Be intentional with your money

Nearly everyone is looking for ways to make some extra money.  Blogger Crystal Paine has taken the lessons she's learned about generating extra income and collected them into the book Money Making Mom.  She stresses that having more money won't solve all your problems, but it will give you the freedom to live, save, and give on your own terms.

While on the Internet, it's easy to become enthusiastic when reading about how others have been successful at creating their own businesses, but this book stresses that you have to find an idea that utilizes your own unique talents.  There are questions to help you discover the areas in which you excel, as well as worksheets to help you identify your strengths.  Even though someone else might have made a success of selling a particular product or service, if your talents don't lie in that area, you risk losing time, money and motivation on something that will never be profitable for you.

Another chapter gives the pros and cons of various business options, including multi-level marketing, home-based vs. online vs. brick-and-mortar businesses.  Once you've identified the best business model for your idea, then there are helpful options in terms of writing a mission statement, marketing and networking.  Still stuck for ideas?  There are some suggestions for starting your own business such as blogging, pet care, virtual assisting, mystery shopping, etc.  Each option is defined, then there are useful websites or books mentioned that will allow further exploration to determine if this is a good option for you.

Once your business is up and running, there are also things you have to do to ensure that things run smoothly.  Suggestions are provided for time management, overcoming fear of failure and dealing with negativity from others.  When you're finally running a successful business, the author also gives you ideas on how to give wisely and generously.  A list of resources, including websites, books and podcasts is included at the end of the book.

I think this is a very inspiring and informative look at ways to start a business.  I really like the variety of ideas on identifying your talents and how to go about setting up a business that help you to consider aspects that might not first be apparent.  Anyone looking to make some extra money could find many valuable ideas in this book!

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Money Making Mom from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for this review