Best Side Hustles for Working Moms 2024: 15 Opportunities With Flexible Hours

The best side hustles for working moms cover many skill sets and industries, but the right one depends on your interests and lifestyle. I recommend finding something that feels rewarding and pays decent money since you already have your full-time job — not to mention your kids — taking up a lot of your time.

For example, if you love taking pictures, consider a side hustle as a freelance photographer as a creative outlet that’ll put more money in your pocket. Or, if you have a knack for social media, try becoming an influencer as a fun way to build a network and income stream. There are plenty of opportunities for passive income, too. The key to choosing a side hustle is understanding how much time you have, how much money you need to earn, and what skills you need to succeed.

How we evaluate products

We chose the best side hustles for working moms based on the ability to work from home or on your schedule, as well as which jobs would use available resources, such as an extra room in the house. We did not include all possible side hustles.

The factors we considered include:

• Time: Working moms are already busy, so we looked for gigs with the most flexibility that still allowed enough time for your family.
• Skills: Some of the side hustles on our list require special skills, but we tried to cover as many bases as possible, giving many working moms a chance at extra income.
• Ease of starting: Starting a side hustle can be overwhelming, but we focused on side gigs with existing platforms that make it easy to start earning money.

The best side hustles for working moms

• Freelance bookkeeping
• Freelance writing
• Freelance proofreading
• Freelance graphic design
• Freelance photography
• Social media management
• Social media influencing
• Transcribing
• Pet sitting
• Food delivery
• Ridesharing
• Task assistance
• Room or space rental
• English teaching
• Surveys

15 of the best side hustles for working moms

Side hustles for working moms can leverage the skills you use at your full-time job or provide a complete change of pace. Here are the top options to consider.

1. Freelance bookkeeping

Required skills: Background or degree in accounting/bookkeeping, analytical skills, organizational skills, and time management

Managing a client’s financial accounts could involve many responsibilities, including tracking business transactions or doing payroll. You could also be the one who prepares documents for tax time, requiring you to keep accurate and organized finances all year.

How to get started: A college degree in accounting helps, but you can still become a bookkeeper if you didn’t major in this by taking a few classes online. You can even get certified by the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers for greater chances of landing clients. Ensure you understand how to use accounting software, prepare business reports, and file tax returns. Then, you can advertise on sites like Fiverr and Upwork to get clients.

2. Freelance writing

Required skills: Excellent grammar, research, time management, and organizational skills

Freelance writers can write blog posts, press releases, newsletters, ad copy, corporate communications, and more. There are many topics to cover, but I suggest focusing on a niche that fits your skills, interests, and experience. For example, if you work in healthcare, you can focus on health and wellness clients.

Find your specialty and build a portfolio to show potential clients what you can do. If you have data, such as the number of followers or sales your content has generated, that can help.

How to get started: I suggest finding entry-level writing opportunities to build your portfolio. You can do this by accepting low-paying gigs on Fiverr or Upwork to publish your work, then leverage this into more lucrative opportunities. You can use word-of-mouth or social media (especially LinkedIn) to find clients.

3. Freelance proofreading

Required skills: Excellent grammar, attention to detail, ability to spot errors and opportunities

If using a red pen to correct errors when you were in high school lit you up, you may be a good candidate for proofreading.

The focus is usually on grammatical errors or confusing language, but your job can also be to fact-check blog posts or other content and make sure formatting looks good and links work. You’re often the last one reading a piece, so you’re the final line of defense to catch slip-ups.

How to get started: It can be difficult to find proofreading jobs that pay well as a beginner, so it helps to have some sort of relevant experience on your resume, such as writing or editing in previous jobs. A writing-related degree, such as journalism or communications, could also help.

To get clients, you can list your services on Fiverr and Upwork and/or advertise on social media.

4. Freelance graphic design

Required skills: Understanding of design principles, excellent research skills, proficiency with design software, and UX/UI skills

As a graphic designer, you create visual content to communicate, identify a brand, or convey information. You could work with images and displays in almost any medium, including print or online magazines, mobile apps, ads, newsletters, books, websites, stores, and packaging. However, I tend to see most graphic design opportunities for building websites.

How to get started: Like freelance writing, you need a portfolio to land graphic design jobs. If you have a degree in design, you probably already have one. If not, work on creating one to show potential clients whether you advertise on a gig platform or do outreach (or cold-emailing).

5. Freelance photography

Required skills: Photography, creativity, time management, marketing, and customer service skills

If you have mad photography skills, you can offer your services to local families, businesses, professionals, couples or new parents, and more. You decide the type of photography you will provide and when your services are available. You don’t need a studio; you can meet clients at mutually convenient locations or even their homes.

How to get started: Take lots of photos and create a digital portfolio. You might also showcase your work on social media and ask your clients to tag you and leave reviews. You don’t need a formal degree or qualifications to be a good photographer — your photos speak for themselves.

6. Social media management

Required skills: The ability to write search-friendly copy, extensive research skills, communication skills, creativity, and an understanding of data analytics

Social media managers help businesses build their brands and grow engagement and followers. Your tasks may include creating content, scheduling posts, reaching out to companies and brands for sponsored posts, and researching competitors to see how you can elevate a company’s social media strategy.

How to get started: If you don’t have experience in digital marketing, consider taking courses. You can get a gig on Fiverr or Upwork, join social media networking groups, or contact companies directly to offer your services. This is a booming niche with lots of opportunities.

7. Social media influencing

Required skills: Good writing and communication skills, ability to engage an audience, data chops, and SEO skills

If you have a large social media following, a smart way to leverage that is to work as a social media influencer and partner with different brands. You’ll advertise their products and services to your audience. If anyone uses your links to make a purchase, the company will pay you a commission. You can also get paid for sponsored posts, which will probably grow your following even more (so it’s a win-win).

How to get started: Influencers depend on their audiences to make money, meaning you need a very large or very engaged audience. If you have both, even better. That will allow you to monetize your YouTube channel, make money on TikTok, or run a successful blog. If you don’t have an audience, start there.

8. Transcribing

Required skills: Fast and accurate typing skills, excellent listening skills, and great grammar

Transcriptionists use data entry to convert audio or video files into text. For example, you might transcribe legal proceedings or medical records by listening to an audio file and typing a text document to match the speakers' words. Some transcription jobs may also use live audio.

This is a good gig for moms who want something that doesn’t require critical thinking. However, you’ll need a quiet space and an excellent set of headphones (possibly noise-canceling). I think it’s best for parents looking to make a little extra cash at night while the kids sleep.

How to get started: If transcription sounds enticing, I encourage you to take a free course to see if it’s a good fit. You can also apply for transcription jobs on sites like Rev to try out the skill.

9. Pet sitting

Required skills: Patience, good communication skills, ability to handle pets of all sizes, knowledge of basic pet care

If you love animals, pet sitting can give you a much-needed break from the daily grind while you unwind with pets who need care. This is a popular gig to do on the weekends. You can decide what services to provide and where to provide them, either your house or the owner’s. Quick visits, walks, overnight stays, and short-term boarding are all fair game.

How to get started: To start pet sitting, you can create a profile on sites like Rover or Care.com. Take time to create a profile that shows your love for animals and knowledge of how to care for them. The more reviews you get from pet owners, the easier it is to get a job.

10. Food delivery

Required skills: Good customer service, attention to detail, ability to multi-task, a reliable car, and an appreciation for driving

What I love about food delivery gigs is you can choose when you work, even at the last minute, and build a schedule that works for you as a busy mom. You may decide to focus on peak times, such as weekend nights, to deliver food for higher payouts.

You can deliver food from restaurants or do grocery shopping. Most food-delivery apps let you choose which orders you’ll accept and tell you how much you’ll make upfront. Plus, if you provide good service, you may earn handsome tips.

How to get started: In most cases, you need a reliable vehicle and a valid driver’s license to be a delivery driver. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a fuel-efficient car to save money on gas from all the driving you’re likely to do. The availability of different food-delivery services depends on where you live. Here are some of the most popular ones:

• Uber Eats
• Instacart
• DoorDash
• Postmates

11. Ridesharing

Required skills: Good customer service, ability to drive safely, patience, and good navigational skills

Driving with a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft means taking passengers from one location to another. To make this gig work, you must be comfortable driving strangers and familiar with your area. You should know how to read people so you can talk with the customers who like to chat and sit in silence with the ones who don’t. You choose when you work and which rides to accept. I recommend catching rides when dropping off a passenger so you don’t have “dead miles” and reduce your per-hour rate.

How to get started: To be a rideshare driver, you need a reliable car and a valid driver’s license. You must also be able to pass a background check. The vehicle requirements vary by city and platform, so check what applies to your area. Sometimes, having a certain type of vehicle helps you qualify for higher-paying rides. For example, drivers with luxury vehicles can do Uber Black rides.

12. Task assistance

Required skills: Handyman or specialized skills, such as plumbing, electrical, maintenance, painting, cleaning, or moving skills

If everyone comes to you for help with tasks around the house, consider starting a side hustle for this. This could include replacing air filters, putting together furniture, cleaning, mounting TVs, helping with a move, or doing yard work. You choose the skills you’ll offer and when. If you work full-time, you can work at night or on weekends and charge accordingly.

How to get started: If you have special skills or enjoy organizing or cleaning, list your skills on sites like Thumbtack or TaskRabbit. If you have a portfolio or reviews from people you’ve done work for, be sure to include them to help future clients trust you.

13. Room or space rental

Required skills: Ability to maintain the rental space and some marketing knowledge

If you have extra space in your home, you can make money renting it to tenants. You might rent a spare bedroom, finished basement, or even a parking spot. You can choose how long you’ll rent the space and set rules for using it. Busy moms are some of the best hosts, in my experience, and can strike a good balance between rules and comfort.

How to get started: You can rent out spare rooms on Vrbo or Airbnb if you create a host profile and list your space. Then, it’s down to selecting the price and availability and setting guest restrictions. If you have space to rent, consider the Neighbor app to list it. Both opportunities require an attractive listing with pictures to help potential renters choose your property.

14. English teaching

Required skills: Ability to teach, teaching certificate, patience, and communication skills

If you love teaching but don’t have the time to tutor in person during after-school hours, you can teach English online using VIPKid. This platform works well for busy moms because the hours are typically very late evening or early morning (when your kids are sleeping) because you teach during Chinese students’ after-school hours.

How to get started: VIPKid has a strict process that starts with completing an application, recording a demo video, and teaching a mock class with a trainer before you get approved. If approved, VIPKid provides you with all the lesson plans. All you have to do is log in and teach.

15. Surveys

Required skills: Good communication and grammar skills

If you have a lot of downtime waiting, such as in the car during practice or in line at the grocery store, you can answer online surveys as a quick and easy way to earn extra money. As long as you communicate well and are willing to share your opinion, you can get paid to review products and services. You may only earn a few dollars, but I can’t think of many ways to earn money that require less effort.

How to get started: You can create accounts with as many survey sites as you want. I suggest choosing some of the more popular options, like Survey Junkie, Branded Surveys, and Swagbucks, because these generally have more surveys to choose from. Then, start an email just for surveys and check it often to see what options are available.

How to choose the best side hustle for working moms

Choosing the best side hustles for working moms requires soul searching and determining how much time you want to commit outside your 9-to-5 and family life.

Time

Time is key for everyone, and especially for working moms. Depending on your schedule, you might need to find a side hustle you can do in the evenings or at other specific times.

This is why a flexible side hustle, such as freelance work or taking online surveys, could make sense. Gig economy jobs, including food delivery and rideshare driving, also let you work when you want to.

Money

A flexible side hustle might be nice, but what if it doesn’t make much money? There can be trade-offs between making less money and having more flexibility, so it’s something you have to consider as you research different side hustles for money-making opportunities.

Keep in mind that side hustles aren’t necessarily meant to replace your full-time job, but rather supplement your existing income.

Yes, it would be nice to have a side hustle become wildly successful to the point where you could quit your day job. But that won’t always be the case, and earning an extra $100 to $500 or more per month is still a good thing if it can help you cover some bills or save for specific financial goals.

Effort

If you have to put in a lot of effort without much monetary compensation, you might want to consider another side hustle. However, some side hustles can take time to pay off.

For example, a new freelance writer might not have many options available because they don’t yet have much relevant experience on their resume, and maybe their portfolio is a bit thin. So they might write about literally anything that comes their way, even if the rates are lower than they'd like.

But if the writer continues improving their skills and building their portfolio, they’re likely to find more interesting work from clients that pay better wages. In this and many other cases, putting in the work can pay off.

Interest

Side hustles aren’t just about making money — and they shouldn’t be. If you don’t have a vested interest in what you’re doing to boost your income, it might be much harder to continue doing it, especially with all the regular demands in your life from work and kids.

But if you combine your interests or passions with a lucrative side hustle, you could make good money while having fun doing it. For example, your full-time work might not give you much creative freedom. But if you have design skills, you could look for freelance gigs as a designer.

FAQs

Bottom line

Working moms often need a side hustle to earn extra money and do something fun or fulfilling. Finding jobs with flexible hours and opportunities to tap into the passions you don’t use at your full-time job can be key.

I suggest finding a side hustle that lights you up, even if you love your regular job. Think of it as a way to make money doing what you’ve always loved but couldn’t pursue because the pay wasn’t enough. Low pay may be okay as a side hustle since you have a job to cover the bills.