I’m a big advocate of home-based business ventures. For the past seven years, I’ve been self-employed, and it’s allowed me the flexibility to earn an income and be available to my husband and four children when they need me. My passion for entrepreneurship led to the creation of my blog, Muslimahs Working at Home. My goal is to encourage Muslim women to achieve home/work life balance, creative and financial freedom through entrepreneurship.

How to Start a Home-Based Business

I often receive emails from women asking about how to get a home business started. After receiving several inquiries I decided to publish a special series where I interviewed several Muslim women who operate successful, home-based ventures. In these interviews, the sisters answer questions about how they got started, what (if any) training is required, share recommended resources, and much more.

6-Week Home Business Interview Series

Each Monday, a new Interview publishes on the blog. The 6-Week Home Business Series  has been publishing each Monday for the past five weeks, and there are only two interviews left. I’m so excited that Ponn Sabra, founder and publisher of American Muslim Mom has agreed to participate as the final interview of the series. Ponn will share invaluable information about how she got started blogging and how shehas turned blogging into a profitable home business venture.

Ponn’s Interview is scheduled to publish at Muslimahs Working at Home on Monday, January 16, 2012, insha’Allah (God willing). Stop by to see what Ponn and the other sisters have to say about their own journeys toward self-employment.

Ponn Sabra of American Muslim Mom to be Interviewed on Muslimahs Working at Home is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Last week my three older children (ages 9 to 11 years) approached me to discuss the possibility of earning their own money during spring and summer break. Yes, it’s a bit early, but I admire their determination and willingness to plan ahead. My 9-year-old twins plan to speak to my uncle about helping out with his yard and around his barber shop. My 11-year-old daughter is interested in helping with my home business because she’d like to learn more about earning money online.

This pleases me. While her career goal as of the writing of this post is to become a defense attorney, I quite like the idea of my 11-year-old working alongside me, learning about entrepreneurship. She could earn some pocket change, learn what she needs to get her Praying Mantis blog off the ground, and I could always use the extra help. There are many benefits of hiring your children to work for your home business:

1. It can help develop a strong work ethic.

When you give your child small duties to complete, she learns about being responsible and understands why it’s so important to be reliable by meeting established deadlines and keeping her word. Children will understand the “domino effect” that can result from not following a project through to completion. On the other hand, your child can also experience the glowing sense of accomplishment that comes from seeing a task through from start to finish.

2. It can teach valuable, marketable skills.

Your home-based business can be a place where children of all ages provide practical help with daily tasks as well as learn about the various aspects of running a home business like research, blogging, web design, maintenance, maintaining inventory, marketing, advertising, administrative tasks, and much more. These skills can be very valuable in the future whether your child decides to work for someone else or himself.

3. There are tax benefits.

Hiring your kids to work for you works like hiring contract workers or freelancers – it’s considered a tax-deductible business expense. Each state’s laws are different, so it’s always a good idea to consult with an accountant to make sure you understand and meet the requirements for your state.

4. It can build self-confidence.

Your child will enjoy feeling as if he is a part of your business success. It can be a real confidence boost to know that something you did – whether it was something as simple as sticking address labels on direct mail envelopes or reorganizing the file cabinet – helps keep the business afloat.

5. It teaches self-reliance.

Most children in our society are taught that the road to success begins with finding the right employer; but it’s good for them to know that entrepreneurship is another option they can pursue. Hiring your child gives her actual hands-on experience as to what it takes to run a small business from home so she has a clear understanding.

6. It can teach them to use technology responsibly.

There’s nothing new about online predators targeting children through the Web. If you spend any amount of time online managing your email, website, blog and social media networks for your business, you can use that time to teach your children about protecting themselves online. I show my daughter how to delete old messages in my email account and show her examples of spam and other unsolicited messages that could cause harm to our computer or compromise the security of my business. My children are too young to participate in social media, but I show them how I utilize these sites for business and effectively ignore unwanted attention.

So, what do you think? Will you be hiring your children to work for your business? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

 photo credit: Oneras

6 Benefits of Hiring Your Kids to Work for Your Home Business is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

If you’re freelance writer who’s spent time writing for content mills like Demand Studios, Wise Geek or Mahola, you may have experienced a slowdown from your usual workload. It all started with Google’s now infamous Panda update.

Long story short, the Panda Update is essentially Google’s way of penalizing lower quality content creators generating mass quantities of content strategically in hopes of dominating the search engine results.  Companies, or content mills, attempting to mass produce content for their clients cheaply often outsource the project to freelance writers. Many of these writers have come to depend on mill work to manage monthly expenses. For many, it’s an easy way to break into freelance writing while working at home. They appreciated the business model – all they had to do was write. There was no marketing or self-promotion. The writers write based on titles or keywords supplied by the company. Unfortunately for many of these writers, the content mill business model can’t stand up against Google’s Panda Update.

Website Magazines’ May 2011 issue revealed that Mahalo, a well-known member of the content farming community, was forced to reduce its writer workforce by 10-percent following Google’s Panda Update. And other farms are feeling the pressure as well. Several Demand Media Studios writers are now facing reduced income as the company drastically reduced the number of articles available to its writers, and significantly thinned its workforce.

Tips for Freelancers: Getting Better Writing Gigs

So what can writers do when a content mill shuts down or restructures, eliminating the income they’ve come to rely on? These tips can help freelancers take what they’ve learned and move on to bigger and better writing gigs:

Remember You’re a Freelance Writer, Not an Employee

Never get too comfortable with only one or two clients, because losing them will feel as if the rug has been pulled from under you. Unlike employees, freelance writers don’t receive financial compensation if they are unexpectedly let go. Having four or more regular projects in place makes losing one much less painful.

Use Writing for Mills as a Stepping Stone to Higher Paying Gigs

I would never argue with someone’s decision to write for content mills. I wrote for a couple when I first started working on my own while I worked to build up a client-base. These companies can provide a steady source of income and allow you to focus your efforts on finding clients willing to pay for your services, or print/online publications willing to publish your articles. Don’t rely on mill writing as a full-time, permanent solution.

Embrace Marketing

Never get so comfortable that you stop looking for work – even when you’re busy. Marketing for writing opportunities is a big part of the freelance writing business model. Cold calling, mailing business collateral (brochures, postcards, building a website/blog, etc.) and emails are just a few examples of marketing strategies you can use. If you detest marketing, you may want to rethink pursuing freelance writing. You’ll need to market frequently to keep paid projects in the pipeline.

Diversify

What I mean by diversify is set up more than one income stream for your freelancing business. For instance, if you specialize in blogging for benefits insurance companies, you could write and sell a report about the benefits of blogging, and market it to Human Resource Managers. If you have a blog, you can monetize it. You could add consulting to your list of services.

If you currently write for a content mill, have you personally been affected by company changes as a result of the Google Panda Update? Please share your experience by leaving a comment below.

 photo credit: lms.photo #RWC2011

How to Go from Writing for Content Mills to Better Paying Gigs is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Click Here to Participate! $1 Donation to Islamic Relief per participant. Deadline: October 19, 2011.

Be Heard Today by participating in this ground-breaking American Muslim Consumer Advocacy Survey by DinarStandard. DinarStandard™ is a specialized research, advisory and business media firm empowering Emerging Muslim Markets for growth and global impact. I’ve all respected and admired the work of DinarStandard, alhumdulilah.

About the American Muslim Consumer Advocacy Survey

• This is one-part of an in-depth study titled, “American Muslim Market: Business Landscape & Consumer Needs”.
• This study is designed to report American Muslim Consumer’s perception of key brands on US ‘Halal’ (allowable for Muslims) food, finance, and select other sectors.
• This survey is the first of its kind, and it’s for USA based Muslims only.
• Anonymous reporting.
• Designed to take only 5-minutes of your time.
• The survey is concise and broken into the different sections:
• 1. Unmet Needs – General questions about an American Muslim’s perception of the present consumer market here in the US as a Muslim today
  2. Consumption Habits – Questions about who or what influences you to purchase different items, such as community influence, budget, etc.
  3. Halal Brand Perceptions in the Food sector - Your use and/or thoughts on the availability of halal food products and services.
  4. Halal Brand Perceptions in the Finance sector – Your use and/or thoughts on the availability of Islamic banking or investment services.
     
  5. Demographic Information – Basic information such as gender, occupation, ethnicity, income, etc. Remember: it’s anonymous.

•  More about its Purpose is available here.

Benefits of 5-Minutes of Your Time = $1 Donate to Islamic Relief plus…

Those who frequent my site, know I reflect deeply and with a critical eye on anything that’s Islamic based,  especially if we’re discussing what’s “halal” and how to be an astute Muslim Consumer conscientious to targeted marketing campaigns. We should always be aware of our consumer actions as a Muslim, and not be influenced blindly of what one may call “halal” or promote as as products for Muslims as Muslims because of our huge financial power.

A number of benefits I found by spending a quick 5-minutes on this survey included:

• Donations to Islamic Relief – one of my most favorite worldwide relief agencies
• Learning new halal brands – I learned many new halal food products and brands I’ve never heard of before
• Making data statistically significant – As a biologist in trade, I’ve always been interested in statistically significant data for reference. So, when an opportunity presents itself to stray away from opinions, case studies, and smaller studies.
• Most Importantly:

Having Our Diverse Voices Be Heard!

Click Here to Participate! $1 Donation to Islamic Relief per participant. Deadline: October 19, 2011.

In addition to statistical significance, to be representative of the diverse Muslim population in America, we need YOUR participation! We need ALL Muslims in America to respond!

• Every social economic group needs to participate, because our finances affect our consumer perception.
• Every ethnic group, because our culture affects our consumerism.
• Big cities with big Muslim populations and equal representation of small towns in which you’re the ONLY Muslim, because this affects availability of products to consume.
• Native born Muslims, new Muslims,
• Native born Americans, Foreign Muslims visiting (students or work visas), and Immigrant Americans, etc.

My list can go on and on to our many differences; it’s not meant to be inclusive. My attempt is to include everyone as  the reach of American Muslim Mom is highly-diverse and I implore you to please participate.

Each and everyone of us have our own experiences that influence our buying habits and perceptions!

Help Spread the Word. We need 1000 more in 3-days!

In one-week, they have  only about 500 participants. To be statistically significant they need at least 1000, but ideally 1500! We need your help. If achieved, it’ll be the first statistically significant survey, as previous ones (not done by DinarStandard) had ~400 or ~900 participants.

How to Help:

• Participate first! (obviously)
• Bookmark this page to your social networks.
• Facebook, Tweet, LinkedIn, etc. in social media.
• Email this post to others.
• Call your Muslim family and friends…I am!

Recommended Areas for Future Surveys include

• Additional sectors, such as Clothing, Health & Beauty, Homes and housing, Education sector, Technology (software), Media, etc.
• Name Brand consumption and their perception with targeted campaigns made by them, such as Western Union, or Touchnote.
• Offline versus Online Muslim consumer habits.
  
• Muslim Mom’s Financial Power. Without being biased…

Highlights of the Survey Results To Be Exclusively Shared at AMCC

As a social media partner of the American Muslim Consumer Conference (AMCC) debut in 2009, I’m so pleased that an executive summary will be released publicly with key highlights presented to attendees at the 3rd Annual American Consumer Conference, alhumdulilah. A partial report will be made available for free to the public thereafter, and a complete report will be made available for sale primarily to marketing firms and brands.

Jazaka Allahu Khayrun for your immediate attention, participation, and assistance in helping us achieve this goal. As always, please share your kind thoughts and feedback below.

Disclosure: I am organizing this campaign on behalf of the American Muslim Mom Media Network, if you’d like to be considered for future campaigns, apply today–it’s free to join! I received products free of charge and compensation. I was not influenced in anyway to share only positive remarks. After all, lying is haram (prohibited). You’re welcome to read American Muslim Mom’s disclosure policy and contest disclosure.

Calling All American Muslims – Ground-Breaking 5-Minute Consumer Survey. PLEASE Participate. Deadline Wednesday, October 19th is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Click here and roll down to the 3rd testimonial by Yours Truly! See what my lifetime membership here has helped me achieve in my 1st year.

A striving, profitable online business cannot live without your very own mailing list…and if you don’t believe me, sign up right now for the free webinar being offered next week by SoloMasterminds!*

I believe the single act of adding an optin enewsletter to a blog makes you the difference between a blogger and an online business owner. But, if you search archives of my various blogs; I’ve been saying this since 2005!

I was an internet marketer, website owner before I started blogging, and while I have multiple blogs…what keeps me profitable in my niche markets is the ability to capture my private mailing list and being able to connect with them privately.

So, yes–you can have all the social media accounts, like I do: facebook, twitter, linkedin, and youtube; but they are public free social networking accounts which you don’t have full control over. There are many times I email my private list things I don’t say publicly…not even on this blog; and this personal connection causes me to garner dozens of personal emails directly to me, who even if I kindly ask them to share their incredible feedback in the comments publicly so everyone can share this information, many MANY people still prefer private emails, and not participating in the public user-generated formats of blogs, let alone social media sites!

Just think of all the private email groups you still belong too…email is still, and I believe will always, have it’s critical place in building a successful online business, by keeping things private and personal.

Webinar:  Monday, October 17 th – 11:00am Eastern

Sign up today! I’ll be there, inshaAllah.

Always curious of your thoughts! Disagree? Please share why. Agree? Then, join me at this webinar.

Disclosure: I’d get a commission IF you decide to become a paid member of SoloMasterminds. If you’re new to this site, I always support/promote only products and services I fully believe in as lying is haram (prohibited) in Islam. I have a paid lifetime membership of SoloMasterminds, and credit the majority of my financial online success to this one organization.

October Free Webinar: Start a Mailing List is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Whether you work from home as a freelance writer, or in any other home-based business venture, having a home office is essential. It doesn’t matter if your office is in located in a separate room of your home, or the corner of your living room. What matters is having the right equipment which makes performing your job much easier. Here’s how to get started:

Set a Budget

Creating your home office starts with good quality, basic furniture and equipment. If you’re starting from scratch with no equipment or furniture, you’ll need to set a realistic budget.  Your budget will ensure that you get what you need without breaking the bank. Thankfully computers and other office equipment have become more affordable over the years. Start with the basics and build your home office from there.

Find the Right Work Space

If you have an extra room, you have the makings of the ideal home office set up. You can do things like choose a paint color that inspires creativity, hang art and close the door to household noises that might distract you from meeting deadlines. If you’re short on extra space, or happen to be a busy mom who needs to constantly keep an eye on what’s going on around you, choose a small spot in the main area of your home to create your home office space. The size of your office doesn’t matter as much as functionality does.

Buy Ergonomic Office Furniture

You’ll long in some long hours working at your desk, so choose sturdy, durable furniture built to last. My personal preference is a desk that provides lots of working space and has enough compartments to hold your supplies and important files.

Ergonomics is important to ensure that you are comfortable and maintain good posture as you work. Ergonomic furniture is specially designed to fit and support your body and its movements to improve productivity, health and cognition. Choose a desk that provides plenty of leg room and that it high enough for you to sit comfortably without banging your knees against the edge (this can be an issue for taller girls like me).

Choosing an ergonomic chair is also vitally important. The chair needs to be comfortable and provide support for your back. Learn more about how to choose an ergonomic chair for your office in this previously posted article.

Choose a Computer

Decisions, decisions. Should you buy a desk top computer or go with a laptop? Thankfully computer options have become much more affordable. I own both a desktop and laptop, but the desktop has become both my backup and the family computer that the kids use primarily. I use my laptop pretty exclusively now. I can take it with me to work in my favorite coffee shop or the library when I need an instant change of scenery, airports, hotels, and anywhere else that kindly provides free Wi-Fi.

Find the Right Printer

Printers are essential for freelancing. I print lots of ebook and resource material. I also print my work to proofread before submitting the final draft (I catch more errors that way).

I used to automatically go for the all-in-one models (print/scanner/fax) until my IT consultant advised against it saying they take up too much hard drive space. Now I keep things simple and make sure the model I choose has a scanner. I was recently forced to buy a new printer, and after years of paying an arm and leg for ink cartridges decided to go with a laser model instead. I didn’t pay much more than I did for my last ink jet printer, and the toner seems to last longer.

If a new printer isn’t in your budget right now and you’re currently using an ink jet model, U.S. residents can take their empty ink cartridges to a local Walgreens and have them refilled for about half the cost of buying new.

Collect Reference Material

Writers typically need basic reference material on hand like a good quality dictionary and thesaurus (although each of these can be easily accessed online as well). Other writer must-haves I recommend:

The Elements of Style by Strunk & White

AP Stylebook

Writer’s Market 2012

Your writing specialty will ultimately determine the types of reference material you’ll find most beneficial. For instance freelance writers who write for parenting magazine markets will not need the same reference books as a freelance resume writer or freelance grant writer.

Provide Additional Storage

A bookshelf and small file cabinet will help keep your office in order and make it much easier to put your hands on important items quickly.

Add Personal Touches

Your home office is a personal space and should include items that reflect your style and taste. A quirky, oddball collection, sophisticated color choices, Islamic art, nature prints, framed inspirational dua and other quotes can all be included based on your own preferences to create a space that inspires innovation and creativity.

What do you consider a home office essential you can’t do without?

photo credit: Burrs & Berries

Create the Perfect Home Office for Freelance Writing is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Hop on over and see all the New & Improved Kid Bloggers Club! Kid Bloggers Club is the #1 ranked kids blog in the world which is managed and written by kids, mashaAllah, God has willed: my 3 entrepreneurial daughters. The Mission: To offer a safe and secure place where kids and parents can learn how to blog for fun, free stuff and profit! There are so many wonderful things happening, like 4 great giveaway contests, new customized social media sites, a volunteer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) project they’re passionate about.

Subhanallah, Glory be to God, the site has actually been a big blank white-page, since or redirect wasn’t working since early July, and their traffic has maintained and actually increased on some days. We had some technical difficulties but with the patience and highly-skilled team at Ummah Design (our site developers), we finally relaunched. My 11yo’s debut ebook “How to Start a Kid Blog for Fun & Profit” is presently at the editors, and is scheduled to launch on or before October 1st. It is SO jammed pack with all her experiences, tutorials, and even tips that I, myself, learned from and didn’t even think about–being the oldie Mommy Blogger that I am. Alhumdulilah, Praise be to God, I love learning from my daughters–one of the greatest beauties of homeschooling, and encouraging them to delve deeply into what ever subject, topic or idea they want, kind of like her efforts with the jilbab international fashion design contest.

GiGi & JoJo have worked so hard this past summer, building their typing speed, learning critical html, blog formatting, Internet research and working hard on their own passions. They have so much content already backed-up…another lesson I need to learn from, as they are prepared ahead of time, rather than playing catchup! For their full bios, click here.

Well, this is a real quick post because I’m been terribly ill for the past week and a half.

Fortunately, I was walking without aides today, alhumdulilah…it’s Jummah! Counting my blessings…Jummah Mubarak and have a Blessed Jummah!

So, if you’ve ever wanting to have your kids start blogging and don’t know how, hop over to their site right now. MashaAllah, I highly recommend subscribing to their RSS feed and email list, so you’re the first to know when JuJu’s ebook is launched. With all humility, mashaAllah, she offers particular steps in how they’ve been making money from their blog since Jan. 2011, and increased it month after month. I know 100s!! of mom bloggers who WANT to make $ from their blogs, yet don’t have the tools to do it. This ebook tells you from a kid’s point of view…so there’s TON to learn if you just decide to blog WITH your Kid Blogger rather than blog alone, inshaAllah.

Kid Bloggers Club Finally Relaunched! is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

These days it seems like everyone and her mother has a blog. There are literally thousands of blogs on the web covering a myriad of topics. Some have been regularly updating for years, while others have long since been left to the wayside. Even with so many blogs on the Internet, as a writer you can still benefit greatly from having your own blog.

Taking time to build a quality blog with well written, thought provoking entries can bring exposure to your writing and topics that are near and dear to your heart. Blogging can be a great networking tool connecting you with others who may be in a position to further your goals as a writer. Here are

5 Ways Blogging can Benefits Your Writing Career

1. Improves your writing

Typically the more you do something, the better you become. Such is the case with writing. Blogging on a daily, every other day, or weekly basis will inevitably improve your writing skills.

3. Establishes your reputation as an expert

A blog is the perfect platform for sharing information about specific topics of interest. For interest, if you have an interest in women and world politics, homeschooling or vegetarian cooking, you can create a blog design and content that supports your topic of choice. Maintaining an active blog that comprehensively covers a single topic can earn you credibility and your blog will be known as a trusted information source, such as American Muslim Mom being the #1 ranked online community for Muslim moms and dads, subhanallah.

4. Showcases samples of your writing

Each post on your blog is a sample of your writing ability and knowledge of a specific topic. You can easily send prospective editors and clients a link to your blog so they can review your writing ability first hand. If you are a freelance writer who specializes in providing blogging services for hire, you can share metrics based on analytics tools like Google Analytics to show traffic numbers and the number of comments responding to your posts.

5. A useful marketing strategy

Whether you’re waiting to get your first book published, an article published in a magazine or are promoting your freelance writing services for hire, blogging is an ideal marketing strategy. A self-hosted blog full of quality content seeded with researched keywords can get you an optimum position in the search engine results which makes it even easier for those searching for information about your blog topic to find you.

Surprise Bonus: A way to earn passive income

Writers can make money from different income streams. Beyond the money you earn from freelancing or writing and publishing books you can also earn money by blogging. It takes a lot of work to get to the point where you make a living as a blogger, but you can establish a steady stream of passive income. There are a few different methods you can use to earn money from blogging, and recommended steps and tools to get your started.

Can you think of any other ways blogging might be helpful to writers?

photo credit: Mark Yang

5 Reasons Writers Should Consider Blogging is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Salam! Peace! InshaAllah, God willing, everyone had an incredible Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. Alhumdulilah, Praise be to God, we always strive to have a more productive and memorable Ramadan and Eid each and every year–and this year was no exception, subhanallah, Glory be to God. How was yours!? Please do share…while I’m very slowly weaning into a “work” schedule, I must admit I LOVED all the time off, however my girls and I can’t wait to share all of our discoveries, new news, tips, lessons, etc. We have SO much planned for the upcoming months, you should really subscribe to our RSS feed so you don’t miss any news, inshaAllah!

In addition to some incredibly religious, spiritual reflection and enlightenment( (alhumdulilah), my girls and I cleared our minds, bodies and souls and found great clarity as to what we want to achieve. So, we set some awesome momentum to our incredibly high plans for our businesses and education. As my doctor shares her favorite quote “If you don’t strive for perfection, you have no hope of excellence.” So, who’s ready to Move n’ Shake with us!?

Here’s some things to get us rev-ed up for this awesome Fall season:

Eager to Take Your Online Business to the Next Level?

Consider getting a SoloMastermind Certification! As you may know I’ve been a SoloMastermind (formerly Mom Mastermind) member for over a year now, and I credit MUCH…okay, the majority of my year’s success to being a member here. So, much that I had to write a testimonial for their relaunch. Too lazy to hop over and see?…I pasted it below:

Click on this image to hop to SoloMastermind Today!

Today at 11:00 am EST. FREE Informational Webinar to learn about the SoloMastermind Annual Certification Program.

I’m going to be there…well, because I want to learn more. Getting a certification in my field would be a great mommy-educational-treat for myself…and my clients, inshaAllah. God willing.

Who’s Ready to Learn More about College-Prep Tests & ACT?

My girls and I! Subhanallah, we’re looking forward to sharing our wonderful college-prep journey with you, and we knuckled down these past few weeks and have set high goals to “formalize” for the first time our homeschooling journey to college. Alhumdulilah, our 10 and 11 year old were accepted and placed well in our local community college…we’re not enrolling, that’s a whole ‘nother story, not worth sharing…moving forward:

So, we started last Tuesday our SAT-prep and we had a Blast! It was SO much fun our 8 yo joined us! I limited it to 2.5 hours, 1-hr Reading, 1-hr Math, 30-min. Writing and they insisted they wanted more. So, I left them to cook dinner, only to find them completing Writing prompts, competing, comparing notes and answers…it’s all about Fun & Games.

Yay, I know…more playing at our house…which typically annoys me, but like Wow! They are whizing through SAT flashcards of past and perfect tense, completing the idioms correctly, grammar usage and style as well–it’s a game! So, rather than yell “Stop Playing!” which are typical words I hollar…I’m yelling “Play! Play! Play!”

As fate would have it, Subhanallah, the other organization I give tons of credit for my success over the year, Mom Spark is hosting a Twitter Party with ACT tonight!

Now, I haven’t done any much research on ACT tests, except the fact that “yes, we’ll study & yes, we’ll take them…after our first rounds of SATs”…it doesn’t hurt to get as many tips as possible from the ACT staff themselves. So, we’ll be filling my tweet feed tonight.

TOPIC -  Ensuring Children are Well-Prepared for College

TIME - Monday, September 12, 2011 at 9-10 PM Eastern (8-9 PM Central, 7-8 PM Mountain, 6-7 PM Pacific)

HASHTAG - #ACT

CUSTOM TWEETGRID - http://bit.ly/oBEGK9

PANELISTS - @MomSpark, @ACTStudent, @HaleyTweetsToo, @MusingsFromMe, @ConnieFoggles, @thedomesticexec, and @CaffCoquette (follow everyone before the party!)

Register by commenting here.

So, what are your online business or blogging goals this fall? What are your latest homeschool goals this academic year? And, more importantly, what steps are you taking to reach those goals? How are you going to increase your business skills? What action plans do you have in place to help your kids stay excited about their educational journey? Please, please do share below!

Today Only: Free Webinar: Online Business Certification & College-Prep ACT Twitter Party is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

If you’re serious about earning an income as a freelance writer, knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do. Mistakes will happen, especially in the early days as you start your writing career, but some mistakes are harder to bounce back from.  Avoiding these errors could result in working with much happier editors and clients who are willing to send more paid writing opportunities your way.

Not following directions

Editors and clients provide instructions for a reason. It actually makes the job of choosing a writer for a job or assignment easier when they can weed out all respondents who ignore the instructions. An inability to follow clearly detailed instructions in a publication’s writer’s guidelines, or a client’s help wanted ad, is a telling sign that you probably won’t follow the instructions required to tackle an assignment.

If an editor asks for writing clips to be mailed, don’t send an email. If a client requests that writing samples be pasted into the body of an email, don’t send attachments. Read writer’s guidelines and ads carefully – more than once to make sure you understand how to proceed – and then follow the directions to the letter.

Not proofreading and editing

Any writer can make this mistake once or twice; but submitting ‘finished’ assignments with misspelled words, incomplete sentences and other errors regularly won’t be tolerated for long. After working on an assignment for several hours (or days) straight, can you really trust your eyes to catch mistakes?

Here’s one of the best pieces of editing advice I ever received: walk away from your work as soon as you’ve completed it.

If you can step away from your work for at least 24 hours before proofread, even better. Taking a break allows you to review your writing with a fresh pair of eyes so you can catch errors you might otherwise overlook. Even after you perform the routine spelling and grammar checks, you still need to take time to read each word carefully since these tools are not foolproof. Reading aloud helps.

Missing deadlines

You’d be surprised how often writers miss deadlines. Believe it or not in many cases editors and clients prefer an average (but competent) writer who’s reliable over an award winning wordsmith who can’t consistently meet deadlines. Understand that editors and clients are dealing with their own tight deadlines. They depend on a writer being able to deliver as promised. You don’t want to earn a reputation as a writer who constantly misses assignments.

Sometimes things happen that we have no control over. Kids get sick, you experience a power outage, or maybe you’re suddenly stricken with a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome. When the unexpected happens it’s important to act quickly.

First, notify your contact (editor or client) as soon as possible to let them know what’s happened. Be honest, and don’t waste their time making excuses. Chances are they’ve heard it all before.  Apologize for any inconvenience and offer to negotiate an alternative deadline for completing the assignment. If you’ve always been reliable and are facing a first missed deadline, you may be able to save the client/editor relationship, insha’Allah.

Working without a written agreement

There’s an old saying: “a verbal agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.” I’ve always insisted on a signed written agreement when working on writing projects with private clients; however I didn’t always do the same when freelancing for publications. Not a smart business decision. Looking back, considering the many horror stories I’ve heard relayed about freelance writers not receiving payment, I realize I was blessed to have avoided a similar experience.

Not every publication will offer a contract detailing service terms, payment terms and publication rights. That’s okay, but you need some sort of agreement in writing before you get started. You can create your own agreement between you and a publication. It doesn’t have to be formal – it can be something as simple as an email (disclaimer: double check the legality of this in your state as I am not an attorney). As a freelance writer it’s also important to know, understand and protect your publication rights.

Not knowing when to say ‘no’

Not every client or writing assignment will be right for you. For too many reasons to list, it may be in your best interest to turn away work. Controversial topics, a personality conflict with an editor/client a project that is not clearly defined, tackling a project requiring specialized knowledge you don’t have (e.g. legal writing, medical writing) or a deadline that’s too short are just a few reasons to reconsider accepting work.

Can you think of any other costly career mistakes freelance writers should avoid?

photo credit: opensourceway

6 Mistakes that Can Derail Your Freelance Writing Career is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

When I started blogging it was not because of some pipe dream of internet stardom.  It was out of pure annoyance.  Way back in 2007 my sister was calling me at least once a week to ask me for my Moroccan recipes.  Every week I had to think back and try to tell her all the details again.  Then I thought, “I should just write this down and put it online then she can get it whenever she wants.”  So I did.   It wasn’t until 2009 that I became serious about blogging.  What once was a just a hobby I picked up now and again, became much more as I found myself unemployed.  It was my blog that got me out of that very precarious and scary time.  After I was back in the workforce I stuck with my blog because it was a fabulous networking and professional development tool.

I Blog Because…

• Blogging is an amazing networking tool. It truly gives me enjoyment and connects me to readers around the world.  I’ve also been lucky enough to find professional connections through my blog. You never know where these connections will take you but I do know I never would have met 99% of the friends I’ve made while blogging.
• Free Professional Development. In the workforce learning is something that is always occurring.  Blogging helps me stay on top of my game when it comes to writing and editing.  It also has taught me how to expand my marketing and publicity skills.  There are very few seminars or courses that give you the day to day practice and feedback that blogging will.
• Share something you love. Don’t get me wrong I love my day job but I also really love cooking.  I know being a chef isn’t in the cards for me but blogging allows me to share this passion I have without sacrificing my career.
• It helps you to find yourself. There was a time when I felt like my kids and career defined who I was.  Starting my blog helped change this attitude. By sharing the things that I love I have been able to find my inner-voice.  It has helped me get through difficult times and to share really happy moments too.
• It can land you a really great job or become a job in and of itself. During my bout of unemployment I spent a lot of time blogging and learning more about website development and social media marketing.  When I eventually did get an interview I made sure to share these skills.  Guess what – I got the job because those were the things they were looking for!  I have known many other bloggers who have been able to make enough money with their site to support themselves and their families.

If you are serious about becoming a blogger please also consider a few “sticky points” you might run into along the way.

• Topic choice.Choose something you love but also make sure it’s something you can talk about for an extended period of time.  Finding a middle ground is key.  Don’t choose something too broad but also make sure it’s not something to narrow.
• Growing a site is an organic process. It’s not going to happen overnight.  It takes time to develop your craft, hone your social media skills and grow in online communities.  Be dedicated but also be patient.
• Spreading yourself too thin. If you are working a full-time job, have a family and other social commitments blogging can add one more thing to the list.  Be sure to schedule yourself accordingly so as not to get overwhelmed.
• Spousal support.If you’re married, this is an important consideration.  It took a really long time for my spouse to come around to supporting my site.  I stuck with it because I could see the potential and I truly loved it.  He saw it as a waste of time.  Now he is one of my biggest supporters. Need some pointers? Check out Ponn’s Top Ten Tips to Help Gain Your Husband’s Support in Your Blog or Business.
• Money.  How much money are you willing to invest into a blog?  There are plenty of free blogging platforms but you might want more out your blog than what these platforms can provide.  Setting up a realistic budget is something worth exploring.

How to get started

• Recommended steps & tools
• Determining your Definite Major Purpose/Mission
• Tips to pick out your domain name
• Tips to increase your ROI in social media

I hope that these ideas have helped you to consider starting your own blog.  If you already have a blog please feel free to leave a comment and add to the points I have addressed.  If after reading this you realize it’s time to start your own blog – leave a link so that we can come and read it! And, if you’re a Muslim Mom Blogger, comment here so we can list you, inshaAllah.

Why I Blog and You Should Too! is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Alhamdulillah, all praises are due to God. Internships…something I didn’t think I would delve my feet in until a few years into the future. But, subhanAllah, the opportunity came knocking on my door, or rather my e-mail inbox. I wasn’t prepared  for it, nor expecting it. And, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to take it on. Life’s timing, though, once again, glory be to God! I had just came out of my media lecture, one that featured a panel of three guest speakers, alumni of my school and potential major, who stressed not to pass up any opportunity one gets in college. Following my usual routine, I left class once dismissed and walked to the library to check my e-mail. I decided I had to dedicate myself to building my future and give this internship a shot.

SubhanAllah, effort goes a long way, and it feels so good. Gaining trust of people through digital means and building deep virtual friendships is priceless.

So, what did you do this summer?

Many of my friends are taking summer classes this year, while I am not, nor am I working full time at my retail job. Then people wonder , “What are you doing in the summer?” I am able to respond, “I am interning at American Muslim Mom, the #1 online ranked community for Muslim parents. I can work from the comfort of my own home, at my own pace, on my own time. I’m gaining experience in a field which I hope to pursue, God-willing, while supporting a website with strong Islamic priorities–something that has helped me grow spiritually as well. I am learning responsibility and making real deadlines. I interpret instructions, and follow them accordingly to complete tasks. I write blogposts, and love it enough to launch my own.”…Quite a long, passionate answer from someone they expected to say “ummm…nothing.”

This newly discovered enjoyment encourages me that I am stepping in the right direction with my major choice, InshaAllah, God-willing.

Moving on…

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a more productive summer, Alhamdulillah. Interning at American Muslim Mom has been quite the learning, fun, and rewarding experience that I am not willing to part with yet.  With Ramadan practically here (written in late July), outstanding projects are coming to a close, and loose ends are being tied. Ramadan is a time for us to put more focus on our spiritual lives, InshaAllah, and with that we can reduce our work hours. Immediately following Ramadan, my second year of college begins, summer is over,  and it will be time again to hit the books.

…but loving where I’m at

But, I am not parting with American Muslim Mom just yet. A couple hours a week in my schedule will find themselves dedicated to AMM, InshaAllah. And even when I will need to move on from this internship, I know I will not have completely parted with it. It takes time to build bridges of friendship, love, genuine trust and care. Alhamdulillah, I think I have achieved that. That’s a sturdy, stable bridge. And it takes more than walking a few steps away from it to break it down.

Ponn: As tears trickle down my cheeks in reading this post, my cloudy eyes express my profound respect in Habeeba and her great talents and abilities, mashaAllah. Subhanallah, while Habeeba helped catapult the American Muslim Mom brand over the past 4-5 months, she has deeply touched me personally and spiritually. During some trying moments of business growth, Habeeba listened intently to my stubborn passionate will to only please Allah through my actions and written words; and although faced with opposition, with Allah’s will we prospered and grew. InshaAllah, our sturdy, stable bridge will withstand time with your contributions of sadaqah jariyah. May Allah bless Habeeba and her family handsomely in this dunya and akhira. Ameen.

An Intern’s Happy Ending to Summer 2011 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

By following this tutorial, you can learn how to create a time card in Google Docs in order to keep track of how many hours you are spending on a project. I’ve been keeping my own time card to record my hours for my internship, and Alhamdulillah it’s very convenient and organized for both Ponn and I. Check out the following nine screenshots (click on them to enlarge), and learn how to create your own time card with special formulas that remove the need for mental calculations on your part.

Step by Step Tutorial How to Create a Time Care with Google Docs

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

Step 8:

Step 9:

I hope this works out for everyone easily, Insha’Allah. Let me know how it turned out, or if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments!

Tutorial: How to Create a Time Card to Track Work Hours with Google Docs is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Below are some quick tips and lessons learned in starting a business, in no particular order. As you’ll see, there’s definitely a theme of how to best deal with human resources: outsourcing to virtual staff.

It costs more in time, money and sanity to keep dead weight.

Tips to Dealing with Virtual Staff

• Break relationships if you notice any of these problems: communication issues, inability to follow directions, problems with understanding your instructions, assumptions are made and follow-through is poor, attitude issues, poor professionalism, rates are too low or rates are too high for the output of the work completed, they are obviously not committed to the success of your project, program or overall company’s mission.
• Assume every minute, email, skype or phone consultation is counted towards your hours paid upfront. When in doubt, ask immediately.
• If staff doesn’t have the following, offer your own: Timesheet (I have a spreadsheet tutorial coming up in days to show the one I use for my staff and interns), Project tracking system (I use one-thread in gmail per issue, or a google doc which the staff member uses a strike-through mark when the task is completed), and file-sharing system (I use Dropbox). My handmade google doc programs is sufficient for now, and better than nothing; which ran into many problems in the past.
• Use skype and the phone sparingly. When you do get live help, be uber-prepared, with checklists, watch your minutes pass, don’t become too friendly, if lines are crossed ask explicitedly what was counted towards their hourly-rate, document To Do Tasks and quickly email a follow-up to the conversation.
• Don’t make excuses to keep an inferior outsourcer (even a free intern) or system/program/software. One problem is acceptable, 2nd problems demands you to weigh the pros and cons, 3rd, you should start looking for alternatives, 4th problem start implementing your transition and 5th problem immediately implement the change!
• Pay for a mentor who has successfully completed what you want to accomplish, either via a detailed lesson plan and outline, or personal consultation. Don’t short-change your ability to take on more than your time, money and sanity will allow!
• Trust your gut instinct. I learned that it’s better to deal with new issues/problems of a more superior staff member or software, rather than dealing with multiple headaches of trying to manage someone and/or something that I and the outsourcer doesn’t know about or trying to figure out for the first time.
• Don’t EVER trust anyone who says they can “do it all!” No One can. There’s a clear distinction between a website designer and developer, a graphic designer, desktop designer and digital designer, a virtual assistant for administrative duties, social media support, online press release/Online PR duties, podcast production, voice-over, and podcast marketing, video editing, slideshow presentation designer, niche research and keyword research, and shopping cart and affiliate manager, sales, freelance writing, ghost writing, editing, copywriting, press release writing, ebook formatting, spreadsheet design, etc. I learned to hire different people of just about every single one of these duties. IF there are some overlap to hire one person for the same thing, the overlap should be obvious! If it is not, I learned that reviewing someone’s portfolio when solicited by the outsourcer (rather than me via my own research), their own past work can be deceiving.
• Know that running an online business is not a solo-job; so weigh your time, money and emotional strength when deciding to outsource.
• Be flexible and open to change!

This post was literally written in 15-minutes…all these issues are on the top of my head and I pray, inshaAllah, God willing that you head my warning and take my humble advice. Believe me I lost a lot because of these issues, and I try never to make the same mistake twice. Why waste your own time or money, when you don’t have too!? Any tips you have to share is greatly appreciated too!

Disclosure: This post is part of a Toll Free Numbers blogger campaign organized by Bucks2Blog. Check out our review here, and Join Today to get paid to blog! If you get a gig, please let them know Ponn Sabra/American Muslim Mom referred you, thanks! We were not influenced in anyway to share only positive remarks. After all, lying is haram (prohibited). You’re welcome to read American Muslim Mom’s disclosure policy and contest disclosure.

Tips and Lessons Learned in Starting an Online Business is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Hard to think that Ramadan will quickly fly by and then it will be our time to celebrate.  I have celebrated 4 Eids now. Last year I absolutely loved my Eid. I live in Toronto, Canada and every Eid about 20,000 Muslims gather together to celebrate. When I first saw that many Muslims under one roof I was in awe. After prayer though it really is a time to celebrate with family and friends.

For me and my daughter we were making the transition from past traditions and holidays to Eid, so there were many expectations as we began to celebrate Eid. The most important lesson I learned along the way was that we could make Eid frugal and fabulous.

Eid Gifts on a Budget

When it comes to gift giving as I have noted before we need to have a budget. In this global economy we are all learning to pinch our pennies a little bit more. So how do we do this and still give fabulous gifts that aren’t going to pinch the wallet? Here are some suggestions of frugal gifts that done up just right turn out pretty fabulous.

Gifts of First Choice

Ponn: Eid money (eidi) and/or best clothing for Eid prayer. The Prophet sallahi walayhi wa salam didn’t buy new clothes, but wore his best clothes. Contributing to one’s best clothes, and giving Eidi are typically prioritized as gifts as we should not mimic the non-believers with the goal to have gifts to be exchanged, “matched”, etc. We must give to give, as a form of good-faith, sadaqah (not charity in a needy sense) but charity as in smile of goodness and strong faith. Since we gain more rewards during Ramadan, we always prioritize giving gifts (physical or monetary) during the month of Ramadan, and specifically give Eidi to our girls, extended family and kids during Eid.

Items of Faith

Eid follows Ramadan so my first thought are things that will help me learn my deen. Things that will help some one be encouraged to learn and grow I think a new Qur’an, a CD of  a great lecture, or even some nice Islamic nasheeds would all be inexpensive and appreciated gifts.

Coupons

We have used coupons in our home for a long time now. We print off coupon booklets and create coupons that involve giving and sharing. Examples of coupons we have used: 1 free back massage, 1 free movie night with mom, 1 week lose a chore, free babysitting, pick a movie, 1 free lawn mow, etc. These have all been very appreciated and cost nothing but time.

Sweets or Savoury

One of our other favorite gifts to give involves a little time spent in the kitchen. We bake sweets. then we make up wee trays to gift to our favorite people. Sometimes we have even made things like a nice salsa to give to someone who likes it spicy. I think at Eid especially many appreciate the treat.

Clothing

This year with back to school and Eid happening so close together you have to think maybe buy a back to school outfit that can also be the new Eid outfit. For us sisters we always do appreciate a nice new hijab and you should be able to find one for under $10.

Educational

Another great gift are things that will help a person learn. Kids can receive things like a new book, art supplies, or a science kit. Even nice wooden puzzles or blocks for younger kids are good gifts at a good price.

Additional Resources

You may start with Creative Cost Cutting for Eid Shopping, Eid Decorations – Where to Purchase them or make your own, Eid Gift Guide as explained here.

Can you think of any other frugal Eid gift ideas? If you know of any do share, we can learn from one another.

Frugal and Fabulous Eid Gift Ideas is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

We all want our children to attend college or university but it is expensive! Student debt in Canada is now at 12.5 billion dollars and climbing by $17 a second. The student debt load in the US is much higher.  So, how can one get an education or finance the education of their children in a way that does not involve debt or ribaah (interest)? Financing an education in a way that is halal is a major task. Our goal is to get that education without ribaah.

We need to have a plan. We need a creative road map in place to get to our destination: that of a higher education. So how are we going to get there? Here are some suggestions.

Halal Financing Tips for Your College and University Education

1. Teach children from a young age the value of education and work. My 13 year old daughter not only has chores that she is not paid for; but she is paid for  specific “jobs”. Since I own my own business she cleans for me, and is paid for it.

She is also paid for her school grades. She knows working hard in school pays.

Children as young as 10 can be encouraged to do odd jobs and by the age of 14 most should be doing some type of work. Suggestions for first jobs for children:

• yard work
• snow shoveling
• helping a senior do chores
• housework
• cleaning a garage
• babysitting
• stuffing flyers
• delivering flyers
• car wash

Can you think of others?

2. Teach children to save for their education. My daughter has been saving since she was young.  We do not have an interest bearing account. We have been fortunate enough to avoid ribaah in this area as most banks in the west offer interest.

3. Work and Education can go hand in hand. When I attended university I tried hard to stay away from student debt as much as possible. I worked 3 part time jobs to pay my way. One can take a  lighter school load and work longer hours. One just needs to be diligent with their responsibilities.The other choice  is to take a year between high school and university and work hard, so one can concentrate on their studies.

4. Look for Merit Scholarships and Grants. Every year schools give away thousands of dollars in scholarships and grants. Most of these are available, but you need to search and research ahead of time.

In Canada:

There are more then 20,ooo Scholarships available! Most are  from schools of course, but also government, companies, associations, unions, and more. Two great places to start:

• ScholarshipsCanada.com
• StudentAwards.com.

Search for scholarship opportunities and get tips on applying. Many qualifications go beyond grades – things like participation in extracurricular groups, school events, student council, sports, the community, and volunteering. You’ll also find information on bursaries; unlike scholarships, which are merit based, bursaries are need based (and do not have to be repaid). The federal government also offers grants to increase the participation of under-represented groups in post-secondary education, e.g. grants for students from low-income families and students with disabilities.

In the United States:

There are thousands upon thousands of scholarships available as well. Again most are from schools but of course again we find government, companies, foundations, unions and more giving away valuable dollars. Search for opportunities to learn.To start:

• FedMoney.org( just stay away from the loans)
• College-Scholarships.com - lists over 100,000 available scholarships!

Both are great resources. Did you know there are 74 federal scholarships with millions available? One simply must search. Again, many qualifications go beyond the grades. College Scholarships .

4. Ask family members to help finance your education. Family members can help one get their education. Many families save, and send the oldest to college and when that child graduates they in turn help finance the education of their siblings. Grandparents, aunts and uncles have all been known to give a helping hand.

5. Consider niche courses. Often a specialty course will be offered for a shorter time then a full 4 year degree. Literally one learns 4 years of work in 3 thus saving money and time.

6. Consider college first.Even if the goal is to get a four year degree, one can and should take advantage of the community college system. General education classes are cheaper and count for as much credit as they do at the four year university. If you really want to save, go to community college for all your general education courses, that takes 2 years, then one can transfer.

These are just 6 ways that you can finance your education the halal way. However, I’m sure there are others. If you are financing your education ribaah-free, please share how are you doing it by commenting below. We will supplement this article with your good tips, inshaAllah!

More Tips
photo credit: quinn.anya

Financing a Halal Education is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

The advertising agency that works closely with Western Union emailed me early last month to share that the “marketing manager at Western Union actually came across your blog piece earlier last year regarding their marketing efforts, and was especially intrigued by my input.”

They wanted “to start up a conversation with me and perhaps hear more about my experiences with Western Union and the Muslim blogging community in general.”

Eager to hear some of my “ideas regarding further contribution from Western Union during the Ramadan season.”, we shared a fun phone discussions and I was very impressed how extremely receptive to my many recommendations.

I must admit the program they devised is much more intriguing as they are actually looking to reward users of their services–something I didn’t even think of. Our conversations revolved on proposed sadaqah (charity) projects, such as our Annual Ramadan Qur’an-a-thon Sadaqah Drive, and sharing my recommendations of reputable Islamic organizations for them to charitable contributions to, such as Islamic Relief.

I still think both of our ideas are ingenious, mashaAllah, don’t you!?

Alhumduilah, they were kind enough to share that they will “keep these (“all the great ideas I sent over”) in mind for future projects,…due to the time constraint for the current campaign…”

So, I’m happy to support their extremely generous Ramadan project..and quite personally excited because the 2 countries we send our sadaqah to are on the list of approved countries: Palestine & Egypt, alhumdulilah!

Western Union Ramadan 2011 Campaign

Every day from August 1 – 30, 2011, you have a chance to win the amount you send, up to $1,000, for your own Ramadan celebration!

Western Union is offering those who send money to the Middle East and other countries observing Ramadan a chance to match the money they send up to $1,000 from August 1 to August 30, 2011.

The timing gives the remitters an opportunity to reach out to their loved ones in a meaningful way, as the recipients generally use the gift of money to buy basic family necessities during the Holy Month, to hold Iftaar get-togethers, or for the coming Eid celebrations.

Target Market: Muslim immigrants already relying on Western Union, the worldwide leader in global payment services known for its fast, reliable and convenient money transfer service. However, I believe anyone who is sending gift monies or sadaqah to the primarily Muslim countries during Ramadan 2011.

How to Apply

Money remitters must make a qualifying transfer through Western Union and mention promo code, “Ramadan” for them to earn chances of winning the same amount they send, up to $1,000. Daily winners will be announced from August 1 to August 30, 2011. The total payout is estimated to reach $30,000.

Click here for official rules.

Qualified money transfer countries

To qualify, money transfers also must be made to the following countries: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Determining a Winner

Winners will then be contacted by mail and/or telephone using the information provided in the money transfer.

Remitters will be entered into as many draws as long as they keep sending money by visiting a participating Agent location, visiting the Western Union Ramadan campaign site,  or calling 1-877-579-3366.

Please help spread the news! We need your blog support!

I’m respectfully asking your assistance in acknowledging Western Union’s fabulous efforts for the Muslim ummah (community) here in America and abroad.

1-second of your time:

A quick click on the below Facebook “Like” button, a ReTweet on the bottom above this article, or a social bookmark this post on many of the buttons below.

1-minute of your time:

Please comment below.

Your time to write 1-blogpost:

Please blog about this! Link to this article, and comment below with your link.

By reporting back to the client all the social media actively (specifically blogging community) we have a great opportunity together the Western Union representative and I will help to “really push for further engagement with the blogger community.”

I’m very curious of your thoughts of this generous campaign, so please kindly share your comments below!

Western Union Ramadan Campaign – Win up to $1000 each day Aug 1-30, 2011! is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

In many parts of the country, back to school shopping season has begun!  There are already ads being mailed, coupons being clipped and new clothes being tested out for the new year.  Many parents dread this time because it is associated with a financial strain.  School supplies, clothes, gym shoes, school fees you name it – totals add up quick. This should be a time of excitement for you and your kids not stressful! [Ponn: As homeschoolers, we actually see the Back to School Sales as a time to stock up on much needed supplies as well.]

Back to School Frugal Shopping Tips

• Know what your budget is. It is important for you to know how much you have to work with before getting started.

• Gather your kids supply lists from school. If you have not gotten the list directly from the school, many retailers carry local school supply lists or the lists are available on the schools’ website. If you home-school make a list of supplies for both you and the children that you know you’ll need during the year.

• Make a larger list of needs including; school supplies, clothing, outerwear, shoes, lunch items (food and containers).  School supplies will be at their cheapest before school starts so think about things you could use around the house too – extra pens, notepads, tape, construction paper etc.  Include everything you know you will need for at least ½ the school year.

• Go through the items you already have including clothing and;

• Cross off everything on your list that you do have. Set it aside somewhere that you will remember.  Plastic totes are a great tool for organizing especially if you have multiple children.  As you get more items from your list, put them in the tote until you need them.

Still have items you need? (If you’re like me you will.)  If you don’t already

• Follow deal sites like Groupon, LivingSocial, Moolala, Plum District for deals on things that you need, for example there was a recent Groupon that was $20 for a $40 gift certificate to www.shoefly.com and a $20 for $40 at 77kids.  Watch for local and nationwide deals as often times purchases with the gift certificates can be redeemed online.

• Follow a handful (or more) of coupon sites for deals.  This is easy to do in your Facebook feed or Reading tool such as Google Reader. It takes some of the work out of searching for deals and lets you reap the benefits.  There are bloggers who only find and write about deals, they are real professionals!  Some of my favorites are; Coupon Pro Blog, A Few Short Cuts, Coupon Divas, and Living Rich With Coupons.

• Look at resale stores like Big Lots for containers and lunch snacks and browse second-hand stores for clothing.  Many, many times I have found items at second-hand stores that still have tags on them and were never worn.

• Watch for sales. This might be fairly obvious but most stores do have very good deals on school supplies in the back to school season.  Couple that great deal with a coupon and you’ve got a score!  I try and keep a running tally year-round especially of clothes for my kids.  In the fall I stock up on clearance priced t-shirts and shorts for next spring and summer and vice versa.  Jackets, snowpants and boots are cheap in May and June.

Some additional tips from seasoned back-to-school moms on Twitter;

• @nerdmom: Watch the weekly deals for Office Max & Office Depot.  Stock up on 1 cent and 10 cent items..  Don’t do all of your shopping at once.
• @FabShoppingMom: Watch for your state, city, counties sales tax free shopping day(s) to save a little extra money!
• @AnalystQueen: Have a “pre-back to school potluck” with other parents tp swap tips, coupons, share deals and new teachers stories. (I really love this idea!)

Amanda shared some awesome tips and we’d love to know what some of your favorite tips are for saving money getting your kids ready for back-to-school–or not-back-to-school for us homeschoolers. Kindly share those tips below.

photo credit: stevendepolo

Back to School on a Shoestring Budget is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Not all prepaid debit cards are built alike just as bank cards or traditional checking accounts. Many credit cards have highest finance charges should you decide to carry a balance. If your balance accumulates and isn’t paid off after several months, the interest accumulated might make any prepaid card fees look like pocket change. With the ongoing battle over legislating the charges associated with traditional bank accounts and credit cards, look for the banks to start charging fees in ways you can’t even imagine. There will be many changes to the laws pertaining to the finance industry this year and there are good sources out there to keep abreast of developments if you are interested in that sort of thing.

In this day and age, fees charged are typically at the forefront of most consumers’ minds when purchasing any product. Nobody wants to be hit blindly with fees they think are unjust or don’t provide the value they expect. With that said, it is important for you as a cardholder to determine what the main purpose for your prepaid card will be.

Here are some good questions to ask yourself:

• If I am going to use this card mainly for purchases, where will I use it? Online shopping? Retail merchants? Restaurants? Gas stations? Vacations and travel?
• Am I going to use an online Bill Payment program to pay rent, utilities or other vendors?
• Do I need a Text Alert or Email Alert system to notify me of purchases or balances available?
• Should I get a prepaid card for my teenager or college student?
• Should my prepaid card be able to easily transfer money to another family member’s card?
• Do I want to have a good online money management tool?
• Do I like accumulating rewards points to shop for goods online?
• How will I load the prepaid card? Cash? Another Bank Account? PayPal? Wire? Direct Deposit?
• Do I need to get cash frequently?
• How much will I use an ATM to withdrawal funds?
• Do I need special features like prescription discounts or merchandise discounts?
• Do I have family in another country that could benefit from a card-to-card money transfer?

These are some of the main questions you should ask yourself before choosing a prepaid debit card.

As you will find out, some prepaid cards

• have extremely low fees,
• a few have a rewards program,
• others have financial management tools,
• a handful offer savings accounts [Ponn: Please note we do not use anything that is interest-bearing, nor recommend it's usage in Islam],
• some offer the ability to transfer money easily and there are even those geared toward the purchasing activities of a teenager.

Determining what is most important in using a prepaid card is key to which card is the best for you. Fortunately, there are websites out there that can help you along on the path to choosing the correct card. Take some time. Do the research. It will definitely be worth it in the end.

Tracy Jones is a content contributor for GetDebit.com, which provides information about prepaid products, including the Univision MasterCard prepaid debit card.

photo credit: natloans

Features vs. Fees: What do You Want in a Prepaid Debit Card? is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Muslim and Non-Muslim women often approach me with questions about how to get started as a freelance writer. As with any small business (because selling your writing in exchange for pay is essentially a business), there is a lot of hard work involved; there’s no standard, easy-to-follow blueprint for success. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you’ll get the desired results.

After eight years working in the corporate world, It I wanted to find a way to be at home for my four small children and still earn an income. Freelance writing was the answer for me.

There are so many paying markets available for freelance writers. Here are four markets to consider:

Print publications

There are hundreds of newspapers and magazines in search of freelance talent to help them provide their subscribers with the latest information in a particular niche or industry. You can freelance for consumer magazines like Parent Magazine, Brides Magazine or Family Circle. You can also become a paid contributor to a wide variety of trade publications representing popular industries such as the medical field, mobile apps or web development.

The first step is researching the markets to find publications that are open to hiring freelancers. I recommend getting a copy of Writer’s Market or subscribing to the online version of Writer’s Market. You’ll have access to important information including pay per word, how and who to send queries to, rights, response time and other important writer guidelines. Always follow the directions provided in a publication’s writer’s guidelines carefully. It shows the editor that you’ll be capable of also following directions if you are awarded an assignment. If you’re interested in a publication not listed in Writer’s Market, search for the publication’s writer’s guidelines online. Amel Abdulla has an award winning blog dedicated to providing information about paying markets for Muslim writers that you should also check out.

Next, you’ll need to study the market. The best way to do this is to get at least two copies of the publication you’re interested in writing for and evaluate it carefully. Pay attention to the writing style and tone of the publication (E.g. Is the overall tone casual and conversational, academic or formal?). Analyzing publications will also give you a better idea of the types of story ideas they are looking for so that you’re not pitching blindly.

Once you have an article idea and contact information, it’s time to write your query letter. The basic elements of a successful query letter should include:

• Salutation
• The hook
• A synopsis
• An offer
• Your qualifications
• A call to action

Here is an example of a well written magazine query letter. I also recommend purchasing the guide Make a Real Living as a Freelancer, by Jenna Glatzer. She goes into great detail detail about what it takes to craft a winning query letter.

Finally, you’re ready to send your query letter. For years the standard method of submitting queries for consideration has been via snail mail with a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) included. However these days many writers (including myself) submit queries by email. There are still editors who prefer receiving queries by mail, so it’s best to check the writer’s guidelines to find out an editor’s preferred method of receiving queries.

Writing for the web

I’m eternally grateful for the Internet because it has afforded me a way to earn a living while being at home for my four very busy children. Another nice thing it’s done is open up even more opportunities for freelancers. You can earn money writing for e-zines, blogs or private clients in search of writers to create web content and other marketing material.

One benefit of freelancing on the web is that you typically get paid faster than writing for print publications. Again I recommend Writer’s Market to help freelancers locate some paying markets, but you may have to do some research on your own as well. There are also a number of job boards that regularly list paying leads. A few include:

Freelance Writing Jobs

Problogger

Media Bistro

I know that Craigs List has a less than desirable reputation, but don’t discount it. I found my first web writing client there and he provided me with enough steady work for the next three years that I was able to maintain our household on my income alone when my husband was forced to close his business. Sometimes you’ll find gems amongst all the junk that’s published. You can also contact companies directly to find out if they need a writer. Many companies have downsized by eliminating their creative departments during the recession, so more and more companies are relying on freelancers to manage their creative projects.

Resume writing

I “fell” into resume writing when another writer kindly contacted me by email to ask if I’d be interested in freelancing for a Canadian resume writing and career consulting firm she had worked with for several years as a steady source of side income. At first it was awkward learning the firm’s guidelines, but before long I found that I really liked it. It’s been a nice steady source of income in addition to the web writing/content consultation projects and magazine articles I write. In fact, I recently decided to obtain certification through the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches by paying the designated fee and taking the required exam for which I am anxiously awaiting the results.

The demand for resume writing services is at an all time high.  It takes a lot more than it used to to gain steady employment these days, and people are willing to do what they need to in order to stand out from other job applicants – including pay for professional resume writing services. More good news about freelancing as a resume writer: you don’t necessarily need certification. There are some local firms and online services  willing to train writers to work for them.

If you think you’d like to try working as a freelance resume writer, contact a few services in your area to find out if they utilize freelancers and whether or not they are willing to train writers without certification. You could also provide resume writing services on your own, without a middle man. All you need to get started is a simple website, a Pay Pal account and samples to show to prospective clients. I recommend the Gregg Reference Manual and Resume Magic and Cover Letter Magic, both written by Susan Britton Whitcomb as valuable resource material as well as the

These are only three of many more paying markets out there for freelance writers. I look forward to sharing more information about how to get a freelance writing career started. Please share your questions, concerns, issues, problems with this profession below.

photo credit: this lyre lark

3 Money Making Markets for Freelance Writers is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

This is an exciting time of the year. Ramadan is quickly approaching. Can you believe it will be here in mere weeks? This will be only my second attempt at fasting this most holy month. I want it to be able to be a spiritual time of growth for me. During the month of Ramadan I want to be able to concentrate on what is important. So how can all of us get ready now for what could be a time of rich spiritual enrichment?
Ramadan has been on my mind for weeks already. Can you believe that? Maybe it is because I am a new revert so I have that natural excitement. So what am I doing to be prepared so it can be a simple frugal Ramadan, and one of drawing close to Allah.

I am a planner, and organizer and with both Ramadan and then Eid I want to be prepared so this is what I have done and what I will be doing.

2 Months before Ramadan and Eid:

• Set your budget. Are you going to be hosting company? preparing Ramadan or Eid gifts for family or neighbors? Do you or your children need new clothes? books? prayer mats? Plan what you will spend that way you are not stressing later. I have set my budget for Ramadan and Eid.
• Start any craft projects. Will you make cards or gifts that you will be giving? I am a crafter and I love to make homemade projects. Since I have not found Ramadan or Eid cards here in Toronto I will be making these. I am thankful I like to stamp and create, and everyone loves receiving a homemade card right?
• Begin shopping if you haven’t already. I have always had in my linen closet a box. I shop all year long. When I find a great deal the gift item goes in the box ready for giving at a later time.

1 Month before Ramadan:

• Plan your Ramadan menu. What will your be eating? Will you be hosting an iftar? Will you be attending any potlucks? Do you have any traditional foods you will be making? This is the time to be thinking about food. Check out recipe sites, maybe even have a recipe exchange with friends.
• Finish any craft projects. You don’t want to leave these to the last minute.
• Stock up on your staples. Make sure you can minimize your shopping during ramadan. When I am stockpiling my staples I try and shop with my flyers and use coupons or codes as often as I can so I can save.
• Plan your charity. If your family includes teens like mine does look for chances to serve as a family. Sometimes the gift of time is one of the very best things we can give.

2 Weeks before Ramadan:

• Start any food prep that can be done. This means in my house it is time to start baking. I will also make a few meals that can be tossed into the freezer for use as needed during the month. I have already plotted one Sunday before Ramadan simply for cooking and baking.
• Wrap any presents, mail any cards that need to go now.
• Think about your what this Ramadan will be about for you? Are you a revert like me who will be trying to memorize more of the Quran? Is there a book you are planning on reading? Will you be listening to certain tapes or lectures? This is the time to make sure those things are ready.
• Do you know what you will be wearing for Eid? Do you have your Eid outfit picked out, bought, or have you figured what from your wardrobe works?
• Have your children make your Ramadan decorations.

The Last Week before Ramadan:

• For me one of the things that helped me was cutting my caffeine and soda intake the week before last year. That way my body was used to not having these stimulants. This year my daughter and I made a deal and I am off Soda till Eid.
• Finish up anything you have not already done.
• Clean the house. With Ramadan visitors are coming and going, you want your house ready for company.
• Visit the butcher. What I do once a month I go to my favorite halal butcher and get my meat for the month. I will be doing that ahead of Ramadan as well.
• Later that week I will have my daughter decorate for Ramadan.

Finally Ramadan will be upon us, it will be time to turn our hearts and minds to the things that matter most and by doing the prep work we will be ready. So now it is time to breathe and take it all in and focus on what matters most.

Preparing for a Simple Ramadan is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Once an unappreciated lot, online freelance writers are quickly becoming an essential commodity for many businesses. As the online requirement increases for intelligent articles and other written matter, the demand for competent writers can only continue to grow.

I’ve been asked quite a bit lately how I started freelance writing. Since I freelanced back in 2004 when I first ventured online and the Internet changes nearly every day, I conducted some research to share with you present opportunities for you to start your online freelance writing business today. Please note: I have not freelanced in many years, but I’ve listed sites my colleagues write for regularly, and others I found popular and interesting to share. Please share your successes with any of these sites below.

There are three primary types of freelance writing for profit sites.

Traditional Bid-for-Job Sites

The traditional bid-for-job sites allow businesses to announce job offers and then invite freelancers to bid on those jobs. The benefits of such sites include a tendency toward higher pay for the more experienced freelancers.

Benefits and drawbacks:
The drawbacks involve greater competition for the better jobs. This pits those with less experience against each other in bidding wars that force down job earnings. The earning potential therefore varies greatly according to experience. To participate, a writer simply signs up and joins the battle.

Examples of Bid-for-Job sites

- UrbanInterns.com
- elance.com

Article Request sites

A variation on this theme is the article request site where clients offer specific sums for articles on various topics. Writers are predetermined to have a specific level of skill, for which they receive a specified sum. Writers may choose to write articles from the listed offers.

Benefits and drawbacks
Potential earnings tend to be lower but more stable and reliable. There isn’t the necessary haggling present on Elance-type sites. The Textbroker-type of company tends to have a greater quality control over the treatment of their writers. Writers also are given more specific instructions by clients on what must be achieved in the articles.

Not all writers will be accepted by these companies, as they require a minimum level of skill. This skill level varies from competent to professional, with higher pay for stronger skills. An initial writing assignment is given.

Examples of Article Request sites

- TextBroker.com
- DemandStudio.com

Pay-Per-View Keyword-Optimized “Content Farm” sites

A third type is the pay-per-view, keyword-optimized “content farm” site. Traditionally, these sites allow writers to post articles on various topics and earn according to the number of readers the articles attract. Readers are drawn from search engines in accordance with keyword optimization in the articles themselves. Writers are either paid directly by the company or via Google Adsense. An Adsense account is required. Some sites require writers to read and rate others’ work in order to promote their own. Articles listed may be exclusive or non-exclusive.
Benefits and drawbacks
There’s a greater range of creative freedom for writers at such sites, but a much lower potential for earnings. This has caused many writers to keyword-stuff articles, often sacrificing content quality in an effort to gain traffic to their articles. This led to the Google so-called “Panda” update that gave a lower link relevancy to many such content farm sites. Many such sites are rapidly transforming into hybrid sites, combining aspects of some or all of the three site types.

Examples of Pay-Per-View Keyword-Optimized sites

- Helium.com
- Logbud.com
- Triond.com

Associated Content – Yahoo Contributor Network

One such site that already includes all three site models is associatedcontent.com, now Yahoo Contributor Network. AC offers payment for assignments, payment for approved articles written and submitted by writers, and pay-per-view earnings of listed articles. Articles listed may be exclusive or non-exclusive.

Benefits and drawbacks
Since Associated Content’s acquisition by Yahoo, the changes have been many and rapid. Earnings tend to be mercurial. The threshold for writer participation is fairly low, with even very new writers allowed to publish. This may change, however, as competition grows. Earnings tend to be lower here than at set-offer type sites like Textbroker. Helium is adapting the AC model as their own.

With all the mutations ongoing in the world of freelance writing, it can be said the only constant is change.

Curious of your experience with these sites, please share below. Do you have favorite sites? Are you interested in becoming an online freelance writer?

How to Become an Online Freelance Writer Today is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Mubarak and Congratulations to all the sisters who made this list. MashaAllah, God has willed, our highly-skilled and patient intern Habeeba, took my directions, scattered notes of various Fan Pages and exploded this task by making a Top 100 list.

Criteria for Ranking

I have never been an advocate for popularity contests, so to list based on number of fans was not my intention as I started compiling this list. I intended to rank all Fan Pages based on PeerIndex because this score the Amount of Influence one has on various social media outlets, such as Facebook. By ranking based on Influence, we would base this list on the quality of interactions made via social media, rather than quantity. Unfortunately, many site owners are not registered in PeerIndex, therefore do not have a score at all.

So, after discussing this issue with other social media experts, I felt comfortable knowing that we’re not ranking on “popularity” per se, but by ranking on the number of Fans demonstrates they have a loyal and fast-growing fan-base. We made sure that Fan pages had active wall posts each week.

To prevent loyal followers who make ranking criteria (as in the Top 50 Muslim Mom Blog List), we asked for recommendations on our facebook fan page. All data was current and up to date as of last week.

Recommended Next Steps

InshaAllah, God willing, this list will encourage all fan page owners to register with PeerIndex, and next year, inshaAllah, we can rank on quantity versus quality. Available rankings are shown in our spreadsheet.

• Proudly share your accomplishment for making this list by posting this button (linked to this post) on your blog or website. We listed all the websites/blogs in the spreadsheet.
  

  Please save the image on your own server & link back to this post, if you are to publish online. Jazaka Allahu Khayrun.

• Comment below with updated information, or recommended Facebook Fan Pages who deserve to be considered next year.
• “Like” each other’s Fan Pages so we can share our voices in this powerful social media network. All direct urls are listed, like American Muslim Mom and Kid Bloggers Club’s Facebook Fan Pages.
• Stay posted via RSS because we’ll be sharing other annual lists and additional ways we can best leverage our voices on social media for the betterment of our ummah (community) in the effort to please our Creator, inshaAllah Ta’ala.
• Comment below of other suggestions or ideas to help in these causes.

May Allah accept our humble actions are ibadah (acts of worship), accept our words as sadaqah jariyah (continuous charity), and bless our relations that we may seek His greatest reward of the akhira (Hereafter). Ameen.

Want a Customized Facebook Fan Welcome Page & Banner?

My incredibly talented designers/developers and I are hosting a

Facebook Fan Welcome Page and Banner Designed by Ummah Design – Review & Giveaway

But it ends tomorrow, Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

Worldwide Entries acceptable…probably one of very few ever. Subhanallah, Praise be to Allah, I actually totally forgot about this contest and the timing was all in Allah’s hands. So, if you’re ready to spruce up your Facebook Fan Page, here’s your opportunity!

Top 100 Muslim Women Facebook Fan Pages for 2011

As always, please share your kind thoughts and comments below.

Top 100 Muslim Women Facebook Fan Pages is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Sample Cover: CardsDirect Custom Full Color Postcard. Business logo.

While I clearly don’t get to often enough, I’ve always loved photo cards. And, who doesn’t just adore any baby announcements that arrives in your mailbox, let alone a personalized photo baby announcements? CardsDirect is one such website, that provides this adorable options to have any parent send hours searching for just the right style, color, theme and content to share their new bundle of joy with loved ones.

CardsDirect Personalized Business Post Card

Alhumdulilah, Praise be to God, since my youngest recently turned 8 years old, I had a blast making a Custom Full Color Postcard. Now, you can upload any image you want, so it doesn’t have to be a business post card, but I’ve always wanted my adorable logo and tagline to make the cover of a postcard.

I actually prefer postcards over notecards, because they’re quick, easy and fun way to write a note of thanks, greetings, etc.

A postcard also serves many publicity services for you beyond a notecard that’s tucked nicely inside an envelope for only your recipient to see.

Do you know how many people handle one single mail item? Well, I don’t either…but, it’s more than 2, at least the mail carrier who’s picking it up and the mail carrier delivering it. And, we know for sure it goes into the multiple mail stations.

Granted, I’m not counting on the postal service workers to fancy my postcard, or anyone elses, but a postcard will sit sometime on one’s table, maybe be cute enough to make a refrigerator door–even better, informative enough to be willingfully shared with family and friends…hey, personalized and unique enough to cause the reciepient (and others) to answer your call to action…as long as you have one!

Oh no! I just forgot to add my typical Call to Action, “to download my FREE ebook “Balancing Life as a Muslim Mom”…however, I purposefully choose to add our full Muslim greeting in a cool font; and to me this was very important enough.

Sample Back. CardsDirect Custom Full Color Postcard. Text in Back different font.

What do you think? I’d love your feedback. Do you like it? What would you add to yours?

Disclosure: Products were provided free of charge for our honest review. We were not influenced in anyway to share only positive remarks. After all, lying is haram (prohibited). You’re welcome to read American Muslim Mom’s disclosure policy and contest disclosure.

CardsDirect – Review Custom Full Color Business Postcard is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

A quick must-read, must-act-upon post: Sign-up today to Broadcast Bloggers before they go public on June 1st! It is a new brand and blogger network which connects businesses and bloggers together for paid opportunities. My partner and I have conducted much research, from personal calls, emails and chats to the owner, calling mom bloggers already listed as ambassadors who we know personally, and reading through detailed legal documents plus checking out the “inside” to back-up all the claims that are made that this is the best of the best bloggers and brands have yet to experience. The outside design of the site, and inside development is highly technical and professional. Being nearly 2-months behind launching my own ecommerce site, I know the monetary and time investment made in launching such detailed site and they have all this even before their public launch; which is very impressive!

So, with that both my partner and I invested in becoming Affiliates (the first paid affiliate program both of us have ever agreed to); but we are both that confident that there’s much to be gained in signing up NOW before the herds come in. Also, within hours of our initial phone call, they doubled the number of bloggers who signed up and doubled the amount of jobs yet to be posted for our consideration! Their server also experienced some hiccups due to the unanticipated traffic load.

Broadcast Blogger Benefits

• I trust them. Experienced respected bloggers , my partner and I personally trust them and stand by them. I’ve asked detailed questions to satisfy me thus far. If you have questions, please ask below and I WILL get them answered!
• Montenization Educational Aspect to Members. Learn how to monetize your blog with weekly recurring Wednesday Webinars. I’m registered for their debut webinar, seats are limited so register today!
• High-paying blogger gigs. Broadcast Bloggers claim an average of $62 per blog post with some over $300.
• Payment Upon Job Completion. Once you submit your blogpost and it is verified, you are paid!
• It’s FREE to sign-up! So, try it now! Then, consider later if you get one-job a month, it’ll pay for the $40 monthly fee with cash to spare!
• This is residual income as a two-tier affiliate program for referring bloggers AND brands. I have yet to hear this, and something my partner and I have talked in great detail the past 2-months *should* be made available to all blogger networks.

How Bloggers Can Sign Up

• Bloggers sign-up for free here.
• Want to be affiliate right now? Sign-up here. I recommend this option, because you can start referring bloggers and brand even before the launch and gain financially as well!

Why I’m sending Brands & Businesses to Broadcast Bloggers

The truth is, I love writing and blogging and mashaAllah, God willed, I’m good at it. I actually make a living off of it. But, freelancing, contract work and consultation, really doesn’t work well with my lifestyle (time mostly) and because I care SO much (mashaAllah) I always go over-board with time and offer SO much more than I should so it never pans out as an cost-effective use of my time. Honestly, I’m totally MUCH more into my gormet cooking and homeschooling my girls without the laptop or smartphone by my side.

Having to develop a customized blogger campaign, find, babysit monitor, kindly make reminders, follow-up, answer & cater to bloggers and then deal with perceived late payment (because we share designated time) for past campaigns was is SO draining! My health cannot afford the time and my paypal account wasn’t filled high enough to make it worthwhile.

And, while I absolutely adore podcasting and sticking with it because of the incredible publicity and notoriety is has given the American Muslim Mom brand, scheduling recordings, dealing with edits, sticking to a regular schedule (which I made up) also doesn’t fit well with my lifestyle. We live a very natural, unscheduled, life!

Seeing the back-end and knowing how the owner and her staff will create jobs with the Brand/Businesses, knowing HOW they’re going to pay the bloggers, and seeing the software to back them up to streamline this process is exactly what I envisioned necessary to better manage and marry Brands and Bloggers.

Well, that’s only the beginning of why I believe in this program so much. So, I’m even going to refer most all my contracted work to them to manage!

Brand or Business and want blogger publicity? Sign-up here.

Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Inhibitions? Please comment below.

Pending Questions/Recommendations for Broadcast Bloggers

Great questions so far from me or others, that I’m leaving here for safe keeping, better record-keeping for myself (I told you my blog is my virtual database…much better organized that my emailbox, I assure you).

• What are rebroasting jobs? How do you actually post these? I assume “follow the directions” but they are confusing too, sorry. If you don’t get the paid job, you can tweet, facebook or blog about someone else’s blog job for a chance to win “bling” cash or other products.
• Why can’t we click “all jobs” in the job board? Or, are there no jobs at all right now? I know they’re working with companies to get 100s of jobs posted for June 1st launch, maybe they’re waiting for then? They have multiple account managers working on adding jobs now.
• What does it mean sign-ups are “unconfirmed”? Did they not get their double-optin email confirmation yet, is that why?  BB had over 1000 new accounts in less than 24 hours and our server blocked all the auto responder emails that were being sent out to confirm a new account.  We have since upgraded servers and this problem has been resolved.
• Do we need to get our paid job posts rebroadcasted? BB has a rebroadcast page for bloggers to go to and read all Blog Job posts. We encourage all BB bloggers to choose a post and then copy and paste the link onto their site. With the link write a small endorsement. For every form of social media you choose to use, copy and paste this link into your virtual office an you will receive an entry for the fun BLING.  BLING (incentives) are given away weekly.  Every businesses/brand who hires BB Bloggers are encouraged to offer amazing BLING to rebroadcast these posts.  Each business can participate up to 4-weeks per job as long as they offer a new BLING to give away each week.   Rebroadcasting helps to increase the SEO and hopefully the readership and followers of each writing blogger.  This also helps to drive traffic to our businesses/brand’s landing page.
  
• Affiliate payment is 2-tier at $14 1st-tier and $4 for 2nd-tier. Why aren’t they logging in real-time? The Affiliate program is 2-tier and is paid in real time.  It is month to month.
  
• Why not make affiliate membership free for initial month? BB offers a free blogging account.  You can become blog and still get paid.  This allows you to use the money you earn blogging to upgrade to an Affiliate if you desire.  An Affiliate is part of our Bloggers Agency and has more job opportunities other than just blogging. These opportunities are: Social Media monthly management for companies, Setting up the Social Media and Design, Creative Strategies (working with businesses and brands on their campaigns) business/brand ownership (you refer a business or brand and you own these accounts for life and are paid 10% on the gross advertising revenue for life)
  
• New: I’m trying to figure out the Rebroadcast thing – it says you rebroadcast for a chance to win, but the way it is set-up in the opportunity, it implies you get paid for it? I’m kind of confused about it all. Can you share any additional info/tips? It did appear like this on the site and was confusing, thank you for pointing this out to us.  We have since had our programmer make this change.  If there is anything else on BB’s site please feel free to contact support@broadcastbloggers.com.  We appreciate all feedback.  If you also need to speak to someone LIVE, please contact support at 801-310-3464.  Please leave a message if you don’t speak with someone right away and we will return your call promptly.
• New: When Rebroadcasting, we need to put the designated script at the bottom of our post, right? It says it’ll propagate our affiliate link, but it’s defaulting sponsorid=1. I tried working around the code and it’s not defaulting the affiliate link. How can we fix this? We have tested this and it appears to be working.  If it is not working for you please email support@broadcastbloggers.com or call 801-310-3464.
• New: I joined a few days ago and have been trying to figure it out as well-really confusing until I read the FAQ’s on Rebroadcasting over and over! We apologize.  We are working hard on simplifying and ask that you please contact us if something does not make sense or is not easy to understand. We truly appreciate your patience in working with us.
  Do you just do a snippet post and then tweet or facebook about it and submit your ‘rebroadcast’?
  Thank you for sharing!! Yes, you make a snippet post linking to one of the blogposts within the particular rebroadcast, so you’re “rebroadcasting” another blogger’s post and giving the original blogpost more publicity. Then, you’re URL goes into the space saying you posted. I know people are Facebooking and Tweeting the original blogposts and putting those links as rebroadcasts too, and putting those links in there, but I don’t know for sure if we/they are doing that correctly.
• New: It shows I have an affiliate, but didn’t get paid. However, I just noticed it says her status is “Inactive”. Please explain. This means that the individual signed up to be an Affiliate but did not add her information to pay the monthly training fee. The $40 is for training materials and updated information.  We will also have more advanced training for a small fee and FREE training for our free blogging accounts on our weekly webinars.
• New: Once we post a job it becomes public and I can’t edit. Please make this an option! You should edit your post.  We will even make suggestions or recommendations to posts that we feel also need editing.
  
• New: I just got a job, and it said I had to do a review under “Bling” and get paid. Which comes first? Post? The, review? Also, there was no easy way to give my address for the review product. Ahhhh, there is two definition of REVIEW.  If you are reviewing product and waiting for it to arrive to you so that you can write your article, please make a post on your blog that you are looking forward to review this “product/brand” and then submit to us the link on your bloggers center for our approval. This will conform with the 72 hour policy of writing your article “within 72 hours of accepting a job.”  Once you receive the product you will then write your article, post it to your blog and then copy and paste the new article link into the blogging center for our REVIEW.  We REVIEW it to make sure the information is correct.  In some cases businesses and brands want to REVIEW the post also.  If there needs to be editing done on your post we will notify you.
• New: There should be priority job postings given to paid affiliates, such as 24-hour notice, before posting live to the live job board. Maybe even separate Job Board for Affiliate This has been brought up to BB and we agree and are implementing this.
  
• New: How do you track  a “reserved” job to assure that blog as the minimum 200 readers and their stats? We need a way of tracking our smaller blogs and want to help these smaller blogs increase their SEO, their readership and followers.  If you have just a “family blog” and are not looking to increase the following and readership to your blog then BB is not for you.  We are not a good fit.  We are discussing still the best way to help out our small bloggers and will be meeting with our Founding Bloggers to discuss a better way than mentioned above in this question.  We also welcome your suggestions and ideas.  :0)
  

More details

• To get jobs you need at least 200 readers to your blog to qualify for blog jobs. If you don’t qualify start with rebroadcasts. We are still in the process of figuring this out to help our smaller bloggers get more recognition.
• 1 job reserved, finished, and paid at a time.
• Over 900 bloggers have signed up from April 12 – 18th at 2:30pm EDT.
• They’re in start-up mode, so they huge growth is causing some hiccups, so please be patient.
• This is not a social media, virutal bloggers MLM 2-tier program in which you get paid for referred bloggers or businesses/brands.

Broadcast Bloggers – Get Paid to Blog. Join FREE before the Public Launch! is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog