Welcome to the very first episode of Side Hustle Heroes, I am very pleased to have with us today Emma from Bee Money Savvy. She is on a mission and sharing her message helping you to earn more money, get loads of freebies, win competitions and literally save £1000’s in the process.
Emma, in her own words, is a “20-something, recent graduate who is in the process of saving up for a deposit on my first home“
She created the website in 2017 in a bid to help her fellow graduates making smarter choices with their money and maybe bring some extra in via some of the excellent side hustles she talks about on her site.
Although it’s not just side hustles that Emma talks about on her site (more on this in the interview) she is also a very keen competition player! And she wins big time! Competitions can be a great way to get your hands on some free stuff. Usually, the entry requirements are simple like a share or a tweet here and there and you are entered.
Be sure to like our Facebook page Free UK Giveaways for loads of comps and free stuff!
Emma racked up 32 competition wins in 2018 which is an insane amount!
Her top three were:
I must admit, I am extremely jealous of the years supply of pizza!
The Interview
[JOHN] Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you ending up blogging?
Hi, I’m Emma, the one-woman team that created beemoneysavvy.com. Growing up I saw my parents fall into debt following some bad financial advice. Watching my parents trying to provide for their family while living from pay cheque to pay cheque made me very money-conscious. When I started working I promised myself that I would help my parents get out of debt, so I looked for smart ways to save and earn extra money.
After graduating (in 2017), I applied for a job that I really wanted and got offered it on a job-share basis. I decided to take the job but wanted something to fill the hours outside of that job, which is when I decided to create Bee Money Savvy! I bought the domain beemoneysavvy.com last year and now I want to help more people achieve their own version of financial freedom!
[JOHN] You mention several smart side hustles on your blog that you do. What hustles are you active in at the moment?
Of all the side hustles I have (there’s quite a few!), working from home as a Search Engine/Social Media Evaluator is my favourite side hustle! I work on various different projects (as an independent contractor) rating the social media ads and search engine results you see online. I do this for around 27 hours a week now, while the work itself isn’t the most exciting, I love being able to choose the hours I work and earn an extra income from the comfort of my own home.
On top of this, I also do surveys, take part in market research, do the odd bit of selling, work with several newspapers as a financial commentator, and do some freelance writing (when I can find the time).
Bonus side hustle: The Levi Jean Hustle – £200 Per Month
[JOHN] Wow! Quite an extensive list, how do you find the freelance writing?
Alongside all the other side hustles I do, I don’t have much time for freelance writing. But I really do enjoy writing and when I have a bit of free time writing work is my go-to side hustle.
If you want to make a career out of freelancing, you need to value yourself and your work! Practice your skill, build your portfolio, network, and look for great opportunities where your skill is valued (and you’re paid fairly).
[JOHN] Having been a blogger myself for many years I know how important the blogging community is for each other. What are your favourite groups or communities worthy of a shout out??
I really didn’t know what I was doing when I first started blogging and the UK Money Bloggers Facebook group helped me a lot with that. Finding bloggers who specialise in your niche is invaluable as they not only provide lots of blogging tips, but the opportunities advertised within those groups are more likely to be relevant to your blog and readers!
I’m also a member of the Official UK Bloggers and UK Influencers Facebook groups – they both have tons of opportunities for bloggers to find sponsored posts, gifted opportunities, and guest posts so they are definitely worth joining.
[JOHN] Do you have an end goal or a smart objective with your Bee Money Savvy blog? For example, what would be your 5 year goal from now…..?
My 5 year goal would be for the workload and income of my blog to be successful and sustainable enough for me to employ my mum to assist me on my blog full-time. My mum is a real hero and she’s always said how she’d love to work for me or my brother and help us in our business ventures.
[JOHN] Excellent insights here Emma, thank you once again. We always like to end with a super tip from our guests. What would be your number one tip for people looking to be more money savvy?
The first step in becoming financially savvy is to understand your current financial position. Check your bank statements, keep a record of your payslips, make a note of when bills are due to be paid; you should be fully aware of what is going in and out of your account(s)! Gaining an accurate understanding of your financial situation will give you the opportunity to improve it… are there areas where you could cut spending? Do you have the opportunity to increase your income? Are there more productive things you could be doing with your money?
Final Thoughts & Wrap Up
Firstly I would like to thank Emma for doing this and giving us an insight into her business and also giving us some great ideas and actionable tips.
The 5-year goal is spot on and the fact she wants her family to work with her is a fantastic target. It is a real help having your closest on your side when we enter the online arena as it can often be thought of as going against the grain a bit!
For me the key takeaways are:
- Join relevant groups if you are thinking of starting a blog
- Never undervalue yourself or your work when freelancing
- To be as productive as you can with your time and money
You can find money savvy Emma over on her blog here.
She is also active on her Instagram page here: @beemoneysavvy
Head over and check out her site and give her a follow on Instagram.
