Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

3 Unexpected Options for Stay At Home Moms to Make Extra Money

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side hustles for moms

Perhaps you were a career girl before you had babies. Or you were a young mom and never had a chance to build a working network. Either way, you decided there was nothing more valuable than staying at home to raise your family. Admittedly, however, you’re a little bored or strapped for cash. If you’re wondering how you can make extra money as a stay-at-home, I’ve got three possibilities that aren’t the usual options you’ll find in your Pinterest search. Don’t expect to find blogging on this list.

Bookkeeping

If you think a degree is required to be a bookkeeper, think again. Bookkeeping is a learnable skill if you have an eye for detail. The bookkeeping field has started to change as software (Quickbooks and Xero) has emerged to make it simpler for the small business owner.

However, while the software lends a helping hand, many business owners don’t a) have the desire, b) have the time, and c) want more understanding of what they’re looking at. As a result, you’ll send the bookkeeping field start to shift to a flat fee work from home field, rather than a low paid hourly rate brick and mortar store. This provides you with the flexibility to work from home and stay in control of your schedule. Both essential requirements for stay-at-home moms.

I recommend investing in a course to learn the basics of bookkeeping, as well as learn how to build an online business and find clients. It can be pricey, but certainly not to the level of a semester of college. Bookkeeper Business Launch is a course you should consider. They’ve got a great support community and it’s an overall amazing program. I’ve personally taken it, and as a former CPA, I can recognize it’s value. I highly recommend it if you’re interested in exploring this as an opportunity to build your own business.

Sell Your Own Product

Have you ever dreamed of selling your own product? You can! You can sell anything from wine to supplements to shower curtains with your very own label, all from the comforts of home. This is done via the private label industry.

Private label is the process of working with a manufacturer to produce a product to sell based on your specifications. You add a label on it and sell it directly to the public. You’ll want to stick to basic items that sell well on platforms such as Amazon and eBay. They should be light in weight and not fragile to ensure they ship well.

Once you decide on your product, find a manufacturer. Alibaba is a great place to start. You’ll also want to design a logo, label, and packaging. Finally, you’ll need a platform to sell. Amazon FBA is a popular and simple option. Or you can go all-in and sell through your own website.

Rent Baby Gear

As a stay-at-home mom, you likely have some baby gear at your disposal. You can sell it on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace, but there’s another option you may not have heard of. While not exactly an option that will allow you to stay at home, and requires a bit more flexibility – you can bring your children along.

BabyQuip is a baby rental company set up very much like Uber and Lyft. You provide the baby gear, and they provide the website and marketing. A tourist visiting your town that isn’t interested in hauling a crib, a car seat, and toys on their vacation can go to the website and rent the gear. You deliver the gear based on the hours you’ve set and receive 80% of the rental fee plus a delivery charge.

There’s minimal risk with this business model as the customer pays their order upfront which you can use to purchase any items you don’t have. If and when you decide to quit renting, you can sell your inventory, possibly at break-even. I was a BabyQuip quality partner for a little over a year. During my busiest month, I netted a $700 profit with minimal time investment.

P.s. if you are reading this because you want to find a way for your children to make money, consider reading 49 Easy Ways For Kids To Make Money over at CompoundingPennies.

Have you tried any of these side hustles to make extra money? How did you like it? Let us know in the comments below.

Read more:

7 of the Best Ways to Make Money on the Side With a Full Time Job

How A Side Hustle Can Save Your Family’s Budget

Get Some Extra Cash: 9 of the Best Ways to Make Money From Home

How to Save $2,000 in Eight Months

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save 2000Are you looking to save some serious cash this year? There are many reasons you might want to save $2,000 over an eight month period of time. You may be planning a vacation. Or you might have an upcoming large expense such as a car repair.

How to Save $2,000 in Eight Months

In order to save this much cash, you’ll need to save an average of $250 per month. Here are some strategies to help you save $2000 in only two-thirds of a year.

Slash Your Expenses by Living with Only the Basics

Many people can save $250 a month by cutting unnecessary – and even necessary – expenses. Do you have a cable TV or gym subscription you can cancel, either temporarily or permanently?

Can you reduce your grocery or entertainment expenses? What about going on a restaurant ban for eight months? Make a list of every expense you have, and then circle the ones that aren’t an absolute necessity to live.

Another way to cut expenses is to work to negotiate hidden costs. Can you shop around to lower your insurance rates? Cut monthly banking fees by switching banks? Stop paying for memberships you no longer use such as magazine subscriptions?

See if you can raise some or all of the $250 a month you need to reach your savings goal by taking a serious and objective look at your expenses and seeing which ones you can live without for a few months.

Bonus Read: “35 Simple Ways for Parents to Save Money”

Sell Things You No Longer Need or Want

Many people have a good-sized collection of things they no longer use laying around the house. Is it possible for you to sell unwanted clothing, gaming systems, sporting goods, recreational items or other things you don’t need, in order to raise money?

Is it possible for you to trade in your car for a less expensive model, giving you cash in hand or lowering your monthly auto payments?

By advertising your unwanted items on sites such as eBay or Craigslist, you may be able to raise several hundred dollars or even the entire $2,000 you need.

Earn Some Extra Income

If money is tight in your current situation, you might be able to work to find money to save by looking at ways to earn extra cash.

Is there a place near your home or work where you could pick up extra hours on nights and weekends, such as a restaurant or retail establishment?

Could you use your skills to make extra money? Some ideas for using your skills to make extra money could include:

  • Selling your freelance services such as writing or graphic design on websites like Fiverr
  • Babysitting or tutoring neighborhood children
  • Mowing lawns or doing minor home repair tasks
  • Offering your home or office cleaning skills for hire

Make a list of your skills and decide which of them you could easily and quickly put to use to make extra money, or find a part time job by looking at job websites or in local newspaper ads.

(Here are 14 work-at-home jobs that can generate a solid living!)

Saving $2,000 in eight months may seem like a daunting goal, but with a little creativity and sacrifice, you can find a way.

What’s the first step you need to take in order to begin saving $2,000 this week?