image IT’S NO SECRET that increasing your monthly cash flow would make a difference in your financial situation. If you have job income in this tough economy, consider yourself lucky, but it is likely not paying enough to cover all of your bills and leaving you some left over for saving and investment. For most families, creating additional cash flow from sources other than a job is necessary to meet those monthly financial obligations, let alone provide extra funds for savings.

Would an extra $100 or $200 a month make a difference in your lifestyle? So, what is keeping you from generating more cash flow? Procrastination, fear of the unknown, and self doubt are a few of the reasons cited that keep people from taking steps to increase their personal income.

Far too many people think the only way to increase income is to get another job. Some of you have thought of doing odd jobs for friends and neighbors, holding yard sales, or selling items online or at a farmer's market. Others have ideas for starting a small, home-based business, but don't have a plan to get started. There are lots of ways to generate extra monthly income, but the key is to move from the idea phase to the ACTION phase. Taking action is the most important part of the process. You can have hundreds of money-making ideas, but without action, nothing will happen for you. You can read a library full of books on starting a small business of your own, but, until you take action and get started, it is nothing more than a dream.

Taking small steps is better than doing nothing, and the time to start is today—not tomorrow or next week. If your family would benefit from some extra monthly income, there is no time to waste.

Don't use the worn out old excuse, "If I had the money, I could start my own business." That excuse has been used by people for centuries while go-getters have created multi-million dollar businesses from their kitchen table with no start-up money at all. A positive attitude is as important as a good idea. If you don't have money to start the business of your dreams, don't let that stop you from finding other ways to create the cash flow you need.

Take Action! Think of and list ways you can earn a few hundred extra dollars a month and plan action steps you need to take to begin earning the money. Start small, but be sure to START. Once you get moving in a positive direction, your momentum will increase and once you earn some money on your own, you will have the confidence to continue to grow your self-generated income. Having extra income always makes your financial outlook brighter.