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.

Saving money?

I have been in Colorado for close to three years now. During this time I have been focused on school, work, and being a mom. I have not shared a lot about my online life, so most do not know that I have over 1000 articles published online. Most of these articles are about saving money.

A couple of days ago a friend of mine was asking if I used coupons, or if I knew about these sites that give you gift cards to use their coupons. I sent her links to a few sites that I have earned money and gift cards from for a number of years. I have been saving money and making money online since 2009. At one point I was making over $1200 a month by just writing money saving articles. I am sure I could get back to that point if I made time for it, but for now I want to use this as a part time income and way to share my experiences with saving money.

Here are sites I truly trust, and I have made money on since the beginning:

Inbox Dollars The minimum payout is $30 but I usually make that without a problem. You earn by doing surveys, searching the web, printing and using coupons, and other things. You also receive money by referring others.

My survey This site is just surveys. You can cash the points in for merchandise, paypal payments, or a check. There is not really a referral program unless you have a website that has a lot of views. I have been a member since 2009 and have received merchandise to test, and many payments from them.

My Points My points is a site that you can print coupons, shop at online retailers, read emails, search the web, and much more while earning points. You can use these points for many gift cards, and I have received a lot of them. There is a referral program, but it requires you to send emails to your friends.

I highly recommend all of these sites to anyone wanting to save money. It is great because you can save money and make money at the same time. Even with very minimal effort over the last three years, I have taken advantage of these sites.

One of my first articles on Yahoo was about saving money. I read it today, and it is still good tips. 50 Real ways to Save Money

Purchasing Land and a Home

My boyfriend and I (prior to his death) were looking for land to purchase and considering where we would want to live. I told him I would be happy with a tent as long as I could have a shower. I would have ran away with him and my son without a second thought. Now that he is gone I still want to continue with our plans. I am looking to purchase about 10-20 acres of land. The home is optional at the moment, I can use a small RV until I can get a home built if necessary.

The problem with my plan is my income. I am a single mom that makes about $25000 a year. This is a small income when considering purchasing something like this. I am planning it though, and pray for the best. What am I doing?

• I have increased my credit score from 420 to 670 in less than three years (I will share how I did this later on) , so I want to continue this increase for another year before making a purchase
• Look at different locations to determine where I want to live
• Look into local programs that may help
• Find state and federal programs that may help
• Work as much over time as I possibly can to increase my yearly salary for this year
• Pay off credit cards so that I increase my credit score and decrease my debt
• Evaluate every aspect of my life financially. I want to be fairly secure before I purchase something of this magnitude

Making a purchase like this takes planning and perseverance. I will be working hard on reaching this goal and I will b sharing my progress.

Thank you all for reading!

 

Combining Blogs

I had been posting to a number of blogs over the last couple of years, but as of today this will be my only blog. I will post tips, money saving advice, live events, working online and more to this blog. Having too many blogs distracts me from posting quality content. I am also hoping in the next few months I can start a website that I can share more with everyone.

Thank you all for reading my blog. I know it has been a long time since I have been seriously involved with blogging and even making money online, but live has changes and this is a great form of income for me as a single mom. The income I earn from home will go towards the property I want to purchase for my son and I.

Where has time gone?

I have not posted on here for over a year, but life has been crazy. I have been going to school full time, and working 50+ hours a week. I put my online work on the back burner for a while. This is an update of how the last year has been full of ups and downs with my life.

I am finally down to one class to complete. Unfortunately I failed the class last semester, but it was a very hard semester.

Last year I met a great man. He was a customer of mine, and we became fairly close. He finally asked me for my number and we started talking. We would talk for hours each day. Once I finally began going to his house, and he to mine, we were inseparable.  Him and I had everything in common. We would sit and talk for hours and if I was unable to see him on a certain day, we would talk on the phone. He always texted me and called me, he would even stop by my job every day, some days two or three times. I finally found true love, and I knew it from the first kiss.

On April 12, 2014 I had spent the night at his house. The next morning both of us was feeling very bad, but we thought it was the weather. I left his house to go to work at 2pm, and then I had to be back to work at 6am the following morning. I received a call from the police department telling me there had been an accident.

Hearing this, I knew he had died. They met me and told me the he died during the night between the 13th and 14th from carbon monoxide poisoning. This ripped my soul out. It hurt even more when I heard that everyone knew he was the happiest in the last few months then they had ever seen him.

Since this has happened I have been on this horrible emotional roller coaster. We had so many plans for the future, and he wanted to raise my son. His parents sent me a portion of his ashes, and they signed his truck over to me. I made a promise to them and my boyfriend, Justin, that I would continue with our dreams and plans. The biggest thing we wanted to do was purchase some land here in Teller County, CO and make it completely self sufficient. This is what I am working on now.

The death of my boyfriend, Justin, was the hardest thing I have ever been through. I know if my work schedule was any different I would have died with him, and I have had days where I wish I would have. I know my son needs me, and I know God has other plans for me. The way I have been dealing with his loss is planning for things that we wanted to do. I am helping his memory live by my actions. He will always be in my heart no matter what the future holds for me.

Plans for the next year:

• Finish my degree
• Enroll my son in school
• Pay off my credit cards, which will increase my credit
• Find the perfect piece of land in Teller County, CO
• Purchase the land and put a small home on it until I can build the home I want. Nothing fancy, just something I can raise my son in and we both be happy.
• Evaluate my career path. I love my job, but would love to find something from home so I can spend more time with my son. As a single mom going to school full time and working full time, I have not seen him much.

No matter what my future holds, Justin will always be a part of my life. I will eventually move on, but I know God and Justin will let me know when the right person comes along.

"Where is my smile", "You even me out, you are always so optimistic about everything" Both of these quotes are from my boyfriend, Justin Gibbons, and they will keep me motivated. I love him always.

Anyone that has read my last posts know about my past plans to move to South Dakota, well God has ways of changing our plans and showing us where we really belong..