our forum where the troop requests are”. From there you can find information on where to send your books. You’ll be shipping your books directly to a person or group.

22. Bookmooch

Bookmooch is a cool site that allows you to give away your books. For each book you give away you’re awarded points. You can use those points to “buy” books from others. Or, you can specify that your books go to certain charitable organizations.

Just mail your books in and choose whether you want to donate or receive points. Note: you get points for donating books too.

Other Options for Your Books – Sell Them

So, what if you’re in a position where you really need some extra cash? If money is super tight or if you are trying to reach a financial goal such as paying off debt, why not sell your books?

Here are some places you could sell your used books and potentially get some cash for them.

23. Decluttr

Decluttr is a cool site where you can sell your stuff directly to them.

Note: Decluttr only accepts textbooks. So if you’re recently out of college and want to sell old textbooks, this could be the way to go.

Here’s how it works: you go to the website and punch in the ISBN (barcode) number on the back of your book. Decluttr will give you an immediate price quote for the book.

If you accept the quote, they’ll send you a shipping label and you can box up and ship your books. And, it’s FREE. Decluttr pays for shipping.

Bonus: Decluttr will also buy other items from you, such as:

• DVDs and CDs
• Video games and video game consoles
• Legos
• Tech stuff such as cell phones, iPads, etc.

After you ship your stuff to Decluttr, they’ll analyze it. If it’s in the shape you indicated it was, they’ll deposit your cash into your PayPal account.

23. Bookscouter

Bookscouter is another site that will buy your books from you. Again, Bookscouter primarily buys textbooks. One cool thing about Bookscouter is that when you enter your books ISBN number, it’ll populate a list of buyers.

You get to choose the buyer you want to work with.

24. Half Price Books

Got a Half Price Books location in your area? Half Price Books will buy fiction and non-fiction books on the spot. Simply bring your books into a store, and the employees will give you quotes on each book.

Or they’ll give you a quote on the whole bunch. You can get your cash immediately, or get a gift voucher to buy stuff from Half Price Books.

25. Sell Back Your Book

Sell Back Your Book is a site that will buy just about any type of book. There are parameters, such as that the book has to be in good condition. But they do buy fiction as well as non-fiction books.

Just like with other sites, you’ll enter the ISBN number of your books and get a price quote. When you accept the quote, they’ll send you a free shipping label.

After you send them the books, they’ll assess their condition and make sure it’s as stated. You’ll generally receive your money within seven days of the books being assessed.

Choose PayPal for payment in order to receive your money the quickest.

26. Your Local Independent BookStore

Some independent bookstores will buy used books IF they’re in good condition. Check the Net for “local bookstores near me” or “bookstores near me”. Look for bookstores that are non-chain types of stores.

Many of these types of shops have used book sections where they’ll resell books they bought from others.

Again, most bookstores want books that are in good condition. This means free of scribbles and damaged pages and with bindings intact. Think about what you’d expect to see if you were shopping at the stores. Then go from there.

Make a Difference

I’m a big believer in donating books if you have some you’re no longer using. Literacy is a powerful tool for overcoming many of life’s challenges.

You can change a person’s life with the right book. For me, my financial life started to change when I read Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover. The book was “donated” to me by a friend.

One book can truly change a person’s path in life. Consider donating your unwanted books to one of the places or charities mentioned here.

And don’t feel bad about making a difference in your own life by selling your used books. If you’ve got some serious and important financial goals, sell the books and earn some cash.

It might not seem like those small steps of selling a few books will make a difference in your financial life. But I’m here to tell you that all of your pennies and dollars will add up when used correctly.

Make a commitment to designate this type of unexpected income toward your financial goals. Then watch as you move closer and closer to achieving your dreams.

Have you ever donated books?

If so, which organization did you choose? Have you ever sold used books? Tell us about the process and how it benefited you. Share in the comments below.

You simply had to bring an ad into your local Walmart showing a competitor’s lower price on an item. The cashier would adjust your purchase on the item to match the price in the ad.

The Price Match program was a great way to save even more money on already-low Walmart prices.

But does Walmart still price match?

Not exactly.

Well, kind of.

Here’s the scoop.

Where’s Walmart Price Match?

In 2016, Walmart began phasing out their Ad Match program throughout the country. First, they removed it from select stores. And then from more stores.

One-by-one, Walmart stored nixed the Ad Match program from stores around the country.

The Ad Match program does still run in certain stores. However, you won’t necessarily know which stores until you stop in and ask. All Alaska and Hawaii stores have opted out of the price match program.

Other state locations use the program on a location-by-location basis. For instance, there are two Walmart stores near my country home. One is fifteen minutes away, the other is thirty minutes away.

The furthest location no longer offers price match. The closest location does. What rhyme or reason there is behind which stores are keeping the program is unbeknownst to me.

And it’s too bad, because the program – at least for me – could bring in a decent amount of  cash. Not, “pay your house off early” cash. But at least “get me a free gallon of milk each month” cash.

But all is not lost in the world of Walmart and price matching. Sort of.

What About Savings Catcher?

You may remember that several years back Walmart introduced its Savings Catcher program. Savings Catcher is an online system where you can enter your Walmart receipt number into the Savings Catcher site.

The program searches nearby stores for lower prices on the items you’ve purchased. If it finds a lower price, you get a deposit to your Savings Catcher account. You can then use that money in the form of a gift card to get a reduction on your next Walmart purchase.

The Savings Catcher program still exists, but Walmart has changed the rules for Savings Catcher too. Savings Catcher is no longer available at every Walmart location either.

Why Did Walmart Change Things Up?

You might be wondering why Walmart is changing things up regarding these two programs. Well, they say they’re committed to working harder to make sure they always have the lowest prices.

Therefore the programs aren’t entirely necessary anymore. The Walmart goal is to have the lowest prices all the time so that price match and rebate programs aren’t necessary.

Whether or not that’s the real reason is anyone’s guess, but the good news is that there are other ways to save.

You can still use the Ad Match and Savings Catcher programs where available. But if you’re looking for more savings on groceries there are other options as well.

Here are some of our favorite ways to save more money on groceries and other items you buy regularly. And if your local Walmart still offers these programs, you can combine them with the money saving tips below.

How to Continue to Save Money on Groceries

As of April of 2018, the average family of four spent between $642 and $1,283 per month on groceries. That’s the USDA number, and it’s a LOT of cash going out for food. Especially when Americans waste so much food.

In fact, the USDA estimates that Americans waste between 30 and 40 percent of the food they purchase.

So, how can you save money on groceries even without the Walmart price match program? Here are some tips.

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Save Money by Using Apps

There are a few different apps out there that can help you save money on groceries. Here are some of our favorites.

Ibotta

Ibotta is a great money saving app I’ve been using personally since January. It’s super easy to save money on groceries with Ibotta. In fact, the Ibotta website says it’s saved customers over $350 million to date.

Here’s how the app works:

First, you download the app onto your phone. Then, before you shop you search for discounts on items you’re going to buy. You can search the stores you’re going to individually to see which deals apply to what stores.

You can also search by item type, such as grocery, health and beauty, pet, etc.

When you find a deal you like, you just tap on the deal and the coupon is added to your cart. After you shop, you scan your receipt and Ibotta credits your account for the coupon amounts.

You really can save money on groceries using Ibotta. During my first two weeks alone I earned over $30 using Ibotta.

The app makes it really easy to find coupons and discounts for items you buy every day. They even have discount coupons on “any item” or “any brand of…..” occasionally.

Use the app every time you shop, claim your savings and watch your account balance rise.

Then, when you want to, you can transfer your savings into your PayPal account for instant money. Note: some coupons require you answer a question or watch a super short video. But they’re not inconvenient at all and every one I’ve done has been super easy.

Download your free Ibotta app today by clicking here.

Coupons.com

Another way to save money on groceries is by using Coupons.com. You know those coupons you get in the mail? Now they’re available online, and the coupons.com site is super easy to use.

All you have to do is click on the coupons you want, and click “print” when you’re done. Your computer will print the coupons out and you head to the store.

It’s SO easy to save money on groceries and health/beauty items with this site. They’ve made it too easy to not use!

Ebates

Another great way to save money on groceries and other items is to shop via Ebates. When you shop at your favorite stores (Walmart included) through the Ebates portal, you’ll get a rebate.

Each store offers a different rebate amount, between 1 percent up to 40 percent or more depending on the store. When you shop through the portal, you’ll get the rebate amount credited to your Ebates account.

There are over 2,500 stores that you can shop at through Ebates. Here are the names of just a few of the stores that are partnering with Ebates:

• Walmart and Target
• Kohl’s and JCPenney
• Macy’s
• Nike
• Sephora

And more. So, not only can you save on groceries, you can save on lots of other stuff too. Ebates even has discounts for travel sites and restaurants.

You might be wondering why Ebates would send you money just for shopping through them.

Here’s how it works: When you shop at a store through the Ebates portal, Ebates gets a commission. Each store you shop at pays Ebates. Ebates then shares that commission with you. It’s a win/win for both Ebates and for you as a member.

Ebates also has daily specials that can earn you even more cash back on your purchases.

You can request rebate amounts be sent to you via PayPal or via check – whichever you prefer.

Bonus: As of this writing, you can get a $10 bonus payment when you sign up with Ebates. It’s totally free to join, but you do have to make a $25 qualifying purchase through the site to get your bonus.

Double bonus: If you want, you can use the cash you earn through Ebates to do good for others. Instead of taking a payment, Ebates gives you the option to send your earnings to a charitable organization of your choice.

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Save Money by Menu Planning

Menu planning is another tip that will help you save big money on groceries.

My mom used to menu plan when I was a kid. As a single parent, she needed to spend as little as possible on groceries, yet still feed us relatively well. Every two weeks she used a menu plan to help her do that.

Here’s how it worked:

We’d sit down as a family and she’d write a list of 14 dinner meals. My brothers and I would help her and vie for our favorite dinner ideas.

She’d write the name of the meal on one half of the paper. On the other half she’d write what we needed to buy to prepare it. Then, at the end of that portion she’d write in extra stuff we needed such as milk, bread, etc.

The menu plan helped her save money in two ways. First, we weren’t just spending money on random food and trying to make meals out of it. Second, we always had a dinner meal to choose from at home. This meant no need to run for take out because there was nothing in the house.

That was a good thing because we really didn’t have the money for take out food. Any extra we spent over and above the allotted grocery budget was money that couldn’t be used elsewhere.

That meant we wouldn’t have money for utilities or school lunches.  Thus, menu planning was a vital part of us being able to pay the bills.

Menu Planning for 2018

I still use a very similar menu planning system for my own family’s budget today. And you know what? If I don’t, I find my grocery bill much higher than it usually is.

When I use the plan I can keep our family’s grocery expenses under $500 a month for my family of six.

I encourage you to make a menu plan system of your own when planning your grocery trips. With the right plan, you can make dinners for under $5 each for your family.

One of our go-to resources for top quality meal prepping plans is from our good friend Amanda at AWalkMyWay Nutrition Blog.

Look for her Meal Prep Hero ($6.99) guide which we now use and love!

Shop the Sales

Another trick to lower your grocery budget is to plan your week’s shopping list around the sales. For instance, if chicken is on sale, chicken will be the basis for a lot of that week’s dinners.

Or, you can buy extra and stock up for future meals. In our house I buy fresh fruit and veggies based on what’s on sale too. If apples are on sale, my kids will be eating apples as snacks that week.

The same goes for strawberries, blueberries or other kinds of fresh fruit. I work to plan all of the week’s food around what’s on sale.

Another benefit to sticking to the sales when shopping is that the kids get menu variance that isn’t tied to their tastes. My oldest likes watermelon, but I only buy it if it’s on sale. This makes her appreciate it all the more.

Plus, it forces the kids to try different types of food. Shopping the sales will not only save you big money on your food budget, it will open your kids to new horizons of foods as well.

Know Who Has the Cheapest Prices

I can’t emphasize this point enough. If you start paying attention, it’s amazing how much variance there is from one store to another on certain food prices.

If I wasn’t tracking prices, I could easily double or triple my grocery budget. For instance, Walmart has generic white bread for only 89 cents a loaf. However, they have other bread that costs between $1.30 and $2.78 a loaf. Ouch!!

It might be helpful for you to keep track of how much each store charges for each item you buy regularly. Milk, bread, flour, meat, fruit and veggies are some examples you could keep track of.

Don’t be afraid to try generic brands either. Some generic brands are completely subpar in quality and taste. Others are name brands repackaged under a generic name. Do some experimentation and don’t be afraid to try generic brands of the foods you love. You might be surprised at how much you can save.

In my area, I find the cheapest prices are at Walmart and Aldi. Since many Aldi stores are located very near local Walmarts, it’s not a huge pain to hit both stores.

I buy most of my fresh fruits and veggies at Aldi, along with some snack foods. Then I get most everything else at Walmart.

Start learning what stores in your area charge for items you buy. By doing so, you can do the bulk of your shopping at the cheapest stores.

Buy in Bulk – But Only if it’s Smart

We also do some of our grocery shopping at the local warehouse clubs. Feeding a family with four kids takes a LOT of food – especially with a growing boy in the bunch.

The warehouse clubs near us helps me save significantly on certain items. But you have to know what to buy and what not to buy at the club stores.

Here’s a breakdown of what I buy at Sam’s Club and Costco. Yes, we have memberships to both. Having a warehouse club membership may not benefit you if you have a small family.

You’ll have to do the math and check for yourself. On to my warehouse club purchases.

Costco

• Organic fruits and veggies – both frozen and fresh. They have the best selection.
• Organic butter, flour and sugar – super low prices!
• Organic maple syrup
• Organic black beans
• Certain snack items

Sam’s Club

• Block cheese
• Oatmeal
• Spices
• Coffee and coffee filters
• Cakes for parties
• Paper plates and garbage bags
• Sour cream
• Chips and certain other snacks
• Juice boxes and individual snacks for school lunches

Each warehouse club – at least in our area – seems to specialize in certain offerings. I’ll find some stuff at one and not at the other – and vice versa. Or, the quality of one club’s product isn’t up to par.

For some reason my kids hate the block cheese at Costco. Sam’s Club has organic butter, but it’s a bit higher in price than the Costco stuff.

Depending on your shopping habits, you may like one club over the other. Or, like us, you may find dual memberships beneficial if you have a large family.

Now, one caveat about shopping at warehouse clubs: you won’t save money if you throw half the item away. For instance, if you buy the bulk oatmeal but only eat oatmeal occasionally, you’ll likely throw most of it.

Only buy items you know you’ll use up. Also, it’s tempting to use more because you’ve got such a big container. Be careful of that temptation and avoid waste.

If you can find enough stuff to buy (that you’d normally buy) at warehouse clubs, they are worth the membership fee.

Avoid Food Waste

As I mentioned above, we Americans waste up to 40% of our food. That’s a good portion of your grocery budget being thrown in the trash. Here are some tips for minimizing food waste.

Make Appropriate Servings

Sometimes it’s hard to judge how much food to make for a meal. Try and think in terms of how many people will be eating. Then prepare accordingly. Don’t make extra unless you’re certain you’ll bring the leftovers to work the next day or something.

Eat Your Leftovers

Which reminds me; you can save a ton of money on food by simply eating your leftovers. Bring them to work for lunch. Reheat them for the next night’s dinner.

Or, have a once-a-week “leftover night” for dinner. We do this in our family when the fridge is getting full of leftovers.

You can also “re-make” leftovers by adding additional foods or ingredients to them. For instance, you can use leftover chili by adding some pasta and cheese and making it into a casserole.

Or, you can use leftover pot roast by making Beef Stroganoff with it. Get creative and help minimize food waste.

Don’t Buy What Won’t Get Eaten

You know that giant bag of broccoli you found for cheap at the warehouse club store? There’s no sense in “saving money” on it if most of the people in your house won’t eat broccoli.

Beware of “deals” on foods not very many people in your house like. It’s tempting to get the more cost-efficient package, but it’s not cost-efficient if you’re going to end up throwing most of it away.

Minimizing food waste can help you save a boatload of money on groceries.

Beware of Snack Foods

Snack foods like sodas, chips and cookies can be a huge hindrance to a money-saving grocery budget. Have rules in your house about keeping snack food expenditures to a minimum.

As an example, in our house we only buy soda if we’re hosting or attending a special occasion. Otherwise I encourage the kids to drink water.

The same rule goes for chips, bakery goods and other treats. I’ll make them homemade cookies and brownies, but I rarely buy the store bought stuff. It’s just too expensive.

Which reminds me……

Cook from Scratch

I also save a ton of money on our grocery budget by cooking from scratch. I make most desserts from scratch. I also make other items such as flour tortillas from scratch. It’s much more cost-efficient, and better for you too.

In fact, the homemade tortillas we make get rave reviews at family gatherings. And by making them with this tortilla press it’s not only easy and cheap, but fun too!

By teaching the kids to cook from scratch, I feel like I’m helping them prepare for adulthood. They’ll know how to save money on groceries, and how to cook great foods using natural ingredients.

The Walmart Price Match and Savings Catcher programs may be dwindling away. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t save big money on groceries and other items.

Follow the tips above and watch your grocery budget get smaller. A smaller grocery budget means you’ll have more money for fun stuff like going on paid-in-cash vacations.

Have you ever used the Walmart Price Match program? Is it still available at your local Walmart? What are your other tips for saving money on groceries? Share in the comments below.

Why would companies pay you to test their products, right?

The reason why is it’s worth if for companies to be pay people like you to make sure products are worthy of their client base before they send them out into the market to be sold. Therefore in order to avoid huge product fails which could ultimately cost companies millions, they hire people just like you to test their products before they hit the store shelves.

What Are You Testing?

As a product tester you can be hired to test a wide variety of items. You could be hired to test anything from food to shoes, from magazines to software, and everything in between. If something can be tested, chances are you can get paid to test it.

Depending on the company you are working with, the test products will vary. Your “pay” may vary as well. Oftentimes you’ll be paid in cash via PayPal and other times you will receive free gift cards. Sometimes you’ll get to keep the product you’re testing and other times you’ll send the product back for analysis but they’ll send you something else to keep.

In sharing about the various companies that do product testing I’ll try to share how they reward you as well.

Check out the info about the companies below and see if being a product tester might be up your alley.

Third Party Product Testing Companies

While some companies, like Nike, do hire product testers directly, many outsource the job. Here are a few companies that will have you test products for manufacturers. Most of these companies offer some type of reward for being a member.

1. One Opinion

One Opinion pays you cash for participating in interesting research studies, according to their website. It’s 100% free to join, and you can join as young as age 13 as long as you have parental consent.

Every time you give your opinion about a product, you get rewards points. You can use your points to get money deposited into your PayPal account. Or you can get gift cards to places like Amazon or Visa.

2. National Consumer Panel

You know the Nielsen company? The TV ratings people? They have a company called National Consumer Panel (NCP for short). While you’re not officially product testing for these guys, you do get money for sharing your thoughts about products.

Here’s how it works. Nielsen sends you a handheld scanner or an app invitation. As a panel member, you scan the barcodes of the stuff you purchase for your household. Each week you’ll send the data you collect to NCP.

Surveys are also available. When you take surveys you can share your opinions on products you use.

You’ll earn points for participating, and you can use the points to get cash or gift cards. Also, they have regular sweepstakes giveaways that you’ll qualify for as a member.

Check out National Consumer Panel for Mobile here.

Check out National Consumer Panel for Desktop here.

3. Swagbucks

You’ve probably heard of Swagbucks. They’ve paid out over $250 million to date to willing participants. When you join Swagbucks, you can qualify to be a product tester or do any number of things to earn points.

Points can be earned by taking surveys, playing games, watching videos, searching the Net and more. After you’ve earned a certain number of points, you can trade them in for PayPal cash.

Or, you can use them to get gift cards for any number of retailers. Swagbucks is one of the more well-known product testing and survey companies in business today.

4. Ipsos I-say

Ipsos I-say has been in the product testing business for years. When you work with them, you earn points for doing things such as taking surveys and participating in opinion polls. They also have product testing opportunities.

The points you earn with Ipsos I-say can be used to get gift cards or be converted to PayPal cash. It’s free to join and there’s no limit to how much you can earn.

5. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie helps you test products by sharing your opinions via surveys. They do have direct product testing opportunities available on occasion as well.

You can share your opinions from any type of mobile or non-mobile device. The points you earn can be cashed in to get cash from PayPal. Survey Junkie will let you pick out gift cards with your points as well.

6. Focus Pointe Global

Focus Pointe Global is an opinion research company. As a panel member, you’ll give opinions about products. Those opinions will help companies make decisions about releasing new products.

This company’s panel groups aren’t available in all areas. However, if you live in one of several major metropolitan areas you can sign up. Some of the areas their panel groups consist of include Phoenix, Minneapolis and San Francisco.

7. Pinecone Research

Pinecone Research helps you “influence tomorrow’s products today”, according to their website. When you sign up to be a product tester with them, you help determine which products hit store shelves.

You’ll earn points for your product opinions, and those points can be used to get prizes or cash. If you want prizes you simply access their rewards site. However, if you want cash you can just choose the “cash out” option on the website.

8. Panel PayDay

Panel PayDay is kind of a catch-all company that helps you connect with survey and product testing companies. When you sign up with them, you might get sent a survey to complete.

At other times you’ll be asked to participate in a focus group that shares opinions about products. Some focus group testing and opinions can pay as high as $150.

It’s free to become a member of Panel PayDay, and you can start earning today.

9. Vindale Research

Another company that will pay you to do product testing is Vindale Research. Vindale has paid its members nearly $7 million to-date. Along with opportunities for product testing, Vindale will also pay you to take surveys.

This company doesn’t reward you with points; they simply pay you cash for participating. They’ll send you a check in the mail or send your money to PayPal.

10. Survey Savvy

After you sign up with Survey Savvy, they use your profile information to match you with companies. When you fit the demographics of a company’s target client, you get to share your opinion with them.

Companies are looking for people to help them develop products for future release. So, for instance if you’re a young mom you might share your thoughts about diapers. Or they might send you diapers to try out.

After you’ve accumulated enough points, you can request payout and Survey Savvy will send you a check.

11. Harris Poll Online

Harris Poll Online will reward you for sharing your opinions about products, goods, politics and more. When you sign up to be a member, you’ll start getting surveys that ask you what you think on specific products and subjects.

Each completed survey will earn you HiPoints. HiPoints can be redeemed to get gift cards to a number of retailers.

12. Bzz Agent

A Bzz Agent is a member of the Bzz Agent site. Members are asked to review products and services, and then share their experiences and opinions online.

For instance, you might try out a new detergent and then share your thoughts about it on Facebook. After you complete the trial test period and give your opinion, you’ll get paid.

The site says that the better you participate, the more product tests you’ll be invited to take part in. In other words, if you’re truly committed to trying the product and sharing your thoughts, you’ll make more cash.

13. iPoll

Another company that pays for product testing is iPoll. iPoll has an app you can download so that you get fast notifications for product testing opportunities.

You get to share your thoughts and opinions about products and services you use on a regular basis. As you earn rewards points, you can use those points to get free stuff from their rewards catalog.

Or you can choose to redeem your points for a gift card to your favorite retailers, or for PayPal cash. Use the smartphone app to get immediate notifications of points-earning opinions.

14. Product Testing USA

Product Testing USA primarily pays members for completing three different types of activities:

• Testing products
• Mystery shopping
• Secret dining

They might have you testing products such as new types of electronic gadgets. Or they might send you to a store to do a mystery shop. Sometimes they’ll ask you to eat out at a restaurant and give your opinion of the food and service.

Outside companies hire Product Testing USA for these kinds of services in order to get real-life opinions of their products and services.

As a product tester you get to keep the products you try out. Just give your honest opinion about how they work. It’s free to sign up and members never have to pay anything to test products, mystery shop, etc.

15. Global Test Market

The Global Test Market website states it paid out over 30 million dollars to members in 2016. This company will pay you to test new products before they hit the market.

They pay for giving your opinions via survey as well when you share about products you already use. Just sign up to register and they’ll ask you some questions about you and your household.

The answers you give help determine what kind of products and surveys you will be asked to test or take. The money you earn can be paid out via gift cards to a variety of stores or via PayPal. You can also donate your earnings to your favorite charity.

16. Earning Station

Earning Station is a company that will reward you for sharing your opinion via surveys. They do have product testing occasionally. As a side note, you can also earn with them by shopping online, playing games, watching videos and more.

The points you earn can be used to get free gift cards or converted into PayPal cash. This company will pay you for referring others to sign up too.

17. Buzz Back

When you join Buzz Back, you get to help companies design and test products for market. Along with product testing, you can earn points by completing surveys for some companies.

The points you earn can be used to get gift cards to your favorite retail stores or you can be paid in cash. According to their website, this company has been helping manufacturers test products for over 17 years.

18. Survey Club

Similar to how Panel PayDay works, Survey Club helps companies find people to test products. When you sign up with Survey Club (it’s free), you’ll answer some questions to describe you and your household.

Survey Club works with companies to find out what products they need tested. Then they peruse their database to find members that fit the demographic the company is looking for.

As an example, if they have a company wanting to test out diapers, they’ll search their database for parents of babies and toddlers. When you as a member qualify for a company’s demographic, you’ll be notified and invited to apply.

After you complete a study they’ll deposit money into your Survey Club account You have the option to use that money to get a PayPal deposit, an Amazon gift card or a check in the mail.

19. MindsPay

MindsPay will pay you to share your opinion on products and services. After you review products and participate in paid offers, they’ll send you cash via Paypal.

You’ll be offered a variety of opportunities to make money with. When you get an opportunity to review a product you just have to share your thoughts regarding the product. Products will be sent to you in the mail and you’ll get coupons on occasion as well.

You can earn from 50 cents up to $50 for each offer you complete. Pay rates vary based on the type of opportunity and how much of your time it takes.

20. Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost focuses primarily on getting your opinions regarding products by sending you surveys. However, they also send you actual products by mail at times.

Both requests will get you paid money in the form of a gift card to your favorite store or via a PayPal deposit. Bonus: Opinion Outpost offers a quarterly $10,000 cash drawing for members.

Every time you complete a survey or share your opinion about a product you test out, you gain an entry into the drawing.

21. User Testing

This company will pay you primarily for testing apps and websites. User Testing will pay you $10 for each test you complete. All you have to do is complete a set of tasks to test out the website or app.

Each test takes about 20 minutes, according to the website. One of the nice things about this type of “job” is that you can do it in your spare time. If you’ve got 20 minutes available, you can earn some cash.

P.S. There are some device requirements to work with this company, such as having a microphone on your device.

22. In-Home Product Testing

In-Home Product Testing is looking for members to test products sent directly to their homes. As a product tester, you’ll be sent products that are found in various types of stores such as:

• Drug stores
• Warehouse club stores
• Grocery stores
• Retail stores
• Home improvement stores
• Electronic stores

And other types of stores as well. Every time you give feedback about a product you test, you earn rewards points. Those points can be used to get free gift cards to one of several retailers listed on the site.

23. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion will pay you to participate in surveys and research products. It’s totally free to become a member. You might be asked to test out a new product or to give your opinion on a company’s ad.

Taking surveys is another way you can get paid with American Consumer Opinion. Each project you complete will get you between 100 and 5000 points. You can use your points to get a deposit into your PayPal account.

24. Toluna

As a member of Toluna you’ll mostly help by giving your opinions and uses of various products by participating in surveys. However, they do offer product test opportunities on their site occasionally.

As you complete surveys or test products, you’re rewarded with points. Those points can be redeemed for gift cards, cash or sweepstakes entries. You can use points to purchase gadgets or vacation getaways as well. How does a free vacation sound?

25. Influenster

Influenster is a product discovery community that shares opinions about hundreds of different products. Every month, Influenster ships out thousands of VoxBoxes.

The VoxBoxes contain products for you to try out and then share your opinions about. VoxBoxes contain full size samples as well as trial size. You’ll be asked to write reviews and share what you did and didn’t like about products.

The site is also a great place to check out other products before you use them. It’s a whole community of people sharing information about products  in order to help each other.

26. Homeschool.com

If you’re a homeschooler, you might want to join the Homeschool.com product test panel. Homeschool.com shares information about a variety of homeschool curricula products.

As a homeschooling mom, I can tell you that this site is often referred to by homeschool parents needing curricula advice. If you’re interested in testing out various homeschool curriculums and sharing your thoughts on the Homeschool.com website, this could be a great panel for you to join.

27. Moms Meet

This focus group is geared toward moms who like using health-conscious products. If you qualify to be a Moms Meet member, they’ll send you eco-friendly, natural and organic products.

You can try out the products with your family and then share your opinion on social media outlets. For each task you complete or product you try, you’ll earn points. Those points can be redeemed for free gift cards, free products and more.

Note: bloggers are encouraged to participate too, even if they’re not moms. As a blogger ambassador you’ll be asked to share your thoughts about products on your blog.

28. The Pink Panel

The Pink Panel seeks out women to test out beauty and skin care products. After you test out a product and give your opinion, you’ll receive between $25 and $100 worth of gift cards and/or beauty products.

Some product testing surveys will want longer use times than others. You may be asked to test a product for up to six weeks in some cases. This could be a cool way to try out new beauty and skin care products for personal use.

29. Vocal Point

Vocal Point uses community to help members test out new products. According to their website, you may be asked to organize a playdate and test out new toys from Fisher Price.

Or, you could be asked to throw a small gathering where you’ll all try out a new wine. When you’re done with each test you get to keep the product and share your opinions with the company.

30. Product Report Card

This company offers focus groups and product testing, as well as surveys for members. They surveys are probably the easiest way to participate as they arrive right in your email inbox.

The Product Report Card website says they conduct surveys and product testing in three main areas:

• Kitchen
• Bed and Bath
• Fitness and Sports

When you go on their website as a visitor and click on the menu, you can choose which subject to view. For instance, if you choose “kitchen” you can find reviews of kitchen products.

As a panel member, you can help influence those reviews by answering survey questions. Completed surveys will earn you rewards with which you can get gift cards, cash and prizes. Sign up is totally free.

Companies That Will Have You Test Their Own Products

There are some specific companies that will have you test products for them. Product testing by specific companies helps the companies perfect a product before it hits the market.

If you’d like to be involved in helping companies try out products before they get sold in stores, check out these companies.

31. Minute Rice

Minute Rice’s Riceipe Club has various benefits, one of which offers members the option to be a product tester. In-home product testers use and sample Minute Rice products and give their opinions to developers.

Being a member of this panel could offer you a fun way to try out new foods for your family and yourself. Bonus: members also get coupons, recipes and other benefits as well.

32. Nike

Athletic shoe giant Nike needs product testers for their shoes and other athletic apparel. According to their website, they “seek a broad variety of athletes who are dedicated to their sport”. They also want product testers who will give constructive, candid feedback about their products.

If you’re an athlete and would like to apply to test Nike athletic shoes and apparel, simply click on the link above. They’ll have a link to apply and you can go from there!

33. Mills Advisory Panel

Cereal and food giant General Mills is behind the Mills Advisory Panel. If you want to be involved with testing out new cereals and other foods, this could be a good panel to join.

The site doesn’t specify if there’s pay involved or what that pay might be, but it is free to join. Great panel for those wanting to influence new foods coming on the market.

34. Reebok

Reebok athletic company also hires product testers to try out new products. When you sign up to be a product tester, the product testing company will choose products to send to you.

Generally, you’ll be asked to use the products for a specified time period, like 3 to 6 weeks. Then you’ll share your thoughts about performance, fit, comfort and so on. As a thank you for participating, you’ll get a free Reebok product in the mail.

Note that there are parameters that need to be met to qualify, such as exercising a certain amount each week. The link above will tell you all you need to know about product testing for Reebok.

35. New Balance

New Balance athletic company also hires product testers. If you’re a runner or similar athlete this could be a great way to get free shoes. As with the other athletic wear companies, you’ll be sent a product to test out.

After you’ve tested the product for a certain time period you’ll share your opinions. Sometimes you’ll have to send the shoes back for lab analysis. In return for your time and opinions you’ll get a free New Balance product to keep.

36. McCormick

You may not recognize the name McCormick right off the bat, but you’ve probably got their products in your pantry. McCormick makes foods such as spices and spice combinations, gravies and sauces.

If you want to be a part of their consumer test panel, you can try out the products before they’re on the market. One of the qualifications to product test for them is that you need to be near a location. The link above can show you where product testing centers are.

Also, you can only test for McCormick once every quarter – they want varying taste buds for their product testing.

37. Brooks

Brooks is another company that specializes in athletic shoes and clothing. They primarily serve runners, and love to have runners sign up as product testers.

Just like with other athletic companies, you’ll be sent a pair of Brooks running shoes or other apparel. After wearing the item for a few weeks, you’ll be asked certain questions about the item.

When you share your opinion you don’t get paid anything or get a free product. However, you do get to wear free clothes or shoes for several weeks. If you’re a serious runner, this could be a great way to cut down on shoe costs.

38. L’Oréal

If you wear makeup you might want to become a product tester for L’Oréal. They also have panel members test skin care and other products.

The company isn’t real clear about the benefits of being a product tester for them. But at the very least you’ll get to try free makeup and skin care products. Who knows; you might find a new product you love. And you’ll get to influence products that are going to be released on the market in the future.

39. Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson, well-known maker of baby and other products, has a product testing team too. When you sign up for the Friends & Neighbors test team, you’ll be on an exclusive list to try new products.

The company might send you a new product to try out at home, or have you participate in an online forum. Online forums are sometimes used to develop new products such as baby washes.

Click on the link above to learn more about the Friends & Neighbors test team or to sign up.

40. MicroSoft

Microsoft also wants product testers to test upcoming games and other software. What’s cool about their program is they want testers of all ages and abilities.

When you sign up through the link above, they will keep your information on file. Then they’ll match you to upcoming studies where your profile fits the parameters they need.

41. Roku Beta Testing

Have you ever heard of the Roku streaming company? They hire product testers to do beta testing for them.

A beta tester helps develop products as companies ready them for the market. As a beta tester you report glitches, crashes and other issues with new software products.

If you like the idea of being a beta tester with Roku, just sign up via the link above. The site doesn’t share whether or not beta testers get paid. But at the very least you’ll get a hand in developing new software products.

Magazines That Hire for Product Testing

There are also magazine companies that want your opinions on products. By getting readers’ opinions on various products, the magazine companies benefit in one big way.

How? They get first hand reports from real consumers about various products and services. This allows them to share information about new products and have honest opinions about the quality of those products.

Here’s the scoop on some of the magazines that look for product testers.

42. Good Housekeeping

As a member of the Good Housekeeping Advisory Panel, you’ll get to test new products and share your opinions. The info you share with the panel will help them have honest recommendations for readers.

Panel members get to be among the first to try new products. They also qualify for entry into sweepstakes and prize giveaways from Good Housekeeping. Sign up by clicking on the link above.

43. Glamour Magazine (Glam Spotters)

Glamour Magazine has a consumer test panel called Glam Spotters. After you get accepted as a member, you get to try new products before they hit the shelves. You’ll also get to share your opinion with readers.

Glam Spotters members get inside access to special events and offers as well. As a bonus, you’ll get entered into drawings to win prizes too. This could be a fun panel to join if you love makeup and fashion.

44. Redbook Magazine

Redbook magazine has a consumer panel called Club Red. As a Club Red panel member, you get to test new products and share your opinion. Bonus: you also get invited to attend special events and enter to win prizes too.

Become a part of Redbook’s team by signing up through the link above.

45. Vogue Insiders

Vogue Magazine has a test panel called Vogue Insiders. Members of Vogue insiders test products and share opinions about beauty and fashion items. This could include makeup, skin care and more.

If you like fashion and fashion accessories, this could be the product test panel for you.

46. All You Magazine (Reality Checker)

All You Magazine  magazine has a focus panel called the Reality Checkers. Reality Checkers test new products, participate in surveys and share opinions with magazine editors.

This is your chance to hang out with a community of women who work together to influence the industry. No info on this site about any compensation for being a part of this product testing community.

47. Parenting Magazine

The ever-popular Parenting Magazine also seeks product testers for their magazine. Some of the products you might test if you get on their team include:

• Toys and games
• Books, videos and video games
• Baby and toddler gear such as strollers and cribs
• Baby and toddler products such as diapers and baby food
• Health items for babies and toddlers, such as baby wash
• Beauty and health products for moms

If you want input on the quality and effectiveness of these types of items, this might be the panel for you. This could also be a great way to get free stuff for your kids and for you.

48. InStyle Magazine Trendsetters

InStyle Magazine has a product testing panel called InStyle Trendsetters. Panel members test products and share opinions about beauty, fashion and home decor.

Every time you give your opinion, you get entered into the magazine panel’s quarterly sweepstakes. Sweepstakes entries qualify you to potentially win awesome prizes.

With so many companies to choose from, there’s a good chance you’ll find product testing jobs that are perfect for you. Whether the rewards you receive are monetary compensation or not, there are lots of benefits to this work.

Gaining free products, getting a say in new products and being involved with community are additional benefits.

Now it’s your turn. Have you ever been on a product testing panel or team? Would you consider doing so? Share your opinions and experiences in the comments below.