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☆ How Putin's Russian goon squad used Mexican gig workers to troll an American election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

Posting to social media sounded like an easy work-from-home gig, so he applied. This post from the Prigozhin-backed Social CMS network in Mexico referred to America as "we." He verified his account by providing chat transcripts, screenshots, contracts, and internal company documents. But just because Social CMS didn't yield an immediate, large-scale impact doesn't mean it should be ignored. "I didn't know who are you," wrote the person who is listed in the corporate directory as Prigozhin's media liaison.

☆ 10 in-demand side hustles and jobs you can do from home—one can make almost $100,000 a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The company's 2023 report on the "State of Remote, Freelance Jobs" includes a ranking of the 10 most in-demand job titles for remote, freelance work that companies on FlexJobs' platform hired for in 2022. Topping the list of job titles is "executive assistant," a role that often includes duties such as managing an executive's calendar and taking meeting minutes, according to FlexJobs. 3 despite an annual mean full-time wage of $39,070, according to BLS data. Of course, even though millions of Americans are already getting by as freelancers, leaving the stability of a full-time job to start a freelancing career is not without risks. If you usually have trouble making a solid financial plan and sticking to it, the "feast or famine cycle" of freelancing might not be for you, the FlexJobs report notes.

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☆ A 27-year-old freelance writer who brought in $115,000 last year working 30 hours a week explains how he uses ChatGPT and other tools to work more efficiently
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Freelance finance writer Tony Dong made about $115,000 last year working 30 hours per week. But he also uses specific tools, including ChatGPT, to work more efficiently. Here are three tools Dong uses to do his job better and more efficiently. But if he's writing about something he's less familiar with he'll ask his AI assistant for help. There's also a premium version for $12 a month, which Dong uses: "It makes your writing more compelling and is worth the money."

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I didn't think much about opening a separate business checking account so my income from freelancing didn't mix with my personal account. When tax season rolled around, I spent hours separating out my business expenses from my personal expenses. A few years later, I opened another personal credit card. Not only was it easier to categorize my business expenses, but I also snagged a robust introductory bonus. Because no taxes are withheld from my income from clients, I'm responsible for paying self-employment tax.

☆ 7 in-demand marketing skills for freelancers―some can pay $250 per hour
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In the third quarter of 2022, e-commerce retail sales totaled more than $265 million, according to the Census Bureau, a 10.8% increase from the third quarter of 2021. "We're not going back to a paper society," says Margaret Lilani, vice president of talent solutions at freelancer platform Upwork. "Marketing skills, and in particular digital marketing skills, which includes SEO, are going to be highly sought-after as the world remains so digitally focused," she says. Upwork looked at a series of data points including typical earnings and year-over-year growth to project which marketing skills would be most in-demand for freelancers in 2023. Here are seven, including what they entail and how much freelancers are charging for them.

☆ I started a social-media-marketing company with $50 after getting laid off. Now I bring in more than $70,000 in monthly revenue.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Manu Muraro started offering freelance marketing services when she was laid off in 2016. She turned those services into Your Social Team, which offers social-media templates and coaching. Muraro started her career as a producer and creative manager at Cartoon Network before landing a job as a marketing director at a local startup. When she was laid off in 2016, Muraro tapped her experience to launch Your Social Team, a company that sells social-media templates and coaches social-media managers. Since then, she's grown her company to more than $70,000 in average monthly revenue, documents seen by Insider showed.

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A message from a hacked friend on Facebook meant my information was out in the open for anyone. But one day, last summer, I decided to check my Facebook account and had a message from an old friend asking, "Is this you?" Someone had charged almost $200 in Facebook ads to my PayPal account. I set up notifications from PayPal and my bankI set up notifications for all of my accounts, including PayPal. What I've learned is they try your email and password for the most popular websites where you can order things and link your account information.

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Winner: TD Bank The TD Bank Convenience Checking Account makes it easier to waive monthly service fees than Chase Total Checking®. Interest rates are variable and subject to change Minimum Deposit Amount $0 View Full Details Learn moreChase Savings℠ 3.25 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 3.25 out of 5 Stars Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 0.01% effective as of 10/10/2022. Winner: TD Bank TD Bank CDs require a much lower minimum opening deposit than Chase CDs. TD Bank vs. Chase Trustworthiness and BBB RatingsWe include ratings from the Better Business Bureau to evaluate how a bank deals with customer issues. The BBB also gave TD Bank an B rating because government action was taken against the TD Bank.

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Compare Citi vs. Wells Fargo Citi® Accelerate SavingsWells Fargo Way2Save® Savings Account Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Read our review Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing rightCiti vs. Wells Fargo Savings Account ComparisonsCiti and Wells Fargo both have two types of savings accounts. Citi Fixed Rate CD 3.25 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 3.25 out of 5 Stars Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 0.05% to 4.15% Minimum Deposit Amount $500 View Full Details Learn moreCiti Fixed Rate CD 3.25 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 3.25 out of 5 Stars Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 0.05% to 4.15% Minimum Deposit Amount $500 View Full Details Learn more at Citi's secure site. Wells Fargo has been involved in the following cases:In December 2022, The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau required Wells Fargo to pay more than $3.7 billion in a settlement that accused the bank of wrongfully charging fees that led thousands of customers to lose vehicles and homes. In 2020, Wells Fargo paid billions in settlements for its employees creating authorized bank accounts to meet unrealistic sales goals.

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Read our review Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing rightCiti vs. Bank of America Savings Account ComparisonsCiti offers two savings accounts — Citi® Accelerate Savings and the Citi® Savings Account. Meanwhile, the Bank of America Advantage Savings Account may be a better choice if you find it easier to waive monthly service fees at Bank of America. Bank of America, Member FDICBank of America Advantage Savings Account Learn more at Bank of America's secure site. Citi Fixed Rate CD 3.25 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 3.25 out of 5 Stars Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 0.05% to 4.15% Minimum Deposit Amount $500 View Full Details Learn moreCiti Fixed Rate CD 3.25 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 3.25 out of 5 Stars Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 0.05% to 4.15% Minimum Deposit Amount $500 View Full Details Learn more at Citi's secure site. Winner: Bank of America Bank of America wins in this category since it is more likely to address customer issues, but keep in mind it's also been involved in public controversies.

☆ A freelancer earned more than $1 million writing Amazon product descriptions via Fiverr. Here's how he built his business.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Here's how Newman built his business and found a niche with Amazon item descriptions. He joined Fiverr, a freelance service marketplace, and used his experience in marketing and social media to write compelling descriptions for Amazon sellers. His success coincides with the growing gig and freelance workforce that's surged throughout the pandemic. Here's how Newman tapped into the freelance workforce and how his process earned him more than $1 million. In his initial outreach call with clients, Newman establishes the project's deadlines and how to market the item.

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In comparison, the Vio Bank Online High-Yield Savings Account is a much more straightforward savings account. The Ally High Yield Savings Account currently pays a higher interest rate than the Vio Bank Online High-Yield Savings Account. Pros Check mark icon A check mark. High APY Check mark icon A check mark. Ally High Yield CD 4.5 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.5 out of 5 Stars Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 2.00% to 4.25% Minimum Deposit Amount $0 View Full Details Learn moreAlly High Yield CD 4.5 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.5 out of 5 Stars Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 2.00% to 4.25% Minimum Deposit Amount $0 View Full Details Learn more On Ally Bank's secure site.

☆ I started my company with $40 and grew it to $4 million in revenue. Here are the best business investments I made and what entrepreneurs should avoid.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tori Dunlap started her financial-advice blog with $40 and grew it to $4 million in revenue last year. She shares the most important investments for any business owner and what founders should avoid. In a conversation with Insider, Dunlap shared the most important business investments she's made and what founders should avoid. People are the most important investmentWhile I started the business on my own, outsourcing tasks and bringing people onto the team was the best investment I ever made. It can be a waste of money if you're paying for something just because other business owners do.

Pros Check mark icon A check mark. No monthly service fee Check mark icon A check mark. No foreign transaction fee Check mark icon A check mark. Pros Check mark icon A check mark. Read our review Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing rightAlly High Yield CD 4.5 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.5 out of 5 Stars Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 2.00% to 4.25% Minimum Deposit Amount $0 View Full Details Learn moreAlly High Yield CD 4.5 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.5 out of 5 Stars Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 2.00% to 4.25% Minimum Deposit Amount $0 View Full Details Learn more On Ally Bank's secure site.

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