Remote work is here to stay. And if you’re looking for ways to make money as a stay at home mom or dad, this is the kind of news you want to hear. Now more than ever you have options. All kinds of them. But many of the ideas out there aren’t super realistic. You probably aren’t looking to drive for Uber or start your own full service catering business. You want something that you can do in between naps. Or while your toddler is eating lunch. So I’m not going to suggest you start a bakery. Instead – here are some realistic ways to make money as a stay home mom or dad. Flexibility guaranteed.
1. Start a Blog
I chose to start with this one because as a blogger myself, I can attest that it’s super flexible work. Pick the subject you are most passionate about and write in your free time. It takes time to build a website and start earning money, but you can make good affiliate revenue by promoting products you already love. It’s great for stay at home parents because you don’t have to sit and complete a task in one block of time. And when you get interrupted every 5 seconds by tiny humans, being able to start and stop work is essential.
How to get started: Come up with a name. Buy your domain. Buy your hosting. Then sign up with wordpress to create your blog site.
Related: How to work from home with kids
2. Cash Back App
While it may not be the most lucrative on the list, you can make a decent amount of spending cash just by uploading your receipts. And the cool thing is – it can be used in store or online. If shopping online, just search for the store on the app and shop as usual. It’ll automatically calculate and add your cash back. If using in store, you would submit your receipt. People rave about these apps as a relatively low effort way to make some extra money. Pro tip: do some double dipping by using a rewards credit card to collect points on your spending.
How to get started: Ibotta is one of the most popular apps out there.
3. Rover
This is for all my dog and cat lovers out there. We use Rover every time we travel. And it adds up. Which is a good thing for you if you pursue it. If your family loves pet, why not host them? You can pet sit at your own home or at the owner’s home (or both – you get to pick which options you’re down for). It’s a cool way for your kids to interact with pets, too. And learn how to take care of a pet. In case you needed some extra incentive. One of the more fun ways to make money as a stay at home mom or dad.
How to get started: Sign up for a sitter account on Rover. Fill out a profile. Decide if you are interested in boarding, house sitting, dog walking, day care, or all of the above.
4. RV Flipper (or any kind of flipper)
This one comes with a high startup cost, so it’s not going to be for everyone. But if you want to truly work your own hours with a large profit potential, it’s a viable option. RV flippers buy used RVs and give them a refresh. You can then sell them on places like Facebook Marketplace for a higher cost. If painting, design, decorating, and changing out backsplash is your idea of a good time, it doesn’t hurt to look into it. And if you need any RV inspo to get your started, we put together a collection of our favorite RV decor ideas.
If flipping RVs doesn’t sound like your cup of tea – hope is not lost! Choose something else that sounds more appealing to you. People flip furniture, baby gear, jewelry, websites. All viable options for you to flip.
How to get started: Read up on some of the people who are successful RV flippers. And check Facebook Marketplace regularly for used RVs to buy.
5. Test Website User Experience
Companies are always looking for people to take their websites and apps for a test drive. You’ll be given an app or website to interact with and communicate your thoughts. By giving these companies your feedback, they can better optimize the user experience. And many of these programs pay $10-$20 per test. All totally flexible around your schedule and usually requiring less than 20 minutes. One of our favorites for parents because you determine how much time you want to spend each week.
How to get started: A few of the popular programs out there are Userlytics, Enroll, and UserTesting.
6. Buy Product and Sell it on Amazon
There are people who are super successful doing this. In part, because it’s easy for anyone to get started. When you’re shopping on Amazon, you may not realize it, but some products are fulfilled by third parties. Those third parties could be you. Especially if you are a rockstar at finding deals. Locate discounted items and resell them on Amazon for a profit.
How to get started: Sign up for seller account on Amazon. And check out this helpful article from The Selling Family that walks you through the process.
7. Create and Sell a Course
Passive income opportunities are great for parents. You create something once and it makes money for you while you’re off doing other things. Whatever your hobby or best skill, there is a pool of people waiting to be taught. If you can create some educational videos on the subject matter you know best, people will pay to take your course. Yoga, gardening, productivity, calligraphy, house decluttering, baking sourdough bread. You can see how the options are pretty endless here.
How to get started: Sign up with Teachable or Skillshare. They’ll walk you through the process.
8. Etsy Shop
Whatever your talent, there is an Etsy shop opportunity for you. Jewelry. Wood signs. Candles. Clothing. Toys. Cookies. Whatever you enjoy creating. It’s also worth noting, your shop doesn’t have to be centralized around a physical product. You can offer design services for wedding or birthday invitations, custom family portraits, or even wall art. Like these prints we bought for our nursery. If you have your own creative talent, this can be one of the more popular ways to make money as a stay at home mom or dad.
How to get started: It’s very easy to set up a shop. And Etsy walks you through the full process.
9. Niche Vacation Planner
You could become a part time travel agent. But with increasing numbers of people using online booking sites, there are less people using traditional travel agencies. Niche vacations, however, are becoming more popular. And people will pay to have planning assistance for a trip revolving around a certain theme. Disney is a popular choice because many families are looking for those extra magical experiences. Themed cruises, culinary trips, adventure travel, destination weddings, wellness, and digital detox are all trending ways to travel. Pick a niche and help with the planning process.
How to get started: Start your own website. Look for clients on Upwork. Or join a host agency – like Adventure Travel or Mickey Travels for example.
10. Teach English
You won’t have to walk into a classroom and clock 8 hours to become an english teacher. Many students in foreign countries look for virtual teachers to help them learn the english language. You’ll have flexibility over when and how much you teach. If you want a few hours one week and more the next, it’s doable in this line of work. Two things to consider: 1) you will likely need to take a TEFL course and 2) you may have to work early mornings/late nights if your students reside in a foreign country.
How to get started: Sign up for a TEFL course. Once certified check English First, VIPKID, and DaDa for some of the well-paying programs out there.
11. Part Time Childcare
With remote school and remote work becoming a challenge for many parents, part time childcare may be increasingly welcome. Many daycares require full time participation (or close to it). Carve out your own place in the childcare industry by offering to watch kids a few hours a day. Help other parents out that don’t want to invest in a full time childcare program. And make some money in the process.
How to get started: Engage in local Facebook groups. Post on social media that you’re interested in providing part time childcare. Word of mouth. All great strategies to find families.
12. Proofreader or Copy Editor
If you are one of those people that love to correct grammar, first of all, try not to judge ours too harshly. But you could also earn a little money from being the grammar police. You’ll typically be given a final piece of content to polish up. Look for typos, style, spelling. All that fun stuff. And a super low start-up cost.
How to get started: Some of the best sites to find clients are Fiverr, Upwork, and Proofreading Services.
13. Photography
If you love taking pictures of your kids, maybe you’d like taking pictures of other people’s kids. Or of food. Or products. Whatever you find interesting to photograph. This one requires some gear, but don’t count it out if you don’t have a fancy, expensive camera. Use what you have or buy a lower cost camera to get started. If working out of your home is important, often companies will mail you product if you choose product photography.
How to get started: do a few shoots for free for family or friends. Or if doing food or product photography, offer your services to a few local businesses. After you get some experience under your belt, you can start building a portfolio, website, and gradually increasing pricing. If you don’t have the photography background, but want to learn, there are many courses out there. You can even learn for free on Youtube. Pro tip: Peter Mckinnon will blow your mind.
14. Coach
Wellness coaches, life coaches, budgeting coach, get your baby to sleep at night coach. Even parents who need time management help. There’s a coach for every situation in life. If you have expertise in a certain area, you can create your own coaching business. And you make your own schedule!
How to get started: Some types of coaching may warrant a certification. Start by creating social media pages and a website to build a community of potential clients. You can also peruse job boards if you’re not looking to go at it solo.
15. Get Paid to Grocery Shop
If you are one of those people who love to go grocery shopping, you may enjoy this one. Admittedly I am not one of these people, but I know a lot of people enjoy a quiet trip to the store. So how does it work? You’ll need to find a choose a company, apply, and then download an app after you’re approved. From there you decide when you have free time and feel like doing a grocery trip. You’ll be given a list and you run to the store to pick up the items. Easy peasy. Home grocery delivery is becoming increasingly common, so this one should be hanging around for awhile.
How to get started: Shipt is a good one to get started with (especially if your store of choice is Target).
16. Get Cooking
If the idea of running and managing your own blog isn’t particularly appealing, what about helping other bloggers out? Many parenting bloggers know recipes are a big deal for their audience. But they struggle keeping up with new recipe content. If you love getting creative in the kitchen or have a secret weapon to get kids to eat their veggies, they’ll pay you for it. Write out the full recipe and snap some drool worthy photos. If you’re brave you can even do a little video.
How to get started: Post your recipe writing services on Upwork or Fiverr.
17. Social Media Assistant
People spend hours and hours every week managing their social media pages. And for that reason, assistance is in demand. You may help schedule posts. Engage with customers. Create graphics. Some focus on one platform. Others are looking for help managing all social sites. You’ll find both long term and short term opportunities as well as flexible hours.
How to get started: Check sites like Upwork for people or companies seeking social media assistance. The Mom Project is another great resource that will match your background with opportunities.
