I started selling on TpT almost a year ago, and it has changed my life – for the better.
It’s something I encourage every teacher to do, and here’s why:
Disclaimer: I am not one of these TpT’ers who’s making 6 figures a year on the platform (though I would love to be). I currently make several hundred dollars a month with just a few hours of work a week. And that extra income is such a blessing to my family, which is why I encourage you to do the same.
1 – The Extra Income
I don’t need to tell you, that as teachers, we are not compensated well – especially for the task we perform. A little extra money can breathe such life into your soul.
When I first started teaching, our money was super tight. We had three babies and we knew where every dime went. Money was so tight that our parents would help us by purchasing clothes for our children because that wasn’t in the budget.
I tell you this not to gain your pity, but to help you understand that a couple of extra hundred dollars a month feel like the world to our family. It’s so nice being able to splurge on little things for our children, like going out for ice cream or a trip to the movie theaters. Previously, such indulgences were unattainable.
2- Less Stress
Last year my wife’s van’s AC went out. It was a $1,000 repair. A few months ago we had a death in the family. Plane tickets were $400. A year ago, we did’nt have that kind of money available.
This caused large amounts of stress on me.
But thank you TpT for creating a way for me to get that type of money without pulling me away from my family for hours and hours every evening and weekend.
3 – Part-Time Jobs are Hard to Find
If you have a summer gig lined up, count your blessings, because they’re hard to find.
Think about it from the employer’s perspective. Why would (s)he want to hire a person, spend the time and resources to train them, only to watch them leave in less than 10 weeks?
And the jobs that can handle such seasonal help, have no incentive to pay you decently. So you often find yourself working long hours for not good pay, if you’re lucky enough to have such employment.
On the other hand, you can invest that time and energy into your TpT store, and make more money while spending less time on it.
4 – Your Impact
Ten years ago, if you were doing something great in the classroom, how could you share it with other teachers?
You may have had a million-dollar idea, but how could you capitalize on it? How could you reach people around the world and share this valuable resource with them?
Now, it’s so easy to do. With a little bit of time, you can upload your resources and share them with teachers all over the world. And because it’s so easy, you don’t need to charge a lot to make money on it. OR, you can give them away for free (which lots of teachers do).
5 – It has Made me a Better Teacher
I now look at things differently. I am no longer creating resources for my students, I am creating them for teachers around the country (and potentially the globe). So I have to look at things differently. I have to think through best practices, standards, and clear explanations. I have to consider what will make a resource work best, and why.
This has made my resources more effective, plus my students have enjoyed them and their work has improved.
Not to mention that having less stress in my life (because of the extra income and not having to worry about sudden expenses) has allowed me to focus more on my teaching and my results.
6 – You can Earn Extra Money without Losing all that Family Time
You, like me, most likely place a large emphasis on time with your friends and family. So a side job would be difficult because it would pull you away from them.
We all know the teacher who leaves school to go work a second job in the afternoons or on the weekends. God bless them for taking care of their family. But with TpT, I’m able to make extra money, without sacrificing time with my family.
I’m able to do my side job at strange hours, like after I have put my kids to bed. I also have the ability to start a project and work on it for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. It takes me several days to create something and upload it to the TpT website, but that’s because I try not to lose time with my family in a quest for this extra income
7 – The Education
I am of the opinion that often, as teachers, we feel stuck. If things suddenly became too unpleasant in our work situations, where would we go? Most of us don’t have the experience in another field to leave teaching and get the same income elsewhere. Especially after we have invested so much time.
But thanks to my TpT seller journey, I have learned so much. I have now learned about online marketing, SEO, and many other computer programs. I have even learned a bit about website design and online coaching. I understand Facebook advertising. These are new and growing fields where pay is high and there are not many competitors.
I’m not saying that you start a TpT page so that you can leave teaching – quite the opposite! But I have learned so much that I am confident that if I had to leave the classroom I would be able to secure employment in another field for at least similar pay (if not better). AND… even if I had to take a lower-paying job, I know what I could do to make up the wage difference.
8 – You can make much of one idea
Ten years ago, you could not share ONE lesson plan or ONE resource with the masses. People did not buy something so minimal because it cost too much to get that resource to them.
If you had a really great back to school worksheet or activity, how could you tell people about it? How could you get it into their hands? It wasn’t easy.
Your best bet was to package it with twenty other great ideas and turn it into a book that had to sell for $20 in order to cover the cost of printing, shipping, etc.
But now, you can sell that one resource for $1 (or a few dollars) and help lots of people – who are now spending less and you’re making more – because you’re reaching more people!
9 – Side gigs and Summer Jobs are Temporary, but TpT products generate income continuously
If you work a summer job, like at a sports camp, you will make your wages, and when you’re finished, you no longer make those wages. So if I make $10 an hour, and I work a 40 hour week, I will earn $400. However, let’s say I take those same 40 hours and invest it into creating some quality products for TpT. I may only make $30 that week (considerably less per hour than the camp). However, I have the ability to earn those $30 every week, for the whole year… and the next year. My income has no ceiling, thus making my time and energy much more valuable.
But How?
How do you start selling on Teachers Pay Teachers?
How do you create products? And create ones that look so good?
And how will people find them after you have made them?
Fear not my friends. I have a free eBook that’s just for you! In this book, I will teach you the basics and answer all your questions about getting started.
Also, I have an online class coming soon for teachers like you who want to start generating some extra income through TpT. Click here to learn more about the online course.
