You’ve been checking out Get Lowered Cycles for a new Saddlemen seat. They are quite pricey, but you know they’re well worth it. You start to wonder if you should go back to college to get a higher-paying job so you can afford everything you want.

Fret not, you don’t necessarily need a college degree to make a nice income. Here are 7 high-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree!

Service Industry

The service industry is a great way to make a considerable amount of money without having to have a college degree. While the hourly pay usually isn’t high, you could easily make up for it with tips. Just be sure to find a restaurant that stays busy!

Average Hourly Pay: $15.91 + $100 tips per day

Legal Assistant

If you are looking for administrative work that pays well but haven’t been to college, you should consider looking into being a legal assistant. A legal assistant is similar to a paralegal, but you aren’t required to have a degree or certificate. The legal field pays well, and it’s a great place to work if you want a desk job!

Average Hourly Pay: $19.42 – $27.53

Firefighter

If you’re wanting to be a real-life hero and get paid well for doing so, you should consider being a firefighter. You don’t need a college degree in order to fight fires. Instead, you need physical endurance and desire to help. If this sounds like you, look into what it takes to become a firefighter – it might be the perfect fit for you.

Average Base Salary: $50,736

Artist

Artists get a bad reputation. While it’s true that it’s hard to get paid well to be an artist, that doesn’t mean it’s the case for everyone. If you believe that you have true talent, you should consider being an artist as a career choice. If done right, you could get paid incredibly well. Perhaps try it as a part-time hobby until you start building a name for yourself.

Average Hourly Pay: $18.79 – $40.45

Social Media Specialist

One of the best high-paying jobs without a degree is a social media specialist. This profession is on the rise as social media has taken over the world of marketing. If you find yourself enjoying TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter – a social media specialist might be the perfect job for you.

Average Hourly Pay: $18.88 – $31.22

Flight Attendant

Do you love to travel the world? If so, you might consider being a flight attendant. Flight attendants get paid to visit exotic places across the globe. What’s better? They get paid to do so and it doesn’t require a college degree. This is the career choice for you if you don’t have a family yet and want to explore the wonders of the world around you.

Average Base Salary: $25,875 – $43,853

Sales Representative

If you’re a people person, a sales representative would be the perfect fit for you. Sales representatives work in a variety of different business niches. As long as you do well with communicating with others, you should consider a sales representative as a career path. There’s also a lot of potential for growth in this field!

Average Base Salary: $72,488

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

The post 7 High-Paying Jobs That Don’t Require a College Degree appeared first on Enemy of Debt.

Tax season is upon us all, not just for us adults, but also for our children with part-time jobs. I was reminded of this fact when I opened the mailbox and found my son’s W-2. He wants to get his taxes done as soon as possible as he knows he will likely get a refund. I could just sit down and quickly pound out his taxes, but I want him to be involved in the process. There are several reasons kids should be involved in the process of filing their taxes.

Understand Amount of Taxes Paid

Teenagers typically looks only at the numbers on a paycheck that represent how much money they get. Not much time is spent looking at how much the government takes in taxes. This is a great opportunity for students with a part-time job to see just how much they had paid in taxes during the previous year.

Understand Types Of Taxes

While entering information into a tax form from the W-2, your child may notice there are several different types of taxes. This should start a conversation about the types of taxes such as FICA, Federal Income Tax, State Income Tax, and others.

Tax Bracket Education

As the child’s tax return completes, they will notice they are due a refund. This is a great time to introduce and explain the concept of tax brackets and to explain how people pay a higher percentage as their income increases. This is also a perfect opportunity to show them how to determine which 2022 tax brackets apply to them. They get most or all of their income tax returned because they fall into a low-income tax bracket.

Tax Preparation Baby Steps

Kids with a part-time job typically have only that one W-2, and they only have to fill out the short 1040-EZ form. Being part of filing their taxes introduces them to the concepts and processes. As they get older, their taxes will get more complicated and having some experience now will help them immensely later.

Kids with a part-time job think of tax time as when they get a chunk of money back in the form of a tax refund. But it’s also an opportunity for parents to teach them invaluable financial lessons as to how taxes work, and to learn how to file their own tax return.

How about you, EOD Nation, do you involve your kids in filing their tax return? Or, did your parents involve you in filing your tax return?

The post 4 Reasons Teens Should Fill Out Their Own Tax Return appeared first on Enemy of Debt.

Image Source: Pixabay

As an employer, you are in charge of the financial security of your employees. However, your responsibilities do not end once they leave your service. You need to make sure that you have a good retirement plan in place for your employees to make use of. They will be allowed to draw retirement funds for every firm that they have worked for, and this includes yours.

It does not matter whether they work with you for one month or 30 years, you need to make sure that you have a good retirement savings plan in place for them to use. Here are some of the things that you need to know about retirement savings plans for your employees.

Set up the Infrastructure as You Prepare for Employees

Taking the jump from a business where you are the only worker to one that has even just one employee means that you have to fill in a lot of different forms and make a variety of changes to your business. Once you have done this for one employee, you will be able to replicate it across others, but getting it right in the first place is going to be extremely important.

You could get in serious trouble with the authorities if you do not set up things correctly. From insurance to retirement plans, it all needs to be in place before you hire someone. Make sure that your business is prepared to handle and manage your employees, even if you have not even posted your first job advert yet or even considered how you might onboard them once you have employed them.

Find the Right Retirement Plan for Your Team

One of the most important steps you need to take when setting up for new employees is to decide on the type of retirement plan that you want to offer your team. After all, there are several types of accounts that you could offer. There are even some that allow your team members to bring a retirement plan with them between jobs, so even if they end up working for multiple companies across their career, they will still have one single retirement fund to pull from.

Each of the various retirement plans have their own pros and cons, so it is vital that you do your research to determine which one is right for you. After all, different sizes and types of companies might prefer to have a certain type of retirement plan compared to others even in the same industry. It is important to think about what might be right for your business, so make sure you do your research to track down the right one for you.

You also need to make sure that you have picked the right plan that can benefit you too – after all, you need to think of your retirement! Luckily you can have a retirement account when your self-employed, you just need to ensure that you choose the right sort of account.

Traditional 401(k) vs Roth 401(k)

Two of the most common retirement plans that you might choose from are the Traditional 401(k) and the Roth 401(k). They each have their own advantages when it comes to savings and tax, so it can be wise to think about what can be best for your company.

With the traditional 401(k), any contributions that the employee wishes to make will be deducted from the employee’s gross income – so it is taken before income tax has been deducted. This has its benefits as it means that their taxable income for the year is reduced and no taxes are due on this saved money until it is withdrawn in retirement.

Not all companies offer a Roth 401(k), so you need to make sure that this is going to be a viable option for your company. With this style of plan, contributions are withdrawn from the employee’s pay after taxes have been deducted. This means that no additional taxes are due on the retirement funds when the employee is able to withdraw from their plans.

Your Contributions as an Employer

Much of the beauty of the 401(k) comes from the fact that the majority of the responsibility of it is in the hands of the employees. Though you as the employer will be the one to offer the plan, and will choose the investments for the employees to have with their 401(k)s, most of the management of this plan will be in the hands of the employee.

You do need to make sure that you are contributing to the plan to the defined amount set by the IRS. The maximum amount you can contribute changes every now and then due to inflation, so it is key that you keep an eye on it. One of the most common practices is to match a certain amount with your employee. For example, some might choose to contribute 50 cents for every dollar

If you decide to opt for a traditional pension rather than a 401(k), you as the employer will be responsible for maintaining this fund. Should you opt for this style of pension, it is vital that you are committed to delivering the correct payments each month so your employee has a good retirement fund building up over the years.

Retirement savings plans are incredibly important, and you need to make sure that you as an employer are able to support them. Getting this structure right is vital for the health of your business, and to ensure that you are able to sustain your employees long after they cease to work for you. This is a key part of running a business that cannot be ignored, so the sooner that you can set things up the better. As an employer, you have the responsibility to offer a safe working environment to your employees. This includes all fiscal responsibility, especially when it comes to something as important as a retirement fund – so make sure you find the right structure for your employees.

The post Retirement Savings Plans for Your Employees: An Introduction appeared first on Enemy of Debt.

I still remember the shock of realizing how much debt we had – after all, it is not every day you hear you are in $160,000 of consumer debt. How is so much debt to be paid off?

(I am not big on suspense, so I’d tell you: we paid off $160,000 of consumer debt in three years, and we have lived debt-free since February 2013.)

But let me get back to when I found out we are in so much debt.

At first, I went numb. Later, I got angry.

I was furious with my husband, with myself, and with the world. In fact, I was so cross that I couldn’t settle down even to reading a novel. So, I paced like a caged wild animal, and when I got tired of pacing, I went for very long runs.

So, I truly get it! You have just worked out how deep is your money trouble, and you are angry, twitchy, and uncertain where to start.

Then, you read some, and you figure you must slash your spending.

You think that this is how to deal and cope with your debt crisis – you will cut your spending to the bone and commit. There won’t be any more spending than necessary.

Yes, my friend, I get it. It is precisely the way I reasoned as a novice to paying off debt and wealth building. And that is the wrong way to go about it if you are passionately committed to paying off all your debt and living debt-free.

You will be wrong to cut your spending to the bone because this is the way to debt payment failure – within weeks, if you last that long, you would have lost your motivation, and the devil in your mind will be riding you to a spending spree.

Success when paying off debt, I found, depends on continuing to spend on the things that make you feel good and keep you healthy.

Here are seven things you must not give up when in debt and paying it off. If you find that you cannot do some of these, even to a basic level, you must go back to examining other spending and refocus on making more money.

#1. Grooming when you are in debt

It is tempting to neglect grooming and even personal hygiene when you are in debt. After all, haircuts cost money, right?

Dressing up costs money.

Cosmetics cost money.

Yes, you must spend money to look presentable though you must watch how much – it is easy to go overboard.

Still, cutting your hair, wearing soiled t-shirts with holes in them, and your knees falling out of your jeans is not a look that inspires confidence. It also signals depression and a regrettable lack of self-respect.

Paying off debt depends on you valuing yourself and projecting this to employers and creditors alike.

Don’t skimp on grooming when you are in debt.

#2. Keep clean when in money trouble

There is a lot on the internet, mainly within extreme frugality, advocating saving money by not washing your clothes regularly, taking fewer showers, and even not flushing the toilet.

Don’t try these saving tips. Trust me on this one, and just don’t.

#3. Keep healthy when paying off debt

This one is easy to argue:

There is no wealth without health.

Don’t neglect your health when paying off debt: it is an entirely false economy. If you find buying your medicine a stretch, check whether you are entitled to any help and benefits.

Keeping healthy includes looking after your dental health and hygiene.

#4. Keep fit when paying off debt

(Finishing Loch Ness marathon.)

We already know that there is no wealth without health.

Now, it is time to recognize that there is no health without fitness.

And this includes mental health, which is already threatened by financial problems. There is research demonstrating that most exercise is beneficial to mental health. Still, while running and other aerobic exercises work through generating good chemicals in our bodies, martial arts practice works also through meditation and mental discipline. What I’m saying is, paying for a martial arts class may be very good for paying off your debt in the long run.

When we were paying off our debt, I ran marathons and worked towards my black belt in karate. I also worked with a personal trainer – injury is more expensive than working under professional guidance.

#5. Keep some fun in your life when in debt

Photo by Ryan Moreno on Unsplash

I remember cutting all fun out of our lives when we first started paying off our debt. It only made us all exceedingly miserable and didn’t have much effect on our debt payments.

We had to learn to allow ourselves to have fun and budget for it appropriately.

So should you and remember that much fun in life is free.

#6. Insist on quality in all things even when in debt

When out shopping, I am always guided by reminding myself that I am not so rich to afford to buy cheap stuff.

It sounds counter-intuitive, I know. But quality matters in all things.

Quality lasts longer and wears better.

Quality gives you more enjoyment of life. A glass of superb quality wine, for instance, brings joy, while several glasses of plonk give you a hangover.

Choose quality, pay a bit more for it today and watch it pay off in the long run.

#7. Generosity when paying off debt

Being in debt, and paying it off, can make us selfish – who will argue that the most important thing is to focus on the debt payments and becoming debt-free as soon as we can.

Here is the thing: selfishness is not conducive to a happy and fulfilled life in the long run. Generosity is because it makes us feel better without fail. Research demonstrates that helping others, being generous is one of the things that make us happiest.

Be generous even when in debt – keep giving because what goes around comes around.

Final thoughts…

Are you rearing to pay off your debt as soon as possible?

Great! That is how I felt – fired up and striding to our debt freedom.

On the way, remember that there are things that you must keep in your life even when paying off debt.

Because these are the things that keep meaning in our lives and make us human.

What are the things you will keep in your life while paying off debt, EOD Nation? Please share!

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

The post 7 Things Not to Give Up When You Are in Debt (and paying off debt) appeared first on Enemy of Debt.

Are you a loyal and dedicated Enemy of Debt reader?

Thank you for sticking with us. Today I’m writing to let you know about some changes to the team and re-assert our commitment to educating, inspiring, and entertaining you on your debt-busting journey.

Let me introduce myself first. I am Maria, and I have owned Enemy of Debt for seven years now, but while I wrote the occasional post for it, I preferred to stay in the background. Enemy of Debt had been the blogging home of Travis for much longer, and there was no reason to refuse him a free reign. I also own The Money Principle, where I teach people in money trouble how to build sustainable wealth. (Okay, I don’t do ‘here is how to become a millionaire in 3.5 seconds’ kind of stuff, but I do take people from debt to financial health and security, covering money management on the way.)

I also authored and published a book setting out a very different and practical approach to debt that underlines the importance of bringing your feeling, learning, and actions in alignment to pay off debt and, more importantly, avoid the yo-yo trap and stay debt-free. The book is called ‘Never Bet on Red: Pay Off Your Debt Fast and Live Debt Free Forever’ and you can find it on Amazon (it is free to read on Kindle Unlimited). I used my learning, reflections, and experience, paying off $160,000 worth of consumer debt to write the book.

(We also have Suzi the Dog – a lovely Blue Merle Border Collie who makes our lives active and interesting.)

Why the long introduction, you may think? Because I can no longer take the back seat on running Enemy of Debt.

Some of you may have noticed that Travis has not been on since the end of April. It is not an oversight, and there is no mystery – Travis deemed it is time for him to look for new adventures.

Am I sad to see him go? You bet I am. Over the years, Travis contributed valuable insight and inspiration to the readers of Enemy of Debt; he was a valued friend and an esteemed writer. But when it is time, it is time. All that is left is my gratitude and best wishes for the future.

Despite this team change, we at Enemy of Debt pledge to stay committed to the creed of the site – to support you and inspire you on your way to debt freedom.

I will do all possible to ensure the publication schedule is maintained and hope we can rely on your continued support.

Put your seatbelts on, EOD Nation, and get ready for an engaging, helpful and inspiring ride!

The post The Enemy of Debt Team Will Continue Educating, Inspiring, and Entertaining You Despite Some Changes appeared first on Enemy of Debt.

Going on Thursday meant less people, less stress, and what I perceived to be a much easier time sticking to the task at hand, and sticking to the list.  Plus, now I can relax and enjoy my weekend with one less task to do!

Fist pump for grocery shopping early AND my favorite posts of the week!

Posts That Make Me Fist Pump

• How Much Are Aluminum Cans Worth? from Clever Dude
• 12 Hotel Chains With Free Breakfast from Money Crashers
• How Much Should I Have In My 401k? from Life and My Finances
• 3 Reasons Why You Might Want to Consider a Cash-Out Refinance from Everything Finance

The post Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 4/30/21 appeared first on Enemy of Debt.

Let’s try something a little different today, EOD Nation. Instead of a single subject blog post, I’ve got two quick hits for you. Both are personal experiences I’ve had in the last week. Both are good examples that you have to keep your eye on your money at all times.

Free Sample Machine or Marketing Ploy?

“Would you like a free sample?” said the machine at the end of the dairy aisle in Walmart. Each time I passed, it squawked at me. After several passes I noted the product being advertised. I found myself interested in checking it out. The information on the dispenser said I needed to scan the code on the machine with the Walmart ap on my my smart phone. It took awhile to install the ap because the cell phone signal was weak at that point in the store. Then, before I could scan the code with the ap, I needed to sign in. Since I didn’t have an account I would have to create one. At that point I gave up. I decided to just buy the product to try it out.

Walking out of the store, it occurred to me I just did exactly what the product manufacturer had hoped I would do. I wouldn’t have cared if I got home and really liked the product, but I didn’t. I should have gotten the free sample, or just walked away.

One Dinner Out, One Hundred Dinners In

My wife and I went out to dinner with our son and his girlfriend to a restaurant that was on the more expensive side of the cost spectrum. Drinks, dinner, dessert and tip included, the check totaled $200.

I spent the following weekend smoking four briskets and four pork shoulders for our annual Memorial weekend party. I estimated I had made enough servings of meat to serve 100 people. The cost of the meat was also $200.

Quite honestly, the food I made myself on the smoker was better. This will likely stick in my brain for quite some time when we talk about going out to eat.

Two seemingly innocent every day experiences: going out to eat with family and walking through the grocery story. But they illustrate how you have to be mindful of how your spending your money at all times. Otherwise, you might just look back with regret.

How about you, EOD Nation, do you have any personal experiences you’ve had recently that illustrate what happens when you’re not mindful of your spending?

The post Be Mindful Of Your Spending…or Else! appeared first on Enemy of Debt.

Fist pump for smoking meat, fun with friends and my favorite posts of the week!

Posts That Make Me Fist Pump

• Do Fitness and Frugality Go Together? from Beating Broke
• How To Make A Meal Plan For A Month? from The Frugal Farmer
• What Are Costco’s Conditions for Hiring Felons? from Clever Dude
• You Should Consider Not Retiring Anytime Soon from Thousandaire

The post Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 4/23/21 appeared first on Enemy of Debt.

I’m a huge fan of DIY. I’m willing to do things that I’m familiar with, but I’m also more than willing to learn a new skill, when it makes sense. Having my lawn thatched last week reminded me of a post I wrote awhile back listing things I don’t mind paying for. Here’s another four things for which I gladly pull out my wallet.

Garage Door Spring Replacement

Above every garage door is a big spring. The tension of the wound up spring helps lift your garage door. When it wears out, it breaks. When this happens you might be tempted to replace it yourself. Putting it in place is easy, but then you have to wind the spring using a rod. The first few dozen rotations is easy, but it gets harder and more dangerous. If you slip and it unwinds, the bar could become a very dangerous projectile. I speak from experience. Having someone install the spring will cost you a couple hundred dollars including the price of the spring, but it’s worth every penny.

Garage Door Opener Replacement

A few years ago, my main garage door opener broke. I was determined to replace it myself. I worked on it in my free time, and it took me weeks to get it completely right. It would be easy to say it would go faster the next time, but by the time I had to do it again I’d likely forget everything I had learned. I’m not interested in going through that process again.

Appliance Delivery and Installation

First, appliances are big, bulky and heavy. I don’t have a vehicle that can transport most appliances. Once it gets to my home, hooking up a new appliance sometimes involves electrical or plumbing work. I’d rather have a professional do it and make sure it’s right.

Oil Change

I know people who change their own oil. I understand it’s not that hard. But, you get a lot of other things when you pay someone else to do it for you. Many oil change places will not only check your tire pressure and fluids, but also check your lights, wiper blades, the wear on your tire, and the state of your brake pads. They also take care of disposing of your used oil. Paying to have a knowledgeable person do all of this for me is a no brainer for me.

How about you, EOD Nation, what kinds of repairs or maintenance activities do you willingly pay for instead of doing yourself?

The post 4 More Things I Gladly Pay For appeared first on Enemy of Debt.

Fist pump for having a lawn service save me hours of work, and my favorite posts of the week!

Posts That Make Me Fist Pump

• How Your Financial Love Language Affects Your Life from Life And My Finances
• Best YouTube TV Alternatives: 5 Top Competitors For Live Streaming from Frugal Rules
• 7 Affordable Gift Ideas For Mother’s Day from Everything Finance
• What To Do if Your CPA Makes a Mistake from Clever Dude

The post Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 4/16/21 appeared first on Enemy of Debt.