More money, more problems, right? 

Ehh…not exactly. 

Money isn’t everything, but think about how many times you’ve found yourself saying something like, “If I just had X amount of money I could finally pay off my debt!” Or, “If I was earning X more per month, maybe I could afford to take a vacation for once.”

The truth is, we all probably feel like we could use more money. A lot of us just aren’t sure how to grow things in our businesses enough to boost that revenue. 

But what if I told you that it’s not as hard as you think? What if by setting aside something as small as $250 a month, you could start to put your money towards the things that make a positive impact on your business, and your life?

Well, it’s the truth. With just a little extra income, you could do a lot. So let’s dive into exactly what $250 more per month could do for you. 

You could hire help 

With an extra few hundred bucks a month, you could finally hire help. No, you won’t be getting a full-time employee for that money, or even part-time, but you will be able to outsource a couple of hours a week to a virtual assistant. 

What would that look like for you? 

It can free up more space for you, which is vital. As a business owner, you need time to bring ideas to life. You’re the visionary, but you can’t be that if you’re stuck doing tons of other jobs too. 

And maybe for you, that means something else. Maybe you don’t need a VA as badly as you need a graphic designer. Or accountant. Or whatever. You know what role needs to be filled, but my point is, with an extra $250 a month, you can hire that help. 

You could have (guilt-free) spending money

Not only could an extra $250 a month help you within your business, but it could help you outside of your business too. You could go to lunch, pay for hobbies, or even take yourself to do something nice (for me, that’s a big candle haul!). 

Doing these things for yourself isn’t bad. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you have to feel guilty for enjoying things. I know that’s a big part of what our culture wants us as women to believe — that we’re high maintenance or materialistic if we like to buy nice things or go to a nice dinner. 

But part of this entrepreneurial journey is embracing the things that make you happy and owning who you are. If you like spending your flex money on clothes, do it. If you like a nice meal from a local restaurant once in a while, do it. If you’re happy to just go to the drive-thru on a Friday night, that’s cool too. 

My point is, that when you have a little extra money to spend each month, you get to do the things you enjoy, not someone else’s version of what that should be. 

It could help with a getaway or summer camp

Okay, so, $250 isn’t going to land you a one-way ticket to Bora Bora for the entire summer. That’s clearly not enough for that sexy live-on-the-beach lifestyle, but it is enough to pay for your hotel for a one-night getaway. Or maybe cover your portion of an Airbnb when traveling with friends. If you have kids, it could afford you a week of summer camp. 

$250 will not give you a glamorous lifestyle a la Kardashian, but it is enough to do a little extra something with your friends, your family, or even by yourself. 

You can use it for savings

I know a few hundred doesn’t sound like much — especially when you’re having to pay bill after bill, are in debt, or trying to support your family. But it’s a start.

If you’re able to make even just $250 per month, you could start putting it away and keeping it under lock and key. That way, when you need cushion money, or if your small business were to ever face hard times and you aren’t able to generate money for some time, then you’d have a safety net to fall back on. [SEPTEMBER 13 BLOG]

Now… how do you get there? 

If you could use an extra $250 per month (who wouldn’t?!), then you’re probably wondering by now, “Okay, but how the heck do I make that happen?”

There are many ways you can approach this. You could build your social media following, start an affiliate program, etc. But one of my favorite ways to drive enough traffic to my shop to get some extra cash flow has always been my email list. 

With an email list, you don’t have to worry about playing by the rules of social media, trying to keep up with confusing algorithms, or trying to post time after time with no results because of these things. Your email is more likely to get seen than your social media posts. So that means it’s an incredibly powerful tool to have in your business belt. 

And my secret for making it run like a lean, mean, lead-generating machine? Opt-ins. 

You need people on your list to advertise them! Most people aren’t going to want to sign up for your “newsletter” unless something is in it for them (I hate that too, but that’s the way it is). So give them something enticing. Give them an opt-in! 

This video below walks you through how to get started with one, what you should include, and my secret weapon for growing your audience through them.