Like many (and probably you too!), I wish I didn't have to choose between buying something I need or something I want, paying for bills and food, and saving money. It seems like I can never have all three at the same time. Like my American Dream does not consist of a bland money-sucker house, a creepy picket fence, or 2.5 futuristic clones-err kids, but of paying all my bills in the same month in full and purchasing one of those nents (the hybrid of needs and wants- where what you need and what you want are one in the same or so close that you can't tell if it is indeed a need or a want), maybe even purchasing <gasp> something that is pure want, maybe even a luxury... and of course, I would love to save some money. Who wouldn't??? I would love to not be knocked under water by one emergency or another, to be able to smile when we get a flat tire because buying another one won't be a HUGE FREAKIN' ISSUE. Yup, that's my American Dream.
Notice the repetitive use of the word dream- clearly this is not my reality. So back to my real life, where Buy, Pay, or Save crash constantly and burn badly- where life is like bumper cars~ you never know when you'll get hit, just that it's coming and the shock will be jarring.
In this installment of My real life starring moi, my bf and I have an anniversary coming up. For this anniversary he gave me his tax refund to help pay for school on the condition I also buy a cell phone- an iPhone specifically. At the time (months and months and months ago) I thought- awesome! I can do that. Now, many weeks after filing and processing (processing, processing, processing) his taxes were approved and he received his refund. And real life bit us in the ass. I need to pay school- this will not pay the whole balance at all, but it will help a lot. We have the gas bill from hell- it warped from the income based bill it was supposed to be to this monster we are trying to get straightened out, but if we can't the entire thing plus his pay check will need to go to the monster bill- not awesome. Saving isn't even in this equation- like I wish I could seriously entertain the idea of squirreling away even $50, but the idea is not even laughable right now.
Now, why would I even look seriously into buying the phone and then paying school or splitting between school and the monster bill? With the phone I can accept credit card payments. I live in a city where a lot of people don't carry cash and the excuse/reason for not buying stuff when our student organizations fund raise is "oh I only have my bank/credit card, sorry". Well with the phone I can circumvent that excuse and if they sincerely want to buy, they'll be able to. That is my hope and how I hoped to fund the second part of my large school bill between now and July. Because the end goal is to get my degree conferred on me by July.
But how do you do that? In my case I need to sell things, because I simply suck at selling myself (one day that will be a blog post, but today no). I can see how to market other people and their skills, but when I see myself I don't "see" with the same eyes I use on others, but putting all my eggs in the "I can sell this" basket could come back and bite us both in the ass...
All I know is I have to decide soon, because time is ticking while I'm thinking...
Las fotos
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Regroup and charge!
Okay so I started fundraising-crowd sourcing a few weeks ago, but that is/was going no where and I just don't and didn't have the time to baby it into mild success, plus I kept finding all these articles on crowd-sourcing fatigue (seriously- if Aaron McGruder's Kickstarter failed- no matter how you feel about Ruckus (See also The Uncle Rukus Movie), failed- what the hell was my YouCare or my SmartyPig going to do? I know Youdon'tCare and I don't have the time or the workers/volunteers to make you care)- so back to the drawing board I went. I regrouped during the solid 9 hours of sleep I picked up last night- after a week of no sleep and decided I have to go old school.
So later today (I hope) I will scour my local craft store and go into bracelet making. I may even make exciting stories with the possibility of being true to go with each bracelet (as that appeals to my literary creative side). Now it is the end of the semester so I need to get a move on if I want to tap into my University networks, but I have to say I am a wee scared of the future after I take this plunge. While I didn't get the job I was so gung-ho for, I still have multiple events, finals, anniversary, and of course the graduation to wrestle with and only 21 days to do it in. Of course the fund-raising can go until mid-July when the grad school application is absolutely due, but that isn't much time either.
I still intend to try my hand at gift boxes with a theme and maybe baskets. A friend suggested I include baked goods, like my red velvet cupcakes. Might be a good idea, but I don't have an oven currently so we'll see :).
In short I have a plan (kind of, sort of).
Clearly, I will unveil my bracelets and other fundraising attempts here with all my silent friends :) so more soon!
So later today (I hope) I will scour my local craft store and go into bracelet making. I may even make exciting stories with the possibility of being true to go with each bracelet (as that appeals to my literary creative side). Now it is the end of the semester so I need to get a move on if I want to tap into my University networks, but I have to say I am a wee scared of the future after I take this plunge. While I didn't get the job I was so gung-ho for, I still have multiple events, finals, anniversary, and of course the graduation to wrestle with and only 21 days to do it in. Of course the fund-raising can go until mid-July when the grad school application is absolutely due, but that isn't much time either.
I still intend to try my hand at gift boxes with a theme and maybe baskets. A friend suggested I include baked goods, like my red velvet cupcakes. Might be a good idea, but I don't have an oven currently so we'll see :).
In short I have a plan (kind of, sort of).
Clearly, I will unveil my bracelets and other fundraising attempts here with all my silent friends :) so more soon!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
I haven't slept in
over 24 hours, but I finished my paper and turned it in. I was going to brainstorm about fundraising and share what little I have so far (State my goals: I want
to sell X number of this product at $X per product
Totally made me feel like I have a plan of action, even though it's little more than roving thoughts)
but then...
BUT THEN
but then Southland came on. Southland just tore my mind to shreds and broke my heart- I can't comprehend. My eyes are burning- I'm not crying, but I feel near hysterics. No worries- there won't be any spoiler alerts for tonight's episode- I can't relieve that again. I love this show, but what the hell- I hurt right now. And I really, truly, officially despise tweakers.
Figure total cost/q for
cost/unit
Figure total π: Pxq- TC
of all units
Ex. I create a gift box
at $60/box. It cost $30 to put together one box. On the surface I want to sell
115 units to hit $6900. In reality I need to sell 230, since the boxes only
profit $30 each.
Baskets, boxes, candy,
cupcakes, magazine subscriptions???, recipes (red velvet cupcakes, chili),
arts/crafts, items/used goods,
Share sales/information
about units needed to be pushed on crowdsourcing websites, Facebook, LinkedIn,
Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, friends, family, so on
$7000 (rounded):
$Price$ Unit/Quantity
$1 7000
$2 3500
$3 2334
$5 1400
$10 700
$15 467
$20 350
$30 234
$40 175
$50 150
$60 117
$100 70
$200 35
$10 700
$15 467
$20 350
$30 234
$40 175
$50 150
$60 117
$100 70
$200 35
Look for products- craft
stores, garage sales, bazaars, Goodwill/Thrift, MY HOMES, Sam’s and other big
box stores, clearance
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