Provident Mom

Provident Moms may find that a little extra cash is helpful every now and then, but they don’t want to be tied down to a regularly scheduled job. This is when it’s helpful to get a little work on the side, something you can do during naptime or while the kids are at school. You may not think you have any marketable skills, but you’re wrong. Of course you have marketable skills. Here are some ideas to get you thinking:

Writing
Even if you’re just a mediocre writer, you can make some money this way. Visit some of these websites and you’ll see that there’s quite a demand for your writing skills out there, especially for web content.
www.xomba.com
www.guru.com (not just for writing)
www.demandstudios.com
www.shvoong.com
www.associatedcontent.com
www.craigslist.org (looking under the writing section)

Accounting
If you have accounting skills, you can put them to work for one of the many small businesses out there that doesn’t have enough work or money to hire on an accountant full-time. This is easily done from home. Check craigslist or your local classifieds, or better yet, make up a website and advertise in a local paper.

Selling
Get an ebay account and begin by selling things around your house you no longer need. Drop by the local thrift store once a week or so and grab up items that you know others will pay for. I once came across a box full of American Girl doll clothes, which made a tidy little profit on Ebay.

Cleaning
A friend told me about a dream job she once had. For $50 per night, she would clean up a small office nearby. It took her about an hour and she did it after the kids were in bed. This little job netted her $1,000 per month.

Consulting
Do you have skills you haven’t used for a while that could be valuable to someone on a consulting basis? Do you know much about landscaping? Decorating? Graphic design? Tutoring? Translating foreign languages? These skills can earn you some money if you find the people who need them.

Music Lessons
Music teachers can easily charge $15-$25 for half hour lessons. If you don’t mind the commitment of weekly lessons, this can be a great way to earn some extra money. If you already have an instrument, your students will come to you. You just have to be there and be prepared.

There are countless other ways to earn money on the side. If you’re coming up a little short or just want to add to your savings or college or retirement accounts, find a little job that suits your life.