Struggling to find the balance between work and motherhood? These flexible money-making opportunities are perfect for stay-at-home-mums, giving you the time to take the kids to the park, playgroup and more.

Attention stay-at-home-mums! Being a work at home mum doesn’t mean you have to make massive financial sacrifices. There are lots of different ways to make an income or create a little revenue for yourself whilst still having the flexibility to be there for your children. It is possible to work casually and have balance whilst being a SAHM.

I was a work at home mum for many years. I started my own eBay business a few months after my youngest was born, then I became a Tupperware demonstrator, and when all the kids started school I started The Organised Housewife which I ran from home for 8 years. I moved the business out of home and into its own office space 18 months ago, but prior to that I loved the flexibility of working when my kids were sleeping, in my own time. Secretly, I enjoyed being able to use my mind for something other than mum duties.  

The best way to make a good solid hourly rate from home is to use the skills you used in the workplace. If you hated your old job, look for bits you liked about it and create a new job for yourself. If you loved looking after the company website but didn’t really like the admin, consider becoming a content manager. If you loved giving presentations but couldn’t stand research, consider becoming an MC, celebrant or auctioneer. If you are passionate about healthy living but hate the 9-5 grind, consider becoming a health coach.

Stay-At-Home-Mum Work Criteria

If we break it down, these are the boxes we (generally) want to tick:

1. It must be flexible (from home or at least on your schedule)
2. It must have low or no start-up costs
3. It must require little or at least affordable retraining costs
4. It must pay enough to make it worthwhile
5. It must be relatively quick to set up and start earning
6. It must be at least somewhat enjoyable.

Flexible Money-Making Opportunities For Mums

So, we know why we want to work from home and what we want from it, but how do we get started? Here are some ideas to jumpstart your money-making mission.

STUDY

There are heaps of career options that offer flexible study and payment opportunities that fit around your family and lifestyle, and which lend themselves seamlessly to working from home in the future. Here are a few:

• Massage therapist
• Beauty therapist
• Eyelash technician
• Virtual assistant
• Graphic designer
• Personal trainer
• Health coach
• Cake maker

Lots of these career options can also serve as stepping-stones to something more in the future. Well College Global, for example, offers flexible study options for becoming a health coach with pathways later in life to degrees in nutrition and naturopathy. Health coaching is a great option for mums who want to keep a foot in the door of their career whilst they raise their children.

BECOME A MYSTERY SHOPPER

Who wouldn’t like to get paid to shop?! You’re not going to bring in enough money to replace a full-time job, but if you’re looking for a little extra spending money on the side, this is an easy (and fun!) way to do that. You can generally take your child along with you, so there’s no need to sort expensive childcare as a mystery shopper either.

SELL YOUR STUFF

I’m going to guess you’ve got clothes in the wardrobe that aren’t being worn, toys that aren’t being played with, artworks that aren’t hanging on the walls… and the list goes on. Put aside some time each day to sell these on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Gumtree and make some money (plus free up some space in your home too!). If you have a knack for picking up a bargain at second-hand shops and garage sales, you could turn this into an even bigger project by buying good-quality second-hand items and selling them for a mark-up.

  READ MORE: What To Sell Around The Home To Earn Extra Cash

VIRTUAL/FREELANCE

More and more companies are choosing to cut their staff and office overheads by choosing to outsource instead. Think about what you’re good at – managing social media accounts, writing, editing, invoicing, booking flights and organising schedules, designing graphics, answering emails or fielding phone calls – and approach companies with an offer to help in this area. Don’t be scared to pick up the phone and explain to businesses how outsourcing can be hugely beneficial to them. It’s a particularly great option for small businesses that are growing and need support but aren’t quite ready to take on the expense of a full-time in-house staff member.

BECOME A PET SITTER

Love animals? Then become a pet sitter or dog walker in your neighbourhood. You could register with an online company that offers these services or simply post to local community Facebook groups and do a letter box drop.

MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING (MLM)

Lots of companies use a network marketing strategy to build their business, which can be a fabulous option for mums wanting the flexibility of a job where they can choose their own hours. If you find a product that you love (and which offers MLM) you will find promoting that product effortless! It’s a great option for people who genuinely love chatting to people and networking, although it can take a while to climb the ladder and start seeing the results.

START A HANDMADE BUSINESS

It’s easier than ever to try your hand at starting a business. If you are creative, then platforms like Etsy are perfect! They allow you to set up a free virtual shopfront in a matter of minutes, with a small percent of any sales you make going to Etsy. If you have dreams of making your handmade business a long-term plan, consider hiring a Graphic Designer to help create your logo and branding. It will be much easier to market and scale your business in the future if you create this in the beginning.

This gorgeous necklace below is handcrafted by one of our team members for her online jewellery business – how adorable is it?!

SELL YOUR PRACTICAL SKILLS

Life is getting busier, and people have less time than ever for practical things. If you are good at putting shelves together, painting walls, entering data or packaging up stock for the postman, then put yourself on a mobile marketplace like Airtasker. It won’t provide you with a regular stable income, but it’s a great way to make a little extra money – plus you have the flexibility of saying yes or no to whatever fits around your children.

ARE YOU A STAY AT HOME MUM WANTING TO EARN A LITTLE EXTRA CASH? I’D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT’S BEEN STOPPING YOU.

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