20 Unique Ways for Moms to Make Money This Summer
Finances
Audio By Carbonatix
8:13 AM on Thursday, April 30
By Carrie Lowrance, Finances
Everybody is looking for ways to earn money, and moms are no different. Chances are, you are the chief financial officer of your household and are feeling the pinch lately. You also know that summer is coming up and the kids will be home.
Wouldn’t it be nice to earn a little extra money this summer? You could use it towards paying off debt, for savings, or even starting a Christmas account for this year.
Here are some ideas for you to make some money this summer:
(You can do all the suggestions in this article online from home, but not all companies may hire right now. These jobs should complement a part or full-time job rather than serve as a replacement.)
1. Freelance Writing
If you have a way with words, freelance writing is a great way to earn some extra cash. It’s a flexible, solitary activity that you can do around your kids’ summer schedules, and you won’t have to worry if your dog is barking their head off at the mailman. You can write one of two ways: you can start your own freelance writing business or you can write for content mills that pay every week or every other week.
Companies: Textbroker, iWriter, and Crowd Content
2. Editing and Proofreading
If you have experience, editing and proofreading are ways to make some extra money. Companies to look into are Proofreading Services, Babbletype, and Proofreading Pal.
3. Data Entry
You may or may not need experience to do data entry, depending on the company. Some will train and some don’t.
Companies: Dion Data and Sigtrack
4. ESL Tutoring
If you are fluent in English and/or Spanish, ESL tutoring may be for you.
Companies: Cambly and iTalki (If you want to be a “professional teacher” with iTalki, you will need to have some past experience.)
5. Academic Tutoring
There are different companies that hire people to help kids with their homework, like Brainfuse, Tutor.com, and Studypool.
6. Customer Service
Customer service is a common work-from-home job and can have flexible hours. You will need a quiet place to work without distractions, an excellent internet connection, and a headset. You will also need to have some previous experience with this kind of job, even if it’s just working in a retail store as a cashier. Some companies that hire for customer service include Alorica, LiveOps, and Sykes, to name a few.
7. Transcription
This is when you listen to audio and type what you hear. You may not need previous experience to do this, but you will need to take either a typing test or a test on translation to prove you have the skills to do the job.
Companies: TranscribeMe, Rev, and Tigerfish
8. Translation
If you are fluent in other languages, translation may be a good option for you. You may or may not need experience to do this depending on the company.
Companies: Gengo and Language Line
9. Virtual Assisting
As a virtual assistant, you will have all kinds of responsibilities depending on the client. Most companies are more interested in an applicant’s skills rather than if they have had experience.
Companies: Fancy Hands, Time Etc, and 99 Social
10. Sell Low-Content Books
If you are creative, putting together low-content books may be a good option for you. What is a low-content book? A low-content book is a book with very few words like a journal, activity book, recipe book (to write recipes in), planner, etc. You can create them on Canva and upload them to Amazon to sell. This is more of a passive income stream. You will have to get the word out, but they are popular.
11. Survey Panels
Responding to surveys is more of a side hustle but can still be worth it for minor work. You simply answer questions for surveys that you qualify for, and it is free to join. The following panels offer payment via Paypal and gift cards: Pinecone Research, PaidViewpoint, and Forthright.
12. Voice Over Work
If you have a pleasant voice and enjoy reading, voice over work may be a good option for you. You can narrate books, commercials, television programs, movies, etc. There are two ways you can approach this kind of work. You can start your own business or you can look for work on different platforms. Voice over work requires some equipment like a microphone and mic stand, headphones, and software. Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork offer places to get work with no experience. Companies that require experience are Filmless, Snap Recordings, and Voices.com.
13. Sell Stuff on Facebook Marketplace
Go through things you don’t need and sell them on Facebook Marketplace.
14. Teach a Course
If you have a specific talent or know how to do something, you can create a course and sell it online for passive income. You could teach how to play the guitar, how to market a book, or baking for beginners, etc. Platforms for this are Udemy, Teachable, Podia, etc.
15. Slice the Pie
If you are a music lover, this may be a fun thing to do for some extra cash. You listen to snippets of songs and then leave a few sentence reviews. The payout threshold is $10, and they pay on Tuesdays and Fridays.
16. Chat Jobs
If you are good at typing and enjoy helping people, a chat job may be something you would enjoy. Different companies have different requirements, but some to look at are Chatdesk Expert, SiteStaff, and Drips.
17. Book Reviews
During summer, known as “the season” for reading, why not get paid for reading and reviewing books? There are companies that need people to read and review books who pay in cash. Some of these companies are Kirkus, Online Book Club, Reedsy Discovery, and Booklist Publications.
18. Make and Sell Printables
This is another idea if you have a creative streak. What is a printable? A printable can be a checklist, an invitation, party favors, etc. that you make on your computer and sell. People sell them on platforms like Etsy.
19. Sell Your Photos or Videos
If you have an eye for photography, you can sell your photos on platforms like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock.
20. Write a Book
If you have a way with words, write a book and sell it on Amazon. Most people think a book has to be the next great American novel, but it doesn’t. You can write anything from a short romance novella to a 60,000-word romance novel to a 100,000-word science fiction or fantasy novel. Don’t let the word count scare you; just write. Also, making sure it’s edited, has gone through several revisions, and has a professionally designed cover is a must. Once again, this is passive income that will need some marketing, but it’s a fun and creative option.
We live in an amazing time where we can make money easily and without leaving our homes. The suggestions above are some great ways for you to make some extra money. Look and see what appeals to you to help you cash in this summer. Start signing up and applying, and you will be on your way to making the extra cash you need, giving you peace of mind.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/kohei_hara
Carrie Lowrance is a freelance writer and author. She has had her work featured on Crosswalk, iBelieve, Huffington Post, and the Penny Hoarder. She is also the author of three children’s books, three clean romance books, one romance novella, three books of poetry, and one non-fiction book. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and baking, reading, and hanging out with her husband, and sweet cat, Cupcake. You can find out more about Carrie and her writing at www.carrielowrance.com.
