Although the economy is slowly starting to turn around, millions of people across the country are still out of work and struggling financially. Many stay-at-home moms are facing the difficult choice between being at home to raise their children and returning to work to ensure that their families can make ends meet. In this post, I offer 10 ways that stay-at-home moms can make money without having to entrust their children to daycare or nannies. All of these jobs offer mothers the opportunity to supplement their family's income while still being present for their children.
- Freelance writing - Local and online journals and magazines often struggle to fill space with relevant content. Generally, these positions pay by the word. The more extensive your freelance portfolio, the higher this rate will be. A great way to create a body of work is to volunteer -- for a little while -- as a contributor until you've built up your portfolio.
- Customer Service - More than 200,000 people within the US offer customer support from home. At-home customer service representatives answer phone calls, schedule appointments and provide information about the organizations they represent.
- Consulting - Consultants offer services and/or advice in their area(s) of expertise. This form of employment offers the option of working as a contractor for both small and large organizations. Consultants offer specialized knowledge about a variety of subject areas, which can be as specific as lactation consulting or as broad as social media consulting.
- Web Development - For those with technical skills, web developers are in high demand. This type of work offers a schedule that is far more flexible than most other opportunities.
- Data Entry - This job requires one to input data into a web interface from a variety of source documents. The faster you type, the more you can earn. High speed internet is a requirement for this type of position.
- Educational Work - These positions often require a college degree or a teaching certificate. Typically, those who do educational work from home are either grading tests or tutoring students. This could be seasonal work.
- Research - Companies will hire at-home workers to conduct research for their businesses, court documentation or to complete background checks on potential employees. High speed internet access is necessary for this position.
- Voice-over Work - This type of work tends to be assigned on a freelance basis. Sites like Voice.net offer a platform for voice actors and professional voice-over talent to post samples of work and connect with businesses looking for talent.
- Your Old Job - Depending on the nature of your work with your previous employer, many organizations are now comfortable with the work from home concept if you have a work history with that company. Ask your previous employer's human resources department about these opportunities or speak directly with your old boss.
- Transcription -The US Department of Labor estimates that the medical transcription industry will grow by 11% between 2008 and 2018. Even outside of medical transcription, there will be a continued need for the conversion of files from audio to text across a variety of fields that will encourages employers to use transcription services.
