The Anonymous Art Director

Let’s face it, the economy sucks. Since the financial collapse of 2007 – 2008, we have seen more and more intervention by the Federal government attempting to get our economy back on track.  And it seems to be having very little impact.  So what are some of the things you can do right now to try to increase your income?

Further Education

One benefit of all of the government spending in recent years is that it has become very easy to get grant for further education.  If you are in a job that offers better pay for additional education, this can be a great option to explore.  Technical jobs of just about any nature are a good example of this.  Whether you’re current job is information technology based, or even in the medical profession, furthering your education sets you apart from the competition in your particular field.

A specific example might be for radiological technicians.  The base pay for someone coming out of radiography technologist school can be anywhere from $38,000 to $42,000 per year.  But if you were to further your education by studying other fields such as sonogram, CT scan, or MRI equipment, you can easily increase your salary to $60,000 per year.

There are more benefits to having multiple skill sets than just earning a higher salary.  Just finding a job in today’s environment can be challenging.  But if you can offer your employer something that other candidates don’t, you’ll very quickly separate yourself from all of the other applicants for a specific position.  For more information specifically on radiography and other imaging jobs, check out this website.

Online Business

Starting an online business is another way to generate more income.  The Internet is full of ideas for various types of online businesses.  Granted most of them are probably scams.  But there are a few legitimate ways to make a VERY good living online.  And you don’t need to pay an arm and a leg for a course that teaches you how to do it.  This is especially easy if you already have a website.

Amazon.com has an affiliate program that pays you a commission for items that are sold as a result of traffic you generate for Amazon.  Basically you create links on your website that direct your visitors to Amazons site.  If they make a purchase, you receive a commission on that purchase.  The more items you sell, the higher your commission rate.

Another method of making money is by selling items.  Ebay is a great resource for this.  But Amazon is as well.  Amazon sells millions of books every year.  But they sell many that are used.  You can actually use their App to get a value for books that you already own.  In fact many people go to book clearances to pick up books at a low price, and then turn around and sell them on Amazon for a profit.

Offer Advice

Do you have specific knowledge that people will pay for?  This is another great way to make money online.  Take a look at this basic website called www.roomdarkeningshadesguide.com.  This site offers help in choosing the right shades for a room.  But people will pay for this sort of advice.  Just think about all the topics that you might be able to write about, and then build a site around that topic.  You can then advertise on that site, and earn a decent income.

Sure it’s a tough time for the U.S. economy, but there are always ways to make more money.  You just have to know where to look.

If you’ve ever taken the time to look around you while walking through an airport, it immediately becomes apparent that all luggage looks pretty much the same.  I find a kind of sick pleasure in watching people crowd around the baggage claim carousel, pushing fellow travelers aside to check bag after bag, looking for their luggage.

Easy Solution

It would seem an easy solution to this would be to have unique markings on your bag that enable you to quickly identify it as yours.  And occasionally you will see a bag with a ribbon around the handle.  Or the old stand by of using duct tape to make a unique mark on a bag.

But why not just buy a bag that doesn’t look like every other bag on the carousel?  It would seem that would be the easiest solution.  And there are literally hundreds of options out there that have unique colors, designs, and patterns.

How often do you see a handful of people all jumping for a bright yellow bag.  Sure the color may not be something that you would chose to wear. But who really cares what color your luggage is.  It’s far more important that it holds your belongings and protects your clothing and valuables.  And there are plenty of pieces that will do just that while at the same time allowing you to quickly identify your bag among the throngs of black and brown bags.

Types Of Bags

Unique looking bags come in all sorts of styles and sizes.  Standard luggage that you would normally check at the airport comes in a wide variety of designs, with any number of features including retractable handles, wheels, expandable pockets etc.

Smaller carry on bags also come in a wide assortment of designs, colors, and styles.  Weekender bags for women are a very popular choice for women on the go.  While the name implies that they are designed for trips of a short duration, many of these bags are so well designed that you can easily pack four to five days worth of clothes into the bag.

Features of Weekend Bags

Many weekend bags are designed to look look like a designer handbag.  But they are much more useful than that.  Many have multiple pockets allowing for the storage of clothes, shoes and smaller items such as cell phones and keys.  Many of these pockets are placed on the outside of the bag so that they can easily be accessed even when the bag is stowed under the seat in front of you, or in an overhead compartment.

Of course these bags come in any number of materials.  One thing to keep in mind before you buy your bag is the type of travel that you typically do.  If you’re bag is going to be subjected to security checkpoints, overhead storage bins and such, you might opt for a bag made from a durable material such as canvas.  If you’re going to be able to choose where your bag is stored and it won’t have to suffer regular abuse, a nice leather bag might be a good option for you.

Regardless of which type you choose, there are plenty of bags out there that will stand out so that you don’t look like every other sheep in the airport.