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Today ProBlogger Subject Matter Expert Ali Luke is guest posting about guest posting.
So, you’ve realised that guest posting has loads of benefits for you and your blog, but you’re not quite sure how to go about it.
Maybe you’re worried that you don’t have enough experience.
Perhaps you haven’t even got an active blog of your own right now.
That’s absolutely fine. Most host blogs just want someone who can write reasonably well.
(It’s also OK to guest post even if you don’t have your own blog: some authors do this to promote their books, for instance, and freelancers do it to promote their services.)
If you’re worried about whether your writing’s good enough, ask a blogger friend to help you edit your guest post: a second pair of eyes can be invaluable here.
Choosing a Blog to Target
Where should you post? It makes sense to aim for a well-known blog with a big audience, though if this is your very first guest post, you may not want to go straight for the top. (Some bloggers do, though – so if you’re feeling confident, try it!)
Great blogs to guest post for are:
#1: Blogs that you already read regularly. This is definitely the best place to begin: after all, you already know these blogs well, and you may have left comments or shared posts, meaning there’s a chance the host blogger is already familiar with you.
#2: Blogs that are new to you, but well-established in your niche. I’ve been blogging for 9 years and I still keep coming across great blogs I never knew about! Check out the blogs that big-name bloggers in your niche link to (either in posts, in their sidebar, or on social media).
I don’t recommend Googling “list of blogs to guest post for” and choosing a list with hundreds of blogs on it. Guest posting isn’t a numbers game: it’s much better to write one or two great posts for one or two great blogs.
How to Know if a Blog Takes Guest Posts
The first thing to look for is a page on the blog titled something like this:
- Guest post guidelines
- Submission guidelines
- Write for us
- Submit a post
(Check the navigation menu, the sidebar, the About page, and the Contact page for these. Or you can type into Google: guest post guidelines site: If there aren’t any guidelines visible, look to see who’s writing for the blog. Are there any recent guest posts? Anything written by someone who isn’t the blog owner / editor might be a guest post … though if the same names keep coming up again and again, they’re probably freelance writers. Once you’ve found a blog to target, it’s time to come up with your idea. If you generally find it difficult to come up with ideas for blog posts, you might want to check out the six months of blogging prompts (free). When you’re pitching a guest post, your idea should be: I’d suggest coming up with two or three ideas for the blog: personally, I like to offer one main idea and a couple of alternatives. Note: We’ll be going into more detail about guest post ideas next week and providing extra guidance on how to shape these not only to the blog itself but also to your own objectives. Before you pitch, your main idea should be fleshed out with a brief outline or idea of what you’re going to cover. A list (with or without bullet points) is fine here. For instance, for this post, that list might look like: Title: Finding Great Guest Posting Opportunities and Pitching the Perfect Post This would cover: A quick list like this makes sure that the host blogger’s expectations line up with what you plan to deliver. Occasionally, you may find that a host blogger likes your idea but wants you to cover different or additional points – it’s always easiest to get this clear up front, rather than to write a whole post only to end up making substantial changes. Some blogs like to have the pitch alone (title plus outline); others prefer to see a finished post. Check their guidelines to see what they specify. There’s nothing stopping you, of course, from writing the whole post before you pitch (and just keeping it to yourself): if you’re feeling a bit anxious about doing justice to your pitch, this can help! You may, though, have to make changes based on the blog owner’s response to your pitch. This is where many would-be guest post writers get stuck! It can be really daunting to sit down and email a big-name blogger who you’d love to write for … what if you screw it up? If it’s any comfort, that big-name blogger probably gets dozens of terrible pitches from SEO companies every single week. To stand out from the crowd, just: You don’t need to have any special credentials … you just need to show that you can write decent English and that you won’t be horrible to work with. In case you think I’m setting the bar too low here, this is a real email I received a couple of weeks ago, for my blog Aliventures (my tagline there is “master the art, craft and business of writing”): Hey, I am content writer specialized in Health & fitness niche, and I chanced upon aliventures.com. I must appreciate that the content of your website is par excellence and exceptionally useful. I’ve been a blogger for about 10 years, with special interests in Health & fitness, Ayurvedic counselor, and Sexologist. Today I am a recognized expert in the subject, and over the years, have consistently contributed articles and blogs to top sexologist related sites. I am looking forward to attaching myself as a guest blogger to your site by contributing an article to aliventures.com. I assure that the article will be highly informative and educative to your audience. While I am not looking at any monetary benefits, instead we could consider the possibility mentioning my site/resource just once within the article. Do let me know if this sounds good and works for you. Looking forward to hearing from you. Regards, [name removed]
Content Writer & Editor I’m sure you spotted some of the glaring problems with this pitch: Trust me, you can do a million times better than this. Here’s an email you can use for your pitches: just fill in the [bits in square brackets]. Subject: Guest post submission: Dear posted from https://addicted2success.com/life/your-enthusiasm-will-make-a-difference/ I have read Dr. Peale’s book “Enthusiasm Make The Difference.” As a matter of fact, I have read a few of his books. All of them are good reads. I love the examples and stories of his patients and clients in a world so far different than ours today. The stories are pre-internet days. Pre-everything days really. Some say it was much simpler then, than now. To a certain extent, I agree with those people. Life has sped up. I remember my younger days with the long phone chords stretching them as far as possible to get some privacy and the big box televisions that weighed a gazillion pounds. Atari, Betamax VCR’s, eight-tracks, cassette tapes, and so many other obsolete devices we all used that no longer exist. It’s funny, those things are gone with new improved and faster technology, but the wisdom of Dr. Peale remains the same. It’s true, enthusiasm does make the difference. It was the same as in 1967 when his book was published and now in 2019. If you want people to listen to you, follow you, or learn from you, you need enthusiasm. Each semester I begin all my classes doing push-ups the first day. The students come in with regular street clothes expecting to hear the usual “spiel” on the class requirements, paperwork, and the expectations for the course. Now, remember, I teach kids how to lift weights, not math or science. Following the discussion of general information, I tell them to get in a big circle in the weight room. I teach them how to do a correct push-up and demonstrate key points to make it more safe and effective. Then, we do a lot of push-ups. I am usually met with some resistance with a few of the students. While they all elected to take the class (it is not required- but should be), they are not too keen on doing push-ups in their blue jeans or their “school clothes.” Almost 100% of the time, the students finish loving the activity. They laugh and have fun with it. Why? I make it fun for them. I am loud. I talk fast. I make jokes (they are funny to me, probably not to them). I do the push-ups with them. I am enthusiastic about the experience! If I went into the activity with typical teacher talk, I would not get the same effect. Furthermore, if I went into it being a drill sergeant and demanded it from them, I would be met with a ton of resistance as well. I start each class and each semester with push-ups for a few reasons. I want to let them know the course will be challenging. I want to show them that you do not need a long drawn out routine for exercise to be effective. And, mostly to show them that physical training can be a fun and enjoyable experience. “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson When I coach wrestling, I might not smile as much, at least in the beginning, but I make it a priority to be enthusiastic each day. I talk to my team a lot about the proper mindset they need to have each day to have a good practice and to get the most out of the workout. I tell them that it will be tough and needs to be tough because from that we get better, and we will shorten the learning curve with other teams that have more experience. I participate in most conditioning workouts with them. I want to share the experience with them. By doing that, I build trust and rapport. Ultimately though, what matters most is that each day I (and my other coaches) are enthusiastic in what we do. Enthusiasm is the “secret sauce” in nearly every life activity. Whether it is mowing the lawn or working out, having energy and spirit make any challenging experience better. Enthusiasm also brings out the best in others! Let’s be clear before I discuss ways to develop enthusiasm with your team or daily life, it isn’t Pollyanna double-speak and painting a rosy picture to your students, organization, or employment staff. Enthusiasm is bringing passion and love into an experience and doing it with energy and vitality. It is selling your people to buy into your program, and it is showing up prepared and ready to attack what’s ahead of you. It is not getting through it and surviving. How can we develop an enthusiastic attitude? It first begins in your own mind! Everything we do starts in our minds. To be passionate, you need to plant the seeds of enthusiasm into your thinking. You need to tell yourself that it’s going to be a great experience and your day is going to be filled with opportunities! You tell yourself you are “lucky” to have the chance to do whatever you do. What if you do not feel that way? Well, you lie to yourself. You keep telling yourself that it is going to be good. You catch the negative thinking right away and quickly change it to something that will benefit and motivate you. In what ways can we demonstrate enthusiasm with others? The biggest thing that will show your enthusiasm is your body language, tone of your voice, and facial expressions. In other words, your physiology. If you want people to be enthusiastic, you demonstrate it first. You talk louder. You move faster. Equally important, you smile and have some fun in what you are doing. And if you don’t feel that way when you start, fake it, do it anyway, and I guarantee you will quickly morph into the person you are trying to be. You will get excited and feel full of energy. You “trick” yourself into being enthusiastic and low and behold after a couple of minutes, you are! “Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do.” – Norman Vincent Peale So remember, enthusiasm starts in your own thinking. If you think lazy and uninspiring thoughts, the result will be that you are lazy and uninspired in your daily living and communication with people. You need to change your thinking deliberately. At first, it will need to be repetitive and constant. Eventually, it only takes a quick reframe of your negative thought to turn it into a positive one. But like anything else in life that’s worth it, it takes time and effort. You also have to move your body like a person who has enthusiasm. “Fake it till you make it.” If you move your body intending to be enthusiastic, your mind will follow. posted from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mrsjanuary/~3/mvVwriCZdGY/ The high fees and bloated exchange rates incurred when sending and receiving foreign currency can be a bitter pill to swallow. This is especially true for anyone who has to send money abroad on a regular basis. Much of the problem lies in the exchange rates offered by banks, which are priced well above the actual market exchange rate. Not only that, fees on wire transfers can be as high as $50 or more, depending on the amount of money you’re sending. Recently, I wrote an article on the various ways that you can exchange money, so I thought the timing was right for a review of TransferWise, a leader in online foreign currency exchange. Thankfully, companies like TransferWise are around, to take the sting out of foreign exchange, as well as sending money overseas. Using the latest in mobile technology, TransferWise makes foreign exchange instant, and affordable. In this TransferWise Canada review, I’ll show you exactly how TransferWise works to save you money, and why it’s a better way to send money than through traditional channels ie. your local bank branch. TransferWise is a U.K. based company, founded in 2010, by two friends, Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus. Fast forward to today, TransferWise is now worth more than $1 billion and boasts more than 6 million customers. According to Business Insider, “the idea for TransferWise surfaced when its two founders realized that they could cut down on money-transfer costs by paying each other’s expenses. Hinrikus used his money in Estonia to pay for Käärmann’s mortgage, and Käärmann used his money in the UK to send payment to Hinrikus. TransferWise avoids international bank-transfer fees by keeping the money transfers inside the country, using domestic accounts to minimize the distance that money has to travel.” TransferWise saves you money in three ways. For starters, all foreign exchange is conducted using mid-market exchange rate, or real exchange rate. This is the rate without the spread that’s added by your bank or broker, which means you’re getting the lowest possible rate of exchange, regardless of the amount of currency. While TransferWise does charge a nominal fee to send money, it’s typically under 1%. Compare that to the 2.5% foreign exchange fee whenever you make a foreign currency purchase with your credit card. Or, the high fees charged by your bank when you send funds via wire transfer, which can be upwards of $100, depending on the amount you are sending. I should point out that it’s free to receive funds into your TransferWise account. With bank wire transfers, recipients are usually charged a fee when the funds arrive in their account. Lastly, you will pay a fee when you make your payment to TransferWise, to fund your transaction. However, these charges are fairly minimal, especially when you send money via direct debit from your bank account. The mid-market rate represents the midpoint, between two currencies buy and sell prices. TransferWise always charges the mid-market exchange rate, whereas your bank will include a spread on the rate the client pays, in order to boost profits on an exchange transaction. Fees aside, this is why you’ll save money sending money through TransferWise, as opposed to say, a bank to bank wire transfer. The mid-market rate is considered the most accurate rate of exchange between two currencies. TransferWise has the ability to send money to most major countries and currencies. I counted no less than 58 countries on the TransferWise website. I’ve listed just a few of those below. I should note that there are restrictions on some currencies, in how transfers can be sent and received. It’s important to read the instructions as they pertain to the specific country you are wanting to send funds to. To illustrate how funds are sent using TransferWise, I’ll use the following example, of converting CAD to USD. As you can see, it’s a fairly straightforward, 6-step process. Here’s a snapshot of the calculated pricing of a $1,000 CAD transfer to USD. As you can see, the direct debit fee is only $2.58 CAD, and the Transferwise’s overall fee is $11.61 CAD. When you take into account the fact that you’re also saving money on the exchange rate (due to TransferWise using the mid-market rate), you’re going to save money with TransferWise vs. your bank. I should point out, in my example above, the for sending payment via direct debit was $2.58 CAD Here’s a list of what the fee would be for the same transfer, using other payment methods. In this case, direct debit is by far the cheapest option. You may be wondering how TransferWise fees are structured, compared to other companies, or even your bank. When you send money, there are typically 3 components to a TransferWise transaction. Here’s how it breaks down: TransferWise charges a fee when you send money to your account for payment. You have up to 5 options, depending on the currency: bank debit, debit card, credit card, wire transfer, or bill payment. As you can see in the CAD to USD example I provided above, the bank debit method is the cheapest. The transfer fee is expressed as a percentage of the amount of money being sent, but in most cases, it’s below 1%. The third, and final component, is the currency exchange. With TransferWise, your funds will always be converted at the mid-market, or real exchange rate. This is the rate without the 1-4% spread, or hidden fee, which is always added on by your bank or broker. If you exchange funds on a regular basis, this is where you can realize enormous savings through TransferWise. The TransferWise Borderless account is a thing of beauty. If you are a freelancer or own a business with clients in several countries, TransferWise makes receiving payment in any number of foreign currencies a breeze. Here’s how it works. You start by opening your borderless account through the TransferWise app. From there, you can hold accounts in up to 30 foreign currencies, opening each one with a single click. You will be assigned a personal account number in each currency. Anyone can then transfer money into an account, and you won’t pay any fees. As I mentioned, you can hold money in your account in over 30 currencies, and transfer currencies within seconds, at the real exchange rate (translation: far cheaper than your bank). TransferWise will charge a nominal fee for the exchange, which is displayed in an upfront, transparent fashion. Now, here’s where it gets interesting. You can now get a TransferWise debit Mastercard that allows you to spend the balance in your TransferWise Borderless account, anywhere Mastercard is accepted. What’s cool is that if you don’t have enough funds in the local currency, TransferWise will automatically pull available funds from the currency with the lowest exchange fee (providing you have funds available). Features of the TransferWise Borderless Account: With the addition of the TransferWise debit Mastercard, you may not even hold a U.S. dollar account through your primary bank. If you receive U.S. funds into your TransferWise account, you could simply hold the funds, and exchange or spend when necessary. Anytime you’re dealing with a new company, especially one that’s going to be handling your money, you want to know that your funds, along with your personal information, is safe. You can be rest assured that this is the case with TransferWise. The company is registered with the financial regulating agencies in all of the major countries in which they do business. For example, in Canada, TransferWise is registered with FINTRAC, which helps detect, prevent and deter prevention and money laundering as well as the financing of terrorist activities. All major financial institutions in Canada are required to report transactional information to FINTRAC. Likewise, in the U.S., where TransferWise belongs to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Not only that, but TransferWise deposits are held in financial institutions that are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). For a quick look at how TransferWise stacks up against the competition, I took a screenshot of a helpful comparison tool directly from the TransferWise website. This allows you to get a real-time look at the exchange rates and fees for a TransferWise transaction and compare it with the same transaction from a few key competitors, in this instance, Royal Bank, PayPal, and WorldRemit. You’ll notice in this example that TransferWise is the only company offering the mid-market exchange rate. So, while their fee is actually the highest on the list, you would come out between $6-19 ahead with TransferWise vs. its three competitors. Keeping in mind, of course, that this comparison was done using TransferWise, and not a 3rd party app. If you’re looking for support through TransferWise, I recommend that you start at their Help Centre, located on their website. Here they have a tonne of articles designed to answer just about any question you might have. If you’ve gone through the FAQs, and you still have questions, TransferWise makes it easy for customers to reach them anytime, via email or phone. In Canada, telephone contact hours are between Monday-Friday, 9 AM-7 PM EST. Or, you can send them your question via email right on the website. Like most financial products and services, TransferWise isn’t for everyone. For example, if you only perform the occasional foreign exchange transaction, then it’s likely not worth the effort just to save a couple of bucks here and there. However, if you buy and sell foreign currency with any regularity, either personally, or for business reasons, and you’re currently doing so through your primary bank, you really should consider moving that part of your business to a company like TransferWise. You’re simply leaving too much money on the table otherwise. And now, with the introduction of the TransferWise Debit Mastercard, making it easy to spend your foreign cash, that value proposition becomes even more pronounced. TransferWise Review: A Better Way to Conduct Foreign Exchange? appeared first on MapleMoney. posted from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mrsjanuary/~3/UElOJrPLigE/ Planning a trip abroad? If you’re not careful, your budget can quickly be eaten up by high foreign exchange rates and fees. In this article, I’ll cover the many ways to exchange foreign currency, before or during your trip. In addition to showing you the cheapest ways to exchange money, I’ll let you know which currency exchange methods you should avoid. Many people think they can pick the best time to buy or sell foreign currency. As with investing, trying to time the markets is never a good idea. With any foreign exchange, the best approach is to plan ahead. For example, if you’re planning a trip for which you’ll require a large amount of U.S. cash, and you’re not happy with the current exchange rate, you could decide to buy smaller amounts in regular intervals leading up to your trip. Trust me, trying to guess what direction the Canadian dollar is going to move, and when, is a fruitless effort. Thankfully, regardless of what the Canadian dollar is trading at, you can always save money by finding better ways to buy and sell foreign currency. So, without further ado, here is my list of the best places to exchange money One of the easiest (and most convenient) ways to save on foreign exchange, is by using a credit card that waives the foreign exchange fee. For this, my top two choices are the Rogers World Elite Mastercard and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite. Here’s a brief summary of what each card has to offer: The Rogers World Elite is a no-fee, premium cashback credit card geared specifically for people who make a lot of purchases in a foreign currency ie. frequent travellers, or avid online shoppers. I should point out that this card doesn’t actually waive the 2.5% foreign exchange fee charged by most credit cards, instead, it pays a whopping 4% cashback on all purchases in a foreign currency. This way, the cashback is enough to offset the 2.5% forex fee, while the cardholder benefits from a net 1.5% cashback. All without an annual fee. In addition, the several different types of insurance protection, including emergency medical, and trip cancellation and interruption coverage. I’ve included a list of features and benefits of the Rogers World Elite below, or for more information, you can check out my recent, in-depth review. Features: Unlike the Rogers World Elite, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite actually waives the foreign exchange fee. Otherwise, it’s a premium Visa card that rewards customers when they spend on groceries, restaurants, entertainment, and transit. Another big perk to this card is the robust insurance coverage. It boasts more than 12 different types of travel and purchase protection. You can get more information on this foreign exchange friendly card in my detailed review of Scotiabank Rewards. Features: Another way to save on foreign exchange (when you’re travelling to the U.S.), is to avoid it altogether. Most Canadian banks offer a credit card that’s in U.S. dollars. This is different than a no foreign exchange fee card, in that no exchange actually occurs at the time of transaction. To make a U.S. dollar card work, you’ll want to have a USD chequing account where you can accumulate U.S. dollars. When you need to pay off your credit card balance, you can transfer funds directly from your USD chequing account without any foreign exchange. Of course, to get the money in your account, you’ll need to exchange CAD to USD at some point, but you have more control over when, and how you’ll exchange funds. A U.S. dollar credit card also helps in that it reduces the need to be carrying large amounts of U.S. cash when you’re across the border. Each of the Big Five banks offers a U.S. dollar credit card: One of the cheapest ways to exchange money is through a dedicated online exchange. Because these companies buy and sell huge volumes of foreign currency in bulk, they are able to provide better rates, on average, than banks and credit unions. These companies are fully regulated and licensed to do business in Canada. Examples of online currencies would be KnightsbridgeFX and TransferWise. Here’s a more detailed look at Knightsbridge, which is headquartered in Toronto, and TransferWise. KnightsbridgeFX provides online foreign exchange to Canadians at a better rate than what you would pay through your primary financial institution. In fact, they guarantee that they will beat any rate offered by your bank. According to Knightsbridge, you can book a forex transaction within minutes, and arrange for payment from your bank account. Knightsbridge promises same-day delivery, providing that you place your order prior to the daily cutoff. One downside to Knightsbridge is that they have a minimum exchange threshold of $2,000, so you really can’t benefit from their service unless you’re exchanging lump sums of money. TransferWise is a British company that makes it possible to send money around the world, at fees that are up to 8X less than what you would pay through your bank. When you open up a borderless account with TransferWise, you can quickly and easily send money to your recipient, in their local currency. According to TransferWise, all that’s required is for you to deposit funds into your TW account, and exchange the funds into your selected currency at a rate that’s far lower than what your bank would charge (TransferWise does charge a small fee). Once the funds are converted, TransferWise will deposit into the recipient’s account on your behalf. Norbert’s Gambit is an investment strategy designed to avoid the spread that banks charge on CAD/USD foreign exchange transactions. If you’re an experienced investor who deals in larger volumes of currency exchange, Norbert’s Gambit could save you thousands of dollars over time. Here’s the idea, in a nutshell. An investor buys shares of a stock or ETF on one exchange, then requests that their brokerage journal the shares over to the exact same listing in the foreign currency, at the market exchange rate, finally selling the shares in the currency that you want to end up with. In doing so, the only fees you should encounter would be the transaction fees of buying and selling the securities. For more information, including how to execute it without paying any trading fees, here’s an article I wrote on Norbert’s Gambit. I suspect this is how most Canadians conduct foreign exchange, but it’s certainly not the cheapest way to go. On average, your bank branch is going to charge a higher rate on foreign exchange than the online methods that I described earlier (KnightsbridgeFx, TransferWise). Here’s a tip, however. If you’re buying or selling U.S. dollars through your bank, open a USD chequing/savings account, and complete foreign exchange transactions on your own, via online banking. Most banks offer a slightly better exchange rate online because it’s not tying up expensive branch resources. I’m including this one in my list because it is certainly an option, but it’s not one I recommend. Many airports and hotels offer foreign exchange services, but they are incredibly expensive. You’ll often pay 10% or more in fees alone, over and above the exchange rate. Essentially, you’re paying for the convenience and the airport/hotel is betting that your options are limited. It’s a lot like buying food at a sporting event, or movie popcorn. That said, if you’re in a pinch, it is an option. While there are many ways to exchange foreign currency, there are a few that you should avoid at all costs, because they’re either too expensive, a bit shady, or downright illegal. Of course, it goes without saying that whenever you travel abroad, be sure to take every precaution to protect yourself from theft, or fraud. When travelling abroad, many retailers will give you the option of paying in your home currency, meaning that they will do the exchange on their end, before you pay the bill. Never agree to this, as the exchange rates and fees they charge will always be higher than what you would pay using your own credit or debit card. When you’re presented with the option, always pay in the Money exchange scams are becoming far too common, and it’s something you need to be aware of when you’re travelling. Always make sure you’re exchanging money through a reputable financial institution. Be wary of any individual who offers to exchange your money at a better rate than what the bank is offering. You could receive counterfeit funds in return, or have money stolen from you in the transfer process. You know what they say, “if it sounds too good to be true…”. It should come as no surprise that there’s a thriving black market for foreign exchange. After all, anytime money can be made by circumventing the legal channels, there will be someone who’s willing to try. Taking part in a foreign currency black market is not only dangerous, but it could also result in your being caught, and arrested. As you can see, there are many ways to exchange foreign currency. Unfortunately, only some will save you money. To summarize, I’ve created the following list of foreign exchange Do’s and Don’ts: DO… DO NOT… The Best Places for Foreign Money Exchange appeared first on MapleMoney. posted from https://wealthygorilla.com/naomi-campbell-net-worth/ Introduction Naomi Campbell is an English model, actress, and businesswoman from London. Recruited at the age of 15, she established herself amongst the most recognizable and in-demand models of the late 1980s and the 1990s. She is considered to be one of the greatest models of all time. As of 2019, Naomi Campbell’s net […] The post Naomi Campbell Net Worth appeared first on Wealthy Gorilla. For most people, when the clock strikes 5pm it’s quitting time. When you work a second job, it’s time to refocus and prepare for working for the rest of the night. The truth is, working one job doesn’t always cut it. Some households rely on a second income to make ends meet. When you have a part-time work from home job and a nine to five, it can be difficult to keep up with your responsibilities and find the right balance between fulfilling your commitment to both jobs without losing your mind. Check out these simple tips for successfully balancing your regular job and your work from home gig: One of the best things you can do for yourself when you have a lot of commitments is to keep a close eye on your schedule. Unexpected events can easily pop up and ruin your productivity. What’s the solution? Try taking some time each weekend to focus on the things you must do in the upcoming week. Perhaps there’s a company event or happy hour you want to attend on Friday night, and you’ll need to shift some of your work at home gigs to a weekend night or another day of the week. Also, once you’ve figured out how you are going to tackle your workload, you’ll be able to decline any invitations that pop out during the week that you didn’t plan for. Whether you work as a remote customer service agent or you’re a freelance writer, the great thing about working from home is that most gigs offer great flexibility. Figure out how much extra money you need a month to run your household or pay off your debt and only work the hours you need to reach your goals. This will help free up more time for relaxing and spending time with family and friends. It’s easy to get stuck in grind mode especially when you’re fortunate enough to be able to earn money right from the comfort of your home. But you’ll need at least one full day off during the week to rest and recharge. When you have a work at home job, it’s easy to get caught up in working on a project when you have the day off. Whether it’s watching a Friends marathon or baking cookies, it’s important to find time to do the things that you love. It’s the only way you’ll keep your sanity. When you are juggling two jobs, your mind is most likely always centered around working, whether it’s worrying about expense reports or how much time it’s going to take you to finish a freelance project before you can start the next one. It’s easy to let your mind take over on your day off and there’s no magic cure to stop it from happening. If you find that you’re really anxious about what you have to do and what you’ve actually managed to get done, consider making a list of all the tasks you have to do and check off the ones you’ve successfully completed. This reinforces in your mind that you’ve actually taken care of your responsibilities. Once you are assured that you have taken care of what needs to be done, try to relax your mind by doing something you love to do. Turn off your work phone and shut down your computer so that you don’t have constant access to work. When work takes over, it’s easy to forget about the normal things that help you lead a healthy and balanced life, like working out regularly or cooking dinner. When you’re working a second or third shift, doing such normality’s can become increasingly difficult. What should you do? Since staying active is important, you can find ways to get in a quick workout throughout your working day. For instance, instead of taking the elevator to your floor at work, consider using the staircase or taking a walk during your lunch hour. Maybe you can squeeze in a quick workout with a thirty-minute workout video. There’s also a number of ways you can simplify your cooking routine. You can meal prep on the weekends when you have some extra time. Preparing and freezing your meals for the entire week can make things much more efficient because all you have to do is pop your meals into the microwave when you get home from work. Crock-pot meals are also fast and easy to make. All you have to do is throw a bunch of ingredients into the pot and it’ll be ready to eat by the time you make it home from your first job. Making triple batches of your family meals is also another great option because you eat off leftovers for days. When your second job is at home, it’s relatively easy to take on other unimportant tasks or veer from the weekly schedule you’ve created for yourself. A one-hour detour from your schedule may not seem like a big deal but when you realize how much work you’ve missed during that chunk of time, you’ll be angry at yourself. Also, detours can throw off your entire schedule and before you know it you haven’t tackled any of your projects. What’s the solution? Be committed to sticking to the things you have to prioritize and say no to time wasters who eat into your important tasks. When you have your end goal in clear sight, you’ll be motivated to see both of your jobs through. Whether you’re working a work from home job to pay off a debt, save for a car and help start your own business, when you know what you’re doing it for, you’ll look at your jobs as a means to an end. Would you be interested in a guest post titled If that’s not a good fit, would either of these suit you? I blog at [name of your blog] and I’ve also written for [any other blogs you’ve guest posted on, if applicable]. Many thanks for your time, [your name] If there are specific guidelines about how to submit, make sure you follow those: for instance, if you’re asked to include links to samples of your work, do that! Tip: Some blogs have quite detailed guest posting guidelines, and I find it helps to print those out and go through them point by point so I don’t miss anything. If you don’t hear back (and there’s no Out of Office reply or similar), follow up after 2 weeks. Anything sooner looks a bit pushy – remember that big bloggers will get a LOT of requests, and if you press too soon, it’s easier for them to say “no” rather than take the time to review your post. Don’t leave it forever to follow up, though: it’s embarrassing for a host blogger if they lose your email and only find it again two months later. (I’ve had this happen not only with guest post pitches but also a magazine article submission: trust me, it’s best for you and for the editor if you follow up politely rather than assume that they didn’t want it…!) Here’s an email you can use when following up: Dear [name], I just wanted to check if you received my guest post pitch on [date]? I’ve copied that email below just in case it went astray. No problem if it’s not quite right for you, or if you need some time to think about it. Thanks very much, [your name] (Make sure you do include the original pitch. Don’t expect the blogger to trawl through their inbox for it… and there’s always the possibility it ended up being eaten by a spam filter.) Guest posting is one of the best ways to boost your blog’s traffic and to build your own profile within the blogging world. Pitching can be a little scary – but once you’ve done it a few times, it does get much easier! Have you written any guest posts yet? If you’re nervous or if you’ve got questions about finding opportunities, coming up with ideas and pitching your post, just leave a comment below. Next week, we’ll be covering writing the guest post itself: making sure you’ve got an idea that’ll work for your host blog and for you, using your bio wisely, including links, and even including visuals. So far: The post Find and Pitch the Perfect Guest Posting Opportunities appeared first on ProBlogger.Coming Up with an Idea
Developing Your Idea into an Outline
Should You Write the Whole Post Before Pitching?
Writing a Pitch Email to the Blog’s Editor
Sample Email to Use When Pitching a Guest Post
Your Enthusiasm Will Make A Difference
Enthusiasm matters
How to develop enthusiasm
TransferWise Review: A Better Way to Conduct Foreign Exchange?
What Is TransferWise?
How to Save Money with TransferWise
What Is a Mid-Market Exchange Rate?
What Countries Can I Send Money To?
How to Send Money with TransferWise
TransferWise Fees Explained
Payment Fee
Transfer Fee
Real Exchange Rate
The TransferWise Borderless Account
The TransferWise Debit Mastercard
Is TransferWise Safe?
Transferwise Comparison (vs. PayPal/WorldRemit/RBC)
Transferwise Contact Info
Final Thoughts on TransferWise Canada
The Best Places for Foreign Money Exchange
Foreign Exchange – A Common Mistake
No Foreign Exchange Fee Credit Cards
Rogers World Elite Mastercard
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite
Get a U.S. Dollar Credit Card
Use an Online Exchange
Knightsbridge Foreign Exchange
TransferWise
Norbert’s Gambit
Exchange Money Through Your Bank Branch
Exchange Money at an Airport or Hotel
Foreign Exchange – Things to Avoid at all Costs
Dynamic Currency Conversion
Foreign Exchange Scams
Foreign Currency Black Market
Do’s and Don’ts of Foreign Exchange
Naomi Campbell Net Worth
6 Ways to Balance a 9-5 and a Work From Home Job at the Same Time
1. Be Sure to Plan Your Week Ahead of Time
2. Determine Your Earning Goals
3. Ditch the All Work And No Play Attitude
4. Don’t Think About Work on Your Day Off
5. Come Up with Quick Fixes for Normal Life Tasks
6. Learn to Say No to Time Wasters
Following Up on Your Guest Post Pitch
Sample Follow Up Email
Guest Posting Series:
