Mompreneurs Flying Solo: A Guide To Side Jobs For Single Moms

Over 50 percent of Americans have side hustles to monetize their spare time. As a single mom, you might not have a lot of that. But, if you can find a few hours a week, you could join millions of other moms making lucrative side money.

What’s considered a side hustle?

Anything that brings you money in return for your effort. So… a job. Except many side hustles can convert into passive income, come with less pressure than your career, and can earn you insane money.

Curious about which side jobs would suit your single mom lifestyle? Here are seven that we recommend you check out.

1. Airbnb Hosting
Airbnb hosts can make a ton of money for doing next to nothing. You simply post your spare bedroom on the app, set some rules, and make sure it’s cleaned before and after guests stay.

But, there are two things you’ll need for this side hustle to work.

One, you must have an appealing space for guests to sleep in. This could be a spare bedroom or finished basement. It needs to be clean, well-maintained, and come with the essentials like a bed, closet, and window.

Secondly, you need to live in a city that gets enough visitors. A small town in the middle of rural America might not be eligible for this side job. But, if you live in a tourist destination city or a city with strong business industries, you’re in luck.

If you have more space to rent out, the more you can charge. For example, a basement in-law suite or the top floor of your home.

2. Dog Boarding
To the moms who aren’t tech-savvy, this one’s for you. If you’re interested in how to make money offline, consider dog boarding.

You may be home with your kids during maternity leave or because you work from home. Make a profile on dog boarding app, Rover, and confirm your calendar. Then, watch the boarding requests roll in.

Of course, for this to be successful you must actually like dogs and be comfortable taking care of them. If you have young children, set your profile to only board dogs that are good with children.

You can also set your preferences to only board older, lower-maintenance pups. You’ll get paid for walks, feeding, and cuddles.

3. MLM Selling
Do you have a large circle of friends or acquaintances? If so, you might want to consider joining an MLM company.

In these companies, you become a sales representative for their products. The more of their products you sell, the more you make. There are often bonuses and promotions available, too.

Some good examples of MLMs are Scentsy, doTerra, Mary Kay, and Yankee Candles. But, always do your research before signing up. Sketchy MLM, Lula Roe, was actually a scam in disguise.

To make more money, build a social following. You may already have lots of followers you can sell the products to. The trick is to find an MLM that has products you genuinely love and want your peers to try.

4. Online Teaching
If you have in-demand skills or knowledge, you can teach that information online. One way to do this is through online tutoring.

Perhaps you speak fluent Italian. You can offer private Italian lessons to anyone interested in learning. You could also do this with math, science, and other topics people want to improve on.

To make this more profitable and less time-consuming, record your lessons. Sites like Skillshare and Udemy pay you to create a video course on your subject of expertise. This could be anything from marketing to computer software to self-development.

Plus, once you make a course that’s approved, you’re done. Simply wait for people to sign up and start earning passive income through the host site.

5. Etsy Printable Selling
Do you have a knack for art and drawing? Or perhaps you’re amazing at organization and planner-creation.

You can create passive income on Etsy by selling printables. These could be planner inserts, stickers, or stationary.

The customer purchases the download and then prints it out on their own. All you have to do is send the file.

This is a fun way to get creative. You could also start selling physical products if you have time for production and shipping activities.

6. Your Job, Freelancing
Take whatever you currently do for work and make it freelance in your spare time. For example, if you work in marketing, offer marketing services like ad creation or social media content.

You can usually find a client who will pay for your expertise because it’s cheaper than hiring a new employee. Some popular freelance jobs include copywriting, social media managing, consulting, customer service, and administrative tasks.

If you work in a corporate job, keep in mind that going freelance with your role could get you in trouble. Be sure to never use your work computer or resources for your freelance clients.

7. Renting Party Supplies
This one is unexpected, but quite genius for the right mom.

Think about all the different elements of a party. There are chairs, tables, linens, entertainment, photo booths, and more.
If you own one of those elements and live in a city with lots of parties, you could rent them out.

All you need is the space to store the items and ability to keep them in good condition. Some moms have found success renting out bouncy castles, table décor, photo backgrounds and props, and even stages.

Decide if there’s enough demand for these party supplies in your area. Then, post your renting ad on Facebook groups and Craigslist.

Interested in Learning About More Side Jobs for Single Moms?

When you’re raising kids on your own, time and money are limited resources. If there’s a way to make a few extra bucks here or there, you take it.

That’s why side jobs have been so popular for single moms. You can make extra money in your free time, sometimes even passively.

For more information on making money and working online, check out the Technology and Business sections of our site!