Latest news with #7NEWSHeretoHelp
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How to make money off social media
(WSPA) – Even if the word 'influencer' doesn't appeal to you, you might be surprised at how common it has become for people to make money off their social media and YouTube posts. So what does it take and how does it work? 7NEWS Here to Help looked into homegrown success stories to find out. When Allison Moncheck, owner of Unorthodox Salon in Taylors, started sharing her hair painting technique on Instagram, she never imagined it would lead to some serious extra income. 'I really had no idea you could make money doing content creation,' Moncheck said. As her page drew more followers and some of her posts went viral, companies in her field started to reach out. 'My biggest pay was from Babe Hair Extensions, and for two reels, 60 days of use, and a couple of story posts they paid me $5,000,' Moncheck said. On top of the sponsored content, what many may not realize is that the social media platforms themselves are cutting checks. Moncheck gets about $150 a month from Instagram, with a reach, of now, more than 50,000 followers. Smitha Lee owns a photography business in Spartanburg and just by sharing his work with nearly 40,000 followers on Facebook, Meta pays him $200-$400 a month, all for doing what he would normally be doing to promote his Meta first notified him of the potential compensation, he initially thought it was a scam.'I got the notification, kind of shocked. Oh, OK I guess I can start making money through social media,' Lee said. One of his reels showing his wife teaching others to line dance at a wedding got more than a million views and banked more than $600 what is the trick?'A lot of people think it's just the lights or just the views, no, when a person actually engages and drops a comment, Facebook and Instagram will therefore push that video even further because of the comments,' Lee said. And then there's 'merch.' Justin Myrick's TikTok page has more than 98,000 followers, some of whom have bought his personalized merchandise like hoodies and cell phone covers. As he shares his music and dance covers with a global audience, he's come across multiple ways to make money from social media, from live video incentives from the platform to 'gifts' from fans that can be transferred into cash. 'Monetization wasn't even the goal when I started, I just wanted to have fun. I think that's one of the big messages if you want to grow your following, have fun with it,' Myrick said. USC Upstate Communications Director Emily Gillespie said YouTube tends to pay the most for ads that run before and during your content, and you don't have to have tons of followers. 'For YouTube specifically, you need 1,000 subscribers and about 400 hours of watch time in order to start getting paid for your content,' said Gillespie, referring to the past 12 months. You can also qualify if you have had 10 million short video views in the past 90 days. To sign up to get paid by YouTube for your videos, you need to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and have an active AdSense for YouTube account. For Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, people with about 10,000 followers, known as 'nano influencers,' can start to make money, that is if you get the engagement. Robbie Fitzwater, a Clemson Professor and owner of the marketing firm, MKTG Rhythm, said consistency is more important than going viral, and the biggest mistake people make is giving up too early. 'To build an audience, different is better than best. Where you understand what makes you unique, what gives you a specific different voice, that's going to be what people are going to connect with,' Fitzwater said. To stay relevant to your followers, he cites an industry 'rule of 3' when it comes to posting: Hygiene: Frequent posts that don't go too deep Hub: Higher quality content you post every two weeks or so Hero: Big moments that could go viral that come about once or twice a year Be data-driven 'At the end of the year, I will typically see what reels did the best for me and I see any consistencies,' Moncheck, who uses that information to inform future posts, said. Be educational 'The biggest thing that I've found that's been a successful point for a lot of creators is finding a niche that they love and that other people can learn from,' Lee said. Be authentic 'I found my niche, but I also found what made me different. Once you find those two, you're pretty much golden,' Myrick said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Senior care options for at-home help, on a budget
(WSPA) – When you have aging parents who want to stay in their home, it can be a struggle to find care that's affordable. So, 7NEWS Here to Help looked into resources that can ease the burden. While there are many options in the Upstate, this also comes at a time when one key source of free help in the area is now facing its financial crisis. 86-year-old Ginger Bouknight has needed round-the-clock care these last few years, and is grateful to still be in the home she's known for six decades. 'When I came down with Parkinson's and knew that I was going to need some help, we looked into a lot of places and whatnot, but this has been the very best,' Bouknight said. The Simpsonville grandmother uses the at-home service Upstate Living Water. Her caregivers, Sue and Kim, help with everything from meal prep to bathing. Owner Keith Hogancamp explained that clients who need less coverage pay a rate of around $25 an hour. 'If it's a 24-7 client, the rate is usually a little bit cheaper because the caregiver is staying there over a longer period of time,' Hogancamp said. Other Upstate companies that offer at-home care include: Comfort Keepers Home Instead Right at Home Visiting Angels You'll find many more at-home providers online, just be sure to read reviews and get recommendations and call and inquire about pricing for the hours and services you need. Families looking for affordable at-home help can also try reaching out directly to caregivers through resources like where you name your needs and hourly wage, and applicants respond. One other idea is posting jobs at local colleges where students may welcome a job with flexible hours. With these last two options, unlike companies that offer caregivers, you'd be responsible for background checks and home insurance coverage if the caregiver is injured on the job. Programs of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, is something families might also want to consider. People over age 55 with health problems qualifying them for nursing home care can enroll in the program at PRISMA, which helps them stay at home. PACE will get them to all of their medical appointments, in essence making PRISMA their Primary Care Provider, their health plan/insurance and covering all things related to medical services. There is also technology-related help. Jubilee TV, for instance, allows you to monitor and video call your elderly relative right through the TV, plus find them shows to watch, all remotely. Seniors can also benefit from features on the Apple Watch that alert family if a user has fallen. As for keeping seniors active, senior centers are a valuable resource and some in the Upstate are free, like the expansive one in Mauldin on Corn Road. 'You do not have to live in the city of Mauldin to come here,' Manager Jeffrey Burris said. He explained the center is funded through municipal and state dollars. The Mauldin Senior Center offers endless activities from workouts to bingo, bridge, poker, pool and a fan favorite, pickleball. Seniors can also request new activities of their choosing and help organize gatherings at the center. Many families would benefit from calling the senior center nearest them to see if their membership is also free. One thing is for sure, there's been an influx of seniors to our area in recent years. Greenville County, alone, now has 88,000, according to the latest American Community Survey. That's more than 30,000 more than 15 years ago, as per the 2010 Census data. And that's why the local Area Agency on Aging that helps seniors in 6 Upstate counties has expanded its services in recent years, until now. The local agency and the other 9 counterparts throughout South Carolina depend on both state and federal dollars. Director Tim Wolmack said cuts in Washington mean their budget has been slashed by more than half. 'It's heartbreaking to have to tell somebody that may not have any kind of support at home or through family or neighbors that we can't help them bathe or have a home delivery meal sent to them, have their yard mown, have a ramp for them to get in and out of their homes. These funding cuts its a snowball effect,' Wolmack said. All ten of these agencies in South Carolina, along with their non-profit partners, have been meeting to address how to move forward with the uncertainty of whether the federal funding will be restored. Now, while the Area Agency on Aging can't take any more clients at this time, it is still a great resource for referrals to low-cost homecare, meal delivery, transportation and adult day care. Meanwhile, seniors facing financial problems of their own are encouraged to seek out non-profits that can offer some relief. Donna Smiley and Sharon Berry run two Spartanburg area charities. Help For Our Elderly provides a store where seniors can take 15 necessities for free each month. 'We try to improve the quality of their life by giving them just the simple basics,' Smiley said. And CHAIN provides at-home support and resources to relieve family caregivers, along with help like building wheelchair ramps and such. And while both non-profits are struggling to get their own donations, they do provide some hope for seniors desperate for the type of help that allows them to age in place with dignity. 'If you can stay in your home do, because it's wonderful to still be able to be in your home,' Boucknight said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bank fraud: An Upstate couple's warning after losing $15,000
(WSPA) – If someone steals from your bank account, you're protected right? Unfortunately, it's not always that clear cut since the bank won't usually return your funds if someone tricked you into moving the money. But what if your account was accessed and your money was used without you doing a thing One Upstate couple is warning others to check their accounts carefully, after their long fight for their rights when they lost $15,000 to bank fraud. As a land developer in rural Oconee County, Chad Galbreath had always felt secure using his local bank. So when he and his wife Heather discovered dozens of random purchases they never approved in their business account, they immediately called a friend at their Wells Fargo branch in Seneca. 'We were panicking, you know. And so she and I just spent hours on the phone going through charges,' Mrs. Galbreath said. The Galbreaths said nearly $10,000 was missing from their business account, but were told the account had been frozen with nearly $9,000 remaining. The next day came a wake up call. 'By morning we were $700 in the red, so it had continued even overnight after we had called and talked to the morning, so there wasn't really a hold on the account, so we went into the negative,' Mrs. Galbreaths said. 'That's just crazy, like, why they let this many go through,' Mr. Galbreath said. They assumed they had fraud protection for the charges they never approved, until Wells Fargo repeatedly denied their request for reimbursement. The Galbreaths said part of the problem is that Wells Fargo said they failed to report the problem within 60 days, a bank imposed time limit that was threatening to leave them out thousands if it were true. The couple showed 7NEWS the 126 fraudulent charges occurred within 47 days of when they notified the bank. Greenville Attorney Rodney Pillsbury said the law is on their side thanks to the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. 'This is one of the few acts still in play that is consumer friendly. It was passed during the Carter administration and it provides a cap on consumers' liability if some fraudster has truly gotten access to their account and transfers funds, then the financial institution is still responsible for that,' Pillsbury said. But despite the law, the Galbreaths said the denials kept coming. 'So, on the third one, I took each individual charge and started contacting the business and getting disputes letterheads emails saying these were not our charges,' Mrs. Galbreath said. The couple had almost given up hope, until they reached out to 7NEWS Here to Help, and the bank reopened their investigation. 'It was within 24 hours of you, after 8 months of not hearing anything and they never return calls like we always had to call,' Mrs. Galbreath said. In a statement, Wells Fargo told 7NEWS: 'We are pleased we could resolve this matter by working directly with our customer. We sincerely apologize for their experience; this does not reflect the customer service we strive to provide. We are dedicated to ensuring our customer interactions reflect our commitment to excellence, as well as the confidence in knowing that safeguarding their assets is our top priority.' 7NEWS business accounts, like the one that the Galbreath owned, may be less likely to get flagged for transactions. And when the Galbreaths finally got a reimbursement check of more than $15,000, they knew it was time to warn others. 'That's our sole purpose in doing this, besides being eternally grateful to you for your help, but just to make people aware. Definitely check your accounts daily, I would recommend that to anyone, and don't be sure that your money is safe,' Galbreath said. If you ever have trouble with a bank fraud case, you can contact the SC Department of Consumer Affairs to make sure financial institutions are accountable for following the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
