I love teaching. I love the relationships I build with my students. I love watching them finally understand something they’ve been struggling with. I love the laughter, the conversations, and those little moments that remind me why I chose this career. And I also want more financial freedom. Both can be true. For a long…
I Started Building Income In My 50’s Without Knowing What I Was Doing
There’s something slightly ironic about being a teacher and being afraid to be a beginner. 😊 Every day, I stand in front of students and ask them to try things they don’t know how to do yet. Read the harder book. Try the math problem. Write the first sentence. Raise your hand even if you…
Teacher Truth: Sometimes The Most Important Part Of Your Day Isn’t On The Lesson Plan
I had all my steps in before 8:15 this morning. 😂 One of our second graders rode his bike to school and was convinced his water bottle had fallen out of his backpack somewhere along the way. And not just any water bottle. The famous green Gatorade bottle with the orange lid. He was worried…
What Building Extra Income After School Actually Looks Like For Me
I wish I could tell you that I come home from teaching every afternoon, pour myself a cup of coffee, open my laptop, and spend two perfectly productive hours working on my online business. I don’t. 😊 Some days I’m tired. Some days there are errands to run, dinner to make, things to do around…
Teacher Truth: You Don’t Have To Do Everything
It’s the first week back at school, and my teacher brain already has a list a mile long. 😊 Things to organize.Things to plan.Things I forgot I needed to do.And about 47 things I suddenly decided would be a great idea. 😂 But here’s something I’m reminding myself this year: I don’t have to do…
I’m A Full-Time Teacher Building Additional Income In The Little Pockets Of Time I Actually Have
Tomorrow, I go back to school. My summer mornings of coffee, writing, working on my website, and building my online business are about to look very different. I’ll be back in my classroom full time—and I’m excited about it. I love teaching. But I’m also not giving up on something else I’ve been building: more…
Teacher Truth: You Can Love Your Job And Still Want More Financial Freedom
I go back to school on Monday. And here’s the truth: I’m excited. I love being a teacher. I love my students, the fresh start of a new school year, and the feeling that what I do every day matters. But I’ve also learned something important: Loving my job doesn’t mean my paycheck has to…
What If Next Summer Could Feel Different?
Why the Best Time to Create More Choices Is During the School Year By Jodi Smith Every August, I have mixed emotions. As a teacher, I genuinely love what I do. I enjoy setting up my classroom, meeting a new group of students, and watching them grow throughout the year. Teaching is more than a…
Teacher Truth: You Don’t Need Another Job. You Need Another Skill.
By Jodi Smith 🍎 Teacher Truth You don’t need another job. You need another skill. When I first started looking for ways to improve our finances, I believed I only had two choices. Work more hours. Or spend less money. And still come up short. As teachers, we’re used to working hard. We tutor after…
5 Ways Teachers Can Create Extra Income Without Working A Second Job
I used to believe that if I wanted to earn more money, I had only two options. Work more hours… Or spend less money. Maybe you’ve felt the same way. As teachers, we’re incredibly good at making the most of what we have. We budget. We plan. We stretch every dollar. But there comes a…