Reader Q&A: How Can I Make Money While On Maternity Leave?
Nakia, age 33 asks...
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Today's question is from "Nakia age 33”:
I'm having a baby soon and would like to make some money working from home while I'm on maternity leave as I need the income. What are some ideas for me to make money while on maternity leave?
Congratulations on the new addition to your family!
We know that this time can be exciting and a bit stressful. To help you out, we've gathered some of the best ways to make money from home.
Don't worry; these suggestions are easy to implement, even with a new baby to care for.
First, review your budget
One of the first things to do is re-examine your budget. While looking over the numbers, see how much you spend every month. With a solid understanding of your spending, you can see if it's realistic to cut costs.
Think about subscriptions and services you don't use anymore or won't use when the baby comes. Cutting some of your flexible expenses will help reduce the financial gap you might face during maternity leave.
Once you've identified where to cut back, consider your new expenses and work them into your budget. Items such as diapers, formula, higher insurance costs, and other baby essentials should be included in your budget.
Next, adjust your budget for your new expenses.
Next, consider any income you may have during your time away from work. Will your employee offer paid or unpaid maternity leave? Factor any income from your job into your budget and see if that money will cover your new expenses.
If you don't receive any income, figure out how much you'll need to make to cover your expenses. Having that number will help guide you as you review work-from-home options.
Work-from-home opportunities for moms on maternity leave
Once you’ve reviewed your budget, start exploring ideas to earn money while you are on leave.
Here are a few job ideas to start making money while at home with baby:
1. Become a virtual assistant
Working as a virtual assistant (VA) is an excellent option for a mom on maternity leave because you can set your own schedule. As a VA, you also get to pick and choose the tasks you want to handle for clients so you can focus on what you're good at and what you enjoy.
VA work can include managing social media, handling emails, data entry, providing customer service, and more.
Ways to get started
Think about the virtual assistant skills and the tasks you currently do at your full-time job. Tasks such as email writing, scheduling, booking appointments, organizing files, and other administrative work can all be services you offer to potential clients.
Next, reach out to your network to see who may need a virtual assistant. Alternatively, you can search for freelance or work-from-home job boards. The key is not to be afraid to put yourself out there. Check out sites like Fiverr.com and Upwork.com to get started.
2. Work as a social media manager
Practically every business is on social media, and they need talented people to manage their accounts. You could earn money as a social media manager if you're handy with platforms like Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, etc., or have strong project management skills.
In this role, you'll create and oversee social campaigns, produce content, review analytics, and develop strategies to increase followers.
Social media management usually involves flexible hours and can be done with a computer and phone.
Ways to get started
Start honing your skills as a social media wizard. Consider which platform you feel most comfortable with and work on improving your skills on that platform. The more you specialize in a service, the better you'll stand out.
You can also directly contact some of the social media accounts you follow and ask if they need a social media manager. Likewise, contact influencers to see if they need help managing their accounts.
Lastly, many companies will post ads for social media managers, so checking job websites can also be helpful.
3. Make money freelance writing
If writing is your thing, there are many ways to make money in freelance writing. The most common ways are through blog posts, articles, and social media content. If you have experience in sales, you can even get into copywriting, which focuses on writing ads and landing pages for businesses.
Ways to get started
Start with what you know if you're wondering what you could write about. You can contact maternity or parent websites to write blog posts or articles for them.
Consider your work experience. If you have knowledge in technology, education, etc., you can contact businesses to write blogs, web content, and even emails for their company.
4. Take care of other children
If you want something a little more hands-on, you could offer childcare to other families. Providing short-term care can be a way of making some extra money. You could even do simple childcare tasks, like picking kids up from school or watching them for a few hours until their parents get off of work.
If you have the energy to safely care for more kids while on leave, why not try it?
Ways to get started
Contact your network of parents or people in your neighborhood to see who needs childcare support. Try focusing on afterschool care or childcare for parents who want to have a date night.
5. Offer a cooking or catering service
You could sell your best creations while on maternity leave if you're great at cooking or baking. What's that one dish you make that is always a hit at parties or events? You can probably earn a good chunk of money selling that dish.
Ways to get started
You can utilize social media to promote your business. Also, consider the power of word of mouth. Invite friends to try some of your homemade foods and let them know you'll be starting a business selling baked goodies from home.
Just be sure to check the regulations regarding food businesses in your state and local area. Ensure your kitchen meets the requirements and has the qualifications to prepare and sell food.
6. Start a laundry service
If you don't mind tackling piles of laundry, offering an in-home laundry service could be a great way to make money.
One woman featured by Business Insider started her home laundry business with Polpin, formerly Sudshare, in 2021. She now earns around $30,000 a year doing laundry from home.
How to get started
If interested, sign up through the Poplin website and determine how far you want to drive to pick up laundry. The maximum distance is 50 miles from where you live.
You'll receive a notice when someone in your area requests laundry service. The company will only assign you one order at a time when you start, so you don't have to worry about being overwhelmed.
Eventually, after successfully fulfilling jobs, you can work your way up to taking on more than one order at the same time. Most freelancers make about $10-$20 per order.
7. Be a health coach for pregnant or new moms
If you have expertise in healthy living, starting a health coaching business could be a great option. You can specialize in helping new moms or offer your services to a broader range of clients.
Ways to get started
Decide on which areas of health you want to coach and who your ideal clients are. Lay out your services. Next, offer to work with some clients pro bono to build your reputation and referrals. Once you feel confident in your practice, promote yourself through a website or social media.
8. Make video content for social media
Creating video content for social media platforms is a great way to earn money from home. You can start by making videos for platforms like YouTube or TikTok, which have programs that pay creators.
Ways to get started
Choose a platform that you want to focus on. Select the theme of the videos you want to create. You can make various content, from informative videos to inspirational and entertaining clips.
Start uploading consistently. Notice which videos are performing well and make new videos following the same formula as the successful ones.
9. Consider short-term disability insurance.
Lastly, does your employer provide disability insurance? This type of insurance often covers employers if they become physically unable to work, but it can also cover maternity leave.
If your employer doesn't offer coverage, you can look into taking out a short-term disability policy. Companies like AFLAC offer flexible plans. It's a good idea to weigh the cost against the potential benefits.
Becoming a mom is beautiful, yet it requires time and energy. To ensure your life stays balanced with new changes, choose a work-from-home job that you are comfortable with and enjoy doing.
Use these ideas to help you figure out the best way to manage your maternity leave.
And be sure to check out our completely free courses on creating multiple streams of income!