I work from home, which means that I make money from home. My job definitely isn’t easy, but I love that I get to spend time with Smalls and can make my own hours. I work as a Virtual Assistant, but that’s not for everyone.
If you really, truly aspire to work from home, there are ways to replace your income, but (usually) it takes some magic: finding your niche and LOTS of persistence. And then there are ways to make money that is more passive, and I know that at least some of you are interested in selling items, or starting your own home business. Don’t worry, I’m going to cover those, too.
I have had so many friends ask me what I do, and how I got here. That’s a long story (but a good one that I’ll share when I’m ready), so I’ll make it brief: there were undue amounts of tears, stress, and frustration involved. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It took me some time to find out what I was really truly good at. And that’s okay.
If you really, truly want it and have a vision, you can succeed. Sometimes, I’ve found that the problem is not knowing where to start, so I’ve compiled a list of possibilities for you, if you really do dream of staying home with your kids, but just can’t quit your job (I feel ya!).
Make Money From Home By Selling Stuff
ThredUp
Seriously. There are lots of sites that let you get rid of gently used clothing. I am a huge fan of ThreadUp, because they take women’s and children’s clothing, shoes, and accessories. I’ve made a decent chunk just by sending clothes that no longer fit, diaper bags, shoes, purses, and more. And, if they don’t take your items, they donate them to worthwhile charities. Plus, they provide a bag with postage paid to send your unused items back to them.
Ebay
Have a handbag or collectible that is just collecting dust? Start doing some research about what sells, and read the product descriptions, pay attention to prices, and start compiling a list of possibilities. There are lots of great posts out there, but I really like THIS ONE.
Craigslist
Craigslist is a great way to sell unused toys and kid or baby items. Please do not expect to make close to retail when you’re listing items. Remember, they’re used, even if it’s only a few uses. If someone wants to pay retail, they’ll head to Babies R Us. Do a quick search and figure out what is similar (or the same) to what you’re listing, and then determine your price based on that.
As for safety, always, always, always meet in a public place. No porch pickups, people. Let’s stay safe.
Facebook B/S/T (buy, sell, trade) groups are a great way to sell not only kid stuff but just about anything that you don’t want. Have an old bathroom decor set? Or maybe some dishes that you no longer use? List them!
As with Craigslist, make sure that unless you know the person you pick a public place to meet and exchange.
Essential Oils
You may have noticed that I post quite a bit about my love affair with Young Living essential oils. That’s because I LOVE them. I signed up as a member a few years ago and decided to take the plunge and “do the business” a year ago. It’s been a whirlwind. I work with an amazing group of ladies (and men) who are supportive, funny, and really, really smart.
You can make a lot of money if you work at it! I currently make around $1,200 a month, but I have friends who make upwards of $5,000 a month, just from their oils business.
I love that “working” for Young Living never feels like work, and I never pressure anyone to sell, ever. I just love helping people. I also love that I can make my own DIY sunscreen, bug repellant, and don’t even get me started on the Thieves Cleaner! That stuff is MAGIC (and it lasts FOR.EV.ER!).
I also get a HUGE discount on Young Living products. I enrolled in Essential Rewards, which is a totally optional, very awesome monthly subscription program where I earn free oils on top of my income. It’s awesome.
And all I did was share. I don’t hold parties, pass out business cards, or feel compelled to brand my car. I just share what works, and that works for me.
This chart shows the average income that you can make as a Young Living Independent Distributor:
Here’s how it breaks down: You spend $100 on your monthly order. Each person you’ve enrolled also spends $100. If you’ve enrolled just 4 people, that means you would have a grand total of 500 OGV (which equates to around $500), you make $50 profit.
Of course, this means that you have placed a $100 order, and you have 4 of your friends or family doing the same. In my experience, this is just the first month. The gals that I work with have all made enough to cover their oil orders by month 3. That’s awesome, y’all!
As you get going, you’ll find other people who want to join you in this crazy oil business. And that’s awesome! As you grow, you’ll make more, and more. For example, if everyone spends around $2,000, you’ll end up with a profit of around $500! That’s huge!
And while it sounds intimidating, it’s really not. You’re just sharing what you love. Seriously. It really is that simple.
Ready to get started? You can sign up right here:
Get Crafty
If you’re like some of my friends, you have a major talent for making beautiful things (this is definitely not one of my talents, y’all!). If you have friends asking you where you got that…maybe it’s time to make some to sell. You can sell through Facebook, Etsy, eBay, or even Craigslist.
Make Money From Home With Ebates
If you love shopping online as much as I do, you need to sign up for Ebates. Like NOW. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s basically a site where you get paid to do the shopping you would be doing anyways. You just log in, select the store, and shop. Seriously. It’s stupid easy. And, if you refer friends, you get $5! So, not only do you get paid to buy things you were already going to buy (let’s face it-most of us moms shop online), but you can get paid for sharing this awesome service with your friends.
Plus, they’re running a special bonus right now (through June 30, 2015), so you can earn even more:
Make Money From Home With Freelancing
Virtually any office job can be done by a contractor from home. When most people think ‘freelance’, they think of writers and Virtual Assistants. While this is true, graphic designers and anyone with programming experience would also do well. Freelancer.com and Flexjobs.com are great places to find clients.
If you are artistic or have a unique set of skills (not like in Taken, thanks), you might also consider posting on Fiverr. I’ve purchased a $5 gig and upgrades to help me get things done like art, coding, and design. Each “gig” starts at just $5 as a baseline, but upgrades can be several hundred dollars depending upon the amount of work involved. If you have a passion, you may be able to sell it here!
Customer Service
I did a short stint in customer service but found that I enjoyed writing more. If you love helping people and have a dedicated computer and landline, this is a good bet for you. Alpine Access is a good place to start. There are lots of options out there, so check around and see what company fits your needs.
You will need to be able to guarantee a set schedule of times when your house is quiet for most companies, so please take that into consideration. There are some email support options out there, like Talk2Rep, so don’t count yourself out if your house is like mine and never quiet.
Make Money From Home With Tutoring
If you need flexible hours, tutoring is a great option, especially if you have teaching experience. Check out Tutor.com if this sounds like it’s up your alley! They need tutors to help students in subjects like math, reading, and more. You’ll get double points for a degree in one of these fields.
Let’s start off with the obvious: what is a “virtual assistant”? This is a question that I get a lot! Most people look at me like I have three heads when I tell them that I am a VA and I *gasp* blog.
In a nutshell, a virtual assistant (or VA) is someone who helps offload tasks from busy professionals. A VA may answer phones, emails, schedule social media, book clients, code websites (build sites!), promote products, and more.
You can find virtual assisting jobs online, through the newspaper, or by talking to your current employer, especially if what you’re doing is something that has the potential to be mobile.
Know that there are a LOT of sites out there that tout helping you find that perfect job…but most of them pay very, very little. And a lot of the “big” free sites put you up against stiff competition that is charging pennies on the dollar. If you’re serious about making an income as a Virtual Assistant, look to sites like FlexJobs and HireMyMom.com. Trust me on this one.