We hear from so many stay-at-home moms that want to earn extra money for their household, or even have a business working from home, but they don’t have a lot of time. So we put together this big list of ways to make money from home that you can actually do in the pockets of your time.
To work at home you don’t have to sacrifice and work a million hours a week to make some money. (Ok, slight exaggeration but you know what we mean.) You just have to do something that interests you, that you can do efficiently and get paid.
You can work one gig, or many gigs, depending on how much time you have and what your goals are for your family. Many of the side gigs on this list are lucrative enough either on their own or combined with other similar opportunities to actually be your full-time income. But before you dive headfirst and totally commit to any one of them I’d definitely recommend testing the waters first. That’s a great way to see how it fits into your daily life and routine.
Note that some of these are offline opportunities, but even then you will likely need a smartphone and in some cases a computer to be able to sign up and accept work.
1. Chat Agent
With more and more company websites cropping up every day, there is a great need for chat agents. That need is anticipated to grow in the future. Chat agents are the ones who talk to you virtually via a pop-up chat window when you visit a website.
There are different types of chat agent roles like general or technical. Try applying to companies like Chatshop, SiteStaff, Apple.com, etc.
You can do this job in the pockets of your time – before the kids get up, naptime, after they go to bed.
2. Online Tutoring
This option requires you to be a little more stringent with your time but if you’re a teacher at heart you can actually make money from home by teaching online. Virtual teaching has taken a big leap in the last five years, and now you can share your expertise teaching any subject online. Just get started with online tutoring companies like TutorMe.
Don’t have any expertise? No problem. You can teach simple conversational English to foreign kids with informal teaching experience and earn $14-$22 per hour with VIPKID.
Qkids pays between $16-$20 per hour to teach English (you should have a bachelor’s degree or working towards one). SayABC also recruit work-at-home tutors for ESL teaching.
You need to schedule a video interview after you complete the application for these companies.
3. Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is undoubtedly going to be in high demand as the need for bookkeepers/accountants keeps growing. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for a bookkeeper is around $49,000 annually.
Starting your own bookkeeping business can be a great way to potentially earn a six-figure income (a single client can give you an average monthly income of $300).
4. Complete Micro Tasks Online
If you want a site that “has it all,” Swagbucks needs to be at the top of your list. You can also earn a $5 bonus when you first enroll.
Get paid for the following activities:
- Surveys
- Shopping
- Watching Videos
- Playing Games
- Referring Friends
- Sampling New Products
- Surfing the Internet
You can request a PayPal cash payment once your account balance reaches $25. Or, you can request a gift card to your favorite restaurant or retailer for as little as $3.
Swagbucks even offers bonus points opportunities and regularly puts gift cards on sale so you can request payment even quicker.
Doing short gigs or micro tasks can put back some extra cash in your pocket. Most of these tasks are quite flexible and can be done online. More sites to perform online tasks include MTurk, Clickworker and TaskRabbit. This could be a perfect fit for you if you have some free time on your hands apart from your day job.
5. Social Media Manager
If you have a marketing background, or are a whiz at social media then you may want to consider becoming a social media manager. A social media manager or social media consultant manages the social media channels of brands, businesses or digital marketers. Social media channels include Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
A social media manager creates the marketing materials, strategic plans for promotions and other advertising material on social media.
You can find projects for these roles on Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.
If you’re active on any of the social media platforms, a natural step can be working as a social media manager for websites or local businesses. Social media is an important part of building a brand and attracting new visitors.
By interacting with current followers, attracting new followers, and routinely posting new content on social media, you can help a client grow their brand.
Depending on the size of your personal following, you might be able to get paid to promote products without working as a social media assistant too.
6. Virtual Assistant
The demand for Virtual Assistants is growing super fast and this is the best time for you to cut into this uber profitable work-at-home career.
A beginner VA earn around $35-$50 an hour, and there is no end to the type of services you can offer as a Virtual Assistant.
Responsibilities can including the following tasks:
- Scheduling blog posts and social media posts
- Writing blog posts and social media posts
- Customer service
- Email management
- Managing social media accounts
- Pitching potential clients
- Bookkeeping
- Data Entry
You can either work on a part-time or full-time basis for one or multiple websites. Being a virtual assistant can be very rewarding as you get to help others. And, you are the main driver in keeping the gears turning by interacting with clients and website visitors.In addition to Fiverr and Upwork, you can also find virtual assistant openings on Outsourcely too.
7. Mystery Shopper
Who doesn’t love shopping? What if you could get paid to shop? Mystery shopping is not a job, but it can be a good paying side gig when you partner with the right companies.
Mystery shopping companies like BestMark, Market Force and Secret Shopper can be a good starting point for your Mystery shopping hustle. Take the kids with you and make it a fun event!
8. Freelance Writer
This might not be for everyone, but if you have a right way with words and love writing, then freelance writing might be the thing for you. There are hundreds of jobs that get posted every day for freelance writers on jobs boards.
If writing is your thing, then give a head start to this amazing skill by joining this course. Holly is afreelance writer and earns over $200,000 writing online.
Another popular way to make an online income is to become a freelance writer. You can write short 500-word blog posts, publish an ebook on Amazon Kindle, or something in between. Websites and blogs exist for nearly every topic. In addition to writing on your own personal blog, make an active income writing for other blogs too.
It’s a rewarding way to share your knowledge with others. And, you’ll even learn something new as you interact with others and research new topics.
If you already have experience writing, but you want to improve your style or learn how to pitch clients, you should strongly consider signing up for the Earn More Writing course. It’s created by Holly Johnson, who currently earns six figures a year just by writing online!
9. Customer Service/Sales Rep
In work-at-home jobs category, this might be the most popular one of all. There is no shortage of work-at-home customer service or sales rep jobs with many companies like Aetna, Convergys, Arise, LiveOps,DealDash, etc.
Keep in mind that most of the sales/customer service jobs do require some phone usage and a quiet background. If this is not something you are looking for, then check out these jobs that doesn’t require a phone.
10. Transcriber
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the healthcare services industry is going to push growth in transcription services. Transcription can be of many types like legal, medical and general transcription.
If you want to break into this booming industry next year, try this FREE course to see if you can make this your work-at-home career.
Maybe you don’t like to write original content, but you can put another person’s words to paper. Transcribe Anywhere teaches you what it takes to become a transcriptionist and how to get your first clients.
It’s possible to transcribe short one or two-minute recordings or longer recordings if you need to transcribe a business meeting for example. If you have medical or legal experience, you have the opportunity to earn more because these two areas require background expertise.
11. Translator
Being bilingual can have its perks. There are many companies that offer translator, interpreter and even call center jobs if you know more than one language.
Companies like Appen Butler Hill, Language Line, World Lingo, etc. offer such roles. You can also try for freelance translator projects at Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.
12. Tech Support
Technical support jobs are more specialized roles which you can do flexibly online. Many small businesses need help with the technical side of their business.
Tech support professionals are who fix the geeky side of the online business. If you are a pro in technical side of the things, then try companies like Automattic, Toptal, and Zapier.
13. Pet Caretaker
Many of you might not believe that this is a real job. Yes, it is. Pet caring or grooming is super flexible side hustle, and if you love pets, this is something you are going to love to do and still get paid for it.
Pet carers earn around $18 per sitting. Become a pet sitter and start side hustling with Rover andCare.com.
14. Blogger
Did I mention that I am a stay-at-home mom turned work-at-home mom who started blogging little over a year ago? I now earn a full-time income from my blog (which I started as a side hustle).
Blogging is undoubtedly going up, and this is the time to put together your ideas and start your brand new blog. For a little inspiration, here is how I earned over $36,000 in the first year of blogging.
15. E-commerce Store
Having an online e-commerce store and making passive income can be the best option for you if you want to have flexible work-at-home gig. Making money from e-commerce store can be perfect if you are a stay-at-home mom.
You can learn how to be a successful online store owner from Jenn; she earns over $15,000 from her e-commerce business just working part-time.
16. Medical Coding
Though medical coding jobs are specific, they surely pay good and are work from home roles. You might need proper certification and expertise to apply for these positions.
If you are someone with the right skills, then this is the job you should try. Companies like Aviacode, The Coding Network, Precyse, etc. have work-at-home coding jobs.
17. Proofreading/Editing
Having a keen eye for detail can get you an excellent work-at-home opportunity. If you love finding errors in documents and make them perfect, then you can try proofreading or editing jobs. You can surely find these jobs with companies like Scribendi, Proofreading Services, Kibin, etc.
Proofreading/Editing jobs are increasingly becoming very popular, and you have all the flexibility to work from anywhere you want. Ready to do this? Then take this FREE Proofreading workshop first and test it out.
Can you easily spot grammar errors when you read a book or restaurant menu? You might enjoy being an online proofreader. Proofread Anywhere is a good starting point as you can learn how to proofread general transcripts and legal transcripts from your phone, tablet, or computer.
It’s also possible to proofread blog posts or full-length books before they’re published. No author is perfect and because they are too familiar with the content, they might miss key grammar errors and context issues that a brand new set of eyes (yours!) will spot.
18. Brand Ambassador
Do you know that a simple social media channel can earn you thousands? It’s true. Today, brand ambassadors are using every social media channel to promote the brands they love and make money.
You can earn money as a brand ambassador with or without a blog. Just sign up for websites like Izeaand connect your social channels. My friend Emma teaches others how to earn money from Instagram, and she is a pro at it.
19. Travel Planner
Maybe this was not a thing a decade ago, but now you can plan vacations for others and earn a good income from that.
It is hard work planning a trip for many, and this is where travel planner comes in. They plan your trip according to your choice of places to visit and other requirements. This hustle has a high potential as there is a big wave of traveling families.
20. Website Testing
First, let me get this out of the way. Website testing does not require any technical expertise. You definitely need to know your way around websites like checking the working of the pages, tabs, speed, etc.
For this side gig, you might need to use a webcam and speak out your views about the functioning of the website.
21. WordPress Expert
Do you know how many blogs/websites are getting launched each day? Millions! And most of the people use WordPress as it is the most efficient way to have control of your site and monetize it.
But not everyone understands WordPress, and this is where WordPress experts come in. This online hustle is rapidly gaining popularity, and the money is fantastic. In fact, my tech person is my go-to solution for any hiccups I get from my blog, and he fixes everything.
22. Voiceover Artist
This might be a little new to you, but believe me, this is the job where your earnings can skyrocket just by using your voice. You can work from anywhere, choose your hours and the best part is the pay.
If you think you can lend your voice to those commercials or try out this gig, then head over toVoices.com and Voice123.com.
23. Amazon Seller
Selling on Amazon is not necessarily a side gig, it could be a thriving business. It can be very profitable business as you are selling on a huge market place.
Jessica of the Selling family shows you how to start your own Amazon FBA business in this FREE course. She is a pro at it (she and her husband earned $100,000 in the first year).
24. Resume Writer
Resume writing is quickly becoming a big demand job, and the best part is, you can do this from anywhere. You can work for a resume writing company or work for yourself and get projects at places likeUpwork, Guru, and Indeed. This career has massive potential to grow in the coming years.
25. Photographer
Apart from blogging, photography is my passion, and it has an enormous income potential. There are many ways you can monetize your photography skills like selling prints, putting up a website and promoting your work, creating courses to teach others or even becoming corporate photographers. This hustle has no limits.
26. Ghostwriter
If you have a skill for writing, then you can try becoming a ghostwriter. No, you will not be writing ghost stories, but writing for someone without being given any credit to you.
Ghostwriting can be a very fetching work-at-home job if you have good projects lined up. You can try for projects at websites like Contena, Problogger or even gigs at Upwork, Indeed or Fiverr.
27. Play Games and Test Apps
Want to make money playing video games or testing apps? Bananatic does just that. a You earn rewards points called “bananas” that you redeem for gift cards, merchandise, and game credits. To earn rewards points, you need to complete tasks within each game and leave an honest review.
28. Test Products
Product testing is another fun way to get paid without having to leave home. There are several different ways to become a product tester without having to drive to a nearby research center.
Mindswarms
If you’re not camera shy, you can also get paid via PayPal for creating a 10-minute video on Mindswarms. You make $50 per test and you only need a smartphone, tablet, or webcam with audio-recording capability to get started.
29. Freelance Online
One of the most flexible ways to make money online is to freelance. Two of the largest freelance websites are Fiverr and Upwork. Both platforms are free to join and let you get paid to complete the following activities:
- Graphic Design
- Video Product
- Programming
- Voice Overs
- Music
- Customer Service
- Virtual Assistant
- Marketing
Choose your area of expertise and begin connecting with clients. You will have a mixture of one-time clients and ongoing projects that can let you work as much as you desire. Until you build an online presence to pitch your own clients, these are good platforms to gain experience.
Maybe you can get paid to build websites, design ebook covers, write blog posts, or create an app. Anything is possible when you work online
30. Write Ebooks
There’s an old adage that claims everybody has a book inside them. But what if you have more than one book.
Thanks to the Internet, it’s easier than ever to self-publish your own titles. The best way is to write an ebook that can be sold on Amazon or Smashwords.
31. Design Graphics
Many businesses and budding entrepreneurs, go with freelance graphic designers because they are more affordable than a full-fledged design studio. With 99designs, you can design graphics for the following types of projects:
- Logos
- Ebook covers
- Websites
- Product labels
- Clothing
- Packaging
There are more than 90 different design categories that you can offer your services for. So, put on your thinking cap and get ready!
32. Sell Photos Online
With SmugMug, you can sell your photos on Flickr. You might have to travel to get new content, but maybe you can sell your photos taken on previous vacations or you have a beautiful backyard that offers ample photo opportunities.
Now that smartphone camera technology has vastly improved, some websites even let you sell your photos and videos taken from a mobile device if you can’t afford the high-end professional camera equipment yet.
33. Create an Online Course
If you enjoy teaching but can’t regularly commit to holding online classes, you can also make a video course and offer it on some of the following platforms:
You should add regular video updates and answer any student questions to keep the content fresh so you continue earning “evergreen” income. After you publish your first course, consider making additional courses on similar material that’s still different enough to garner repeat students.
If you enjoying cooking, your first course can be on cooking pasta dishes. A follow-up course might be teaching your students how to cook seafood, hosting a formal dinner party, or preparing other gourmet food dishes. Use your student feedback to get ideas on future video courses to pursue.
34. Sell Unwanted Items From Home
You can also sell items from home that you no longer need. Or, you can flip items you buy at garage sales and thrift stores. There are many different possibilities, but you can start with the following products:
- Antiques
- Books
- CDs and DVDs
- Clothing
- Electronics
- Handicrafts
- Shoes
If you need money now, you should consider Decluttr for your books, CDs, DVDs, and electronics. You can scan download a prepaid shipping label and receive next day payment for your items.
