Looking for ways to earn money while still being able to stay at home with the little hooligans who call you mom? You'll only be limited by the time you have available and your own creativity. Here are some ideas for how you can harness your talents and abilities to supplement your current income.
Become a freelance photographer
Pay estimate: Starts at $25 per hour
Source: Payscale
Freelance photography is a booming stay-at-home business for moms who have good cameras and a good eye for well-proportioned photographs. Freelance photographers often advertise themselves via social media and by word of mouth and generally are in the most demand for weddings, family groups and newborns. It usually helps if you have a talent for photo editing as well.
Refer your friends to ZipHub
Pay estimate: Depends on frequency of referral
Source: ZipHub
Earning money from home could be as simple as shopping online and letting your family and friends know which sites you like. For instance, members of ZipHub can earn Referral Rewards Cash by referring other members, nonprofit agencies and businesses to the ZipHub network. You aren't obligated to make minimum purchases or sell anything, just be proactive about letting others know how good your experience with ZipHub has been.
Monetize your hobby
Pay estimate: $3,400 per year (on Etsy)
Source: The Simple Dollar
If you have a crafting hobby you'd like to indulge, consider whether other people might be interested in what you're making. There's a niche market for practically every kind of homemade good, from wood-burned picture frames to crocheted baby hats. Some choose to open a storefront on Etsy.com, while others simply advertise themselves by word of mouth or on social media.
Become a pet sitter
Pay estimate: $1,000 per month
Source: The Simple Dollar
If you love taking care of pets, especially dogs, pet sitting might be the perfect part-time gig for you. Pet sitters will watch animals while their owners are out of town, take them for walks and often welcome them into their homes for several days or weeks at a time. The money is in it for those who do it consistently every month, market themselves through pet-sitting services and get good reviews from the people they pet sit for.
Offer in-home childcare
Pay estimate: $21,000 to $30,000 per year
Source: The Houston Chronicle
When you have the room for it, offering in-home childcare can be an easy option for stay-at-home moms. If you're caring for little ones anyway, adding a few more to the mix should be an easy transition. Salaries for in-home childcare providers varies depending on the region in which you live and how many children you watch. Each state restrictions for how many children a single provider can watch, so make sure to check out the regulations for your state.
Tutor
Pay estimate: $17 to $45 per hour
Source: The Knowledgeable Roundtable
Have a degree? Use what you know to tutor elementary or secondary education kids in the subjects you know best. Contact your local school districts to find out how to add your name to approved tutoring lists or talk to other parents in your community to find out how much tutors are charging and which subjects are in highest demand.
Become a rideshare driver
Pay estimate: $16 to $20 per hour
Source: U.S. Money News
Do you have a few hours a day when all your kids are in school? If you'd like the flexibility to set your hours, take time off when your kids are out of school and choose who your clients are, being a rideshare driver might be a good option for part-time work. Popular rideshare programs include Uber and Lyft. The more often you drive the more money you make.
Offer editing services
Pay Estimate: $30 to $50 per hour
Source: The Editorial Freelancer's Association
If you have a knack for grammar, editing and fact-checking, you could offer your services as a freelance editor. Self-published authors, graduate students writing a thesis and small companies with websites are all possible sources of work for freelance editors. The Editorial Freelancer's Association suggests different pay estimates based on the type of editing you do. Creating an online profile with a portfolio of past work can help market your services to possible clients.
Transcribe
Pay estimate: $15 per hour
Source: Payscale
Having quick fingers on the keyboard is another way you might jump-start your stay-at-home career. Transcribers are generally able to work from home converting speech or dictation into written documents. Doctors and lawyers often employ transcriptionists or data entry specialists to type up forms and other documents from home.
Try freelance blog writing
Pay estimate: Starts at $10 per article
Source: Lifehacker
Starting a blog could eventually make you money through affiliate marketing and ad clicks, but you'll earn a supplemental income even more quickly by applying to existing blogs as a freelance writer. You'll generally start at a lower rate like $10 per article, but Lifehacker estimates some writers make as much as $100 per article.