How to Earn Extra Money as a Mom
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One thing I love about the Internet revolution is that it has opened up new opportunities to make money. A side hustle is a normal part of life in our modern age and in some cases these money-on-the-side opportunities become fulltime gigs. This is exactly the journey of how I started my own company – I consulted on the side and took it on fulltime after two years.
That was back in 2009. Today there are even more opportunities to add extra money to your budget. So if you are struggling to get by, you’re in a pile of debt, or you’ve given up on saving while you’re dealing with high childcare costs, don’t worry. Look at ways to increase income for your family.
Perhaps you are one of the countless moms – or dads too – who do not want to go back to their old work after having a baby. Perhaps you can’t afford to go back as high childcare costs make it not worthwhile to return to traditional work.
Here are a few ways to earn some extra money for your family. While estimated earnings are given, keep in mind you could make far more or possibly less. Like in most things in life, it all depends what you put into it.
For those of you who are used to making a higher income – and for those of you who want to make a higher income – the growth potential is given as well. This is how scalable the opportunity and the potential for making more money.
Survey Companies
Survey companies will pay in you in cash or rewards to answer questions for market research. The great thing about completing surveys is that you can do it at home at any time. You also get to provide input on products or services. Your eligibility for surveys will be determined by your profile, income, location, etc. From my experience, compensation is about $10/hour, but there are also no startup costs and you can get started within minutes. It may not be a job replacement, but a nice way to earn extra for Christmas gifts, birthday gifts and more. There are many survey companies out there but one of the best and most legitimate survey company is SurveyJunkie and you can get started in a few minutes.
Estimated earnings: $350/mo at 8 hours/week for SurveyJunkie
Growth potential: low
If you have a basement apartment, extra room or another unit you can turn into a shortterm rental for Airbnb, you can add some boost to your budget! You will have to furnish the unit and clean it (or arrange to have it cleaned), so this is definitely not free money. You can check out how much Airbnb thinks you’ll make for what you have and your location, but many hosts experience much higher rental rates — even double what Airbnb predicted. Don’t have a space of your own? Offer to help host other people’s Airbnb units and/or clean them.
Estimated earnings: $500+/mo
Growth potential: low-medium
If you have extra baby gear – and what young family doesn’t – you may be able to turn your stuff into a nice little income. As a BabyQuip Quality Provider, you rent and delivery baby equipment to travellers, grandparents and more. It’s like Airbnb for baby stuff. From what they say, the average providers make is about $600/mo, but you have the potential to earn much more by building your business.
Estimated earnings: $500+/mo
Growth potential: medium
Selling Stuff
Take an inventory of your possessions – do you have extra things you really don’t need? An old gaming console? Furniture? Beyond selling what you don’t need, and reaping the benefits of a simplified KonMari-esque life, you could reap some serious cash. You can even take it a step further and by items through garage sales and thrift stores and then sell them online, such as Facebook Marketplace. Check out Flea Market Flipper for success stories and tips.
Estimate earnings: $500/month or more, depending on how much
time and energy you invest
Growth potential: medium
Start a Blog or Online Business
If you’ve got something to say and an audience willing to listen, you may be able to start a profitable blog or online business. Keep in mind that this is not a quick windfall. It takes time to nurture your blog or business, not to mention monetize it. I won’t say a lot here as this is a huge topic and there is a ton of content already out there.
Estimated earnings: $1000+/month after a year
Growth potential: high
Consulting
By the time you have a family these days, chances are you’ve already been in the workforce for years. You have probably acquired significant skills and experience as well as built a network of people who know and trust you. You may be able to leverage this expertise and connections by consulting in your career field you came from or related areas. Have a special skill that you’ve always loved to do? You may be able to turn that into cash too. The sky is the limit.
Estimated earnings: depends on the scope and how much you negotiate
Growth potential: low-medium
We’ll be updating this list as more opportunities arise. Know of something to add? Contact us!