20 Side Hustle Ideas For Stay-At-Home Moms

If you’re a new mom or you’ve put your career on hold to be a stay-at-home mom, you may be wondering how you can make extra money while taking care of your little one.

I recently become a first-time mom and have been working from home while raising my daughter.

Having an at-home business has been such a blessing because the hours are flexible (I work during her nap time and after she goes to bed at night), I get to spend more time with my family, and I can earn an income while being at home.

Whether you’re interested in finding a side hustle part-time or starting your own business from home, there is something for everyone on this list.

1. Start a dog treat bakery

If you enjoy baking, making homemade dog treats can be a fun way to make money from your kitchen.

Over 66% of US households own a pet, with dogs being the most popular pet in the USA. For many people, their pets are their kids, and they are looking for healthy treat options to celebrate and reward their furry companion.

The start-up costs range from $100-$500, depending on what tools and ingredients you already have in your kitchen. You may also be required to get a license to sell pet treats, depending on your state.

My friend Kristin started selling homemade pet treats at local farmer’s markets and online. It didn’t take long before her pet treat bakery turned into a profitable and thriving business.

As a new dog treat business, you can earn between $500 – $1,000+ per month. Once your business starts to grow, you can earn up to $2,500 – $5,000+ per month.

To get started, check out this free workshop hosted by Kristin from Diva Dog Bakery. She’ll show you:

Which dog treats are the most popular right now
The best places to sell your dog treats
How much to charge to earn maximum profit
What you need to start your business

2. Get paid to read books

Imagine curling up on the couch with a good book and getting paid to read it.

As a freelance proofreader, you can earn $4,000 a month (or up to $60 per read) to proofread books, blogs, e-books, and other written work.

If you have an eagle eye for spelling mistakes and grammar errors, this can be a great way to make money from home.

While having a degree in journalism, communications, or English can help you stand out from competitors, many proofreaders lead a successful career without a college degree.

The key is to have a good understanding of the English language, a strong attention to detail so you can spot errors in text, and good marketing skills to help grow your proofreading business.

To get started, I recommend taking this free workshop hosted by my friend Caitlin.

She’s a professional proofreader that will show you everything you need to know about how to launch your proofreading career from home.

3. Start a mom blog

Blogging is my favorite way to make money online. I always dreamed of leaving my 9-5 job and finding a way to make money from home.

I started my blog as a hobby and within just a few years, I’m earning a full-time income from blogging ($20,000+ per month).

It’s allowed me to travel, buy my dream home, and stay at home while raising my baby daughter. It’s really one of those “pinch-me” moments because I’ve always wanted to be my own boss.

What is a blog? A blog is a website that you’ll regularly update with articles (blog posts) that are written on a specific topic (or niche).

Many moms start blogs about parenting, family, and motherhood. But you can start a blog about any topic that you enjoy talking about. Below are some popular ideas for mom blogs:

Family travel
Co-parenting strategies
Breastfeeding
Kids crafts and activities
Healthy eating for toddlers
Tips for getting baby to sleep
Single parenting
Parenting fails and successes
Productivity hacks for moms

The best way to make money from blogging is by using display ads on your website, creating sponsored content (working with brands), affiliate marketing, or selling your own product or service.

To get started, you can use this step-by-step guide here that will walk you through the entire process.

You can start a blog for as little as $1.99 per month using Bluehost. This is the web hosting company that I used to start my blog and recommend for beginners.

They make it easy to start a money-making blog, and you’ll even get a free domain name when you sign up here.

Keep in mind that blogging is not a get-rich-quick thing. It takes time and effort to build an audience online. I recommend using a social media platform like Pinterest to help you drive traffic to your blog.

4. Sell printables on Etsy

Printables are a type of digital product that people can buy and print at home. You only need to create the product once (using a free site like Canva), then sell it over and over again on platforms like Etsy.

This makes printables one of the best ways to earn passive income from home.

Some popular printables include cleaning checklists, chore charts, stickers, wedding invitations, budget worksheets, toddler activity worksheets, calendars, meal planners, sewing patterns, and more.

My friend Julie started selling printables for bachelorette parties on Etsy. It didn’t take long before she made her first $1,000 online. Today she is currently in the top 10% of Etsy sellers worldwide.

If you want to learn more about how to start your own printable shop on Etsy, I recommend checking out Julie’s free workshop here. Just enter your name and email address to secure your spot.

In the meantime, you can grab a copy of this free e-book that will show you what the bestselling printables are for each month of the year.

5. Sell other digital products on Etsy

Printables are not the only item that sells like hotcakes on Etsy.

With over 97 million active buyers in 2023, Etsy can be the perfect platform to sell handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies.

Below are some other popular items to sell on Etsy:

Handmade or vintage jewelry
Party decorations
Digital artwork
Wedding items
Handmade or vintage clothing
Notebooks and journals
Homemade bath and beauty products
Bags and purses
Baby items
Personalized gifts
Pet supplies

6. Get paid to pin on Pinterest

Pinterest is a visual search tool that allows people to find ideas on a variety of topics, such as home décor, women’s fashion, food and drinks, travel, parenting, beauty, weddings, gardening, DIY and crafts, and more.

Bloggers and online business owners use Pinterest to help drive traffic to their website or landing pages. But not all of them have the time or knowledge to grow their presence on the platform.

That’s where you have an opportunity to make money from home!

Bloggers and business owners are willing to pay you to pin on Pinterest and manage their account. As a beginner Pinterest virtual assistant, you can earn between $25 – $35 per hour.

My friend Kristin started helping bloggers and brands grow their Pinterest presence. Within just 10 months, she was able to make enough money to quit her 9-5 job and turn her side hustle into a full-time digital business.

If you want to learn more about how you can launch your career as a Pinterest VA, grab this free Prep Book here.

It includes:

7 Pinterest virtual assistant services you can offer.
How much you should charge your clients.
Sole Proprietor and LLC step-by-step checklists.
How Kristin scaled her side hustle to over $3,600 per month in her spare time, all while at her day job.
Access to Kristen’s private 4-part limited podcast series for Pinterest VAs.
7-step guide that will walk you through how to set up your first Pinterest business account as if you were your own client.

7. Resell vintage items online

If you have an eye for finding good-quality pieces at thrift stores and flea markets, consider starting a reselling business online.

The best part about this side hustle is that anyone can do it – you don’t need a college degree, and you don’t need any money to get started.

The easiest place to start is by going through your closet at home. Grab any clothes, shoes, and accessories that you don’t wear anymore.

Clean up the items – make sure there are no stains, tears, or damage – then take good photos of them. You can use your phone to do this, just make sure to use a plain background in a well-lit area.

The next step is to list them for sale online. You can use eBay, Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, or another platform that’s best suited for the item you wish to sell.

My friends Rob and Melissa made over $100,000 by reselling items they find at local thrift stores on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. They turned their side gig into a full-time business right when baby #3 was due.

If you want to learn more about how you can start reselling items for profit, check out Rob’s free workshop here.

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8. Become an Airbnb host

Airbnb lets you make money by renting out your spare room, basement, or entire home to guests.

This can help pay for your mortgage or allow you to make money while you take off for the weekend.

If you’re lucky enough to have a spare room (or a vacation home), you can earn extra income by turning your home into a short-term rental or bed and breakfast.

This can be a great option if you live in an area that’s a popular tourist destination or when special events are taking place during the year.

Before you get started, you’ll want to find out which laws and taxes apply to short-term rentals in your area.

Next, you’ll get your place ready to welcome guests by removing any clutter and providing basic amenities like toilet paper, soap, and towels.

It’s free to list your space on Airbnb and you have control over how you want to host guests.

For example, you can block out dates that your space is unavailable, set your booking price, choose specific check-in and check-out times, and set a minimum or maximum number of nights guests can stay.

You’ll also get to set the house rules that you want guests to follow so they know exactly what is and what isn’t allowed in your space.

Once a booking has been confirmed, Airbnb charges a service fee (typically 3% of your booking subtotal), which helps cover Host protections, 24/7 customer support, and more.

9. Pet sitting

If you love spending time with dogs, you can make money by offering pet sitting services on Rover. This may include dog walking, pet sitting for the day, or overnight pet boarding.

My neighbor does this for a living. He walks other people’s dogs, watches dogs in his home, and even offers pet photography services.

It can be a fun way to make money on the side or even earn a full-time income.

10. Edit podcasts

Podcasts are continuing to grow in popularity because they are easy to access (you just need a smartphone, tablet, or computer), you can listen to any topic you want (there’s a podcast available for everyone’s interests), and you can multi-task while listening to a podcast (listen while cleaning, commuting to work, exercising, having a bath, and so on).

Running a podcast is a lot of work. This is why many podcast creators are willing to pay you to help them edit and produce their podcasts.

As a podcast editor, you’ll get paid to do a variety of different tasks. This may include recording and editing podcast episodes, audio engineering, marketing, content repurposing, guest management, pitch, and more.

No matter what your skill set is, there is something you can likely offer. This can be a great way to work from home and make extra money.

You can get started by looking for jobs on freelance marketplaces like Upwork. But if you want to master the skills and strategies you need to launch and grow podcasts for small businesses, check out Podcast Production School.

This online course is a step-by-step program that teaches you how to become a podcast producer and land your first client in 90 days or less.

11. Work from home as a virtual assistant

A virtual assistant is someone who works from home and gets paid to provide administrative services to businesses.

The services you can provide will depend on your skills and what you enjoy doing. Some of the most popular VA services include:

Responding to emails
Writing newsletters
Making travel arrangements
Scheduling appointments
Social media management
Graphic design
Bookkeeping
Writing, editing, or proofreading blog posts

If you have good communication skills and are self-motivated, this can be a great way to make money from home. The average VA earns between $35 – $50 per hour.

My friend Gina started working as a VA on the side while raising her kids at home. Within 6 months, she was able to earn enough money to replace her 9-5 job and take her virtual assistant side hustle full-time.

If you need some ideas, check out this list of 275+ VA services that you can start offering today.

12. Become an affiliate marketer

Affiliate marketing is where you earn a commission by promoting other people’s (or company’s) products or services.

If someone makes a purchase through your affiliate link (at no additional cost to them), you’ll receive part of the sale. This can either be a flat rate or a percentage of the sale.

Affiliate marketing works best when you have an engaged following, either through a blog or on social media.

My friend Michelle inspired me to become an affiliate marketer. She makes over $50,000 a month from affiliate marketing through her blog. This allows her to travel the world with her husband and daughter.

I took Michelle’s online course, which is a good starting point for beginners who are brand-new to affiliate marketing.

It helped my small blog go from making $0 to $10,000+ per month from affiliate marketing.

If you already have some knowledge about affiliate marketing, then I highly recommend checking out this course instead. It was created to help bloggers increase their sales and make more money.

13. Become a drop shipper

Imagine running an online store that allows you to earn passive income without worrying about storing inventory or dealing with shipping logistics. Sounds like a dream come true, right?

Welcome to the world of dropshipping. When someone makes a purchase from your online store, the order will be forwarded to a supplier or manufacturer, who handles the delivery to customers.

This gives you the freedom and flexibility to focus on other tasks, such as marketing your online store.

Let’s say you decide to open a kids’ clothing store online. You probably have tons of knowledge about kids’ clothes and accessories, so why not put that expertise to good use by starting your own shop?

If a customer buys a dress from your online kids’ clothing store, this means you’ll forward the order to your kids’ dress supplier, who keeps the product in stock.

To get started, you’ll need to open your online store.

I recommend using Shopify because they are affordable and make it easy for drop shippers. I currently use Shopify for my own shop and love them.

Then you’ll need to partner with a dropshipping supplier that offers products you want to sell. You can partner with an individual business or use a dropshipping app that sell products from multiple suppliers.

The next step is to let people know about your online store. You can do this by using social media or through search engine optimization.

14. Start a print-on-demand business

If you’re an artist or enjoy graphic design, imagine seeing your artwork printed on t-shirts, tote bags, coffee mugs, backpacks, and more.

Similar to dropshipping, the print-on-demand business model is where products (such as clothing, home décor, or accessories) are made when an order is received.

When a customer places an order, the product is printed and shipped by a third-party print-on-demand service. This removes the challenge of managing inventory and shipping.

To get started, you’ll need to create a digital design and select a print provider.

For digital designs, Kittl can be a great choice because it’s easy to use and you can make professional-looking graphics without any design experience.

For your print provider, Printful is the most popular option among print-on-demand sites because they offer a wide selection of quality products.

15. Become a freelance writer

If you enjoy writing, you can turn this skill into a profitable freelance business. This can be a great way for moms to balance work and family time while earning an income from home.

The first step is to pick a niche for your writing business. What do you like writing about? Choosing a niche can be tough in the beginning, but it can help you find potential clients to work with.

The next step is to get freelance writing samples to build your portfolio. This can either be work that you’ve already written, or you can create some from scratch. Perhaps this can be a blog post, an email newsletter, or a paper you wrote for school.

Once you’ve built your portfolio, you can start pitching to potential clients. You can find job opportunities on Upwork, Fiverr, or other freelance job boards.

If you want to get a jumpstart on becoming a freelance writer, check out this online course. You’ll be given a step-by-step roadmap to starting and building a successful, consistent freelance writing business.

They’ll even show you exactly where to look for paid writing jobs and how to land great clients.

16. Teach an online course

If you’re knowledgeable about a certain topic, you can make money by teaching people online. This can be through an online course that you create or a live workshop.

Putting together an online course may sound kind of daunting, but there are tons of great platforms available that make the whole process super easy.

For example, Thinkific offers an online course builder that offers everything you need to turn your expertise into income.

Your online course can be about any skill or knowledge that you wish to share with others. Below are some trending topics to give you inspiration:

Python
Microsoft Excel
Web development
JavaScript
Digital Marketing
Graphic Design
Investing
Accounting
Learning a foreign language
Photography
Yoga
Guitar music lessons
Canva graphic design
Gardening
Cooking

17. Make deliveries with DoorDash

If you don’t mind driving around, you can make extra money by delivering food or groceries with DoorDash.

As a Dasher, you’ll get paid to pick up food from local restaurants and deliver it to hungry customers. You get to decide when, where, and how much you want to work.

If you want to make the most money, the best time of day to work is during the dinner rush (4:30pm to 10:00pm), especially on the weekends.

If daytime hours work better for you, lunchtime can also be a great time to make money, between 11:00am and 2:00pm.

It takes just a few minutes to sign up and once your application gets approved, you can start dashing right away.

If this sounds like a fun opportunity for you, check out these tips to help you earn $1,000+ per week with DoorDash.

18. Sell handmade crafts and other goods

If you enjoy making crafts, this can be a great way to make money from home. The first step is to figure out which types of crafts you want to make and sell. Below are some popular craft ideas to sell online:

Candles
Jewelry
Artwork
Pottery
Apparel
Stickers
Drinkware

Once you’ve selected your niche, it’s time to decide how you want to sell your crafts. There are a few great ways that you can make money from your creative passion:

Open an online store and sell your handmade crafts and other goods
Sell your crafts on an online marketplace like Etsy or Amazon
Create a live workshop online where you’ll teach others how to make crafts
Create an online course teaching others how to make crafts

If you decide to sell them through an online store or marketplace, you’ll want to take good-quality photos of your items. Pictures can help capture people’s attention who are looking at your products.

You can use your phone to take photos at home. I recommend using a white backdrop in a well-lit area to make your product stand out.

Read Next: 20 top selling items on Etsy

19. Start a YouTube channel

Starting a YouTube channel can be an excellent way to share your passion with others while earning money from home. If you prefer to make videos instead of blogging, this can be a great option for you.

It’s a low-cost business idea because you can use your phone to film videos and a free program like DaVinci Resolve to edit them.

Once your channel reaches 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time, you can monetize it with ads.

In the meantime, you can make money with affiliate marketing, brands sponsorships, or selling your own products through your videos.

Before you begin your YouTube channel, the first step is to figure out your channel’s niche. This is the topic(s) that your channel will focus on.

Once you’ve selected a niche, it’s a good idea to research your YouTube competitors.

This means you’ll look at what other channels are doing that create similar content. This can help you see what’s working well for them and where you can make improvements.

As your channel starts to gain popularity, you may wish to invest in a better-quality camera, a tripod, and a ring light. This can help your videos look professional.

20. Become a graphic designer

If you’re a creative person and have a good understanding of graphic design software, such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, or Kittl, then you can make money freelancing as a graphic designer from home.

There are tons of different things you can design, such as websites, packaging designs, logos, advertising banners, brochures, social media content, labels and stickers, PowerPoint design, vehicle wraps, and more.

First, you’ll need to build an online portfolio. You can gather work that you’ve already done or practice your graphic designs skills by creating new projects.

Starting a website can be a great way to showcase your portfolio. It can also help make it easy for potential clients to find and contact you.

Once you’re ready to market your skills, you can find paid work on freelancing job websites like Upwork, 99designs, or Fiverr.