I’ve worked from home for myself for the last 9 years. There are advantages and disadvantages but the pros outweigh the cons in my opinion. Here are few:
- Flexibility with the hours I work – I can pick my kids up from school, drop them off in the morning and watch all their school assemblies and sports days without having to check with my boss.
- Money – I earn more money that I could with a part time job
- Enjoyment – I can choose my own work that I enjoy.
I would like every parent to have the opportunity to work from home if they so wish. There are so many ways that it can be done. Here are 50 ideas to get you started.
The Internet
1.) Affiliate Marketing – Build a website and or a blog. Attract some Internet traffic and sell other people’s products from it. You can receive a commission from what you sell. There are many companiese that have an affiliate marketing programme. Some well known ones include amazon, ebay and clickbank. But virtually anything you sell will have a company which will provide some kind of affiliate program from travel to weddings to toys and gift.
2.) Ebay and other similar online shops – there are many places to sell secondhand or other products online nowadays and if you do it right you can make lots of money doing so. There’s also a lot of different ways to do it. You can make money getting free or cheap items and reselling them. If you can refurbish and repair items, why not buy broken things on ebay and other sites and once repaired resell at a profit. Another idea is to sell other people’s stuff and take a commission for doing so. You could combine this with a decluttering service (see number 10).
3.) Sell on amazon – many people also make a lot of money selling stuff on Amazon. A typical way to do this is to source a product to sell, get the products shipped directly to amazon who you can pay to sell and distribute the item. There is a lot of initial work as you will need to find the right product to sell on amazon. Many people buy from China and ship to Amazon from there. Whatever you do, a lot of initial work is required at the beginning stages but once this is done it has the potential to make a good online income.
4.) E-books – if you have a skill or knowledge on a particular subject and can write about it it can be worth writing an e-book. You can self publish on amazon or build up a website, blog or following and sell from there.
5.) Create on Online Course – if you have any knowledge about anything useful you can always create an online course to help people learn what you know. It could be anything from sewing skills, to speaking skills to fitness. You just need to put it in a format that people will want to and be able to learn from.
6.) Become a You Tuber – if you have a look on youtube there are many Mums making videos and earning money. Some are just vlogging about their everyday lives with their kids, others are teaching a skill, are interested in fashion and beauty and lots more. Check out 14 Mommy Vloggers. Youtube isn’t always a fluky get rich quick scheme. Many people work hard to create a really good youtube channel and there are lots of ideas for a great channel. Teach some stuff you know, skills to learn musical instruments, fixing things, reviewing products, giving excellent information, or entertaining and making people laugh.
Help At Home Business
People are busy and there is a whole world of money to be made from others who will pay you to do work to make them look good, make their house look good or make.
7.) Ironing Business – many of us are too busy to iron and would appreciate somebody else to iron their clothes. If you are somebody who enjoys this, it can be a nice way to earn some extra money.
8.) Dog walking – people who are out at work all day will be grateful of somebody to come by and walk their dog. If you can walk more than 1 dog at a time it can be quite lucrative. It’s also a great way of keeping fit. It may be that somebody you know will be happy to pay for this service to start you off. It’s possible to do this business by walking the dogs yourself but if you wanted to expand you can start hiring dog walkers to come and work for you to maximise earnings.
9.) Cleaning – another job is cleaning. No experience is necessary. Just a good eye for detail and the ability to market yourself to get your first client. Not sure cleaning house is your thing? The whole cleaning idea can be taken down lots of different avenues. You can specialise in cleaning windows, cars, blinds, walls, ceilings and carpets.
10.) Decluttering Business – So many people have so much stuff that they will pay people to come and sort it out for them. You can help people organise their home (and their office and life too!) . There’s even a decluttering organisation you can join to help find work.
11.) Gardener – Another task that full time workers struggle to find time for is gardening. If you have a talent and a passion for gardening why not market your skills to help people in that area. Even with little talent there are lots of manual jobs that people require doing such as mowing lawns. And they’re going to need a lawn mowing regularly so once you’ve set up a client base, little more marketing needs to be done.
12.) Cat Sitting – when people go away or on holiday they often require somebody to visit a cat in their home, feed it and give it some fuss during the day. A cat sitting business can be quite flexible to fit in with other demands.
13.) Handyman / woman – if you’re good with the diy skills, a handyman service. If you’re a lady it’s quite a good unique usp too.
Help People Look and Feel Good
14.) Mobile nail technician – to do this you will need to get a NVQ level 2 qualification. If you have 4 GCSEs you can normally acheive this qualification in 34 weeks as a part time course. It costs about £500 plus £150 for the kids. Find out more here.
15.) Exercise Teacher – There are many courses which you can do in very little time so you can qualify to teach people fitness and exercise. Teach zumba, pilates, yoga, boogie bounce, become a running group leader, You can then teach community classes, work in gyms or start your own business.
16.) Running a Weight Loss Class – Weight loss is big business and running a weight loss group is an excellent way to earn money and help people achieve their weight loss goals. You could set up on your own or run classes with a known company. Slimming World Consultants can earn between £100-400 for working 10-20 flexible hours per week.
17.) Massage Therapist – take a course offered by one of the professional bodies for massage therapy. Once qualified you will need insurance but it’s quite easy to become self employed and set up as message therapy business.
18.) Bridal make up artist – although you don’t actually need any formal qualifications to set up as a bridal make up artist it is probably wise to do some training at a local collage or private beauty school. Read more about becoming a bridal make up artist.
19.) Reflexologist – Although no formal qualifications are required it’s a good idea to be registered with a professional body to enhance your professional reputation and help you find work. Reflexology can be good for all kinds of ailments and help in all kinds of situation.The benefits include helping you to relax, improving mood, aiding sleep, helping to relieve tension, boosting circulation, eliminating toxins from the tobdy, alleviating stress and improving overall sense of well-being. There have been claims in can also bring on labour.
Direct Selling
There are tons of companies. My advice would be choose one which aligns with your values and you can really get behind the products. Also choose one where you are going to love the products and want to try the out and use them yourself. Nothing beats a personal recommendation. Think of a where and how you are going to sell the products before you sign up. For example, do you intend to go to events, sell to other Mums and friends or have on online presence
Ideas include:
20.) Avon – lots of people love Avon. It’s reasonably priced so it’s a good one to start with as family and friends are often willing to take a catalogue, have a look through and see what they may need to buy. You can do Avon on different levels. If you are happy just selling to a few family, friends and / or locally become an Avon representative and it can just give you a few extra pounds each month to buy those additional luxuries. If you are more serious it is possible to build up a bigger income you can become a sales leader and manage other Avon representatives.
Business Help
There are many small and big business who need on and off help to get certain jobs done. This kind of work can be very flexible. It is just a case of marketing yourself and your skills to let people know you are out there. In the age of social media, it can even be as easy to put out a few facebook posts to relevant groups or attend some local network marketing groups and let people know what they can do for you
21.) Virtual Assistant – Most of us are adapt at using a computer, checking and replying to e-mail, answering the phone, updating datebases, updating social media and the like. If you have some of these skills than often companies need admin help and support and will pay you to do it. You can also join a virtual assistant company who may be able to find you work.
22.) Social Media Help – Another area where people need help is social media. If you are adept at twitter, facebook, pinterest or instagram you can hone your skills and work promoting other businesses.
23.) Bookeeping – bookeeping is another fab admin job that many mums do from home and fits in well with family life. If you have a good aptitude for numbers and are willing to undertake some bookeeping training it’s a great career you can study for part time.
Use Your Home
24.) Air Bnb – if you have an extra room or away from home for a few weeks at time, it’s well worth considering air bnb. It’s a great way to earn a bit of extra money and you can meet some great new people and friends as well.
Help Students
25.) English Tutor – Teaching and tutoring English as a second language can be another great way to earn a second income. If you live in a big city there are often foreign students who need extra help. However you can also teach English to people in other countries via Skype. It is a good idea to get a ESL qualification.
26.) Other tutor – If you have experience with other subjects, you can also offer your services as an tutor. For this you may need a qualification and / or experience in your chosen field.
Work With Kids
27.) Babysitting and or childminding business – if you love kids a childminding business is worth considering. The initial set up does take a bit of planning and work You will need to fufill the requirments of Ofsted and do a first aid certificate, be DBS checked, complete an introduction to childcare course and sort out insurance. Find out more about how to become a childminder.
28.)Kids Swimming Instructor – learning to swim is big business and there are many companies who are looking to train and employ swimming teachers. Or you can even begin your own franchies.
29.) Kids Parties – Kid parties are big business. But there are lots of ways you can help. Can you run a kids party from start to finish. There are many franchises that you can get involved in with different themed kids parties you can run. Or just start up your own party themed business in your area.
30.) Teach After School Classes To Kids – do you have a skill that you could teach to kids after school. It could be another language, a sport, an activity, drama or baking. You will need to have relevant qualifications but these can often be picked up in a short amount of time especially if you already have experience and other qualifications. Many primary schools are always looking for new after school classes and for people to come in and teach.
Invest in a Franchise
There are lots of great franchise opporutnities. The advantage of a Franchise is that you already have a recognised brand and marketing for your business in place. However, it is essential to have a business plan to make sure you get the return on your investment for many years to come. Ideas include:
31.) Rythmn Time – this is a well known music class business run for preschool children in school term times so is a fantastic option for parents. Check out more information here.
Arts and Crafts Business Ideas
Arts and crafts are big business and many Mums have skills in this areas so this section is dedicated to these ideas although some may overlap with the ideas in other sections.
32.) Arts and Craft Classes – Kids arts and crafts classes are popular with varying age groups. Babies and toddlers are great for during the day during term time. Classes for very young are often quite sensory, sometimes messy and always fun. After school arts and craft clubs are popular after school and in the holidays. Many libraries and other venues are looking for workshops to run in the holidays and will pay you to run classes for them. They will then market the class in their venue. It’s worth contacting your local council to see if there are opportunties in your area.
There is also a market for adults arts and craft classes. Again it may be worth contacting your local council and see if they are looking to run classes in your area. Some areas of expertise include things like repurposing and upcrafting furniture, sewing, knitting, painting among many others.
33.) Blog / Vlog about Arts and Crafts – One idea is to set up a website and start blogging and / or vlogging about your crafts. You can write step by step instructions with pictures or make step by step videos and recommend equipments and supplies to buy. If you use affiliate links you can make commissions as to what you sell. Having a popular craft niche may work especially well when doing this.
34.) Making and selling crafts – this is a very broad area as there are so many items you can make and lots of ways to sell them. Ideas include jewellry, t-shirts with unique designs, blankets for babies, portraits, canvas, fingerprint jewelry, textiles like making bags, patchwork quilts and cusions, stationary, cards, soaps, wedding invitations, Christmas decorations, canvas, upcycled furniture and lots more. The list can be endless. Often personlised items are a good idea as they are easier to sell (people want to buy them as gifts). There are many online places you can sell including etsy, amazon and ebay. You can also have your own website and market yourself through facebook, instagram and pinterest.
35.) Arts and crafts parties – Run jewellery making parties for kids. Even boys can have pirate jewellery! Messy play parties, decopatch, pottery, painting and lots more. It’s also not just the kids. For example, some hen parties will enjoy the making aspect of an afternoon activity. Women’s groups like the WI make enjoy a themed arts and craft party /event. Or just running parties for ladies and groups of friends to try something new.
More Ideas
36.) A Cake Making Business – this is another idea that you can do from home. If you’re a Mum it’s the perfect business to market to other Mum’s, friends and family as so many people want birthday cakes and cakes for other occasions. You will need to do some training courses to begin. Check out your local colleges for courses. Find some great tips for starting a cake making business.
37.) Motivational Speaker – this is one that is a bit outside the box for many people but if you are good at public speaking you can earn a lot of money for doing speaking events. If you have a specific skill, have a good story or relevant experience to share many people will pay you to talk at an event. Many schools or colleges will pay for motivational or interesting speakers. Check out some speakers working in schools. Here is a great article on how to get started as a public speaker.
38.) Party Organsier – there are so many parties that people throw, being a party organiser can be big business. Parties for kids, adults, hen and stag parties, wedding parties, Christmas parites and lots more. You could specialise in one area or work locally in several.
39.) A doula – A doula supports women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood. Although no formal qualification is required, clients will most likely ask for relevant training and experience of childbirth. But in an age where midwives are overworked and don’t always have the time to spend the whole labour with their patient, doulas can be very supportive and valued by women when having a baby. Read more about becoming a doula.