Do you need to find a side hustle to earn some extra money while raising your children… on your own?! Let’s be honest, parenting is by far the hardest job we’ll ever have. Doing it on your own, as a single parent, is double duty hard.
There’s plenty of worries that come along with parenting. Did my kid remember to put on underwear this morning? Is that a regular cough or an I’m-about-to-throw-up-in-the-car cough? Or my favorite… what is that smell and where is it coming from? Parenting means endless worrying.
As a single parent, you’re no doubt feeling all the weight of those worries on your own two shoulders. But…money doesn’t have to be one of them! There’s plenty of ways that you can earn cash, without compromising any time with your children or making your already jam-packed schedule more hectic.
Narrow Down Your Skill Set
You’re a parent. Not only are you a superhero, but you’ve got a never-ending list of skills that will help you on your new money-making adventure. You just need to decide which ones you’re most comfortable with, and which ones you feel are your greatest strengths.
It might seem like some of these mom and dad skills don’t exactly apply to the world of working people, but they’re so incredibly valuable. What you’re able to juggle day in and day out translates into skills that have been tried and tested.
You’re a master of scheduling, a homework wizard, and you’ve got a knack for being able to interact with all of those parents in your child’s class, no matter how much you can’t stand that one mom that loves to talk about designer labels and name drop.
Make a list of all of the things that you’re good at (this will take some time, because you’re pretty magical) and decide which ones you want to use to make that money. Then, keep reading to see if one of these will work for you.
For the Creatives
When your four-year-old demands you draw her a princess, do you deliver? Does your son impress his teachers and friends every Halloween with amazing homemade costumes? It sounds like you’ve got some creative juices flowing. One of these might be a great option for you.
1. Crafting and Selling Handmade Items for Online or at Local Marketplaces
Everyone is after the latest and greatest in homemade apparel and accessories. If you can make it, you can sell it. We live in a world where handmade and bespoke items are highly sought after, take advantage of the market.
2. Upcycling Furniture
With a little bit of inspiration and some know-how (or even a YouTube video here and there), you can give new life to old furniture. Take that old table that’s been sitting in your garage or your neighbor’s wicker chair left on the curb for trash pick up and give it a facelift.
3. Baking or Cooking
Somethings will never change… and the love of homemade baked goods and a home-cooked meal are two of those things. Everything’s better when someone else makes it, am I right?
Put your perfected cupcake recipe to the test, offer to make some for a friends’ party and put the word out there. You’re making these to sell. If you’re not a baker, offer to prep some meals for a dinner party and let everyone know you’re available for hire. People will eat that up (goodness, I just can’t stop with the bad jokes).
For the Extra Crazy Schedule Parents
Well, yes, that’s most of us. One parent doing all the work does not equate to a lot of freedom. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t work from home on a schedule that you create. If you’ve got time here and there to squeeze in a little work, there’s someone out there that needs you.
Freelancing and working online is a great way for you to work around your schedule, and make as much extra money as you’d like. Bonus…these require very little, if any, upfront investment. The world of freelancing is increasing at a rapid rate and has shown huge growth over the past few years with the addition of websites that help freelancers find clients and vice versa.
These sites work like a matchmaking service, linking you, the freelancer, to a client that needs you. You’ll be able to create a personalized profile to show off exactly how amazing you are, then pitch your skills to possible new clients.
Here are some of the websites that are out there, waiting for you to join and start making that money.
For more Freelancing tips, check out our friends at SmartBlogger.com
For Quick Cash
I know what you’re thinking… “please don’t say sell my belongings, please don’t say sell my belongings…” but, I’m going to say it. Sell your belongings. Not your most prized possessions of course, but if you want to start making money right this very minute, go ahead and sell some stuff.
I’m a huge fan of selling my things on social media outlets and other local online marketplaces. In the beginning, I was so afraid people would see my posts and assume I’d run into financial issues and was looking to make a quick buck… and then I came to the realization, so what if that was the case? Unless they wanted to buy my stuff, I didn’t care.
Selling things that I don’t need has become one of my most favorite side jobs. Yes, I do it so often that it feels like an actual job. I also really love meeting people, so it’s also kind of a form of entertainment. Don’t judge me, I spend most of my time with children so adult interaction is a major plus. Here are a few more reasons why I find this to be one of the best ways to make extra money.
1. It’s Technically Helping the Environment
Mostly everything that gets sold would eventually be thrown in the trash. After the trash, it would, of course, go to the landfill. So, offering it to someone else at a fair price is a great way to do your part and prevent one more thing from ending up at the dump.
2. It’s Decluttering the Home
If you’ve got kids, you know how fast they grow. It’s like, ridiculously fast. They go through toys and clothes at lightning speed. Take those used items and sell them! It’s less stuff for you to have to put away, and will save you from tripping over it one day (you know that will happen, it always does).
Start Making Extra Money Today
Next time you have a few free minutes, list out all of those skills you’ve gained from parenting. This is not the time to be shy or modest, go ahead and toot your own horn while writing down every.single.thing that you have to offer the world. Then, go for it!
If you’ve decided to start monetizing your crafting skills, plug in that hot glue gun and start creating your inventory. If the flexibility and possibility to build a clientele of freelancing is what you’re after, start checking out those websites and working on your profiles. Or, if you just want to dive in and start cleaning your house and selling things right away, then get after it, my friend.
Maybe you just needed a little push in the right direction, and someone to tell you that these things can be lucrative. I’m here! I’m raising my hand! These all work in their own way!
I’ve done all of these and had decent success with each one. It all depends on how much you want to commit to doing and what’s best for you. And if there’s anything you should know about yourself, it’s the fact that you can do anything… you’re a parent, after all.
If you’ve found any additional means of making extra cash, I’d love to hear about them down below! I’m always looking for something new and exciting. Or, if you’ve had success with one of these and you’d like to offer some good juju to other single parents out there that are looking to test the side hustle waters, please leave those in the comments, too.
About the Author
Jenny Silverstone is the mother of two, and a freelance editor and writer for the online parenting magazine Mom Loves Best. Jenny has extensive experience working side hustles online and figuring out the latest hacks to make money as a sleep-deprived parent.
Hello Todd!
That is a wonderful piece from you. They are well researched and educational.
For a single mom, you can learn how to bake cakes from home. Use that little saving you have and get the instruments you need to make cakes and start cooking something out soon. You can use your social media pages to tell your friends and well wishers to come and patronize you.
You also need portable refrigerator for the home, to help you keep your cakes, and other edibles fresh pending when it will be sold.
Yes freelancing can be another way you can make your buck while at home. You can decide to do any of these.