What Can a Housewife Do to Earn Money?
Being a housewife can be a full-time job in and of itself. All the cooking, cleaning, child-rearing, and budgeting make sure of it. But the unfortunate truth is that all this labor is unpaid. Of course, this can be frustrating for housewives who want to contribute to the family’s finances or simply gain financial independence.
So, what can a housewife do to make money? The short answer is – quite a lot. With the right tools and some organization, any skill or passion can be turned into a profitable venture.
What Can a Housewife Do to Earn Money – How to Start
Before exploring the many options for earning money from home, let’s tackle another question first – what should a housewife do to earn money?In other words, let’s cover all the steps necessary to transform skills and interests into a viable source of income. Only then will any of the entries on our list actually make sense.
Step 1 – Consider Your Interests
Juggling the many responsibilities of a housewife is no easy task. The last thing you want to do is add another activity that feels like a chore to your daily schedule. So, don’t. Focus on the activities you genuinely enjoy doing and are passionate about.
It might be helpful to write these activities down to help you pinpoint which ones could be turned into income opportunities. Whether it’s crafting, cooking, writing, or teaching, starting with something you love will make the journey to earning money more enjoyable and, more importantly, sustainable.
Step 2 – Examine Your Previous Experiences
Chances are you’ve worked at least one job before deciding to focus on managing your household. Reflect on this past role – or roles – and think of the skills you’ve gained. It might be customer service, project management, or a specific technical skill. Whatever the case, your previous experience can be a valuable asset.
For instance, if you’ve had experience in marketing, you could offer consulting services or even run a small online business. Similarly, those with a background in graphic design might consider creating digital products.
Even if you have no previous employment experience, the experience you gained through managing your household can also be leveraged. The same goes for your education, leisure activities, and essentially anything you’ve ever done.
Step 3 – Focus on Specific Skills
Now that you have a general idea of what you can do to earn money as a housewife, it’s time to hone in on specific skills. What can you do the best? And what can you do that others can’t? Those are the skills that are the most likely to bring in money.
Let’s say you’re a talented baker. Managing a cooking blog, selling baked goods, and teaching online classes are just some ways you can monetize this skill. If you have a flair for writing, copyrighting, content creation, or ghostwriting can be the right avenues for you.
What Can a Housewife Do to Earn Money – Top Suggestions
By now, you’ve answered three questions.
No. 1 – What do I want to do?
No. 2 – What experiences can I leverage?
And No. 3 – What specific talents can I monetize?
With your answers in hand, it’s time to answer the big question – what can a housewife do to earn money? Here are some ideas:
#1 – Data Entry/Online Survey Jobs
Let’s start the list with jobs that don’t require any particular experience – data entry and online survey jobs. Sure, these activities aren’t the most fun, but they will suit housewives who appreciate repetitive tasks that are easy to manage.
The names of these positions are self-explanatory. Data entry requires you to input and manage information in digital systems, while online surveys are all about providing feedback on products, services, and market trends. The best thing about these jobs? They are exceptionally flexible, allowing you to adjust your hours to fit around your other responsibilities at home.
#2 – Dropshipping
If you want to work with physical goods but aren’t able to produce them on your own, consider getting into dropshipping.
Dropshipping refers to selling products directly to customers without handling the inventory by yourself. How is this possible? It’s simple. You’re just the middleman (or should we say middlewoman). The supplier is the one who ships the product directly to the customer on your behalf.
Thanks to minimal overhead costs, dropshipping can be quite a lucrative endeavor. Of course, you’ll also enjoy flexibility, as you can set your own hours and manage your store from home and any device that’s currently near you.
#3 – Selling Homemade Products
Have you always enjoyed making something with your own two hands? If so, forget about dropshipping and become the supplier yourself. When it comes to selling homemade products, the possibilities are virtually endless. Of course, it all boils down to your skills, knowledge, and experience. However, you can also pick up quite a few new skills from online tutorials, so don’t let a lack of experience hold you back.
You can consider handcrafting jewelry, making homemade candles, knitting garments, and preparing artisanal jams. You can also create custom artwork, bake gourmet treats, design unique home décor items, etc.
#4 – Freelance Writing
Are you more fond of the digital realm than the physical one? No problem; you can still create highly valuable products without touching yarn, baking trays, or paintbrushes. All you need is a laptop and, preferably, a way with words. Armed with these, you can become a freelance writer and essentially sell your words instead of tangible products.
From crafting engaging blog posts and articles to writing compelling copies for websites and marketing materials, this option offers just as broad a range of opportunities. It might even offer a broader one, as content has always been – and will always be – king, as Steve Jobs put it in 1996.
If you can’t find clients from the get-go, start by creating your own blog. You can then use this blog as a portfolio to showcase what you do best. Your previous skills and experiences will also come in handy. The only difference is that this time, you won’t be doing the activity – you’ll be writing about it.
#5 – Social Media Management
Social media is the No. 1 way people connect, share, and engage online. This makes it a prime avenue for businesses looking to grow. It also makes it a highly attractive option for housewives looking to earn money from home. After all, all those businesses will need someone to manage their social media accounts. Why should it not be you?
Having writing chops, some graphic design skills, and a solid understanding of digital marketing can set you up for success in this field. What you don’t know – learn. There are numerous digital marketing experts sharing their skills online and they are just waiting to help you level up. So, what are you waiting for?
#6 – Coaching
If your pre-housewife resume is packed with experiences from a particular field like finance or wellness, consider channeling that expertise into coaching. Whether it’s business coaching, life coaching, or fitness training, your specialized knowledge can help others set (and achieve) goals, stay accountable, and overcome challenges. As for you, this knowledge can, of course, help you earn money as a housewife.
One-on-one sessions are a great way to start while building your customer base. Afterward, you’ll find a lot more success with online courses.
#7 – Creating Online Courses
Online courses are arguably the best way to earn money from home as a housewife. Why?
It’s simple. This option allows you to monetize any skills you might have (and we’ve mentioned in this guide). Do you enjoy baking? Great! Film yourself while baking, and voilà – you have both a delicious cake and a valuable course. Have you worked in digital marketing? Perfect! Don’t do the same thing from home; teach others to do so.
The same mentality can be applied to anything you might do as a housewife – gardening, cleaning, or budgeting. Of course, it can also be applied to any other skills you might’ve earned during your lifetime, such as graphic design, writing, or painting. Even proficiency in another language can be a solid foundation for an online course.
You’ve Got This!
After choosing the path you want to take, there are a few more elements to consider. Some concern your daily life, while others refer to tools and strategies that will support your new venture.
On the daily life side, create a detailed plan on how this venture will fit into your existing schedule. For instance, if you’re a mom, determine which blocks of time you can allocate to your job. The morning, after you take your children to school? The afternoon, when the baby is napping? The evening, when everyone is winding down or asleep? Whatever works for your specific circumstances.
As for tools, they will depend on the money-making activity you choose. For instance, the most lucrative one – selling online courses – requires you to choose the right video-hosting platform. BlurBay stands out as an excellent option in this regard, as it offers superb video-hosting capabilities with a minimal fee (a 5% commission).
With the right tools and proper organization out of the way, there’s only one thing left. A boost of confidence. So, take a deep breath and embrace your new venture with enthusiasm and determination. You’ve got everything you need to succeed – now go for it!
Jürgen is a tech entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Jürgen is passionate about tech, media, entertainment and enjoys helping readers by providing up to date blogs in his areas of expertise.