5 Ways for Kids to Stay Connected with Their Social-Distance Friends

In a summer following the longest and weirdest school year ever, there are no traditional summer camps or extracurricular activities for our kids. According to The Conversation, “Over the last 30 years, children’s friendships have been largely forged in the classroom and during extracurricular activities. That’s because, on average, children spend 6.5 hours a day in school, and 57% of children spend every day or most days involved in extracurricular activities.”

It's not surprising that our kids are lonely and suffering. COVID-19 essentially took away their main access to their friends. Since friendship is important for our kids' social-emotional development and their mental health, it is our job to do what we can to help them stay connected with their friends while social distancing. Here are five things we’ve been doing with our girls.

1. Virtual Playdates

Technology has truly been a lifesaver throughout this pandemic. We have encouraged our girls to have virtual playdates (or meetups for older kids). Essentially, this has meant relaxing some of our screen rules, such as time limits or chatting with friends, but we’ve still maintained safeguards (such as only chatting online with people we know in real life). Give your kids time on your phone, computer, or device to video chat with their friends through Skype, Facebook Messenger, or Zoom. Simply seeing their friends through the screen will make their day! For example, my youngest daughter had an absolute blast having an online dance party with her elementary classmates.

2. Online Gaming

Personally, I don’t get the whole online gaming thing, but my girls love playing online games like Minecraft and Roblox. But what they love even more is when they get to play with friends. Fortunately, most online games provide ways for you to play and chat with friends. Additionally, there are online game sites, like Pogo, that make it easy to play board games like Monopoly with socially-distanced friends.

3. Netflix Party

Are you tired of watching your kid’s favorite shows? Let them watch their favorite shows or movies with their friends online using the Netflix Party tool. Our Children explains, “Anyone with a monthly Netflix subscription can add this free Google Chrome extension. You can synchronize video playback with your child’s friends and add group chat so kids can ‘talk’ during the movie. Anyone in the group can pause, play, fast forward and rewind the movie so everyone is in the same spot.”

4. Write Old Fashioned Letters

Have your kids ever written a letter to a friend? I’m not talking about a thank you note after a birthday party. I’m talking about an old-fashioned pen pal letter. I’m betting the answer is never. Now is the perfect time to introduce your kids to the joy of getting a letter from a friend in the mail. Get them some cute stationery, stamps, and their friend’s addresses and watch them connect the old-fashioned way.

5. Physically Distanced Neighbors

This last one is going to vary depending on your family’s unique situation. If you feel comfortable allowing your kids to have an outdoor playdate with your neighbors, then just remember to enforce physical distancing. While playdates are still frowned upon, outdoor playdates are deemed more acceptable. Harvard Medical School suggests, “Something like going for a bike ride, or a hike, allows you to be together while sharing fewer germs (bringing and using hand sanitizer is still a good idea). You need to have ground rules, though, about distance and touching, and if you don't think it's realistic that your children will follow those rules, then don't do the playdate even if it is outdoors.”

10 Ways to Make Money Without Thinking

We all dream about making money without actually having to work for it. But that’s just a dream. Or is it? What if I were to tell you there are legit apps and websites that give you cash back for either doing nothing or doing nothing more than what you do casually every day?

These things do exist! While I don’t think you should quit your day job, they are passive ways to get a little extra cash. If you start now, you can save all your passive income for Christmas. Check out this list of 10 ways to make money without thinking.

Ibotta – Ibotta is an app and a website that gives you cash back for everyday purchases. When users shop online through the Ibotta extension or visit retailers through the Ibotta app, they get cash back. “Ibotta has paid out over $600 million in cash rewards to more than 35 million users since its founding in 2012.”

Rakuten – Formerly Ebates, users get rewarded by using Rakuten to visit one of their 2500+ favorite retailers online or on the app. Each quarter, Rakuten deposits your earnings into your PayPal account.

Dosh – Get cash back when you shop, dine out, and book hotels by using Dosh. It’s super easy to use since all you do is connect your cards and shop like normal. Dosh will deposit the money into your bank, Venmo or PayPal, or donate it to charity.

Swagbucks – Swagbucks offers multiple easy ways to earn some extra cash. You can earn points by shopping online, taking surveys, watching videos, searching the web, and playing games. You then redeem your points for gift cards to popular retailers.

Inbox Dollars – Similar to Swagbucks, Inbox Dollars, has a variety of ways for users to earn cash, such as reading emails, taking surveys, playing online games, and shopping.

Sweatcoin – With Sweatcoin, it pays to walk – literally! Once you collect sweatcoins, you can use them to purchase goods, services, and experiences, or you can donate to charity.  

Receipt Hog – With Receipt Hog, you get cash back for sharing your receipts. It doesn’t matter what you buy or where you shop – they just want your receipts. You simply take a picture of your receipt, upload, and earn coins. Then, the coins can be redeemed for gift cards or deposited to your PayPal account.

Shopkick – If you love going shopping, Shopkick is a great choice because it rewards you for your shopping experience, such as walking into stores, scanning barcodes, making purchases, and submitting receipts. Kick points are redeemed for gift cards to popular retailers.

MyPoints – MyPoints is another online reward program, but it even includes online retailers like Amazon. In addition to the website, the mobile app allows you to earn cash by shopping and completing surveys. Redeem your points for cash or gift cards.

Seated – This app is perfect for foodies. When you dine out, you earn money. Users find a restaurant or bar on the app, make a reservation, or use the walk-in feature, take a picture of your receipt, and upload it. Then, you earn a percentage back as a reward.

7 Fun and Safe Social Distancing Outdoor Activities for NYC Families

Things may not be quite back to normal, but there are still plenty of ways to have some summer fun with your family! This summer may be a bit more laid back in terms of big adventures, but there are plenty of little adventures around NYC that are perfect for families. Check out this list of 7 fun and safe social distancing outdoor activities for families.

Bike with the Fam

My girls love their bikes! Like most things, I have a feeling this is going to be something they eventually outgrow. So, we’re being intentional about going on bike rides as a family. Whether we bike around our neighborhood or hit up one of the off the road bike trails around NYC, it is a great way to get some exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and spend time together.

Go to a Drive-In Movie

We sure are missing going to the movie theatre as a family, but COVID-19 has brought back the thrill of going to a drive-in movie! Drive-ins are excellent for social distancing. You stay in your own vehicle, control the volume, and enjoy new releases on the big screen. Check out Skyline Drive-In NYC to see what is playing.

Hunt for the Best Ice Cream

Eating in restaurants is still a little challenging, but finding ice cream is not. Spend the summer visiting different ice cream shops around NYC to hunt for the best one. Many of these ice cream shops offer outdoor or patio seating.

Pick Fruit

According to Mommy Poppins, “Juicy blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are usually in season from July through the end of August near NYC, and some farms even have a second crop of raspberries that ripen later in the summer.” And there are plenty of places to do some social-distance fruit picking near NYC.

Glamp Under the Stars

If your family is feeling bummed that you had to cancel your summer vacation, surprise them by taking them Glamping on Governors Island. Glamping is camping elevated for those families who like the finer things in life (like air conditioning). Even though Governor’s Island is still closed to the public, guests take a complimentary private water taxi to the campsite on the island. You’ll experience the city in a brand-new way while maintaining social distance.

Visit State Parks

If you are staying in the city throughout the summer, try to visit some of the nearby state parks. In addition to exploring a new park, many of the parks offer great activities for families, such as hiking and kayaking. Use TimeOut’s guide to the best hiking trails for NYC families to explore to help get you started on your outdoor adventures.

Drive Through a Zoo

We sure have missed seeing our favorite zoo animals, so I was thrilled to hear Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey has opened its wild safari to the public. Your family can see over 1200 wild animals from your car window!

Plus, many of the public pools in NYC will start reopening this month. Thankfully, there is no evidence that shows COVID-19 can spread through pools. Just be sure to practice social distancing around the pool areas!  

How COVID Has Changed the Way We Dress

COVID-19 has changed our lives in many ways. One of the most noticeable changes we may not have anticipated at the start of the outbreak is in how we dress. When we were told to work from home and then to shelter-in-place, we adopted a new dress code – what I affectionately call “comfortable fashion.” We said goodbye to our high heels and bras and hello to all things comfy. Lounge wear became the norm, sweatpants came back in style, and pajamas were worn night AND day.

Our everyday style radically changed. But will the fashion changes we made during the coronavirus quarantine be permanent, or will we go back to dressing up daily? Fashion historians have indicated four ways COVID will change the way we dress.

We Care Way More About Our Tops

As we entered the world of working remotely, we quickly embraced the “business mullet” - formal up top, party down below. We took care to wear a nice blouse and do our hair and make-up, but we were rocking leggings down below.

The Charlotte Observer reports, “Based on data from 80 of the top 100 retailers, Adobe Analytic found a 143% jump in pajama sales, a 13% drop in pants sales and a 12% decrease in the sale of bras this spring.” And Walmart reported a sharp increase in sales for tops with a decline in sales for bottoms.

In other words, our clothing shopping demonstrated our love of the business mullet. Now, it’s doubtful that we will wear this clothing back into our workplace, but we will likely still choose our tops and blouses with more care.

We Are Dressing Down for Work

Speaking of dressing for work, we are doing away with some of the gender-based clothing. For example, while we still find it important to look put together, we no longer feel the need to wear high heels, pencil skirts, or other uncomfortable female clothing.

As Allison Pfingst explains in InStyle, “While it is still advisable to look presentable from the chest up, no woman is putting on a thong or an underwire to attend a Zoom meeting. When we have to go back to the office, there’s a good chance it will no longer be in uncomfortable heels, or hard-to-tuck-in blouses. Expectations of impractical, uncomfortable work attire are floating away along with a feeling of obligation to appear ‘attractive’ at work in the MeToo era.”

We Are Buying More Secondhand Clothing

With most retail stores closed during statewide shelter-in-place orders, we started shopping online. Specifically, we started shopping at resale sites, like The Realreal, Poshmark, and ThredUp. And experts are expecting the resale market to explode! Get ready to embrace vintage fashions.

We Have A Renewed Desire to Dress Up for Special Occasions

Now before you try to resell all your high heels and designer dresses on one of these sites, you might want to think about how you want to dress when “all this” is over. Based on fashion history, we are likely to want to continue to dress up for special occasions. I don’t know about you, but I was thrilled to have an opportunity to wear shoes and high heels on our first family outing in three months. We might not dress up every day, but we will appreciate getting dressed up for the right occasion more than we ever did before.

Setting Summer Screen Time Rules

Summertime and the living is easy - until it comes to keeping our kids from turning into rabid screen time zombies! It seems like the day school wraps up all our kids want to do is play on their devices or watch tv all day long. It is a constant battle to get them to stop playing Fortnite, Minecraft, and Animal Crossing. Plus, the endless streaming options make watching tv all hours of the day possible – and extremely difficult to control.

The first thing you need to know is you are absolutely not the only parent dealing with this problem. So, don’t beat yourself up! It is perfectly fine to relax your screen time rules during the summer. The goal is to set some boundaries that keep them from turning into screen time zombies.

Create a Family Media Plan

Recently, I discovered that Healthy Children from the American Academy of Pediatrics has tools that are super helpful in setting screen time boundaries. They offer a Media Time Calculator that allows you to enter the amount of time your child needs each day for different activities, such as sleeping, eating, exercising, chores, and more. As you enter in the time needed for these important activities, you see how much time is leftover for media use.

Additionally, they offer a Family Media Plan tool that allows you to create a customized media plan for your family and each child. For example, you establish which areas of the house will be screen free zones, device curfews, and recreational co-viewing/co-playing plans.

To-Dos Before Screen Time

It’s also smart to use your kids’ love for their screens to encourage them to get some stuff done. For example, have a set list of to-dos your kids have to complete before they can have any screen time. And, don’t just stick to their chores. Add in to-dos such as personal hygiene tasks, reading, exercising, and playing outside.

Another tip for parents of older kids – make them work for the Wi-Fi password. This requires you to change it each evening, but your kids know they must do everything on their list to get the new Wi-Fi password.

A Screen Time Bedtime

During summertime, bedtimes are later. Along with bedtimes, we tend to let our kids stay up later watching tv or playing videogames. Unfortunately, if we give them free rein, they will stay up all hours of the night doing these things. This is super unhealthy and the blue light from screens will make it harder to get a good night’s sleep. As a family, set a screen time bedtime. This should be a bit of time before your child’s actual bedtime.

Family Time is Screen Free

Do your best to have screen free family time. Start by making family rules, such as no screens at the dinner table. Then, sit aside time every week to spend a few hours doing things together as a family without devices, such as going on a hike, playing a board game, or telling ghost stories.

What summer screen time rules do you have for your family?

2 Tricks That Made Me Super Productive

Confession time. I struggle to be productive at work – especially when I have to work from home. As much as I try to do all the right things – get up on time, sit at a designated workspace, set aside time to time work on emails – I still never get to everything on my to-do. What mom does?

And the less productive I am, the worse I feel. I’m not saying you should measure your worth by how much you can accomplish in a day. I’m talking about basic productivity, as in being productive enough to do your job and do your job well.

For instance, studies have found, “most workers are no more than 50 percent productive at work!” That means half of the day we spend at work, we aren’t productive. Instead, we are falling into rabbit holes on the internet or doing other tasks unrelated to work. When you add in having to work from home during the pandemic, it is even harder to be productive.

I talked to a friend recently, and she shared some of her best productivity tips. I decided to give her tips a try, and I am happy to report that they actually work! These two tips have radically changed how much I can get accomplished during the day and have made me super productive.

Getting Rid of Distractions

You hear all the time about the importance of getting rid of distractions, but there are so many things vying for our attention. Instead of saying you’ll simply avoid checking your email, scrolling through your social feeds, or exploring random topics on the internet, do something to force yourself to block these distractions.

For instance, the Freedom productivity blocker allows you to set up a personalized block lists of the websites that tempt you. Then, you can block yourself from these sites for a set amount of time across your devices. In other words, you can’t cheat and scroll on your phone when you are supposed to be working on your computer.

Embracing the Pomodoro Technique

Even if you have gotten rid of the distractions, it is still easy for your mind to wander. I don’t know how many times I have just wasted time doing nothing. But I have found a technique that works wonders. It is called the Pomodoro Technique.

The Muse explains, “The Pomodoro Technique is a time management system that encourages people to work with the time they have—rather than against it. Using this method, you break your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by five-minute breaks. These intervals are referred to as pomodoro. After about four pomodoros, you take a longer break of about 15 to 20 minutes.”

It works wonders for me because it brings out my can-do competitive nature. I know I’ve only got 25 minutes in a pomodoro, so I stay focused on the task at hand to see how much I can accomplish before 25 minutes is over. It shocks me how much I can actually get done in 25 minutes when I am focused!

Plus, it both rewards my focus and gives me a short distraction break. I know at the end of the pomodoro that I get a five-minute break to check my notifications or scroll. And those five-minutes ae a great way to keep me in check. I mean, how many times do we tell ourselves we are just going to play around on our phones for a few minutes before it turns into 45 minutes?

Don’t worry if this sounds too complicated for you to keep track of yourself – there are tons of pomodoro productivity apps available that can track them for you!

2020 Mid-Year Check-In

Here we are midway into 2020. It is crazy to think back in January we were making resolutions for the new year and being the best goal setters we could be…and then March rolled around. COVID-19 has made the first six months of 2020 feel like an eternity. And, sadly, it has demolished many of our goals for the year.

Instead of beating yourself up over all the things that haven’t gone your way this year because of the pandemic, give yourself some grace. Let’s take some time to reflect on the year so far and consider how we can make the second half of the year better than the first.  

How’s It Looking 6 Months into Your New Year Goals?

Let’s be honest. At the start of 2020, we made some big goals for ourselves. We were motivated and ready to be goal crushers. You might have even stayed on track until March. And, then the coronavirus happened.

Now, some of you took to the first few weeks of the quarantine, making new goals. You were at home, so you were going to work out or cook healthy meals more often. But, then quarantine got old and those goals didn’t seem so important either. Before you knew it, half the year was over.

It’s okay. Do not beat yourself up for not achieving your goals. 2020 is not a normal year. If there is any year you get a pass on goal crushing, it is 2020. With that being said, it is still wise to do a mid-year check-in.

• What have you achieved? Think about what you did achieve pre-quarantine and pat yourself on the back. Consider what you have achieved since the world changed. You might not have achieved what you set out to at the start of 2020, but I’m betting you have done something to be proud of (such as overseeing your kids' virtual schooling while you work from home).

• What challenges have you faced? Obviously, the coronavirus has been a huge challenge for everyone. What coronavirus-specific challenges did you face? For example, did you have a fitness goal that had to be revamped because your gym was closed?

• What goals are now irrelevant? In some cases, the goals you made me now be irrelevant. Unfortunately, the pandemic has put many people in situations they never dreamed they’d be in, such as losing a job or getting a pay cut. Since you could never have predicted this would happen, you might have set goals related to your job that are no longer relevant. If this is the case, let the goals go and don’t be too hard on yourself.

Goals to Prioritize to Finish 2020 Strong

While the year has been a rough one, it isn’t over yet. There is still plenty of time to achieve your goals (or make new ones). Given the circumstances, it is important to make goals that will improve your quality of life and your overall health and wellness. For example, try to think of one goal to make for each of the following: career, mental health, physical health, and family.

How are your goals looking mid-year? What are your plans for the rest of the year?

7 Ways to Keep Your House Clean with Kids Home All the Time

All moms have heard the saying, “Cleaning with kids in the house is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos.” But what are we supposed to do in 2020 when the kids are in the house all. the. time?

Within the first few weeks of the pandemic, our clean house was starting to show signs that it was lived in. In other words, it was messy.  Between virtual schooling, working at home, and the kids having nowhere to go and nothing to do except make a mess, things started to pile up. But the usual chore charts weren’t working.

Here are some of the things I am doing instead to keep the house clean with kids home all day every day.

1. Let Them See You Clean

I remember being told by a wiser, more experienced mom the importance of cleaning while the kids were awake. There are so many moms who do chores during their kids’ naptimes or after bedtime. All this does is put all the housework on you, and it keeps kids from learning how to clean a house. Instead, vacuum right under their feet, load the dishwasher while they are at the counter, and fold the laundry in front of them. Children learn by watching you.

2. Give Them Age Appropriate Chores

But don’t stop at just letting your kids see you clean – they need to clean, too! It is important to give your kid’s age-appropriate chores. And, the sooner, the better! Even toddlers can help out around the house. WebMD has a great list of age-appropriate chores for kids starting at age 2.

3. Reward Their Hard Work

And when the kids do their chores the right way, make sure you reward their hard work! This can vary from giving them praise and compliments to giving them an allowance. Consider your kid’s love language to know type of reward that will work best.

4. Offer Choices

We like having a choice, and so do our kids. Try giving them choices when it comes to chores, such as, “Will you clean the dishes or dust the living room today?” You are giving them a choice between two different chores – not giving them a choice between doing chores or doing nothing.

5. Create a Cleaning Playlist

We call cleaning a chore for a reason. It’s not exactly fun. But there are ways to make cleaning a little more enjoyable, such as creating a cleaning playlist of all the songs your kids love. Plus, you can use your cleaning playlist as a timer to get chores done. For example, tell your kids they have until the end of the playlist or a certain number of songs to get their chores done.

6. Make Them Work for What They Want

Many moms have found success by making kids work for what they want. In this scenario, you don’t let your kids do what they want until they do what you ask. For example, you withhold the Wi-Fi password or TV privileges until their chores are done.

7. Get the Whole Family in on the Cleaning Action

During the quarantine, I’ve had cleaning success by making cleaning a family affair. Every Saturday, we work together as a family to do some deep cleaning before we start to enjoy the weekend. Working together helps it get done faster. And, we are teaching our daughters that they can contribute to the family unit and help the household.

What tips do you have for keeping a house clean with kids home? Share in the comments!

Skincare for COVID Mask Woes

No matter your stance on wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic, you are going to have to wear one. Whether it is required where you live or by your employees, mask wearing is the new norm.

I am all about doing what I can to protect others, and mask wearing is one way to do so. However, many mask wearers are discovering that their masks are causing a lot of skin problems. There is even a new term called mask-ne, which refers to acne adults are getting from wearing masks.

CNN explains, “June 20 is the official first day of summer, and summer means increased temperatures and humidity, which could affect both our comfort while wearing a mask and the health of our skin.” Face masks can cause skin irritation from where they rest on your face and cause friction or chaffing. Additionally, face masks can trap all the things, like oil and dirt, that cause acne, eczema, and rosacea.

That’s why it is so important to have a healthy skincare regiment. Your skin needs protection, too.

Choose the Right Kind of Mask

The first thing you should do to protect your skin when wearing a face mask is to choose the right kind of mask. Now that the mask shortage is over and you can find masks practically anywhere, you want to invest in masks that are good for your skin.

Dr. Harold Lancer of Lancer Skincare explains to CNN, “If you’re making your own mask, use simple 100% cotton fabric to construct it. The more synthetic a material is, the more heat retention occurs on the skin that is covered by the mask. This will likely lead to irritation, so make sure to avoid those.” This also applies to the masks you purchase. And don’t forget to wash your face mask!

Heal Irritated Skin

If you are in a situation where you are required to wear a face mask for an extended period, you may be dealing with skin irritation or redness. If this is happening to you, then you should apply a skin healing ointment (such as Aquaphor) to the irritated skin. These types of ointments also work as a barrier to protect the skin from the rubbing face mask.

Maintain Your Skin Care Routine

It is critical that you maintain your skincare routine while wearing a face mask. Each morning and evening, you should wash your face with a gentle facial cleanser. Another part of your routine should include using facial moisturizer. In addition to mask woes, you are also dealing with the heat of the summer. Your skin needs to be moisturized.

Skip Makeup Under the Mask

If you stopped wearing makeup over the quarantine, you might be itching to “put on your face.” But you may want to hold off for a while if you are wearing a face mask. Dermatologists do not recommend wearing makeup under a face mask because it will create even more skin issues. If you absolutely must wear makeup under your face mask, then keep it minimal.

Skincare by Loreal explains, “Higher temperatures, wearing more makeup and wearing a mask can be a recipe for clogged pores and irritation. Avoiding heavy, comedogenic products is a good idea in the summer, but even more so when wearing a mask.”

Protect Your Lips

Lastly, don’t forget to protect your lips under the mask. While it is pointless (and messy) to wear lipstick under a face mask, you should wear a moisturizing lip product, such as petroleum jelly or beeswax, to prevent chapped or dry lips.

10 Ways to Make Extra Money During a Pandemic Summer

2020 has been a hard year – especially on our wallets. USA Today reports, “About 1.5 million workers filed applications for unemployment insurance for the first time last week, the Labor Department said Thursday. That pushes the running tally of those who have made initial claims over the past 13 weeks to a mind-boggling 45.7 million.” Even if your family has not suffered from the coronavirus directly, you are likely feeling its effects financially. Whether you have lost a job or experienced a pay cut, there are some ways you can make extra money during a pandemic summer.

1. Find It in Your Budget

Now is the time to trim your budget. Take time to go through your budget and see what you can live without. For example, all the subscriptions and memberships you pay for monthly can add up quickly. Do you need to pay for four different streaming services? Also, remember to check for free services you signed up for at the start of the pandemic because many of these COVID freebies, such as Peleton, are about to start charging a monthly fee.

2. Hop on the Delivery Train

The pandemic has led to a huge increase in home delivery services. If you feel comfortable, sign up for one of the delivery services in your area, such as Doordash, GrubHub, or Instacart.

3. Resale Your Goods

If you are still spending more time at home than usual, use your extra time to clear out your closets. And then resale your goods! You may find some success with an old-fashioned yard sale, but given the current conditions, it may be a safer bet to resale your goods online at sites, such as Poshmark, eBay, or ThredUp. On that note, consider shopping sites like these rather than traditional retail sites to save money until your budget returns to normal.

4. Complete Surveys

Yes, you can make money doing online surveys. However, you shouldn’t expect to make a lot of money doing surveys. This is just a simple way to make a little extra cash. Check out NerdWallet’s Surveys for Money: Here’s What We Earned for a full lowdown on what to expect.

5. Rent a Space

People are still hesitant to stay in hotels. In contrast, many families are more open to staying in vacation rentals this summer. This means that if you have an extra property or even an RV, you can make some extra money by renting it for summer vacationers.

6. Manage Social Media

Are you a pro at gaining followers and getting likes on social media? If so, then you can use this in-demand skillset to make some extra money. Consider freelancing as a social media manager through a freelancing site like Fiverr or Upwork.

7. Get Crafty

Have you started embracing your artistic side during the pandemic? Then, sell your homemade crafts and goods on sites like Etsy. For example, statistics show that 65% “of Etsy sellers that use their shop as a way to supplement income.”

8. Offer Childcare

COVID has created a childcare nightmare for many parents, so if you are able and feel comfortable, offer childcare to make some extra money. I don’t mean a full childcare service, but occasionally keeping a neighbor’s kids can help you get through this sticky time.

9. Walk a Dog

If you are a dog lover, then provide dog walking services to essential workers who may not be able to take care of their four-legged family members during the day.

10. Sell Your Photos

Do you have tons of great shots just stored in the cloud? You can sell your photos to be used as stock photos on sites like Shutterstock.