So many stay-at-home-moms want to make money without working outside the home but don’t know where to start. I was one of them. About a year ago, I realized that although I consider myself very fortunate to be able to choose to be a stay-at-home-mom, I needed more in my life than toddler play, diaper changes and temper tantrums. And, after having worked for over 15 years before becoming a stay at home mom, I really wanted to contribute something to the family income.
I knew I didn’t want to work outside the home, but I also knew that after getting a quality education and working in marketing at a fast growing tech firm for nearly a decade, I had something valuable to offer potential clients as a marketing freelancer. So I fell back on my passion – writing – and used my PR skills to pitch myself. I must have sent pitch emails to over a hundred different marketing agencies across the US. Along the way, I found a few clients who offered some work here and there, but they weren’t great fits. And then – boom! I found the perfect client, offering just enough work to keep me busy while my youngest is at Mother’s Day Out and at a sitter one day a week. And by the end of the year, I’ll have grossed a five-figure salary by writing webpages and blog posts – not bad for a side gig.
I have a friend who did something very similar when she took a voluntary layoff shortly after returning to work from maternity leave. She was a journalist by training, but she had always had an eye for a great photo. Even using a point and shoot back in college, she could always capture the moment perfectly. So while making do on her husband’s military income and her severance pay, she studied photography and photo editing. She practiced with her family and friends, and soon began booking clients through friends of friends and fellow military families. Today, she has a bona fide photography business that she operates on both the east and west coast (near cities where her husband has been stationed) and she couldn’t be happier with her job and the time it still allows her to be with her family.
Finally, I have a local friend who used social media in a very creative way to market herself to potential restaurant clients. My friend Rebecca started EatLoveBR last year, posting photos and reviews of local eateries in the Baton Rouge area on a variety of social media channels. As her following grew, restaurants began to notice that she was driving traffic back to their social media sites. And they took interest. Today she has over 8,000 followers on Instagram, and is a Social Media Manager for various local restaurants. And while she travels to restaurants to take photos for the social media feeds, she’s able to do so while her kids are in school.
If you’re a stay-at-home-mom and want to earn some kind of income for your family, the possibilities are endless! Think about what your true passion is and how you can market that passion to potential clients. Then pitch yourself. Don’t be discouraged if it takes time to gain some traction; we all have to start somewhere. But if you’re persistent, I’m sure you can find some work that you’ll love.
