Are you a stay-at-home mom feeling the pinch from rising grocery bills and ever-increasing kid-related expenses? I totally understand!
Being a stay-at-home mom with two kids means budget juggling every day. But, hey, here’s the upside: side gigs are my financial lifesavers!
In this article, I’ll show you some profitable side hustles that are ideal for moms like us. Keep reading!
1. Virtual Assistance
If you’re a pro at managing a busy household, you might be perfect for a side hustle as a virtual assistant (VA).
Virtual assistants help busy people organize their schedules, manage emails, and handle day-to-day tasks — all from a computer.
Typical tasks for a virtual assistant might include organizing a client’s emails in the morning.
This is then followed by arranging travel plans such as booking flights and accommodations.
VAs also manage calendars, update websites, and respond to customer inquiries. Basically, they ensure everything runs smoothly for their clients.
Earnings for virtual assistants can vary. But they typically range from $15 to $60 per hour.
How to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant
To start as a virtual assistant, you must first assess your skills, such as organization or technical capabilities, and decide which services you can offer.
Establish your pricing structure and make sure you have the necessary equipment, like a reliable computer and internet connection.
Pro Tip: You can find VA jobs on platforms like Upwork, which I personally recommend for its reliability in connecting freelancers with clients.
Also, building a portfolio and marketing yourself will help attract more clients.
Note: Specializing in a particular field can make you even more appealing to potential clients.
2. Freelance Writing and Blogging
For moms who have a way with words, freelance writing could be a fantastic side hustle for you.
Freelance writers create content like articles, blog posts, and product descriptions.
You can work from home and write on topics that interest you or that you’re knowledgeable about.
Generally, bloggers can earn money in several ways.
For instance, you can display ads on your blog that can generate revenue! You’ve probably seen these ads on various websites.
Another way is through affiliate marketing, where you earn a commission by promoting someone else’s products.
Once your blog gains enough traffic, you might also get opportunities to write sponsored posts for companies.
Interestingly, you can sell your own digital or physical products like ebooks or courses directly from your blog.
Some freelance writers and bloggers might make around $1,000 a month, while others can earn over $200,000 monthly.
Of course, this depends on their content’s reach and monetization strategies.
How to Get Started as a Freelance Writer or Blogger
Start by picking a niche you are passionate about! Then, set up a blog on platforms like Medium, WordPress, or Wix.
Note: Regularly update your blog with posts to build an audience.
Further, consider writing guest posts for other blogs to increase your visibility.
Pro Tip: Learn about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), keyword research, and blog optimization through resources like YouTube or online articles.
3. Sell Handmade Crafts Online
Turn your crafting passion into profit by selling your handmade creations online.
You can create and sell items like jewelry, candles, knitted scarves, home decor, hand-painted artwork, or personalized gifts.
If you’re wondering about income, handmade crafts can yield anything from $500 to over $52,000 annually.
How to Get Started Selling Handmade Crafts Online
Getting started as a seller of handmade crafts often involves less physical inventory if you focus on digital products like patterns or printables.
Doing so can save time and reduce overhead.
However, for physical items, setting up a shop on platforms like Etsy is a popular choice.
Etsy allows you to reach a large audience specifically interested in handmade and unique items.
Once your shop is set up, filling it out completely with product policies, high-quality images, and detailed descriptions is essential.
Pro Tip: You should aim for around 100 listings to increase your visibility and attract organic traffic.
Moreover, use all available tags to improve your SEO and to ensure your products are easy to find.
4. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is an exciting side hustle where you can earn money by promoting other people’s products or services.
Simply put, you recommend items you like to others, and if they make a purchase through your link, you receive a commission.
Starting as an affiliate marketer is straightforward. You share special links to products on your blog, social media, or website.
When someone clicks on your links and buys something, you earn a portion of the sale.
For one, promoting a helpful tool like Honey, which is a Chrome extension that finds coupons on thousands of sites, can earn you commissions.
I personally have made hundreds of dollars simply by sharing how much I love using it!
You might start making about $100 a month after a few months!
And with effective audience engagement and smart product marketing, you could eventually earn up to $10,000 a month!
How to Get Started in Affiliate Marketing
Begin with a platform where you can reach an audience. This could be a blog, a YouTube channel, or even a social media account.
After that, choose a niche that interests you. It could be anything from tech gadgets to beauty products.
Then, find an affiliate program that matches your niche. Companies like Amazon, eBay, and countless others have affiliate programs.
Note: The more people you can direct towards your links, the more potential sales you can make.
5. Childcare Services
If you’re already caring for your own kids at home and have room to take on a few more, starting a childcare service can be a good side hustle.
It’s a natural fit for stay-at-home moms who love spending time with children and understand the nuances of childcare.
Income from home-based childcare services can run widely, with rates ranging between $10 and $40 per hour.
Still, your earnings will depend on your location, the number of children you care for, and the specific services you offer.
Pro Tip: You can charge twice as much for childcare if you offer tutoring along with it!
How to Get Started as a Childcare Provider
Joining local parent Facebook groups and posting short ads can help attract your first clients.
You can also distribute flyers at local community centers, churches, and grocery stores.
Initially, you might consider offering lower rates to build your clientele and gather references.
But as you gain trust and experience, you can gradually increase your rates.
In addition, obtaining a first aid certification and a background check will enhance your credibility as a childcare provider.
6. Gardening and Selling Produce
Gardening and selling your produce is a fantastic way to contribute to a sustainable lifestyle while making some extra cash.
It’s ideal for stay-at-home moms because it can be done right in your own backyard.
Note: You can also involve your kids! You can turn it into a fun family project that teaches them about the environment and responsibility.
You can make money by growing a variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs and selling them.
Initially, selling directly from your home or to friends and family is simpler than tackling farmers’ markets, which can be overwhelming without enough buyer flow.
As your client base grows, though, you can then consider farmers’ markets or even hosting events like dinner parties that feature your produce.
The income from selling home-grown produce typically ranges from $5,000 to $30,000 annually.
How to Get Started as a Gardener
To start, you’ll need to invest in gardening supplies and dedicate part of your yard to growing crops.
You should also check your state’s regulations, as some have supportive homestead laws that make it easier to sell home-grown produce.
Then, begin small by cultivating products that are in demand within your local community.
Note: Don’t forget to consider the amount of money and effort you’ll need to invest before seeing a profit, including costs for seeds, equipment, and soil enhancements.
7. Sewing and Alterations Services
Learning to sew and offering alterations services can turn into a profitable side hustle for stay-at-home moms.
People always need adjustments to their garments, which include hemming pants, adjusting a dress, or mending tears.
With some basic sewing equipment and a little practice, you can start earning extra income while working from the comfort of your home.
It may come as a surprise, but sewing and alterations can earn you between $30 and $70 per hour.
How to Get Started as a Sewing and Alterations Service Provider
All you need to start is a reliable sewing machine, a good pair of scissors, and a willingness to learn from your mistakes.
Interestingly, many successful sewers are self-taught, using online tutorials, free patterns, and books like this one from Amazon to refine their skills.
You should also begin with simple projects and gradually take on more complex tasks as your skills improve.
Once you become more confident with your crafts, consider marketing your services more broadly.
You could start by offering your services to friends and family and expand by advertising locally or online.
8. Virtual Personal Shopper
Becoming a virtual personal shopper is a trendy and profitable side hustle for stay-at-home moms.
In this role, you help clients enhance their image by selecting products that fit their personal style, which are all done online.
Generally, you provide fashion advice and shopping services without ever leaving your home.
Note: This job is perfect if you have a good eye for style and enjoy helping others look their best.
Virtual personal shoppers make money by providing fashion advice and completing shopping tasks from home.
Their work includes browsing online stores, selecting items that suit the client’s style, organizing purchases, and sometimes even arranging deliveries.
They work closely with clients to understand their needs, preferences, and budgets to ensure they find the perfect items.
In high-end settings, virtual personal shoppers who handle clients spending tens of thousands on clothes and jewelry can make a significant income.
However, the exact pay still depends largely on the clientele, the price range of the items you are working with, and your ability to secure repeat patrons.
How to Get Started as a Virtual Personal Shopper
If you’re considering this career, starting a social media account to showcase your fashion sense and styling tips can be a great way to attract clients.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are popular for fashion influencers who offer virtual styling services.
Pro Tip: Sharing helpful content for free can help build a community and establish trust, which can then lead to paid opportunities.
For those more interested in a traditional route, luxury retailers often hire in-store stylists, who could also transition into virtual roles.
9. Proofreading and Editing
If you have a keen eye for detail, proofreading and editing could be a great side gig.
Proofreaders are vital as they catch small errors in punctuation, spelling, and formatting. In short, they ensure a document is polished before publication.
Proofreaders and editors often work on a variety of documents, including books, articles, academic papers, and corporate materials.
Their main job is to thoroughly check these texts to make sure they are free of errors.
They may also suggest changes to improve clarity and flow. This means they collaborate closely with writers to refine their work.
Proofreading and editing can be pretty lucrative, with professionals in the field making up to $52,000 yearly.
However, your earnings may vary depending on your experience and your work speed.
How to Get Started as a Proofreader or Editor
Getting started in proofreading doesn’t require much more than a strong grasp of language and a computer.
Then, you can begin by searching for remote proofreading or editing jobs on platforms like LinkedIn.
Pro Tip: When applying, try to tailor your resume and cover letter to each position!
Also, make sure to highlight relevant experience, such as familiarity with academic or technical writing and knowledge of different style guides.
10. Graphic Design
Graphic design is another versatile side hustle that can open many doors for creative stay-at-home moms.
Additionally, the demand for good design is high across various industries, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to make a steady income.
Graphic designers create visual concepts that communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers.
Primarily, they develop the overall layout and production design for advertisements, brochures, magazines, corporate reports, and more!
On average, graphic designers can expect to earn approximately $45,000 per year.
But this can vary depending on factors such as expertise, the type of clients they work with, and how they choose to charge (whether by project, hourly, or through a retainer).
How to Get Started as a Graphic Designer
Starting in graphic design begins with education.
You can find numerous online resources and tutorials to learn the basics of color theory, typography, and software like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Practice is also crucial, so work on personal projects or mock briefs to refine your skills.
Networking is important, too! Joining online design communities can lead to valuable feedback and job opportunities.
Pro Tip: If you already have skills in areas like video editing or designing logos, you can offer a wide range of services on platforms like Fiverr.
11. Social Media Management
If you love spending time on social media, turning that passion into a job as a social media manager might be the perfect fit for you.
This involves managing accounts for businesses or individuals who want to boost their online presence but don’t have the time to do it themselves.
As a social media manager, your tasks include creating engaging posts, scheduling them at optimal times, and interacting with followers to build community engagement.
Additional responsibilities can include analyzing the performance of social media campaigns and responding to customer inquiries.
You’ll also be the one in charge of updating strategies based on analytics to maximize reach and attention.
Typically, social media managers can earn roughly $44,000 each year.
How to Get Started as a Social Media Manager
Begin by managing your own social media pages to build and demonstrate your capabilities.
And once you become more proficient, use your skills and knowledge to help local businesses improve their social media presence.
You might manage the social media for a local cafe, a new tech startup, or even a fashion boutique!
12. Teaching English Online
Teaching English online could be a rewarding side gig. This job lets you connect with students from all over the world right from your home.
What’s more, you don’t need much to get started! Just a computer, a good internet connection, and a love for helping others learn.
The hours are also flexible, so you can easily fit teaching sessions around your family’s schedule.
Online English teachers spend their time planning lessons, teaching students via video calls, and providing feedback on their progress.
Teachers use various digital platforms to deliver interactive lessons that may include reading, speaking, listening, and writing exercises.
Basically, their goal is to help students improve their English language skills, which could be for academic, professional, or personal reasons.
Most online English teachers can expect to earn between $2,000 and $2,500 per month suppose they teach about 30 hours a week.
How to Get Started as an Online English Teacher
If you’re new to teaching, starting with an online TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course is a great first step.
Further, think about your preference for teaching different age groups, as this will affect your teaching style and patience level.
Pro Tip: Picking up books like Jim Scrivener’s Learning Teaching can offer insights into practical teaching methods in an easy-to-read format.
13. Customer Service Representative
Working as a customer service representative is a solid side hustle for stay-at-home moms who are good at communicating and solving problems.
You mainly answer customer questions about products and sometimes suggest additional items they might like.
Customer service representatives make money by handling calls, emails, or chat messages where they assist customers.
They might help someone understand product details, process a return, or upgrade their service package.
Often, you’ll use a computer and a headset to connect with customers remotely, which makes it an ideal job that can be done from home.
The pay for customer service representatives generally ranges from $30 to $50 per hour.
Some positions also offer bonuses for exceptional performance or meeting certain targets, which can boost your earnings.
How to Get Started as a Customer Service Representative
Primarily, this role requires a positive attitude and the understanding that everyone makes mistakes.
So, if you’ve never worked in customer service before, consider training or role-playing to get comfortable with common scenarios you’ll encounter.
Then, look for job listings online, especially on platforms that offer remote work opportunities.
Additionally, ensure your resume highlights your communication skills and any relevant experience, even if it’s from different fields.
14. Web Development
Starting a side hustle in web development might sound daunting, but it’s quite manageable with some initial learning and practice.
For starters, it involves creating and maintaining websites.
Web developers make money by writing code that tells a website how to function and what it should look like.
They also fix bugs, update existing websites, and sometimes manage the server and databases if the website needs those to run.
Note: More experienced developers might work on larger projects or even create web applications that serve millions of users.
When it comes to earning potential, web developers typically make between $50,000 and $77,000 a year.
How to Get Started as a Web Developer
Begin by taking a crash course in HTML (HyperText Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) with Sass (Syntactically Awesome Style Sheets), and JavaScript.
There are great boot camps on Udemy or free tutorials on YouTube.
Once you’ve got the basics down, you can then start projects, build a portfolio, and so much more.
Note: You don’t need to be an expert to start applying for junior web developer roles. Keep learning and adding new skills as you go.
15. Online Reselling
Online reselling is an excellent way for stay-at-home moms to earn extra income.
It involves selling items you no longer need or buying products at a low price and selling them at a higher price, which is often referred to as “flipping.”
Online resellers make money by scouting for items at places like flea markets, garage sales, or online marketplaces.
They look for those hidden gems that can be sold at a profit. Then, they list these items on platforms like Poshmark.
Other tasks include researching product values, taking appealing photos, writing clear and concise descriptions, and managing online listings.
Some resellers may earn around $40,000 annually, while more experienced resellers who dedicate more time and effort can make over $100,000 a year.
How to Get Started as an Online Reseller
The first step is to overcome the hesitation to post your first listing. You can begin by selling personal items you no longer need.
In short, before you donate or discard anything, make sure to check its value online. You might be surprised at what some items are worth.
As you grow more familiar with the process, you can start to buy items to resell.
However, don’t just focus on expensive items. Sometimes, cheaper finds can turn into substantial profits with the right buyer.
16. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is another side gig for stay-at-home moms looking to become their own boss with minimal risk.
Essentially, you sell products online without stocking any inventory.
Dropshippers make cash by listing products in their online store at a markup.
When a customer purchases an item, the dropshipper orders the product from the supplier at a lower cost and keeps the difference as profit.
The supplier then ships the product directly to the customer, freeing the dropshipper to concentrate on customer service and marketing.
The revenue from dropshipping can vary between $12,000 and $25,000 yearly. This depends on factors like product selection and market demand.
Seasonal trends can also impact earnings, with some times of the year generating higher sales than others.
How to Get Started as a Dropshipper
Start by identifying a market need where there is sufficient demand. Then, research products that can meet this need effectively.
Once you know what to sell, understand who your customers are, where you can find them, and how they prefer to shop.
Pro Tip: Use venues like Shopify to set up your online store, and consider utilizing automated tools to help manage orders efficiently.
How Can I Start a Side Hustle With Minimal Upfront Costs?
Interestingly, starting a side hustle with little to no money is totally possible! Many options require zero dollars to begin.
For one, blogging, freelance writing, or offering tutoring sessions can all be started without spending a dime. You just need a computer and internet access.
However, some ideas might need a bit more cash upfront. If you’re thinking about selling homemade crafts, you’ll need to buy materials.
Or, if you want to start a dropshipping business, there might be costs for setting up your website and getting products.
How Much Time Should I Dedicate to a Side Hustle Each Week?
Deciding how much time to dedicate to a side hustle can be tricky. But based on my own experience, aiming for about 20 hours a week is a sweet spot.
I used to work 35 hours a week on my side projects, but honestly, it was too much. I felt exhausted all the time.
Now, I aim for roughly 20 hours a week. This schedule helps me keep my energy up without missing out on family time.
There might be exceptions, however, like a big project that takes up a weekend, but these are rare.
Can I Really Make a Steady Income With Side Hustles?
Yes, you can definitely make a steady income with side hustles! First, think about pricing your services or products appropriately.
You want to make sure you’re earning enough to make the effort worthwhile without overcharging your customers.
Another strategy is to diversify. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!
For example, you might do some freelance writing, sell crafts online, and have a rental property. This way, if one area slows down, the others can fill the gap.
Hopefully, this list of side hustles has shown you that earning extra money from home is truly achievable!
Do you have any other side hustle suggestions or questions about getting started? Feel free to share your thoughts or ask for tips in the comments below!
