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    The H-Word (or Why I Haven’t told the Whole World my grandma’s on Hospice)
  • Needing a break is like having to pee

    Needing a break is like having to pee

Helping a loved one manage rental properties… is it right for your family?

September 9, 2019

Helping a loved one manage rental properties... is it right for you? | TakingCareofGrandma.com

If you’ve just begun helping an older relative or having conversations about the future, you may have found out that your loved one owns rental property. You may also be considering investing in rental property now to pay for a family member’s care later. 

Rental property can be a great asset down the road when it comes time to long term care. However, it doesn’t come without its challenges.

In this post, I’ll share my experience as a family caregiver who’s responsible for maintaining a rental property for her loved one and lay out the pros and cons of being a landlord.

My grandma has owned her rental property since she and my uncle Kenny purchased it when I was in middle school. My mom and I were actually living there at the time. He made an offer to buy it after offering to clean it up for the landlord who owned it back then. Once the deal was done, my uncle Kenny moved us over to the other side and with the help of their church, they remodeled one half of the duplex for the pastor of the church (at the time) to live in.

When my uncle Kenny died, my grandma assumed the role of ‘landlord’ at this property. She relied heavily on men from her church to make decisions about what to do and take care of repairs. For a decade, she never raised the rent or renewed any leases. (Selfish Rachel, in her early twenties, didn’t bother to ask Grandma if she needed or wanted help with the duplex–Grandma probably would’ve just declined the offer, anyway.)

When I started taking care of Grandma, I inherited landlord duty. We set up a separate savings account (a *joint* account) for the duplex. I started depositing the rent there. Thankfully, the property isn’t in a hovel or anything. That doesn’t mean we haven’t had to make some major investments and costly repairs. After the first couple of years, I transferred 75% of it to her savings. The money kept building. 

When I created the long term care calculator and realized were were going to be okay, I decided I would use the money she was bringing in from her rental property to pay her caregivers. At the time, it made sense. 

After a year of this, the fund started shrinking. Some costly repairs were needed at the duplex and I wasn’t sure what to do.

Anxious about running out of money, and without an approved long term care claim, I talked to my handyman and some other trusted friends. My handyman suggested raising the rent. (It wasn’t the first time I had heard this suggestion–It had been made much earlier in my caregiving journey, but I figured there was no point in rocking the boat at the time). I bit the bullet and sent the letters out. 

Shortly after that, her long term care insurance claim was approved, and the money started piling up again. Now, we can fix up the rental property and put that rest aside for future care costs and her current quality of life. 

Just like anything else in life, there are both advantages and disadvantages to helping a loved one manage rental properties. If you’re caring for someone who owns their own property, or you’re having conversations about the future and wondering whether maintaining the property is right for you, here are some pros and cons to consider. 

Pros

  • If you feel pretty confident in your loved one’s financial outlook, it’s a great additional income you can use to pay for your loved ones care. As you can tell from our story, if you have someone who is capable of overseeing the upkeep of a property (not just fixing things when they’re broken, but maintaining them), it can be a funding source for long term care.
  • It’s a pretty passive (depending on the condition of the property). If you keep an eye on your property–that is, check on it seasonally, make sure the tenants are changing their furnace filters and doing all of the routine things you do to care for your own home, and fix repairs quickly– you really don’t have to do a lot to keep it going. Just like anything else, once you get used to doing something over and over, it becomes like second nature. OR, you can hire a boss handyman like the one we have, and he can keep an eye on things for you 😉
  • I’ll be blunt: any property is an asset you can inherit. That is why I plan to help my grandma hold on to my grandma’s rental properties. 

Cons

  • When things go wrong, it can consume a lot of time and money.
    • Repairs: if you are not Bob Vila and you’ve never been responsible for fixing problems with a house, it can be very stressful. In most situations, you have to do plenty of research to understand what’s going on, carefully weigh decisions to make sure you’re getting the best price and hiring the most reputable businesses. Not to mention they can cost a lot.
    • Renters: Sometimes, you can get great people who pay their rent every month, on time, and take very good care of your property. Sometimes, you get people who you tear S&#( up on purpose (Well, that’s how it feels). Sometimes, you have to deal with difficult situations like people losing their jobs or having other hardships and you have to make tough decisions. If caregiving is stressful enough already, you may not want to be a landlord. That means you’re basically responsible for the roof over your own head, the roof over your loved one’s head, and the roof over your renters’ heads.  That can be a lot of roofs to worry about! 
  • Too much income can be a problem, especially if you’re running out of resources and are looking at government benefits and community services. If you’re considering nursing home facility placement- beware! It’s expensive! What you think might have been a lot of money in savings can be depleted in just a few months’ time. If you couldn’t oversee their care at home, chances are, maintaining a property is outside of your bandwidth as well. 
  • Typically, you can own property when you are eligible for Medicaid. However, in some cases, a lien may be put on it if your loved one enters into facility-based care so the state can recoup the costs of their care. 

How do I know what’s right for our family’s situation?

Contact an “elder care” or “elder law” attorney. They will be able to guide you through all the factors you should consider in planning for future long term care.

· Caregiving Like a Boss, Quality of Life, Uncategorized

My Annual Caregiving Pilgrimage

September 6, 2019

Photo: Downtown Chicago

Every once in a while, you need a chance to reset and refresh.

For me, that happens at the National Caregiving Conference.

The National Caregiving Conference is organized by CareGiving.com. Family caregivers and allies from across the country and beyond convene in “the Windy City” of Chicago to learn from each other, share their skills and knowledge, and connect with others who know what it’s like to care for a loved one.

I first attended in 2017 and every year go back for the amazing connections and great information (not to mention the respite).

  • learn from leading experts and seasoned caregivers
  • meet people just like you who are caring for a loved one
  • find out about the latest caregiving innovations and trends
  • hear the stories of others who have come out victorious on the other side of caregiving
  • make new friends and connections
  • get a break from your caregiving life

This year marks the fourth annual conference. The conference kicks off Thursday, November 8, 2019. This year’s conference features even more than before.

NCC19 has sessions on topics like legal planning, starting your own business while caregiving, taking care of yourself, navigating services, and so much more.

There’s always a load of great exhibitors, where you can test out and learn about the newest caregiving products.

Each year, the conference features an innovation contest – so you will get to see some seriously game-changing tech at NCC19.

This year, I’ll be presenting at several sessions to share my own caregiving experience. Read more about it here: https://www.caregiving.com/ncc19/presenters/rachel-hiles/

Photo: large group of millennial women and men at the National Caregiving Conference in 2018
A swarm of millennial caregivers at the National Caregiving Conference in 2018.

I hope you will join me and my friends either in person or virtually at NCC19. It truly changed my life. Who knows? Maybe it could happen to you, too!

So join us. You won’t regret it!

Register to attend in person 👈👈👈

Register to attend virtually 💻💻💻

Learn more about the jam-packed agenda 🌈🌈🌈

This blog post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you decide to sign up for the conference.

· Coping with Caregiving, Uncategorized

Top 10 Lessons I’ve Learned Since I Quit My Job for Caregiving

September 6, 2019

Banner: top 10 Lessons I've Learned Since I Quit My Job for Caregiving | TakingCareofGrandma.com

When I began caring for my grandma, I was working full time in a job I loved. I’d been there for 5 years, so at that point, I had already created my work family. 

Banner: Quote from Rob Lowe on Caregiving

Early last year, due to a loved one going on hospice (and a few other factors), I decided that working full time while balancing my caregiving responsibilities. I quit my job to care for my loved one until he passed away and then launched my own graphic and web design business. 

People quit their jobs due to caregiving. It’s a fact. If you’re in the same boat, you’re not alone. An estimated 1 in 3 family caregivers quits their job due to the demands of caregiving1.

Let me tell you: It hasn’t been the easiest ride.

I’ve learned a lot since then. There are a lot of things to consider before you quit a job, and even more when you start your own business. 

Here are the top 10 lessons I’ve learned since I quit my job for caregiving.

10Good luck getting credit.
Unless you are bringing in boku bucks from an online business or you blew up from a brilliant idea, it can be difficult to get credit. If you don’t have much money coming in, lenders will be hesitant to extend your credit because you have no track record.

The same goes for buying a house. If you are considering quitting your job and branching out on your own… and you are looking at purchasing a home, try to get the pre-approval and employment verification out of the way before you take the leap. Self-employed mortgage applicants must prove stability of employment and income, usually going back two years. This can be a bit tougher for you if you are self-employed, unless you’re the next overnight Instagram sensation.

9 If you don’t get health insurance, look forward to getting taxed.
Learn from my example. I shrugged it off and paid a huge penalty when I filed my taxes. The 2018 tax penalty for not having health insurance was $695 or 2% of your yearly income for adults, whichever amount is more.

8 YOU are responsible for putting away the money for your taxes and making sure they get paid.
It’s not like when you work at a job and they take the taxes and withholding. If you’re not diligent throughout the year, you can owe a huge chunk of money. I’ve made it a practice to put about 30% of the money I make from my self-employment away for taxes. 

7 There’s nobody to throw under the bus when the job doesn’t get done.

At the end of the day, if you are self-employed, your neck is on the chopping block if your clients aren’t happy. 

6 You will spend more time than you ever expected grappling with the clock.

Have you ever heard of Parkinson’s law? Parkinson’s law says that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. Take it from me, it’s all too easy to get wrapped up in a project and then let it suck time away from your other responsibilities. It’s also easy to put things off until the last minute once you think you’ve figured out how long things take.

Staying on track is key. You have to create a system of time management that works for you.

There will be also times you find yourself with TOO MUCH time on your hands. Use down time for planning your next moves. What can you create that can generate income for you passively while you aren’t busy working on projects?

5 Your personal experience can help you earn money.

You can leverage your caregiving journey to bring in money or build your empire and help others at the same time. As our grandparents and parents get older and begin needing care (and 70% of people will need some level of care)… the market for services catering to family caregivers is only going to keep booming. Find out how to convert your caregiving experience into a career.

4 It’s not enough to be good at a thing, you have to find your niche.

When I quit my job, my ego was at an all time high. I figured that just having the skills of web and graphic design was enough for people to knock down my door. Having highly marketable skills is great, but if you don’t know who your target audience is, they’re basically null and void. Figure out who needs what you have and go after them!

2 Most successful people don’t just do *one thing.*

As I look around at my role models and the people I know who are leading the kind of life I’d like to life, I see one thing. Multiple talents and income streams. Figure out *all of the ways* you can make money now that you’re on your own. I sat down and created what I lovingly called my “Escape Plan” and listed out all of the possibilities I could think of to generate an income for myself just in case one of my streams didn’t hash out.

2Bedside manner is everything.

Get your mind out of the gutter 😉

How you interact with your clients and your communication with them can make or break you. Too much information, and they are overwhelmed. Not enough, and they feel like they’re in the dark. Try to map out all of the processes and communication points of your business so you have the right practices and tools in place to support a successful relationship. Throughout your relationships with your clients, show them how much you appreciate them. When you do a great job and people love how you work with them, they will tell their friends and the business will keep on coming!Stay positive.

Starting your own business can be hard. It is especially challenging if you walked away from a job that you truly cared about in the midst of a caregiving storm. You know that the decision you made was right for you. Keep your head up and believe that the Universe will provide. With the right efforts, you will see that things start falling into place.

1 You’re the boss.
That means you can take a break when you want to. You can schedule work when you want to. You can build your whole life around your business. As time goes on, you’ll learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what you can get away with. You can go on long breaks (as long as you plan ahead and communicate with your clients). You can skip a day of work and not feel bad about it. 

Have you started your own business to free up your life for caregiving?

I’d love to hear about it. What have you learned? Share your experience in the comments below 👇👇👇

Sources:

32% of Employees Quit Jobs to Provide Informal Care at Home

· Coping with Caregiving, Uncategorized

You Can Use Your Caregiving Experience for a Higher Purpose

September 4, 2019

Photo: small flame burning

After you’ve been caregiving for a while, life can feel different.

The problems and worries of your life before can seem, well, insignificant.

Whether it’s from an awakening about the brevity of it all that shakes you so hard you want to spend every waking moment fueling your passions, or you’ve realized there’s more to life than what we’ve been led to believe matters… it can be easy to call into question what we have been told is required to have a happy, successful life.

You can feel a stirring. Like a small flame that grows stronger with each day.

That stirring is telling you you’re destined for something more. 

More time. For yourself. For your family and friends. For what is important to you.

More freedom. To move as you wish. To rise and lay your head when you choose. To work, to play, to rest, to just be.

More impact. On your finances. On your self esteem. On the world.

You just want more.

Why not create the opportunity for more yourself?

Photo: Rachel (left) and Gael (right), at the National Caregiving Conference. Gael coaches caregivers, but not the way you think. She helps them infuse yoga practices into their caregiving life to reduce stress and grapple with the emotions that come along with caregiving.

If you’re a seasoned family caregiver, or perhaps caregiving has ended, you have developed an amazing skill set and unique insight into the challenges and emotional struggles of family caregivers.

Why let that experience go to waste?

You can turn the battles and victories from your caregiving journey into a venture that can support your financial independence and self sufficiency. At the same time, you will be sharing your time and talents with people who need them. 

There’s plenty of money out there for all of us. The market for caregiving is only going to keep growing.

With a $308 billion cumulative market opportunity between 2017 and 2021, up from AARP’s January 2016 projections of $279 billion for 2016-2020, caregiving continues to represent a vast, multifaceted frontier of opportunity. Whether integrating current solutions and making them better or addressing gaps in underserved areas, great needs persist for helping caregivers tame daily tasks, navigate the health system, and deliver a high quality of life for their loved ones while caring for themselves.

CAREGIVING INNOVATION FRONTIERS 2017, AARP, p11

The first step to converting your caregiving experience into a career is becoming a Certified Caregiving Consultant™.

This one of a kind training helps you build the skills required to understand the needs of family caregivers so you can offer them a marketable service or support. 

What if I don’t want to be a consultant?

First off, let me say that consultant is very broad term. The dictionary defines it as a person who provides expert advice professionally.

You might be thinking, I can’t give advice to other family caregivers. My own journey was a train wreck. 

Well, you’re right about that. Any family caregiver can tell you how they feel about “advice.”

Photo: Saskia (left), a fellow CCC and owner of CreatingBeingWell, and Rachel (right)
Saskia (left), owner of CreatingBeingWell and a CCC, with Rachel (right) at the 2018 National CareGiving Conference. Saskia coaches family caregivers but also markets to local business owners. She’s building a huge empire in her neck of the woods.

The best consultants help lead you to your own solutions through listening, asking good questions, and validating your experience. 

That’s what you learn through the CCC program.

You don’t have to ever interact with family caregivers to use these skills.

In the simplest terms, a consultant is someone who offers their expertise as a service to others. 

A consultant could:

  • Contract with a print or online publication to write articles focused on caregiving 
  • Launch a blog, video channel, community or website focused on caregiving (and monetize it)
  • Start a service or launch a product for family caregivers 
  • Provide feedback on product development (like a new app or good in the marketplace)
  • Offer evaluations and help for business or organization who want to make their policies and practices more family caregiver 
  • Give family caregivers hope and support through coaching

These are just a few examples. Notice I mentioned interfacing with family caregivers last. That’s because you can do a lot for those who are caring for a loved one without ever making contact.

If you’re not sure just exactly how you could use your caregiving experience, Denise at CareGiving.com helps you figure out what your simple solution could be. When you complete the training, you get access to leading experts (called “Skills Consultants”) in the caregiving industry who have also completed the training and can support you to sharpen your CCC skills, build your outreach plan, and get the most out of our network.

If you think a new path is right for you, the time is now.

Find out more about becoming a Certified Caregiving Consultant and sign up.

I’d love to talk to you about my own experience becoming a CCC. Feel free to reach out to me so we can chat more.

· Coping with Caregiving, Uncategorized

The Tragic Story of Gma’s Friend, Betty

August 3, 2019

The tragic story of Gma's friend Betty | TakingCareofGrandma.com

Back in the days where my grandma was getting along on her own, she had a good friend named Betty.

She and Betty were in the same Bible Study group and they always sat together in the same spot at the front of the church.  I think they took turns driving. My gma always had a date for the monthly senior dinner in her friend Betty. 

While Grandma was recovering from her own issues, Betty ended up in the hospital after being found on the floor from a fall. She passed away.

A couple months later, one of the church staff tried to throw Betty’s unfortunate passing in my face as a reason to “place my grandma.” 

I assured the well-meaning person: that was them and this was us.

The moral of the story is every situation is different. 

That person didn’t know me and probably still could never conceive the fierce commitment and loyalty I hold for my grandma.

Admittedly back when I was all about Rachel I would let 2 days go by without hearing from Gma. But never in modern history has that happened.

If I haven’t heard from her within 20 minutes I’m freaking out. 

Certainly, people who do not have close connections in life—someone that has five minutes in a day to call and check on them and can go by or send someone for a wellness check if they don’t get a return call—should live in an environment where help is right around the corner.

Maybe since Betty was still driving and living alone and seemed to be getting along just fine, nobody thought to ask questions about if that was still working for her. And maybe they believed she was getting along just fine. And maybe she was.

But that doesn’t have anything to do with us. 

Don’t let someone else’s horror story dictate your future.

If I had listened to that person’s suggestion, I would have robbed myself of precious years with Gma I will never be able to get back and an experience that has truly changed my life. 

Has anyone every tried to convince you to do something out of fear? How did you handle the situation? I’d love to hear your experience. Share with me below in the comments.

*Betty’s name has been changed to protect her identity

· Uncategorized

Convert Your Guilt into Gratitude

August 2, 2019

CONVERT YOUR GUILT INTO GRATITUDE | TakingCareofGrandma.com

As caregivers, we feel guilty for a million reasons.

We feel guilty when we’re taking a break, because we feel like we don’t deserve it.

We feel guilty because people tell us we should take a break (uh, hello, we know), but we just don’t have the time or energy to figure out how.

We feel guilty for resting (even when we have permission), because we feel like we should be doing something.

We feel guilty when we hear about other caregiving situations, because we think our situation isn’t as difficult or complex.

We feel guilty when we only have enough bandwidth to make sure the bare minimum is handled.

We feel guilty when we decline invitations from our friends because we’re maxed out.

We feel guilty because we should be doing more. 

We feel guilty for things that haven’t even happened. 

The “what if’s”.

What if something happens to my loved one when I’m away from him or her?

What if I make a mistake and everything blows up in my face?

What if I give bad advice and things turn out to be a disaster? 

What if something happens to me? 

These are the worst guilt feelings because they are completely disabling. They leave us stuck, immobilized.  

I’m not immune to guilt.

Earlier this week, I came home from my meal delivery route not feeling well. The only thing I could think of was crawling into my bed. As I exchanged my daywear for something a little more comfortable, guilt came over me like a housecoat. 

I felt guilty for not getting work done or using my time productively. 

I realized that feeling guilty wasn’t going to help me feel better any more quickly. I obviously needed the rest. Before too long, I found myself saying out loud, “I’m grateful I have the flexibility to rest when I need to,”

Today, I woke up late. After the initial, “Holy crap it’s 9:00” smoke cleared.. I decided it was too late for coffee. I sat down at my computer and piddled around. After a little while, I felt myself getting restless, so I decided to go on an adventure. I needed to pick up Grandma’s colostomy bags and CBD oil in Midtown. I took the long way there, stopping for coffee. I took the long way back, too. 

As I got closer to my house, I thought, “Gee,  I wish everyday was like this… being able to get up when I feel like it (not having to make sure Gma gets up in the morning) and get out in the world for a little while and see people in the morning.” I started feeling guilty, and then I quickly remembered to be grateful. After all, this is only temporary. There will be a day when my life and routine won’t be dictated by caregiving. Until then, I should be forgiving and compassionate with myself when my day doesn’t go as I planned or I don’t do everything I set out to do. I will be grateful for opportunities to take a break, the flexibility I have created for myself, and what I have accomplished.

I figured out that when I convert my guilt into gratitude, I have found it is easier to get unstuck and get on with my life. I am able to move forward with peace and joy. A little self-compassion and forgiveness goes a long way. 

My challenge to you, dear readers: 

Silence that guilt feeling– you know, the one that’s telling you that you don’t deserve to rest, that you’re not working hard enough, that your situation isn’t so tough. When remorse and regret start creeping in, proclaim your what you are grateful for. 

· Coping with Caregiving, Uncategorized

Become the Head Caregiver in Charge with the complete Handbook!

August 1, 2019

Head Caregiver in Charge HCIC Complete Handbook cover preview

Just over four years ago, I began caring for my grandma. I cared for her by myself (pretty much) for two years before bringing in help.

Like many others caring for their loved ones, there were times I refused to accept the fact that other people care for my grandma how I would care for her.

I thought hiring outside help would be too much for me to deal with at the time. So I kept putting it off. And putting it off. “I’ll just think about this later.”

I can honestly say that one of my few regrets is not doing it sooner.

I could have freed up so much more time and prevented some major detours on my path to fame and fortune 

I can never get that time back, but hopefully, you can save yourself some precious time and get out from underneath all that caregiving.

If you’ve been looking at hiring private caregivers, the Head Caregiver in Charge Handbook is for you.

It will show you how to hire private caregivers the right way. Once you follow the steps outlined in the Handbook, you will be running your very own in-home care business focused on your loved one.

Tell me more
Screenshot: page inside Head Caregiver in Charge HCIC Complete Handbook how this handbook is organized preview

Many people are already doing something like this, but they’re paying cash under the table.

That’s okay, but it’s kind of risky. I address the risks in the Handbook.

Sure, it requires some energy and effort on your end. Getting everything up and running is the hardest part. Once you have everything going smoothly, you can get back to your dreams and aspirations before you became a caregiver.

That’s right, an added bonus of becoming an HCIC is the ability to compartmentalize caregiving.

What? You mean I’ll have time that’s guilt and worry free?

Of course, always in the back of our minds, we fret over our loved ones’ safety and security, but once you know you have a solid support team in place, you will actually be able to turn your brain off and get back to your life. You will have regular time throughout the week you can count on to get things done and accomplish your goals.

What are you waiting for?

Do it today! Become the Head Caregiver in Charge

Get the The Head Caregiver in Charge (HCIC) Handbook

· Caregiving Like a Boss, HCIC, Uncategorized

PRESENTING.. The Long Term Care Calculator!

July 19, 2019

TakingCareofGrandma.com presents The Long Term Care Calculator

I created this calculator long ago before I brought in her Sidekicks to help me see how much it would cost.

Instead of letting it collect dust, I made some tweaks so you can use it to see how much care will cost for your loved one, and forecast the cost of increases of care.

Whether you are leveraging your loved one’s private assets or using a long term care insurance policy to pay for some of their care, this calculator can not only help you figure out how much you can pay your caregivers, but also forecast how much your loved one’s care might cost over time as their needs change.

Tell me more

Join me LIVE!

I will be hosting a LIVE webinar to walk you through how to use the calculator Wednesday, August 7 at 8:00pm central.

To save your seat up for the webinar, go here: http://bit.ly/TCGLTCC

· HCIC, Managing Healthcare, Quality of Life, Uncategorized

My relentless pursuit for the others – EXCLUSIVE feature on AlzAuthors.com!

July 12, 2019

Quote: When you realize for the first time your loved one might have dementia, it feels like the ocean is coming to swallow up your island. " Rachel Hiles, Blogger

I met this amazing group of ladies at the National Caregiving Conference. They call themselves the AlzAuthors.

They are six daughters who have experienced the loss of a loved one with dementia and chose to write about their personal stories to help others along their journey.

Now, they feature hundreds of books and authors of all kinds, from memoirs to practical guides, and yes, even bloggers like me.

Check out my reflection on searching for support, sending out smoke signals, and starting this blog at alzauthors.com.

The link is: https://alzauthors.com/2019/07/09/8946/

· Caregiving Like a Boss, Uncategorized

8 Ways to Make Money While Entrenched in Caregiving

July 8, 2019

When you’re a caregiver, sometimes it means you have to scale back on gainful employment or even take it off your plate altogether. It can be hard to bring in the money you need to support yourself.

It’s no fun being broke or unemployed. But all hope is not lost.

Fortunately, thanks to all the technology we have today, there are a number of ways you can make some bank on your own terms. 

Driving

If you have a car, it can be a great asset to you while caregiving. You can drive for a number of different companies, all at the same time and setting your own hours.

1. Delivering Passengers

Ridesharing has disrupted transportation and changed the way a lot of people think about making money. If you are a people person and you have solid blocks of time in your schedule where you can drive during periods of high demand (weekend evenings and late nights, during rush hour), you could earn good money driving for Uber or Lyft.

Besides earning money driving, you can also earn money for people you refer to become drivers. 

I have driven for Uber and I always have a ball! It’s so much fun driving around the city and getting to know all of your different passengers. It’s a great way to network, actually.

UberLyft
Sign up for Uber using my link https://partners.uber.com/i/p2g5v

Sign up for Lyft using my link https://www.lyft.com/drivers/HILES71215

2. Delivering Food

If you’re not so much into spending time with people or not crazy about the idea of having a bunch of different people getting in and out of your car, delivering takeout might be a great option for you.

At any given time, people can call up food whenever they feel like it through services like Uber Eats and Postmates (my favorite). There are a number of major food delivery companies you can drive for to deliver food to hungry people and stack up your dough.

Some of the major players in the on-demand food delivery sector:

Uber Eats is a way you can drive and earn money while caregiving

Uber Eats

Sign up at https://partners.uber.com/i/p2g5v

Doordash is a way you can drive and earn money while caregiving

Doordash 

Sign up at https://doordash.com/dasher/signup/

Postmates is a way you can drive and earn money while caregiving

Postmates

Sign up at https://fleet.postmates.com/

Grubhub is a way you can drive and earn money while caregiving

Grubhub

Sign up at https://driver.grubhub.com/

3. Doing Odd Jobs 

From simple tasks like moving furniture to being a personal assistant, you can use help people who need something done and make money at the same time. 

TaskRabbit is a way you can complete odd jobs and earn money while caregiving

Task Rabbit

TaskRabbit is a site where people post all types of tasks, from simple errands to big projects.

Sign up at https://taskrabbit.com/become-a-tasker

Fiverr is a way you can complete odd jobs and earn money while caregiving

Fiverr

Fiverr is a great way to make money while checking off other people’s to-dos as well as those looking for freelancers on projects.

Sign up at https://fiverr.com/start_selling

When you can’t leave the house

If you are so entrenched in caregiving that you can’t leave the premises, there are options for making money from the comfort of your home. Consider exploring the opportunities below if you’re looking for a way to make some positive cash flow happen.

4. Becoming Certified Caregiving Specialist

Would you like to earn extra money by running your own business? Would you like to set your own work schedule which allows you the time you need to devote to your caregiving responsibilities? Would you like to support family caregivers by helping them manage their To Do lists?

If so, the Certified Caregiving Specialist™ training program at Caregiving.com may be right for you. As a CCS, you become a family caregiver’s virtual or in-person assistant. 

Learn more and sign up at https://www.caregiving.com/ccs/

5. Building a Side Hustle

If you need a gig that truly meets your needs in terms of logistics, you might consider dreaming up your own hustle. Nowadays, you can start a business you can run from home with minimal effort if you need to bring in some money. Certainly, it will require some work, but you will have the power and flexibility to set your own schedule and workload.

Before I became self-employed, a good friend of mine sent me this book as a gift. I read through it and it helped me realize I had a number of talents and skills I could monopolize on. 

I highly recommend it if you are thinking about launching a part time side gig outside of your caregiving life 

6. Becoming a Virtual Assistant

If you are a whiz with technology or you have previous office experience, becoming a virtual assistant may be a great option for you. You can sign up with a company that offers this service, or you could launch it as your own side hustle. 

Popular Sites to Sign up on:

Upwork is a way you can get freelance gigs while caregiving

Upwork

TaskRabbit is a site where people post all types of tasks, from simple errands to big projects.

Sign up at https://upwork.com/i/how-it-works/freelancer/

Fiverr is a way you can get freelance gigs while caregiving

Fiverr

Fiverr is a great way to make money while checking off other people’s to-dos as well as those looking for freelancers on projects.

Sign up at https://fiverr.com/start_selling

7. Becoming an Investor 

If you have some funds to play with, consider leveraging those dollars and playing your hand on Wall Street.

With Stash Invest, you can investing with as little as $5 and build your own custom investment, retirement, and custodial portfolios. For over a year now, I’ve been using Stash Invest to help me earn on money I put aside and save for retirement.

If you have a little know how (and even if you don’t – they have great resources to help you learn more and get started), you could make your money go to work for you.

Sign up and become an investor at https://get.stashinvest.com/rachelgeca3

Bonus: When you refer your friends, you and your friends will each get $5 when they sign up.

Extra Bonus: You can also share a gift link with friends and family to ask for the best gift of all—cash to invest for a better future!

8. Signing up on Rewards Sites: Not Money but just as Good

Rewards sites are a simple way of getting gift cards and even actual cash that you can then use to buy the things you need.

Granted, they are not going to provide all the money you need to live on, but they can help you with affording the little extras.

Rewards sites might be great for you if you have chunks of time where you’re sitting around waiting or doing nothing. You could be:

  1. watching videos
  2. filling out surveys
  3. clicking on emails in your inbox
  4. earning points/money on purchases you’d be already making anyway.

Here are some of the most popular rewards sites:

MyPoints

Sign up & earn

Swagbucks

Sign up & earn

InboxDollars

Sign up & earn

Mypoints is my favorite. I’ve been with them for over 10 years and earned over 68,000 points doing very little. That amounts to 43 $15 Amazon gift cards or 10 $50 CVS giftcards… anyway you stack it, I think it’s a great deal for the energy that went into it.

Here’s a link to a great smackdown on rewards sites that lists even MORE sites you can earn on: https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/make-money/the-best-survey-sites-to-make-extra-money/

What have you done to earn a living or make extra cash while caregiving?
I’d love to hear your experience. Share it in the comments below 👇👇👇

Disclaimer: This blog post/email contains affiliate and referral links which may reward me in the event of a subscription or sale. I use these funds to go to feed my cats. Thanks for the cat food.

· Caregiving Like a Boss

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