Category Archives: Relationships
Finding your (hidden) value
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As a young professional working woman, I often find myself asking: what more can I be doing? Sure, my entry-level income pays the bills, but who doesn’t want a little extra cash on the side? Well, YoPros, it’s time for us to find our hidden value and start cashing in on it.
What do I mean by hidden value? Well, to start, think about some things you do every day that you can monetize. Are there parts of your character that are just begging for a payout, outside of your 9-5? Take a look around your home – are there places begging to be de-cluttered where you could stumble upon a gold mine? Here are some suggestions to get you started on finding the hidden values in your life.
1.) Clear your shelves
There could be items in your home that you’ve had for so long that you’ve just gotten used to them being there. For starters, take a look at your closet. Do you have any shirts, jackets, pants, handbags, or even shoes that you haven’t worn or used in the last year? Well, take them out of your closet, and head over to your nearest consignment shop!
After all, it’s 2018. There must be an online way to get your old wardrobe out of your life and some money in your pocket online. Services like thredUP and Poshmark are great ways to de-clutter your closet. After you sign up, thredUP sends a postal bag to your address free of charge for you to fill with anyitems (clothes, shoes, bags – you name it) that were made in the last 5 years. Once your bag is full, simply seal it and leave it outside for the mail carrier to pick up. You don’t even have to pay for shipping! In a few weeks, thredUP will pay you out for your items in the form of online store-credit, or a PayPal card, which you can then cash out.
When you use Poshmark, you are the seller – and in charge. Just snap a photo of your item and upload it with a brief description to your Poshmark account. When you have a buyer, Poshmark will send you a pre-paid label to ship your item off. It becomes cash in your pocket once the item is delivered.
After your closet is taken care of, take a look at the other shelves in your home. Do you have books you haven’t touched that you’d be willing to part with? List them on Amazon for a quick pick-up.
*Hidden Value Bonus Tip: Do you know about smile.amazon.com? By typing in this address, you can connect your Amazon account to a charity of your choice, like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Best Friend Animal Society. Any time you make an eligible purchase, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate .5% of the price of the items to the charity you chose. You’re already making the purchase – why not make your daily shopping a charitable act?
2.) Convert your brain cells to coinage
You’ve probably heard that the tutoring business is a goldmine, with some tutors charging upwards of $100 an hour. However, if the thought of revisiting the SATs or any high school curriculum makes your head spin, consider tutoring in something you’re certainly familiar with – your native language!
Apply to programs like Qkids to teach English to kids in China via video chat or Skype. You can earn anywhere from $20-$30 an hour, and you won’t have to leave your house to do so! If you’re eligible to work in the United States or Canada, a bachelor’s degree and previous teaching/tutoring experience is all you need.
3.) Swipe right for cash
Well, in a sense. If academic tutoring isn’t for you, consider sharing your expertise in something a bit more, erm, personal. Did you know that some online dating consultants charge up to $129 for an hour of one-on-one video coaching on the rules of dating in the modern age? If you’re the person friends call upon to help reply to Tinder messages or set up dating profiles, consider creating your own website and offering dating advice for a fee. The only expertise required is that which you cultivate by getting on these sites and figuring out what does – and what doesn’t – work in the world of online dating.
4.) A different kind of nurturing
You may be years away from having kids of your own, but that doesn’t mean you can’t embrace your nurturing side to earn some money now. While babysitting and nannying may be the first options that come to mind, consider offering your services to a different demographic – senior citizens! Consider joining a “grandkids on-demand” service like “Papa,” which connects college students to senior citizens who need transportation, help around the house, or simply, companionship. Visits can range from spending a few hours at a park with your Pal to even joining them at a wedding. At minimum, you’ll earn $10 for your visit. Papa is currently available in Florida, but is expanding quickly to other states. Keep an eye out for it!
5.) Every dog will have its pay-day
Are you a dog-lover with no time for a pooch of your own? This ought to get your tail wagging (ok, I’m done!). Companies like Wag! and Rover connect enthusiastic animal-aficionados with dog-owners interested in hiring people for day-to-day services like dog walks, or long-term services, like pet-sitting. The application requirements listed on Wag! include a desire to bond with dogs, work outside, and being “physically fit enough to walk several hours a day.” If this sounds like you, apply today.
6.) From screen-scroll to payroll
Picture this – you’re on your lunch break with 15 minutes to kill. You can either update your Instagram feed “one last time” or you can put a quick buck in your pocket. The choice is yours! Apps like Google Opinion Rewards allow you to take online surveys and provide feedback to real companies, all while putting cash in your pocket. Mind you- each survey may only earn you up to 10¢ at a time, but once you’ve accrued a minimum amount of money, you can cash out using PayPal. You might as well get paid for all that time you spend on your phone!
'First Dates' barman Ethan's advice on dating: 'Don't think too much. A date is not a job interview'
First Dates barman Ethan Miles has charmed viewers and daters alike on the RTE show – but he insists he has never gone on a date with any of the singletons who didn’t find a match on the series.
The 35-year-old Canadian confirmed he is single, but said he would not go looking for love on the show.
“At the end of the day, I’m not there for that,” he said. “I don’t get involved in that. I’m there for a role.”
RELAXED
When participants head into the First Dates restaurant in the Gibson Hotel, they are greeted by maitre d’ Mateo Saina who takes them to the bar where they can get a drink from Ethan.
Along with waitress Alice Marr, Ethan has become a popular addition to the show and often helps put people at ease before their date in front of the camera.
“They took a chance on me. Before I was on the show, I was in bars for a long time. I was in the UK before Ireland and the US, the cultural mix is interesting,” he said.
Ethan, who works in bars away from the cameras and has also acted, told how his number one piece of advice for anyone going on the show would be to relax and not treat the date too seriously.
“They think too much. A date is not a job interview.
“Now with the dating apps and all that, it’s hard to meet people spontaneously,” he said.
“It’s always interesting when people don’t think too much. They just show up and they’re relaxed.
“I don’t want to butt in too much because it’s not my place.”
Having taken part in the show since the first episode, Ethan has paid close attention to the drinks the daters ordered and found that mojitos and whiskey sours are the beverages of choice for many of the participants.
Ethan is not sure what he would be like if he was a dater on the show, but can understand why some of the people who go on the show are so nervous when they come to see him at the bar.
“I think the short answer, is, luckily, we will never know. I’m pretty comfortable but it all depends on the person next to you. If she’s cool, yeah. I try to put myself in their shoes and I can see why it would be pretty nerve-wracking,” he told the Herald.
applications
First Dates Ireland has aired three series and is currently accepting applications for the fourth, which is expected to air early next year.
Coco Television, the production company behind the show, recently issued calls for more older men to apply and they are also looking to receive applications from more LGBT contestants.
Ethan was speaking at the launch of the HB Iceberger bar. The airstream van will visit Dublin on Saturday July 21 from 12pm to 4pm at Barnados Square, Dame Street.
Herald
Woman's MeToo moments lead to despair
Dear Amy: I have a history of attracting unkind, angry men. I had recently come off a two-year break from dating, when my mom’s neighbor asked me out. He is about my age, and my mom liked him. He seemed like a nice guy, so I took a chance.
I think he had been drinking before he picked me up. He brought me to a bar and started touching me and trying to kiss me. He also insisted that I drink more – and faster. He seemed to get angry that I wasn’t drinking fast enough.
I looked him in the eyes and asked him to please stop, because it made me uncomfortable. He didn’t stop.
We then left to go to another bar where we both drank more until the bartender cut him off. I was eternally grateful because I didn’t know how to get away. I thought about taking a cab but I don’t know the area, and was scared. I thought of Uber or Lyft, but it was late and a holiday. My mom can’t drive at night, and was already asleep.
Afterward, we went back to my mom’s house and fooled around. He left in the middle of the night. I felt guilty and told myself it was my fault.
What exactly do you do when speaking up and saying no isn’t enough? How do we protect ourselves from these predators who won’t listen?
I’m so scared I’ll be beaten or killed, that I end up allowing men to just do what they want. It’s wearing my soul down, and I deserve better.
How can I handle this?
– Heartsick
Dear Heartsick: You used your voice. Good for you. But never, ever, go with a drunk to the second location. What I mean is – when a drunken lout makes you uncomfortable physically, that’s when you excuse yourself, get the bartender’s attention and ask for help. You say, “I came here with this guy, but now I’m scared. Can you help me?” (The Good Night Out Campaign – goodnightcampaign.org – trains bartenders and servers for how to intervene when customers are being harassed.)
Do not leave the public place. Other women (and men) will help you. (Recently, I witnessed a drunken harassment situation turning aggressive in a bar, and I called the police.)
You used your own best judgment, but your own alcohol consumption made this harder for you to manage.
Read more:
The way to handle your fears is to learn to be strong. Never override your own fears. A self-defense class could give you more confidence.
The next thing to work on is your own discernment. You are right; you do deserve better. If you say “no” and the person doesn’t respect it, the date should end immediately.
There are great and nice guys out there. They will meet you for coffee as a way to get to know you.
Dear Amy: A few months ago, I received a “save the date” card from cousins for an upcoming wedding reception, to be held six months from now.
This couple has been married (with three children and a home) for the last 10 years!
This week, I received an invitation to a bridal shower for this couple.
When they got married 10 years ago, they did not have a wedding reception or any other celebration, because they were wed at the local courthouse.
This wedding reception and bridal shower will take place as if this couple is just being married without this 10-year history. No expense has been spared!
Do you follow usual rules and amounts for gift-giving, or do different rules and amounts apply?
– Awaiting Your Answer
Dear Awaiting: This is confusing, because the couple is already married. Consider this party to be their wedding reception, on a 10-year tape delay.
Given the lead time to this reception, it sounds as if they have been planning and saving for this shindig.
Having a bridal shower is a strange choice, but yes, if you attend the reception, you should plan to give them a gift. You can assume that they are registered somewhere.
Dear Amy: I’d like to join others who are appalled by your so-called “advice” to “Say no More?” the person who refused to house an illegal. Your political correctness really gets in the way.
– Appalled
Dear Appalled: First of all, a human being is not “an illegal,” as many readers pointed out. Also, being in the U.S. without proper documents is a civil offense, not a criminal one.
You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or “like” her on Facebook.
Read or Share this story: https://on.freep.com/2zzj8QF
Who is Matthew Hussey from Single Wives?
The world’s number one dating coach is a New York Times best-selling author of the novel Get The Guy, plays matchmaker on NBC’s Ready for Love, regularly writes a column for Cosmopolitan and currently holds the title for YouTube’s number one women’s relationship advice channel with over 1.3 million subscribers.
Matthew on The Single Wives
The 31-year-old forged his career as a dating expert at the age of 21 when he launched the site How To Get The Guy and he continues to dish out relationship tips on a daily basis.
Aussie celeb Fifi Box is set to work alongside him as a love coach in Channel Seven’s The Single Wives.
The show will track the dramatic, emotional and romantic transformation of four women searching for their second chance at love.
Each of the four women have walked down the aisle before, but each of their marriages ended in heartbreak.
Matthew often shares his dating advice YouTube but now hopes to impart his wisdom with the women on The Single Wives.
‘I have a huge demographic of women who have been through breakups or divorce and are looking to get back out there again,’ he told Seven. ‘I love helping those types of women because the right advice can mean the difference between someone hiding from love, repeating negative patterns in the people they choose, or finding happiness.
‘This show focused on that group of people and I knew it would therefore speak to a huge number of women across the country.’
Who is Matthew dating?
Matthew is currently loved up with ex-Fifth Harmony member Camila Carbello.
The 20-year-old singer confessed to being a fan of Matthew before having met him, revealing ‘I love him. He’s great. He gives good advice’ months before the pair were romantically linked in February 2018.
Although Matthew and Camila are yet to publicly address their relationship, the smitten couple were spotted on a romantic vacation in Mexico earlier this year.
Who are his celebrity clients?
The love coach boasts an impressive number of A-list clients, including Eva Longoria, Giuliana Rancic, Tyra Banks and Ryan Seacrest.
‘Matthew is a genius whose magic needs to be shared with the world. His incredible understanding of love and relationships make him the absolute best love guru,’ Eva Longoria shared.
Where can you see Matthew live?
Matthew often takes his shows on the road, touring around the world to share his love advice with women and men across the globe.
On his website, he’s currently offering a retreat for those seeking love advice, and he’s also available to book for speaking arrangements worldwide.
Follow Matthew on social media
Instagram: @thematthewhussey
Twitter: @matthewhussey
Facebook: @CoachMatthewHussey
YouTube: Matthew Hussey
The Single Wives starts on Wednesday, July 18 and continues July 19 at 7.30pm on Seven.
