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87 profitable side hustles for single moms to earn cash in 2024

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Supporting your family on a single income can feel like constantly treading water, just one unexpected expense away from not being able to feed and clothe your kids, pay your bills, and keep a roof over your head.

If you want to learn how to make money as a single mom on top of your regular income, keep reading for our list of the best side hustles for single moms.

Side hustles for single moms that involve selling stuff

There are an estimated 300,000 items in the average U.S. home, according to one Los Angeles Times article, and self-storage construction is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the real estate industry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Chances are, you have stuff you don't want, need or use, and that stuff not only costs you money to store — it could make you money to sell it.

Here are some of the most lucrative things to sell:

  • Jewelry. Old engagement rings, necklaces, earrings, estate and antique jewelry, you name it — if it is made of diamonds, gemstones, gold or platinum, send it to CashforGoldUSA, an A+ BBB rated gold buyer that pays a 10% bonus, and sends payment within 24 hours. Read more about top places to sell jewelry online. You can also try to find jewelry through metal detecting.
  • Coin collection, as well as silverware, or other scrap gold or silver. Pawn shops and jewelers are good places to start.
  • Pokémon cards are super hot right now, as Millennials dust off their childhood collections, driving prices and interest through the roof. According to Newsweek, TCGplayer, one of the main Pokémon card online resellers, shipped more than 16.2 million single Pokémon cards in 2020, with the number of cards priced at more than $50 climbing a whopping 466%. Some rare cards even go for more than $2,000. Sell via:
    • eBay
    • Troll and Toad
    • Cardmarket
    • Card Cavern
    • TCGplayer
    • Facebook Marketplace
  • Furniture. Whether you have old items in your basement or attic or a few inherited items you don't really love or use, sell them via Facebook marketplace, a yard sale, Craigslist or, for marked items and notable brands, a site like 1stDibs or Chairish. Local consignment stores are also a good place to sell furniture.
  • Clothes. Gently used clothes, accessories, handbags and shoes can be sold through top online sites like ThredUp, Mercari, and Poshmark.
  • Household items. Kitchen goods, dishes, yard tools, gardening supplies, sports equipment, bikes and more can be unloaded for cash through Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or a yard sale.
  • Printables. You can also earn passive income selling printables on Etsy — things like labels, stickers, organizers, binder sheets, fonts, coloring pages, and more. Gold City Ventures offers a free workshop to teach you everything you need to know to start this profitable side hustle.

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Side hustles for single moms that involve renting stuff

ZipCar

Maybe you don’t like driving, but you have a car that you don’t drive a lot. ZipCar lets you rent out your car for other people to drive. In most cases, you can make a nice second income by renting out your car. It’s also possible to rent a car through ZipCar to work another side gig, like driving with Uber. 

Turo

Much like ZipCar and GetAround, Turo lets you rent out your car to other people around you. Typically, if you live near an airport, you’ll have plenty of business people that need a car for the weekend. “Hosts” as Turo calls those who rent out their cars, have access to a mobile business app to manage their trips and pricing, etc. 

GetAround

Another great way to earn some cash by renting out your car! Don’t just let your parked car sit and collect dust, make money off it! Manage your calendar and rentals through the website or app. 

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Airbnb

If you have a spare room or guest house, rent it out! Thanks to expensive hotel rates, Airbnb has exploded. Put a mint on those pillows and enjoy some extra money for letting people sleep in your spare beds. Manage your entire hosting business through the app.

VRBO

VRBO is another popular website for renting out your home or vacation home. The VRBO Owner app is specifically for hosts.

Side hustles for single moms that involve teaching online

HAWO American Academy

Help English learners in China through video tutoring. Perks are flexible schedule, work from home, fun job (if you enjoy teaching!), weekly pay, and a high hourly rate. Qualifications are the standard USA / Canadian, Bachelor’s degree in any field or currently enrolled as an education major in a university, and any experience teaching or tutoring. You will teach your lessons through the web interface. 

VIPKid

VIPKid is an online tutoring service, but it has a unique twist. They are providing international learning for children in China between the ages of 4 – 12. They offer 1-on-1 English lessons. If you have a love of teaching English, it’s a great way to earn a side-income. The VIPKid Teach app allows you to manage your lessons and sessions.

Udemy

Teaching is a great way to earn money, and thanks to the Internet, there are plenty of ways that you can share your knowledge online. If you have some technical skills, you can use Udemy to share it with the world and earn extra cash. Whenever anyone purchases your course, you get paid!

Wyzant

Tutoring is an excellent way to help students and also earn some extra cash on the side. Wyzant lets you create a free profile and search for tutoring jobs in your area. They have traditional school subjects, but there are also more specialized jobs like web design tutoring. Tutors have access to the mobile app Tutor on Wyzant to manage their lessons and business. 

Chegg Tutors

Chegg works similar to the other tutoring sites, except these tutoring sessions are all online. You can help tutor students virtually. You log in when you have free time to tutor and Chegg pairs you with students looking for help in your subjects.

iTalki

Learning a new language can be difficult. That’s where iTalki comes in. It’s a site that helps connect students to native speaking teachers. If you want to teach English, iTalki is one of the best places to get paid for your services. They will connect you to students across the globe and they manage all of the international payments for you. Teachers can manage their profile within the iTalki mobile apps.

Learn more about our $500 single-mom monthly grant

Side hustles for single moms that involve odd jobs

You may be able to find a job that pays the same day through these sites:

Gigwalk

This is a unique way of earning money. Gigwalk members can post a variety of different jobs. Everything from seeing if products are stocked, to collecting data. You can get gigs based on your zip code. Find gigs right on the app. 

Craigslist

I’m sure you’ve heard of Craigslist. You may have even bought something off of it, but it’s also a great place to find some freelance work.

TaskRabbit

Looking for work in your own neighborhood? Have some handyman skills or are you willing to do some yard work? This is the perfect site for you. Workers can find gigs on the Tasker by TaskRabbit app. 

NeedTo

Another place to find random freelance work. Anything from web design to washing dishes.

Zaarly

The description on their homepage says it all, “hire local, hand-picked home services.” So add your skills to their site, and just wait for the requests to come in!

SnagAJob

This website lets you browse through thousands of hourly jobs. You can browse through a variety of different industries and see if anything part-time would work for your needs. You can use either the website or the Snagajob app to find work. 

SimplyHired

There are plenty of people looking for qualified candidates, but finding the perfect second job can be difficult, that’s where SimplyHired comes in. The Simply Hired app makes it easy to find work right from your phone. 

The Source

If you don’t mind doing a little driving, becoming a field agent with Trendsource is a simple way to earn extra cash. All that you have to do is visit a project location and complete an evaluation as a mystery shopper. You’ll get paid twice a month.

360 Intel

Mystery shopping is not a new idea, but it’s an excellent way for you to go shopping and get paid to do it. Restaurants and shops will pay for “mystery customers” to come in, shop, and then tell them about their experience. 360 Intel used to be known as Goodwin Hospitality.

Fiverr

The freelance community has never been bigger. There are plenty of people out there that are looking for talented people to finish up some work for them. Fiverr has freelance jobs for just about any profession. Anything from musician to web analyst. You can manage your entire business right from within the app. 

UpWork

If you have some technical skills, like admin support or design, you can find some excellent freelance jobs. Download the Upwork for Freelancers app to find gigs. 

MediaBistro

This site specializes in freelance jobs in the media field. This includes marketing, sales, PR, television, and much more.

99Designs

It’s another freelance site that specializes in design work.

Contently

Another freelance site that has jobs for videographers, photographers, and researchers.

Steady

Whether you want an easy gig you can do from home (like completing surveys) or you’re looking for a fun job outside of the home (like dog walking), you don’t need to spend hours combing through job boards. Steady app has helped more than 3 million people find quality gigs and jobs.

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Side hustles for single moms that involve taking care of people and pets

Care.com

If you enjoy spending time caring for people, you can turn it into money. Care.com has jobs for child care, day care, caregivers, pet sitters, housekeepers, and much more. Manage jobs through the Care.com Caregiver app.

Join Care.com free, or get a 20% discount on premium memberships with code JOINCARE20. You can also read our Care.com review.

Rover

Rover lets you get paid to walk dogs or check on them in the middle of the day. It’s easy to get started with their site. Get paid to pet dogs, what could be better?? It’s easy to find and manage your gigs in the Rover app. 

DogVacay

This is the nation’s “largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers,” which means there is probably a job opportunity somewhere near you. DogVacay has been purchased by Rover and is in the process of being integrated into the company.

Side hustles for single moms that involve typing

TDEC

Data entry is a popular occupation for anyone that’s looking to make money online. TDEC is hiring data entry specialists at their various locations and dozens of states.

Scribie

If you’re a fast typer, working at Scribie is an excellent option for you. All that you have to do is watch a video and transcribe the audio. You can get paid anywhere from $5 to $20 per an audio hour.

MegaTypers

This is another data entry site that offers a variety of services to their clients. If you work with MegaTypers, you could be entering data or transcribing voice to text. The faster that you type, the more that you’ll earn. You can make anywhere from $0.45 per 1000 words to $1.5 per 100 words.

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10 part-time jobs for moms

Part-time jobs rarely have benefits like health insurance or paid time off, but they are a great option to make extra money.

You can use money from your part-time gig to build an emergency fund, pay for planned expenses like a vacation or new car, or simply help with existing expenses.

Here are a few part-time jobs to consider:

Bookkeeper

If you enjoy math and tracking financial data, you can become a bookkeeper in less than a year. A bookkeeper tracks and organizes financial records for a business. 

While you can get a bookkeeper job, you can also work as an independent bookkeeper and decide how much (or how little) you want to work. Bookkeepers make anywhere from $18-$23 per hour.

Our No. 1 recommended training program to become a bookkeeper is Bookkeeper Launch, which boasts an A+ Better Business Bureau rating.. 

Check out our Bookkeeper Launch review and start your bookkeeping career with Bookkeeper Launch today >>

Dog groomer

If you love dogs, consider getting a part-time gig as a dog groomer. This line of work can blossom into a full-time career and even a business if you fall in love with it. You don't need a certification to get started. Just apply at a local dog grooming shop to learn the ropes.

Pay varies by region, but you can make about $23 per hour doing something you enjoy.

Cashier

If you have the ability to work outside of the home, you can get a job as a part-time cashier at a local supermarket, retail store, department store, or even a mom-and-pop business. Often, no experience is necessary for these entry-level positions, and training is provided. You can expect to make $9.97-$17.41 depending on where you live. 

Freelance writer

If you enjoy writing, you can work from home as a freelance writer, providing content for blogs, ads, newsletters, social media posts, and more. Freelance writers often get paid by assignment or per word. Per word rates for experienced writers usually start around 10-15 cents per word and go up from there, with expert writers making $1 or more per word.

If you don’t have published work to present to potential clients, you can create your own blog and write a few posts to gain experience and beef up your portfolio.

Health coach

Health coaches help people implement lifestyle changes to improve their overall health. That might include educating people about proper nutrition, helping them establish exercise routines, and coaching them to set long-term health goals.

Health coaches make an average $23 per hour, according to Ziprecruiter data.

ISSA's Wellness courses include training on:

  • Nutrition
  • Exercise recovery
  • Weight management
  • Holistic lifestyle changes
  • Starting a flexible and profitable business

Get your health coach certification through ISSA >>

Housekeeper

Sites like Care.com make it easy for you to list your services and look for nearby work. You can start by offering your services to people you know, or you can apply for a part-time position as a staff housekeeper at a hospital, gym, or hotel. The average hourly rate range for housekeepers is $15.17/hour, but some make over $35/hour. Income will vary based on experience, where you live, the type of cleaning required, and size of the space that needs to be cleaned.

Find cleaning gigs on Care.com today >>

Medical biller/coder

You don’t need a degree to get started as a medical biller and coder. The best tool you can get is a certification, which teaches you valuable skills and may help you earn more money. The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) reports that medical coders and billers without a certification make about $13,000 less per year than certified professionals. 

Check out organizations like the AAPC and the American Health Information management Association (AHIMA) for course recommendations. On average, certified medical billing and coding specialists make over $60,000 annually.

Proofreader

Are you a pro at spotting writing errors? A part-time proofreading job might be exactly what you’re looking for. To get started, you can take an online course to learn how to become a proofreader.

Reservation agent

A reservation agent makes reservations for events, tours, resorts, travel, restaurants, or other venues. With a phone, internet, and a computer, you can work from home for a variety of businesses without a degree. It helps if you have customer service, call center, or sales experience and excellent organization and communication skills. Reservations agents make about $12.02-$20.34/hour

Substitute teacher

Some states require a high school diploma or GED, while others ask that substitute teachers hold a bachelor’s degree or higher — you can check your state’s Department of Education website to find out. In general, you must be 18 or older and submit to a criminal background check. Contact local schools in your community to apply. You can expect to make an average hourly wage of $10.21-$16.26 depending on your state, though work will be on an as-needed basis unless you secure a long-term assignment.

Tutor

Being a tutor is an ideal side hustle for single moms because it offers flexibility and you can choose between in-person and online tutoring. If you have knowledge in subjects like math, reading, science and at least a high school diploma, you can offer independent tutoring or apply to work for a tutoring company. 

The National Tutoring Association offers training that starts as low as $10 and the cost of an annual membership fee of $35 for individuals. Expect to complete a background check. Tutors make a wide range of salaries, based on experience and the subject matter they teach. The average base hourly rate is $24.91/hour.

We also have info on how to find a tutor if you're looking to hire one.

Virtual assistant

Are you great at creating and maintaining a schedule? What about planning or making travel arrangements? If you enjoy helping others get and stay organized, consider becoming a virtual assistant (VA). To get started, take an online course like $10K VA to learn the ropes. On average, VAs make from $13.77-$41.37 per hour.

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Side hustles for moms FAQs

What can stay-at-home moms do to make money?

There are endless gigs for stay-at-home moms who want to make money from home, including:

  • Part-time remote jobs
  • Paid surveys
  • Selling products or services online
  • Freelance business support
  • Metal scrapping

The key is to think about your strengths and find a gig or opportunity where you can use them to your benefit. For example, if you are highly-organized and enjoy helping people, you could become a virtual assistant. If you enjoy sharing your opinion about products, you can make extra money completing paid online surveys.

Check out this video with some work-from-home job ideas:

What job can I do from home with a baby?

You’ll need a job that allows you to choose your own hours so that you can take care of your baby’s needs at any time. Jobs like proofreading, freelance writing, and virtual support are ideal because they offer more flexibility than jobs with set hours. Generally, as long as you get your assignments done on time, you can work whenever you’d like.

Bottom line: When it comes to single mom side hustles, you have choices

With a recession looming, ensuring your family’s financial wellbeing is more important than ever. The good news is that there are plenty of single mom side hustles to help you  make extra money as a single mom, whether you want to unload your old jewelry or help kids learn a second language. You can also get a recession-proof job or start a recession-proof business.

If you don’t have time for a single mom side hustle but want to make more money, check out my guide to asking for and getting a raise.You can also read our roundup of the best jobs for single moms, six-figure jobs, no-degree jobs, and no background check jobs.

What can stay-at-home moms do to make money?

There are endless gigs for stay-at-home moms who want to make money from home, including: part-time remote jobs, paid surveys, selling products or services online, freelance business support, and metal scrapping.

2 Comments

I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate find this list. So thorough, with so many links to how all the suggestions work. Honestly, thank you! Im a single mom of 3 kids and things are really rough right now, so these tips are literal life savers. Thank you, thank you! I hope you have a spectacular day you fantastic being!

I would like to say it was truly a blessing stumbling over this website. I have felt so lost, and helpless since I lost my job with the hospital, and now have to stay home too care for my parents, and child. This website has opened my eyes to all the different possibilities for employment. I now know there’s availability for a mother who has no support to get back on my feet even with being at home. Emma thank you so much for taking the time, and energy to help so many people that felt helpless like I did before finding your website. Also a thank you as well for everyone who works and contributes to this website. You guys are doing a wonderful thing, and I appericate it so much. Thanks again.

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