How Examiner.com is Helping Me Work from Home

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about how you can earn money for your writing and work from home.  For me, this is a major deal because, as those who follow this blog know, I am due in July with my first child, and I am really trying to figure out how to be able to stay home with him, even if it means working during his naps and when he (hopefully) sleeps.

Shortly after writing that post, I left for a trip to Spain and Ireland.  When I returned, I set about the task of really making the most from my Examiner.com writing role.  The first thing I did was take advantage of the resources that the website has available to help me improve my writing and tailor it to their standards.  I discovered that certain types of articles and media include incentive pay, so I decided to make sure that I completed as many of those article types as the site allows each week in order to get that pay.

Next, I studied what the site defines as newsworthy content.  For writers who consistently produce newsworthy content, the site will sometimes promote your content and eventually submit it to news partners. In the past week, I worked hard to find content that was both on topic and newsworthy.  This included such articles as "Couple weds after 21-year engagement", "Bakery refuses to supply wedding cake for same-sex couple", "Former Facebook president's $10 million wedding raises red flags", and a personal favorite, "Wedding invitation blown up after police suspect it is explosive device".  I am now eligible to have my articles promoted in the news section of the site, and with continued diligence, I can work towards even more exposure.

My earnings have continued to increase even just over the last week.  I still have a long way to go, but the more I learn through the information provided by Examiner.com, the more I can focus my writing to maximize my full earning potential.  I requested an additional title this week, and it is my hope that in a few months, I will be able to earn a significant income from my writing there, as well as here.

As I said in my previous post, Examiner pays a $50 referral fee for writers who apply through my referral link and are accepted.  THERE IS NO COST TO JOIN.  If you are interested in joining Examiner.com as a writer, please use my link to do so and then email me once your application has been submitted.  If you are approved, I will share $10 from the one-time referral fee with you once it is paid to me.

Earn Money for Your Writing and Work from Home!

If you like to write like I do, the idea of finding a paid writing job sounds ideal, but unfortunately, the competition for such positions is fierce.  That is why I love Examiner.com!  Examiner.com is a website that brings together the work of many different local writers from all across the country and helps to promote it.

Because the website management promotes the site and site content, writers get much better earnings on their writing than they do when starting out with a blog.  Earnings can vary depending on a variety of factors, but I am currently earning about 1/2 a cent per pageview, which is significantly more than what I earn writing for Spare Time Super Mom.  I also earn incentive pay for certain types of content.  For example, you can currently earn $2.00 per list article that you create.  An example of a list article is shown here.  You can do 3 per week, so as long as you get the lists done, you earn a base of $6.00 per week.  Each view of the items in the list then count as a pageview, so the earnings can stack up pretty quickly on these.

Since I am trying to find a way to make some extra cash from home so I can spend more time with my son when he arrives, I am trying to focus more on Examiner.com as a job rather than a hobby (although it is definitely both!), and I have really seen my pageviews and earnings increase as a result, even after just a few days.  My topic is Herndon Wedding Planning, and I am committing myself to writing at least one article every two days from this point forward, at least when I am at home.  (I do leave for Spain and Ireland in a few days, so I may not be able to keep up while I am away, but when I get back, I plan to be all over it!)  I would like to eventually get to two articles per day, and I have some plans up my sleeve to help me get there.

There are a ton of topics to choose from, so whatever your hobbies, interests, or areas of expertise, I am sure there is something for you.  Go ahead and browse the site for available topics, but make sure to come back here before you sign up because Examiner.com pays $50.00 per referral.  If you sign up through my referral link and get approved, I WILL SHARE $10.00 OF THE REFERRAL FEE WITH YOU!

Examiner.com also provides access to a ton of photos that are free to use for your articles on their website, as well as the comprehensive Examiner University, where writers can learn about all kinds of topics to improve their writing and their earning potential.  They have a vested financial interest in seeing their writers do well because the more you earn, the more they earn.  Their support for their writers is awesome!

It is really easy and, of course, FREE to sign up, and they usually process your application within about a week or two.  If you do submit an application, please email me at sparetimesupermom@gmail.com with your name and topic choice so I can watch for your application to get approved.  Happy writing and happy earning!

Classic Soup, Salad, and Bread Combo

Around my house, I do most of the cooking, but it's a factor of available time and not skill.  Sometimes, you need an inexpensive way to throw together a meal for your family.  This is one of my favorites, and it is such a good meal that you really feel like you must have tried harder to make it than you actually did.

Soup and Bread:

     2 cans Campbell's Chunky Soup (Choice of flavors, but I recommend the Chicken Corn Chowder)
     1 loaf Italian bread from grocery bakery
 
     a.  Heat soup on stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
     b.  Slice bread and heat in oven at 175-200 degrees for about 10 minutes (about as long as the soup takes to heat.)
     c.  Serve.

Salad:

     Chopped Romaine Lettuce
     1 can Sliced Mandarin Oranges
     Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
     Seedless Red Grapes
     Cucumber
     Shelled Walnuts
     Green Stuffed Olives
     Croutons

     a.  Throw ingredients in bowl.
     b.  Mix together.
     c.  Serve
 
Take note that, with the exception of the lettuce and the cucumber, everything on the salad can be tossed into the bowl without any other prep.  This combo is filling, and the whole thing takes about 10 minutes.  If you serve the salad first, the soup and bread should be ready at about the time you finish eating salad.  Pretty healthy, super easy, and surprisingly delicious.

Your Soap Box is on my Toe!

I think that every pregnant-for-the-first-time woman must go through a period where she just wants to scream at about half the people around her.  And it's not the hormones, I swear.  It's the constant scolding, correcting, and instructing, usually by women who have already had babies, whether last month, last year, last decade, or last century.

This week marked the first time I saw my son's movements as more than just little twitches.  There was a good five seconds of something - probably a foot - moving back and forth across my belly.  This happened a couple of times, and while it was awesome, it was a tad on the creepy side, too.  Of course, when I said that to someone, I was immediately informed that it is not creepy, just beautiful.

Let me tell you something.  It is beautiful.  It is amazing.  It is something that no matter how excited I am to meet my son on the other side of my belly, I know that I will miss for the rest of my life.  I am soaking up every moment of it now because it is just the most inspiring thing I have ever experienced, and I would not trade it for the world.

Now, let me tell you something else.  There is another person living inside my body.  If that creeps me out a little bit, that does not make me a horrible person or an unfit mother.  It makes me human.  It makes me pregnant-for-the-first-time and still trying to grasp the enormity of the situation.  I am just going to say it one more time.  THERE IS ANOTHER PERSON LIVING INSIDE MY BODY.  In any other situation, such a reality would be good cause to be creeped out, possibly even alarmed.

I also mentioned to someone this week that I anticipate labor and delivery are going to be rather unpleasant and kind of gross.  Again, the looks of horror and statements that "It's not gross.  It's beautiful."  My son is beautiful.  The fact that two tiny cells can come together and begin this process that leads to the creation of another person - that is beautiful.  Blood and amniotic fluid and placenta and possibly even poo - these are things that are not beautiful.  Why can't we just be honest about that?  If you take the baby out of the equation for a moment, the delivery scene is filled with some pretty gross stuff.  Can't I just say that without being judged?  You want something beautiful?  How about the fact that women KNOW about this gross scene, and they sign up to do this, sometimes multiple times, because the beautiful miracle of bringing a child into this world makes the rest worth it.

The whole breastfeeding-formula feeding decision is another area that is just rife with land mines.  My husband and I have decided to bottle-feed exclusively.  I plan to try to do some pumping in the beginning and possibly for as long as my work schedule (and my body) will permit, but for a variety of reasons, we plan to use bottles to feed our son from the start.  When I mentioned this to someone, she asked me, "Don't you want the best for your baby?"

Of course I want the best for my son.  But the fact of the matter is that my husband and I have to make choices that are best for all of us.  Some of the reasons that I plan to bottle-feed are results of choices that we have made that reflect a desire to create a home that can thrive in the long run, as well as the short run.  So, what is best for my son is not necessarily what is best for your child.   And in some cases, the choices that I have made could turn out to be choices that you will later wish you made.  Even if my choices were bad ones, what a way to phrase it.

I am about to be a new mommy, so I certainly welcome input from others, but only when it is offered in a non-judgmental way.  If you are really interested in offering me some helpful tips or advice, then I would love to hear it.  But if your real goal is to demonstrate what a better mother you are and try to impress upon me how important it is to model my mothering after yours, then please just let me be.

Back to Work, For Real

Last week, I got a phone call inviting me to do some work as a contract attorney again, something I have been doing on and off for the last year and a half.  Just a few hours later, I got another call saying that the project wasn't starting as soon as they expected, so I would just have to wait and see when it would start.  I was at first elated to be going back to work, then crushed when I realized that payday had just been put off once again.

However, last night I got a call about another project, one which will last only two days, but which starts this afternoon.  Hurrah!  I am so glad to be back in the game, even though, at this rate, it will take awhile to save enough to start my new business.  The best part is that being a part of this two-day project won't interfere with my ability to be on the other, longer project, so I lose nothing by taking on the short one.

Back to Work...Finally!

I just got a phone call today from the employer with whom I do some work as a contract attorney.  I have been off for almost a month, which is the longest I have ever been off without getting a project from them, and I have been getting very antsy, especially because I am dying to get started on my new business, which I plan to launch in May.

My husband and I went over my business plan together, and he helped me figure out how to eliminate most of my upfront costs so I can get started without investing a ton of money.  I will be starting back to work on either Monday or Tuesday, which means that I should be able to get started on my business in about a month, maybe two, depending on whether there is any overtime with this project.  I am so excited!

Following a Dream

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was working on a business plan for a business that I could run entirely out of my home.  I finished it up a few days ago and presented it to my husband.  He helped me work through some of the numbers and think about how I could get started without a huge investment in inventory.  After working through some details together, we figured out how I can get started with a very small initial investment.

So, the first step is to form an LLC, or Limited Liability Company.  As an attorney, I am usually of the opinion that it is a good idea to talk to a lawyer about almost every legal thing you do.  But when it comes to forming an LLC in Virginia, don't bother.  You might want to get someone to help you when it comes to your legal requirements and fees, but forming an LLC is as easy as filling out one page of paper, signing it, and mailing it to the State Corporation Commission, along with a check for $100.

I filled out the paperwork to form an LLC yesterday, and I plan to mail it on Monday.  I expect it will take a week or two for them to process it, but soon I will have a registered LLC in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The next step will be filing for an EIN with the IRS, which I should be able to do online.  Again, a pretty easy step.

After that is complete, I will be able to do other things, such as starting a bank account, adding inventory, and building my online presence.  I hope to be able to launch the new business by the end of May.  More information will be coming in the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

Glimmer of Hope

It's been a rough week.  A really rough week.  I still have not fully recovered from my very first pregnancy blues meltdown, and on top of that, I have hardly been sleeping.  I have tried taking an over-the-counter sleep aid recommended by my doctor, but still, I can't seem to fall asleep for more than an hour at a time.  All of this, and some tidbits in my personal life, have really added up to put me in an emotional slump.

I know this is normal, but what makes it even harder is that I am really good at being happy.  Whatever happens, I just grin and bear it.  It makes me angry to think of wasting my time being sad, and I always FIGHT to be happy, no matter what life throws at me.  But this week, I have dissolved into tears several times a day, and I can barely speak to anyone without wanting to cry about something.

As usual, God knows when I need a little pick-me-up.  A few weeks ago, I wrote about the power of proclamation and my use of proclamation in my job hunting.  I must admit that I have not followed it as closely as I should have in the last week, but God is merciful and knows that I am a little beside myself at the moment.  Today, I got another little glimmer of hope, this time about a job that would actually be much better in every way than the real estate attorney position for which I interviewed.

The job is with the federal government, which means the pay would be pretty good, and the benefits would be awesome.  This would be a dream job for me because I could make enough money to support myself and baby boy (coming in July) if my husband were not able to work.  Most importantly, I would have decent hours, which are not easy to come by as an attorney, and I would be able to spend more time with our son.

There is no guarantee of employment at this time.  All I have received are two emails, one which arrived yesterday and said that if I didn't hear from them within 24 hours, thanks but no thanks and one which arrived today and said that my application has been reviewed and determined to meet their qualifications, so it has been forwarded on for further review.  Of course, none of this even means I will have an interview, but it really helps me to keep the faith as I continue to wait.

More to come on this note, hopefully soon!

The Pregnant Interview: Part Two

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my interview for a real estate attorney position in a post entitled The Pregnant Interview: Part One.  At the time, I was full of hope and thought I had a really good shot at being hired.  That all crumbled slowly when Friday, the day they had told me they would have a decision, came and went.  Then Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday dragged by without a word.  They had specifically told me they would let me know either way, so when I didn't hear anything, I finally called to try to get some information.  Although I left a message, no one responded.

Okay, I get it.  You don't want to hire me.  Is it because I'm pregnant?  Perhaps.  Or perhaps it's because I don't have experience.  Either way, it would have been nice to have a phone call or even an email.  Just something.

But on to the next thing.  In my frustration at still having no permanent work after being out of school for a year and a half, I have switched gears and am starting to focus my energies on starting a business of my own.  I have an idea what I want to do, and I have been working feverishly on a business plan that I can present to my husband.

The best part about my business is that it could be done entirely from home.  It would mean being able to do what I really want to do - stay home with our children.  I know it will not be easy, but I think it is something that I can do and, moreover, that I would really enjoy.  I may have to work for a year or so to raise and save the startup capital.  (I could do it in much less time if I had been fortunate enough to not be accepted to law school and thus did not have huge monthly payments eating up most of my paycheck.)

We shall see how that works out, but I also have a few other prospects on the horizon.  I applied for several positions with the federal government, and I am waiting to hear back on a few of those.  I also applied for a job with a law firm that focuses on internet and technology issues, which includes things like intellectual property disputes, contracts, business, and more.  Although I did not get that job, or even an interview, the founding partner was kind enough to send out an email to everyone who applied and did not receive an interview.  It was a basic form letter that essentially said, "Thanks, but no thanks," but having applied for hundreds of positions and heard very little in response over the last 18 months, I was very grateful that someone took the time to respond to everyone.

So I wrote a short note back thanking him for letting me know and wishing him luck, thinking that would certainly be the end of it.  He responded to my email, however, with an invitation to contact him in a few weeks for a meeting.  He wants to see if there is anything he can do to help me find work, even if it's not with his firm.  Sweet!

We have a busy weekend ahead, with a trip to Pennsylvania planned, and then I have not one, but TWO doctor's appointments next week on two different days.  But it should be exciting to see what's in store.

Know Your Rights: Pregancy and Nursing in the Workplace

I am currently job hunting while pregnant, which is hardly an ideal situation, especially now that my belly has really taken on that bowling ball shape and size.  As an attorney, I know that one of the biggest problems in the law is a lack of knowledge.  In the United States, we have so many rights that it is impossible for every citizen to know all of them, so I put together this brief overview on pregancy and nursing for working moms.

If you are pregnant and, like me, plan to (sob!) continue working after your little one arrives, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (hereinafter referred to as the FMLA), may entitle you to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth of your child and for the care of your child during the first year following birth.  However, only certain employers are required to provide FMLA leave.  If the company you work for has 50 or more employees or is a public agency or elementary or secondary school, then the company is subject to the FMLA.  In order to qualify for FMLA leave, you must have worked for your employer for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours in the last 12 months.  Additionally, your employer must have at least 50 employees within 75 miles of your work location.  If all of these requirements are met, then you are eligible for FMLA leave.

Some employers may offer full or partial compensation during this time, but they are not required to do so.  However, an employee's decision to take advantage of this leave time cannot have an adverse effect on her employment status or consideration for promotion.  In other words, the employer must treat her as though she never took the leave in the first place.

The FMLA requires that you provide your employer with 30 days notice, so you should plan to speak with your human resources department well in advance of your due date.  This will give you time to familiarize yourself with your employer's policy and make sure that you do everything you need to do in order to comply with their requirements.

Once you do return to work, you also have certain rights as a breastfeeding mother.  The Fair Labor Standards Act (hereinafter referred to as the FLSA) requires that employers provide nursing mothers with breaks in order to express breast milk.  The employers must allow employees to take breaks any time that they need to express breast milk.  Women must be given adequate time to pump, and they must also be given a designated private area, other than a bathroom, that is free from intrusion by other employees.

Be aware that the FLSA does not require employers to pay women for time taken to express breast milk.  In addition, employers with less than 50 employees may be exempted from providing breaks for nursing mothers if they can demonstrate that to due so would constitute an undue hardship for the employer.  For more information on breastfeeding and the workplace, visit the Department of Labor website.

Also, check with your state government to see what state laws may be available to you.  Sometimes, states have greater protection for employees than the federal law.  By doing business in your state, your employer has subjected himself to your state's laws, so you are entitled to reap those benefits as well.

The Pregnant Interview - Part One

Weeks of worrying about the first real interview for a full-time attorney position that I have had since graduating from law school came to a head this afternoon. At precisely 3 p.m., I jumped in the car and made the short 25-minute drive to Tyson's Corner. (For those of you who are wise enough not to live in a place like the greater D.C. Metro area, a 25-minute commute is like a fairy tale. My current commute is about three times as long.)

I have been both worried and excited about this day since I first got the invitation to come interview. Of course, any interview is bound to make a person nervous. That is just the nature of the beast. But for me, in my situation, it's even more terrifying because so much is riding on it.

First of all, I want my sister to move to Virginia and be our nanny, but if I don't have a job that pays enough, it doesn't make sense to have her do that. Since I am already almost five months pregnant, something needs to happen soon or we are going to run out of time and have to find another solution.

Second, the job market for lawyers is so tight right now, and I have very little experience. It is hard enough to compete in this market, but factor in that you are new to everything, and you are really at a major disadvantage.

Third, and most obvious, is my very conspicuous and now unmistakable baby bump. Just in the last few days, people have started to comment on it, which makes me realize that gone are the days of people thinking I'm just packing a little extra chunk.

At the end of the day, however, interviewing when pregnant really shouldn't make that big of a difference.  I mean, let's face it, any company that hires a woman in her child-bearing years is taking on the risk that she will be needing maternity leave at some point in the future.  Yes, it's a long time for an employee to be out, but at the same time, if the woman is good enough at what she does, a good employer will recognize that.

So, I went to my interview, which was conducted by a man and a woman, co-owners of the title company.  They were fantastic about everything.  They did not seem at all put off by the fact that I am pregnant, and I know they knew because I saw the woman look at my belly and because we discussed it later in the interview.  (They really shouldn't have mentioned it, but I'm okay with that...as long as I get the job!)  But it really didn't seem to be a big deal, and towards the end of the interview, the man interviewing me told me that they were very impressed with me and with my attitude.

It remains to be seen, of course, whether they actually offer me the job.  They did promise to let me know by Friday either way, so until then, I am planning to enjoy my week off in anticipation that I will soon be working full-time at a non-temp job.  Tune in on Friday for "The Pregnant Interview - Part Two," when I will reveal the outcome!

Professional Maternity Clothes that Won't Break the Bank

This past weekend, I headed to the outlet center in nearby Leesburg to try to locate appropriate interview maternity clothes. I am interviewing for an attorney position next week, so my attire must be very professional.

I dug through rack after rack at the Motherhood Maternity outlet, searching for a nice blazer or suit, but all I found was a nice pair of pants. None of the tops were formal enough, so I headed home with my pants and jumped online.

Well, it turns out that Motherhood Maternity does sell some very nice blazers. Unfortunately, the cheapest I could find was ON SALE for $100. I don't even pay that much for clothes I can wear during the majority of my life when I'm not pregnant.

So I kept up the search, and the more I looked, the more I realized that if a woman wants to maintain her professional experience throughout her pregnancy, she has to really be ready to shell out some serious cash. I suppose if you are a pregnant professional, this might not be too much of a hardship. But when you're still pursuing the opportunity to be one, like me at this point, that is a ridiculous amount of money to spend. What's worse is that other sites were selling blazers for 2-3 times as much. Who would buy that? But I guess people do.

Anyway, I was not about to admit defeat. I kept scouring the Web, and I found a few stores and/or websites where you can purchase professional maternity clothes for a reasonable price.  Also, I found that sometimes the best way to complete the outfit is to go for a nice shirt or blouse and just top it off with a basic, non-maternity blazer.  I am 4 months along, and I plan to wear one of my pre-prego blazers - unbuttoned, of course - over a nice red top.  If you are further along, you might need to buy a size or two bigger, but you don't necessarily have to purchase a maternity blazer.  Selecting a jacket with higher buttons allows you the option of just buttoning one and leaving the rest open.  Or, just leave them all unbuttoned.

There are a lot more options for affordable maternity shirts, including Kohl's, Gap, and even Motherhood Maternity.

There were only two stores where I found nice blazers for under the $50 price point: Target and Matriarch Maternity.  Although they do not offer a ton of options, they do have the basic black that you can pair with pretty much anything.  If none of these work for you, my advice is to stock up on the cheaper, professional tops and pants and move out of the maternity department for your jackets.  Kohl's, JCPenney, and a lot of other stores have great suit separates for a fraction of what the maternity stores charge.