Some folks do a side hustle to save up for a something fun, such as an epic family vacation. Some folks do a side hustle to help pay off student loans or credit card debt. Some folks just want the security of having more than one revenue stream, especially following the economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whatever the reasons, recent research has suggested that more than 40% of Americans have a second job or side hustle, a number that is expected to increase in 2023.
When it comes to finding the right side hustle, there are a lot of factors to consider. There is no one side hustle that is right for everyone, and moms want to be careful to avoid things like multilevel marketing schemes that end up costing them more money than they’ll likely make. The best side hustles for busy moms are the ones that best line up with an individual mom’s talents, interests, geography, and child care needs.
Because we are always nosy about how people handle their money, we talked to 16 moms who’ve found the side hustle that works for them and got the inside scoop on what they do and how it works!
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Answer Surveys Online
One of the simplest ways to make money online is by taking surveys to advise brands. Our favorite is the MomLife Panel, which allows parents to opt into specific discussion forums tailored around topics that matter to you (such as Dealing with Kids and Aging Parents; Kids’ Mental Health and Self-Esteem, Food, Health and Wellness; Latina Moms; LGBTQ+ Families; Military Families; Moms and Money; Moms’ Self-care, etc).
Through it all, you’ll find links inviting you into fun, exciting research opportunities (from surveys to video focus groups to online journal projects and more) where you will earn money for your time. The amount of money you will be able to earn will depend on the opportunity — from a couple of dollars per survey to $100 or more for video interviews or diary projects.
English Tutoring
“I’m a teacher and I’m lucky enough to teach at a school that doesn’t start until 9:30 a.m. Three days a week, I do online tutoring in English for kids in China. With the time difference, I can tutor from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and then go to work. It doesn’t pay amazing (I make about $17 an hour) but it is easy to do and every little bit extra helps with saving for a down payment so we can buy our first home.” — Marnie R, Roseville, Minnesota
Airport Runs
“I happen to work right by the airport in the city and live in a nearby suburb, so I signed up with Uber and basically do almost only airport trips. I log on in the morning and try to do a pick-up that lines up with me getting into work and then do the same when I’m going home. I do a few hours of driving on the weekend too, but those weekday runs are the easiest thing ever, since I’m literally going that way anyways!” — Beth T, Glendale, Arizona
Thrifting for Profit
“I love to shop and have a good eye for finding high-quality stuff at Goodwill or other thrift shops. I make about $300 a month in the winter and $400 in the summer (garage sale season!) from reselling clothes I buy for cheap. I resell kid’s clothes on my neighborhood buy/sell/trade page on FB and adult stuff on an Instagram account. The key is knowing which brands people in my area want and knowing when stuff gets discounted at Goodwill.” — Mandy F, Overland Park, Kansas
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Grocery Delivery
“I do grocery delivery (for two different companies) but I have a hack. I take my 13-year-old twins with me so we can shop three orders at a time. I use the grocery delivery money to fund their cheerleading and dance classes, so I don’t feel bad making them help me. If I can do multiple orders in the time it takes me to normally do one, I can earn that much faster.” — Name withheld by request
College Essay Editor
“I used to be a college admissions counselor, so it made sense to start a side hustle doing reviews and giving feedback for college applications. The only downside is that the work is really seasonal. I’m super busy August-November and then it all dries up, so I mostly use the extra money to pay for Christmas stuff and a winter vacation.” — Emma S, Queens, New York
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Snow Shoveling
“My son and I have a joint side hustle! He’s 13 and wanted to make extra money, so I posted that he was looking for shoveling jobs on Facebook. He ended up getting more jobs than he could handle. He also needed rides to some of his jobs, so it made sense for us to do it together. Sometimes people are a little weird about hiring a woman to shovel (which is so weird, because I’m better at it than a 13-year-old!) but we’ve made over $750 this winter!” — Abbey L, St. Paul, Minnesota
Server Shifts
“I was a server at a small breakfast place when I was in college, and I kind of never stopped? I work as a teacher now, but I pick up weekend shifts once a month and then in the summer too. I make $100 to $150 a shift, so it for sure helps.” — Orla F, Portland, Oregon
Nighttime Babysitting
“Three nights a week I do overnight babysitting for a friend who works third shift. Her little guy is a pretty good sleeper most of the time, so it isn’t too tiring although his last sleep regression was a good reminder why I am DONE having babies.” — Marie R, Dorr, Michigan
Adjunct Teaching
“I work in human resources for my day job and I teach an intro to HR class at the community college once a week at night. You just have to have a master’s degree, which I do, so it’s a nice way to use my grad degree and make a few thousand dollars each semester.” — Jan A, Ankeny, Iowa
Traveler Hosting
“We bought a house with a detached guest house so we could start doing AirBnB. Since we live in a pretty popular tourist area, we’re booked steadily. Right now we are saving the extra money to try to buy another property so we can have multiple revenue streams.” — Jessica H, Sedona, Arizona
Senior Pictures
“I’ve always loved taking pictures so I decided to try to turn that into a side hustle. I took some photography classes at the community college and have started making progress on building my business. I’m mostly doing senior pictures and I’ve made enough so far to pay for the classes I took. I’m hoping to start making a profit in the summer.” — Nicki B, Salinas, California
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Life Coach
“I’m a life coach, with a focus on other Black women. The life coach field is pretty dominated by white women, so there was a niche for someone who gets it when it comes to the challenges my sisters face. I’m hoping it will become my full-time job someday because I really love it.” — LaNesha B, Houston, Texas
Barre Teacher
“I’m obsessed with barre classes! I ended up getting certified to teach, so I teach a few classes a week. Not only am I making money doing something I love, I’m also saving money on class fees! It isn’t a ton of extra money but every little bit helps.” — Erin R, Columbus, Ohio
School Break Child Care
“I work from home and my job is pretty flexible. On days when there are school closures (like teacher in-services or things like that), I have four or five families that drop off their kids for the day. My kids love the company and I charge $40 a kid, so I can make an easy $200, all cash!.” — Maya C, Denver, Colorado
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Personal Trainer
“I’m an insurance adjuster, which is good and steady but not the most fulfilling. I really want to take a year off to focus on myself, so I’m saving for a sabbatical year. I’m also a certified personal trainer, so I see clients before work and put all that money toward my goal!” — Kira L, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Deep Cleaner
“I had a side hustle that is about to become my main hustle. A few years ago, I started a cleaning business that focuses on doing deep cleaning when people are moving out of houses or apartments. I charge $400 to $800 per job (depending on size) and I have more work than I can handle on the weekends, so I’ve hired my sister to take some of the work. I’m a few months away from being able to quit my main job, I think.” — Leah M, Oakland, California
