Many mums and stay-at-home parents are looking for creative side hustles as a way to bring in extra money. It might seem impossible to find time for a side hustle when you’re busy raising your children, looking after your home and trying to take care of yourself. But with the power of the internet, there are lots of flexible side hustles you can choose from.
I’m a stay-at-home mum and I’m able to bring in extra money each month through various side hustles such as blogging, creating and selling my own products and affiliate marketing. I started my first side hustle (blogging) seven years ago and ever since then, I have loved finding new, fun and creative ways to earn extra money. You can fit your side hustle around your jobs and family life if you’re a stay-at-home or working parent.
Some things will require more time and effort before you see the financial benefit, while others you can start earning straight away. You just need to find the right side hustle which fits your schedule and that you enjoy doing!
Here are 10 flexible side hustles that you can start today and earn extra money each month.
1. Blogging
Blogging is a popular side hustle because it appeals to any niche and there are various ways you can monetise your blog. Some of the most popular ways to earn money from blogging are through adverts, affiliate links and sponsored posts. But you can also use your platform to sell things online, such as digital products and online courses.
It can take a long time before you start to see the financial benefit of blogging, so you should only start a blog if it’s something you’re passionate about it. Check out my post on how to make money from your blog.
2. Create and sell your own products
If you enjoy being crafty then you could start a side hustle selling your homemade products. A great place to sell crafts online is Etsy, Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. Shopify is another great option for selling your products online. Both sites are user-friendly and simple to set up.
Another option is to create your own website and sell your products using WooCommerce. This option means you have more control over your shop and you can keep all of the profit and not pay a seller’s fee.
Here are some popular items to sell:
- Stickers
- Notebook and journals
- Jewellery
- Home Decor
- Digital design
- Posters
- Toys & baby items
- Vintage items
- Knitted clothes and accessories
Did you know that I have an Etsy shop? Check out my Etsy shop here.
3. Freelance Work
Freelance work is a great side hustle as you can work your own hours and take on as many clients as you have time for. You can fit your freelance work around your family life or other work commitments. There are so many types of services you can offer as a freelancer, below are some ideas for freelance work.
- Writer/Editor
- Customer Service Representative
- Graphic Designer
- Web Developer
- Social Media Manager
- Bookkeeper
- Virtual Assistant
Here are some of the bests sites to find freelance work:
4. Start a YouTube channel
If you love creating video content and being in front of the camera, then starting a YouTube channel is a great side hustle. However, it can take a long time to build up your following and monetise your channel.
To start earning money directly through YouTube, you must have a least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past year. Once you reach that, you can apply to YouTube’s Partner Program and monetize your channel. Starting a YouTube channel is another great way to make money on the side, but it can take a little while to build up your following and monetise your channel.
You can also earn money from affiliate marketing or selling your own products, you can recommend products in your videos and have affiliate links to those products in the video description.
5. Participate in paid online surveys
Taking part in paid online surveys is an easy side hustle that you can start doing today. Online surveys are a legitimate way for brands to get consumer feedback on their products and services and you will receive either money or gift cards, each survey will tell you what the financial rewards are before you take part.
The price paid depends on the length and complexity of the survey. On average you can expect to receive £1-£5 per survey, and usually, you can withdraw your earnings once you meet £50, but this may vary with each site.
I would recommend creating a new email address if you sign up for online surveys, as you will receive a lot of emails from the sites. I would also recommend signing up for several survey sites, to increase your earning potential.
Check out these popular online survey sites:
6. Sell your photos
There are lots of ways you can turn your love for photography into a side hustle. Sites like Shutterstock are always looking to buy new photos, you earn between 15% and 40% commission when one of your images or videos is downloaded at Shutterstock.
Another option is to sell your photos as hangable or wearable art, such as posters or print them on a mug, tea towel, t-shirt or phone case. You can then sell them on sites such as Etsy or Shopify.
7. Start a podcast
Podcasting has become immensely popular in the last decade and if you’re willing to put in the work and build an audience, then podcasting can be a great side hustle. There are several ways you can make money podcasting, including:
- Offer a tiered membership through Patreon
- Write and self-publish a book for your fans
- Join a podcast advertising network
- Sell merchandise
- Affiliate marketing
8. Become an influencer
An influencer is a person who has an online presence and the ability to influence potential buyers of a product by promoting the items on their social media. You don’t need to have a huge following to become an influencer, you just need to have an engaged audience that looks to you for advice or content on a particular topic. The products you promote need to be relevant to them and your niche.
9. Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is a great side hustle, it involves promoting products made by other people via a personalised link which traces back to you. If you make a sale then you will receive a percentage of the profit. There are loads of affiliate programmes you can join, some pay a huge percentage such as 50% while others will only pay around 2%. You can promote your affiliate programmes on your blog, social media, Podcast or YouTube channel.
Popular Affiliate programmes:
10. Baking
If you have a talent for baking then you could start your own side hustle baking bespoke and personalised cakes including birthday cakes and even wedding cakes! You can use social media to promote your business and pop a business card into each order to help spread the word about your side hustle. As this is food-related, you will need to register with your local authority and apply for a food hygiene certificate before you get started.
