25 Real Jobs for Stay at Home Moms

I put the call out to real-life stay at home moms to find out what kind of jobs they do from home and how they are able to earn an income. What follows is an exhaustive list of legitimate jobs for stay at home moms, how much you can earn, and how to get started. 

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A s soon as my husband uttered the “D” word, I stomped off to the bedroom with our infant in my arms.

To me “daycare” was just as bad as any 4-letter word. I wanted so desperately to be the one to care for my baby every day.

After I settled my precious boy into the cosleeper next to me, I lay there in the dark with eyes wide open. Thoughts swirled around my mind, but I couldn’t focus on any of them.

My husband was right. We couldn’t afford for me to stay at home with our new baby.

And the reality was, we couldn’t afford daycare either.

I had to find a way to work from home.

It’s been many years since that dark night, and in that time I’ve done many different jobs as a stay at home mom.

In fact, I’ve been successfully working from home now since 2011, and earning a full-time income since 2014.

 

My home office, complete with baby monitor and Hot Wheels collection.
My home office, complete with baby monitor and Hot Wheels collection.

Real Opportunities for Moms to Work from Home

But what you’ll find in this article isn’t just my personal experience.

Since 2014, I’ve been interviewing and surveying the community of stay at home moms here at Affording Motherhood about the ways they make money from home.

These are real moms who are making it work to care for their children while providing income for their families.

Since I began tracking the ways that moms work from home in 2014, the legitimate options for earning a meaningful income have grown by leaps and bounds.

In fact, the U.S. Federal Reserve now tracks this type of side income specifically, and around 30% of the adult population is engaged in the “gig economy” to supplement their income.

Working from home is becoming more of a real possibility than ever, and that means great things for moms.

The Stay at Home Mom Job Survey

Through the Stay at Home Mom Job Survey, I sought to answer the questions that moms are desperate to know about how to work from home: 

  • What job can I do as a SAHM?
  • What skills or experience do I need?
  • How can I get started? (And how much does it cost?)
  • How much money can I make?

You’ll find answers to all of these in the list of job ideas that follow.

Typical work from home mom office: Kitchen table, breakfast dishes, and a laptop. It's not easy, but it's the best job in the world!
Typical work from home mom office: Kitchen table, breakfast dishes, and a laptop. It’s not easy, but it’s the best job in the world! Image Source

The Results

The types of jobs that stay at home moms in the Affording Motherhood community do fall into one of the following categories:

  1. Professional Services (41%)
  2. Virtual Assistant (21%)
  3. Creative Jobs and Businesses (16%)
  4. Caregiver (12%)
  5. Sales (10%)

The average work from home mom in our community:

  • Works 15 hours per week
  • Earns $1,406 per month
  • For an average of $23/hour
  • And spent $1,325 to get started in her job or business

Without further adieu, here are the best jobs stay at home moms do, with advice on how you can get started earning an income from home, too.

Let’s get started!

 

1. Online English Teacher

Teaching English online can be a great fit for moms who need a flexible schedule. The hours are completely customizable to fit your personal desire and comfort level.

Skills & Experience Required: You do need to have a Bachelor’s degree or higher for this position. One year of teaching experience may also be required (however this could include homeschooling, tutoring, coaching, mentoring, and other life experiences). Of course, you definitely need to love working with kids. You also need to be punctual for your scheduled classes.

Average Pay: $17/hr

How to get started: VIPKID is by far the most popular option for moms to find work as online English tutors. It’s worth it to study the online teaching techniques before jumping into your interview and classes as your base pay rate is determined early in the hiring process. The moms I’ve talked to who work with VIPKID love their work so much that I decided to help them recruit new teachers. You can click my referral link below to apply. (I earn a commission for each teacher that starts working with them.) Cost to get started: To get started you need a good headset and some props to use in your teaching (about $50 if you don’t already own these). Next-Step Resource: How to Apply to Teach English Online“I am a homeschooling mom of four children. We experienced an unexpected financial collapse, and I needed to help my husband provide supplemental income for our family. I saw an ad on Facebook, and it seemed too good to be true because it looked like such a fun way to make good money from home while my children sleep! I would almost do this job for free because it is so incredibly satisfying.”

2. Social Media Marketer

As a mom, you’re probably already connecting with friends and family via social media, why not make it a way to earn extra money as well?

Skills & Experience Required: It’s helpful if you have some professional experience with social media; however it’s not required. To thrive in Social Media Marketing, you need to be flexible and organized.

Average Pay: $31/hr

How to get started: Get started by offering to freelance for potential clients, like businesses who need help with social media.

Cost to get started: You don’t have to spend anything to get started, but you need to have a computer, internet, and possibly a phone.

“I hated dropping my daughter off at daycare at 7:30 in the morning and picking her up at 6 in the evening. I felt like I was missing valuable time with her. Starting my own business has allowed me to pursue my career and vision, while still being a wonderful mom of 3.”

3. Vacation Rental Manager

For families that have some extra space, turning part of your home into a vacation rental in your home can be a great way to earn extra income. Your duties would include cleaning the space, talking to guests, and managing your online listings as needed. It only takes a couple of hours each week.

Skills & Experience Required: There is no experience required, but you do need to enjoy working with people and have a flexible personality.

Average Pay: $116/hr. Because of the small amount of hands-on work required, this can give you a very good return for your time.

How to get started: Evaluate whether part of your your home or property would work for a vacation rental. Then set up a posting on a site like Airbnb. They handle the money, and it is set up to keep both hosts and guests protected.

Cost to get started: There’s no cost to get started if you already have room to host guests. Some families ended up remodeling and improving things over time as they had the funds available.

“We chose to try listing our master bedroom on Airbnb because had its own bathroom and private entrance and we could keep it separate from our home. It turned out to be a life-saver – we don’t even live in a touristy city, but we are regularly booked. We have used the money to fix up our home, pay down debts, and have a little extra in the bank for family trips.”

4. Copy Editor

Bookworms will love the opportunity to work as a copy editor. In this job, you would be responsible for correcting any errors in a text as far as spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting are concerned.

Skills & Experience Required: You need an eye for detail and an understanding of the subject matter as well as grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You can also do some training to help you become more proficient in these. As a freelancer, you must be a self-starter and be good at planning and meeting deadlines. You also need to be ok with taking criticism. Mistakes happen, and it’s always an opportunity to learn.

Average Pay: $16/hr

How to get started: In the Information Age there is a massive need for copy editors. Check job postings for websites and more prominent blogs that might need help. Focus on areas where you might have experience in, for instance, healthcare, finances or education as this is sometimes a requirement.

Cost to get started: If you already have a computer, access to word processing programs, and the internet, you don’t have to invest anything to get started as a copy editor.

“This income has allowed me to pursue further qualifications in the field, and I anticipate it continuing to pay for various educational opportunities for me and for my son (4yo) as time goes on.”

5. Substitute Teacher

If your kids are in school, then working as a substitute teacher, bus driver, or crossing guard can be the perfect way for to earn an income because you’re on the same schedule as you’re kids. Substituting can be great because it’s very flexible, and you only work when you’re available.

Skills & Experience Required: Some states require a teaching certificate for substituting while others only ask for a bachelors degree or even high school diploma. Bus drivers will need to get a special drivers license. Typically some training will be provided through the school. You also need to be patient, creative, and enjoy working with kids.

Average Pay: $5/hr. Pay ranges from $60 to $100 per day for subs and varies depending on your school and qualifications. Bus driver shortages can drive districts to offer a significant starting bonus.

How to get started: Do a quick search for “

shannon Clark, LIFE & FINANCIAL Coach

As a mom, I know what it's like to feel exhausted, overwhelmed by life, and inadequate to meet my children's needs. But I also know you don't have to stay there.

As an author and coach, I've had the joy of encouraging more than 9.1 million moms to find forward motion with their faith, family, and finances — without the frenzy.

Will you be next?