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5 Tools That Allow You to Make Money From Anywhere

By WTOP Staff

I love what I do. As a freelancer, I can work — and earn money — from anywhere. In fact, I recently moved across the country so my husband could start a new job. One of the great things about my location-independent career is that we didn’t have to try to look for a job for me in our new town. It’s much harder to find work for two than it is to find work for one.

My location-independent career has been great for me, but I couldn’t do it without technology. Whether I want to make a little extra money while I’m on vacation or I’m moving to a completely new town, I still need the right tools to make money from anywhere. If you want to make money no matter where you go, here are five tools that can help:

1. Third-Party Payment Processor

When you work from anywhere, it’s nice to be able to accept payment from anywhere. I’m pretty old school as far as online business people go; I use PayPal as my go-to third-party payment processor. I invoice through FreshBooks, which gives me a break on my PayPal fees — I only pay a low flat fee, rather than a percentage of the transaction.

2. Mobile Check Deposit

Even though I work online, and most of my clients use technology as part of their businesses, the reality is that some of them still pay by check. If you want to account for this difficulty, you need to have a mobile check deposit feature on your phone and a place for clients to send your checks. Check with your bank or credit union to see if it offers mobile check deposit, and then download the appropriate app. You might need to arrange for someone you trust to pick up your checks and send them to your current location, but at least with mobile banking you can deposit these payments — even if you aren’t near a branch.

3. Point-of-Sale Software

I don’t sell goods, but I know location-independent workers who do. Using a POS software program is helpful, since it allows them to accept various forms of payment no matter what city they’re in. A point-of-sale application, like Vend, makes sense for artisans and musicians who collect payment while on the road. I have a friend who sells photography prints, and she does it from anywhere, setting up at fairs and marketplaces around the world and using POS software to complete transactions.

4. Mobile Internet

One of the staples of the location-independent career is the coffee shop with free Wi-Fi. If you want to be truly independent though, you need to bring your own Internet with you. There have been times when I would have liked to access the Internet on my laptop for work, but was unable to because of a lack of a hotspot nearby.

Most cellphone service providers provide a way for you to turn your smartphone into a hotspot. I use T-Mobile’s hotspot, but other providers offer other options. There are also data plans you can add to your tablet if you use one for your work. There are even kits you can buy from various retailers that involve small devices or flash drives that help you connect to the Internet. FreedomPop offers a mobile hotspot device, and you can also buy prepaid mobile Internet from retailers like Wal-Mart.

5. Reliable Web Hosting

Don’t forget to make sure you have reliable Web hosting. You need a web hosting service you can rely on to keep your website up and running. Look for a host that is scalable and can handle the traffic to your site. It might cost a little more, but you will have peace of mind knowing that someone else can handle most of your problems, even during times when you might be hard to reach.

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5 Tools That Allow You to Make Money From Anywhere originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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