Little Steps: 2012

Thursday, December 6, 2012

New Kindle Fires For Christmas Gifts!

My Kindle Fire!

Kindle Fire 7", LCD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB

I have a Kindle Fire and have enjoyed owning one for the past year. I use it daily and would be lost without it. It is as important to me as my laptop and my digital camera. Reading is always something I loved to do, but now I read more than ever due to my Kindle Fire and Amazon. The Kindle Fire though, is more than a reader! It offers you over 20 million movies, tv shows, magazines, songs and books! What a great Christmas gift this would be!

Kindle Fire HD 7", Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, 16 GB

This is a newer model of the Kindle that I have not used. They are becoming more and more in demand. This particular one has even more special options and features. I am really interested in it after reading the details on Amazon's page for it.

Kindle Fire HD 8.9", Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, 16 GB

Another model, upgrade from the previous one. I believe they just keep making these Kindle Fires better and better. They have a built in camera and free Skype too. So much to do with one of these tablets now. It is the perfect Christmas present for anyone and everyone on your list this year!

Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE Wireless, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, 32 GB

This Kindle Fire offers LTE Wireless from AT&T available for $49.99 for the whole year. No searching for Wi-Fi spots! These Kindle Fires seem to have just about everything you could want. Whichever Kindle Fire you choose, I am sure you will be very happy with it. Which one do you like? And why?

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Homestead Income Coming From Your Blog

Make A Living From Wherever You Live!

Many times I have people email me asking how they can make money on their homestead. Besides selling food products, selling soap, honey or a million other things from the production of livestock, there are many other ways too. As you know, if you read my blogs regularly, I sell online, write eBooks and make money from affiliate ads on my blogs. For me, this is the best way. I can't do the hard physical work entailed with raising the animals or harvesting a big crop. There are other ways of course. I will touch on them in some future posts. This post I'd like to recommend some ways I know for sure.

The number one best way is to write posts for a store or a particular product. You can contact some of the stores in your area to get started. I write for a local restaurant supply store in our area. I like doing it and really enjoy that type of work. These posts are not all about the store, but more about what you can do with the products you buy in their store. I learned a lot when I started writing these posts. It helped me to increase my affiliate income as an Amazon associate affiliate. I now earn more money every month from Amazon!

First sign up as an affiliate of a site that sells products you use and like. Then you can share with your readers the reasons why you like the products and how you use it. Put some photos up of how you use it or at least something that is related to it. If you are a homesteader, you can write a blog about homesteading and include affiliate links to homesteading products. It is not hard once you just start doing it.

When you write your blog posts though, don't make it sound like an advertisement. I write some posts for Blogsvertise and some of the companies want you to sound that way when they ask you to write about their company. Others are quite content with your own content that includes a link to their site. Those posts are always the best ones and get the most traffic. Your readers are not stupid! They know when you are trying to sell them.

Which brings me to some of the blogs I read that are like an advertisement all the way through. They say they are making money that way. Maybe they are. I never read their whole post because I don't care to read an ad. Do you? Would that turn you off to their blog? It does me. If one or two post is written that way, that is one thing. But not every single post! That is overkill and you can lose your readers, as well as their respect.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

The Right Camera For Your Blog

When people ask me what was the one thing that turned my blogs around, I have to answer it was the purchase of my digital camera. What a difference it has made! I had been quoted in the magazine Hobby Farm Home and the editor had requested a photo of my wood cook stove to go with the article. I did not have a digital photo and she seemed to be perturbed with me that I did not own a digital camera. They had to get a photo from another source for their article. Right after that my husband bought me the digital camera of my choice.

The Homesteading Housewife, Dana Clover, told on Facebook about an awesome camera that she bought and she sold me on it. That was the camera I wanted. I had put it on my wish list at Amazon. It is the Canon EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR Camera. And I love it just as much as when I bought it in 2009. This camera has always been dependable and never has let me down.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Cafe Press Is Another Income Stream!

As everyone knows I sell online. I sell whatever I can find to sell. A few months back, I discovered on one of my blogging friends' blog a link to "My Shop" on her blog. I clicked it and found that she had a Cafe Press store with her blog name on all types of merchandise. What a fantastic idea! Her blog is The Redhead Riter and if you look at the index at the top of her blog, you will see My Shop. She also has a community on The Blogfrog and her merchandise would be of great interest in the members of The Redhead Riter Community. They may not know she has this little shop. Check out her great coffee mugs!

So I created my own cafe press store! It is another income stream. I am adding its link to all my blogs and on some of my forum signatures. It is not done yet and I will be adding more and more items to it over time. Using photos of my own to create some unique items is my goal.

If you have a Cafe Press store, please leave your link in the comments. I will add to this blog so others may check your store out too. Tell me what you sell in it. That way we can help each other.

Check out My Homesteading On The Internet Store on Cafe Press!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Craigslist Is Disappointing

College building in Binghamton, NY

As everyone knows who comes to this blog, I am always working on my "multiple streams of income." It seems every time I start getting that extra bit of money to come in, it has to be used for some kind of major repair or problem. I had plans to start saving that money or paying down my loan or credit card. Nope. Every single time I get a payment from one of my income streams, I don't see that money in my account or on my debt.

Selling this bike trailer on craigslist!

One of my income streams (I was hoping!), was going to be craigslist. I see many people saying they bought or sold something on there. It made me think I could do it too! How silly of me! Instead I have been receiving porn pictures in my inbox from young pretty women. They all start the same: "Are you Kathleen G. Lupole? I know you are selling an item (or she names what it is) but I see you are in my area and thought we could get together and be friends." Now what is that all about? What does my selling of a child's trailer that hooks onto a bicycle have to do with these women? What makes them think I'd be interested in them? For heavens sake, I am a married women, and not into that kinky stuff at my age! So much for craigslist!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Handling Stress

I have been feeling quite discouraged lately. That is the reason I have not been keeping up as well with my blogs. There are so things going on in my life at the moment and they are not good things. So it causes me to pull back, so to speak. I don't know if that is bad or good, but I have always done that in my life. It is my way of handling stress.

One thing I have been doing is to try to do something my mother taught me. She would tell me to make a list of all the things I could do to change the situation. Then you have an idea of where you are at. When things are tough, we have to do what we can do. If it was just me, I think I could handle it better. But having others involved makes it a bit harder for me. Worrying about others, makes choices different.

What do you do when you get stressed out? Do you have a way to handle it? Some people like stress and thrive on it. Are you one of those people? I wish I was! But I am not. Sometimes I head outside and do some garden work or hang out with my horses to try to concentrate on something else. It doesn't take the problems away, but maybe gives me a few hours of peace.

Hope to get this worked out soon and have my life back to normal.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Creating Products That Are Needed

I recently read on a forum how someone felt it was a scam that the manufacturing companies started marketing that women need to shave their arm pits in order to sell women's razors and shaving lotion, creating a whole industry. I can think of a huge number of products that came about due to that very thing. Creating the idea that a certain niche market needed this product or it would make their life easier in some way.

In fact, some of us, who grew up in the fifties and before, can remember when not every home had a telephone, a television, a clothes dryer or especially.........two cars! On a post sometime ago, on my Homesteading on the Internet blog, I wrote this:

"When the electric grid was in the early years everyone just wanted it for lights. General Electric manufactured appliances that were hardly selling. Light bulbs were their hottest sellers. Everyone wanted electric lights and that is how they initially got into our homes! I know my mother-in-law used to say that her father loved his electric lights. I am sure he did. So GE kept trying to figure out how to reach the housewives to get them to want the refrigerators, electric stoves and washing machines. They campaigned long and hard figuring out how to make her not only WANT these appliances but how to NEED them. They did it too."

If you come up with a product that people not only want, but need, then you would do well. To make it even better you need to come up with a product that you can make and nobody else has. I think you need to really think about it, study and talk about to others who have an interest in creating products too. That is how all the big companies got started to begin with.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

A Country Superstore on Wordless Wednesday

Monday, April 9, 2012

Writing Articles Adds To My Many Streams Of Income

As my thoughts turn to gardening, I have to make time for writing my blogs, articles, eBooks and social networking. In the summer when the sun is out almost daily, it is easier. I can get up during the early morning hours and work on my computer. We don't get enough sun to power up our system that runs on solar, that early in the morning at this time of the year. So trying to balance both is difficult.

Last week I found some new sites to submit written articles to. The idea behind these sites is that my Adsense account ads are on my article pages and that will generate some Adsense money. I hope so. For the most part though, I am not counting on that. I am just trying to get better at writing and making comments on other writer's articles. It is like an online school for writers. Studying what others write about, the comments they receive, and learn how to make my own articles and blogs better.

The first site I joined is called InfoBarrel and once you join, you just write your articles, and submit them. It was an easy process. This is the first article I have written there, Using A Pressure Canner To Can Your Food. If you go there, I'd appreciate a comment and some "likes" and shares.If you'd like to join and make some money writing articles too, join InfoBarrel now!

The second site I got interested in is called Best Reviewer. This site is very easy to write for. My first top review there is called Top 5 Items For Preparedness. I enjoyed doing that one a lot and have thought of a several topics to write about. Each site has their own individual twist, so they are not all the same. You can also link your articles, blogs and sites back to the various articles and reviews you post. With Adsense ads on all the articles with your publisher number means you will be earning a passive income from the articles without doing anything more with each one. Just keep writing! Sign up for Best Reviewer and write some top reviews to earn money like I am!

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Blogging For A Job

I have been learning how to make the black and white photos! Remember I had it on my list one blog post back? It wasn't that hard to learn and I really enjoy doing it. This is my first one. What do you think? I will work on it some more, this is just the first one.

Having a blog means you can and should be making money from it. I have been working on doing just that, especially with some of the others. This blog is mostly for telling my readers how to do that themselves. How to clean up their debt and live happily ever after. LOL Today however, I found a bunch of books that I have added to my wish list on Amazon. I ordered some, but could not order more than a few.

Building your blog means making friends with your readers. I have done that, I believe. In fact, one couple who reads my blog regularly, came to visit us twice. It is a good feeling to know you have helped someone in someway or other. Write your blog so it sounds personal. Like you are talking to your reader over a cup of coffee in your kitchen.

If you have to be home and you are a writer, you may as well write a blog. If you do that, adding some streams of income to it, won't hurt either. The key is to make your blog honest and interesting to your readers. If they come to it for information, offer them something valuable. Share your experiences with them. Of all, be truthful at all times.

All of these books are from the kindle shop on Amazon, because that is the way I buy books now. I have completely given up paper books for good. The link to them is in the photo. I hope to give you some ideas on how you can increase your streams of income by using your blog to do it. If you already do, send the the link so I can check it out.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

It's A Disaster!

Tornado in 2000

Recently, I have been reading books about preparing for disasters, natural and man made. There are many types of disasters that can overcome our world and way of living, as we know it. I am always preparing for that situation in my life. But what about your business, if it is a home based business? If the internet ceased to be, would it cause you to lose your income?

You need to prepare for that situation also. Do not put all your eggs in one basket, so to to speak. I have talked many times on this blog about having many streams of income. Make sure some of those streams of income are not dependent on the internet. Or not dependent on a physical location either. Then if one goes down, the other is still working. It may cut your income in half, but at least you'd still have something to fall back on.

Fedhealth's 282-page eBook helps families and businesses "be aware... be prepared... and have a plan" for most types of emergencies and disasters.

Try to start preparing in other ways as well, building up your supplies so you will have food and water if you get hit with a bad storm or flooding. Make a Bug Out Bag for each family member including your pets. Do it little by little as you can afford it, but do it. Standing on your own in those bad times is a good feeling. Being the one others go to for direction of how, and what to do, is a way to help others provide for themselves.

Having my own alternative energy system makes it possible for our power not to go down. We would not be able to access the internet if it didn't exist! So time to put my thinking hat on and make sure some of my incoming money does not come from internet sales only. Studying the book, It's a Disaster! and what are you going to do about it by Bill & Janet Liebsch, every day. This book is the best one out of all the books I have found on preparing for emergencies. Such details and directions for people who are preparing their families for such situations. I highly recommend it!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Try Some Giveaways To Win Cash

One way to increase your spending money is by entering giveaways on some blogs. There are so many to choose from! The best thing is to choose only the ones that offer what you really want. I like to enter ones for gift cards at stores I shop at, or want to shop at. One time I won a giveaway for Fanny Farmer candy. I actually won it accidentally by following their blog, and just happened to be the 100th follower.

I found some today on various blogs. The Frugal Free Gal is a good blog, if you are searching for giveaways and free deals, through out internet land. I entered two for Amazon gift cards, one for $10. and one for $25. I entered one for a $25. Paypal cash, which I would like as then you could spend it wherever you wish. The last one I entered was for $800. for Paypal cash, on a site called Good Steward Savers. Once you hook up with one, you will find many more! It is amazing.

Of course, winning one giveaway, even if I won the one for $800., won't pay off all my bills. It would help me to pay some though. I think the smart thing if you win money, is to put it on a bill or some expense you have, instead of blowing it. It would be hard to do, but that is the best use of it, especially since it came from somewhere unexpected.

What would you do with $800. if you won it?

Monday, March 19, 2012

Learning New Things

Moss on the forest floor

No matter what you do, no matter what it is, some people will not like it and others will love it. It doesn't matter what it is. And to top it off, many people will feel the need to announce to the world if they don't like it and exactly why. Why can't they just keep their big mouth and opinions to themselves? It is different, if you ask their opinion. The flaws of people are apparent. Some people are so busy judging others, they forget they have faults also.

I am making this year, the year of taking charge of my life and not looking back. If you look back at your life, what was, or what could have been..........it can bring you down now. Then you will never pull yourself up and prosper. Do not let that happen! Look ahead and make your list of little steps and you will be on your way.

My steps for this week is:

1. Learn how to watermark my photos.
2. Learn how to make my text so it cannot be copied and pasted.
3. Learn to make some photos in black and white.
4. Learn how to put photos on cds so they can be saved.
6. Study templates for blogs so I can change one of my blogs over to its own site.

That sounds good for a start, don't you think?

I am an affiliate marketer, as well, as a blogger. This means that I receive payments or gifts from a company for writing about a product or service on this blog. Or for having a banner or button displayed along the side, such as the Amazon ones for my eBooks. If you go to those links, I receive a commission for anything you buy on Amazon by using my link. I will not endorse anything I do not think is a good product or service. Many of my affilate links are to products I use myself. My readers will always come first.

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