6 ways to earn extra money after becoming a mum

We all know that adjusting to motherhood is a learning curve. Your life can completely change, meaning your priorities and routines can look very different to what they were pre-baby.

But what first time mum me didn’t quite appreciate is that one of the biggest learning curves for new parents is managing their finances.

Being on parental leave, often with a reduced or no income for several months, can be challenging, and added to that is the fact that babies are expensive things – and I should know because I’ve had four of them!

It’s important to remember that you’re not alone though, and there’s lots of advice out there to help you juggle finances.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you buy something after clicking on a link, I’ll earn a few pennies to help me keep creating posts like this!

Finding ways to earn a little extra money is also a great way of funding those early years, and in this collaborative post are six things you could consider to help stretch your earnings.

1. Take part in surveys or focus groups

If you’re interested in earning vouchers and even cash for sharing your opinion, then online surveys and focus groups could be ideal for you. Not only can you do them while your baby is napping, but some can pay a lot of money for a relatively short time commitment.

There are lots of websites you can sign up to for paid market research, helping you earn some great rewards. You can pick and choose according to when you’re free, making it a nice casual earner while you’re juggling family life.

2. Take on some casual work

While you won’t be able to take on paid work while being paid maternity pay, you could take on some casual work before your baby is born or after maternity leave ends – it all helps during this time. Freelancing or a side hustle can help boost your earnings, helping you cover childcare and other expenses.

You could find there are a lot of casual work opportunities related to your current career or expertise. EFL tuition provides a lot of flexibility, with the option to do hours that suit your family life. You could also look at admin opportunities, copywriting and other types of casual work that you could do in your free time.

Some fantastic side hustle ideas include:

Copywriting
Proofreading
Online administration and data entry
Mystery shopping
Dog walking
Tutoring

The key is to find something you enjoy and something you can fit around your other commitments. If you can earn some money while watching TV or while travelling, you could be onto a great little earner.

3. Start a blog

A blog can be an excellent way to make some money. Many parents (me included!) start a blog to share their experience, but you could also try blogging about something you’re passionate about too. Everyone has their own unique voice and ideas, and by sharing yours, you could be onto a winner with a hobby that you enjoy that also makes you some extra money.

While there is a lot of competition out there in the blogosphere, it doesn’t mean that it’s too late to start a blog. In fact, you’ll benefit from all of the wisdom of other bloggers who can guide you through it! There are plenty of tips to know before you start blogging to help you get off to a great start.

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A post shared by Natalie Brown (@confessionsofacrummymummy)

Once you’ve got your blog setup, there are a lot of ways you can monetise it. Some of the most common ways to monetise your blog include:

Selling ad space on your pages
Including affiliate links in your posts (more on this below)
Paid collaborations and reviews
Selling an eBook
Sponsored blog content

There are different directions your blog can take, helping you benefit from several income streams that could be worth your while. For example, I had no idea when I first started blogging that I would go on to write Confessions of a Crummy Mummy – The Baby Years, from which I now earn royalties twice a year.

4. Use social media to get paid for your recommendations

Blogging is one way you can make money through sharing your thoughts and opinions and content, but you could also make money through your social media accounts. It’s possible to make money through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and others, simply by making recommendations for the products you buy and use. This process is called affiliate marketing, and it’s easier than you think to make money from it.

Getting started with affiliate marketing can take some getting used to, but once the money starts rolling in, you’ll soon discover new and exciting ways of boosting your affiliate income.

5. Sell your unwanted items

If you’ve got a lot of unwanted items lying around the house, a de-clutter could be a good way for you to earn some extra money. You can sell a lot online, including your unwanted clothing, barely used baby clothes and household items. You could try selling quickly and locally via Facebook Marketplace, or you could try other online marketplaces like eBay, Depop and Vinted. Do some research into places you can sell unwanted goods to find one that suits you and what you’re trying to sell.

If you don’t have much luck with re-selling, try to recycle your goods instead. You may not get money for them, but at least you’ll be doing your bit to help the environment!

6. Set up your own Etsy business

If you have a talent for crafting you could consider starting an Etsy business. Etsy has some great ways of making passive income through printables and artwork, or you could sell products you’re able to make yourself. Selling on Etsy can be a fantastic hobby and a lot of fun, and could open a lot of doors. My clever friend started selling her handmade vegan soaps through Etsy and as her business took off she is now selling them in actual shops too!