Choose where to live carefully
I learned a lesson from my father-in-law, who was a diplomat. He said during his service; he prefers postings to African or less developed countries. His reason is apt for our discussion on choosing the place to live carefully.
According to him, his office pays every diplomat the same salary, and allowances; while those in developed countries would have to spend more because of cost of living in developed cities, he spent far less, and as a result, he could save more.
Borrowing from his idea about where to live, there are states in the US where your meager income can sustain your lifestyle, and there are states where the same amount will only go for few days or barely two weeks.
Therefore choose such states where you can survive with less and with better welfare package and reasonable tax regime, best minimum wage, and affordable monthly rent. To help you decide, I have listed below some states considered affordable in term of cost of living and housing:
- Missouri
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- Kansas
- Oklahoma
- Nebraska
- Michigan
- Iowa
- Indiana
- Ohio
Of course, I urge you to do your independent research to find the state with the best offer for your economic status.
Add more sources of income
Creating Additional Income
The African man is neither lazy nor lacks the ability to work; what the individual may require is the awareness of how much more they can do to improve their present living condition. As long as you can acquire the knowledge to extend your income sources, creating multiple sources of revenue is the best medicine for poverty.
If you recognize the need for additional income, I have news for you. America is not called the land of opportunity for fun; the more people you have around you, the more money you can make by identifying the major problems confronting them and proffer solutions to anyone you can. While I will not tell you the actual jobs to do to create a side income, I can tell you how to come up with side hustle ideas that will put more money in your bank account.
For the purpose of creating additional income, consider the following tips:
– Learn new skills. Yes, I understand you are well read; you got a degree and indeed a certified professional back in Africa, but how much is that worth? It doesn’t matter who you are, as long as you want to survive in the States, learning new skills will give you the ability to solve problems, and that will help you land several side hustles that pay the bills.
– Ask Google. Google is a search engine known to answer most questions. You can research for possible job opportunities in your current state. Once you know what is in demand, see if you can deliver it or you need more training.
– Start your own business. The best and somewhat easy way to secure a job in America is starting your own business. For this purpose, I suggest you put aside a fraction of your earning into savings to help you with seed capital when its time.
If you use the above tips with dedication, you should find a reputable side job to generate more income to support your current earnings.
Avoid unnecessary spending
