20 Side Hustle Ideas for Working Moms

Are you a working mom who is looking for a way to earn some extra money? Sometimes a little extra income can make a big difference in your budget. Life is expensive, and sometimes it seems like there’s always some new expense that needs to be taken care of.

What’s a person to do?

Thankfully, there are many side hustle ideas for working moms to choose from – you just have to find the opportunities that make the most sense for your unique situation and take action on them.

The following are 20 ideas for working moms to explore:

1. Freelance Writing

Do you enjoy writing? Maybe English was your favorite subject in school. If you’ve always had a certain flair with the written word, you might want to consider earning money through freelance writing.

It’s important to understand upfront that freelance writing isn’t about writing poetry or short stories. It’s not about publishing works of fiction. It’s about writing marketing materials for companies.

There are many companies that need a steady stream of marketing content written for their websites and for other things. Many companies, for example, have blogs that need to be updated regularly. And somebody has to write all of those blog posts.

That somebody could be you.

Many companies prefer to use freelance writers instead of full-time writers that are on staff because they can save on both salaries and benefits. Many freelance writers earn full-time incomes working from home by writing for multiple clients at once.

A great benefit of freelance writing is economic security. With a job, you only have one stream of income. If something happens to your job, you could end up in financial jeopardy if it takes you a while to find another job.

Freelance writing is different. As a freelance writer with multiple clients, if one of your clients suddenly drops you (which will eventually happen), then you don’t suddenly lose all of your income. You still have other clients to fall back on. You can then continue to market your services to land another client to make up for the one you just lost.

2. Virtual Assistant

Another great side hustle idea to consider for working moms is to offer your services as a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant is someone who helps companies with many different tasks. They work remotely from home and usually have flexible schedules.

Virtual assistants do many different things. Just a few include:

• Data entry
• Bookkeeping
• Responding to customer emails
• Responding to social media posts
• Writing blog posts
• Calendar management
• Processing online orders

Similar to freelance writing, many companies prefer to use the services of virtual assistants to save money on salaries and benefits. A company may only need to use a virtual assistant, for example, for a few hours each week.

Like freelance writers, virtual assistants usually work for multiple clients at a time. If a client lets you go, or if you release a client because it isn’t working out, you will have others to fall back on.

Working as a virtual assistant is something you can do on a part-time basis, but it’s also something you can grow into a full-time business, too.

Kayla Sloan is someone who now works full-time from her home as a virtual assistant. She started off with zero clients and within three years she was able to grow her business to where she earns at least $10,000 each month.

Not too shabby for a business you can run from home.

Kayla also now helps others start and grow their own virtual assisting businesses in her online course, $10KVA. Just a few of the things she covers in the course include marketing and landing clients, pricing your services, working efficiently, growing your business, and many other things.

Check out $10KVA to see why working as a virtual assistant is such a great opportunity for working moms.

3. Flip Used Things on eBay

Do you enjoy shopping? Maybe you get fulfillment from finding amazing deals on things you want or need. If bargain hunting is your thing, you might want to consider flipping used things on eBay.

Flipping, as it’s called, is a legitimate business that many people do on either a part or full-time basis. The concept is simple. You find and buy things that are undervalued in your community and then sell them for a profit on eBay.

With flipping, you want to look for more expensive items that sell for a lot of money. This way, you can earn more money with less work. Instead of selling 50 things that you buy for $5 and sell for $20, for example, you can earn more money by buying five things for $50 that you sell for $500. It’s about working smarter and not harder.

Where do you find items to flip? There are many places you can shop for used items that are being sold for well-below their market value. Just a few include:

• Thrift Stores
• Flea Markets
• Yard Sales
• Auctions
• Craigslist
• Facebook Marketplace
• OfferUp

This is another side hustle opportunity that some choose to do full-time, like Rob and Melissa Stephenson. Rob started flipping as a side hustle to make his monthly car payment. He eventually decided to go all-in with flipping and it’s now how he and his wife earn the majority of their income for their family.

In addition to running a successful flipping business, Rob and Melissa also help others start their own flipping businesses in their online course, Flipper University. The course teaches you how to get started, find products to buy, negotiate prices, list items on eBay, ship items, and many other things.

Check out Flipper University to see why this is a great opportunity for working moms.

4. Start a Blog

Did you know that many bloggers earn money from their blogs? Not only is it true, but many bloggers earn full-time livings writing about the various topics their blogs cover.

Blogging isn’t easy. It’s definitely not a quick way to earn money. It takes time for the search engines to trust a new blog. Some blogs, in fact, don’t earn anything for their first few years. Some blogs never earn anything. It depends on many different factors like the niche you choose, how hard you work, and other things.

There is also a pretty steep learning curve to blogging. You have to learn search engine optimization (SEO), WordPress, Pinterest, keyword research, and other things.

Nevertheless, if you aren’t afraid of putting in a lot of hard work, it’s definitely possible to earn money from blogging. Blogging is something you could do as a side hustle, but it’s also possible to continue growing a blog to the point where it earns a full-time income.

If you are interested in learning more about earning money from blogging, Alex and Lauren from Create and Go offer a series of courses that teach you the ins and outs of blogging. Their courses teach you how to build and launch a blog, how to drive traffic to a blog, and how to earn money with a blog.

The three courses they offer include:

Launch Your Blog Biz

Pinterest Traffic Avalanche

Six-Figure Blogger

5. Proofreading

Are you someone who is good at grammar? Do you cringe when you see something misspelled on social media or somewhere else? If so, then another side hustle idea for working moms to consider is proofreading for court reporters.

Many court reporters use proofreaders to go over the work they do to make sure everything matches the audio recordings and that everything is grammatically correct. The reason they use proofreaders instead of doing it themselves is because court reporters earn money for each case they report on. The more cases they take, the more they can earn. It makes financial sense for them to hand off the proofreading to someone else.

Proofreading for court reporters is something you can do from home. And when court reporters find a good proofreader, they tend to give that person repeat work.

Proofread Anywhere is an online course that teaches you how to become a proofreader. It teaches you how to attract and land clients, how to do the work, and other things you’ll need to know to start and grow a proofreading business.

If you are interested in learning more about how proofreading works and why it is such a great opportunity for working moms, a free online webinar is offered that gives an overview of the business and answers many common questions.

Check out the free webinar on proofreading to learning more about this opportunity.

6. Bookkeeping

Businesses of all sizes use the services of bookkeepers to keep track of their financial records. Using bookkeeping professionals makes sense because it allows them to save money on salaries and benefits over a full-time staff bookkeeper.

Bookkeeping isn’t complicated. If you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide, you can be a bookkeeper. You also don’t need a college degree in accounting or professional certification to be a bookkeeper. You just need to be someone who is teachable and has a strong willingness to learn something new.

If you are interested in working from home as a virtual bookkeeper but you aren’t sure how to get started, Bookkeeper Launch is an online course that shows you how to do the work, how to land clients, and other things you’ll need to build a business you can be proud of.

Check out Bookkeeper Launch to learn more about how you can start a virtual bookkeeping business that you operate out of your home.

7. Sell Things on Amazon

Some people may be surprised to learn that many of the products sold on Amazon aren’t technically Amazon’s products. They are products sold by third-party sellers. And here’s the really interesting part – many of those sellers are small businesses operated out of people’s homes.

Amazon makes it very easy to sell products on its website – the world’s largest eCommerce platform. This means you can potentially have thousands of people checking out your products. It’s kind of like opening a store on the busiest street in the world.

Amazon’s program that lets people sell on their platform is called Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA). There is a modest monthly fee to participate in FBA. Amazon also charges a fee for each product that is sold. There may also be other fees – like long-term storage fees.

Although the fees may at first seem like a lot to deal with, it’s actually very affordable to sell products on Amazon through the FBA program when compared to selling things through a traditional store. If you sell through FBA, for example, you won’t have to lease a store, have employees to deal with, store hours, and other things.

A great thing about the FBA program is that you get to ship your products to the company’s warehouses where they are stored until people order them. When an order is placed, Amazon takes care of picking, packing, and shipping the product for you. They also take care of customer service issues and product returns.

The Proven Amazon Course is an online course that teaches you how to build a business selling products on Amazon. It teaches you how to source products, ship them to Amazon’s warehouses, and other things. It is packed with useful information for those who are brand new to selling online, but it also includes advanced strategies for experienced sellers.

Check out the Proven Amazon Course to see why it’s been responsible for so many success stories.

8. Tutoring

If you are a working mom, another great side hustle idea to consider is tutoring people in your community. There are many things you could help people with. You could give music lessons, help high school students with subjects they are struggling with, and other things.

Another thing to consider is to offer short courses for adults on various subjects at a local community center or skills center. For example, if gardening is a hobby you enjoy, you may be able to teach a course on gardening tips you’ve learned over the years.

The great thing about tutoring is you don’t have to be an expert on the subject you are teaching. You just have to have more knowledge on the subject than the people you are teaching.

9. Childcare

Another side hustle idea to consider is childcare. Many people need someone to take care of their children while they are at work. If you work during the day, you may be able to do this of the evenings, weekends, and other times you have off from work.

Another option to consider with childcare is to operate a childcare business out of your home. This is a great opportunity for many mothers of young children. You can take care of your children during the day and get paid to take care of other children at the same time.

If you are considering starting a childcare business in your home, be sure to follow all local and state laws and regulations. You will most likely be required to have a business license and some localities and states may also require you to obtain special training or have your home inspected.

10. Photography

Do you enjoy taking pictures of your family, friends, pets, and other things? Maybe you’ve had an interest in photography for years and it’s a hobby you enjoy when you have some free time.

Why not turn your love of photography into a side hustle you can earn some extra month with?

Many people need skilled photographers to take professional pictures of their family, events, and other things. Weddings, for example, are popular events for photographers. Many parents love to have professional pictures of their kids taken every year to capture a moment in time to build memories that will last a lifetime.

If photography is a hobby you enjoy, you may already have some of the equipment needed to get started. To get the word out about your side hustle, you can create a Facebook page and promote it online. You can also use word-of-mouth advertising to let people know that you are booking photo sessions.

A great thing about this side hustle idea is that you may be able to schedule photo sessions after your regular work hours. Most weddings, for example, are held on the weekends, which is ideal if you work weekdays.

11. Mowing Lawns

It’s tough work, but somebody’s got to do it.

Among the side hustle ideas for working moms, mowing lawns tends to pay very well. If you have a lawnmower and a way to transport it, you may be able to take on clients during the warm weather months to mow lawns.

The great thing about mowing lawns is the repeat business. Once you land a client, they generally expect you to mow their lawn every week until the weather turns cold and the grass stops growing.

In addition to mowing lawns, you can also provide some related services like landscaping, trimming bushes, pulling weeds, and other things.

12. Catering

Do you enjoy cooking? Maybe you like making delicious meals that your friends and family all rave about. If culinary arts is your thing, catering is a side hustle worth considering.

As a caterer, you can prepare meals for many different events. Just a few catering opportunities include:

• Weddings
• Birthday Parties
• Corporate Events
• Community Events
• Conferences
• Seminars
• Executive Meetings

Another thing to consider with catering is to also make and decorate wedding cakes. People get married all the time, and many prefer to hire the services of a professional to make and decorate the cake they serve on their special day.

The average wedding cake costs $500, which is a solid return on the time and effort it takes to make and decorate one of these culinary masterpieces. If you both cater and make cakes for weddings, it could turn into a nice little side hustle.

13. Social Media Manager

A social media manager is someone who manages the social media accounts of a company for them. They are responsible for posting content on various social media platforms, responding to comments, and answering any questions that people may have about the post, the company, or its products and services.

Many companies have a social media presence these days to interact with current and future customers. These platforms are great ways to connect with people and to market products and services.

14. Pet Sitting

If you are someone who loves animals, pet sitting is a great opportunity to consider.

Many people need someone to watch their pets for a day or for several days while they are away on vacation, a business trip, or for another reason. As much as many people would love to take their fur babies with them, it isn’t always practical. Not all pets travel well, and not all hotels are pet friendly.

There are many different kinds of pets that you could take care of, but dogs and cats will most likely be the most common. As a pet sitter, you will have to make sure the animals you board have plenty of food and water and a clean place to stay.

Depending on the pets you board, you will also most likely have to spend some time with them to make sure they get plenty of attention. If you are boarding dogs, you may also have to walk them to make sure they, um, do their business.

Some animals require a lot of space to run around. Because of this, pet sitting may not be a good opportunity if you don’t have a good place or if you live close to neighbors.

15. Residential or Commercial Cleaning

Another great opportunity for moms is residential or commercial cleaning.

Many people need someone to clean their homes for them. After working long hours at their jobs each week, the last thing they may want to do is to come home and do more work around the house. Sometimes people need a break so they can recharge their batteries. There are also some people who just prefer to outsource a job they don’t like doing very much to someone else.

In addition to cleaning people’s homes, you may also be able to clean businesses in your community. There are many opportunities in commercial cleaning. Just a few include:

• Offices
• Car Dealerships
• Professional Offices (Doctors, Dentists, Chiropractors, Lawyers, etc.)
• Restaurants
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Retail Stores

With residential or commercial cleaning, you may already have many of the cleaning supplies you’ll need to get started. If not, extra supplies can be purchased at big box stores or janitorial supply companies.

16. Interior House Painting

Are you good at painting? I’m not referring to painting pretty pictures of landscapes, animals, and bowls of fruit – I’m talking about painting walls.

Painting walls is something that many people prefer to hire someone to do for them. Not everyone has the skills or patience to apply paint evenly to their walls and to not make a mess in the process.

As a house painter, most people will provide the paint for you. It’s preferable that they do this to make sure they get the exact color and brand that they want. You may have to provide everything else – paint brushes, paint trays, masking tape, and other things.

17. Carpet Cleaning

Carpet cleaning is another great opportunity for moms to consider. This is something you can offer as a standalone service, or you can offer it as an additional service if you do residential or commercial cleaning.

Many people like to deep clean their carpets every few months. Some people who have pets may clean their carpets more often.

Cleaning carpets usually isn’t difficult, but it can be time-consuming. You may also have to move furniture around while you are doing it. Carpet cleaners can be purchased at most big box stores, but they can also be rented at home improvement stores.

18. Elderly Care

Many people have elderly loved ones who need some help with a few things in their homes. Most people, as they reach their golden years, prefer to live alone in their homes instead of moving to assisted living facilities. Who can blame them?

Many elderly may need someone to help them do some light housework or to cook for them, for example. They may also need someone to talk to. Elderly care isn’t always about assisting people with things – it’s also about providing companionship.

Each elderly care situation is different. Some people may only need someone to stay with an elderly relative one or two days or nights a week. Family members may stay with that person the rest of the time.

19. Car Wash and Detailing

Washing and detailing vehicles is another chore that many people dread doing. It takes up a lot of their spare time – time they could use to relax or engage in a hobby.

If you aren’t afraid of rolling up your sleeves and getting a little dirty, washing and detailing vehicles can be lucrative. It just depends on where you live and what your competition is charging. To make sure you are competitive in your pricing, be sure to check out what others are charging.

There are two ways you can do this side hustle. First, you can have people bring their vehicles to your home. This is the easiest way to do it. Second, you can pack all of your cleaning supplies in your vehicle and go to where your clients are – mobile detailing.

If you do go to your clients’ homes, you will most likely have to use their water hoses and electrical plugins for your vacuum cleaner. Just be sure that your clients are aware of this upfront so there won’t be any surprises.

20. Teaching Yoga Classes

Are you a yoga practitioner? Maybe you find spending a few minutes every day striking yoga poses and engaging in breathing exercises to be very relaxing. If so, you may be able to teach yoga classes to others in your community to earn some extra money.

Yoga isn’t the only thing you may be able to teach. A few teachable things to consider include:

• Cooking
• Dancing
• First Aid / CPR
• Local History
• Martial Arts
• Gymnastics
• Gardening

It may be necessary in some cases to obtain professional training and certification before you can teach something, like becoming a CPR instructor from either the Red Cross or the American Heart Association. Be sure to check and see before you start teaching, regardless of the subject.

Opportunities Abound

Did you realize there were so many side hustles that working moms can pursue? If you work and have a family to take care of and money is tight, you do have options. Some of these side hustles you may be able to do from home while taking care of the kids – like pet sitting, tutoring, or being a social media manager.

Before deciding on the best side hustle ideas for working moms, be sure to consider your skills and abilities. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? How much time do you have to earn extra money? Considering these and other relevant questions will help you to decide which side hustle is the best fit for you.