13 Perfect Side Hustles for Millennial Moms in 2023

Most hustlers know this – we live, work, and play in a culture obsessed with productivity, obsessed with singling ourselves out from the crowd to be the cream of the crop.

But when you’ve got an entire life in your hands, no longer do you do what you do just for yourself, but even more so for your child.

Hence why working moms are an entirely different breed. Picture holding down a full-time job while trying to give your baby the best you can, and having a side hustle on top of that.

The good thing with remote work paving the road in this digital era is that there’s no shortage of side hustles you pursue even from home.

1. Become A Freelance Writer

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Freelance writing is an infinitely broad scope that can be narrowed down a whole lot further. Content writing and copywriting are by far the highest in demand and the easiest to break into, but there are countless other types of writing you can specialize in. Some examples of fields in freelance writing include:

• Content writing
• Copywriting
• Editing and Proofreading
• Resume and Business Plans
• Technical writing 

If you’ve got a creative knack for short, snappy and catchy writing, consider copywriting. Keep in mind, though, that copywriting generally involves more out-of-home time as meetings with clients, and other departments/agencies are usually necessary.

Content writing is more versatile in that you can write about pretty much anything, even about motherhood!

You’ve probably realized by now that when the topic of side hustles which pay well comes to the table, freelance writing will no doubt be front and center. There’s a good reason for that:

• There’s no glass ceiling to how much you can earn.
It all boils down to your rate, and how much you write, so you’re entirely accountable for your earnings. As your portfolio grows, so will your rate, and earning the equivalent of a lucrative full-time job will be more than feasible.

• It’s a field that’s highly in demand.
With 77% of marketers saying that written content will be their top focus for content marketing in 2019, brands everywhere both small and large are looking to get in on the action.

• You can do this 100% in the comfort of your own home
There will be an occasional meeting or interview, but that depends on what type of writing you’re doing. This means that at any moment, you can stop and tend to your child, and get back to where you left off without much consequences other than an interrupted workflow.

2. Become A Direct Sales Agent

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The direct sales model usually consists of 2 branches, though most companies will employ both methods:

• Single-level marketing:
You make money online by selling the company’s products to other people.

• Multi-level marketing:
You make money online by recruiting other people under your line and then earn from their sales and recruitment efforts as well. 

Direct sales is a great side hustle for its flexible timing. Without having to block out a few consecutive hours a day (which for moms, is a miracle in itself), you can efficiently get things done within short blocks of time — some planning here, a couple of calls and messages there.

One concern, however, is the multiple appointments, meetups, and lunches you’ll have to attend and organize. Most moms prefer not to bring a needy baby in tow during meetings for obvious reasons, hence why direct selling moms tend to target other moms they know.

The keys to doing direct sales successfully include:

• Choosing a direct sales company you can get behind.
Remember – whatever the product, company culture, or incentive scheme, you’re essentially selling it as your own.

• Making sure it’s a reputable company
While it can be difficult to rise in the ranks of larger direct selling companies such as Avon, Amway, and Usana, smaller ones may not be reliable in that their margins may be too insignificant to be worth the effort or their backend support may not be efficient. Worst-case scenario – it’s an outright scam.

We’ve got a great list of legit direct sales jobs with 0 to minimal start-up costs for you to consider if you’re starting out.

3. Become An Online Tutor

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The internet is home to a treasure trove of side income opportunities – tutoring included. Online tutoring requires you have nothing more than an adequate desktop/laptop with a decent microphone and webcam. Oh, but a bachelor’s degree is certainly helpful too!

Perhaps you excel in a particular subject, or have found great success with the teaching methods you used for your own children.

If you’re a native US or Canadian individual with a bachelor’s degree at the very least, congratulations! There’s a huge market for you when it comes to teaching ESL online, both to children as well as adults.

These are some of the most legitimate platforms worth applying for:

• QKids

Requirements: Minimum bachelor’s degree, eligible to work in the US or Canada, minimum 6 hours weekly time commitment
Pay range: $16 – $20 per hour

• VIPKid

Requirements: Minimum bachelor’s degree, eligibility to work in the US or Canada, a minimum of 1 year teaching experience
Pay range: Up to $22 per hour

• DaDa ABC

Requirements: Native English speaker, minimum bachelor’s degree
Pay range: $15 – $25 per hour 

But hold on! One good thing to note before you go starry-eyed into the application process? Passing the interview process is notoriously difficult.

Don’t limit yourself to these sites alone. Online tutoring to make money fast can also mean tutoring your friends’ or coworkers’ children!

While you’re at that, why limit yourself to school topics? For slightly older students, it’s never too early to learn financial literacy and basic business principles.

4. Become A Virtual Assistant

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Essentially, being a virtual assistant means you’ll be doing administrative and technical tasks for either businesses or individuals. What tasks, you ask? Think emails, calls, follow-ups, travel bookings, reminders and bookkeeping.

Some virtual assistants (VAs) even narrow down further, branding themselves specifically as blogging VAs or eCommerce VAs.

But you know what? Leave the brainstorming to us. We’ve already compiled a list of 100 virtual assistant services you can offer.

We’ve also got a complete guide with all the ingredients you need on how to be a virtual assistant – including how to price your services and where to find the best VA jobs around.

5. Become A Freelance Bookkeeper

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With a trusty laptop, trusty liability insurance, and some basic bookkeeping knowledge (which you can easily learn online) at your fingertips, a career as a freelance bookkeeper is already yours!

A freelance bookkeepers’ job scope usually involves:

• Balancing accounts 
• Processing invoices, payments and receipts 
• Handling payroll
• Reconcile statements 

Certifications may be preferred, but for most SMEs, this usually isn’t necessary. The incredibly low overhead costs also mean you can start with little capital – all you need is a simple cloud accounting software like Quickbooks, Xero or Zoho Books, the costs of which can be factored into your overall rates.

6. Become A Catering Business Owner

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For all the Julia Childs at heart whose spatulas have become an extension of themselves, a catering business from the comforts of your home kitchen may just be the dream side hustle.

As with everything, identify your niche first and keep your marketing efforts focused – then test out the waters.

If fondant-based baked goods are your thing, get to know the parents of your children’s classmates and offer to sell birthday cakes for their children’s parties.

Or if you’ve got a fine eye for Pinterest-worthy grazing boards, all those bachelorette parties and home dinners are a great way to get your name out!

While the pros are obvious (you’ll always have your eyes on your baby!), catering as a side hustle comes with its considerations too:

• You’ll have to be on time for delivery deadlines
• Be prepared for last-minute bulk orders *groan*
• Know who you can rope in for help when the going gets tough
• Find out what permits and licenses your respective state requires

7. Become A Social Media Manager

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If you find yourself spending an unhealthy amount of time on Pinterest, Instagram or the like – chances are, you already know the platform inside and out.

At the minimum, social media managing involves planning and monitoring a company’s social media content calendar and strategy. You’ll have to:

• Design and implement marketing strategies and campaigns
• Oversee company social media accounts 
• Upload consistent content
• Respond promptly and engage with prospects online

As with freelance writing, becoming a social media manager is another side hustle that can help you make money online for 0 to minimum capital.

And just like writing, once you have a few concrete clients under your sleeve, the ball has essentially been rolled!

8. Sell Intellectual Property 

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We’ve all got certain areas we flourish in. Perhaps you’ve got a flair for public speaking, are a closet SEO geek, or know more about coffee than the barista down the road.

Whatever it is, turning your skill or knowledge in a specific field into intellectual property is an excellent way to make money online as a mom.

The upfront investment in terms of time and effort will no doubt be significantly more, but a well-done and well-marketed IP will be a gift that keeps on giving down the road. Who doesn’t love passive income?

IPs come in many forms. Some examples include:

• Online courses – sell on Udemy or Teachable
• Stock photos – sell on Dreamstime, iStock Photo, 123RF or Shutterstock
• eBooks – sell on Amazon, Payhip or Selz
• Music soundtracks – sell on Spotify, TuneCore or Soundcloud
• Workout/meal prep programs – Start off by selling to coworkers, friends and family (postnatal-centric perhaps?) 

Check out our guide on how to successfully sell and publish your eBook on Amazon in 2020!

9. Become A Workshop Host 

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You might’ve been to one of these workshops before. Be it sourdough baking 101, watercolor landscapes or leather bookbinding – workshops which are run from home are especially abundant in the baking and crafting sectors.

We get it – the thought of inviting strangers into your living room is a little iffy to say the least. Inviting strangers into your living room…around the children?!

But there are more sensible options, of course. Often, small cafes would be happy to open their doors to you, though usually for a small fee. Or you could take advantage of the multiple event spaces that may be scattered around your area.

Better yet, guest teach in your nearby workshop space if there is one.

And if you’re willing to go the extra mile, set up your own workshop business! Here’s how to go about doing it:

• Rent out a cheap studio apartment or small office unit
• Bring out the interior designer in you
• Add the necessary equipment such as ovens if need be
• Create a business plan (how much of a cut do you take vs the teacher?)
• Invite teachers and create your monthly workshop calendars 
• Tell the world! 

On top of inviting teachers and artisans to conduct classes, you can still conduct your own, as well as invite special guest teachers from overseas who specialize in a specific niche.

10. Become A Dropshipping Business Owner

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You’ve always wanted to work on your terms and be your own boss. But starting a business – even an eCommerce one – is an intimidating affair.

The best way to first get your feet wet in running an online business is through dropshipping. Shopify (paired with Oberlo) is amazing for starting up a dropshipping store.

Picture running your own business, but not having to fork out a ton for inventory and overhead, not having to handle the logistics of shipping, and not having to worry about the risks involved when things don’t go well.

That’s dropshipping for you. You’re essentially the middleman between the supplier and the customer. It’s one of our favorite ways to make a side income from home because you don’t have to leave home at all – not even to the post office!

To oversimplify it, when a customer buys a product from your store, you relay the order to the supplier, and the supplier ships the order directly to the customer.

On the other hand, your hands will be kept full with the marketing and customer service end of things. Luckily, service providers like Shopify makes it a breeze.

Here are a few more things to know before you get into dropshipping from home:

• You’ll have competition…and a whole lot of it at that
Each supplier supplies to countless dropshippers, so why would your customers buy this product from you?

In cases like this, when you’re selling the exact same product, it’s key to conduct a thorough competitor analysis before starting so you can pinpoint the best way to position yourself in the market.

• Profit margins are low
As an effect of this competition, profit margins are typically very low at around 15% – 20% (highly dependant on various factors such as your niche and supplier).

• Outside the online experience, little is within your control
What happens when say, the product was received late? Or the supplier mistakenly shipped the wrong item? Maybe the product was faulty or there were some discrepancies during the shipping process?

A lot can go wrong, and as the seller and primary point of contact – you’ll be the one taking the brunt of it hence why it’s so crucial to choose an excellent supplier to save everyone some of the headaches.

11. Become A Private Label eCommerce Business Owner 

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Once you’ve tried your hand at dropshipping, time to get in control. Delve all the way in and set up your own private label eCommerce store!

If this isn’t the first HUSTLR article you’re reading, you probably know dropshipping is something we talk about quite a bit. Private labeling involves you selling products under your own brand, but made by an external manufacturer. Once again, Shopify is epic for this purpose.

You’ll often see private label products being sold as an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or ODM (Original Design Manufacturer), which have separate meanings but are used very loosely and interchangeably.

There are two ways you can go about this. There’s white labeling and private labeling (again, don’t get too caught up in the terms. These terms help to drive the idea home but make sure you communicate clearly with your manufacturer).

• White labeling:
You, as the seller do not alter the product. You merely rebrand it, slap on your logo, and sell it under your brand. The product itself remains the same.

• Private labeling:
You, as the seller can liaise with the manufacturer to produce an original product. You can modify it according to the specifications you’d like (size, color etc.) Costs are higher and a minimum order quantity is usually required.

Is all this going to take a lot of work? You bet!

But good thing we’ve already got a killer in-depth guide on how to start an online business as a side income.

12. Become A Wedding Planner

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 ✔ Romantic at heart
✔ Incredibly detail-oriented and organized
✔ Able to maintain grace under fire
✔ Have so many contacts in the wedding industry you could fill an encyclopedia.

Do you fit the bill?

If yes, then perhaps becoming a wedding planner might just be the side hustle for you as a mom in 2020.

As a wedding planner, you’ll be involved in the nitty-gritty of your clients’ weddings, just as you most likely were with yours. A broad overview of the main roles involved include:

• Setting and adhering to the wedding budget
• Creating a wedding master plan
• Sourcing vendors (caterers, florists, venue, cake, dress and entertainment etc.)
• Ensuring all contracts are in order
• Assisting on the wedding day and the days leading up to it

Be prepared for a lot of consultations, appointments, and acting as the intermediary between all the vendors and clients.

This side hustle is a particularly beneficial one if you’re a millennial mom. Where a good portion of your fellow acquaintances (and their acquaintances too!) are most likely getting hitched, there’s no one better to offer your services to since the trust barrier is already partially broken through.

Tip: 40 million people turn to Pinterest every year for wedding inspiration, so make sure not to miss out on Pinterest as a means of advertising your services!

13. Become A Blogger

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Is it overly stereotyped? Well, yes. But the association between being a mother and being a blogger certainly holds its roots in strong ground.

You won’t make money fast per se, but it’s one of those things you definitely would wish you had started a year back. See, not only is it the most flexible one out of all 13 side hustles in this list, but it offers a learning curve like no other.

You don’t need a background in web development, nor a journalism degree, nor the experience of a content writer. These days, there’s a huge abundance of blogging resources online.

Anyone can learn among others – how to make a simple WordPress site, basic SEO and how to write to connect with an audience.

Contrary to popular belief, mom blogs don’t necessarily equate to DIY crafts or gardening. It could be about anything – from stock trading to real estate.

Here’s a simple overview of how to start: 

• Identify your niche
• Choose a domain name
• Set up your blog (we recommend using WPX Hosting)
• Get a good and fast theme (we recommend WP Astra and Elementor)
• Content, content, content!
• Start monetizing with affiliate marketing and advertisements 

If you think you’ve got the passion and perseverance of a mommy blogger worth her salt, we highly recommend you check out all our other blogging resources here to get you started on the right track.

All In All

It’s a wonderful time to be a mom. The ability to work online from home means financials, family and flexibility can all come together.

In fact, stay at home parents make up an estimated 16% of the gig economy.

So don’t feel constrained by the walls of your home, and pursue the side hustle that you think is right for you.

And if you still don’t see a side hustle that speaks your language, we’ve got 37 more here in our Side Hustle Checklist! With 50 side income ideas, you’re bound to find the one.