Are you a stay-at-home dad looking for a flexible side job? Here you’ll find some of the most profitable stay-at-home dad jobs.
These sides hustles for dads pay well and can be done either as a part-time or full-time job.
The number of stay-at-home dads in the United States has risen from about 1.1 million in 1989 to 2 million in 2012.
Many fathers are looking for legitimate work-from-home jobs so they can add extra income to the household.
I grew up living next to two stay-at-home dads. One dad had his own side hustle at home while his partner had an office job, and the other stay-at-home dad worked full-time from home.
Times are changing and it demonstrates how gender roles are loosening in North America.
Being able to enjoy the flexibility of staying at home with your kids and making money on your own schedule is possible.
Families living on just one paycheck can be a challenge in today’s economy. If you’re a full-time parent and want to earn extra income to help pay off debt faster or boost your savings, finding a profitable side hustle from home can be the answer.
Table of Contents
What are the benefits of work from home jobs?
Working from home in your PJs, avoiding the busy commute, and saving money on child daycare are just a few of the obvious benefits of working from home.
For stay-at-home dads, finding flexible side hustle opportunities have even more appeal, including:
- Flexible schedule.
- More time with your kids.
- Save money on childcare.
- Save time + money on commuting.
- You get to wear comfortable clothes.
- You’ll have a better work/life balance.
- You’ll avoid office politics.
If you’re wondering how to make money as a stay at home dad, today I’m sharing the best family-friendly jobs for dads. The good news is that many of these jobs require no experience or degree.
This comprehensive list will give you the best stay at home jobs for dads to help you increase your income and kick-start your career.
Related Posts:
- 21 fun hobbies that make money
- How to make money without a job
- 35 things to sell to make money right now
1. Start a profitable blog
Are you passionate about a particular niche?
If you answered “yes”, then you may want to consider starting a blog. Blogging is one of the best side hustles for dads.
I quit my 9-5 job to start this blog because I enjoy helping others find creative ways to save and make extra money.
It was just a side hustle in the beginning, but now I earn a full-time income from blogging. It’s pretty amazing how special blogging can be.
Benefits of starting a blog:
✓ Affordable Business Idea – It’s cheap to start your own blog. You can get started for as little as $2.95 USD per month. (Plus you’ll get a free domain name when you sign up through my tutorial)
✓ Flexible Schedule – You can create your own work schedule. Blog in the morning when the kids are napping, or in the evening. It’s up to you!
✓ Work from Anywhere – You have the freedom to work anywhere that has an internet connection. You just need a computer or laptop get started.
✓ No Tech Knowledge Required – You don’t need to learn coding or a bunch of technical skills. Bluehost makes is easy to set up and run your own blog. Anyone can learn how to blog!
How much money can you make blogging?
Some people made $0 per month and some earn $100,000+ per month from their blog. How much money you earn is really up to you.
The most popular ways to make money from blogging are:
- Display ads (Google Adsense, Mediavine, or AdThrive)
- Affiliate marketing (Check out this list of the high-paying affiliate programs for new bloggers)
- Sponsored content
- Selling your own physical or digital products (such as online courses or printables)
Below is how much I earned from ONE affiliate product in one month from my blog. Blogging can be a great platform to share affiliate products with your audience to make money.
Affiliate Marketing for Beginners
If you already know the basics of affiliate marketing and want to improve your conversions, I recommend checking out Carly’s course, Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers.
After I took this course, I was able to grow my blog income from $5,000 per month to $10,000+ per month.
Are you ready to kick-start your blogging journey?
Here’s an in-depth tutorial that will walk you through the entire process. Don’t worry – there’s no tech experience or coding required.
With Blue Host, it takes just a few minutes to get your blog up and running. Anyone can do it – and right now they are offering 60% off the cost of web hosting for new bloggers. This is an incredible deal (expiring soon)!
For my fellow Canadians, you can check out this guide: How to start a blog in Canada
Need some extra guidance?
Check out my FREE blogging course for beginners. It will show you how to choose a profitable niche, write enganging blog posts, and even earn your first dollar blogging. You can sign up by entering your info below.
Want to make quick cash now?
Online surveys can be a great way to make fast money in your spare time. Each survey takes around 5-15 minutes to complete and you’ll get paid to share your opinion.
My favorite legit survey sites include: Branded Surveys, Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, and Inbox Dollars. The more survey sites you join, the more money you can make! This is one the easiest side hustles for dads.
2. Make money flipping stuff for profit
Do you like browsing fleamarkets or garage sales? This is one of the best places to find hidden treasures to resell online.
“Flipping” is the art of finding things at a discount (or free) and selling them for a profit. With today’s technology, there has never been an easier time to resell and flip items to make extra money.
This is one of the best side hustles for dads for those who want to make quick money, love finding deals, and need a source of income that’s recession proof!
Do you want to make extra money flipping but don’t know where to start?
There’s a good chance that you already have items in your garage or storage that are worth lots of money!
Check out this free list of 47 household items you can sell to make $100 this week.
How much money can you make flipping stuff?
Well it turns out, you can actually make a lot of money reselling items. I recently decluttered our apartment and made over $2,000 selling some of our old items. This included old books, furniture, and toys.
Imagine earning a six-figure income by flipping stuff! That’s exactly what Rob and Melissa do.
They make over $100,000 a year by flipping items for profit. This can be one of the best side hustles for dads.
After their third baby was born, they began to look for ways to become stay-at-home parents so they could spend more time with their kids.
This encouraged them to jump into their reselling business full-time, which originally was just a hobby.
In their first year flipping full-time, they made $133,000 in sales!
Here’s a patio set that Rob and Melissa found on Offer Up. They bought it for $100 and sold it on eBay for $2,500!
Are you ready to start flipping stuff for cash?
Rob and Melissa, the masterminds behind Flipper University, have compiled all their knowledge into this comprehensive course.
Their online course will teach you how to buy and resell on eBay and other online platforms. You’ll learn the skills you need to start a profitable reselling side hustle including where to find the best items to resell and how to price items for maximum profit. If you’re interested, you can click here to learn more.
Free Workshop for Beginners:
If you’re not quite ready to jump headfirst into this course, I can apprecaite that. While investing in Flipper University can be a great way to fast-track your success, perhaps you still want to know if this is the right side hustle for you?
If so, then I recommend checking out Rob’s FREE workshop. In his free workshop, you’ll learn how to find hidden treasures at flea markets, thrift stores, yard sales, and auctions, and how to turn them into cash.
His workshop is completely free to join. You can click here to sign up.
Read Next: The 18 best items to flip for profit
3. Bake and sell homemade dog treats
Did you know that you can make homemade dog treats and sell them? If you like dogs, then starting a dog treat business from home might be the perfect side hustle for you!
Did you know that the global pet care market was valued at $150.67 billion in 2021? People LOVE to spend money on their pets and treat them as part of the family.
Yes, a dog treat business can be profitable! Here’s why – Many pet treats are really bad for dogs and are often filled with unhealthy fillers.
This is why the demand for healthy and delicious dog treats is HIGH and continues to grow.
Many people love to spoil their dogs and treat them like members of their family. Tasty treats can come in handy to help pet owners celebrate their dog’s birthday, a special milestone, an afternoon snack, or even a reward for good behavior.
You can make and extra $500-$2,500+ per month selling homemade dog treats!
My friend Kristin from Diva Dog Bakery, was tired of the boring treats she saw at big-box stores and wanted to create a gourmet dog treat that would be fun to bake at home.
She set up an Etsy Shop to promote and sell her dog treats. On the weekends, she also started selling at a nearby farmer’s market.
Dog treat business success story:
It didn’t take long before her dog treat bakery project turned into a booming side hustle business. Kristin’s bakery was picked up by print magazines and online press.
She was even invited to participate for the Emmy Awards to gift her dog treats in the swag bags. It was a dream come true!
This can be one of the best side hustles for dads. If you’re interested, below are some of the healthy dog treats she made and sold in her Etsy shop!
Don’t worry – there’s no previous baking experience needed. Kristin offers an online course that will teach you how to bake and package healthy and tasty dog treats.
And yes, she will provide you with a recipe book sharing the exact same recipes that became best-sellers in her own business.
FREE Workshop for Beginners
If this sounds like a fun opportunity for you, consider checking out Kristin’s free workshop here.
She’ll teach you how to start your own dog bakery business from home, including tasty recipes, how to price and sell your dog treats, and the best places to start your dog treat side hustle.
Her workshop is completely free to join. You can sign up here.
Read Next: How to start a dog treat business from home
4. Affiliate Marketing
Do you enjoy telling your family or friends about your favorite products? You could be getting paid to for it!
What is affiliate marketing? Affiliate marketing is the process of earning a commission by promoting other people’s products.
If you enjoy talking about your favorite tech gadgets or tools with friends, then affiliate marketing can be a natural fit for you.
To learn more, check out this quick-start guide here: How to make money online from affiliate marketing
How do you make money with affiliate marketing?
You find a product (or service) you love and join their affiliate program. Then you share this product’s affiliate link (or referral link) will your audience.
You can promote products through blog posts, Facebook Groups, YouTube, Instagram and other social media accounts.
If someone clicks through your affiliate link and purchases the product, you can earn a piece of the profit from each sale you make. This can be one of the most profitable side hustles for dads.
Benefits of making money with affiliate marketing:
- Low Start-Up Cost – You can start promoting products on your blog or social media platforms. You can use my easy step-by-step guide here to start your blog in minutes.
- No Product Creation Necessary – You don’t need to worry about making your own products. Simply promote products from brands / companies you already know and love.
- Location Independent – Use your laptop to work from anywhere that has an internet connection.
- Earn Passive Income – Affiliate marketing has the potential for you to earn passive income. Work smarter, not harder.
From $0 to $10K per month with affiliate marketing
If you already know the basics of affiliate marketing and want to improve your conversions, I recommend checking out Carly’s course, Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers.
After I took this course, I was able to grow my blog income from $5,000 per month to $10,000+ per month.
Below is a screenshot of my blog income. Before I signed up for this affiliate course, I was making $0.
When I signed up for the course in September and starting applying the strategies taught in the course, I made over $1,000 in the first month. The course paid for itself within two weeks of enrolling! BOOM!
5. Virtual Assistant
If you have…
✓ A computer with an internet connection
✓ Enjoy sharing content on social media
✓ Can read and respond to emails
… then you may want to consider becoming a virtual assistant. As a VA, you have the potential to make an extra $10,000 a month from home (or more).
A virtual assistant provides services to organizations, companies or individuals. It can be a great way to make extra money from home.
As a virtual assistant (VA for short), there’s a wide range of services you can get paid to offer, such as social media management, SEO, or general admin support.
How much money can you make as a Virtual Assistant?
When Kayla first started working as a virtual assistant 7 years ago, she was earning $15 per hour. This was about twice as much as she made from her minimum wage job in retail at the time.
Once she started learning new skills and tools, this allowed her to raise her rates significantly. Now she consistently earns over $10,000 a month from her virtual assistant business.
Are you ready to start offering virtual assistant services?
To stand out from the crowd, I recommend taking Kayla’s online training course designed to help you gain the essential skills needed to become a virtual assistant and find clients.
This course will walk you step-by-step through the entire process so you can build a strong foundation, select your profitable niche, learn how to pitch to prospective clients, and actually find paid virutial assistant jobs.
Plus, she’ll show you the exact strategies she used to earn a consistent $10,000+ a month.
Free Workshop for Beginners:
Kayla knows what it takes to become a successful virtual assistant. She knows what works and what doesn’t work, so you don’t waste your time focusing on the wrong things.
Check out her FREE WORKSHOP here on how to become a VA.
6. Sell printables on Etsy
My friend Julie from Millenial Boss makes thousands of dollars every month by selling printables on Etsy! This can be the perfect remote job for parents.
Etsy is a global online marketplace where people can sell their products, such as printables.
Printables are a type of digital products that customers can download and print at home.
Examples of printables include chore chart checklists, wedding invitations, meal planners, calendars, to-do lists, coloring pages for kids, stickers, wall art, and budgeting planners.
To get started, Julie recommends using Canva to create your printables. This is a free graphic design software that’s easy to use – even if you have absolutely NO graphic design experience.
After creating your printable in Canva, you can upload the finished product to Etsy. Then when a customer buys your printable, Etsy will automatically send them the file, making it super easy for you to make money!
How much money can you make selling prtinables on Etsy?
According to Julie, the co-founder of Gold City Ventures, it’s not unrealistic to aim for $500 – $1,000 a month selling printables.
Depending on the niche and the quality of your products, you can expect to earn anywhere from $50 – $100 a week as a beginner.
Are you ready to get started selling printables on Etsy?
If you’re interested in learning more about how to sell printables on Etsy, I recommend checking out Julie’s course, E-Printable Side Hustle.
Some of the students in Julie’s course are earning $2,000 – $4,000+ per month from selling printables.
In her course, she’ll walk you through the entire process on how to make printables, set up your Etsy account, and make passive income.
FREE Workbook for beginners:
You can also check out her free workshop to help you decide if selling printables is the right choice for you.
7. Graphic design
Are you creative and enjoying working on the computer? If so, selling graphic designs might be the perfect side hustle for you!
There’s plenty of great ways to make extra money from making simple graphic designs.
Whether you’re interested in working directly with clients or focusing on passive income opportunities, you can start earning a profit from your passion.
How much money can you make selling graphic designs?
According to ZipRecruiter.com, the average annual pay for a freelance graphic designer in the United States is $56,631 a year.
Are you ready to get started selling graphic designs?
Here are a few of my favorite companies that are currently looking for new graphics to sell:
Spreadshirt – If you’re not quite ready to start your own website, consider using Spreadshirt.
This is an online marketplace that allows you to customize and design products and sell them through free user-created shops. This is one of the best side hustles for dads.
To get started, simply upload your design on their marketplace. Spreadshirt will sell and market your products, and you earn the money! This can be a great side hustle for stay-at-home dads.
Fiverr – This is a popular online marketplace where anyone can sign up for free and sell services. This can be template design, photo editing, logos and so on.
All you need to do is create a free account and set up your gig. You’ll get notified when you get an order. Then you deliver great work and get paid.
99designs – This is a global creative platform that connects freelance graphic designers and clients. Their motto is simple: do what you love and get paid for it on 99designs.
You get to choose the industries, styles and design categories you want to work in. It’s free to sign up and start freelancing. Get started making money with 99designs today!
Thinkific – Have you ever thought about teaching others about graphic design? Thinkific is an online learning platform where you can create and sell online courses. This can be a great way to teach your skills and make money from home.
8. Sell stuff on Amazon
Do you like finding deals when shopping? Then you may want to consider reselling items on Amazon. This is one of the best side hustles for dads.
Amazon allows third-party sellers to sell on their site. This means you can list items on Amazon and run your very own Amazon business. The best part is — Amazon will ship the items for you so you don’t have to worry about dealing with packaging. This is what Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is all about.
How Amazon FBA works:
1. You send products to Amazon.
2. Amazon stores your products in their warehouse.
3. When a customer orders one of your products, Amazon packs, ships and tracks the order for you.
4. Amazon also handles all refunds and returns.
5. You get paid! Amazon will total up all your sales and deduct any seller fees, then deposits the money in your bank account. Sounds pretty easy, right?
You sell the items on Amazon.com, and then they are fulfilled by Amazon (also known as Amazon FBA). They store your inventory and ship the products for you. This allows your products to become Prime eligible, which can build trust and increase your sales!
How much money can you make selling on Amazon?
The amount you can make will depend on a variety of factors.
Jessica from The Selling Family started her business on eBay making $1,000 per month. When she switched to fulfillment by Amazon, she was up to scale her business to over $5,000 per month while working part-time.
Since then, she was able to earn 6-figures in profit in her first year from selling on Amazon. Jessica used her experience of buying and reselling items to master her “buy low, sell high” model and turn it into a full-time gig.
Ready to start selling stuff on Amazon?
Jessica, the mastermind behind Amazon Bootcamp, has compiled all her knowledge into this comprehensive course. Her online course will teach you how to buy and resell on Amazon FBA to make the most profit.
Not sure if selling stuff on Amazon is right for you?
If you’re not ready yet to invest in this course, I recommend checking out Jessica’s FREE workshop. In this free workshop, you’ll learn why Amazon is the best reseller marketplace, how to set up your Amazon seller account, and easy ways to find profitable inventory. You can click here to sign up.
9. Dropshipping Side Hustle
Dropshipping is a popular side hustle for stay-at-home dads. Today’s technology makes it easy to start your own successful dropshipping business.
Whether you’re looking to earn some extra spending money or bring home a six-figure income, dropshipping can be one of the best side hustles for parents.
What is Dropshipping?
Dropshipping is a way to run an online store, such as with Shopify. The best part is — you don’t have to stress about creating your own products. You can use a third-party retailer, such as Oberlo, to add awesome products to your Shopify store.
When your store sells a product, it purchases the item from Oberlo, then it’s shipped directly to the customer. You don’t need to worry about inventory or handling the products.
How much money can you make from Dropshipping?
Highly variable. Your dropshipping business has the potential to earn between $0 and $100,000+ per month.
Are you ready to get started dropshipping?
- Find Your Niche – Determine which products you’d like to sell and who your target customers are. These can be items related to your passion or interests. There are no rules.
- Create Your Shop – Shopify is the most popular ecommerce platform to launch your dropshipping business. It’s easy to use and packed with all the necessary features you’ll need to run a success online business. You can get a free 14-day trial of Shopify here to start your own online shop.
- Add Products to Your Shop – Oberlo lets you easily import products from suppliers directly into your Shopify store and ship directly to your customers. With just a few clicks, you can have your own dropshipping business set up in minutes.
10. Airbnb Host
If you have a spare room in your home, you could be making extra money by renting it out. Choose to rent out your spare room on just the weekends or on a full-time basis, it’s up to you.
As an Airbnb host, you can make money by hosting travelers in your home. Whether it’s a spare room or your entire place, you’re in full control over your availability, prices, house rules, and how you choose to interact with guests.
How much money does an Airbnb Host make?
To get started, head to Airbnb’s calculator to see how much you could be making. This can be one of the most profitable side hustles for dads.
Are you ready to get started as an Airbnb host?
- Create your free listing. Click here to sign up for free. No matter what kind of space you have to share, Airbnb makes it simple and secure to host travelers.
- Decide how you want to host. You can choose your own schedule, prices, and requirements for guests. Airbnb charges each guest before arrival to ensure you’ll always get paid on time.
- Get paid. Welcome your first guest. Airbnb will pay you usually 24 hours after the guest is scheduled to arrive to make sure check-in goes smoothly.
11. Make money correcting grammar errors
If you find yourself catching typos or grammar mistakes when reading content online, then proofreading can be a great opportunity for you.
As an online proofreader, you are the last set of eyes to look at a piece of copy before it goes live to the public.
This means you take content that other people have written and proofread it with a fine-tooth comb.
How much money can you make as a freelance proofreader?
You can earn up to $4,000 per month proofreading online. The amount you make will depend on your experience, skills, and education. There’s no proofreading certification required.
My friend, Cailtin, began proofreading online as a part-time side hustle. She was able to scale her business quickly and now teaches others how to make money from home as a proofreader.
If you’re interested, you can check out her signature course here: General Proofreading – Theory & Practice™
12. Get paid to rent out your garage or unused space
Neighbor is a self-storage company that allows people like you to rent out their empty space to those who need it.
When you become a Neighbor Host, you can make money by renting out any storage space, no matter what size. Some of the possible options include:
- Garage / Carport / Driveway / Street parking
- Parking lot
- Basement
- Bedroom
- Shed
- Warehouse
- Self-storage unit
- Closet
- Attic
How to get started as Neighbor Host:
- List your space – Tell Neighbor about your spaces and how much you’d like to earn.
- Respond to renters – Review renters requests (including what they want to store and when) and approve them.
- Schedule a move-in – Schedule a move-in time with your new renter. That’s it!
Stay at home dad jobs FAQs
How do stay-at-home dads make money?
This post shares 12 legitimate ways to make money as a stay-at-home dad. There are many ways to earn money from home without sacrificing your time with the kids. These side hustle opportunities allow you to make extra cash while your kids are at school, taking a nap, or even keeping you company at home.
Depending on how much money these side hustles bring in, you may be able to quit your job to be a stay-at-home dad. For more ways to make money from home, check out: 42 ways to make $100 a day
What are the top 5 side hustles?
Below are some of the best side hustles for men to start making extra money:
- Food delivery with Door Dash
- Delivery groceries with Instacart
- Buy and resell stuff on Amazon or Facebook Marketplace
- Start a money-making blog (Check out this in-depth guide)
- Virtual assistant (General VA, Pinterest VA, Pinterest Manager, or Podcast VA)
What are the best jobs for work from home dads?
Below are some others great ways to make money working from home.
Make money doing surveys – While this won’t make you rich, it’s one of the easiest ways to make money. Simply create a free account on the survey sites and start getting paid to fill out surveys. The best surveys for money include:
- Survey Junkie
- Swagbucks (Get a free $5 bonus just for signing up)
- Ysense
- Branded Surveys
- Inbox Dollars (Daily Rewards for Canadians)
- Toluna Influencers
- MyPoints
- Opinion Outpost
- My Soap Box
- Dabbl (get paid to play games in your spare time)
Earn cash back from your purchases – If you’re not earning cash back when shopping, then you’re leaving free money on the table. You can earn cash back when shopping online, at the grocery store, gas station, restaurant, and so on. Below are my favorite cash back apps:
Invest in real estate – If you want to earn passive income, this can be a good option. There are a few crowdfounding real estate platforms that make it easy to start investing with as little as $10. The most popular options include Fundrise, Realty Mogul, and Happy Nest.
Read Next: Fundrise vs. Realty Mogul – Which Real Estate Investing Platform is Right for You?
