I’m in a lot of mom groups on Facebook, and one of the most popular questions I see is “how do I make money from home?”
Being a stay at home mom already comes with a number of challenges. One huge challenge is going from two incomes for two people, to one income for three (or more) people!
Many women feel the need to contribute or add some cash flow to help with bills, or even to be able to get out and do things. I know personally, I struggled in the beginning because I didn’t feel comfortable asking for money when I needed it. My husband never hesitates to give us what we need/want if it fits into the budget, but I like to be able to contribute and not have to ask.
(Disclaimer: we have a joint account but my husband’s paycheck goes into his account. I am totally fine with this because I’m kind of terrible at budgeting and don’t need access to all the money!)
I’ve done my fair share of research and tried a good many ‘side gigs’ until I found the perfect one for me (blogging).
While I accept that direct sales can work for some people, it’s not a good way to earn money on the side for most people. You have to SPEND money to make money, first of all. So many people out there are so sick of MLM’s that they see right through the pitches and “PM sent!” messages. I have a lot of feelings regarding MLMs, but I’ll save that word vomit for another post.
If you feel like wasting your time and money and irritating everyone on your social media pages, go for it. But if it doesn’t work out for you, here are some other ideas on how to make some money from home! P.S. You don’t need to try and convince me that MLM’s are great or that yours is different. It won’t work 🙂 Also note: If you feel the need to say, “Oh but this isn’t an MLM!” chances are, it is.
Here are 12 simple ideas of how you can make money from home! Please let me know in the comments if you can think of any others!
1. Take care of someone else’s kids!
I’ve done this multiple times. It’s a great way to make a little extra cash, and as a bonus, it gives your little ones a friend to play with! When I found my first ‘job’ nannying, a prerequisite for me was that I would be able to take the child out and about. You may want to offer a driving record for this to help ease the other parent’s mind! I knew I would go crazy being stuck in the house all day every day so this was important to me.
You can find jobs by posting on Facebook in local for sale groups or mom groups, or create a profile on Care.com. Just be sure to make any terms clear from the very beginning. Pay, hours, and what all you offer. Will you provide food, diapers, etc? What happens if the parent shows up late or misses a day? Make sure you think of everything ahead of time so you don’t have to have any awkward conversations later on.
2. Take care of someone else’s dogs!
If you’re a dog person and don’t have patience for other people’s kids (kind of where I’m at currently), try dog sitting! I love using Rover.com (this link includes my referral code and $20 to use on the site!) for this purpose. You can set up your profile to offer any services that you’re comfortable with. So cat/dog sitting either in your home or someone else’s, dog walking, or boarding the pets in your home for multiple nights. There are options for preferred pet size, breed, or age, and you can specify things like: Must be good with kids/other dogs/cats/etc.
I only ever did dog boarding and the pay for that was around $25 a night. It won’t make you rich, but it’s a fun, easy way to bring in some extra cash. Plus it’s a good way to get your dog/puppy fix in if you love dogs but don’t want any(more)!
3. Teach children online
Do you have a bachelor’s degree? If so, you can apply to teach English to children in other countries on VIPKID. I do not have a degree but if I did I would probably do this! The times are usually in the evening or early in the morning so it would be the perfect after bedtime gig.
Additionally, you could look into tutoring or after school care for older children. Whether in person or online!
4. Add closed captioning to videos online
I try to test for this but failed and haven’t tested again since. I’m pretty good at typing too so it might not be easy to get accepted, but this would be an easy way to make some money in your spare time. You won’t make a lot but it’s something!
5. Drive for Uber, UberEats (or similar), or grocery shop for people using Shipt, Instacart or a similar service
These are also things I’ve never done, but have heard pretty good things about! These are best for post bedtime, or while your older children are in school.
6. Set up an Ebay Shop and sell thrift store finds
You can easily make a few bucks by finding ‘treasures’ at thrift stores to sell online. This is easiest if you only have one kid, or if your kids are in school. Set up an Ebay account and start looking for treasures at your local thrift stores. Many times people donate things without realizing how much it’s worth! Scour yard sales on the weekends as well. You could also find things that need a little TLC and fix them up to make them worth more!
7. Find a hobby and sell what you create!
People love handmade items! Creating things is a great way to do something you love and enjoy and make money for it. My business sense isn’t great so this never worked out for me, but I tried selling teething necklaces, then T-shirts. Find something that will make your business unique and go with it. Learn to sew, make jewelry, create graphics for people (i.e. invitations, logos, etc). You can take up photography, make baby clothes, etc. Go on Etsy for inspiration and then start creating!
8. Start a blog!
If you like writing and social media, consider starting a blog. I love blogging, but I will tell you it’s not easy! If you want to be successful you have to be ‘on’ all the time and promote your blog on all forms of social media. Pick a niche to focus on and then go to Pinterest and search “How to start a blog”. There are TONS of resources out there to help you!
9. Apply for freelance jobs
Upwork.com lists jobs all the time where people are looking for graphic designers, writers, accountants, etc. This would be good for those of you who do have degrees in a certain field but are choosing to stay home with your babies right now. You can add your resume and people can come to you, or you can apply for contracts on your own.
10. Take care of the elderly or home bound
This is another job you can apply for on Care.com! My mom used to do this and took me with her all the time. You could apply to sit with an elderly person who might just need companionship and small tasks taken care of. Include in your application that you need to bring baby along! I would imagine that many people would love having a little one around! Sometimes they just need meals prepared, help with household chores and assistance running errands.
11. Sell your stuff!
Use Poshmark to sell yours and your children’s gently used clothing items. Sell bigger items locally on Facebook Marketplace! You can use Kidzien to sell kids clothing to a more targeted market if you prefer.
12. Take up baking!
If you get good enough at baking and decorating cakes and cookies, you can start a local business selling these goods! Just make sure you have the proper licensing once you start selling and that you aren’t breaking any local rules or laws by selling out of your home.
Well, there you have it! I hope you’re inspired by this list! Now get out there and have fun finding a side gig that you enjoy!
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