Stay-at-home moms have plenty of work to do, but that work doesn’t really pay. Considering the cost of raising a family, money-making opportunities that can fit in with your parenting schedule are always welcome.
The good news is that there are plenty of online and offline side hustles you can try to supplement your income, increase your budget, and maybe even take a break from the kids.
The key to finding a side hustle that fits is to exploit your interests and skills. This list is a place to start. Look for the one that suits your needs!
1. Sell Used Clothing
While it’s not a steady job that will bring in a consistent flow of income, selling used clothes can make quite a difference in your budget.
Selling your family’s unused clothes is a great place to start. Maternity clothes, outgrown baby clothes, ill-fitting shoes, or whatever else you have can be sold. As long as it’s all just gently used and in excellent condition, you can sell used clothing online and in person in select stores.
To get started, you simply have to choose your preferred store, create an account, and list your items. Some stores connect you directly with interested buyers, so you must create listings, communicate with buyers, and ship your items. Others take over your clothes, handle the promotion and sales themselves, and then send you a part of the profits, so you won’t have to be involved in the sale process.
How much you’ll earn will depend on the store you choose, the condition of your items, their quantity, and the brands you have.
If you have a good eye for a clothing bargain and you enjoy selling clothes, you can go beyond selling your own family’s clothes and try buying and reselling used clothes.
👗 Read about how one high school choir teacher earns up to $25K/year reselling used clothes on Poshmark.
2. Create and Sell Unique Crafts
If you have a knack for arts and crafts, this hobby can become a lucrative side hustle. Whether you enjoy painting, crafting clay jewelry, creating unique candles, homemade lip balms, children’s toys, or anything in between, you can monetize your talents.
The key is marketing your products and connecting with prospective buyers. You can do both by joining the right platforms. Facebook Marketplace, for instance, is free and easy to use. However, you might find connecting with the right buyers easier on platforms like eBay or Etsy, which specializes in arts and crafts.
💵 The average seller on Etsy can make as much as $46,000 annually[1]. However, it takes quite a lot of time and effort to reach that level. As a novice, you might be earning just a couple of hundred a month, depending on what you’re selling, the time you have to spend, and the prices you’ve set.
3. Sell Digital Products
Selling digital products is a great alternative to selling physical goods like arts and crafts online. What you can earn money with depends entirely on your skills and talents. You can sell music, apps, mobile games, software, downloadable prints, PDF guides, and more.
While you’ll generally find most success selling your digital goods on your own website, there are also many platforms you can join to connect with interested buyers. Sellfy, Fiverr, Podia, and even Etsy are great platforms where you can easily sell digital products. If you’re into developing apps or games, you can sell your products directly on Google Play, for instance.
💵 Your earnings will vary greatly depending on what you’re selling and how many downloads you get. Some sellers will earn just a couple of dollars a day, while others can get thousands a month.
4. Become an Editor/Proofreader
If you have a keen eye and enjoy reading whenever you get the chance, you might find editing and proofreading to be the perfect side hustle for you.
Proofreaders scan written work for grammatical and syntactic errors, spelling errors, and punctuation mistakes. An editor’s job is a bit more demanding, as you’d have to both proofread and make semantic, stylistic, and formatting changes.
Whichever option you prefer, you can find employment as a freelance editor or proofreader on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer.
To get started, you’ll have to create an account on one (or all) of these platforms, then reach out to prospective clients to sell your services. You’ll be in charge of your schedule, so as long as you meet all the deadlines, you can work whenever your schedule allows it.
💵 Freelance editors can earn as much as $49,808 a year, depending on how much work they take on[2].
5. Try Your Hand at Transcription
If you’re not much for proofreading and editing, you could try your hand at transcription. Your job would be to listen to audio files and type everything you can hear word-for-word.
Different clients will need different kinds of transcription services. You might be transcribing recordings from conference rooms and Zoom meetings, podcasts, phone calls, interviews for market research, or even legal recordings.
If you want to keep your schedule as flexible as possible as you take care of your kids, it’s in your best interest to join some of the aforementioned freelancing sites – Fiverr, Freelancer, or Upwork.
💵 On average, full-time transcriptionists can earn around $43,571 annually[3]. You’ll earn less than that working part-time, but it can still be enough to help!
6. Offer Translation Services
If you’re a stay-at-home mom who has complete mastery of a foreign language, working as a freelance translator could be just the thing for you.
Translators are needed in almost every field and industry. E-commerce companies could need translations of their product descriptions for foreign audiences, attorneys could need translations of legal documents, and doctors could need translations of medical records.
Highly sought-after languages like Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese bring in the most money, but you can find work in virtually any language on popular freelancing platforms.
💵 Your pay will depend on the types of translations you offer, with legal, medical, and corporate translations commanding the highest pay. On average, however, you can expect around $67,919 a year[4].
7. Become an Online Tutor
If you have skills and knowledge to pass on to others, you should look into becoming an online tutor. The key is choosing a niche where you can offer real expertise.
Whether you know a foreign language, a programming language, math, English, science, or anything in between, you can start offering virtual classes to kids and adults alike. You could even offer online parenting classes.
To get started, you’ll need a computer, a high-quality headset and video camera, and a video-conferencing tool like Zoom. Then, simply post up flyers around your neighborhood marketing your services, hit your social media channels, or look for gigs on freelancing platforms.
💵 You can earn between $48,313 and $70,554 annually, depending on the number of students and working hours[5].
🎵 Read more: Katie explains how she earns up to $130/hour teaching music on Outschool.
8. Sell Pre-Recorded Courses
If you have young children who constantly demand your attention, live online tutoring might not be the thing for you. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot start a lucrative tutoring side hustle.
Instead of offering live online classes, sell pre-recorded classes.
Again, your options here are limitless. As long as you have a skill you can teach, you can create a class around it. Fitness classes, coding classes, parenting classes, and more can easily be pre-recorded and sold to others for a fee.
The easiest way to sell your classes is by joining platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, or Teachable.
💵 Your earnings will depend on the number of downloads and your chosen rates. Generally, most courses will cost around $100, but it’s in your best interest to look into what others are charging before you set your prices.
9. Sign Up for User Testing
User testing is the process of determining the usability and functionality of a given product and assessing its capabilities and user-friendliness. User testing can be done on websites and apps, video games, software solutions, online tools, and more. Best of all, it can be done from the comfort of your home. You just need a computer and, depending on the product in question, specific software (such as a specific operating system).
To get started with user testing, you can join sites such as Userlytics, UserTesting, TryMyUI, and the like. You’ll have the most luck if you have prior experience in the tech industry.
💵 You can earn anywhere from $24,500 to $151,000 annually as a user tester[6].
10. Become a Freelance Writer
Freelance writing can be one of the best side hustles for stay-at-home moms. You can set your own schedule, determine your own rates, and choose your own clients. As long as you’re comfortable with writing, you can easily make it work.
You can join freelancing platforms like Freelancer, Fiverr, or Upwork to start offering your services to a diverse clientele. Freelance writers are often needed for online content creation, blog posts, ad copy, social media posts, website content, and more.
💵 On average, freelance writers can earn about $21.82 an hour[7]. However, you can more than double your hourly pay if you’re a skilled writer with a specialist niche.
11. Write a Book
If you really have a way with words, you can be more than a freelance writer. You can be an author.
It’s not easy to make it as an author. It takes years of trial and error and, perhaps most of all, luck. However, you can still make some nice money on the side by writing a book and selling digital copies on platforms like Amazon Kindle, Sellfy, Apple iBooks, and Barnes & Noble.
💵 The only problem is that you won’t have guaranteed earnings. Still, self-published authors on Kindle, for example, can earn anywhere from $150 to over $20,000 a month, so it’s definitely worth a try[8].
12. Run a Blog
Running a blog can be an excellent way to generate passive income and increase your budget. It takes time and dedication, but the results can be astonishing.
The first step is choosing your niche. It can be anything you’re experienced with or have an interest in. Parenting blogs are popular, as are travel blogs, cooking blogs, and interior design blogs, among many others.
Once you have your niche, it’s time to build a website. With the right tools, it’s much easier than it may seem. WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, and others can help you create it within mere hours.
To ensure success, you’ll want to frequently publish new, relevant posts and engage with your readers. Once you have a big enough audience, you can monetize your blog with affiliate marketing, sponsorships, selling ad space, and more.
💵 On average, bloggers make about $50,000 a year, though the number could be drastically different depending on your content[9].
13. Get Into Podcasting
APodcasting is an excellent alternative to blogging. If you don’t have enviable writing skills or don’t want to bother with building and maintaining your blog, podcasting could be a great way to go.
As a podcaster, you can choose your own episode style. Share your thoughts and insights on your chosen niche, invite guests, hold interviews, record panel-style podcasts, do Q&As, or a mix of them all. You can easily publish your episodes through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or even YouTube.
Like bloggers, podcasters can earn money through sponsorships and affiliate marketing or offer subscriptions.
💵 There are no pre-set earnings you can expect. Podcasters can earn anywhere from $16,000 to well over $150,000 annually, depending on their popularity[10].
14. Start Your Own YouTube Channel
Most people are a bit too camera-shy to start a YouTube channel, but it can become quite lucrative if you choose the right niche for yourself and know how to connect with your audiences.
If you feel comfortable, you can start vlogging, sharing your daily life with online communities. For instance, you can become a “beauty guru” by offering makeup tutorials. You can share educational videos, entertaining videos, explanation videos, or anything in between. You don’t even have to be in the spotlight if you don’t want to – instead, think about creating animations or graphics and doing voice-overs.
Most YouTubers earn through affiliate marketing and sponsored posts, but many also receive contributions from their followers through platforms like Patreon.
💵 Your YouTube channel could earn around $60,943 a year[11].
15. Play Video Games for Money
If you’re a gamer mom who enjoys nothing more than playing video games with her kids, you might also be able to monetize this hobby.
Platforms like Twitch and YouTube are great for gamers who want to connect with a larger community, live-stream their gameplay, and have some fun.
All you have to do is create an account on one of these platforms, play your favorite games, and engage with your viewers. Keep in mind you’ll also need to invest in the necessary equipment – a gaming PC, a high-quality camera, and a good headset at the very least.
💵 As a successful streamer, you could earn between $3,000 and $5,000 a month, maybe even more[12]. However, earnings are not guaranteed, and you might have to work for a while before you can start making money.
16. Monetize Your Cooking/Baking Skills
Not every mom is a great cook or baker, but if you happen to be, you’ll have many money-making opportunities.
You could offer catering services, cook meals, and prepare baked goods for those in your neighborhood or for parents from your kid’s school. Make flyers to market your services and spread the word around.
💵 Depending on the type of work you take on, you could earn as little as $300 a month or as much as a few thousand[13].
In addition, you could start creating cooking/baking content and sharing it online. Create a cooking blog, share baking videos on your social media channels, or start a YouTube channel recording all orders that come your way.
Not only will you make a profit from your clients, but you could also start earning from your blog or YouTube channel.
17. Become a Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is a remote secretary who deals with administrative tasks. You’d perform tasks such as scheduling appointments, booking accommodations, making travel arrangements, answering phone calls, etc.
You can find employment as a virtual assistant through freelancing platforms like Fiverr, Freelancer, and Upwork, but you can also work directly with companies like CVS Health, Planet Professional, and Ajilon.
💵 Your schedule will largely depend on your employer, but most jobs will be flexible. Salary can range between $15,000 and $108,000 annually, depending on the type of work you take on[14].
👩💻 Read more: Can you earn $50 an hour as a virtual assistant? Here’s how one VA found a lucrative specialty and turned it into a career.
18. Sell Your Photos
If you’re skilled at photography but don’t have the time or will to become a professional photographer, you can still make money from your hobby.
There are countless websites where you can sell anything from landscape photos to pet photos, stock photos, and more. Some of the best-known sites where you can earn from your photos include Getty Images, iStock Photo, Alamy, and Shutterstock.
Most sites will pay you a commission every time someone downloads your photos, though some will purchase a license from you for a one-time fee.
💵 Alamy, for instance, pays, on average, $35 per license, so your earnings will depend on both the quality and quantity of your photos[15].
19. Become a Data Entry Clerk
Data entry is one of the most straightforward remote jobs you could do as a stay-at-home mom. A data entry clerk must be familiar with word processing tools and spreadsheets, such as Microsoft Office, Excel, etc. They need to be detail-oriented and have basic computer skills.
You can find employment as a data entry clerk at many companies, though your best option is joining platforms like Freelancer, Fiverr, or Upwork.
Your schedule flexibility will depend entirely on your employer, though, generally speaking, you should be able to set a timetable that suits your and your children’s schedule.
💵 The average salary for a freelance data entry clerk is $28 an hour[16].
20. Flip Furniture for Profit
As most stay-at-home moms, you’re likely well-versed in Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects. If you enjoy these projects, you could try your hand at flipping furniture for profit.
The premise behind this is simple. You find cheap used furniture on the second-hand market, restore it at home, then sell it for a higher price.
You can market your items on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Etsy, and more.
💵 Your earnings will depend on your projects, but you should expect at least $500 a month, if not more.
🔄 Read about how Marissa’s furniture flipping pandemic hobby turned it into a flourishing business.
21. Organize Child-Friendly Events
If you’ve ever had to organize a child-friendly event, such as a kid’s birthday party, you know that it’s not easy. That’s why so many parents prefer to have someone else do it for them.
Planning parties becomes much easier when you’re paid to do it, so why not give it a try?
If you’re a detail-oriented, organized person who knows what children enjoy doing, becoming a kid-friendly party planner could be just the thing for you.
You’d be responsible for finding suitable venues, handling decorations, scheduling caterers, musicians, entertainers, and more.
💵 With an average salary of $64,225 a year, becoming a party planner could give your budget a serious boost[17].
Final Thoughts
Finding good side hustles for a stay-at-home mom can be challenging. You must find opportunities that keep your schedule flexible, pay well enough, and don’t intervene with your parenting.
However, while it’s challenging, it’s doable. Give these side gigs a try and see for yourself which one suits you and your kids best.
