Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — July 2017

Entrepreneurial and Side Hustle Insights

4 Reasons Why Working From Home is a Growing Trend — Helen Bradford, Stack the Chips

For many people, working from home may seem like a pipedream. Therefore it may surprise you to learn that as many as 43% of Americans say they work from home or telecommute at least part time. So what’s behind this growing trend? As Helen points out, lack of a commute, customizable environments, and savings for both employee and employer likely have a hand in bringing more people out of their cubicles and into their homes.

5 Secrets to Launching a Great Entrepreneurial Product (While You’re Still Employed) — Kirill Bensonoff, Inc

Do you dream of being an entrepreneur and launching a successful product? Plenty of people do but the fear of failure and giving up a perfectly good day job for nothing can often be enough to keep some would-be entrepreneurs from taking the chance. But, as Kirill notes, it is possible to prepare your product while still retaining your current job — especially when you follow a few of his tips.

9 Successful Businesses That Began as Side Hustles and How They Started — Ayodeji Onibalusi, The Balance

Speaking of starting a business in your spare time, it turns out that’s exactly how some major brands got their start. Even before the term “side hustle” was a thing, the foundations for companies ranging from Houzz to Apple were built while their founders held other jobs. If you’re looking for some inspiration as an entrepreneur, in this piece Ayodeji recounts the history of nine big businesses that started out as hobbies or side gigs.

Your Side Hustle Matchmaker: Find Out Which Gig is Right For You— Romy Oltuski, The Penny Hoarder

These days it seems just about everyone has a side hustle — everyone, that is, except you. Perhaps you’ve been looking for an extra gig but just don’t really know where to start or even what types of jobs are available. Luckily, Romy is here to help as she highlights a few side hustle options tailored to different competencies and skills.

Personal Finance Tips

10 Genius Things to Do With $100 — Gina Ragusa, Mic

In the grand scheme of things, $100 may not seem like much. That said, when the same C-note comes into your possession unexpectedly, it can be quite an exciting experience. Given its “found money” status, you may be tempted to earmark that cash for something you don’t really need. However, Gina has some better ideas for that money, including such clever tips as using your freezer as a food “emergency fund.”

Moving? 3 Things to Take and 3 Things to Leave Behind — Annie Mueller, Wisebread

Many people view moving to a new home as a chance for a fresh start. So then why is it that we end up bringing so much of our old junk with us? Granted there are plenty of possessions it would be foolish to abandon in your move but, as Annie writes, some things are better left behind.

4 Costly Mistakes People Make When Buying Cars — Monica Chin, Moneyish

Second only to houses, vehicles are one of the largest purchases most people make in their lifetimes. Unfortunately too many car buyers also make mistakes before or after their purchase that end up costing them big time. As Monica shows us, getting obsessed with a single model, not considering leasing, and other such activities could be bad moves when you’re in the market for a new car or truck.

Thanks for checking out my top 10 personal finance articles published last month and congratulations to all of the bloggers who made the list. To find more of these great articles on a daily basis, be sure to follow me on Twitter @jondyer9 and of course visit DyerNews.com.