Strategies

Here are all of the strategies I will employ to pay off my loans.  This page will be updated as it develops.

OK - Time to get real. 
36 weeks left, and I have to pay about $1350 a week if I'm going to make this happen.  So time to go with what has worked, and what hasn't worked yet, but that I'm passionate about. 


That limits us to:
Dancing Lessons
Social Media Consulting
Voiceovers
Videos
ERIC


They will be pursued like this:
Craig's List Alaska Postings for the first 4 Today (9/14)
Meet Movers and Shakers in Anchorage
  - 2 Coffees/Lunches Per week   
  - Ask connected friends who I should meet and make a list by Sunday (9/18)
Share that I am looking for more clients
  - Post to Facebook, (9/17)
  - Post to Twitter, (9/15)
  - Post to 80 till 30, (9/20)
  - Make a commercial for myself (9/20)
Follow up with old potential clients (9/16)

Get ERIC Funded  
Get a Fellowship   
  - Choose 3 fellowships to apply for (9/23)
  - Plan time for the applications by (9/23)    Get Investors   
  - Complete the business plan and give it to my 3 contacts (9/23)   
  - Pitch 10 possible investors by 10/1
KickStarter   
 - Look into putting our web needs on KickStarter.  Decide by 9/23   



Outcome of things I have tried:

Work for Havey Productions: 
I am making $250/week before taxes.  I am committing $200/week to go straight to student loans

Party Host:
I have been contacted twice in response to my ad on Craigslist.  Both are people who have event companies who needed extra staff.  I had a scheduling conflict with both.

Social Media Consulting:
My dad and I are working on a proposal that could be really great.  More to come.
One person reached out to me via craigslist, that is in motion.  Our first consulting meeting is 12/28.
Three friends have reached out to me about doing some work for them, so I'll report on that as it develops too.

Bartending:
My friends at Chive have hired me to do a bartending gig.  It was awesome and I hope to do more!

Loan Forgiveness
I researched a bit, and it looks like the federal loan forgiveness program will forgive the remaining balance for your loans is you work in government or non-profit for ten years, and make 120 monthly payments.  I don't have a Gov't or non-profit job now.  I have missed a few payments.  I don't want to wait ten years.  This strategy is complete.

Beg for change on the street with a 'pay off my student loans' sign.
As you saw at the end of Video 2, I did some of this.  But to be honest, it felt wrong.  The people who would give me money probably have debts to pay off themselves, and if they gave me money, I would feel like I was taking it away from them, or worse, if they are inclined to give money to people on the street, the other people on the street need it more than I do.  So I am calling this strategy complete.


Sleep Studies
I applied and received responses from 4 of 5 sleep studies.  Two of them required me to wear a rectal thermometer for a week or two, one had me taking hormones (Cari objected), and the other had me staying awake all night, and holding my arm in a bucket of ice water for four minutes to measure my discomfort level as my frozen blood spread through my body.  Don't get me wrong, If the money was better, I'd go for it - but if I can make more waiting tables, I'll do that first.

Join the National Guard
I looked into this.  They have a great student loan repayment program, but there are two catches.  First you can only qualify for it if you join a deploy-able unit, and you need to sign on for 8 years.  As much respect as I have for the people who comprise the armed services, this does not meet the goal of the game.

No Interest on Craigslist
Voiceovers 
Violin Lessons
Dancing Lessons 
English Tutor
College Applications Coach

NLC Fellowship
Didn't get it


Substitute Teaching
You need a degree in education, previous teaching experience, or a teaching certificate.  I have none of those.



Irons in the Fire
Work for Havey Productions (I am)
Party Host (Craigslist)
Balloon Animals (Craigslist)
Social Media Consulting (Craigslist)
Write a Play and sell it (working on a script)
Make a website where people can pay off my loans for me (take a look at the donate button on the left)
Fellowship: Kinship Fellows (applied)
Be a host for onstage shows and events (applied, am networking)
Start a Company(Info coming soon)



Things I haven't gotten to yet
*Tutoring the high school students of rich parents.
*Help rich parents' kids with college admissions essays and college applications. 
*Go to people's houses and just cook their weekly meals or pack kids lunches.
*Work for a researcher at a university transcribing recorded interview tapes.
* Work for a jury consulting service doing a mock trial to see how "average jurors" responded to their arguments.
judging at speech tournament
Waitering
Valet
Tour Guide
Cab Driver
Bike Courier
Research Assistant
Airline (so I'd get flights for free)
PR Firm
Work for a member of congress (Student loan program)
Any other job that will pay my loans
Residential job (so no rent cost)
Actor on a cruise ship (no expenses)
Salmon Boat in Alaska ($25k/summer)
Sales Job for Commission
Work for Citibank
Find Infringements for Havey Productions
Help Cari's mom @ School
Personal Assistant/New Media Person
Ask people with $ for odd jobs, online or otherwise
Wealthy People, Pay Loans
Ask Citibank to forgive loans
Ask Citibank to trade consulting for loan forgiveness
Sell sponsorships for brands like clothes hats signs etc
Make a reality TV show about getting out of debt
Appeal to CitiBank
Grant: http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/programs/innovation_grantees_2010.asp
Enter Competitions
Turn all coins into cash
Collect scrap and sell to junkyards
Sell Car
Sell Books
Give up paying for alcohol
Spend less money



What am I missing?  Post a comment on the main page or hit me on Facebook, and I will add it.  For example:


Michelle told me to apply for sleep studies
Ben told me to try to be a host
and Double L (what I call Nicolle) told me to do everything with and asterisk* above.
Jordan suggested joining the National Guard.