Maple leaves and animatronic bears will set the mood. Customers will be able to order Montreal smoked meat, calamari from the Maritimes or Caesars topped with ketchup chips in mini paper boats. They can all be paid for by cash, card or the country’s other favourite currency, Canadian Tire money.

For entertainment, Blue Rodeo, Rush and Loverboy will be on heavy rotation and a “Hoser Olympics” will see customers face off in a series of challenges like the “loonie toss,” “hockey tape escape” and “sorry-not-sorry” Canadian apology competition.

“It’s going to be wild how much stuff there is,” said co-owner Jessica Langer Kapalka, who also plans to dress the bar manager in a nine-foot, inflatable grizzly bear costume and set up tents offering a campfire-like experience with s’mores.

Grizzly Bar’s in-your-face approach is one of the ways Canadian restaurants are responding to the tariff tensions that have engulfed North America and threatened to upend food supply chains and dining out budgets.

Canadian restaurants show Canadian fare

As U.S. President Donald Trump continues to antagonize his country’s closest ally with duties on everything from cars to kitchen cupboard staples, Canadian restaurants have swapped U.S. ingredients for domestic ones. Some have revamped menus, ditching the Philly cheesesteak and replacing Americanos with Canadianos, while others are holding back on U.S. expansion plans.

The varying approaches reflect the fact that every establishment has had to find its own way to balance its Canadian pride with the preferences of its customer base and the realities of pricing pressures, said Jo-Ann McArthur, president at Toronto advertising agency Nourish Food Marketing. “You don’t have to go all the way to changing your decor and changing your entire menu,” she said. “It’s about supporting your local producers where you can.” 

Odd Burger pauses U.S franchise plans

Yet some, like James McInnes, are keen to take the issue even further. His vegan fast-food chain Odd Burger Corp. paused its plan to open 60 franchises in the U.S. just two weeks after announcing the expansion in March.

McInnes made the decision because he feared “escalating political tensions” had made the economics of the plan too much for his London, Ont.-based business to stomach. “Not only are the tariff percentages changing on a daily basis, but also what is getting tariffed is changing on a regular basis,” McInnes explained. “How do you formulate pricing for franchisees when you don’t know what many of the costs will be?” 

To retire early, you’ll need a nest egg that is large enough to cover your expenses for the rest of your life. The general rule is that you’ll need to save 25 times your annual expenses. To make this happen, you’ll need to plan ahead and the earlier you start, the better.

Here are 5 things you can do now to ensure an early retirement.

Increase Your Savings Rate

You’ll need to be an aggressive saver if you want to retire early. The more you can save, the sooner you’ll be able to retire. If you save 50% of your income, you’ll need to save for nearly 20 years. Want to retire in 10 years? You’ll need to save 65% of your income.  A good retirement planner tool can help you calculate how much you need to save.

But don’t be discouraged if you can’t save half your income right now. Start where you can and grow your savings rate over time. 

Use an HSA

An HSA is a health savings account, and it has quite a few benefits for those looking to retire early. To qualify for this account, you need to pair it with a high-deductible health insurance plan. If your company offers this as an option, you may want to consider it. 

The benefit of the HSA is that you can contribute up to $8,300 for a family ($4,150 if you are single) per year. The contributions are tax deductible, and you can use the money tax-free if you spend it on qualifying health care costs. So you don’t pay income taxes on the contributions or when you spend the money. You can pay for healthcare costs directly with your HSA, or pay out of pocket and submit for reimbursement from the HSA. There is no time limit for submitting for reimbursement, so you can spend now and request reimbursement after you retire as a form of tax-free income. 

If you contribute more than you spend, your balance will grow. Once it reaches a certain threshold, you can begin to invest the balance. When you reach 65, you can spend from your HSA for any reason and pay regular income tax. 

Cut Expenses

Cutting expenses helps you retire early in two ways. First, it leaves more of your income for savings, which means you can increase your savings rate. Secondly, the less money you need to fund your lifestyle, the smaller your nest egg needs to be. A budget can be a useful tool to help you understand where you can cut and conserve.

Consider moving to a smaller house, sharing a car with your spouse, buying used, negotiating your bills, cutting subscriptions, etc. 

Invest Wisely

Part of retiring early is getting your money working for you. Investing in a low-cost total stock market index fund, such as Vanguard’s VTSAX or Fidelity’s FZROX, can ensure you get market returns with low (or no) fees. 

Real estate is another popular investment for those looking to retire early. Not only do you get market appreciation from the house and land, but you’ll also get an income from rent, which means you won’t have to rely solely on your stock portfolio to provide your income in retirement. The less you need to draw from your portfolio, the smaller it can be when you retire, meaning you can retire that much sooner. 

Get a Side Hustle

A side hustle can help you save more now and provide some retirement income if you choose to continue it. If it’s something you enjoy doing, such as pet sitting or tutoring, you can keep it up in retirement to provide some income. Like real estate, this can decrease the demands on your portfolio, allowing you to build a smaller nest egg and, thus, retire sooner. 

If you want to retire early, you’ll need to watch your expenses and save aggressively. If you can accomplish this, you’ll be surprised how quickly your net worth will grow. 

Especially in your case, Gael, I think you would want proper legal, insurance and accounting advice up-front and ongoing. This could cost a few thousand dollars initially, as well as annually thereafter. 

What is a holding company?

In Canada, you can have a holdco. This is just a nickname for “holding company,” which is a corporation that owns assets. Generally, the assets include cash and investments, but they can include other assets like real estate—or, in your case, vending machines and ATMs. 

If your corporation will own real estate as well as carry on other business activities, it may technically be considered an “operating company”—or “opco”—as well as a holding company or holdco. 

Some businesses will maintain two separate corporations: an opco and a holdco. If the opco could have risk that could result in a lawsuit, for example, holding assets in a separate holdco may make sense to keep them safe. 

If an opco may be sold someday, keeping holdco assets separate may be necessary so that you can qualify for the lifetime capital gains exemption and keep your corporate savings and other assets separate. 

In your case, it might be simpler to keep everything in one corporation, but there are pros and cons. And, of course, you should seek legal advice. 

Use of shareholder agreements

It would also be advisable to use a lawyer to develop a shareholder agreement. If you have your own corporation, or you and your spouse own a company, this may not be as important. But once you have other shareholders, especially friends or business partners, a shareholder agreement is important. 

This agreement can deal with situations like if one of the shareholders becomes disabled, gets divorced or even dies. It can deal with situations where there are disagreements between shareholders. In the case of your property, what if some shareholders want to do a renovation and others want to sell the property?

Webull

Product Name: Webull

Product Description: Webull is a trading platform that has $0 commissions on stocks, ETFs and options. 

Summary

Webull is an investing app that offers commission-free trades on stocks and ETFs. You can trade both on margin and after hours, and it has a suite of research tools and education materials. You can access Webull via the app, downloadable desktop app, or through your browser.

Pros

• No commissions on the trading of stocks, ETFs, or options
• Margin accounts 
• Sign-up bonus.
• Access to pre-IPO offerings
• Paper trading
• Crypto

Cons

• No cash account
• No mutual funds, bonds, or Forex.

If you’re an experienced investor looking for a simple trading platform that charges no fees, Webull may be the broker you have been looking for.

It’s available in both web and mobile apps and enables you to trade stocks, options, and exchange-traded funds commission-free. The platform even accommodates day trading. And right now, they are offering very generous sign-up bonuses on both taxable brokerage accounts and IRAs.

At a Glance

• No commissions on stocks, ETFs, and options
• Offers OTC, futures, and margin accounts
• Overnight trading
• Paper trading
• High-interest cash management account
• Research tools

Who Should Use Webull

Webull is one of the better trading platforms for experienced investors. Not only does it provide no-fee trading in stocks, options, and ETFs, but it also has a generous margin program, and even accommodates day trading. You can trade as early as 4:00 am, and as late as 8:00 pm on regular trading days.

Webull will not be suitable for new- and intermediate-level investors, because of the limited customer support and investing tools and resources. It also doesn’t permit trading in common investments, like bonds and mutual funds, nor does it offer a money market option.

Webull Alternatives

Table of Contents

1. At a Glance
2. Who Should Use Webull
3. About Webull
4. Webull Features
5. How Webull Works
6. Investment Types
1. Stocks and ETFs
2. Options
3. Futures
4. OTC
7. Webull Platform
8. Other Webull Fees
9. Paper Trading
10. Webull Current Promotions
11. How to Open a Webull Account
12. Webull Alternatives
1. Robinhood
2. Ally Invest
3. Sofi Investing

About Webull

Based in New York City, Webull began operations in 2018. It’s both an online and mobile trading app that allows you to trade stock, including OTC, and exchange-traded funds commission-free. It also offers options, futures, and crypto, and you can trade on margin.

The platform is designed for self-directed investors who need minimal customer support. Though it offers a significant number of online investing tools and resources, those are a good bit more limited than those offered by well-known brokerage companies. For that reason, the platform is not reasonably suited for new- or intermediate-level investors.

But if you are a seasoned investor, you can open an account with no minimum initial investment, and even take advantage of two separate and very generous promotion offers currently available.

Webull Features

Minimum initial investment	$0 to open an account, $5 minimum investment for stocks and ETFs.
Available accounts	Individual and joint taxable accounts and traditional, Roth, and rollover IRAs. Please note that joint accounts and custodial accounts are not available.
Investments offered	Stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, and futures. Foreign stocks cannot be traded directly, however, you can invest in foreign companies through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). Crypto is offered through a separate platform, Webull Pay, and provided in partnership with Bakkt.
Pre- and Post-market trading availability	You can place pre-market trades from 4:00 am to 9:30 am, and from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on regular trading days (all times Eastern).
Availability	All 50 states and outlying US territories.
Webull mobile app	Available for both Android and iOS mobile devices.
Customer service	Available by phone at 1 (888) 828-0618 or by email, however, the platform offers 24/7 online help.
Account protection	Provided by the Security Investors Protection Corporation (SIPC) for up to $500,000 in securities and cash, including up to $250,000 for cash. There is additional insurance provided through Apex Clearing for securities and cash up to an aggregate of $150 million, subject to maximum limits of $37.5 million for any one customer’s securities, and $900,000 for anyone customer’s cash.

Learn more about Webull

How Webull Works

Webull is available in a web-based version as well as mobile apps for iOS and Android users. The platform offers trading in thousands of stocks and ETFs, though they must be listed on US exchanges. Investing in foreign stocks is limited to purchasing through ADRs. You can also trade options, futures, and crypto.

You can trade using market orders, limit orders, stop orders, and stop-limit orders. The platform offers real-time market information and stock quotes, and also provides a stock screener tool and watchlist.

It also offers a trading simulator to help you learn how the platform works, as well as to improve your trading skills. You can do this using paper money in the simulator, rather than real money. Overall, however, the tools and resources offered by Webull are more limited than what you will find with large, well-known brokerage firms. It’s designed primarily as a no-fee trading platform for experienced investors.

Investment Types

Stocks and ETFs

Webull doesn’t charge any commissions to trade stocks or ETFs. You can buy and sell US and international stocks. You can also buy fractional shares and get started for as little as $5.

Webull has no commissions for trading stocks or ETFs. However, there are regulatory fees charged with sales transactions, as is the case with all brokers. The SEC Trading Fee is a minimum of $0.01, while the FINRA Trading Fee is a minimum of $0.01 to a maximum of $8.30 per sale.

American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are used to facilitate the trading of stocks listed on foreign exchanges. The fee for ADR trades is between $0.01 and $0.03 per share will apply.

Stock transfers: There is no fee to transfer stocks into a Webull account, but there is a $75 charge for each outgoing transfer.

Options

You can trade index options, equity options, and ETF options. Webull offers an options strategy builder that allows you to create multi-legged combination orders. It also gives you access to combinations such as straddles, strangles, butterflies, and condors.

The software also gives you comprehensive research tools to find the best options for you and your portfolio. You can see metrics on pricing, implied volatility, and expected volatility. You can use the scanner to filter contracts by price, volatility, and time expiration.

There is also a probability analysis tool that allows you to analyze the risk of a contract.

You must be at least 21 to trade options on Webull and you must be approved to access options trading. There are four levels of approvals, with each level giving you access to more complicated strategies.

Webull itself does not charge fees for options, but there are fees charged by regulatory agencies and exchanges as follows:

• SEC – $0.01
• FINRA – $0.01 per contract
• Options exchanges – $0.02815 per contract
• Options clearing corp – $0.025 per contract
• CAT regulatory fees – $0.0046 per contract

Futures

Webull offers advanced tools such as screeners, indicators, analysis, and news feeds to help you make the best investments.

The futures available to trade are stock index, crypto, energy, metals, currency, interest rates, and agriculture. Like options, you must be approved by Webull before you can start trading futures.

Webull charges fees for futures, they are as follows:

• All regular future outright – $1.25 per contract
• All mini outright futures – $0.70 per contract
• All micro outright futures – $0.25 per contract
• Crypto futures – $0.50 per contract
• Standard crypto futures – $0.50 per contract
• Nano crypto futures – $0.13 per contract

OTC

OTC trading allows you to buy securities that are not listed on exchanges. Webull trades about 500 OTC securities and offers access to the OTCQX, OTCQB, and OTC Pink tiers.

There are some fees associated with OTC transactions. For transactions that are over 100,000 shares and under $1.00 per share, there is a $0.0002 fee per share with a 5% maximum. If you buy foreign stocks, there is a $5 fee per trade, and a $0.05 per trade to sell foreign stocks.

If your trade causes your account to go into the negative, there is a $250 fee and an interest rate of 15%.

Webull Platform

Webull is an app first trading platform, but you’ll also have access to the downloadable desktop app and the Webull website. The website has limited features compared to the mobile and desktop apps, but it’s good for research and quick trades.

The app also has a Lite version or the full version, you can toggle between the two versions depending on your needs. The Lite version doesn’t give you access to complex options, futures, advanced order types such as stop limits. So, if you aren’t interested in those features, you can use the simpler version of the Webull app.

Other Webull Fees

Webull has zero trading commissions across the board, though there may be certain regulatory and exchange fees charged on transactions.

Margin accounts: Interest is charged on margin accounts. The rate is based on market factors and the balance of the loan.

Wire fees: The fees for wire transfers are as follows:

• Deposit by US domestic wire: $8
• Withdrawal by US domestic wire:$25
• Deposit by international wire: $12.50
• Withdrawal by international wire: $4

Get started with Webull

Paper Trading

Paper trading is a virtual account that uses pretend money. This allows you to try out new strategies or start learning how to trade without risking new money.

It’s also a great way to test out Webull without having to commit any funds.

I love a good brokerage promotion and Webull has you covered!

Webull is offering a simple free stock promotion:

Free stock when you open an investment brokerage account: – simply open and fund a Webull brokerage account and get up to 20 fractional stocks.

The stocks will be in US-based companies with a minimum market capitalization of $2.5 billion, and trading on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ. Which exact stock you receive will be decided at random by a computer algorithm. Once offered, you’ll have 30 days to claim the stock, and it will be credited to your account within seven trading days after the claim. Once received, the stock will be yours to either hold or sell at your discretion.

Webull will also reimburse up to $100 in ACAT transfer fees for an initial account transfer of $2,000 or more.

How to Open a Webull Account

To open an account, you’ll need to meet the following qualifications:

• Be 18 years or older.
• Have a valid Social Security number.
• Have a legal residential address in the US and outlying US territories.
• Be a US citizen, US permanent resident, or have a valid US visa.

The sign-up process is quick and can often be approved in less than an hour. However, the company does advise that the process can be extended if additional verification is needed.

You’ll need to link a US-based bank account to make transfers into and out of your account. The best funding method is wire transfer, which will typically require between one and five business days to complete. But you can also use ACH, which will take seven business days.

Important information for opening an IRA account. Before you can open an IRA account, you must first apply for and open a regular brokerage account. Once that account has been open, you can add an IRA account.

Open your free Webull account

Webull Alternatives

Robinhood

Robinhood offers free trades on stocks or ETFs. You can also invest in options, futures, and crypto. They offer margin accounts, access to IPOs, and after-hours trading.

You can get started with as little as one dollar. There are no account fees on a standard account, but you can upgrade to a Gold account for $5 a month for additional features, such as higher interest rates on your cash and more detailed analytics.

Here’s our full Robinhood review for more information.

Go to Robinhood

Ally Invest

Ally offers both a robo advisor and self-directed trading. For the self-directed account, it has free trades on most U.S. listed securities. You can invest in options, bonds, and mutual funds.

If you have over $100,000 invested with Ally you can access a dedicated financial advisor for personalized advice. Also, Ally invest pairs well with other Ally accounts, such as its spend account and high-yield savings.

Here’s our full Ally Invest review for more information.

Go to Ally Invest

Sofi Investing

Sofi Invest also offers both a robo advisor and self-directed trading with free trades on stocks and ETFs. It also offers margin accounts, access to IPOs, and after hours trading. You can also access alternative investments such as pre-IPO, commodities, and private equity.

There are no account minimimums or account fees. You have access to fractional shares so you can get started with just $5.

Here’s our full review of Sofi Invest for more information.

Go to Sofi Invest

Get started with Webull for free

Joyce has served clients throughout his professional life, first as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with a specialty in income tax, then as a wealth manager with Canada’s largest full-service investment firm, and now as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), managing an advice-only, fee-only financial planning practice. He brings this combination of experience and knowledge to each client engagement.

When not working, Joyce and his wife, Sharon, along with their five rescue pets, enjoy life in St. Margaret’s Bay on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, where the beauty of the scenery is exceeded only by the warmth of their neighbours.

Why did you become a planner?

I’ve always believed in the power of context. It provides clarity to an issue and/or situation. As a wealth manager, I discovered that helping clients to develop their own vision for the future, and a path to get there, provided them with both the context and the framework to make the decisions required to realize their dreams. 

What is your approach to financial planning?

We don’t all wear blue suits. Every client is unique. It’s important to have a flexible process to identify and adapt to the unique circumstances and objectives of each and every client. 

What is your proudest achievement as a financial planner?

I can’t think of one specific achievement. Having a client thank me for helping them achieve greater command over their financial future is confirmation that what we do as financial planners makes a positive difference in people’s lives.  

What would you do if money were no object?

Own and operate a craft-beer taproom, where I could pour draught and chat with customers until closing time. 

What is the best money advice you ever received?

Slow and steady with your core investments. Only swing for the fences when you can afford to lose it all. 

What is the worst money advice you ever received?

“Debt is good”—without the proper context. 

Do you want to learn how to make $3,000 a month?

I’ve been making over $3,000 a month for more than 10 years now, and I think it’s a great way to change your life if you want to start making more money. Whether you are looking to learn the best ways to make $3,000 a month full-time or if you’re looking to make $3,000 extra on top of what you already earn, there are many ways that you may be interested in.

You can make $3,000 a month through side hustles, online work, starting a small business, and more. Some options include freelancing, selling items online, delivering food, or baking food. The best choice depends on you, though, as well as your skills, time, and interests.

Best Ways To Make $3,000 a Month

Below are the top ways to make $3,000 a month.

1. Blogging

Blogging can be a great way to make $3,000 a month from home.

I’ve been blogging for over 10 years, and it has changed my life in big ways. When I first started, I had no idea it would grow into a work-at-home business that makes me over $3,000 a month consistently (I actually make well over this amount – I have earned over $5,000,000 from Making Sense of Cents over the years altogether).

What’s great about blogging is that there are many different topics that you can write about – such as travel, personal finance, cooking, family, and more.

And, you don’t need to be an expert writer either – I was definitely not a good writer when I started my blog, nor did I ever think I would make a full-time income from it.

You can make money blogging through ways such as affiliate marketing (like when you share a link to Amazon on your blog), display advertising (the video ads that you may see on my site), sponsored posts, and selling your own products like candles or mugs.

For me personally, it took around one year to make $3,000 a month from my blog. At around 2 years of blogging, I was earning about $10,000 a month from my blog, and now I earn much more than that. I really enjoy blogging not only because of the great income I am able to earn, but also because I have a flexible schedule, can help people with my blog posts, and get to work from home!

An article that I recommend reading is How To Monetize A Blog: How I Grew A $5 Million Blog.

Also, you can join my How To Start A Blog FREE Course. In this free course, I teach you how to start a blog, from the technical side to earning your first income and attracting readers. Over 80,000 people have taken this!

2. Proofreading

Proofreading can be a great way to make $3,000 a month. You can work from home and set your own schedule, which is perfect if you like flexibility.

Proofreaders check written content for mistakes. This includes looking for spelling errors, grammar issues, and punctuation problems. They work on blog posts, books, newsletters, websites, sales pages, or even restaurant menus and brochures.

Many companies need proofreaders to make sure their writing looks professional. This means there’s a good chance you can find work if you decide to try proofreading. I personally have a proofreader for my blog and business, and she is a lifesaver!

Recommended reading: 20 Best Online Proofreading Jobs For Beginners (Earn $40,000+ A Year).

10

This free 76-minute workshop answers all of the most common questions about how to become a proofreader, and even talks about the 5 signs that proofreading could be a perfect fit for you.

3. Sell printables on Etsy

Printables are digital files customers can buy and print themselves. I buy printables all the time, and so do many others – parents, teachers, business owners, students, and more.

You can create all sorts of printables such as planners, wall art, gift tags, invites, cards, and more. What’s great is that you only need to make each design once, and then you can sell the design an unlimited amount of times.

All you have to do is come up with an idea for your printable, create it, and then list it on a site like Etsy.

Recommended reading: How I Made $6,161 in Just 4 Months With a New Etsy Printables Shop

Do you want to make money selling printables online? This free training will give you great ideas on what you can sell, how to get started, the costs, and how to make sales.

4. Sell dog treats

Pet owners love buying dog treats for their pets, and I have bought many homemade dog treats over the years!

You may be able to sell dog treats at local farmers markets (the farmers market near me actually has a beautiful little dog treat booth at it and I love it), online through sites like Etsy, and even by reaching out to local pet stores to see if they would be interested in wholesaling dog treats from you.

So, how much can you make? It depends on how much time you put in. As a side job, you could earn $500 to $1,000 a month. If you decide to make it a full-time business, you might even reach $3,000 to $4,000 monthly.

Recommended reading: How I Earned Up to $4,000 Per Month Baking Dog Treats (With Zero Baking Experience!)

10

This free workshop will teach you how to start your own dog treat bakery business.

5. Create and sell an online course

Making an online course can be a great way to earn extra money by selling your expertise. You can teach almost anything – from coding to cooking to crafts.

I think it’s actually one of the best ways to learn how to make $3,000 a month online too, because you can create the course just one time and then the income is semi-passive well into the future.

I created my first online course around 10 years ago, and it has helped me to earn over $2,000,000 over the years and help over 10,000 people learn the topic that I am teaching.

Topics that you can teach in an online course include:

• Watercolor painting
• How to start an Etsy shop
• How to take better family photos of your own family
• How to meal plan for the week
• Parenting and baby sleep training
• Goal setting and habit building
• Minimalism and decluttering your home
• How to find cheap flights and travel on a budget

A popular platform for uploading your course lessons is Teachable, and it is what I personally use for my two courses. Teachable makes it very easy to set up your course and handle payments. 

Recommended reading: How I’ve Made Over $1,000,000 From My First Course

6. Be a virtual bookkeeper

Virtual bookkeeping is a job where you work with numbers and help businesses manage their money, all from your computer at home.

And no, you don’t need to be an accountant or have a college degree. You can learn how to do this, all from home. Many people earn around $3,000 a month doing this work. And, I know someone who makes over $10,000 doing this from home!

Bookkeepers track money coming in and going out for businesses, such as by recording sales, filing receipts, and creating reports.

Recommended reading: How To Make $40,000 With Online Bookkeeping Jobs

10

This free training will teach you what you need to know to become a virtual bookkeeper and make money from home.

7. Deliver food with DoorDash

DoorDash is a popular food delivery app that can help you make extra money. You can work when you want and set your own hours, so this can make it a good way to earn cash on the side.

It’s easy to get started too – you just apply to be a Dasher on their website (you’ll need a car in most cities, although some places may allow you to have a bike or scooter for deliveries). Once you pass a background check and are approved, you can start taking orders through the app right on your phone.

You’ll get notifications on your phone for nearby delivery requests, and you can then pick the ones that work best for you.

Of course, you do want to factor in how much being a Dasher will cost you when calculating your pay. For example, don’t forget to think about how much gas and car maintenance will cost!

Please click here to sign up for DoorDash.

Recommended reading: 26 Best Gig Apps To Make Money

8. Print on demand

Print-on-demand is an interesting way to make money. You can sell things like T-shirts, mugs, greeting cards, baby clothing, candles, tote bags, and phone cases without keeping any stuff in your house (no inventory needed!).

People buy print-on-demand products all the time, and they are more popular than ever.

For example, the other day I wanted to get a thank-you card for my daughter’s teacher. I searched for “toddler daycare teacher thank you card” on Etsy to try to find something that was fun and unique. Another example of something I recently bought was for my husband – he’s been obsessed with growing mango trees lately, so I wanted to find him a unique shirt with a mango on it. Again, I searched on Etsy and found some here.

Here’s how it works: You make a design on your computer. Then you put it on a website that sells things, like Etsy or Shopify. When someone buys your item, the print-on-demand platform prints your design on the product and sends it directly to the customer.

You don’t have to do any of the hard work and you don’t need to buy anything up front or ship packages. The print-on-demand company does all that for you.

I have personally been thinking about starting a print-on-demand business myself too, as I buy so many print-on-demand products throughout the year, and I have so many ideas that pop into my head all the time for things that I am unable to even find. I think it sounds like a fun business idea to start.

Recommended reading: How I Make $7,500 Monthly Selling Print-On-Demand Gifts

10

Want to learn how to make money selling print-on-demand products on Etsy? Check out this free workshop and learn how Emily made $500,000 in just two years.

9. Become a virtual assistant

I was a virtual assistant for several years, and I really enjoyed the job. It opened the door for me to the online world and gave me a flexible schedule. Now, I have a virtual assistant of my own who is very much needed in my business and she helps me so much.

You can make $3,000 a month as a virtual assistant too. This job lets you work from home and help businesses with different tasks.

Virtual assistants do many things, such as answering emails, scheduling meetings, graphic designing, or managing social media accounts. Some VAs also do data entry, write blog posts, or even arrange vacations. My VA does a little bit of everything, which is very nice, but some businesses may like their VA to be more specialized in one task.

Many VAs earn $20 to $50 per hour. Your pay depends on your skills and experience, and as you learn more, you can charge higher rates. To find virtual assistant gigs, my VA personally has had good luck with UpWork over the years. Fiverr is another option.

Recommended reading: How To Find Virtual Assistant Jobs

10. Sell stock photos online

Selling stock photos online can be a fun way to make money taking pictures.

Stock photos are the pictures that you see on websites, in advertising, in brochures, on social media, books, slideshows, and more.

These can be pictures of people, places, food, business settings, nature, and more.

I use stock photos all the time for my blog (there are some sprinkled within this blog post), and so do most other small websites and businesses that you come across. This is because we don’t have the time or expertise to take the photos that we need. For example, for me, I need a lot of photos, so it would be hard for me to take them all. Instead, I can search online on a site like Deposit Photos and get all of the pictures that I need.

11. Freelance writing for websites

Freelance writing for websites can be a great way to make $3,000 a month.

Many different businesses hire freelance writers, such as bloggers, business owners, advertising companies, e-commerce stores, travel brands, and more. As a freelance writer, you may be writing blog posts, email newsletters, sales pages, books, tutorials, helping with SEO, and more.

I have been a freelance writer for several years, mainly as a side job right now. I usually make around $1,000 to over $1,500 per freelance article that I write.

New freelance writers usually can make around $50 to $100 per article when they first start, and as you gain experience and build your portfolio, you can charge more. If you’re able to make $250 per freelance writing assignment, then that would be about 12 tasks each month, which is very doable.

You can learn more at 14 Places To Find Freelance Writing Jobs – (Start With No Experience!).

12. Become a transcriptionist

Transcriptionists turn audio and video into text by listening to recordings and typing what they hear.

This is a flexible job that you can do from home, and many companies need transcriptionists in fields like law, medicine, and entertainment (like podcasts).

Beginners can usually make around $15 to $25+ per hour. Your pay depends on how fast you work and which company you choose.

Recommended reading: 18 Best Online Transcription Jobs For Beginners

10

In this free training, you will learn what transcription is, why it’s a highly in-demand skill, who hires transcriptionists, how to become a transcriptionist, and more.

13. Launch a YouTube channel

Starting a YouTube channel can be a way for you to make $3,000 a month. And, you don’t need a huge million-subscribers channel to earn money.

Topics that you can start a YouTube channel on include personal finance, travel, health and wellness, food and cooking, DIY and home improvement, parenting and family life, beauty, and so much more.

Here are some ways to make money with a YouTube channel:

• One way to make money with a YouTube channel is with ads. When people watch your videos, you can earn money from the ads that play. But you need lots of views to make good money from ads alone.
• You can also make money through sponsorships. Companies might pay you to talk about their products in your videos.
• Selling your own products is another option. You can use your channel to promote things you make or sell, and this could be anything from T-shirts to online courses.
• Affiliate marketing is popular too. You can share links to products you like, and when people buy through your links, you get a small cut of the sale.

You can learn more at How Much Do YouTubers Make?

14. Manage Facebook ads for businesses

If you’ve ever been on Facebook, then you’ve probably seen a Facebook ad. Someone, like you, creates and puts these ads on Facebook.

You can charge $1,000 to $2,000 per month for each client, so with just a few clients, you can reach your $3,000 goal.

Many small business owners know Facebook is important, but they don’t know how to use it well. That’s where you come in. You can learn to run ads that bring customers to their businesses.

You can learn more about this business by joining the waitlist here for the FB Side Hustle Course. It’s run by my friend Bobby and my sister-in-law Ariel, and they really know their stuff!

Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to common questions about making $3,000 a month.

How to make $3K a month easily?

Making $3,000 a month isn’t always easy, but there are ways to do it. You could start freelancing online, sell items on eBay or Amazon, become a virtual assistant, do pet sitting and dog walking (although, it may be hard to make $3,000 a month in extra cash this way, but it can be doable), or drive for ride-sharing apps. If you have money saved up (and a lot of it!), then one of the easiest ways would be to buy dividend stocks and earn dividends.

Is $3,000 a month good income?

Whether $3,000 a month is good depends on where you live and your lifestyle. In some places, it’s enough to live well. In others, it might be tight.

Here’s what $3,000 a month means:

• $36,000 per year before taxes
• About $18.00 per hour for full-time work
• More than minimum wage in most states

It can cover basic needs in many areas. But in big cities, you might need roommates or a strict budget. So, you’ll want to think about your own needs when deciding if making $3,000 a month is enough for you.

How to make $3,000 a month online?

There are many ways to make $3,000 a month online, such as blogging, freelance writing or proofreading, or selling digital products like ebooks or printables. There are also other ways that I didn’t even include in today’s article, such as online tutoring (like in math or science), selling consultancy services, social media management, and more.

How to make $3,000 a month passive income?

If you want to learn how to make $3,000 a month without a job, such as with passive income, there are ways to do this. You may want to try renting out property, writing and publishing ebooks, investing in dividend-paying stocks, and selling printables online. Now, it will take time to set up these passive income streams, so you can’t expect quick results. There is still work that needs to be done!

How To Make $3,000 a Month – Summary

I hope you enjoyed my article today on how to make $3,000 a month.

There are so many different ways to make $3,000 a month, whether it be working from home, starting your own business, or side hustling.

I still remember when making $3,000 a month was a goal for me. I eventually started making $3,000 a month and went on to make over $3,000 a month as well in just side income (in addition to my day job income!). So, it is very possible that you can make $3,000 a month as well.

Why do you want to make $3,000 a month? What idea on the list above interests you?

Recommended reading:

If you’ve already cut your cable, congratulations on taking advantage of big savings provided by free streaming services!

If you haven’t… here’s how to cut your cable!

With so much free streaming, there’s never been a better time.

We found over 30 free streaming options for 2025. Having so many options to choose from can be a little daunting, so let’s divide these free streaming services into three different categories:

1. Long-term free streaming services: We can’t guarantee these will always be free, but there don’t appear to be any current plans to charge for these streaming services.
2. Free streaming service trials: Enjoy a week or a month free, but cancel before your trial period ends to avoid being charged the normal subscription fee.
3. Other special streaming offers: During the pandemic, several streaming services were offering free programming to help combat our collective cabin fever.

Let’s start listing!

Long-Term Free Streaming Services

You may be surprised by the many options available for long-term free streaming.

Here are our top picks.

1. Kanopy

Kanopy is a free streaming service that you can get through your public library or university. They have thousands of movies, available on practically every device, and you just have to be a member of a local library that has access. With many public libraries, you can join without even being a local resident.

2. Pluto TV

Pluto TV boasts 250+ channels and thousands of movies, totally free. You can even get news and sports. The Pluto TV app is available on all your favorite devices: smart TVs, game consoles, tablets, and phones, and it is a no-brainer if you’re looking for long-term free streaming.

3. IMDb TV

IMDb TV promotes free “Hollywood hits and TV favorites,” and the selection doesn’t disappoint. You won’t find the latest releases on IMDb TV, but you’ll find lots of popular movies from the ‘90s and ‘00s, well-reviewed TV series, and even some IMDb original content!

4. The Roku Channel

If you have a Roku device, the Roku Channel offers an “always-changing selection of free movies, shows, live news, kid’s TV, and more” (of course you can also stream from any ol’ web browser as well). You also have the option of adding premium subscriptions to popular channels like Starz and HBO.

5. Crackle

Crackle offers some of the same ‘90s comedies and action films as many of the other free streaming services on our list, but it shines with a documentary channel, reality channel, and some original content. Going from Broke, from producer Ashton Kutcher, is an especially interesting original series featuring real-world stories of people getting their finances in order after years of drowning in debt.

6. Vudu

While Vudu is largely known for offering streaming rentals (at around $5.99 per rental). This service also offers thousands of movies and TV shows, with limited ads, completely free of charge. The free options may not contain current blockbusters, but you’re sure to find something for everyone in this selection.

7. Tubi

Tubi may not offer a comprehensive cord-cutting streaming package like some of the other services on our list, but you’ll find some gems on this supplemental streaming service. There are lots of cult classics from the ‘90s and ‘00s, a wide range of horror flicks, and even some popular reality TV shows.

8. Sling

Most people think of Sling as the cord-cutting solution to live TV; you get live news channels and popular cable channels like HGTV and Food Network; but, of course, you pay a monthly subscription fee for that service. Most people don’t realize Sling offers over 5,000 movies and TV shows totally free of charge! Just visit Sling on any browser and click “watch free now” to browse the selection and enjoy free entertainment.

Check out my full review of Sling here. 

Additional Options for Long-Term Free Streaming Services

You would think seven free streaming services might be enough, but nope, there are still more options available! Check out these services to round out your free streaming:

• NBC’s Peacock: NBC’s Peacock will offer ad-supported TV, movies, and news for free (or you can go ad-free for $4.99/month).
• Kanopy: You just need a public library card to access this “thoughtful entertainment.”
• Popcornflix: No need to create an account or sign in. Anyone can start watching anytime.
• XUMO: Over 160 channels including news and sports.
• Hoopla: With your library card, you can “check out” digital media including ebooks, music, audiobooks, movies, and TV shows.
• Plex: Originally a content management system for digital media you own, Plex has started offering free movie streaming.

Free Streaming Service Trials

As great as our long-term free streaming services are, sometimes you need a subscription to a specific streaming service for their exclusive content. Why not get your fix during a free trial period?

Here are the best streaming services currently offering free trials.

1. Netflix

If you don’t already have Netflix, here’s your chance to get a free 30-day trial. Catch up on original pop culture hits like The Queen’s Gambit, Stranger Things, and The Crown. If you choose to keep your subscription after the free trial, plans range from $8.99 to $15.99/month.

2. Hulu

Hulu is another streaming giant offering a free 30-day trial. In addition to popular network TV shows, Hulu offers originals like The Handmaid’s Tale, Little Fires Everywhere, and High Fidelity. If you choose to keep your subscription after the free trial, plans range from $5.99 to $11.99/month. You can also add on popular channels like HBO and Showtime.

3. Amazon Prime

Yes, Amazon Prime membership comes with free two-day shipping, but it also gives you access to Amazon Prime streaming. You can get a free 30-day trial to everything Amazon Prime has to offer. Among the notable original series are The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, and Good Omens. After the 30-day trial, Amazon Prime membership costs $12.99/month or $119/year. You can subscribe to the Prime Video service, only, for $8.99/month.

We also took a look at the Amazon TV Firestick to see if it was worth getting.

4. Disney+

Disney+ launched just in time to save the sanity of the many parents working from home with young children during the COVID-19 crisis. You can, currently, get a 7-day free trial of Disney+; perfect for catching up on The Mandalorian, checking out the latest Marvel movies, and re-watching some of your favorite Disney cartoons. After the free trial, you can subscribe for $6.99/month.

5. Paramount+

Popular CBS network shows are all available on Paramount+, and now you can a 7-day free trial. This is the only streaming service where you can find CBS hits like Survivor, NCIS, and Young Sheldon. After the trial period, you can subscribe for $4.99/month.

Here’s my full review of Paramount+ if you’d like to learn more. 

6. Showtime

Enjoy Showtime originals like Homeland, Shameless, and Billions, as well as popular, current movies, with a free 30-day trial. After the trial period, you can continue streaming for $8.99/month.

7. NFL Game Pass

With NFL Game Pass, you can watch NFL originals like Hard Knocks and A Football Life, replay games from the past ten years, and even watch coach’s film. Free 7-day trial and then rates are $18/month or $199/year.

Additional Options for Free Streaming Service Trials

For those with more niche interests, here are a few other options for free streaming service trials:

• Hallmark Movies Now: When need some feel-good flicks. Free 7-day trial; $4.99/month (with an annual plan) after.
• Sundance Now: Good for indie films and documentaries. Free 7-day trial; $4.99/month after.
• Broadway HD: Check them out for classic musicals. Free 7-day trial; $8.99/month or $99.99/year after.
• Shudder: For horror films. Free 7-day trial; $4.75/month after.
• Acorn TV: To get your fix forBritish shows. Free 7-day trial; $5.99/month after.
• Criterion Channel: They specialize in curated film collections. Free 14-day trial; $10.99/month or $99.99/year after.
• EPIX Now: This is your answer for current hit movies. Free 7-day trial; $5.99/month after.
• Apple TV+: New Apple originals. Free 7-day trial; $4.99/month after.

Happy streaming!

If you’re nearing or in retirement, you should be familiar with the 4% rule.

It says that you can withdraw 4% of your retirement savings each year, adjust it for inflation annually, and your money should last you at least 30 years.

It was an idea suggested by William Bengen in 1994 and one that is often cited in literature. Bengen was a financial advisor in California and came to the 4% number analyzing historic stock market data and found hat 4% was a safe withdrawal rate. Whether you went through the Great Depression or through periods of high inflation, 4% was still safe.

It’s now more than thirty years later and many have wondered – is the rule is outdated?

The investing world looks a lot different today compared to the mid-nineties. Computers were not common and I doubt many were thinking about cryptocurrencies!

Our lives are different too – people are living longer, which is putting a strain on certain programs such as Social Security. Thirty years may not be long enough for some, which can be seen as lucky or unlucky depending on your perspective.

Fortunately, William Bengen is still alive and has weighed in on this. He appeared on the Morningstar The Long View podcast and said that 4% was too conservative. Retirees could live on as much as 4.5% or even 5%. The original 4% rule is a good starting guideline but you should adjust it based on your needs and your expected longevity.

In fact, Bill Bengen did an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit in which he answered questions from the community.

First, he says that it’s actually the 4.5% rule because he modified it several years ago based on new research:

The “4% rule” is actually the “4.5% rule”- I modified it some years ago on the basis of new research. The 4.5% is the percentage you could “safely” withdraw from a tax-advantaged portfolio (like an IRA, Roth IRA, or 401(k)) the first year of retirement, with the expectation you would live for 30 years in retirement.

After the first year, you “throw away” the 4.5% rule and just increase the dollar amount of your withdrawals each year by the prior year’s inflation rate. Example: $100,000 in an IRA at retirement. First year withdrawal $4,500. Inflation first year is 10%, so second-year withdrawal would be $4,950.

He also addresses a risk known as the “sequence of returns risk,” which is the risk that the market takes a huge downturn early in retirement:

I find that the state of the “economy” had little bearing on safe withdrawal rates.

Two things count: if you encounter a major bear market early in retirement, and/or if you experience high inflation during retirement. Both factors drive the safe withdrawal rate down. My research is based on data about investments and inflation going back to 1926.

I test the withdrawal rates for retirement dates beginning on the first day of each quarter, beginning with January 1, 1926. The average safe withdrawal rate for all those 200+ retirees is, believe it or not, 7%! However, if you experience a major bear market early in retirement, as in 1937 or 2000, that drops to 5.25%.

Add in heavy inflation, as occurred in the 1970’s, and it takes you down to 4.5%. So far, I have not seen any indication that the 4.5% rule will be violated.

Both the 2000 and 2007 retirees, who experienced big bear markets early in retirement, appear to be doing OK with 4.5%. However, if we were to encounter a decade or more of high inflation, that might change things. In my opinion, inflation is the retiree’s worst enemy.

As your “time horizon” increases beyond 30 years, as you might expect, the safe withdrawal rate decreases. For example for 35 years, I calculated 4.3%; for 40 years, 4.2%; and for 45 years, 4.1%. I have a chart listing all these in a book I wrote in 2006, but I know Reddit frowns on self-promotion, so that is the last I will have to say about that.

If you plan to live forever, 4% should do it.

After reading this, it’s hard to draw any other conclusion other than 4% is the absolute lowest amount. It’s the super conservative figure you use if you want the money to last forever. It’s been reframed, over the years, as something more than that through no fault of Bengen.

Also, it’s important to note that anyone who thinks a single number could apply to all people in all situations is making a huge mistake. Unless that number is so conservative that you cannot possibly be wrong.

Fortunately, most people realize that the 4% rule was more of a rule of thumb. If you were trying to plan for your retirement in 40+ years, you have to make many assumptions and it was useful to use the 4% rule to simplify your calculations. It was never meant to be a substitute for creating a financial plan.

If you want to properly plan for retirement, you have to start by using a retirement planning tool and not just rely on a single number.

When you retire, your nest egg might provide the bulk of your spending power but you’ll likely have other sources too. You will likely collect Social Security and be one of the fortunate few who have a pension. Those will all affect how much spending power you have and your nest egg will have to pick up the slack.

But if you’re planning today, know that 4% is conservative and that you could go as high as 7% – with William Bengen’s blessing. But do the math!