Raise your hand if you are a mama who LOVES the time she gets to spend with her little ones. What if I told you there was a way that you could stay at home with your children AND bring in some income for your family?
Before we got pregnant, our plan was to embrace having two incomes. I was going to teach full time and use my salary to pay off our student loans and pour into a real estate investment fund while we lived off my husband’s income. Then three months into our marriage, and months away from me achieving my bachelor’s degree, I was in a Target bathroom staring at a positive pregnancy test. Decisions had to be made.
We said goodbye to the potential for a second income, cracking down on our budget. And we were terrible at it. Some months we did better than others, but we discovered very quickly how difficult it can be to live off of one income. I absolutely adore the privilege of staying home with my daughter and am so grateful for a husband who works hard so that I can do so. But after some careful reviewing of our budget, we decided we need to find a way to make some side income from home. So I’m taking this journey and I’m inviting you to come alongside me and join me. Here are some tried and true methods guaranteed to make you money from home.
- Become a brand ambassador
A brand ambassador is a person who is paid to promote a product in exchange for free products or cash. When I first stumbled across this option, I turned up my nose at the idea. I didn’t want to get paid to promote products that I wasn’t really that into. It felt too dishonest. Then I was introduced to the Heartbeat app. This awesome program pairs brand ambassadors with partner companies that they already like. Whether you’re into makeup or fitness, college or parenting, this app finds products that fits your style and sends you free products to try. You decide whether or not you want to participate. Then you get money for talking about the stuff you love on Instagram! It’s that simple! I even got offered money to Snapchat for a day! Such a cool program and an honest and great way to easily earn some extra cash on the side. Click here if you want to start earning money and free products today!
2. Become a Nanny
Watch other children while you stay at home with yours! This option may not be for the faint of heart, because nannying is hard work. However, if you love kids and are up for the challenge, this is a great way to earn money from your own house. Parents will often pay anywhere from $15-$30 an hour, depending on the market in your area.
3. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is the way that most new bloggers monetize their blogs. However, this can also be done through social media platforms such as Pinterest. You mention a product or service that you love to use. Then your readers follow a special link that you give them, and when they make a purchase, you get a commission! The online marketing world is crazy cool. Many moms work as Amazon affiliates, but Target also has a great affiliate program. Affiliate marketing can be overwhelming at first, but there are plenty of resources out there to help you get started.
4. Create a Mom Blog
Source: eKavach
One day I was sitting in my living room, scrolling through parenting articles and mommying tips, when I realized I was spending a ridiculous amount of time clicking on articles and making other women money, when I could be spending that time making myself extra income instead! The first way that I did this was through Google Adsense. This is a cost-per-click program that allows advertisers to insert ads into your blogposts that are relevant to the content of the site. Bloggers then make a certain amount per person who views the ads on their articles. In my first two days after I launched my site, I made $3.46 just from friends checking out my blog. This doesn’t sound like a lot of money because it’s not, but many mom bloggers make more through Google Adsense than they did from the full-time jobs that they left to stay at home. Being a mom-blogger can be extremely profitable. You may earn just a few extra dollars per month, or you could be like Jessica, who makes $20,000 a month with her fitness blog.
5. Become a Tinkergarten Leader
Source: Tinkergarten
Do you love working with children? Do you love being in nature? Do you believe in the power of outdoor play? Then being a Tinkergarten might be the perfect way for you to make extra money from home. Tinkergarten is a program that provides early childhood education through outdoor play-based curriculum. Tinkergarten leaders facilitate these once-a-week outdoor classes and help children to develop communication skills, sensory skills, self reliance, problem solving skills, and empathy. They pay anywhere from $300-$1000 per 8-week class. You can make extra income and serve your community in a valuable way!
6. Do Your Research and Financially Prepare
If you are planning to leave your job and stay at home, it’s important that you prepare for all the challenges that you may face as you try to make income from home. If you would like help budgeting, saving money, and getting out of debt, I would highly suggest “Trade Your 9-5 for Stay at Home Mom” by Holly Weidman. This is an absolutely valuable resource to help you get out of debt and be financially successful from home. Give up four Starbucks coffees this week and check out this book instead. You won’t regret it.
6. Create and Sell Printables
As a student teacher, I can not tell you how many teacher printables I bought. Whether you’re good at designing planners, chore charts, teaching resources, or something else entirely, selling printables is an easy way to make some extra cash flow. Find out how you can make online printables here.
No matter how you decide to try making some extra income, remember to be patient, persevere, and do what’s best for you and your family. Take a look at that little person in your life and know that what you’re doing is worth it. Feel free to leave a comment so that we can do this together. Good luck, mama!
