Finally Graduating! (Hopefully)

For those that have been following me on here, as well as the other numerous sites that I work on, you know how crazy my life has been the last few years. Since I started school in August of 2012 I have been going non stop. Working full time at a convenience store (with the exception of a couple of months I took off do to injury) going to school full time (on average 15 credit hours each semester with the exception of 1 that I took 12 credit hours), and being a single mom of my amazing little boy.
In April my boyfriend died to carbon monoxide poisoning, and then last month my sister passed away from numerous health conditions. My sister left my mom and I to raise her 3 amazing kids.

With all of this going on, I am up for graduation next month. I only need this one class to get my Associates of Applied Science with an emphasis in management, and I am pretty sure I will pass. With the tremendous stress I have been under, I have had some difficulties. I am to the point of passing the class will be good enough for me. The class is statics, and it is very difficult. I held a 3.3 GPA throughout the last couple of years, this class will drop that GPA. Especially since it is the second time I have taken it, but that is ok. I have come a long way, and I am proud of this accomplishment.

This is one thing I have worked harder than I could have ever imagined to achieve, and I am seeing it through. I did not quit, and I can show other single moms that it can be done. If it is important to you, you can do anything.

Helping a Family in Need

If you have time I ask that you please read my recent hub. Helping a family in Need. It is a very personal story about recent things happening, including the loss of my sister.

When can I work from home Exclusively?

There are hundreds of people trying to make a full time income from home, but we are all faced with the question, "When can I work at home exclusively?" If you are one of those people asking this question then you know you have a lot to consider before you can take that step. No matter if you are do freelance work, have a direct sales business, or have started another business from your home, you will have to consider the same things before quitting your full time job. There are things that you can do so that you know when you and your family are ready for you to work from home exclusively.

How much do I need to make before working from home exclusively?
Each person will need to earn a different amount of money each month to work at home exclusively, so you will need to determine how much you need. This amount is not necessarily what you are earning from your full time job, but what you need to make it work financially so that you can. There are three simple steps that will help you determine this amount.
First, make a budget for your home and business expenses. You want to combine both of them because you are trying to ensure your ability to pay both your business and home expenses.
Then, determine what your necessary expenses are for your home and business. We all have expenses in our homes that we do not necessarily have to have. If you are serious about wanting to work at home exclusively you will want to consider giving up some things. So decide on what expenses you have to pay.
Finally, calculate exactly what you need to make so that you can work from home exclusively. In some situations you can break this amount down into sales, projects, or daily earnings. That way you can keep track.

These steps will give you the amount you want to earn each month from home, but you can also find ways to offset your home and business expenses so that you can work at home exclusively.

How can I offset my expenses so that I can work from home exclusively?
There are a few things that you can do to offset your expenses in your home and your business. Offsetting your expenses is simply determining ways to save money or reduce your expenses, so that you do not have to earn as much when you first begin to work from home exclusively. I am going to give you a few things that can help you, but you can determine other ways as well.
Begin by looking around your house for things you no longer need. I believe that everyone has some things that they do not need, we just avoid getting rid of these items for one reason or another. Well, instead of allowing these items to sit around your home use them to help offset your expenses. You can have a yard sale or sell them online.
Now look into recycling in your area. There are places that will pay a good price for scrap metals, aluminum, cardboard, paper, and more. Different states have different recycling guidelines, so find out what you can sell in your area. At one time, in my former state of residence, I was making about $20 to $30 a month on recycling. That amount can make a huge difference for you when you are trying to work from home exclusively.
Expand your home earning potential. This does not necessarily mean trying to earn a full time income in another area, but try to discover more ways to earn money from your home. There are a lot of areas that you may want to consider if you do not already earn in these areas; freelance, direct sales, online surveys, eBay as a business, crafts, childcare, house or pet sitting, etc. You do not have to try and earn a large income in these areas; just earn enough to offset your expenses so that you can work from home exclusively.

How will I know when I can work from home exclusively?
After you have determined how much you will need to earn from home, and found ways to offset your expenses, you will be able to set a goal on when you will start working from home exclusively. The final decision will be up to you and the needs of your family. Each person will have a different goal, but knowing the goal will allow you to determine when you can work from home exclusively.


Helpful Articles:

 How to Make Extra Money for Maternity Leave
How to Make Home Business Goals

RIP Robin Williams

Robins Williams was found dead in his home today, August 11, 2014. The news brought me to tears. This man has made millions laugh for years, and was hiding so much pain behind the laughter. It is remarkable how he has had such an impact on other peoples lives, and still suffered so much.

I remember watching Mork and Mindy when I was really small. Robin Williams would always make me laugh. Through the years I have watched hundreds of Williams' movies; Good Morning Vietnam, Popeye, Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire, Hook, 9 Months, Jack, Good Will Hunting, Jumanji, Night at the Museum 1 & 2 just to name a few. I also loved hearing his voice in Alladin and Happy Feet. Every movie I have ever watched with Robin Williams in it, funny or serious, always had a meaning to it. They would open my eyes and make me look at situations in a different way.

I knew he had problems in the past with addiction, but I always saw the positive about Williams in the media. He supported many charities and always seemed to have the best outlook on life. I feel so sad for him to know that he was suffering so much inside. He worried more about making others laugh then he did about his own happiness. I will always admire Robin Williams and see him as a true genius when it came to his acting. He will always be remembered in my family and I know my family will not be the only one.

My prayers are with everyone effected by this complete tragedy.

Tips to Help Pass Online Courses

Taking college courses online tends to intimidate a lot of people, and I used to be one of them. There is a fear of not knowing what is ahead, or worrying about failing. Taking your college courses online is not as hard as you may think, as long as you have knowledge of computers. Taking steps to ensure your success can help you pass your online college courses.

Purchase Your Books a Couple of Weeks Prior to Classes:
 
Since I have been taking online courses I have noticed how many people are unprepared, waiting until after classes begin to purchase books. The ones that have procrastinated have gotten behind in class. Books are a necessity to online college courses, and having them the first day of class is a benifit. Contact your school and find out when you are able to get your class books. Get them as soon as you can. I do not recommend that you open any that are not returnable if opened unless you are sure that is the book required for your college course; you do not want to have wasted money on a book you do not need.

Things You Will Need for your Online Courses:
 
There are a lot of things that you will need for your online courses that you may or may not know about. I learned in a short time that you need a few things to help you study and pass your online courses. These are the things that I recommend having, and some common uses for the items:

• Highlighters: Keep the highlighters handy at all times. Use them to read and annotate your college course books, or to mark things that you want to remember. These have been the most used item on my list. It helps me remember the details, which will help you pass your online courses.
• Notebooks: One notebook for each subject makes it easy to take notes, and do your work for each class. It gives you a way to keep each class organized, without getting them confused.
• Three Ring Binders: I find it best to have at least one three ring binder to keep all of the printed papers in such as; syllabus, readings, copies of papers you have written, and class schedules. I have the binders that have the inserts on the front; this is where I put my weekly schedule.
• Pens: Pens are a necessity to take notes and do work.
• Pencils: I have found it more convenient to take notes, work math problems, and mark in my books with pencils so that I can erase any mistakes that I have made.
• Whiteout: Whiteout is great for the mistakes that we do make with pens, and I have found that I needed it quite a bit.
• Red Pen: Red pens are great for marking corrections that you want to make on your papers, or making special notes in your college course texts.
• Printer and Ink: Since you are taking all of your classes online, having a printer is necessary. It is easier to read certain things on paper rather than on a screen, and you want to have a copy of you syllabus and class schedule available for quick reference. It will also give you backups of all of your work in case something happens to your computer.
• Flash Drive: I have known of a few people to lose all of their work due to computer errors, using a flash drive can save all of your school work. Having your work readily available will help you pass your online courses.

I have found that all of these things help you pass your online college courses, but you may be able to find more things that are helpful in your situation. These things alone will not make your pass your courses, but they have all helped me quite a bit.

Make a Schedule of your Online College Course:
 
I have two schedules that I use to keep track of my online college courses; one for long-term projects, and one I take time to make weekly. The weekly one has been the one that has helped me the most. Each Friday I take the time to ensure I have finished all of my projects for the week, and schedule out my days for the following week. Using a schedule will help you pass your online courses by simply ensuring you turn in your work on time.

Take Time to Learn the Online Course Site:
 
Each online college course may have a different site that you go to each day to do your work. Take time during the first week to look on the site, and learn everything you can. This will give you a chance to ask your instructor questions about the site if you need to.

Syllabus:
 
The syllabus is very important when taking online college courses; it tells you everything that you need to do to pass the course. Each syllabus for each online college course is different.

Take advantage of the Professors Help:
 
Most of the professors will have times when you can contact them through chats, lectures online or even going to the school during their office hours. They may even offer free tutoring for their students. If any of this is offered, take advantage of it. The professors want you to pass your online college courses, so let them help you.

Turn in ALL Your Online College Course Work on Time:
 
You will not pass your online college course if you do not turn in your work on time. There are things that are more important than others, but all of it goes towards passing the course and your knowledge of the online college course.

Do Not Get Behind:
 
No matter if you are 18 or 80, if you are taking online college courses you should be responsible enough to do everything on time. If you allow yourself to get behind with one small project, you will have a hard time catching back up. Getting behind could prevent you from passing your online college course. To pass you need to stay on track with everything.

Read Your Text Books:
 
Being you will not go to classes, your book is your key to passing the online course. Even if there are certain chapters that you have not been assigned, take the time to read through them. The teacher may want you to take the initiative to learn things on your own, so learning your text book can help you pass your online college course.

Do not be Mistaken, Online Courses are not EASY!

 
Before I began to take online courses I was under the impression that online courses may be easier than going to classes, I was sorely mistaken. Online courses are for individuals that are self-motivated, organized, and can schedule there time wisely. If these statements do not describe you, do not try to take online courses. You will also have to have quite a bit of computer knowledge. If you do not know a lot about computers, do not take an online college course.

All of these tips would have helped me a lot if I would have found them prior to starting classes, so I am hoping they may be able to help someone else pass their online college courses. Take the time to get everything that is required for your course, schedule your time, ask for help and learn exactly what is required for your online college course. If you can do this, you will pass your online college course.

Myths About Online College Courses

Organize Your Home Office

This is an article that I wrote in 2009. Since Yahoo will be deleting all of the content before long I wanted to share some of the articles with everyone here. Reading through this I find that all of the tips are still useful and I need to follow my own advice.

How to Organize a Successful Home Business

For all of us that are trying to run an at home or internet business it can be difficult. I have thrown together a few things that I have done that have helped me succeed. An at home business can be ran successfully, just keep working at it. 

Keep your work space completely separate from the rest of your home. Whether it be a separate room, or a corner of a room. Keep your work time and your home time apart. Schedule all of it, and go by your schedule. When you do this you tend to concentrate more on what you are doing at the time, not worrying about the other. 

The main thing I have learned is you have to be organized. The first thing you need is a organizer. Shop around and check out the different styles and designs. Find the one that works perfectly with your business. Organizers can offer a lot of different things, and can be very useful. 

Buy yourself 2 different filing cabinets, or designate 2 drawers if you have a large cabinet. Make sure you have a file for everything, and be sure that it gets filed ASAP. This way when you need it, it is there. This will also save you time when you need it. We all need the extra time. 

Clean your desk. Take everything off. Start putting things back in order of the most used to least used. If you don't use your tape or stapler all the time, why have then directly in front of you. Always keep you a notepad handy. I have found that I always have to jot things down.

If you sell merchandise from your home keep up with your inventory. Your inventory is what you make your money on, so make sure you keep up with what is coming in and out of your stock. If you have orders that you prepare, do it as soon as you find out about it. That way you are not trying to get everything together at the last moment, and it saves you a lot of time. 

We can all run a great business from home. Whether it is online, a service, or sales from home try to make your life as simple as it can be. Good luck with everything.

Have You Ever Lost Someone Close to you?

Have you ever lost anyone close to you. To name a few I have lost my brother, Granny, Grandpa, numerous close friends throughout the years, and most recently my boyfriend. Having someone die close to you can be very hard. Even with all of the losses I have had throughout the years, losing Justin was the hardest. In the last three months I have had a hard time grasping the loss and how to move on. I have good days and bad day, but in all I think I am holding up. I have always felt as if I had to be the strong one.
Emotions are not something that I show very well, but what keeps me going is my Faith. I do have Faith in God and Heaven, but I watched a movie today that gave me a new look on life. The movie "Heaven is For Real" was such an eye opener. I have to say I cried the entire way through the movie, but it gave me this feeling of calmness. I know Justin is in Heaven, and so many other I knew as well. If you have lost anyone close to you, watch this movie. Even if you do not believe in God or Heaven, I think you would enjoy the movie. It is the accounts of a 4 year old that went to Heaven, it is an amazing story. Heartfelt and sincere, and based on the true recollection from this little boy.

Stay Positive to Become Successful

It is so easy to say “stay positive”, but there can be times when it is not that easy. Since losing my boyfriend in April I have had a problem with staying positive. Now that I have had to reduce my hours at work, I am having an even bigger problem staying positive.  Justin would always tell me that he loved the optimism in me; I can see the light in everything. I actually can, even with his death I have made it a point to look at the positive. There are days that it is beyond difficult to do this, but I am finding my way through faith and my personal beliefs.

Since I have been having a lot of negative thoughts I have had to do some self-reflection on why I have always been so positive about life. I have had a very hard life at times but I know the hard times end, and I have received more blessings after the hard times are over.  Also, if we continue to focus on these negative things then our lives begin to rotate around them. We attract negative people, and negative actions, with our negative thoughts.

Today is the day I go back to being the optimistic person that he loved so much. I will plan my life in a positive way, and make positive choices. Always remember that the negative is what brings us down, and we cannot allow that to continue. There are always positive points in your life through loss of a loved one, loss of a job, being without certain things, and even in personal suffering. Find what keeps you focused on your goals. It may be your kids or even yourself. Do not let anyone hold you back. Stay positive and continue to work for what you want so you can become successful. Each of us can find success in our own way, and each of us will have a different opinion of what success is. My success is focusing on making sure my son it taken care of. Giving him everything he needs, not necessarily everything he wants.

Getting Paid with Inboxdollars.com

Join inboxdollars here

I have been a member of inboxdollars since 2009. In the beginning I did not earn a lot, but was able to reach payout about once a year. Since there is even more to offer on the site now payout is easier to reach. I just received a payout of $40 from inboxdollars, and am getting close to another payout.

The site offers to pay you for things such as searching, using coupons, simple offers, referring others and much more. It is one of the simplest ways that I have earned money online since I began. Also, this is one of two sites that I have actually stuck with since I started earning money online. If you are active on the site, then you can reach payout often, and it is all from most things you do online every day. Give it a shot, it is a nice way to earn extra money from home.

Myths about online college courses

I am a single mom, I work full time, and I have gone to school full time since August of 2012, and will graduate December 2014. I had heard so many things about taking online college courses prior to starting that I was under the influence that it would be different. These are a few myths about taking online college courses, and I know that these are myths from personal experiences.

Online College Courses are easier than Campus Courses:

This is not true at all. The course is under the same curriculum as the campus courses, but you do not have the professor in the class explaining things to you. If you can learn well on your own, you will do well. Never think that the online course will be easier.

You never have to go to Campus:

This may be true if you are using an exclusively online school, but local colleges do have you come to campus on occasions. Some of the classes will require you to go to the campus for tests. This will not happen often, but be prepared in case this is your circumstances. There may also be courses that have to be completed online, or even a hybrid course where you have to go online and to the school.

Online Courses are completely at your own pace:

This is one of the biggest misconceptions that I had, and quite a few other people do as well. Each course has a set syllabus, and deadlines for the work that needs to be finished. Since I have begun taking online college courses I have had projects that were due each week. The tests, papers, homework, and any other projects always have precise due dates. On some occasions you can move ahead a little in the online college course, but if you miss work you will receive a zero for that.

You do not need to have a lot of computer knowledge to take online college courses:

This is just wrong to tell people. I actually have quite a bit of computer knowledge, but when I first began taking online college courses I was confused. I still have moment that I am questioning what I am supposed to do. I am not confused about the work, but how to work some of the programs that I have to use. Do research into what you will be doing. If you are going to a local school they will usually be happy to help you navigate the sites.

You do not need a webcam for online college courses:

This is actually true, but you can experience more if you do have one. There are programs and meeting sites that some of the professors will use. If you have a webcam you will be able to have face to face meetings. For some people this may not be important, but it may be beneficial to a lot of students.

You only have to check in to your online college course once or twice a week:

NO, absolutely false. The first week I was taking my online college courses I was online 6-8 hours a day, every day. I take three courses online, but each one of them goes by completely different programs. After the first week I got organized and learned each class's standards. Now that I have learned, I am still online each day checking each class. There are things that change on courses or you may have forgotten something. Either way, checking each day helps to ensure you complete all of your work. I now spend an average of four hours a day working on my online college courses. I do take weekends off!

I just have to do my work; I do not have to participate in any discussions or forums:

The classes I take require you to post on the forums or watch the lectures online. Being active in their courses is the way they track the attendance. You have to show participation in each class. Some classes will even drop you if you do not participate in the first couple of weeks, and will fail you if you do not participate after that.

I can copy work from other students, or websites if I take online college courses:

If you do, you will get caught. Most professors use plagiarism software to catch this, and it is now required by the school for them to use on each assignment. If you want to do well, do your own work

These myths are things that I heard prior to starting taking online college courses. I have shared my experience about showing these myths not to be true. I love taking online college courses, but the first week scared me. The biggest tip I can give anyone who is interested in taking online courses would be to learn time management. Use a calendar to mark your deadlines, plan time each day to work on each course, and never get behind. If you are interested in furthering your career online, do it. If you have problems, ask for help.

Tip from a single mom

Do not let anything hold you back. Get your education. I have kept myself from making excuses because I can do it. This has been a great experience, and I would not change it for the world. If you want to be a successful single parent, then go for your dreams and do not hold back. A little struggle will come with great return!

Is Firehow a paying site for writers?

I have been writing online for about 5 years now and Firehow is a site that I have been a member of Firehow for 4 of those years. From my personal experience, Firehow is a fairly good site to write on. In the last year I have not submitted any articles, and have not been on the site until recently, but I have made payout twice. The payout threshold is $15, and I know most will not think $30 is a lot, but I did not work for it. Prior to the year of not working on the site, I made payout fairly regularly.

Who is Firehow for?

I think Firehow is great for anyone that can write "How to" articles, and wants to earn a little bit of money for their thoughts.

How much does Firehow pay?

Figuring with my recent earnings Firehow pays about $2 per 1000 views. This could vary depending on a variety of things, so I am not sure of the exact amount. If you can get good views on your articles, you can reach payout fairly quickly if you work on it.

How does Firehow pay?

Firehow pays through Paypal once a month as long as you reach the $15 minimum payout.

My personal opinion of Firehow?

I think Firehow could be a very good site if they had more contributors that submitted quality content. There are quite a few contributors that submit great content, but then there are some that do not care, and are just there to see what they can get. If there were better written articles on the site, page ranking would go up, and the site could be more profitable.

I enjoy writing for Firehow, and will be submitting more content more often now that I am trying to work from home more now.


Nona Weeks on Firehow

Goodbye to Yahoo Contributor Network, Formerly Associated Content

Goodbye to Yahoo Contributor Network, Formerly Associated Content. I have been a member of this site since it was Associated Content. To be more precise it will be 5 years on the 20th. This was one of the first sites I began writing for, and I have earned quite a bit of money from the sit. I think most of us that wrote on the site knew it would eventually shut down when Yahoo took over.

Even though Yahoo Contributor Network is shutting down I appreciate the site for what it has taught me. I have learned more about saving money, earning money, dealing with life, and so many other thing. I hope to find another site that I enjoy writing for as much as I did when the site was Associated Content.

Direct Sales Tax Deductions

I have worked in a variety of areas that are direct sales or work from home. Tax deductions are very important to those that are able to claim their income and deductions. There are a variety of laws pertaining to direct sales tax deductions and there are a lot of deductions that people do not use.

I put together a lens on Squidoo that lists things that you can use as deductions for your direct sales business. I suggest you look over these items to see what you may be missing each year.

Direct Sales Tax Deductions on Squidoo by Nona Weeks(Nonar21)

If you have any others that you think should be added please let me know. I put a great deal of work into this list, but there is always a possibility of changes and additions.

Reducing Hours at Work?

For the last year I have had to work a lot of hours each week, with the minimal being around 45 the most 60. It has become normal to me, and I depend on the paycheck now. Well I found out today that the overtime will be eliminated for the store. This is devastating me so much. I am trying to buy a home, I have to take care of my son, and I have to pay bills. If my overtime was temporary, or short term, I would not depend on it so much. This will be a reduction of on average $50-$100 a week. Not such a small amount. I am having questionable thoughts about what I should do., and I am also losing some of my passion for my job.

I have been with this company, with the exception of my time off for an injury, for close to three years.  I am an assistant manager, but make very little hourly compared to what I have in the past. The place I work is like a family, and I love going to work. It is the corporate that is cutting back on everything. We have more than doubled our sales each month compared to where we were 12 to 24 months ago, and I do not feel as though they appreciate the people that bring the customers in and pay their incomes.

So what does my future hold? I have two more classes this fall to complete my associated degree in business management. Should I work a second job to make ends meet? I live in a rural area so finding something comparable may be difficult, or I may have to commute. Another option is to work even harder from home, or find a company that will allow me to do customer service or business management from home. Wow I am just at a loss at the moment. I need to find a way  to make up at lease $100 a week to be sure I can cover everything and provide for my son.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Single Moms Credit Repair.

Since I am trying to purchase a home I am looking things up online about credit requirements and things like that, I am very disappointed with the things I have been reading. There are quite a few sites that are recommending for single moms, and others trying to repair their credit, to pay for credit counseling. I have learned that all the information you need is online. In the last three years I have brought my credit up from 420 to almost 700. This was not easy, but I did it all on my own. I never paid anyone for help.

The steps that I took:

1. First, stop adding things to your report. Pay on your cards, if you have them, and do whatever you can to not allow anything else to be put on your report.
2. Get a copy of your credit reports; we are allowed one free credit report a year from each reporting agency, experian, equifax, and transunion. Go to Annual Credit Report and request your free copies. If for some reason you do not qualify for your free annual credit report you can get a free copy if you have been denied credit, passed over on a job, denied insurance, or if you get help from the state. 
3. Dispute anything that is wrong on your credit report, no matter how big or small. Write a certified letter to each of the credit bureaus giving the account numbers, the name of the collection account, and any information you feel is wrong. If there are multiple things wrong, just state that there are multiple things that are inaccurate and you want the entire account to be checked. 
4. Next I sent letters to each of the account holders stating that I felt things were inaccurate, and stated that "I want all documentation provided to me about the account and all inaccuracies removed. If everything can not be provided within 30 days I want this account removed from all credit reports immediately." Each states have different laws, but the agencies and account holders generally have 30 days to prove everything correct or remove the information from the reports. 
5. Once you receive the results of your credit disputes, you can then ask each of the credit bureaus for an updated copy of your report. This will show you what you need to work on. Most of the reports I received showed me when things would be removed from my account; generally 7 years for most bad marks except for bankruptcies and foreclosures, they can stay on up to 10 years. If the accounts will be removed from your reports within a couple of years, call the account holder and see if you can make some kind of arrangements to have it removed. Unless you have time to wait for them to drop off. 
6. Do not close any old credit cards or apply for credit with any other ones. If you do not have any credit cards, get a secured credit card. I recommend Capital One Secured credit card. I did not have credit cards, and this was the one I opened 4 years ago. I put $200  down for the card, use it for small purchases each month, then make payments of more then required.
7. Do not give up. After a few months, or even a year, do some of the same things again. If you really want to increase your credit score, do your research. There is so much information available online that can help you, and you do not have to pay for the education. I highly recommend everyone sign up for Credit Karma and Credit Sesame. They both give you notifications of what is on your credit, and what you can do to repair it.

The only other advice I can give you is to make goals for yourself and your family. The only way I remain focused is by making goals to reach for. These goals are not always reached for one reason or another, but that means go for something else. You can do what you want to if you set your mind to it. I know that sounds unrealistic to some, and it used to to me, but I know it is true now.

I am not a professional, but this is the steps that I took to reach my personal success with credit repair. Good luck and if anyone has any questions please just ask. I love helping other people reach their goals!

Reduce Home Based Business Expenses

Home based business can be very lucrative for individuals wanting to work from home. There are numerous business ventures that you can get into, but all of them will have certain expenses attached to them. Some home business expenses may include; accounting, business materials, office supplies, shipping, product deliveries, and taxes. These expenses will differ between different business types, but they all can be reduced in some way or another.

Start by learning to do your own accounting in your home business. There are a few different accounting software's available for individuals that operate small businesses, and they have almost everything that is needed to do your accounting. If you are unsure about these products you should do a little research prior to making the purchaser. It may seem like a large purchase at first, but it will be cheaper than paying an accountant year round.

To learn more ready the full article on Yahoo Contributor Network

 Reduce Home Based Business Expenses

Do not let ANYONE tell you it can't be done

Today I have been reading about the struggles of single moms, and believe me I know the struggles. One site I was reading the advice a girl was getting was that she needs to quit school and focus on raising her child and earning what little income she had coming in. This upset me because as a single mom I do not believe we should settle. Life is hard but we can get through it. I want to share my experiences of being a single mom. This is not a sympathy post, it is a motivational post. We all go through struggles in life, it is how we get through these struggles that make us who we are.

2010: For me, being a single mom started the day I found out I was pregnant. I knew that the father was my ex. We were together for 8 years, split up, tried to make up, but no luck. I found out I was pregnant a couple of months later. He was seeing someone else, and my name got ran in the mud. I was called a slut and much worse all over facebook. The word about me was supposedly I had been sleeping with numerous people during this time, which I was not. I had the support of my exs family and my family, but not having the father involved was hard. I could understand that it was hard to believe I was even pregnant. I had been told I would not have kids, and him and I were together for 8 years without even the worry of ever having a kid.

2011: Before my son was born I new I would be moving. I was leaving Texas and heading towards the mountains. I was planning on South Dakota, but plans changed. My disabled sisters husband left her after 20+ years to raise 3 kids on her own, and my disabled mom also lived with us. Once my son was born June 10, 2011 I new I had to leave. We took a camping trip to Colorado and found the perfect spot. The day I was released from the doctor from my Cesarian we packed up two moving trucks and two trailers and moved to Colorado. My son was two months old when we made a 15 hour drive to where I currently live.

I was blessed with a job two weeks after we moved. The pay was not much, but I was able to pay most of the bills for my new large household. In December of 2011 I fell at work and permanently injured my right knee. 

2012: Everything was going fairly good in the beginning of the year but September 14, 2012 I fell at home and had a few bad injuries. My neck, back, right leg, and right arm was hurting bad. I am still dealing with the pain today. The doctor pulled me off work for a couple of weeks. Well I was a week away from being covered by FMLA, so I lost my job. I did receive unemployment after a couple of months, but it still was not enough to cover everything.

I did start taking 15 credit hours in college in August of 2012. 

2013: In February we found a much smaller place to live, but it was something we could afford on such limited incomes.

In April I was offered my job back at my former employer, and I took the position. I started working 40+ hours a week and was still taking 15 credit hours of school.

In July I was promoted to assistant manager because we had lost our entire crew, plus one of my coworkers was in a horrible accident. She was out for a little more than a month. During this time it was basically only the store manager and I. I was training three new people and he was covering mornings by himself. This means for about 2 months I worked 70 hours a week, no days off, still went to school full time, and still made sure my son was taken care of.

In October I had a customer start coming in regularly. Him and I talked a lot but not much else.

2014: The 1st week of January that customer finally asked for my number. We talked for hours every day, but did not actually have our first real date until Super Bowl Sunday because we kept having horrible snow storms. Even just on the phone we instantly hit it off on a very intimate level. I stayed at his place that Sunday because of the weather. Our first kiss was the most intense thing I had ever felt in my life. I knew from that moment that I would be with him forever, and I had avoided dating for 4 years. He was able to get into my heart further than anyone ever had. We spent as much time as possible together. My son loved him, and my mom even said he will be with you forever. She said we were perfect together.

Sunday April 13, 2014 I had spent the night at his house, he and I were both really sick when we woke up. He almost passed out walking me to my car, but he told me he would be fine. He was more worried about me, as always. He called me a little while later and told me that he had eaten and felt much better.

Monday April 14, 2014 I received a call from a detective. She wanted to meet. I knew what was coming. He died during the night due to carbon monoxide poisoning, which I was also suffering from the previous morning. His dog was with him, she survived but was put to rest a few days later. Losing him was horrible for me, my family, and especially my son. We had made so many plans, and he pushed me to do my best in everything.

The next few weeks I had to take finals, do final projects, and help with his final things.  I did fail one of my classes but it was the hardest thing I had ever been through, and honestly it still is most days. His parents have been the best, they even signed his truck over to me. They told me that he had finally found his soul mate. What seems to hurt his mom the most is that he had been through so much, and finally found someone that would be with him through everything. I made him want to change his life.

During this time I only took one day off of work. I still worked more than 45 hours a week, some weeks recently more than 55. I have taken the Summer off of school, but will finish my last class next semester.

As I read back through this post I realize  it shares a lot, but does not even begin to show the emotional and physical things I have went through since I have become a single mom. My son has kept me going. I also have to say with all of this, I still have my faith and a very positive attitude about life. There are days where I wish I would have been in that bed with my boyfriend, but then I realize that my son would have suffered way to much.

Do not let anyone tell you that you can't accomplish things in your life. There will always be struggles in life, but you can get through them. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I have learned that the more positive you are about life, the better life is.

UPDATE 2019:

Well since this post I have still has many things happen. December of 2014 my sister passed away,  January my sons grandfather and my Aunt passed away, and since then I have lost my grandmother, a couple of cousins and my last great aunt. It has been hard but we have also had blessing.

When my sister passed away my mom and I got custody of her kids. Her son chose to live with his dad so I had her two daughters. So I was a single mom of my son and her two daughters. Thank God for having them though, they mean everything to me just like they were my own.

In April of 2015 we were homeless and stayed homeless until I was finally able to purchase a home in November of 2015. We had a lot of friends help us through this and I do not know what I would have done without them all.

I did get my business degree in 2015 even with all of the struggles that I was facing. So do not ever let anyone tell you things cannot be done. I did it and so can you.

We also have a new addition to the family, my daughter, Delila. She is now 14 months old. She is a hand full but an amazing baby.

Living Our Dreams

I have had dreams that I want to accomplish throughout my life. Since I have become a mom I have become more driven to reach my dreams. In the last three years I have accomplished a few dreams, and have decided on more dreams that I would like to reach.

Dreams that have become a reality:

• Made a huge move to Colorado when my son was two months old and I was unemployed.
• Started my associate degree program for business management (will finish in December 2014)
•  Purchased a newer, more dependable car
• Started savings for my sons  College education

Dreams that I want to accomplish:

• Finish school
• Have a decent savings put away
• Start my own business
• Purchase a decent sized piece of land for my son and I

One thing I have realized about dreams are that they change, but we need to have dreams to keep us motivated in life. I have kept some of the same dreams throughout the years, but they change in ways. Sometimes we meet people that help us see that we belong in different places then we think. Last year I just new that I wanted to be in South Dakota. I met my boyfriend and I realized that I belonged here in Colorado. Even though he died, he helped me realize so many things about my life.

Losing him made me feel as though I did not want to go on. I realize now that knowing him is what makes me want to go on. He showed me more in the few months together about living our dreams and being happy then I had ever seen in my life. I thank him for the experience and I know he is still here with me as I strive to reach even higher in my life.

Do not let anything hold you back from reaching your dreams. Shit happens in life that makes you want to stop, but these experiences all make you stronger. Keep reaching for what you want in life and do not let anyone tell you that it is impossible.