The Big List of Side Gigs You Can Do While Being a Stay-at-Home Mom
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, TutorVista. Education First is another great choice if you want a flexible teaching side gig.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Keep in mind that most of the sales/customer service jobs do require some phone usage and a quiet background.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Proofreading/Editing jobs are increasingly becoming very popular, and you have all the flexibility to work from anywhere you want.
Can you easily spot grammar errors when you read a book or restaurant menu? You might enjoy being an online proofreader.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 online. 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.
27. Play Games and Test Apps
Want to make money playing video games or testing apps? You can search online for companies that do just that. 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.
29. Freelance Online
One of the most flexible ways to make money online is to freelance. Many 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 online.
31. Design Graphics
Many businesses and budding entrepreneurs, go with freelance graphic designers because they are more affordable than a full-fledged design studio. 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
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 online students.
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