Whether you need some extra cash for school supplies, clothing, a small vacation or to pay bills…we could all use some extra cash from time to time. For the stay at home mom or working mom, this is tough! All moms work long hours and make sacrifices for their family. For the sake of this article, we’re calling taking care of your kids a job (and seriously, it’s a job!).

Before You Decide On An Income Source

Child Care Costs

We all know how expensive day care and baby sitters are. The average babysitter makes $15.00 an hour for a single child according to care.com! That’s way more than minimum wage in most areas of the United States. If you actually lose money (or work only) to pay the sitter…that second job isn’t doing you a favor.

Time

It’s not impossible…but finding a job that allows you to work only during school hours is tough. Likewise, finding a job that allows you to work evenings if you spouse has a rotating or unpredictable schedule is difficult. Take an honest and realistic look at your family’s schedule and see if working is possible.

Time Away From Family

If you’re not able to pay your bills then you might have to suck it up this time. For the mama who is looking to have some extra spending money though, consider what your time is worth. Is taking you out of the home and away from your family worth that paycheck? The answer might be yes, but make sure you know what an hour of your time is worth.

Cash Sources That Work For YOU

Delivery Services

Delivering pizza, Chinese food or subs are great ideas and you can make some really decent money with tips. If your area isn’t safe for this type of work or you’d rather not make your car smell like fast food, consider grocery delivery services. Companies like Shipt and Instacart will pay  you to shop and deliver groceries! Remember that you’ll still be putting miles on your vehicle, but delivery services could fit into your busy schedule.

Offer Services In Your Neighborhood

Jump onto your friends or neighborhood’s Facebook page and ask if anyone needs help with household chores, babysitting, cutting grass or other tasks. You might be surprised! As a bonus, if you babysit or do after school care you might be able to do it from your own home. That means no babysitting costs for you!

Sell Your Clutter

You probably have items around the house that you don’t use anymore, and bring no value to your home. These items could bring in extra cash when you sell them on Craigslist or a neighborhood yard sale site on Facebook. You can always do a regular yard sale as well, but selling the item online gives you a guaranteed sale when you meet up, and keeps people away from your house. Remember to meet up in a public place in daylight. Safety first!

On-line Surveys

You can earn cash and other rewards by going to sites like swagbucks.com and working in your spare time. You can even use your phone mama! With Swag Bucks you can do surveys that give you points, which in turn buy you gift cards. Those gift cards are redeemable online or in person to retailers you already use like Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart and more. You can earn even more points by clicking on their shopping tabs. When you shop through one of their links you can earn up to 10 Swag Bucks for every dollar you spend. That’s much better than any rewards credit card I’ve ever heard of.

For even more ideas on earning some extra cash, check out the Penny Hoarder’s list. Be smart when you’re looking for supplemental income. A legit company will never ask you to send them money first so that they can train  you, and they don’t need your bank account information.

You’ll notice I didn’t list driving for Uber or delivering for Amazon as jobs you might want to consider. Those might work for some of us, but the schedule and safety factors were outside of my comfort zone. Be careful out there, nothing is more important than your safety. 

Once you earn that money, keep it in your own pocket. Check out ways to save money and spend it well!

If you are feeling generous, consider donating to The Decent Mom! Every penny counts!

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