25 AWESOME Ways To Make Money as a Stay at Home Mom 2024

Being a woman looking for a side hustle can be challenging. It can be even more challenging if your a stay at home mom.

But with just a laptop and an internet connection, you can make a respectable income from home. There is a growing number of remote workers in freelancers that operate in this fashion.

The benefits, of course, is that you can set your own hours, negotiate your own fees, and organize your schedule around your children and school hours, or whatever other activities you may need to accommodate as a parent.

The downside is that, unfortunately, there are a huge amount of scam sites out there and there are a number of unscrupulous businesses or people out there that are just after your money. So it is important to be careful when selecting a business or company to partner with.

The risk can be higher if it is an online-based organization. Stick to reputable companies, make sure they are legitimate, and do your research in order to protect yourself as much as possible.

If you do not have super hot computer skills or any kind of advanced technical knowledge then this option may be for you. There are many websites out there that specialize in providing transcription services for large companies, corporations, law firms, real estate companies, and a whole host of other industries.

There are multiple organizations out there to pick from just make sure you do your research to ensure that the company you have chosen is a reputable firm. Typically they will require you to do a short online test to assess your transcribing abilities, and once you have passed this you will then be eligible to receive assignments.

All you need to get started is a good ear to listen to audio recordings, decent typing skills, and a laptop. As you progress your assignments should become more lucrative and the only other expense that you may want to invest in down the line is the transcriber’s foot pedal.

Many professional transcribers have a pedal that sits on the floor. This is operated by foot and starts and stops the audio recording that you listening to while keeping your hands free to type. Which is an incredible tool useful when listening to audio recordings and typing at speed.

This is also an option that doesn’t require massive technical skills and article writing does cover a very large scope. So while many companies can require very technical or SEO style writing there are also a huge number of people out there that simply want good writers. They are looking for writers that have an excellent command of grammar and the English language.

These people may just be looking for content for their website or blogs, and not necessarily for articles to be highly SEO optimized or keyword-friendly. A large number of clients are just looking for someone that can write a good story.

Similar to the previous listing you will just need a laptop with a decent internet connection and software to write and submit your articles. Microsoft Word is available for relatively cheap now as an online service, and Google Docs is completely free. Typically both are accepted as a standard in whatever industry you are writing for.

As you gain more clients you may want to invest in some kind of grammar checking software such as Grammarly, and something to make sure that your work is passing any plagiarism check like Copyscape.  These tools are not mandatory, they are completely optional and something that just may enhance your writing and ensure that it’s the best possible for your clients.

Read any good books lately? How would you like to earn money for it? Curling up with a great book is always a good way to relax but if you are the kind of person that is always discovering grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, or problems with the plot then you might want to think about marketing your services as a proofreader.

There are plenty of ways to get clients and publishing houses recruit their own professional proofreaders to check and edit the texts in manuscripts before having them published. An easier route to get started maybe one of the online services such as Freelancer or Upwork.

There is a whole section on these websites that are devoted to people posting jobs requesting proofreading services. So if you have a good grasp of English and grammar and a sharp eye for mistakes then give it a try. Rates vary depending on the length of the text and the level of complexity requested.

Are you fluent in Finnish? An expert in Estonian? If you are you can earn good money selling your services in language translation. There is a growing market for these services as we have moved toward a more global economy. Worldwide there is a need for reliable translation specialists.

This could be verbal or written translation depending on individual customer requirements. There are several companies that specialize in providing reliable translation services but just as with the Proofreading and Editing the online freelancing sites are a good place to start.

Set up your profile, detail your skills and take a look at some existing profiles to get a feel of where to set your pricing. You can manage your workload around the school and the kid’s schedules and create yourself a nice income by taking on translation jobs.

If you do have a little more knowledge of technical skills and are comfortable with design then you may want to try the route of designing websites for small or independent businesses. There are multiple platforms available to use,  and some of the what basic can even be used by people that are not particularly web design savvy.

Most of these are designed around a ‘what you see is what you get’ (WYSIWYG) style interface, combined with drag and drop elements to make the website build as easy as possible. Many of these names are well-known such as Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace.

If you are a complete beginner these tools can be very helpful. If your technical skills are a little more polished however, and you understand the ins and outs of how to use WordPress, then this can be an invaluable tool in building websites for your clients.

Almost 30% of all websites now are constructed using the WordPress platform, and the choice of templates and plugins and design options are extremely versatile. You can construct a very professional-looking site for your clients with not too much effort.

This is a good option if you don’t exactly have the skills to build websites, but you do have a good understanding of how they should function smoothly. With companies now needing to have an online presence for just about every industry that there is, they need to have checked in place to ensure that their websites are functioning correctly.

There is much investment placed in user experience or ‘UX’, and hundreds of larger companies now spend money to outsource this task to freelancers and specialized user testers. If you decide to try it then take time to research the companies that are available. The organization User Testing is a pretty reputable organization and it has been around for quite some time.

It will require signing up for an account and doing a 10 to 20 minute sample test of one of their websites. The reason for this is twofold 1) it lets them know that you are capable of adequately reviewing the site and 2) it gives you an opportunity to learn what is expected from you.

Once you have signed up for an account and passed the test you will begin to receive websites for review as they become available. Fees are typically paid on successful completion of the reviews, and if you take a moment to follow the guidelines then there should be no issues receiving your payment.

The website review comprises of you going to the website online and using the review companies built-in plug-in you will record and track your mouse movements. It will also record you speaking through tasks as you perform them. These tasks vary in number and will be based around the operation of the site.

As an example, you may be asked to review a travel site, locate a specific menu, and walk through the steps it takes to book tickets for a show. The client is looking for a verbal commentary of your thought process and walkthrough of what you are doing on the site as you are doing it.

If the aforementioned options are really not your thing, and the thought of offering technically based skills via online connections leaves you cold, then maybe arts and crafts are more for you? If you have any skills or hobbies that you have become proficient at these can be a good money maker.

Jewelry design, drawing and painting, creative crafts, clothing design, or anything else that uses your artistic talents can be leveraged to and made into a part-time income. There is the option of selling your wares through online platforms such as eBay or Etsy, but again, if you’re not completely tech-savvy then you can always take the route of selling your crafts at local flea markets or craft fairs.

You could even contact local boutiques to see if they have an interest in selling your creations. Sometimes business outlets may take a small percentage but the majority of the profits will be handed over to you.

If you like a little bit of retail therapy and enjoy spending your day shopping then flipping items can be a great way to make money. Just take a browse around your local charity shops and flea markets. You can even check the free listings in the classified section on craigslist or other free ad sites. These can yield tons of items that you can take and then resell at a good profit.

This option can be a little time consuming why you source suitable items to sell on, but the rewards can be well worth it.  You should be able to get started flipping with a minimal cash outlay. Over time you will be able to hone your skills and easily identify items that there is a good market for and that you can flip easily.

You may even decide to specialize in a certain area such as jewelry, antiques, or designer clothing. With the recent groundswell of people moving more towards resourcing, recycling, and sustainable living many people are much more open to buying in second-hand or resale goods. Which creates a customer base for you to sell to.

If you have access to a vehicle and a cell phone then getting out on the open road and driving people to and from their chosen destinations is a great way to make some extra cash. Uber and Lyft offer money for you to use your personal vehicle to transport the public. The account sign-up process is relatively painless.

Just download the company app, complete the online sign-up, and provide some documentation such as your driver’s license and registration. Depending on the company you may be asked to bring the car in for a quick inspection to verify its roadworthiness, but once this is complete you will be free to hit the road and start generating income.

The beauty of working with one of these services is that it is completely flexible and you can pick your own hours as many or as few as you wish to work. When you are ready to make money, switch on the app comma and when you have finished for the day or decide that you do not wish to take any more rides, then simply switch off the app.

Although the rideshare company will take a percentage of your earnings, usually around 20%, the remainder passes straight through to you. These fees are tax-deductible along with all of the mileage on your vehicle, so ensure that you keep good records and mileage logs. By the end of the year, if your records are in order, you should pay little to no tax because of the mileage deductions and offsets that you will be able to claim as a cost of doing business.

Side note: If transporting people and having a stranger in your car does not appeal to you then there are also companies and apps out there that deal with the transportation of envelopes, packages, and small items.

For example, quite a well-known operation is Roadie that has recently expanded into many cities. It is worth a Google search for these companies as many of them may be local to the city that you are living is. Some of these smaller operations can actually be quite lucrative.

As a full-time Mum (or Dad) grocery shopping is not always the most fun thing to do, but if you are at the supermarket anyway why not make some extra money? There has been a recent upswing of online shopping services such as Instacart and Shipt that will pay you to visit stores and a select list of grocery items for their customers.

The operating style of these companies is similar to Uber and other crowd-sourced apps, with you completing an online sign-up, being approved as a shopper, and then downloading their app. Jobs will come through the app and you can select or reject each assignment.

When you no longer wish to receive any further assignments simply switch off the app. Because of this flexibility is a grocery shopper can fit in very well around your other obligations or kids school schedule.

It may sound ironic to suggest offsetting the cost of your child care by becoming a childminder, but this can be actually quite a lucrative way to make money from home. If you like having kids around then offering babysitting or childminding services can be a great way to help other families.

You can even start networking at your child’s school to get clients. Some parents you know may have younger children that they need help taking care of. Having your children at the same school can be a good foundation to start building a relationship with other parents to win them as a client.

There are some hoops to jump through with this business. You will need to take a first aid certification course and be licensed by the local authorities. But once you have completed the necessary training you will be fully qualified to perform childminding duties in your area.

As we mentioned at the beginning of this article childminding fees are somewhat expensive so this can prove to be a lucrative venture for the entrepreneur.

If you are an animal lover then offering reasonable pet sitting or dog walking services might be just the thing.  The advantage is a relatively low startup cost for this kind of service. Printing just a few flyers, or placing an ad in the local classifieds might just be enough to get you your first few clients.

People are working increasingly long hours and there is a definite market for these services. Many pet owners do not relish the thought of leaving Fido cooped up somewhere at a boarding facility. And the ones that now offer outdoor play and interaction areas can be somewhat pricey.

Dog care is almost as expensive as childcare these days!

If you are organized and have pretty good time management skills then this can be a fun way to create an income. You can offer basic walking or let out services for short visits, or for people that would like their dog to have a little more company during the day you can stay longer.

Think about creating your own menu of additional services. These can include extra playtime with the animal,  or even just sitting and providing some petting time to keep pets entertained while their owner is at work.

There is actually a bigger market for clothing alteration services than you would initially think. So if you are talented with a needle and thread or a sewing machine you can generate money by offering in-home alterations and sewing services.

Many people require adjustments made to their clothing, lengthening inseams, altering clothing length, or adjusting clothing sizes to make clothes larger and smaller are all typical requests. Professional tailors and alterations services can prove to be quite expensive. An in-home option can be appealing to people requiring your talents.

Some basic advertising and printing of business cards to leave in your local shops or supermarkets should be enough to get you started. Clothing alteration requires no special licensing or skills other than your ability to sew measure and correctly manage alterations of various clothing items.

If you have a pleasant telephone manner and are good at handling all types of customer inquiries, then working as a call center agent may be a good option for you. Some of the biggest international companies are choosing to outsource their customer service requirements.

They often have a pool of agents that work remotely from home and field some of the more standard customer service requests. Some businesses even outsource their call center requirements to other companies that specialize in handling customer service and large volumes of phone calls. This is known as BPO or business process outsourcing.

You may even find that the position you are applying for is to operate as a freelancer for one of these companies that are handling outsourced contracts from larger corporations. Typically customer inquiries are done by phone or email so good customer service and interpersonal skills will be required.

This one is not for the sensitive souls or faint of heart but if you are thick-skinned and don’t take rejection personally then you could consider working from home as a debt collection agent. If you are successful companies will pay big bucks, sometimes in the form of large commissions for you to recover and collect their money.

Be prepared for heavy phone call volume and some not so happy customers, most people don’t enjoy being chased for money they owe.  But if you have a knack for dealing with people and are skilled at finessing tricky situations then you might be able to make quite a good living in the debt collection business.

You do not need any particular qualifications except good phone manners, and possibly a high level of resilience. If you get good at collecting there are many companies that would be interested in working with you as this is quite a high turnover business for operatives.

No-one likes to sit and punch a bunch of figures into a spreadsheet at the end of the day, but unfortunately, accurate recording keeping is just a reality of being in business. Given the fact that normal operations can take up the majority of the day, many companies small and large, choose to outsource their bookkeeping requirements.

Typically you can charge a good fee to keep their receipts in order and financial records up to date. If you have any experience in accounting or daily bookkeeping functions that will be beneficial, along with any skills in accounting software packages and knowledge of tax and financial regulations.

If this is a field that you would like to go in but are lacking in experience, there are many self-paced courses online where you can learn the necessary skills that you will need to offer bookkeeping services to clients.

Are you a talented guitar or piano player? Perhaps the clarinet or other instrument is your forte (that’s a musical reference by the way!) If you have musical abilities you can schedule paying clients to visit your home and take lessons with you.

This can be basic music reading skills, teaching someone to play an instrument, or even providing singing lessons if you have any aptitude in that area. Many people prefer a home-based setting for their lessons, and one-one-one tuition for musical teachings.

You can schedule students around your own timetable for their session, and as specialized musical tuition can generate pretty good hourly fees then this money-maker could be a lucrative venture. There are no special licenses required, and if you have a spare room in your home you could set it up as a small studio for clients to use.

Online marketing and search have become a giant area and a profitable one. After the landslide of social media marketing, there has been a recent trend leaning towards a more visual format in the shape of video marketing. Marketers will pay a lot of money to get good quality content and marketing material designed for YouTube and other channels.

If you are a technical whiz with audiovisual equipment this can be a really nice sideline to enter into. Since marketing is an ongoing undertaking there is a high chance of repeat business and clients, giving you a great opportunity to boost your income.

Finding clients may be a little tricky at first as this is a highly competitive field so perhaps consider doing some pro bono work for a local school or charity in exchange for a little free advertising or an endorsement.

If you have an unused bedroom in your house then turn it into an income generator by renting it out to guests. This works really well if you happen to live in a major metropolitan city, or an area with a large number of schools or colleges. If you use a service like Airbnb you can offer your room rental for just the days you choose. You may want to just rent on the weekends for example.

Depending on your location and what is around you the rates can vary wildly, so do a bit of research and see how much per night other homes in the area are renting for. Price competitively at first and over time you will start to have the same people returning to rent from you. Airbnb takes a very small percentage and the rest goes in your pocket, so this can be quite a ‘low effort’ way to create an income.

If you fancy being a true business entrepreneur then start your own drop shipping business. FBA by Amazon is an excellent place to start. This is Fulfillment by Amazon and can have you running your own business enterprise in no time. Sign up at the Amazon website, choose the products you are going to sell and let Amazon handle the packing and shipping.

As with other jobs on this list, you will have the freedom to set your own schedule, and the freedom to direct your own profits. A good website on which to display your products is a must. You can start out as big or as small as you like and Amazon offers many tools and will give you support to scale your business.

With the increase of dietary requirements like gluten allergies, lactose intolerance, and vegetarianism and veganism on the rise, there is a definite market for meal preparation. People are turning more and more to professional meal preparation services to create dishes that align with their food needs.

Some people simply use preparation services for convenience as their work schedule leave little time for cooking. If you are a budding chef or have culinary talents you may be able to carve out (another clever reference!)a niche in this business. Especially in your local area. People don’t want to go miles to get their food so this is a very locally sought business.

You can charge for services to prepare specific food combinations and even create your own specialized menus to offer to clients. Some places design special vegan or vegetarian menus, for example, generating meals that are a bit more interesting and appealing than the normal fare.

It seems that every week almost there is a celebration of some kind. St Patrick’s Day, Thanksgiving, Easter, to name but a few. Add to that the huge amount of birthdays, weddings, christenings, quinceaneras, anniversaries, retirement parties, and whatever else, then you can start to see a market for custom cake design and making.

So, if you are handy with an icing gun and can design and create unique edible cakes, then utilize those talents to create an income stream for yourself. Increasingly, people want something a bit better than the cakes that can simply be purchased from the supermarket shelves and will pay money to have their celebratory dessert made a bit more special.

You can take as many or as few commissions as you can handle and the prices that you can charge will vary by size and complexity of the items requested.

Note: For this and the previous meal preparation listing check with your local authorities to make sure you are in compliance with any local business and health regulations.

This is a specialized field and somewhat of a dying art so if you have abilities in furniture restoration or upholstery then you may have just found great money generating idea for yourself.  Most people are quite prepared to drop off their favorite dining room chair or small footstool to be lovingly restored, and if you can make the piece reflect its former glory you will be able to charge decent rates.

There may be a bit of investment and the correct tools for the job will be needed. Hand tools, electrical sanders, nail and staple guns, will all be needed, but once the initial purchases are made you will be up and running.

If you have antique stores in the area its a great idea to leave a few business cards or flyers with them that they can pass on to their own customers.

Having a talent in a specific area or particular industry can turn into a lucrative income generator by creating online training videos. People all over the world Google thousands of searches daily to learn about a business or specific skill set.

You can design and create videos to sell online describing how to utilize a particular skills. Maybe you are an advanced user of Excel spreadsheets and can explain the use of things like Vlookups and advanced formulas.

Or perhaps you had a business background in sales and can describe how to conduct a successful account review meeting with a customer. Whatever your talents, someone out there wants to learn about them.

Once you have created your videos describing the skills you want to train, you can sell them online. There are many sites where people will pay to watch your training material but Fiverr is a pretty solid place to start. It gets a huge amount of traffic and is a good way to test the water.

The categories of surveys, shopping, and online commissions have all been grouped as one category here. Their reason is that while many of these services can offer a way to make a few extra dollars they are really just designed to provide supplemental income and would not generate a livable income in most cases

However, in addition to some of your other income streams, many of these may be a good way to top up your cash, Online survey sites are everywhere. Companies like Swagbucks and Inbox Dollars will pay you a fee for sharing your opinions. Various organizations will pay you a small commission for your junk emails.

You can watch TV using certain apps and get rewards, or upload your shopping receipts to earn a bit of cashback. You can even change your web browser and get paid for your searches.  A search of any of these type of commission paying programs and apps will reveal pages of results.

If you are just looking to earn a little extra then they can be a good way to go. Just make sure you check out the companies you are thinking of joining to ensure they are legitimate.

There you have it, some great ideas for how to make money as a stay at home mom.  

We hope you are inspired and start today and you can begin to generate some additional streams of income.