Happy Saturday!
A semi-exciting personal update - I started a passion project that i've been thinking about for awhile.
There's never been a place where I felt comfortable sharing less-focused content. With most things, I put pressure on myself to "provide value" - whatever that means.
Truth is, I struggle with a lot of things. Most of the time, I feel like my own worst enemy when it comes to making progress. So I'm doing something about it.
Enter: Live Different
A public journal. A lifelong documentation of projects that I'm working on, things that I'm struggling with, questions I have, life decisions I'm thinking through - the real side of being self-employed and trying to live a happy life.
You can leave comments, share what you're up to, talk with others, or just read along - whatever you feel comfortable with :)
Read the first post (2 min)
Each week, I'm going to include a quick link over to it and that's it. The Loaf will keep its regularly scheduled programming.
One more thing.
Thanks for being here.
We're doing something special. Here's $20 to Starbucks:
If a custom drawing on the card is an issue, here's the original eCard
This email was sent to 472 other creatives so this week, it's first come first serve.
But if you like free stuff, stick around for a little bit.
Maybe set a recurring reminder for 9:20am CST.
Couldn't hurt.
Creative Business: 13 Legal & Tax Requirements for Starting a Small Business [article]
While it's easier than ever to start a small business, there are a lot of technical requirements that you need to be aware of.
From choosing the right business entity to understanding self-employment tax, this article by Podia breaks down what you need to know.
Even if you've already established a business and been operating for awhile, you might be surprised at how many tax & legal things that we have to stay on top of.
Money: 4 Reasons Freelancers Should Apply for an EIN [article]
Piggy-backing off the article above, I wrote about why every freelancer should apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN). The 4 reasons:
Topic of the week: Is there a credit card you recommend for the most cash back (both personal and business)?
Cash-back cards can be a great tool, but they must be used carefully. Almost every card carries a high interest rate so if you don't pay off the balance every month, you'll most likely end up paying more in interest than whatever cash back you earn.
There are truly unlimited options out there but personally, I use two cards for my personal life and one for business:
Apple Card - personal
Chase Sapphire Preferred - personal
American Express Blue Business® Plus Credit Card
A lot of cards offer 3-7% cash back on very specific categories, like online subscriptions or dining, but chasing these cards to get an extra few percent back isn't worth it in my opinion. One day you'll have a wallet or purse full of cards, payments will probably get missed because there's too many to keep track of, and you'll start to resent the magical "cash back".
I like to stick with one or two well-rounded cards, take advantage of their benefits, and not worry about them. My time and mental energy is better spent trying to earn more money than searching for an extra 2% back on $1,000 of spending. I'd assume that's true for yourself too.
But if you want to dive deeper into credit card hacks, I highly recommend checking out The Points Guy. He compares all the different options, breaks down pros and cons, and frequently updates the site with new cards & reward offers.
Whatever you decide to go with, make sure that you're aware of the annual fee and consider whether or not the cost is worth the potential benefits.
💸 Have a question about money?
Submit it here
🎥 Are creators editing their videos too much?
🍔 Mr Beast opening physical-location Beast Burger on Sep. 4th
🧠 How to turn your knowledge into valuable content
✅ How to use systems to be more creative (via Storythings)
🎥 Watch: The ups and downs of being a professional creator (20 min)
✍🏼 Freelance Finds: How to be mindful of other people's points of view when writing
Keep creating,
Treyton DeVore
