how to make money work for you
One of my favorite quotes is, “time is money.” But what if we flipped that around and said, “money is time?”
Just think about it. If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do with it? Would you spend it with your family? Would you get ahead on work? Or would you finally have time to relax?
The truth is, most of us would probably choose to do a combination of all three and that’s where the money comes in.
You see, making money work for you gives you the freedom to spend your time however you want.
Yes, money doesn’t grow on trees.” But what if it could? Wouldn’t that be amazing? We could all sit back and watch the money roll in, without worrying about working for it.
Unfortunately, money doesn’t work that way. So how do you make Money work for you?
Read on to learn how to make money work for you or, like my good friend Steph would say, how to make your Money Make Money.
The role of money in our lives
They may say money is the root of all evil, but that doesn’t change the fact that money plays a vital role in our lives.
Money allows us to buy the things we need and want, making our lives more comfortable and enjoyable.
But money also has the power to stress us out too.
Did you know that worrying about money is one of the leading causes of anxiety and can severely impact our mental and physical health.
If I could count how many times have I wondered how I can grow my money fast? Where should I put my money to grow? How can I use money to make more money? You may also have these questions too.
So really, making your Money work for you is one of the most brilliant things you can do to improve your financial situation.
It’s a way to increase your income without finding a higher-paying job or putting in more hours at work.
So let’s get into it. Here are 12 easy ways Money Work for You in 2023
How to make money work for you
1. Automate your finances
One of the best ways to make money work for you is to automate your finances, which means setting up automatic payments or direct deposits for bills, savings, and investments.
Life can get really busy with everything we have to do and no time, so automating your finances is a surefire way to help you stay on top of your finances and ensure that your money works for you.
In addition, It will also help you avoid late fees and penalties, which can affect your earnings.
Imagine how much you can save on interest payments simply by automation, and to be honest, this is an incredibly lazy girl’s finance tip to get on top of your money.
Automate and forget about it; thankfully, we live in an age where we can automate anything.
So go on, girl, and make your money work for you with automation.
2. Invest in yourself
This may look like you are losing money instead of making money, but hear me out.
Investing in yourself is one of the best ways to make your money work for you.
The thing is, when you invest in yourself, you’re investing in your future.
Think about it this way: the more you learn, the more valuable you become, the more knowledge you have, the more money you can earn.
So if you’re not already doing so, start investing in yourself today.
Take some courses, read some books, and attend some seminars. The more knowledge you have, the better off you’ll be.
Here is a course that has really helped me grow my business and make more money as an entrepreneur – stupid simple seo.
Mike’s stupid simple SEO is one of my favorite courses on the planet.
It so effective that I made the money i spent on that course immediately; how?
After his course, I was able to work on my website and tripled my organic traffic from SEO, and this generated more sales for me and more money.
Go ahead and check out his course here . It is simply the most comprehensive guide on SEO research and especially with google’s new update, you are going to appreciate mike’s course more.
If you want to supercharge your blog or business traffic you can start by taking his free master class HERE.
Investing in yourself also means taking care of your health, health is wealth right?!
3. Invest in stocks or mutual funds
Investing in the stock market has always been a great way to make your money work for you.
When you invest in stocks, you’re essentially buying a piece of a company. As the company grows and becomes more successful, the value of your stock will increase.
If you do decide to sell the stock, you get to keep the difference as profit.
Investing in stock can be an excellent way to generate passive income because all you do is invest and leave it there. (at least if you invest long-term, which is my preferred option, especially for beginners).
However, before you invest in a stock you need to understand your risk tolerance, this will help you decide if stocks are your best option or if you like to consider alternative investments.
Buying mutual funds is my preferred way to invest money in the stock market because it is a great way to diversify your portfolio and reduce your risk, as investing in one stock may pose more risk.
What is a mutual fund, you ask?
A mutual fund is a type of investment that allows you to invest in various securities; it is a collection of different stocks and bonds managed by a professional.
Investing in mutual funds is a great way to diversify your portfolio and reduce risk.
If you’re unsure where to start, plenty of online tools and resources can help you start investing in the stock market.
4. Start a side hustle
They call it a side hustle; I call it a passive income stream. Why? i focus only on side hustles that can bring in a passive income because who has the time to work around the clock?
But that’s me.
So basically, another way to make your money work for you and attain financial growth is by starting a side hustle. A side hustle is a great way to earn an additional income.
Some examples of side hustles you can start are :
- Starting an online course: online courses are a great way to make money from your knowledge and expertise so If you have a skill or know something valuable, you can create an online course and earn money every time someone buys it.
My fave platform for hosting and selling online courses is TEACHABLE.
The platform is incredibly easy to use even for beginners and you can set up and start selling your course in as little as a day. - Affiliate marketing: Of course, I cannot talk about side hustles without mentioning affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to make money passively, with affiliate marketing, you promote other people’s products or services and earn a commission for every sale you make.
It’s a great way to earn extra income online without creating your own product or service. you can join affiliate networks like share a sale or ultimate bundles and promote products for commissions. - Starting a blog: A blog is another excellent way to make extra money from your knowledge and make passive income. Share your knowledge, grow your traffic and earn money through advertising or affiliate marketing.
There are endless possibilities for side hustles, so don’t be afraid to get creative.
The important thing is that you find something you’re passionate about, start, and don’t lose focus.
5.Open a high-yield savings account (and checking) account
If you do not have high-yield savings accounts, you are essentially losing money because the interest you are earning on your traditional savings account is not keeping up with inflation.
High-yield savings accounts are a type of savings account that offers a higher interest rate than a traditional savings bank account. This means that your money will grow faster in a high-yield savings account.
There are lots of high-yield savings accounts out there, my favorites are the following online banks
- Synchrony
- Ally
- Discover
- Cit
These banks are a lot better than your regular savings account.
This also applies to your checking account, be strategic with your accounts, and opt for accounts with credit card rewards and low interest so that you make the most of your money.
6.Invest in real estate
Real estate investments is a great way to generate passive income and build wealth over time. When you invest in real estate, you’re essentially buying a property that will appreciate over time and bring in additional money.
You can invest in a rental property and make money from rental income or simply from the appreciation of the property over time.
There are many different ways to invest in real estate, but some of the most common include the following:
- Buying a property and renting it out; This is a great way to generate passive income each month. You can use the rent money to cover the mortgage payments, property taxes, and other expenses associated with owning a property.
- Flipping properties: This involves buying a property, making improvements, and then selling it for a profit.
- Investing in a real estate investment trust (REIT): A REIT is a company that owns and operates income-producing real estate. When you invest in a REIT, you’re essentially investing in a portfolio of properties.
There are many different ways to invest in real estate, so it’s important to research and find an investment strategy that best suits your goals.
7.Invest in assets.
Another way you can grow your money is to invest in assets. Assets will appreciate in value over time or generate income for you without much effort.
Examples of assets include stocks, real estate, money market and businesses.
Investing in assets means putting your money to work for you so it can grow over time.
8.Create concrete financial goals
You need to set goals to succeed in any part of your life.
This is also true when it comes to your finances. It would be best if you had specific, concrete financial goals that you are working towards.
Your financial goals should be SMART:
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Relevant
T – Time-bound
Some examples of financial goals are:
-Save $X amount of Money in Y months
-Invest X amount of Money in Y months
-Generate X amount of passive income in Y months
-Pay off debt in X months/years
-Save x amount in retirement account
-Save x amount in emergency funds
Your financial goals should be specific to your situation and what you want to achieve. They should also be realistic and achievable, you should be actively involved in ensuring that you achieve these goals.
Finally, your goals should be relevant to your overall financial picture and time-bound so that you can measure your progress.
This printable productivity planner is my go to for planning and setting day to day goals as needed. It is a 70 page planner filled with all you need to be more productive.
9.Create a budget
No matter how much you are making, if you do not create a budget you
will always find a way to spend all your money. A budget tool will help you track your spending, save money, and reach your financial goals.
There are many different ways to create a budget, but the most important thing is finding a system that works for you and sticking to it.
Some tips for creating a budget:
-Identify your income and expenses
-Track your spending
-Set aside money for savings and investments
-Create a system that works for you and stick to it
10.Build a diversified portfolio
To make sure your money works, it is best to invest in a diversified portfolio like I mentioned above with stocks, and choose mutual funds and ETFs.
Also, your portfolio management should have a long-term focus.
Diversification reduces risk and volatility by spreading your money across different asset classes, sectors, and geographical regions.
A diversified portfolio should contain a mix of assets, including stocks, bonds, cash, and real estate.
Diversification aims to reduce risk and volatility while still providing the potential for growth and ensuring a guaranteed return on your investments.
If you are unsure how to do this, consider contacting a certified financial planner who can help you build a portfolio that meets your specific goals.
11.Get rid of your high-cost debts.
One of the best ways to make your money work for you is to eliminate your high-cost debts.
High interest debt is any debt with high interest rates, such as credit card debt, personal loans, and student loans.
The best way to get rid of high-cost debt is to pay it off as quickly as possible, and this will save you money in the long run by avoiding charges. Try as much as you can to make the minimum payments required.
Here are a few ways to pay off high-cost debt:
-You can use a debt consolidation loan to consolidate your debts into one monthly payment.
-You can negotiate with your creditors to lower your interest rates.
-You can create a budget and use the extra money to pay off your debts.
Whatever method you choose, make sure that you are aggressive in paying off your high-cost debt to save money in the long run.
12.Live below your means.
Living below your means doesn’t mean living a life of deprivation; instead, it means being mindful of your spending and only buying what you need (and can afford).
There is no need to keep up with the jonses, just be honest with yourself and stick to what you need, because when you live below your means, you free up more money to invest in yourself and your future which is exactly what we want!
The Power of Compound Interest
Have you every heard of compound interest? Compound interest is often called the world’s eighth wonder because it’s so powerful.
To be successful at making money work for you, you need to take advantage of the power of compound interest.
So what is compound interest?
It is when you earn interest on your principal investment plus any previous interest earned.
The earlier you start saving and investing, the more time your money has to grow through compound interest.
For example, let’s say you invest $10,000 at a 7% rate of return.
After one year, you would have earned $700 in interest ($10,000 x 0.07).
In the second year, you would earn interest on your original investment plus the interest from the first year.
So, you would earn $749 in the second year ($10,700 x 0.07).
As you can see, the interest starts to compound and grow at a faster rate each year.
Over time, compound interest has the potential to grow your money exponentially.
Each year, your interest would grow because you’re earning interest on your previous year’s interest.
This is the power of compound interest!
To take full advantage of compound interest, you need to start saving and investing as early as possible; Trust me this is an awesome foundation for building wealth
The earlier you start, the more time your money has to grow, so consider setting up direct deposits into your investment account that way you do not have to worry about it.
It’s never too late to start saving and investing, but the sooner you start, the better.
You may also like : How to get paid to advertise with your car.
To Wrap Up: How To Make Money Work For You
- Invest in a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds
- Use dollar-cost averaging to invest in index funds
- Buy shares of quality companies that have a history of dividend growth
- Employ a growth mindset and focus on building human capital
- Consider saving money in specific accounts like a Roth IRA or 401(k)
- Live below your means and invest the difference
- Take advantage of compounding interest by starting to save early
- Have multiple streams of income by earning money from side hustles
- Invest in yourself through continual learning
- Stay disciplined with your finances by following a budget
Conclusion: How To Make Money Work For You
Making money work for you is about taking a proactive approach to your finances.
It’s about investing in yourself and your future so that you can live the life YOU want to live.
There’s no get-rich-quick scheme that will work in the long run.
The best way to make money work for you is to save and invest for the future.
Start small if you need to, but start today. The sooner you start, the better off you’ll be.
