How To Make Money As A Stay At Home Mom
Being a stay-at-home mom is a full-time job in itself. There is always something to be done when it comes to raising children and keeping a home. Unfortunately, in today’s economy, many families find themselves pinching pennies to make ends meet. Also, it seems it takes a lot more resources these days to live what used to be considered a middle-class life in today’s terms. One way to help with the household finances is to take up a sort of side hustle to bring in a little extra cash. The trick with this while being a stay-at-home mom is being able to complete your work during nap times or in conjunction with what you are already doing. So, in today’s post, we will cover exactly this. We’ll help you explore the top 5 options for making money as a stay-at-home mom – all during nap time or mixed in with what you already have to do in your day. None of the items in this list include MLM (Multi-level marketing). It’s nothing against MLM, but we think there are other options out there that may be better for some moms.
1. Baby Sitting
Taking in a couple kids or even just one can add a nice monthly income to your household. This is especially true if you find a full-time nannying job where you keep the kids for 40+ hours a week. Interestingly, there is now a term called “side-kick” being used to refer to a mother who brings her kid along for nannying gigs. You can also consider opening a small in-home daycare if you only currently have one or two kids. This would bump up your revenue potential even more. Now, let’s consider some pros and cons.
Pros
- You can potentially have a set-up where the kids are dropped at your house so there isn’t a need for travel
- Your kids will have playmates to socialize with and keep them busy
- You can utilize your typical daily tasks to meet the needs of this option (i.e.: making a little extra food at mealtime, using activities you already planned to do with your kids, etc.)
Cons
- Obviously, this is creating more work for you. You will have to determine how much you can really handle.
- May require you to work outside the home if the client prefers you to nanny at their home
Babysitting may seem like a task for a high school or college student, but it is for all age ranges and has great benefits financially. In addition, some families will also highly value that you are a mother and have in-depth experience with caring for kids. You may have to offer a reduced rate since you will be bringing your kids along for the ride. Also, baby sitting can be done on a regular or occasional basis.
2. Pet Sitting
Pet sitting is the next option on this list. Pet sitting is great for those animal lovers out there who maybe don’t mind an extra dog or cat (or exotic animal) running around the house. Additionally, you can also visit other people’s homes to care for their animals. It’s a great way to make a little extra money and can range from simply walking a dog to keeping them all day or overnight. So let’s get into the pros and cons:
Pros
- Similarly to the babysitting option, you can have a pet sitting option where the pet is dropped off at your house
- If you have other animals, the animals you pet sit could offer them company and a way to exercise them and get their energy out
- Animal lovers can enjoy doing what they love
Cons
- If you have pets yourself and will be pet sitting in your home, you will need to ensure the pet you are sitting is friendly with other animals
- Also, a huge point, you will have to make sure they are friendly with children as well
- If you are travelling to perform pet sitting duties, this could take time out of your day and use gas
Pet sitting is not a particularly difficult task and has a great potential to help you earn extra cash while you stay home with your kids. It’s not the most lucrative option on this list but is something to consider regardless, especially if you love animals.
3. Selling Digital/Physical Products
Selling digital products has great potential for earning an extra income. For digital products, I am referring to creating online templates using Etsy and selling those templates for a profit. You can create these templates with skills and knowledge you already have. Here are some examples of digital products: fillable cleaning schedule and cooking schedule, home schooling materials, etc. You can even narrow it down to only creating and selling digital templates you are already needing for your family. With physical products, you can just find something you are good at making and sell this on Etsy. Examples of this could be hand-sewn clothing, homemade bows, embroidered items, etc. The start-up and maintenance cost with Etsy is very low and is well-worth it once you start getting sales. So, let’s talk about pros and cons.
Pros
- As mentioned, you can alter your business model to only sell digital products that you are already creating for your own needs. This way you only really have to create marketing images for your listing
- Whether creating something digitally or a physical product, this gives you a great creative outlet to explore. It’s great to have hobbies as a mother while also using them to make some money for your family
Cons
- Digital products do require some creative energy so it wouldn’t be the best option if you already feel pretty maxed out mentally
- Physical products require coordinating packaging and shipping unless you use an outside service for this
Overall, selling digital or physical products on Etsy is usually not extremely difficult and can turn a nice profit. Digital products can be created during nap time and physical products can be packed and shipped during nap time.
4. Blogging
Blogging is an incredible source for either additional income or eventually replacing an income. There are many possible revenue streams that include: affiliate marketing, paid ads, brand partnerships and more. Truly, the sky is the limit when it comes to the money you can make with blogging. Please note, it’s best to blog about something you are knowledgable and passionate about so you can ensure you are providing value to your readers. Now, here are the pros and cons of blogging:
Pros
- You can absolutely blog during nap time
- Blogging doesn’t have to be time consuming as long as you stick to a schedule and plan out your workflow
- Blogging provides an outlet for you to express what your interests are and what you’re passionate about
Cons
- There are some barriers to entry such as building your website, paying for hosting, etc. but these are what can be considered small barriers
- You have to remain consistent with posting in order to see a positive financial outcome
- It takes time to build traffic to your blog – which is what leads to revenue
Blogging is a great option for busy moms who really want to maximize their revenue potential and even have a hobby to focus on and enjoy while not focusing on the kids. In addition, it’s important to do things that are just for you and make you happy.
5. Social Media
Social media is a bad word for some people, but similar to blogging, it truly has endless possibilities for making a profit. You can also use social media as a supplement to your blog and for promoting your blog if you decide to go that route. Also, social media provides a way to connect with others on subjects you care about and maybe want to teach others about. So, let’s talk about pros and cons of social media.
Pros
- A lot of social media work can be done right on your phone. If you own a smart phone, chances are you’ll be able to get started with social media
- Once you grow your following, you can convert this into revenue with things like affiliate programs and brand partnerships
- Many forms of social media are here to stay so it provides some amount of security
Cons
- Working in social media, you’ll likely need to check your accounts often and this is not for everyone
- Certain social media platforms do have the potential to shutdown, so you would need to utilize multiple platforms to keep your income stable
- You are essentially putting your life out there for others to see and criticize
Social media definitely has a lot of potential as far as being a side hustle or a full-time job. There are many ways to expand your brand and bring in money, but you certainly have to consider if this will be a good addition to your lifestyle.
So, those are the top 5 ways to make money as a stay-at-home mom. Being a stay-at-home mom is seriously a huge and important job, but if you are in a position where you have a little time on your hands, these 5 options are a great way to bring in some money. In addition, these options can provide you with anything from spending money to replacing your household income. Also, getting to be creative in the process is a huge upside! Feel free to share below how you make money as a stay-at-home mom and if you’ve tried any of the options listed above. Please, let us know if you decide to try any of these and how it goes. Happy Homemaking!
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