Ok, so these might not be the best five jobs for everyone, nor the best five jobs in the universe, but they are handy jobs if you want to earn a little bit of extra cash and you are a stay at home mum. Some stay at home mums even do these jobs, do them well, AND make quite a decent living from them. Anything is possible, with a little bit of hard work.
They are also great jobs if you just want to have a go at them part time, work around your family commitments and earn yourself a bit of spending money or some extra cash to cover groceries, bills or your makeup habit, (or whatever your obsession might be!)
Five that stand out for me are....
Blogging
So blogging might not be the most lucrative job, but nowadays the possibilities are endless if you are prepared to work hard at it, keeping in mind that this is not a 'get rich quick' fix. Some make it and some don't, but there is certainly no harm in trying. You read everywhere that if you go into blogging for the sole purpose of making money then it will show and you will most likely end up not succeeding. For a blog to be successful there needs to be passion behind it and this can not shine through to your readers if it exists because of superficial reasons like money. In my case I blog because I want to practice my writing and photography skills (kind of like riding a bike...must keep peddling), in between doing my magazine articles. As the magazine is only published quarterly I can go weeks without writing anything, so I like to keep my hand in. This way I write everyday (or at least try to), and practice a variety of photography styles.
I am also discovering a huge number of other benefits that I know will far outweigh financial gain (if I someday become successful in that way), and these include becoming a part of an incredibly supportive online community and learning new skills. For example at the moment I am learning how to be my own stylist so I can set up better photo shoots, (as you can probably tell it's still a bit hit and miss!)
Party Plan
Now I have put my toe in the waters of the party plan world a few times, and although I wasn't particularly good at it (my personality is not really suited...I'm a bit of an introvert), it is a fantastic way for a stay at home mum to earn an income. Some women achieve massive annual turnovers and recruit lots of other women, become leaders, go on overseas trips for free, earn jewellery and other prizes and are even given company cars.
Like everything all these benefits don't come easily, you have to work at it, but if you are willing and are keen to put yourself out there, these companies are there to back you all the way. Remember, they want you to succeed. Your success means more sales for them so it's a win win situation all round. There is also a great community, with team meetings, conferences and all sorts of support, so you are not alone in your journey, and this is fantastic if you spend the majority of your time home with the kids.
Two party plan companies that I have tried, and enjoyed, include The Body Shop at Home, which is exactly like The Body Shop, except it comes to you (!)..and also Intimo, which is a company that sells beautiful lingerie.
Craft
Are you any good at a craft or hobby? Why not turn that into a business? So many women do it successfully, and with the internet and online sales you no longer have to rely on attending endless weekend markets...although of course you can still this if you want to...and it is excellent exposure/marketing if you do!
You can set up your own website, which need not cost a fortune, in fact you could use a free blogging site to do so if you wished like Wordpress or BlogSpot, although if you wanted to add a Shopping Cart you will need to look at other options.
You can also set up your own page on sites like Etsy, or there is also Made It, which is for those who hand make items in Australia.
An example of a really successful business is a children's clothing store called Whale Spout. Created by Kate, a mother of three daughters, she was concerned about clothes that were too 'adult' for children, so decided to create her own. She has been running her business for a few years now, which is a giant success in itself.
Bookkeeping
I am not a 'maths head' at all..so this would be a terrible job for me (!), but for many it is a fantastic way to earn a little extra, and for others it can even make them a decent income. There are bookkeeping courses available, or you could incorporate skills you already have that you used in your former life when you worked full time. I have a sister-in-law who runs a brilliant accounting practice from home, and the great thing about it is she can take on as much or as little as she wants to suit her.
The key to this one would be organisation, and having your own home office would be enormously beneficial. The ability to be able to shut yourself away from noisy children and other distractions, like the television, would be important, so if you have the space, create a corner that is officially 'Mum's Work Space So Keep Out!!'
Makeup Artist
Do you love makeup? Are you forever buying new products? Can't go past the makeup counters in department stores without coming away with various streaks of lipstick up your arms??! Maybe you could try your hand at being a makeup artist.
A natural flair for colour, style and, obviously, applying makeup would be a handy talent, but like everything all these skills can be taught. My older sister is a brilliant makeup artist, doing weddings and fashion makeup, and I remember very well being her 'model' while she attended her makeup course. (I used to come home with half a face of makeup...it was hilarious...but great fun!)
This is a great 'portable' type of job, so once you have the skills, the makeup and a big big carry case (preferably with wheels and a handle), you are set. Having a website can help, but there are also lots of places you can list your services. Be prepared to be super busy around 'wedding season', so in the warmer months...so don't expect to have many weekends free. But the joy of this is going new places, meeting new people, doing something you love, and if it is on the weekend then hopefully your partner can watch the kids. Check out my brilliant sister's site here and also here at Flawless Hair and Makeup.
Anyway, I hope this has given you food for thought, or even sparked a few different ideas of your own. For those stay at home mums who want to get back into having some form of career there are plenty of options.
Good luck!
