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There are so many ways to make money nowadays that it can seem overwhelming.  10-15 years ago, there were not nearly as many options to choose from, and you really had to know where to look.  Thankfully, for you, I’ve taken a lot of the guesswork out of it and compiled a list of some of the best ways to earn an income from home.  

As you know, if you’ve been around here for some time, after our second child was born I had a burning desire (that has not left me since) to stay home with my kids.  I fully intended on re-entering the workforce while pregnant, but once I held her in my arms that intention was replaced with adoration, enamoration & heartbreak at the thought of leaving her.  I wanted to be there for every moment.  I couldn’t even pee in peace – What if she smiled?  What if she coo’d?  I didn’t want to miss a thing.  IYKYK.

Personally, I’ve always said I never wanted to work “for the man” and have sought out ways to become my own boss for the past decade or so.  Let me share some things with you that worked for me and/or friends of mine below.  Searching for an online job in today’s internet world may yield you more results than I got 10 years ago, but I’m telling you, starting your own business and becoming truly free is where it’s at!

So, let’s talk about some ways to get an income flowing from home, cause surviving on one income in today’s economy is difficult, scary & downright impossible for many families.  Having one stream of income can be risky, so I always recommend multiple streams.  It’s smart not to put all of your eggs in one basket.  It takes time to build up to this, so don’t overwhelm yourself, just build one thing upon the other in a natural flow – I can show you how.

Without further ado:

Ways to Make Money from Home

Share Your Knowledge

1. Start a Blog / Vlog / Podcast – almost everyone has one (or more) of these things nowadays it seems!  While it’s a great creative outlet for those who enjoy content creation, it can also be quite lucrative if harnessed correctly.  If your passion is writing, editing or creating content – I highly recommend seeing what’s possible here.  I have friends who make 6 and 7 figures with their own blog, and many others are exceeding even that using one or more of the above outlets!
2. Create an online Course – Creating a course with vaults and/or modules is a great way to get your information out there to the masses.  It involves a lot of up front work but you are creating Evergreen content that will live on long past the creation phase, and generate what’s known as passive income – money that continues to trickle in long after you’re done working on it.  The sky is the limit here and the only thing stopping you is your imagination.  You can create standalone courses on your personal website or utilize websites like Teachable, Udemy, etc.
3. Write a Book / e-book – self-publishing on Amazon is a great way to go for many reasons. I’m currently working on my first book which will be released towards the end of 2023!
   1. Fiction or Non-Fiction
   2. Low content books – journals, devotionals, planners, etc.
   3. Recipes / Meal Plans
   4. Anything else you can imagine, ebook format or print!
4. Teach a live Class – in person or online
   1. In person classes.  Belly to belly is always going to be king for connecting with others humans, passing on knowledge to the next generation & making connection.  This is also a great way for you to create a community which is so essential (and desired!) for your wellbeing, especially as a new mom!  I’ve found some of my best friends this way, through hosting local classes on various topics I was interested in.  Look for a small school, studio or business in your area that would be happy to host your first class, or even consider opening your home depending on your comfort level!
   2. Online.  The great thing about online classes is you can record them, package them up, include show notes & worksheets & have some really great “Evergreen” content to offer your audience in the future!  Double pow!

Affiliate Marketing

This is a great way to make passive income while doing these other gigs, especially the above.  Sharing your knowledge & what you love, and including links.  Let’s be completely honest here, you are already talking about that movie you saw last week, telling everyone to try that new burger joint in town & flashing your new nails on every Instagram Story you can, right?  Well, why not get paid for it – at no extra cost to your audience?  

We are all literally leaving money on the table every. single. day.  if we are not doing Affiliate Marketing.  Sharing what you love, that’s all it is.  What it’s not???  It’s not sleazy, slimy, weird, awkward, spammy or salesy at all.  

There is nothing sleazy about making a small commission from something your friends, family, followers, audience & even strangers were already going to buy.  The money you receive comes from the company as a thank you for referring to them.  Simple as that.

Social Selling aka Network Marketing

The first thing most people do when they hear of Network Marketing is run the other way, but hold up here.  I want you to take 2 minutes and picture Network Marketing aka Social Selling aka Multilevel Marketing as the exact same thing as what I described above, but with an upgrade – because that’s exactly what it is.  

Everything from above is true for Network Marketing as well – in addition to the benefits that each specific company provides – which varies of course, but the obvious one that defines Network Marketing as such is that it creates a Network, meaning as you build and bring people in under you, you’re earning commission from their sales and team building as well, and they are benefiting from having you as their amazing upline, friend & coach!  I was against this business model for 36 years of my life until I heard that big names like Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn & other well respected entrepreneurs and financial wizards consider it as one of the best business models there is!  I strongly urge you to give it some more thought, or at the very least, read my post mentioned above.  (Psst:  the company you choose matters too.)

Print on Demand / Sell Digital Content

There are so many opportunities here, the sky is truly the limit.  You can sell your products on Amazon & other POD storefronts where they do all the printing/shipping for you or if you have a circuit, printer, etc you can do that part yourself too!  Some ideas include:

1. Creating worksheets for homeschool moms / teachers (Teacherspayteachers is a great website for this type of content)
2. Creating T-shirt / other clothing designs 
3. Designing Mugs / other items with unique words, quotes or photos on them

Sell Stuff

1. Sell your own stuff
   1. Go through your house and gather unwanted items.  We like to do a biannual clean out / donation anyhow, and during these times I’m always keeping an eye out for anything that could be valuable.  I typically know what would be vs what wouldn’t since we brought these things into our home in the first place and I’ve been reselling off and on for the last decade, but you may want to look up that old vase or sealed DVD from the 90’s before you donate it – it could earn you some big bucks!
   2. Sell clothes your children have outgrown (if they make it without tons of stains and holes!). I like to do this in bulk, not individually, but if you have boutique / high end clothing, by all means, piece it out!
      1. Mercari
      2. Poshmark (get $10 when you sign up with my link)
      3. eBay
      4. Facebook Marketplace
   3. Maternity clothes and baby items – only if you’re sure you won’t need ‘em again in the future! 😉
   4. Electronics, gaming systems, small appliances
   5. Vehicles – Honestly, depending on your families specific schedule & needs, if you have more than one vehicle you could consider down-sizing!  It’s easier than you think, although it does take some getting used to, to be a one vehicle family – at least until you’re better off financially.  If it means getting out of debt, being able to afford to invest in your business or allowing yourself a cushion to alleviate some worry – it may be one of the best, and most lucrative financial decisions you could make at this time!
2. Flip stuff online
   1. This is one of my favorites!  I’ve had yard sales, flea markets & thrift stores in my veins since I was a small child.  My dad used to go to flea markets all the time, and I remember tagging along many times in the wee hours of the morning.  I don’t remember many details, but I was always in awe of the variety of treasures that could be found in these places.  My favorite thing to this day is going yard sailing with my kids and finding stuff to flip – my daughter has also begun to do this and has done quite well for herself!  The marketplaces above are all great for flipping, and I’ve also done quite a bit of reselling on Amazon with good success.
3. Sell stuff for others
   1. This really depends on how much you enjoy the whole process and what kind of margins you’re seeking to be worth your time.  I will caution you here that you want to make sure you have a written agreement with the person you’re consigning for.  Keep in mind that your time is valuable, time = money and money = time.  Don’t ever forget that.
4. Pawn Shop / Cash for Gold
   1. Not something I’ve utilized but I know that many have, in a pinch it can get you some quick cash, but you’ll never get as much as you would for selling the items outright.

Personal Shopper

This one is fun, especially for those who love shopping.  For one, you can take your kiddos with you, and even “employ” them depending on their age.  It can serve as a learning experience, as they’ll be learning valuable skills such as money exchange, figuring, reading, etc.  Some of the most popular ones include:

1. Instacart
2. Shipt

Food Delivery

Along the same lines as the above Personal Shopper, you’ll be doing someone else’s shopping for them – usually at a Fast Food joint or Restaurant, and delivering it to their door step.  You’re an independent contractor here, and you pick which jobs to take and when.  A few of the top companies are:

1. GrubHub
2. UberEats
3. DoorDash

Cash Back

1. Rakuten – Rakuten gives you cash back when you shop online or in store at participating retailers.  You also earn a $10 bonus when you sign up for a new account and even more bonuses when you refer others to Rakuten!  (Referral is another way to say Affiliate!).
2. Ibotta – This is great because we all purchase groceries – right?  And Ibotta has such a wide variety of groceries to choose from and varied amounts of cash back depending on what it is.  When you sign up for a new Ibotta account, you can get up to $20 in bonuses!
3. Drop – This app allows you to earn points – which you turn into cash back & gift cards – for shopping, playing games & taking surveys.  You can also earn 10,000 bonus points ($10) for referring friends! 
4. Dosh – Easy peasy one, just install the app, connect your card and that’s it.  Start earning.  I earned nearly $200 over a few month period, doing next to nothing – just having it on my phone and sharing my link with others! 

Sell Unwanted Gift Cards

Many gift cards don’t expire, or at the very least last quite awhile.  Sometimes we get gifts that are not so up our alley – in fact over 20% of gift cards go unused every single year!  But – there are sites that allow you to flip them for some easy cash!  You’ll receive slightly less than the value on the card, of course, but if it’s just wasting away in your wallet – totally #worthit!  Raise, CardCookie & Thegiftcardcafe are just a few of them, you could also list them on Facebook Marketplace for a quick flip.

Survey Sites / Focus Groups

These are hit or miss, meaning their openings vary and may have specific eligibility requirements, prerequisites & waiting periods so your mileage may vary.  Payout could be cash or gift cards.  The following are well-vetted and trusted sites:

Survey Sites:

Survey Junkie

Swag bucks

Opinion Outpost

Inbox Dollars

My Points

Focus Groups / Opinion Panels:

User Interviews

Respondent.io

Offer Digital Services

Do you have a skill that could be useful to free up others time?  Perhaps a high WPM (Word Per Minute typing) speed, insane knowledge of marketing or the ins and outs of social media?  Consider becoming a VA (Virtual Assistant), there are many jobs out there, Fiverr is a great place to put yourself out there with the services you have to offer the world!

Also, creating an account on LinkedIn is a great way for businesses to find you and your services!

Child Care in your home

If you are good with other people’s kids, and see a need in your local community, consider babysitting as a side hustle.  Check state laws and make sure you’re legal and all that jazz, and taking a course in First-Aid / CPR wouldn’t be a bad idea – even just for your own knowledge.  

Dog Walking / Animal Care

If you like animals and want some exercise, perhaps tossing the kids in a stroller and taking other peoples dogs for a stroll would be a good fit for you!  Many people are also looking for in-home care for their animals while they go on vacation, etc. Local Facebook groups and Neighborhood forums are the best place to look for these types of odd jobs – personal referrals are best! Social proof speaks better than referrals, ask friends to ask friends if anyone needs help – you’d be surprised at the response you get!

Invest your spare change

No digging in the couch cushions here – although, you could.  But that’s not what this is.  This is a “drop in the bucket” type way to invest – one you’ll barely notice in fact cause it just rounds up your purchases… but it can really make a big difference long-term.  I was shocked when I saw our 40 year projection from just investing a few cents here and there (and yes, you can take the money out sooner if you wish!).

Investing is a great way to make passive income, and with Acorn you don’t need to invest a lot to see a return… Acorn links to your debit card and tracks your spending, rounds up your purchases and then invests the difference into various stocks and bonds.  You’ll get a $5 Bonus Investment when you sign up using my link!

Closing Thoughts

The ideas above are just some of the ways friends of mine and I have found to make income from home as a busy mom, the list is not exhaustive by any means.  I hope you’ll give some of them a try and find something (or multiple somethings) that works for you.  Keep in mind that you’ll find more success with most any venture when you really niche down what you’re aiming at.  In a nutshell, what I mean is that you need to find your passion, the thing that lights you up… what makes your heart sing, in order to stick with whatever you choose and be great at it.  I wholeheartedly believe this to be true, from personal experience.

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