Raising kids and being a mom is a full-time job. But with the rising inflation rate and increasing everyday costs, you might need some extra money..
It’s no wonder more and more stay-at-home moms are looking for side hustle ideas to help supplement their income. Times are hard — and seemingly getting more challenging each day. The good news is that thanks to the internet, you can do a lot of work from home that won’t take a lot of time away from caring for your kids.
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The Beauty of Side Gigs
You can easily remain in the comfort of your own home and the company of your children while earning some extra cash during your free time.
You can try plenty of creative side hustles — and you aren’t limited to just one, provided you are able to find the time to make it work. And, let’s be honest, that’s something stay-at-home moms and single moms are likely already a pro at!
The best part about getting a side gig, especially an online one, is that you don’t need necessarily need to be locked into a set schedule, you get to skip the interview process and in many cases, you don’t even need a bachelor’s degree — all you need are marketable skills, hobbies, and spare time.
Below are the 14 best side hustles you can explore as a stay-at-home mom.
Answer Online Surveys
Taking online surveys is a popular and excellent side hustle idea. It doesn’t require much time to earn a little money this way. You can do this while your kids are in school, having a nap, or doing household chores.
Completing surveys earns you either points or straight-up cash. The points can be exchanged for cash or gift cards from popular retailers as you accumulate more.
You can earn a couple of dollars maximum per survey, although some websites might pay as much as $5 each. It all depends on the website you sign up with and the survey length. Spending a little time each day answering surveys will eventually build up your earnings.
The earning potential for this side hustle might not be much, but it is still an excellent place to start, especially if you’re a busy mom. Just make sure to sign up and use legitimate websites.
Trusted online survey sites you could try to get started:
Become a Freelance Writer
If you have an excellent command of the English language and a passion for writing, then becoming a freelance writer can earn you a lot of money. A quick browse through websites like Upwork will show you how freelance writers are in high demand.
Take note, though, that this is one of the side hustles where prior experience is practically a must. There are some freelance writing gigs for beginners, but even these writers should have some background in writing.
Signing up on a freelancing website is a quick and easy way to market your services, but if you want your potential clients to pick you out of many others, you’ll need to show them what you can do. Having your blog or own website where you can publish written samples is a great way to showcase your skills.
This will also require more time and energy, than simply answering surveys. Depending on the length of the project you take on and its deadline, you may need to carve out several hours of your day for this home job.
The upside is that you still enjoy flexible hours and earn a lot more than answering surveys. You can charge an hourly rate of $15 to $50 based on the project type, scale, and skills. PayScale estimates the average pay for a freelance writer at around $24.
There are different types of freelance writing gigs, though.
Aside from content or copywriters that typically write blogs for clients, there are also technical writers and ghostwriters. Technical writers can earn between $20 to $80 per hour but focus more on medical or business content and grants. Meanwhile, good ghostwriters can earn around $25,000 to $40,000 (or even more) per project.
Freelancing websites to help you get started:
Work as a Proofreader or Editor
If you have an eye for grammatical and spelling errors and are more of a reader than a writer, then perhaps working as a freelance proofreader or editor may be your style.
As long as you are detail-oriented, know grammar and syntax, and are fluent in English, proofreading or editing can be a flexible and less stressful way to earn extra money than writing.
Like freelance writing, proofreading or editing doesn’t necessarily require a degree or special certification. While those may help, showing proof of your proofreading skills is generally more critical.
If you’ve got the skills but no prior experience or portfolio of work to back you up, you can leverage your LinkedIn profile to list your skills and have your network endorse and recognize them.
One advantage proofreading and editing have over writing jobs are the availability of apps and programs that can make your life easier.
For example, the free version of Grammarly is a massive help in identifying spelling and grammar mistakes. If you invest in the Premium version, you get even more tools to streamline your editing and proofreading workflow and ensure the quality of your work.
Websites where you can get work as a proofreader:
Start a YouTube Channel
Creating a YouTube channel can be an incredibly lucrative side hustle. There’s no limit to the sort of content you can create — as long as it follows the community guidelines.
Create a vlog that focuses on motherhood and your family, or center your channel around showcasing your non-mom talents, like singing or fashion design. If you can imagine it, you can create it, be it film reviews, parenting tips, or interviews with essential residents in your community.
The choice is up to you. What’s important is choosing a niche that you won’t get quickly tired of or run out of great ideas for content since you’ll need to make videos regularly. Finding a topic or content that others find interesting is also essential.
Based solely on advertisement revenue, earn around $18 per 1,000 ad views. Although, this depends on the ad rate in your state. Top YouTube channels can make nearly $5 for every 1,000 video views. YouTube earnings can greatly fluctuate monthly, but channels can earn between $200 and over $5,000 per month once monetized.
However, it can take a long time before you start earning money. Simply making and posting videos nonstop won’t guarantee your paycheck. You need to grow your channel and its audience before you are able to monetize your content.
This means posting regularly, producing high-quality content, and building a substantial viewership.
Here are some of the basic things you need to start and grow your channel:
- Camera: The video quality of most smartphones is above-average and can be utilized
- Tripod: A shaky is distracting and hard to watch, which will turn viewers away
- Microphone: Once upon a time, boom mics and lapel mics that were compatible with smartphones were hundreds of dollars but can be bought today on Amazon for less than $20
- Lighting equipment: Also once very pricey, ring lights and light kits are available on Amazon or at Walmart for under $30
- Editing software: There are free video editing apps for varying levels of editing skill, such as Lightworks or iMovie
The first thing you need to do after starting your channel is to work towards meeting the YouTube Partner Program requirements. If you can’t join the Partner Program, you won’t be able to monetize your channel.
The YouTube Partner Program requires a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and at least 4,000 watch hours over one year or 12 months.
In short, the number of videos you post doesn’t matter as much as the quality and appeal it has — because that will help you bring in more viewers and subscribers.
Some other ways you can make money through YouTube include:
- YouTube Premium revenue
- Channel memberships
- Membership super chat and super stickers
- YouTube merch shelf
- Selling channel merch through other sites
- Affiliate links or affiliate marketing
- Channel sponsorships
Start a Live Streaming Channel
Starting a streaming channel is similar to starting a YouTube channel. More and more people are streaming from their YouTube accounts rather than using other popular platforms like Twitch or Facebook. If you’ve already started a YouTube channel, you can also try live streaming at little to no additional cost.
The significant difference between streaming and maintaining a regular YouTube channel is that this doesn’t require editing — you’ll be making your content live!
Most live streamers stream themselves while playing various online or console games. If you play games to destress while your kids are asleep, you may be able to turn your hobby into a way to earn extra cash while also having fun.
Although gamers mostly use streaming, there are plenty of non-gamer streamers. Some popular non-gaming streaming categories you might be interested in are:
- Just chatting: You just talk with your audience through their chat messages. You can tell stories about your life, talk about exciting news, and more.
- Arts and crafts: If you have a talent for drawing, painting, sculpting, crocheting, or any other handicrafts, you can livestream your creative process.
- IRL streams: For IRL (or “in real life”) streams, you take your viewers along as you go about your day, such as going to the grocery store or traveling.
- Music: Streaming platforms can be sensitive about song covers due to licensing but covering songs using instruments is still pretty safe.
However, keeping a regular schedule matters more when live streaming than uploading edited videos. This is so that your audience can tune in regularly and you can build a community more quickly.
Become a Freelance Graphic Designer
Freelancing as a graphic designer is one of the best side jobs you can start regarding payment and future options. You can work as a graphic designer part-time and later leverage your experience to open your own business.
It’s best to have a portfolio of your past designs to show off and attract clients. This can be something as professional as a Behance account or simple and casual, such as an Instagram account showcasing your illustrations.
As long as you have a graphic design program and know how to use it, you can more or less start advertising your design services.
Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop are popular paid software options. If you have an iPad, you can also try other more budget-friendly choices, such as Procreate.
If you don’t have the budget for a design program, Canva is an easy-to-use and free option. Many people make a living from creating Canva designs — even if they aren’t graphic designers!
You can offer your graphic design services through websites like 99designs, Upwork, and Fiverr. According to Upwork, graphic designers on the platform typically earn between $15 to $35 per hour.
You can also advertise yourself through social media.
YouTubers and streamers are great target clients as they need creative graphics for their banners, thumbnails, and more. If your forte is more on illustrations than layout design, you can offer chat emoji or sticker designs.
Start an Online Design Business
You can also use your design skills to open an online store and generate passive income. An easy way to do this is through an Etsy Shop.
Many designers sell digital templates and assets, from streaming overlays to printable planners, through Etsy.
If you are interested in learning more about how to make money selling digital products on Etsy, my friends Julie & Cody have mastered this process and are offering a free Workshop, which you can check out here!
Meanwhile, platforms like RedBubble and Society6 allow you to offer physical merchandise with your design without worrying about the business’s production side.
All you need to do is create your designs, upload them to your account, and choose which items to offer, such as:
- Shirts
- Posters
- Stickers
- Pillowcases
- Phone cases
- Canvas bags
Graphic design skills aren’t the only skills you can use to start an online business. Creating handmade products can also be profitable. Examples of items you can make and offer include:
- Resin or beaded jewelry
- Knitted blankets
- Crochet cardigans
- Handmade or tufted rugs
- Macrame hangings
- Personalized coasters
Facebook Marketplace is also an excellent platform for offering products like these.
Do Freelance Web Design
Another creative home mom job you can explore is freelance web design. A website is a must-have for business owners — whether they’re small businesses, solo entrepreneurs, or even online influencers. A professionally designed website is the best way for them to build their online presence and legitimacy.
If you have previous experience in web design, this can be a good side hustle for you. Depending on the project size and client, you can earn an average of $12 to $30 per hour. Different types of web design projects, such as a WordPress design, a splash page, and a mobile page design, will all have different rates.
As with any creative or design work, having a portfolio will help you get more clients. You don’t have to wait for clients to build up your portfolio. While showcasing client work is better, there is also value in creating website designs for fun and redesigning studies for existing websites or companies.
If you have graphic design skills but no prior experience in web design, there are many free online classes you can take to help you take your skills to the next level.
Become a Social Media Manager
With many people and businesses building their brand and presence online, social media managers are in high demand. This is a side gig many moms can do in the nooks and crannies of their life.
Moreover, it is something you can learn how to do online — and for free! Websites like Google and HubSpot offer 100% free online courses on social media marketing. Not only that, but you also receive a certificate for completing the free course.
Even if you are already well-versed in using different social media platforms, it still helps to get these certificates. It shows you are dedicated to improving your skills and adding value to your services, which can help raise your hourly rate.
Being a social media manager is more than just creating posts on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
It also involves checking news sites for any relevant stories and trending topics, creating and scheduling posts ahead of time, engaging with the account followers, and analyzing the results of your activities.
Managing clients’ social media accounts can take as little as five hours a week. This estimate is only for two platforms under one client, however. The more clients you take on and the accounts they give you to manage, the more hours you’ll need.
Be a Pinterest Virtual Assistant
A Pinterest virtual assistant or Pinterest VA is similar to a social media manager.
Regular virtual assistants take care of various administrative tasks, such as scheduling meetings, booking flights, and travel accommodations, and managing calendars. Pinterest VAs do none of that.
Instead, if you choose this side gig, you’ll be tasked with managing Pinterest business accounts and planning the Pinterest boards of brands, bloggers, influencers, and e-commerce stores.
This job typically includes the following tasks:
- Creating and designing pins
- Strategizing pins
- Scheduling pins
- Writing pin copy or descriptions
- Making monthly analyses and reports
One of the best perks of being a Pinterest VA is that it’s highly flexible. You can work on your schedule and fit it around your life and mom’s responsibilities. The services you offer can be tailored according to what you love doing on Pinterest and your time commitment.
If you’re a beginner Pinterest VA or have only a little time each day, you can focus only on creating pins and copies. This is a more straightforward task, but it can already earn you $25 to $30 per hour. If you offer a complete Pinterest account management service package, you can raise your hourly rates to as much as $100.
Do Transcription Work
Transcription work is a great side gig, but one that can take a considerable amount of time. However, if you’re confident in your listening and fast typing skills, this is one of the best jobs for you.
Other requirements of this job are good English grammar and spelling.
The fewer typographical and grammatical mistakes you make, the better the quality of your transcription. Moreover, you can shave some time off your work if you don’t have to spend a lot of time reviewing the document.
According to seasoned transcribers, transcribing one audio hour can take approximately four hours. With transcription jobs averaging $25 per hour, you can earn as much as $100 for a single, hour-long audio.
Take note that not all transcription assignments take that long, though. Depending on the recording, some may only be a few minutes long.
A few websites that offer transcribing jobs are:
- TranscribeMe
- FlexJobs
- GoTranscript
- Rev
- CastingWords
Become a Dog Walker
So far, most extra income ideas we’ve given are sedentary or desk-bound home mom jobs. That’s not to say there aren’t more active side hustles you can do as a stay-at-home mom.
If you’re looking for a well-paying side gig that lets you get some fresh air and exercise, dog walking may be the perfect side hustle. As a bonus, you get to spend time with adorable dogs, which is great for your heart and stress levels!
Having previous experience with dogs, either as your pets, volunteering in a shelter, or watching for other people, will give you an advantage in ensuring your job goes smoothly.
But even without that, you can be a great dog walker if you have patience, are firm enough to handle multiple dogs, and aren’t squeamish about picking up after the dogs.
You can make between $16 to $25 as a dog walker. That’s as a beginner and for a 30-minute dog-walking service. As you get more clients and build a good track record, you can raise your prices to $30 to $50, depending on where you live and how long the walks are.
A great place to start finding clients are dog walking apps.
These apps connect you to clients and make payment collection easier. Some apps even offer insurance to dog walkers and allow you to offer other services, such as dog sitting and in-home visits. Some apps you can use to find clients include:
- Wag
- Rover
- Barkly Pets
- Fetch!
Start a Small Photography Business
Starting a photography business can be a fun high-paying side hustle.
Depending on your experience and the type of photography work you offer, you can earn anywhere between $30 to $350 per hour.
The downside to this potentially lucrative side gig is the time and money investment it requires.
Whether you offer portrait, baby, food, travel, or event photography, you’ll still need to invest in a high-quality DSLR camera and lens. You’ll also need other equipment, such as light reflectors, a speedlight or flash, and a tripod.
Moreover, it’s a good idea to have a portfolio website to showcase the past photos you’ve taken. Setting up a photography business also means you must have certain customer service skills.
As for time commitment, wedding and other event photography gigs can take entire days of your time. Additionally, aside from the time you allot for taking photos, you’ll also need to spend time post-processing or editing your shots.
The good thing about this is that you can (and should) charge extra for such services. Simple retouching can be bundled with your photography services. However, extensive color grading and editing are extra offerings already.
Other ways you can leverage your photography skills include:
- Joining a stock photo agency
- Licensing your photos
- Selling prints of your photos
- Collaborating with brands and influencers
Offer Child Care Services
If you are taking care of your kids daily, extending your services to other parents in your local community, neighbors or family might not be too much of a stretch. This may not be one of the easiest side hustles, but it can pay well.
Offering child care services requires a little more preparation, though. This depends on what kind of childcare services you plan to provide. You don’t need a certification if you’re babysitting kids for full-time working moms and dads.
You can earn a minimum hourly rate of $12 per child and charge a higher price for toddlers or babies. You can net as much as $500 per week, depending on the number of kids you babysit.
You can start by offering your babysitting services to other parents in your neighborhood. This will allow you to build your reputation and expand to other families in your area.
Take note that if you’re going to set up a daycare or child care small business, you’ll need to have a few certifications, such as:
- Child Development Associate (CDA) CERTIFICATION
- First aid and CPR certification
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) certification
- Advanced child care training
Be sure to check your state and county for requirements.
Although not technically child care, you can also offer tutoring services. If you can watch over and help your kids with their schoolwork, you can likely do so for other kids, too — particularly if you excel in the subject.
This can be a convenient service for other busy parents. Even an hour or two of basic homework help and watching over kids or pre-teens can greatly help them out.
Hourly tutoring rates can go from $25 to $100, depending on the subject’s difficulty.
Endless Extra Income Ideas for Moms
These suggestions are only the tip of the side hustle iceberg for stay-at-home moms. This article didn’t cover every option, but you could also conisder gardening work, selling baked goods, reselling or dropshipping, and shopping delivery services.
The abundance of free workshops and online classes make it possible to learn a wide range of marketable skills.
If you are in need of extra income there are tons of great flexible options available to you!
