People Working from Home Are Happier

I was just about to sleep when I read this article from Yahoo News Philippines: 'Telecommuters say they are happier, healthier'.

Photo Credits to Yahoo News Philippines

This article talks about the survey done by Staples Advantage showing results that people who work at home are much happier, healthier and "more balanced" with their lives.

But of course, I can just relate to this. Have I not been working for the past year at home! And I probably agree with these results. Why?

First, I can see my friends and the boyfriend, since they've just graduated, struggle with the work in the office not to mention office politics and all. (They may or may not agree with me here, but this is my opinion. Hehe.) And what makes me say 'whoah' is that the boyfriend works at the office for an average of 10 hours everyday, I think.

This makes me say 'whoah' because on the average, I work around 10 hours a week. LOL. But what makes it harder for me is the fact that I study at the same time. If I am only to work like this and not study, my life would've been much easier. LOL.

But still, that's not the issue here. The issue is Freedom. Yuppies technically are not free to do anything they want in the office. But of course, the boss is watching. In fact, there are even some companies that do not let their employees text during office hours. (What the...?!)

On the other hand, people who work from home can oversleep, rest when they're already tired from working and be back when they're already focused making them more productive. They don't even need to commute and buy office attires. They can do what they want in their own time making their life more balanced.

And this actually makes me confused on whether I want to work from home or at the office when I graduate.

Can you imagine spending half of your life working in the office?

The Pros and Cons of Being an Online Freelance Writer

Okay, I know that it has been sometime since I've talked about online freelancing and money on this blog. Oh well, I can't help but feature what I'm hyped about for the moment.

If you've read the about me page and earlier posts on this blog, you'll know by now that I am an online freelancer. Mainly, my role in this Internet world is writing. Yep, I write about rice cookers, standing desks, foreign exchange, accounting software, Louis Vuitton bags, fashion, weight loss, diet pills, Android, and more.

All my jobs as of this time are from oDesk.




oDesk is platform for remote staffing for short-term and long-term work. It's the place where contractors and clients meet. However, as a freelancer, you're not obliged to call your clients "sir" or "ma'am". As a freelancer, you are treated as a professional who knows exactly what he or she is doing.




But so much for that. For those aspiring online freelancers, or those who want to earn extra, here are the pros and cons of online freelancing.

Pros:

• You can work whenever and wherever you want. Yes, you can choose which time of the day to work and where. You can work at home or in a cafe. In fact, you can even choose not to work.

• You can choose which jobs you can work on. You actually have the power to choose which projects to work on. For example, in my case, if I don't think I'm able to work for this particular time, I turn down the job. There are also times, rare times, when I turn down a writing gig just because I don't like the topic. On the other hand, you can also choose to apply only on jobs that interest you.

• You are not a regular employee--you are a businessman in a sense. As a freelancer, you negotiate fees with your client. You don't treat him as a boss, because you are actually your own boss.

• You can negotiate fees with your client. You can ask for a price or fee that you think is the real value for your work. You'll never be stuck with the same fee. It's because as a freelancer you are just not paid for your work, you are actually being paid for the experience you've already acquired in the past.

• You work for clients around the world. This means that you have a larger market for your talent. Likewise, even if you're here in the Philippines, you can earn dollars.

Cons:

• You have to be disciplined. Since you own your time, you have to 'budget' it wisely. For example, since I'm still studying, I have to stretch 24 hours in a day to do everything that needs to be done. Otherwise, I might fail my subjects or lose a valuable contract.

• There are some clients that are not easy to deal with--I know, because I've had one. You need to be patient. And even if the client seems to be crossing boundaries, you have to keep your calm and just end the contract. It's no use dealing with someone who cannot appreciate your talents and works.

• You have to bear with banking fees and payment periods. Since I'm working online and receiving money from the other end of the world, processing payments usually takes time and a lot of fees, particularly if you are withdrawing a good sum.

• You don't have benefits. If you're working traditionally, I mean in an office, you usually receive salary and benefits. However, if you're working online, you don't really receive them. In my opinion, this can be offset if you're like earning big already.

• There is no stable job. If you are looking for stability in freelancing, well, I can't guarantee you with it. But surely, if you prove yourself in your chosen field and seek for jobs, you'll always have clients.

In my point of view, these are the pros and cons of online freelancing. I've been working part-time in this industry for a year now and earning, let's say, a full-time salary (if I have enough writing gigs).

Are You Happy With Your Career?

I was browsing across a forum when I read about someone being a frustrated writer.

She said that though writing was her passion--she was having a hard time because she was unnoticed and unappreciated for significant and insignificant were "marauding" her.

photo credits to the Internet

And I thought that if writing was really her passion, then why would others need notice her before she would be happy?

I love writing myself, and no, I don't need to get noticed first before I'm happy. For me, that's only a bonus or extra.

I enjoy writing because I can express myself clearly and without hesitation when I'm writing. As you can see, I'm not exactly good with communicating verbally. But when I write, it seems that words flow freely and I don't even need to think!

That's how I feel personally.

But in a writer's point of view, a writer's goal is to have someone read what he or she writes. It's like the ultimate goal.

And with several articles that I've written for others, I still actually don't know whether others really spend even a few minutes reading what I write.

So, I've built this blog. But of course, no, I'm not a newbie blogger. I've been into the blogosphere for four years now.

Where's my other blog? Well, it's not publicized though it gets good views on what I've posted about Jayjay Helterbrand and his pics in 2008. Hahaha.

But really, I'm quite lucky to be given a chance to have writing as my job. Most of the time, it's like work becomes play. But of course, I still wanted to grow--to learn more about it and how to make others read what I've written so far.

So, thank you to those who have read, are reading and will be reading my blog posts and articles. Though I don't know everybody personally, spending even a minute or two in this blog is highly appreciated! Thank you! :)

PisoBid.com - Overview and Tips on How to Bid (Smartly)

I've already known about fast-paced online penny auctions before I've seen PisoBid.com--the first Philippine online penny auction site. As a matter of fact, I worked on the online and email content of one penny auction site based in the US. So technically, I know something about the rules of this kind of auction sites.

Penny auction sites are online bidding sites that offers items, usually gadgets such as iPad, iPhone, Sony Playstation, etc for pennies. Meaning, once you win an auction, you only need to pay for a dollar or two for the item that you've won. Really nice, eh?

Oh, but I forgot--you need to buy bids that you can use in the auctions.

Though I know several of these sites, all foreign, I've only tried bidding in PisoBid because: 1.) If I win, there'll be no hassles in shipping (because shipping fees are always shouldered by the buyer) and 2.) I've been given 10 free bids by this auction site.

In my humble opinion, I think these penny auction sites are really addicting. Why? Because of the fast-paced environment, your eagerness to win (fabulous) items is increased. You might not even notice that your bid credits have already run out because the 20-second timer really ticks fast. Plus, you can get to pay only PHP5 for a PHP1,000 peso Globe load or maybe even less depending on the winning price.

And probably because it really is addicting, there are already hundreds of people who have purchased 1000's of bids from PisoBid to join the auctions. But of course, isn't it fun?

Additionally, I'm thinking that this is similar to gambling--though of course, not totally. It is similar in the sense that everyone wants to win badly. In fact, they'll buy n bids just so that they can win.

And mind you, I find the bids expensive. You see, these bids are usually available in bid packs. In the US, one bid costs USD0.60 and the bid packs are calculated based on this price. However, I find that the prices of bid packs in PisoBid varies. The first bid pack which includes 10 bids costs PHP300 and the fifth bid pack which includes 500 bids costs PHP3,000.

Really, this online auction isn't for the poor.

Oh well, what can I say to these people but enjoy. Enjoy bidding! In addition, I would like to give useful tips on how to be a smart bidder.

Tips on How to Bid (Smartly) in Penny Auction Sites

• Before bidding, be aware of terms and policies including the rules and regulations of auction site. Reading these materials can guide you into what to expect in the ongoing auctions. Plus, you can also create a strategy for an effective bidding (and eventually winning) by going over the rules of the site.

• Make sure to have your research first. Read forums, Facebook pages and blogs before buying bids from the auction site. If they'll give you free bids, use them first and see if you like their bidding system.

• Do not buy bids more than you actually can. If you're on a tight budget, don't try buying 1000's of bids just because you want to save (or so you thought you can save).

• Create a threshold of how much you can spend on these auction sites. By doing so, you can control your spending habits and be able to avoid overspending.

• Lastly, choose a good time of the day (or night) when bidding. Bidding on these auction sites can take more time than you can imagine. Make sure that you're not in the middle of your work when you bid!

Freelancing on the Web - What Can You Offer?

If you want to embark on working as a freelancer on the Web, you should first ask yourself, "What can I offer to the online community?"

At some point, this seems to be the most difficult question. Several people are not yet fully aware of their skills and potentials.

On the other hand, some people are quite confused as what to offer the WWW. They are what you call "Jack of All Trades and Master of None". But I'm telling you, this is not what you need. If you want to succeed on online freelancing, you have to have a "specialization".

To answer the question above, think about your skills. Are you good in writing using the English language? Can you translate effectively? Do you have a comprehensive knowledge on how to create a website? Is your course related to programming?

If you have answered yes to one of the questions above, then you're one step closer to being a freelancer. Otherwise, you can still ask yourself a few questions.

What is your hobby? Do you like taking photos? Can you communicate (verbally) well in English? Are you good in sales talk? Are you familiar with bookkeeping?

If you still haven't answered a yes to the questions above, don't stop. Be creative on answering the question, "What can I offer the online community?"

The online community, or perhaps online companies, are always looking for creative people.

Popular Freelancing Jobs

Just to give you an overview of what online companies and communities are looking for in the web, here are some of the most popular freelancing job categories. Please note that there are still sub-categories under each. If you really want to "specialize", make sure to dig deeper into these broad categories.

• Writing Web Content, Blogging and Translating
• Programming
• Developing Websites
• Customer Support
• Administrative Services (e.g. managing virtual work teams)
• Bookkeeping
• Design (e.g. designing logos and websites)
• Sales and Marketing
• Networking and Information Systems
• Financial Consulting
• Business Consulting

There are probably a lot more. So again, make sure to be creative and do proper research. And most importantly, be able to assess your personal skills, potentials and interests. Knowing these will lead you to a fun and fruitful freelancing career.

Freelancing on the Web - How to Start

Though the Philippines is not fully aware and open to working online yet, there are already several Filipinos who are earning money on the Internet. In fact, I'm a freelance writer for the web for a year now. And yes, I'm making money from the Internet, at the comforts of my home, and in my own time. Think I'm lucky? Well, read this series of how to start earning money online and maybe you can be just 'lucky' as I am!

I was still a student when I first embarked on the freelancing world. On April 2010, I really wanted to have a part-time job to have something worthwhile to do for my summer vacation. Since I was good with the English grammar skills, I tried to apply to companies teaching English to Koreans, Chinese, etc.

But I guess they didn't think I was fit since I was only applying as a part-timer or maybe they didn't think my teaching skills are sufficient. Whatever it is, I consider it now as a blessing in disguise.

So...enough about my story for now. Anyway, you'll probably know more about my freelancing stories as we go along. Here's what you need to know first.


Probably, you've already read people's (usually work-at-home moms and retired senior citizens) success stories in money-making on the Internet. And I'm going to tell you that, yes, several people are now earning money on the Internet. But surely, not everyone is telling the truth.

What do I mean by that? Simple, not everyone saying that they are earning money on the Internet are actually earning money. Maybe they'll do--if you believe them.

What I'm trying to say here is don't believe everything you read from the Internet. There are legit sites that will allow you to earn, while there are those sites that'll just scam your money out from you.

But How to Distinguish Legit Money-Making Sites from Scammers?

In order to distinguish legit sites from scammers, let me describe what scammer sites are like first.

1. Scammer sites solicit money before you could even start working and earning.
2. Scammer sites are full of hype and target emotions to get people paying out money from their pockets.
3. Scammer sites usually tells you that you'll earn thousands of dollars in one day and be a millionaire in just one month. (That's b*****it by the way.)

If you happen to come across this kind of websites, make sure to steer away from them. They're no good. And if you're not sure whether it's really a scammer site, make sure to do some thorough research first. The WWW is a vast resource of information. Make sure to utilize it correctly.

And of course, legit sites don't share the same characteristics. There are no membership fees to join, no marketing hype on their landing pages, and nobody's going to tell you that you'll be a millionaire in one month.

Typically, freelancers and companies (employers and/or clients) meet on these legit sites to work and hire. Meaning to say, these legit sites are more like third parties to a contract. They facilitate the hiring of companies and searching for work of freelancers.

Legit Freelancing Sites

Now, I know you're already excited to know which sites are legit and let me share some with you.

• Essays.ph - This is a Philippine online community of writers. I started freelancing here. This company has introduced me to online freelance writing and taught me the basics. If you are a Filipino and unfamiliar of freelance writing yet, I recommend that you try this site first before moving on to a wider market scale.
• oDesk - As of now, I'm getting all of my clients from oDesk. Though you may find this site overwhelming at first, I'm sure you'll really like it eventually. I'm going to discuss how to use oDesk on another post, so let's move on for now.
• Elance - I'm still a beginner on the website. Though I've tried to apply (i.e. submit proposal) to prospective clients a few times, I haven't fully utilized the site. But still, it's a legit site--with that I'm sure.

Let's stop with these three for now, though there are other legit sites. I'm just giving you a taste of online freelancing. There are still 'larger issues' that you should be aware of with regard to freelancing on the web. And you'll know that on the next post. So...keep reading! :)

*credits to DreamsTime.com for the photos