Single parents often face more barriers getting into the workforce, expenses aren’t split with anyone else and childcare (arrangements and costs) fall on them.
As such, it can be difficult for you to get back on your feet or make enough money to save, buy a house and do the things you want to.
With that in mind, here we are listing different ways single mums can make money from home or on the run.
They are flexible options and some you can do at the same time as others to increase your income streams.
We do use affiliate links in our posts, however, we only promote things we had done or used. Read the full disclosure here.
These are the ideas you can make money from doing what you already do or with relatively little effort.
1. Micro-investing
How much you can make – Varies.
Time involved – 5 minutes to set up then forget about it.
Equipment needed – Phone or computer and internet for the original set-up. You can use one at the library.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – $20
Micro-investing is using platforms that allow you to invest small amounts.
Investing carries risk though so you might invest then the market drops and it looks like you are losing money.
You only lose money if you cash out at that point though.
Micro-investing typically has higher fees and is not as good as investing larger sums.
Professional advice around it will help you make a decision for your circ*mstances.
Investing is long-term, not fast money for today.
2. Bank Account Bonuses
How much you can make – $125+ depends on the account and offer.
Time involved – 10 to 20 minutes to apply and submit paperwork.
Equipment needed – Phone or computer and the internet.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – None.
Many banks have sign-up bonuses. You need to look around for them and do what is required e.g a certain amount of transactions and a savings account etc.
Credit cards often have big bonuses when you sign up, however, if you do this it can reduce your credit score and make it harder to get a loan.
Avoid this option if you’re looking for a home loan in the near future.
Get $75 for Free from ING
ING has their $75 Orange Everyday sign-up offer on. They share different rewards at different times and right now you can get $75.
If you are a new customer of ING you can get $75 for opening an everyday account with them. Here’s what you need to do:
- Open an everyday account, put the promo code CNW116 in the promo box (you must use the code to get the $75 bonus), and complete all the steps below in the first month.
- Deposit $1,000 into the account such as your income or Centrelink payments
- Make 5 settled transactions
- Open a Savings Maximiser (current interest rate is 5.5%)
- Make a deposit into the Savings Maximiser
Then you get your $75 the following month when the promotion is running. Promotion periods vary. The current promotion runs until 31 March 2024.
Up offers $10 instantly here and I have been with them for 3 years now. Ubank offers $10 after the third time you’ve used your card. Use the code S7VL6WF when you join to get the bonus.
3. Cashback Sites and Other Rewards/Freebies
How much you can make – depends on your choices.
Time involved – A few minutes to sign up.
Equipment needed – A phone/computer and the internet.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – None.
Cashback sites are easy to use. Basically, you join then add the extension to Chrome and download the app.
Then, whenever you shop online it will pop up with how much you can get back. If you shop a lot, you’ll get more back.
Here are some examples from my accounts:
Cash Rewards
Shopback
Honey
Other options for ‘cashback’ or freebies include our list of freebies from Aussie companies, our list of Australian birthday freebies and this list with Aussie loyalty/reward programs.
Options to make money through the share economy have boomed in recent years. Here are a few of our favourites.
4. Rent Out Baby Gear
How much you can make – Varies depending on what you rent out and how many bookings you get.
Time involved – A few minutes to join and list. A few minutes to arrange the rental when you get a booking.
Equipment needed – Anything you want to rent out.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – None.
Do you have baby gear you don’t use all the time or can’t bring yourself to part with? Make some money from it.
There are a few platforms available to use to rent out your baby gear.
I haven’t used them personally so can’t personally endorse one over another.
5. Rent Out Your Car
How much you can make – Around $300 a month average + you get comprehensive car insurance. free saving you at least a few hundred a year.
Time involved – 10 minutes to list and some time to ensure the car is clean/maintained.
Equipment needed – A car and phone. The car doesn’t need to be super new like Uber either.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – None. (Except you need to own a registered car.)
Uber Carshare is the only one have used (it was previously Car Next Door). Sign up then once you’re approved and set up you don’t really need to do anything.
In the few cities I have lived and used it, there are specific cars constantly booked out. Mainly little cars such as Corolla’s and i30s or vans for moving.
The owners love having the option to rent it out when they aren’t using it and make good money from it.
Where you live will impact how much you make, as will the type of car you have.
Be aware, your car will not be treated as well as you treat it.
It will get dents and scratches so some people buy an older car specifically for this side hustle.
6. Airbnb
How much you can make – Varies depending on your area. I made $1,300 in 5 days over Christmas, $600 another time and $50+ per night with another home.
Time involved – 10 minutes to list. Cleaning and preparation time which can be outsourced.
Equipment needed – A room/house/caravan/somewhere to rent out.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – None (unless you need to buy things to set up the house).
I have been a host and guest with Airbnb. Now you can also offer experiences such as cooking classes, tours of your area, photography etc.
Airbnb can be a great way to make money from a spare room or renting out your place when you are away which is how I do it.
Many people also rent out a caravan or similar on their property now too.
However, in recent years, there have been numerous issues for people with hosts charging massive cleaning fees and having unrealistic expectations of guests.
Think about how you’d want to be treated and live accordingly.
Add a cleaning fee but check your area to see what is reasonable. Same with what you ask guests to do.
Many are choosing hotels again as there is less to do when checking out vs Airbnb’s so choose carefully how you plan to rent yours and treat guests.
7. Rent Your Space
How much you can make – $50+
Time involved – 5 minutes to list it.
Equipment needed – A garage, storage cage, driveway or other space.
Qualifications needed – None.
Costs to start – None.
Got a spare garage? You can rent it to others for storage, to have their special car or anything else.
I rented mine to another mum in business who needed sewing space for $50 a week back in 2013.
You can list your garage, storage cage or other space on Spacer or try Gumtree.
Carparks and driveways are other options. They can be used to store boats and caravans or if you live somewhere parking is expensive, you can rent it to office workers.
In recent places I have lived it’s been $50 to $100 a week for a car space.
8. Rent a Room to International Students or Boarders
How much you can make – $155+ per week (varies depending on meals, age, shared room or own room etc.)
Time involved – Varies depending on what you offer e.g. meals or no meals.
Equipment needed – Anything you’d normally have in your home.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – None.
Strangers in your home aren’t your cup of tea so Airbnb is out, but you still have a spare room?
Rent it to international students, boarders or split your home with another single mum through Share Abode. HomeStay is one option for hosting international students.
If you want to rent to boarders check out the tips in this post or for Share Abode, read this one.
We live in a time where there are more ways than ever to make money and so many of them can be done online.
The bulk of my income for years has come from online sources.
9. Online Surveys
How much you can make – $2,000 to $5,000 a year average.
Time involved – 5 minutes to hours depending on the survey and your choices.
Equipment needed – Phone or computer and internet
.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – None.
Online surveys can be done while waiting to pick the kids up from school, sitting at the doctors’ office or watching TV of a night time. It’s one of those things you can do anytime, anywhere.
They won’t make you rich but we’ve tested many and both us, plus our readers have made an average of $2,000 to $5,000 doing them.
Here are my favourites.
Octopus Group: Pays $16.28hr
I’ve been doing surveys with Octopus Group for a few years.Octopus Groupare the highest paying in Australia and there are lots of surveys available in my experience.
Read the full review ofOctopus Groupfor more information.
Swagbucks: More Than Just Surveys
The first online survey site I ever tried over a decade ago has so many ways to earnSwagbucks.
Online surveys, daily polls, watching videos, shopping and activating the cashback option, using it as a Google search instead of Google. The list of ways to earn is long.
PrizeRebel
Paying in USD,PrizeRebelconverts well for Aussies. I don’t get as many surveys from them but it stills does well.
10. Virtual Assistant
How much you can make – $10+ per hour (although in Australia it is more like $20 to $50 depending on experience and $80+ for an executive virtual assistant)
.
Time involved – Your choice
.
Equipment needed – Computer, phone, internet and possibly some software depending on the services you offer.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – None although, a website etc would help.
Virtual Assistant can mean anything from someone who helps with admin tasks such as spreadsheets and email through to graphic designers, social media marketers and more.
It is basically someone who takes care of things for a business virtually.
You can start on places such as Upwork to get a reputation if you like or post in business groups. Having a Facebook page, website and packages will help.
Check out this post for more details on being a virtual assistant.
11. Freelance Writer
How much you can make – $20 through to 6 figure incomes per year.
Time involved – Varies depending on your skill and desire.
Equipment needed – Computer.
Qualifications needed – Although a course to improve your skills, along with portfolio are useful.
Cost to start – None though the course, a website and social media presence will all help.
$20 is the price for a completely inexperienced writer competing with writers overseas. Realistically, the lowest I see in Australia is $50 but more often $200+ for writers starting out.
Personally, I don’t write for that low and recommend others don’t as well.
Once you have a portfolio, and experience and have your pitching down, you can make a lot more.
Check out this post about how to become a freelance writer, including setting up your website and where to get paid writing gigs.
Generally, I make $400 to $1,500 per article I write for other publications, depending on how long it is and what is involved.
12. Blogging/Social Media Influencer
How much you can make – $0 to over $1,000,000.
Time involved – As much or as little as you choose. More time than you think in the beginning unless you pay to outsource it.
Equipment needed – Phone/computer and internet plus some apps/software can help.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – You can start for free, but I recommend going self-hosted with SiteGround which is $4.95 a month when on sale such as right now.
Blogging has been by far the best way for me to make money and I have numerous friends who make 6 or 7 figures from it.
Dedication, a niche, quality content, marketing skills, photography and good time management skills all help.
For me, blogging now provides a full-time income for part-time hours.
Most of it is easy to outsource and there are so many ways to make money from it. This post covers it in more detail.
To make money from blogging you can have ads, sponsored posts, affiliate links, sell your own products such as eBooks, services such as consulting or mentoring and many create courses or similar to make money from.
13. Fiverr
How much you can make – $5 to $1,000,000 depending on how long you do it.
Time involved – 10 minutes to a full-time gig.
Equipment needed – Depends on the service you offer.
Qualifications needed – None.
Cost to start – None.
Sign up to Fiverr and offer something such as creating videos, graphics, voiceover work or anything else you can do.
It’s that simple and no, you don’t have to only charge $5 though that is how Fiverr originally started.
You can choose how much you charge and upsell other services to make more money.
This dad made almost $1,000,000 in a few years and this womanmade over $1,000,000 in 6 years on Fiverr.
What started as a side gig for both resulted in them being able to quit their jobs.
14. Editing
How much you can make – Varies depending on experience
.
Time involved – Depends on the work.
Equipment needed – Computer.
Qualifications needed – None technically, though proof of your language skills is usually required.
Cost to start – None, however, a site and profile would help.
Editing is often outsourced by publishing houses, websites and authors.
How much you make will depend on how much work you get and your level of experience.
In Australia, the MEAA has rates here which show $$998 a day for book editing, $249 per hour.
However, our rates are much higher than those overseas so many editors I know make $50 to $200 an hour depending on experience.
While technically you don’t need any qualifications to start, proof of your language skills and relevant qualifications will help.
Having your own site with a portfolio and testimonials helps to secure clients, however, you can choose to start somewhere like UpWork to get experience but the pay is less.
Join business groups, promote yourself on social media and reach out to your networks to see if anyone knows of any work to help you get started.
15. Transcribing
How much you can make – $1 to $3 per audio minute (on average)
.
Time involved – 1 minute of audio usually takes 4 minutes to type if the quality is good. So a 1 hour file would take a minimum of 4 hours and pay $60 to $180 for 4 hours.
Equipment needed – Computer to play the audio and type
.
Qualifications needed – None though a fast typing speed is essential
.
Cost to start – None.
Doctors, lawyers, bloggers, podcasters and other social media influencers plus various business owners need things transcribed.
You can do it from home with no experience but you need a certain level of typing to be good.
Check your typing speed here, the average speed is around 40 words per minute. Again, to get started you could try Upwork or Fiverr.
With this type of work and anything involving typing, the more you do it the faster and better you will get which means you can do more in less time eventually, thus earning more.
16. Remote Work
How much you can make – It will vary depending on the work you do.
Time involved –
Varies.
Equipment needed – Usually a computer, phone and the internet.
Qualifications – Depends on the work but many opportunities exist for no qualifications.
Cost to start – None unless you sign up to sites.
Remote working means you can work from anywhere and there are lots of companies looking for employees or contractors like this.
Sites such as UpWork you can list yourself, whereas the Problogger jobs board has jobs listed.
Facebook groups have opportunities (look up Remote Work or Working Nomads or anything similar in Facebook to find groups), or there are sites such as the ones listed here have options.
Another option is to look on Seek for remote work or work you know can be done from home. Competition is heavy and there are scams out there so be aware.
17. Flip Websites
How much you can make – $500+
Time involved –
A few months but it is up to you.
Equipment needed – Computer.
Qualifications – None but knowledge of websites and monetising them is essential.
Cost to start – $100+ to purchase or set up a site.
Buying and selling websites is something I fell into and did well with.
Basically, I would purchase a site for a few hundred, increase the revenue then flip it for at least ten times what I paid.
Sites such as Flippa are one place you can sell, however, I have a friend with a great database and I personally have a good network for this.
It doesn’t take long to do (in my experience), the bulk of what needed to be done can be done in a day, then it was a matter of increasing income and traffic for a few months and selling it.
There is an article on Aspiring Millionaire with some more details.
18. Apps you can Make Money With
How much you can make – $5+
Time involved –
5 minutes or more.
Equipment needed – A phone with an internet connection.
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start – None.
There are so many apps which can help you make money.
I’ve mentioned the cash-back sites and online survey sites but you can also get accrue points to convert to cash through health apps and others.
It isn’t usually much though and you are giving away a lot of private information with them.
ReceiptJar is one where you scan your receipts, collect points and cash out gift cards.
Use the code KYLIT3Q2H when you join ReceiptJar to get a bonus 200 points when you upload your first receipt. Read a full review with tips on ReceiptJar.
19. Buy Things To Resell
How much you can make – I’ve made over $10,000 a month, friends of min average $500 to $5,000 with little effort.
Time involved – I average 3 minutes to photograph and list an item then post on my way to school. How much time you spend on it is up to you.
Equipment needed – Phone or computer and the internet plus stuff to sell.
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start – None.
Start off with selling things you no longer need or want then look at buying things to resell.
To see more on how to buy things to resell check out this post about making an extra $20,000 a year.
Also, this post and this post share updates from when I started.
Reselling is something I still do occasionally, between my travels and other things as it is so easy for me.
Most items I find for $2 or less and resell for $50 or more (typically clothes) and they are clothes we would wear.
Sometimes I sell travel or camping gear as I know what sells well too.
How much you can make – $5 to free holidays
Time involved –
Usually hours.
Equipment needed – Phone or computer and the internet
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start – None.
Here’s a post on how to get into mystery shopping.
Typically, it is a lot of effort for minimal reward. Coffee, takeaway, $20 for groceries and things like that.
Once you have experience and depending on the company you might get bigger and better jobs.
21. Market Research
How much you can make – $100 per hour
Time involved –
1 hour or more
Equipment needed – Computer or phone
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start – None.
Sign up to a few market research companies to increase your chances and opportunities.
They typically pay $100 or so an hour, some are done in the home, others on the phone and the majority are in an office.
The closer you live to the CBD the more likely you are to get jobs. Check out this post for more information.
There are so many ways to make money from home. We have 51 ideas listed here, but to get you started below are some common ones.
22. Ironing
How much you can make – $25hr or more.
Time involved –
1 hour or more.
Equipment needed – Iron, ironing board, starch, coat hangers and a clean space to do it.
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start – None unless you need to buy the iron etc.
Ironing is something you can do while watching TV and is one of the things many professionals outsource fairly quickly.
How you choose to charge is up to you. Some charge per basket (make sure you say per flat basket or clients will overload it).
Others charge per item. Check the rates in your area, advertise on Gumtree, community noticeboards and let friends and family know you’re doing it.
For an extra fee, you can do a pickup/drop off service if it is feasible for you or charge extra for overnight service.
23. Childcare
How much you can make – Varies.
Time involved – Any depending on the council regulations in your area.
Equipment needed – Educational toys, books, a council approved and safe home etc.
Qualifications – Childcare Cert III is the minimum in some areas, a diploma is required in others plus a working with vulnerable people card.
Cost to start – Quite a few as you will need to apply for your ABN (free), but also insurance, qualifications, council approval, business name, equipment and safety needs for kids etc.
At home childcare, if done legally and with proper approval has a few start-up costs but there is a lot of assistance to get it started.
Childcare is in huge demand with many areas having long waitlists.
You can have your own kids while looking after other people’s and do it all from home.
The hours can vary depending on what you want to offer, for example, some offer shift work and overnight options as well for nurses and other shift workers.
24. Photography
How much you can make – Varies.
Time involved – Varies.
Equipment needed – Great camera, lighting, editing gear, backdrops, reflectors.
Qualifications – None although experience is essential and courses help.
Cost to start – None if you have the gear already.
Photographers can make money in a variety of ways if they have a studio at home or choose to do weddings, travel or event photography out of the home.
It is a competitive market but there are lots of options.
Aside from selling the prints and photo time you can create products to sell, teach courses or sell your images on stock sites.
As an example, my partner has Black Beard Photography as a side hustle (his main job is commercial diving).
He always had an interest in photography and started learning while he was working overseas, before we met.
Later, when we started travelling, he started doing it more seriously and placed in his first ever competition in the Solomon Islands which had a cash prize.
He’s since made money with photos for magazines and websites plus a few brand specific photos shoots.
25. Massage
How much you can make – $80+ per hour
Time involved – 1 hour or more
Equipment needed – Massage table, towels, oil.
Qualifications – Certificate or diploma in massage or related qualifications which include massage.
Cost to start – $500+ for the table, towels, oil, insurance etc.
Massage can be a great way to make money if you enjoy doing it and have a spare room.
Once you have the massage table ongoing costs are minimal.
Have loyalty cards and incentives for clients to continue coming back or to refer clients to you to help increase your clientele.
Also, if you can do it out of the house you can offer it to corporations, hairdressers, businesses where staff might get RSI or other issues that massage can help with.
Pitch it as a way to reduce workers compensation claims and increase productivity and morale.
26. Tutoring
How much you can make – $20+ per hour.
Time involved –
1 hour or more.
Equipment needed – Computer or anything you are tutoring in (e.g. guitar lessons).
Qualifications – Qualifications relating to whatever you are tutoring in.
Cost to start – Insurance
Maths and English are two common requests for tutoring for kids. Alternatively, if you are qualified in piano, other musical instruments, any sports or any academic topics you can offer them.
Contact schools to get in their newsletters, sign up with an agency or advertise on Gumtree to get started.
Be sure to check rates in your area for whatever tutoring you are offering and have a working with vulnerable people check.
27. Coaching/Mentoring
How much you can make – Most coaches and mentors I know make thousands a month.
Time involved –
Your choice.
Equipment needed – Computer or phone and Skype or similar.
Qualifications – Technically coaches and mentors don’t need qualifications but you can obtain them. They’ll add to your credibility along with experience and testimonials.
Cost to start – None although setting up a website costs and would be good.
Coaching and mentoring can be great ways to make money if you are experienced or qualified in something and love what you do.
Most coaches or mentors don’t actually have any qualification since it isn’t really a regulated area and it depends what you are coaching.
Sports coaches usually get qualified or have extensive experience (I coached AFL and did a certification, my dad coached as well years ago but never got a qualification as he was a well known player in Tasmania).
Life coaches and mentors don’t have qualifications but can get some.
So if you are experienced in something specific, check if you need qualifications and go from there.
28. Alterations
How much you can make – $50 per hour
Time involved – Varies
Equipment needed – Sewing machine, overlocker, cotton, scissors and sewing supplies.
Qualifications – None but definite skills in sewing are needed.
Cost to start – None if you have sewing supplies already.
If you’re handy with a sewing machine you can offer alterations from hemming pants, replacing zips and fixing ripped seams through to more complicated alterations.
Check the prices in your area and advertise your services on Gumtree or Facebook.
29. Telemarketing
How much you can make – Minimum wage plus commission.
Time involved – Varies depending on the company.
Equipment needed – Phone, computer and internet.
Qualifications – None but a background in sales helps.
Cost to start – None.
Telemarketers have a 96% chance of being rejected so you need thick skin.
Being great at sales will assist but you do get training from the company you will be working with.
Many companies outsource this to at-home workers rather than have a full call centre. Check out Seek and Indeed for options.
30. Have your own business
How much you can make – Unlimited.
Time involved – Usually more than a full-time job at the start.
Equipment needed – Depends on your business.
Qualifications – Depends on your business.
Cost to start – You can start for under $100, check out this post for more info.
Having your own business can be incredible if you structure it right and aim to outsource as much as possible as soon as possible.
Focus on profit and growth so the business isn’t totally reliant on you, otherwise, you have simply created a job for yourself.
If you can get out and about without your kids there are a few ways you can get money and some occupations that are flexible with your hours.
31. Teach Something
How much you can make – Varies, I’ve made $500 to $5,000 in an hour.
Time involved –
1 hour + per class usually plus prep time.
Equipment needed – Anything needed to teach whatever you want to teach.
Qualifications – Depends on what you are teaching.
Cost to start – Varies.
Teaching can be done through community colleges, Airbnb, your own home, in the library, MeetUp or Facebook groups.
As long as you have a venue and something people want to learn, you can do it. Actual teaching such as at schools is different of course.
If you have skills in cooking, language, DIY, sustainability, hobbies such as photography, marketing or social media you can easily have a class booked out.
I’ve done it through running a MeetUp group and arranging classes on specific topics which went really well.
Work out what you want to teach, where you want to do the classes (in person or online) and what it will encompass.
You can also create courses online and sell them that way.
It can then become an almost passive income, you record once, set it up and market it well instead of teaching individual classes.
32. A Job
How much you can make – It depends on the job.
Time involved –
Depends on the job.
Equipment needed – Depends on the job, usually not much.
Qualifications – Depends on the job.
Cost to start – None usually.
Getting a job is often easier said than done, however, more companies are offering flexible working options.
Some occupations such as retail and hospitality lend themselves to flexible shifts.
Update your LinkedIn profile, have a professional go over your resume and cover letter then get out there.
33. Courier/Delivery Driver (Food or Parcels)
How much you can make – Varies depending on how many deliveries you make, generally above minimum wage per hour.
Time involved – It’s up to you how long you spend doing it. Some have deliveries in your specific area so you can do them on your lunch break.
Equipment needed – Yourself, possibly a car or bike depending on the company and a phone.
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start – None.
A variety of companies exist now where you can deliver food or parcels for. Having a car isn’t essential either as many allow bikes or walking.
For food there is UberEats (try it first if you want the service before joining use the codeeats-kyliet591ue for $10 off).
34. Drive for Others (Uber etc.)
How much you can make – $10+ per hour
Time involved – Your choice
Equipment needed – A car.
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start -
None.
There are multiple options for driving now including Uber, Taxify, Shebah and Ola. Uber is the most well known in Australia, however, after speaking with drivers they’ve found Taxify better.
Shebah is a female-only service which is likely to be more suitable for single mums conscious of safety. Ola is new so I don’t know much about it.
35. Dog Walking
How much you can make – Varies depending on how many dogs and clients you have.
Time involved –
Depends on your client’s needs.
Equipment needed – Poop bags, but usually, you use the owners’ leash etc.
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start – None.
Dog walking can be a great way to get in some exercise while having fun with playful pooches. That said, there is a lot to consider.
Not all animals get along, you can’t walk heaps at the same time (though you can walk more than one.)
This is a service usually used by busy professionals, people who are sick and can’t walk their dogs or anyone who is too busy.
36. Pet Sitting
How much you can make – A few thousand a month if you do it like a job.
Time involved – Varies
Equipment needed – Usually supplied by the owner. Your house and yard need to be secured though.
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start – None.
While most people pet sitting also house sit, some people prefer their animals to stay elsewhere while they are away or they simply have someone come over once or twice a day to check on the pets.
You can choose to do it on your own and advertise on Gumtree and Facebook or do it through an agency.
37. Babysitting
How much you can make – $30 to $40 per hour.
Time involved – Depends on the client.
Equipment needed – Nothing, though games and books can help.
Qualifications – A working with vulnerable people check, first aid certificate and some qualifications ensure higher rates.
Cost to start – None.
Babysitting can be done in your home or theirs. Most people prefer you to do it in their home, especially if it’s in the evening.
If you have childcare qualifications, are doing overnight or really late notice you can charge more. The average rate where I am is $35.
Let friends and family know, join groups such as au pair groups and respond to babysitting requests or promote your services.
38. Personal Concierge
How much you can make – $50 to $100 an hour.
Time involved –
Varies.
Equipment needed – Phone or computer.
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start – None.
Outsourcing every aspect of our lives is becoming more common especially in big cities.
If someone works a stressful job, long hours or is highly paid they are likely to pay someone else to take care of the errands.
Things like buying gifts, booking travel arrangements, picking up dry cleaning etc.
Basically, what you see an intern or personal assistant do in movies.
Organising and taking care of all the little things so your client can focus on their job and family life.
It can be a highly rewarding job too. Join anagency or choose to do it on your own and promote your services on social media or if you have a good corporate network see how you might be able to run a promotion or something within various organisations.
Random ways to make money are plentiful. Here are a few to get you thinking. Get creative yourself though and think about a need you see and how you can meet it.
That’s how many great money making ideas come about.
39. Make Money From Your Hobbies
How much you can make – Varies
Time involved –
As much or as little as you’d like.
Equipment needed – Depends on your hobbies.
Qualifications – Depends but if it’s your hobby you probably have the qualifications or experience needed.
Cost to start – Varies.
Some people prefer to keep their hobbies separate so they are simply something they enjoy and can destress with.
Others make money from them. Sewing/art and craft hobbies can be used to sell items on Etsy or Facebook.
Love to juggle, play guitar or do any kind of performance? You could busk, teach others how to do it or look at live performance nights as some pay commissions or split revenue with performers, even amateurs.
Can you make things, fix things or is there something for your hobby you can buy in bulk and resell to others? Get creative and work out the best options for you.
Blogging started as a hobby for me and resulted in a completely different lifestyle.
40. Airtasker
How much you can make – Varies depending on the task.
Time involved –
Varies depending on the task.
Equipment needed – Usually none except a phone or computer.
Qualifications – Usually none.
Cost to start – None.
Sign up to Airtasker (or Task Rabbit) and search through to see what odd jobs are available in your area.
Cleaning, selling things for others on eBay, social media, writing content and assisting with promotions are all things I have seen a lot.
You pitch a price for the ones you want and if they accept you get paid through the platform once it is all sorted.
41. Submit Jokes and Articles to Magazines
How much you can make – $25 to $2,000
Time involved –
As long as it takes you to write.
Equipment needed – A story or joke.
Qualifications –None.
Cost to start –None.
If you have a funny or amazing story, great joke or anecdote you can send it into magazines.
Have a look at the shops or check online to see which magazines you might have something suitable for then send it in online.
It doesn’t take long but can pay well, especially for real life weird or amazing stories.
42. Your Talents
How much you can make – It’s up to you.
Time involved –
You choose.
Equipment needed – Depends on your talents and needs.
Qualifications – If they’re your talents, you probably already have the qualifications you need.
Cost to start – Completely depends on what you’re doing.
Voiceover work, children’s party entertainer or editing videos are just a few ways you can make money with your talents.
Are you great at writing resumes or cover letters, maybe you’re a killer graphic designer? You don’t need to have qualifications in everything though some industries require them.
If you have a natural talent for something or taught yourself how to do something, chances are others will pay you to do it.
Write a list of thing syou are great at then research which ones you want to do, how much they pay and how to do it.
43. Multilevel Marketing (MLM) aka Party Plan and Similar
How much you can make – It’s up to you.
Time involved – You choose.
Equipment needed –You usually need to buy a kit and work it off.
Qualifications – None.
Cost to start –This depends on the company, though it is usually $100+ and you work the rest of the kit off with your first commissions.
I would be remiss if I didn’t include it but also be aware the majority of people lose money doing these.
While I don’t do any form of MLM or party plan options right now, I have previously.
Most of them can be done online and if you choose one you truly believe in, are great with sales, don’t spam in groups or via personal messages on social media, you can do really well.
Some people I know make above-average wages with various companies such as Tupperware, Nutrimetics, Arbonne etc.
The important thing to remember with any of these is not to spam people.
There is a way to do it well but most of us have probably experienced the dark side of it.
Get outside your own group of friends for sales as quickly as possible. Do NOT add everyone on your friends list to your Facebook group and try to force them to buy.
Especially do not spam business groups, do the cryptic “PM me, I have a great opportunity” or message anyone without consent unless you want to get kicked out of groups and develop a bad reputation.
Also, be selective about the company you choose to go with.
FAQ’s for Single Mums Making Money
In Australia, single mums are eligible for payments from Centrelink under certain circ*mstances. Also, there are factors such as childcare, tax etc.
Here are some of the frequently asked questions addressing this.
Do I have to declare my income to Centrelink?
Generally, all income needs to be declared. Check with Centrelink about your circ*mstances.
Do I have to declare tax/change my tax return?
Again, income needs to be declared. On the ATO website, even online surveys need to be declared and it outlines how.
For all income, speak with a tax professional as they will be able to guide you on what and how you need to declare.
Plus, you will be able to find out what you can claim on tax too.
What can I do about childcare?
The suggestions in this article aim to be flexible so you are less likely to need childcare. However, if you do need to arrange care, there are a few options.
Childcare swaps with other parents. This worked especially well for me with other single mothers or mothers who had been single mothers at some point.
I looked after their kids at some times and they looked after mine at others.
Depending on where you live and your needs, an au pair, demi pair or nanny might work.
Some families do nanny share meaning, they have a nanny but split the cost and the time so the nanny gets full-time work too.
School holiday programs or camps for the school holidays can be expensive but do provide you with childcare.
Family can be useful if you happen to live close and have that kind of relationship. I have at times but haven’t lived near family for years now so that hasn’t been an option.
Pay for your kids to go to childcare. Check your eligibility for the childcare rebate as it might cost less than you think with that applied.
What have been the best ways I made money as a single mother?
I covered this in a couple of articles here:
5 of the easiest ways I’ve made money
How I make money from home
19 ways I’ve made money from home or remotely
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