When I first set out to be a stay-at-home mom, I knew that in today’s world, I would also need to figure out how to start a side hustle so I could contribute to the family finances. Everything is so darn expensive!
This post is all about Side Hustles for Stay-At-Home Moms
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As a stay-at-home mom myself, balancing my family responsibilities with financial goals has often left me feeling frustrated, and like I didn’t know which direction to throw myself at first. In today’s digital age, there are countless opportunities to earn extra income without sacrificing precious time with your kids. Whether you’re looking to continue utilizing your professional skills, explore new interests, or simply add extra cash to your family’s budget, there’s a side hustle that can fit into your busy schedule.
Table of Contents
This post shares Side Hustles for Stay-At-Home Moms
Why Start a Side Hustle as a Stay-at-Home Mom?
Truth be told, I never felt like my family had the luxury to afford me being just a ‘stay-at-home mom’. While we all know that stay-at-home moms do a lot in a day, taking care of kids is the most important task in the world, it’s unfortunately not one that comes with a paycheque attached. I knew that if I wanted to make my dream come true of being home with my daughter and not having to put her in daycare, I would need to figure it out.
It wasn’t always smooth sailing. I actually struggled a lot at first and tried a lot of different things until I finally settled on being a Virtual Assistant. I tried starting a YouTube channel, selling courses on Udemy, and launching a digital product Etsy shop. While some of these didn’t end up being profitable for me (probably because I change my mind too often), countless other moms are giving it a go and are able to supplement their family’s income successfully.
To help speed up the process for you, I’ve created a list of the 23 best side hustles that are well-suited for stay-at-home moms.
These include side hustles that;
- Have flexible hours and the ability to create your own schedule that works around your family’s lifestyle
- Are an opportunity to earn extra income without committing to a full-time job
- Have the ability to work during nap times or when the kids are in bed
- Help you maintain your essential professional skills while raising your babies
- And create an outlet for creativity and personal fulfillment
Online Service-Based Side Hustles
1. Virtual Assistant
How could I start off this article by not mentioning becoming a Virtual Assistant? Becoming a VA is a great side hustle and has allowed me to stay home with my daughter for the past five years. It’s a great option for stay-at-home moms who have organizational skills and are attentive to details. You can handle administrative tasks, email management, calendar scheduling, etc, with lots of room for growth when you are ready.
My e-book, Your 9-to-5 Exit Strategy, walks you through 30 days of essential tasks to start your Virtual Assistant business and land your first client. You can check it out here!
Your 9-to-5 Exit Strategy- Virtual Assistant E-Book
Your 9-to-5 Exit Strategy E-Book breaks down how to launch a thriving Virtual Assistant business in just 30 days.
2. Freelance Writing
If you love writing and want to utilize this skill to make money from home, it can be a fulfilling and profitable side hustle. Content creation is in high demand with many business owners needing blog posts written, articles, social media captions, and email newsletters.
You’ll want to start by building a portfolio (even with unpaid samples), then look for opportunities on Contently, ProBlogger, in blogging Facebook groups, or even Fiverr and Upwork to start generating testimonials. Once you have testimonials under your belt, you can start marketing your services more widely in Facebook groups, cold pitching potential clients you would love to work with, or doing outreach on LinkedIn.
3. Social Media Management
Many small businesses need help maintaining their social media presence, but can’t afford full-time marketing staff. If you love scrolling through social platforms, this could translate into a great side hustle that you can do during your free time. You’ll be able to help clients edit their reels or TikTok’s, engage with their audiences, write captions, and create stunning graphics that align with their brands.
You can start by offering your services to local businesses or friends who run small businesses. You can create sample content calendars and strategies to showcase your abilities. Once you have a few testimonials under your belt, you can have a portfolio with your examples, and pricing packages. You can then start marketing your services in Facebook groups, cold pitching potential clients you would love to work with, or doing outreach on LinkedIn.
4. Transcription Work
If you are a fast typist and have great attention to detail, transcription work might appeal to you. Transcription involves converting audio or video content into written text. It’s a great gig you can easily do during nap time.
There are lots of sites like TranscribeMe, Rev, and GoTranscript that offer opportunities for beginners. You usually need to sign up, and pass a few tests before getting started. As you gain experience, you can seek higher-paying clients in specialized fields like legal or medical transcription.
5. Online Tutoring
If you have expertise in a particular subject, like teaching English as a second language, online tutoring allows you to share your knowledge while earning extra money on a flexible schedule.
You can join platforms like VIPKid for teaching English, Chegg to provide homework help, or Wyzant for online tutoring help. You can also offer tutoring services in your local community through Facebook groups, many kids often need help in subjects like Math, Sciences, and Languages.
6. Remote Travel Agent
Even though there are many online booking sites for booking your next vacation, people tend to still prefer using a Travel Agent for booking their vacation, as they can often get better deals on flights and accommodations. Plus, for those visiting a new country for the first time, it takes the guesswork out of needing to research which areas are safe to visit and stay, and what attractions they should be visiting. If you love planning vacations and have good organizational skills, this could be your perfect side hustle.
You will want to consider investing in a course or online certification program, then affiliate yourself with a host agency that provides support and resources for independent agents.
Creative Side Hustles
7. Handmade Crafts on Etsy
If you’re crafty, setting up an Etsy shop to sell handmade items can transform your hobby into a profitable business, especially if you love crafting anyway, might as well make money from it! While Etsy can be oversaturated with some products, it’s key to do some research to figure out what products are in demand and have low competition on the platform.
You will want to research trending products, take high-quality photos of your creations, and optimize your listings with relevant keywords to attract buyers. You can use a tool like Everbee to help you find in-demand products with low competition and relevant keywords to add to your product listings on Etsy.
8. Print-on-Demand Products
If you love designing cool graphics and sayings, having a print-on-demand shop may be right for you. You can design custom t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases without needing to manage an inventory. And you can earn money in your sleep! It’s always fun to wake up to a few emails with new sales in your inbox. This is beginner-friendly, and you don’t have to be a professional graphic designer to get started.
You can create unique designs using tools like Canva or Adobe Illustrator, then upload them to platforms such as Printful, Printify, or Redbubble.
9. Digital Products
Did you know that you can also sell digital products on Etsy? Creating and selling digital products, like printables, planners, or digital art, can lead to unlimited earning potential with no physical inventory. It’s something you can create once and sell over and over again.
You will again want to identify a need in your target market, create high-quality digital assets, and sell them through Etsy or your own website. Popular ideas include digital planners, meal plans, and organizational charts for kids. You can also create printable resources for teachers on platforms like Teachers Pay Teachers.
10. YouTube Channel
Starting a YouTube channel about parenting, cooking, lifestyle, or any topic you’re passionate about can generate income through ad revenue, sponsorships, and product recommendations. It’s not a get-rich-quick (unless you are Mr.Beast or someone who already has a massive following), but with time, you can work your way up to a profitable business. Many people love to live vicariously through others, especially if you have something they don’t have, and will tune in weekly to watch your new videos.
You are going to want to focus on a specific niche, create valuable content consistently, and optimize your videos for search to build an audience over time. If you are ok with your family being on camera, you can create vlog-style videos documenting your life, or you can create a How-To channel showing others how to cook your favorite recipes, or share tips and tricks about your favorite hobbies.
This is actually an idea that I did try out before becoming a Virtual Assistant. I made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot of lessons from my time on YouTube. While it didn’t end up being profitable for me (I changed my niche, and my mind 1000x times), it definitely could have been if I had stuck with it!
11. Graphic Design
If you have design skills, offering graphic design services for marketing materials, logos, and social media content can be a flexible and creative side hustle. Many business owners don’t have the time or the capacity to keep up with the hamster wheel of creating social media content, and may hire you exclusively to create their social media graphics or marketing content on Canva.
You can get started by building a portfolio with examples of your work, testimonials, and pricing packages. You will also want to join freelancing platforms like Upwork or Fiverr to get your first few clients under your belt. From there, you can expand your marketing efforts and network in entrepreneurial Facebook groups where business owners often seek design help and will hire you on a retainer basis.
Service-Based Local Side Hustles
12. Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
If you already love taking a daily walk with your family, why not walk a few dogs at the same time, especially if you are pushing a stroller? You can offer pet drop-in services or dog walking services. There are many dog owners that work long shifts and would greatly appreciate you putting their dog outside to relieve themselves, check in on them, and offer them a treat before putting them back inside to wait for their owner’s return from work. Or you can also offer dog walking services again for those who work long hours, or for the elderly who can’t manage to walk their dogs themselves.
You can register on apps like Rover or Wag, or you can advertise your services in neighbourhood Facebook groups. Start with competitive rates and gather positive reviews to build trust.
There’s a lady in my local community who started small, but her business quickly grew, and now this is all she does; she offers drop-in services where she will check in on your dog during the day and take them out for walks. She is so busy that she now has a waitlist! People truly love their pets.
13. In-Home Child Daycare
If you are already watching your own kids, what’s a few additional children alongside your own? This can be especially convenient if you’re already at home with your kids, and oftentimes, having more kids means your own are more likely to be entertained and play with the others.
You will want to check local regulations regarding in-home childcare, then advertise in parenting groups or by word of mouth in your community. I don’t know about you, but there is definitely a shortage of daycare options where I live! You would be booked out fairly quickly!
14. Home Organization Services
When I first found out about Home Organization Services, I thought to myself, “Who would pay for that?”, turns out a lot of people need this kind of help! If you love creating order from chaos, home organization services allow you to work flexible hours while helping others tidy up their homes.
You can create a before-and-after portfolio of your own organized spaces, set hourly rates, and promote your services locally through local Facebook community groups. You could even expand later to offering an organizational course, with your best tips and practices, or combining this and starting an organizational YouTube channel, so many options!
15. Meal Prep Services
If you love cooking, preparing healthy meals for busy families, professionals, or the elderly can be both rewarding and profitable.
You’ll need to research recipes that reheat well, or can be frozen, thawed, and reheated in the microwave. You’ll want to develop a weekly rotating menu, calculate your costs and pricing for each meal, and figure out how to deliver your meals to everyone on your list on a weekly basis. You will also need to check your local cottage food laws or commercial kitchen requirements in your area.
Online Business Side Hustles
16. Blogging
While not an instant money-maker (I would know!), blogging can evolve into a significant income source through affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and digital product or course sales.
You’ll want to research and choose a niche you’re passionate about and that is profitable. You will also want to set up a self-hosted WordPress website (my friend Chris at Blog Tech Support can help you with this) and focus on creating valuable content consistently before thinking about monetizing. You can also use tools like Rank IQ to help you with keyword research and SEO.
17. Affiliate Marketing
If you love trying and recommending products you already use, you can generate passive income through affiliate commissions. I have personally incorporated affiliate marketing here on my blog. You can also market your affiliate links on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, especially if you already have a following there.
You’ll want to join affiliate programs relevant to your audience (Amazon Associates is a good starter option), then share genuine recommendations through your blog, social media, or email newsletter. Other great affiliate programs to look into include LTK (Like To Know It), Share A Sale, Rakuten, etc.
18. Online Courses
You can share your expertise on virtually anything by creating and selling online courses, which can generate passive income once the initial content is developed and only need to make course updates if the information changes, or new content or strategies have evolved.
You will need to identify which valuable skill or knowledge you can teach, create engaging video lessons, coursework, and checklists. You can host your course on platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, Udemy, or Outschool.
This is another side hustle I tried! And to this day, I still earn passive income from my Udemy courses on canning and preserving, and baking bread. While it’s not my main source of income, this is definitely something I will revisit eventually because I have come to realize that it’s truly a numbers game, especially on platforms like Udemy that direct students to your courses themselves. The more courses you have, the more students enroll, the more money you make.
19. Podcast Hosting
If you prefer speaking to writing, starting a podcast on a topic you are passionate about can attract sponsors once you build an audience. You can also network and guest on podcasts for others to build your audience, especially in the beginning. Podcasting can also lead to other amazing opportunities, especially once you have built a warm audience, like selling a course and promoting affiliate products.
You will want to invest in basic recording equipment like a good microphone and distribute your content through platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
Professional Service Side Hustles
20. Bookkeeping Services
If you have accounting skills or experience with financial management, you can offer bookkeeping services to small businesses. There is a huge need for good bookkeepers out there! Especially in the Interior Design industry, you can become a certified bookkeeper for platforms like Studio Designer, and they will actually send referral clients your way since you know how to use their accounting software.
You will want to take a course, brush up on accounting software knowledge like QuickBooks Online, or take the time to get certified by a specialized accounting software like Studio Designer. Then you can set your rates (I suggest monthly packages) and target local small businesses or online entrepreneurs.
21. Proofreading and Editing
If you love reading and have a sharp eye for grammar, you can offer proofreading and editing services for everything from academic papers, business documents, or even for aspiring authors on TikTok.
You might want to consider taking a proofreading course to learn the ins and outs of the trade and to refine your skills. You can then market your services on TikTok or Instagram, or join platforms like Upwork, Fiverr to get those first few testimonials under your belt.
22. Data Entry
While not a glamorous job, data entry offers flexible work-from-home opportunities that can be done during your quiet moments. There are lots of websites online that work with beginners and can help you get started, and surprisingly, there are a lot of job postings on Indeed and LinkedIn too!
You can look for opportunities on freelance platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, on Indeed, or on LinkedIn to get started. Once you’ve built up your experience, you can reach out to individual businesses in the healthcare field that utilize data entry services.
23. Resume Writing
Lots of people need expert help on improving their resumes so they can land their dream jobs. You can help job seekers stand out with professionally written resumes and cover letters, which is a great service to offer that allows you to set your own hours and rates.
You can develop custom templates and samples, build a portfolio, determine your pricing structure, and promote your services on LinkedIn or local Facebook community groups.
Balancing Your Side Hustle with Your Family
Side hustles can offer exciting income opportunities, but it’s also easy to get overwhelmed with needing to balance work and family life. This is something I am still working on achieving; some weeks are better than others, but I’ve learned some great lessons along the way.
- Set realistic expectations about how much time you can devote to your side hustle
- Establish clear boundaries between work time and family time (especially with clients!)
- Start small and gradually expand your services as you figure out what you love to do and what works with your family’s schedule
- Include your kids when appropriate
- Prioritize self-care to avoid burnout from juggling too many responsibilities, It’s ok to go slow!
After signing on with a Virtual Assistant agency, I said yes to all the clients and projects that came my way. Part of me was super excited to be finally earning money and working from home, learning new skills online but in the process, I lost myself and my ‘Why’ for starting it all.
It’s taken a few years of high stress to finally realize that I will have all the time in the world once my daughter is older to go hard and make more money, right now I am choosing to savour these fleeting moments that go by way too fast.
Now I’m much more careful about protecting family time and setting boundaries. Sometimes that means turning down work or requesting longer deadlines, but the sanity it brings to my family is worth every penny of potential income lost.
The perfect side hustle for a stay-at-home mom is one that fits your skills, interests, and family schedule.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different options until you find the right match. I tried three different side hustles before finding the ideal one!
Remember that even a few hours a week devoted to a side hustle can yield meaningful extra income while providing personal fulfillment outside of your parental duties.
If you are looking to contribute to your family’s finances, save for a specific goal, or maintain your working skills during your time at home with your kids, there’s a side hustle that can help you achieve dreams without sacrificing what matters most, the time with your kids.
For me, the journey from feeling financially dependent to contributing meaningful income while raising my daughter has been the best experience ever!
This post was all about Side Hustles for Stay-At-Home Moms
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- How to Achieve Work-Life Balance As A Work-From-Home Mom
