21 Ways to Make Money as a Stay at Home Mum

Mom, mum, mama, maman, mammy. No matter your mothering moniker – one thing is universal. We all wonder how to make money as a stay-at-home mum?

I certainly wondered this. Before my kids came along, I worked full-time and earned a healthy salary.

As did my husband. That means we went from two incomes down to one almost instantly.

We planned for this change in our finances (by saving one income and living on the other – best tip ever) and were prepared for what lay ahead.

Our plan was always for me to stay home with the kids until they go to school unless I really wanted to go back to work which was quite likely to happen as I loved working.

Basically, so long as our finances allowed, I was going to remain a stay-at-home mum.

When I was first trying to figure out how to make money as a stay-at-home mum Australia was my home. We then moved to New Zealand to sort out our earthquake-damaged rental property and more than ever I needed to make money from home.

Now my eldest is eight and my youngest is five and we are in the best financial shape of our lives, due to my stay-at-home mum side hustles.

I don’t share this to toot my own horn, but I want you to know that it is truly possible for mums to make good money from home.

21 Ways to Make Money A Stay at Home Mum

Here are some genuine ways to make money from home that works for my family (so they probably will for yours too).

1. Online Surveys

I’ve been taking paid surveys since way before I had kids, and I recommend a tactical approach to online survey sites.

These are the legit survey sites we recommend:

Opinion World: Survey giant with frequent opportunities.
Octopus Group: Aussie-based, smaller company with the highest payouts.
Swagbucks: Worldwide GPT (get paid to) site. Review here.
Pureprofile: Fun and regular survey opportunities.

All pay cash (via PayPal or bank deposit) or gift cards.

I recommend checking your survey dashboard daily to see what surveys are available.

I try to complete them immediately as they are not always available when I log in later in the day.

We’ve also written more in-depth guides to our top picks for paid surveys in Australia here.

2. Remote admin work

As I’ve mentioned earlier, I worked in an office before leaving to have my kids.

The skills I learnt in my office job can be applied from anywhere and I was able to convince my boss to give me casual admin work from home.

The jobs weren’t especially frequent, but I received a higher hourly rate and could claim part of my home office as an expense.

I was set up as a sole trader and sent invoices when the work was done. I really loved doing this kind of work and think it’s the perfect side gig for mums.

When looking at ways for stay at home mums to make money you should consider the work you’ve done previously and if it can be done remotely.

Most bosses are much happier to hire an employee they know and trust for remote work so it can be a win-win.

This was my highest paying mum job for years and I earnt between $500-$1000/month.

3. Focus groups

Focus groups are another easy way for mums to make extra cash.

The best thing is they are often run in the early evening, so I feel like I get a bit of a night out (is that sad?!?! – haha) while getting paid and eating their food (a lot of the focus groups are catered) and don’t have to worry about babysitting because their dad is home from work.

You can earn anything from $80 to $150 a month from focus groups. I’m registered with almost every panel in my city.

Read more: Australian Focus Groups/Market Research

You’ll also find plenty of opportunities with online focus groups like User Interviews and Respondent running frequent sessions.

4. Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping is a great way for mums to make some money and shop at the same time.

A mystery shopper (sometimes called a secret shopper), is paid to use shops and services as a customer and report on their experiences.

This might mean you need to go to a specific shop and ask for an item.

You’ll then complete the transaction as normal, and write up a simple report after you’ve left the store.

Sometimes, you can even bring your kids, although I try not to.

The assignments are usually pretty short so I can get someone to look after the kids or just take assignments on preschool days.

Pay ranges from $20-$50 and compensation for products purchased.

5. Blogging

Blogging is how I make the bulk of my income these days. I started a blog back when I was doing remote admin work and making most of my income from that.

As my blog income grew, I scaled back on the admin work and focused on growing my online businesses.

I now run three blogs (this one included) and make between $7 and $15k a month from all my sites.

Blogging is something I’m really passionate about as it’s given me the option of not needing to go back to work, and if my income keeps growing, my husband will be able to give up his job and help me in the business.

I’ve written an in-depth guide to how to make money blogging for beginners as I really think it’s a great way for mums to earn more money – and that money is usually US dollars, so it’s extra sweet if you’re converting to AUD!

6. Share your internet usage

The Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel is a completely hands off way to boost your budget.

Making money ideas for stay at home mums don’t come any easier than this.

That means you’re not going to earn heaps of money, but you literally only need to install the app and keep it installed to earn.

By installing this app on your mobile or desktop (or both, you actually earn more for multiple registered devices), allowing them to track your internet usage, they can identify trends and predict future internet usage patterns.

Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel are currently actively recruiting in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

Click here to register for Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel Australia>>

7. Become a virtual assistant

If you’ve ever Googled ‘how to earn money as a stay-at-home mum’, you’ve probably read about working as a virtual assistant.

It’s a growing industry that isn’t slowing down (this is where I would be focusing if I wasn’t blogging).

Working from home as a virtual assistant is a great online job for administrators, personal assistants and executive assistants. All you need is your existing skill base, a computer and an internet connection.

I actually worked in this manner after my son was born, and the gig continued after we left New Zealand to go travelling.

I was earning in Australian dollars (the job was with my former Australian employer) and spending Mexican pesos which let me test out geographic arbitrage – which basically meant that my family and I could live like kings on the 20 hours a week of remote work I was putting in.

If you want to become a VA, check out this monster guide to becoming a virtual assistant.

8. Write articles for blogs and businesses

With the explosion in internet use, the demand for content – blog posts, articles, infographics, reports etc – has boomed.

If you feel comfortable with the written word, working from home as a writer is a perfect gig for a mum. Because writing is usually paid per article, you can fit your projects in between the fits and starts of baby naps and laundry.

I used to get a lot of work through Upwork (and now hire writers from there).

You can read more here: How to Get Your First Writing Online With Upwork

9. Offer services to your neighbours

Think ironing, cleaning, lawn mowing, dog walking, pet care etc.

If your kids are at childcare or school and you have a few hours free each day, but not enough time to commit to a part-time job, this could be a good way to boost your income.

Print up some flyers and do a letterbox drop in your local area. You never know what people might need help with!

10. Start an Etsy Shop

Starting your own Etsy shop requires very little financial input, especially if you limit yourself to only offering digital downloads.

I was fascinated when I heard about this unique way of setting up an online business for ongoing income, so when Trina reached out to me, I begged her to write about how she does it.

You can read more about how Trina, a mum of three, makes passive income on Etsy here.

If you prefer to make physical items, setting up an Etsy shop can really help get your home business off the ground.

We were pretty interested in what actually sells on Etsy, so we compiled a list of the most popular items that you can sell on Etsy to make money. Check out the guide here.

11. Data entry

Data entry work consists of repetitive typing and requires extreme accuracy. It’s also frequently available at nights and weekends and can be a great work from home job for stay at home mums.

Data entry jobs can be found in loads of industries. You’ll find hundreds of opportunities on Seek.

Want to upskill for that perfect work-from-home job?

Check out these free work from home courses – including options for VA training, data entry, transcription, blogging and loads more.

12. Find a part-time job out of the home

Retail jobs are a great way to make extra money for stay-at-home mums.

Retail work is usually flexible so it can suit evenings and weekends if you have a partner who is home then.

13. Teach English online

Teaching English online is a great way to make money as a stay-at-home mum.

Until now it’s been hard to find companies that’d hire Aussies, Kiwis, and Brits (because a lot of countries prefer American English speakers), but there are options for non-Americans with the right experience and qualifications.

You can earn up to $21USD per 40-minute lesson and work as much as suits you.

Lessons are mainly at night during the week, so you’ll need to be a night owl for this job, but it might suit you if your kids sleep through the night.

On the weekend lessons run all day long so you could make more money then.

You must be a native English speaker with a bachelor’s degree in any field and some teaching experience.

Check out this blog post for more on how to make money teaching English online.

14. Become a Facebook Marketplace seller

Flipping things on Facebook Marketplace can be a legit source of extra income and a great way to earn money from home. Start with the things you have around the house.

Check what similar items sell for, take decent photographs (this is very important), write an accurate description and get selling.

As time goes by and your experience grows, you’ll get to know what sells best and which items you like working with.

The YouTube video above has some great tips!

15. Rent out your car space

If you have a spare car space and live centrally (in Australia or New Zealand) you can make up to $400 month renting your spare car space with Parkable.

The Parkable app makes it easy to add your car space and receive bookings.

Learn more about making money with Parkable here.

16. Rent out your car

If you’re anything like me, your car sits unused in your driveway for long periods of time (now more so as I bike to school with the kids and work from home).

If you can part with your car for some time, you can earn extra money by renting it out.

Uber Carshare (formerly CarNextDoor) allows car owners to earn extra money by renting out their vehicles to screened members.

Car owners can list their vehicles on the platform, and when they are not using them, they can be rented out to others who need a car.

The system includes full insurance coverage to protect the vehicle owner’s interests. The booking and payment processes are handled online, making it convenient for car owners and renters.

Additionally, there is an automated key exchange system, which likely involves a lockbox that allows renters to access the car keys without needing a direct handover from the owner.

According to the information available, cars that are shared occasionally can earn around $300 a month on average, while cars that are shared full-time can bring in between $1,000 to $2,000.

For more details on how to join and start earning by sharing your car, you can visit the official Uber website.

17. Sell pictures of your feet

If you’ve got lovely toes and a stylish foot, selling pictures of your feet can be an easy way to make money as a stay at home parent.

Taking photos of your feet and selling them online via dedicated websites and social media groups is quite a popular side hustle for mums.

So popular, in fact, that we had to write a dedicated guide to how to sell feet pics online.

18. Start a home childcare business

If you have your own kids at home, starting a home-based childcare service may be an option.

In Australia, Family Day Care is well-known and in New Zealand, there are more companies offering support for qualified ECE teachers to start their home childcare business.

There is a lot to consider in terms of compliance, and the qualifications and certifications you’ll need. That said, it’s a legitimate way to earn an income while staying at home with your kids.

19. Try Matched Betting

Aussies can make money with matched betting by taking advantage of the free bets and incentives offered by bookmakers.

Matched betting involves placing bets on all possible outcomes of an event to ensure a profit regardless of the result.

This is typically done by placing a back bet (betting for an outcome to happen) with a bookmaker and a lay bet (betting against the same outcome) at a betting exchange.

The process is made risk-free when the bet is placed using a bonus or free bet provided by the bookmaker.

Websites like Bonusbank offer tutorials, tools, and a community to help Australians get started with matched betting.

They provide matched betting software to simplify the process and help users maximise their earnings.

20. Become a Professional Organiser

If helping other people get organised sounds like your idea of fun, you could consider becoming a professional organiser.

Jen trains people who are interested in starting a business as an organiser (well actually an organiZer as she’s American) and she wrote a blog post showing how you can get started.

Although it’s not technically a stay-at-home job, you can choose your own hours so it can work around childcare or other family commitments. You can read Jen’s blog post here to find out more.

21. Start a craft-selling business

When I was little, my mum used to drag me and my brother to all the craft fairs in our city where she’d sell butterfly magnets that she made for $1 a pop.

Turns out my mum was a trailblazer. She probably hadn’t even heard the words “side hustle” (I’m pretty sure that term didn’t exist in the mid-nineties), but there she was, making crafts at night after we went to bed and selling them at craft fairs on the weekends.

While butterfly magnets might not be your passion, there are plenty of other craft ideas you can make to earn extra cash.

Think mason jars, headbands, personalised doormats etc. The potential is infinite.

Here is a list of 20 profitable craft ideas to get you started.

Related guides: Ways to Make Money Online