Mass Effect 3 and Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

This coming November is going to be very busy for me!

Elder Scrolls IV: Skyrim:

Beautiful graphics, in depth game play, and more Elder Scrolls! Plus a new gaming rig to boot! I'm going to be locked away in my room for a few days. I can't wait.

Mass Effect 3:

The third and final chapter in the Mass Effect series. The first one is groundbreaking and the second one was still amazing (even though I still have qualms with EA taking the helm). I'll have tog et a new Xbox 360 though, as my last one RRoD'd on me. Oh well, I've been wanting to get one of those cool new black ones!

I hope you guys are as pumped as I am about the upcoming releases. I feel like the gaming world's been stagnant lately.

If you don't hear from me in 6 months for 6 months, you'll know where I'm at.

Having a "Side Hustle"

I realized that to earn extra money is hard. As a college student, looking to earn cash on the side, I've tried just about everything. Gaining fame on youtube is hard, mowing yards in the summer is tough when your mower is broken, and there are a LOT of scams online offering quick cash (so don't do them!)

In my free time, I like to learn ways to make money, invest, and be a smarter person financially.
Now, it's easy to go on and on about what to do as you constantly learn new ways to budget and allocate your assets. One way I found for a lot of people is to have a "Side Hustle" where you earn some extra cash on the side. A google search will reveal several ways to start one, but the easiest in my book are eBay and CashCrate.

CashCrate is probably the only website that ACTUALLY pays you to take surveys. No sketchy point system, no empty promises. After a long day of studying (and soon to be working) or if I'm stuck at school (soon to be the office!) I'll hop onto CashCrate and do some surveys really quick. I'll do it for about an hour each day and earn anywhere from $2-$10.

eBay is much more lucrative for me, but I don't always get items that sell.

Just a few things before you go sign up, at CashCrate, you will get A LOT of spam mail- so use your spam email account or make one. Also, a few of the offers require actual payments to get the reward, but they will be indicated by a small red $ symbol. Most of the surveys take 30 seconds to a minute to fill out and reward anywhere from 25 to 50 cents. Surveys that reward a full $1 are few and far between, but it's the easiest buck you'll earn for legit "work."

Not only does it pay actual cash, CashCrate has a members section and has dedicated support staff, so you're never left in the dark.

So, what are you waiting for? Go sign up at CashCrate now! Just remember to use your own discretion and earn some extra cash!

The weight of the world...

I had a terrible dream last night. I dreamt that I was in a convenience store or gas station and I bought contacts (for some strange reason), a juice drink like a Gatorade, water, and a variety of other things. The total came to $303.67. When I saw the total I had a sensation of despair and fear. I knew I didn’t have that amount in my bank account. So why did I proceed and swipe my debit card?

In dreams, it’s not about the facts; it’s about the subconscious and what it’s trying to tell you. For me, as a junior in college about to graduate in one year the dream was symbolizing my fear of being on my own and my ability to control my own income.

As I began to analyze the dream, I realized that millions of other Americans are in the exact same boat as I am when it comes to finances. Whether they are in college, about to graduate, or long into their careers I know everyone can benefit from a few financial tips:

1. Check your bank account daily.

- Most, if not all, member banks should have some way for you to access and view your account online. If not, take step 2 to a more critical level

2. Budget

- Budgeting can be hard. I get an allowance of $80 dollars every two weeks and I still have trouble spending it correctly. If you really want to go above and beyond, check out Dave Ramsey and follow his advice. His program helped my parents out of debt in under a year. If you don’t have the time for that just remember three basic things” Plan, implement, don’t deviate. Plan for everything, groceries, cable, electric, and emergencies. The hardest thing to plan for is the emergencies: the baby runs out of diapers, the dog runs out in front of a car, or anything! Plan for the worst.

3. Get help

- There’s a plethora of help available. Online guides, resources, and financial planners are all there. But instead of spending $300+ on a program that you may or may not follow through on, find a financial planner that actually cares for your needs. You want someone who knows the business and loves helping people.

So, I realized that I want to become a financial planner or investment banker! Right now I’m hoping to become an intern at Northwestern Mutual, a mutual life insurance company. I’ll have to start slow, getting only my insurance sales licensing, but hopefully, soon after I graduate I’ll be able to get my CFP, ChFU, and CFA accreditations. It won’t be easy, but it’s what I want to do- Help people have a better life.