5 REAL Ways to Earn an Income from Home

Working outside the home as a mom is a rough gig. I went back to work after my first son was born and cried every morning as I drove into work. I loved my job. I hated leaving my baby. Throw in all the juggling you do to coordinate childcare and keep a home running when you are gone most of the day and it becomes an overwhelming task, at least it was for me. I salute those of you who manage to work outside the home as a mom because that juggling act was definitely something I did not do well.

Working from home is still a lot of work but it’s a fantastic option if you are a mom. Don’t be fooled though. There’s no get rich quick option. Working from home is definitely still work and there are a lot of things about being a work at home mom that may surprise you. I’ve loved being a work at home mom though and am very grateful that I’ve been able to earn an income while being home with my kids.

I’ve done a lot of research in my 11 years as a work at home mom. I’ve seen plenty of work at home job options that are scams but many more that are very real options for earning an income from home.

Here are a few very real ways to earn an income from home.

1. Run a home daycare. Most people run away screaming when I mention this option. If that’s your first reaction, this option probably is not for you. I ran a home daycare for nearly 5 years as a new mom and, even though it was a lot of work, I loved it. My kids were small when I ran a home daycare. I loved that I could get paid to lay on the floor and have tummy time with my son. We had a few extra buddies but that just made it even more fun.

There is money to be made running a daycare too. Be smart and run it like a business. Create clear contracts, don’t set your rates too low, and remember to have fun with it. I had a very steady income running a home daycare that actually ended up surpassing my teaching income and I’d go back to it in a heartbeat if I needed to.

2. Start a blog. This is definitely not the easiest (or likely most lucrative) work at home option, but starting a blog can bring in real income. If you need to earn an income immediately you’ll want to skip this because it can take years to see even a penny from the work you put in blogging. There IS money to be made with it though. I’ve been blogging for 8 years now and now earn a full-time income doing it. I’ve loved having the ability to earn an income doing something I love and have had some amazing opportunities come my way because of it. Blogging is not always very consistent though and does take a long time to build up so you have to be dedicated to it, but if you have a passion for something and the desire to share it blogging may be a great fit for you.

If you want to start a blog, we walk you through how to set one up with step-by-step instructions here.

3. Work as a virtual assistant. Many companies and other work at home moms are looking for virtual assistants so it can be a great way to earn an income from home. Take on a few clients or work on a project basis. There are some great sites out there to help you find work as a virtual assistant when you are first getting started too. Check out Freelance.com, PeoplePerHour.com, and Fivrr.com for job opportunities. You can even reach out directly to a few people or businesses that you think could use your services.

4. Look for telecommuting jobs in your field. Did you have a career before becoming a mom? If you did, you probably already have in-demand skills that could be used to earn an income from home. Were you a teacher? Look for online tutoring opportunities, jobs through a local virtual school, or tutor children in your own home. A graphic designer? Start your own graphic design business or contract your services out to a local business. Most job fields have some element that you can adapt into a work at home job . . . you just may need to get a bit creative about it. Start by going to Indeed.com and searching for “Telecommute”. You’ll be surprised at the variety of jobs that come up.

5. Sell something. Sales is the go-to work at home job just because there are so many options. The first thing you think of is probably a party plan business. I’ve known several people make a very real income doing that. I’ve personally been selling LipSense and even though I don’t often devote a lot of time to it, it brings in a steady residual income. If that’s not your thing, though, there are plenty of other options. Many sales companies will hire home based workers. That can be tricky if you have young kids at home (but perfect if you have older kids who are in school).

You could also consider selling something of your own. Are you crafty? Make something and create an Etsy store. Not crafty but want to tackle to world of online sales? Look into starting an online store in an industry you are passionate about. Shopify.com lets you quickly set up an online store front or there are several open source options for setting something up on your own. You can either sell items you create or become a wholesaler for several other brands and sell for a profit.

There are some great work at home job options out there. With a little bit of creativity you can find a home based job that is the perfect fit for you and your family.

Do you work from home? What work at home jobs have you done?

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE POSTS ABOUT BLOGGING:

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• Best Resources for Work at home Moms
• How to Start a Blog When you Have No Free Time
• Where to Find Sponsored Posts
• Work at Home Jobs you Can do During Nap Time
• Where to Find a Work at Home Job
• 20 REAL Ways to Earn Money from Home

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