Extra Income for Sahm's???

Updated on December 28, 2010
3.B. asks from Tampa, FL
13 answers

Hi ladies, I have been a SAHM for 2.5 yrs. While it's great and I love it, I feel like we could really use a little "stimulus". lol. But Im not sure where to begin. Before I had my middle son, I worked independently cleaning homes and made great money. However it is really hard to build up clients. It took years to get to the full time status I had when I decided to stay home. Do any of you have any legit ideas that I could try as a part time or from home basis? Have you done any of the selling jobs and made real money? Like pampered chef, Avon etc? Thnaks in advance :)

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So What Happened?

I have the WORST luck selling on craigslist lol. I refuse to even try anymore. People give me the run around, never show or want to trade their junk for mine! I have tried the resale of kids stuff, doesnt seem to work for me!

Thanks ladies, I plan on looking into the links you sent me!

Featured Answers

L.M.

answers from Dover on

If you would like information on a work at home business opportunity, go to:

www.workathomeunited.com/madden

It is something that I have started doing on my own schedule and I would be more than happy to share the information with you.

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S.E.

answers from Wichita Falls on

What are your skills? What are your passions? The most successful from home businesses i've seen focus on what you do well and enjoy doing. If you are crafty, try Etsy. If you really enjoy taking care of kids, look to do inhome child care. My MIL ran a florest shop from home and my wedding cake was done by a woman who does a dozen or so a year because thats what they enjoyed.

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A.M.

answers from Eau Claire on

I sell Mary Kay and when I put in a little effort I can do really well. It doesn't cost a lot to invest in and you get all your products half off! The reason I started was because I couldn't afford to buy the products at full price when I moved out on my own at 18. My friends like doing parties so they can get products at a discount and I then do a parties for their friends. You determine when you work and how hard you want to work, do book parties if you are unable to go to ppl's houses. There are lots of options! Good luck to you!

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M.C.

answers from Wichita Falls on

Have you thought of Creative Memories? I have done this for EIGHT years....I cannot believe it! Everybody take pictures....and most of the time they end up on the computer never to be looked at again!

I have put 3 children through college with the help of Creative Memories. I am also a full time teacher....so I just worked when I could....but it was great because I could do it out of my HOME....I did not want to take on a second job to be away from my children to make $$.

Also, now my photos of my children are in beautiful albums....traditional and digital albums. I have done this "at cost." Message me and I can give you more info.

Here is the website so you can take a look for yourself.

www.mycmsite.com/marycluley

By the way, I am really not a creative person in any way. This is about preserving your family history....with your family photos and your journalling as a mother.

Right now, until Jan. 1, we are having something called a "Holliday Bonus" promotion, where you can earn $300 in cash and new products the first 30 days...it's a promotional start up....which is RISK FREE because the cost of the start up kit is a business expense!

Blessings! Let me know if I can help you in any way.

1 mom found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I agree with Denise... sell your children's outgrown clothing, etc.

If you are into MLM's then go for it.... be ready to invest, recruit, and sell. Many on here say they are legit and of so wonderful. Beware.... MLM's are not popular around here, we all run from them.

When I get invited to a Pampered Chef, etc party.......I see it as an invoice. I prefer to just write you a check donation and get it over with.

EDIT: I read your what happened. In this case, look within yourself....what are you good at, think outside the box. I hire SAHM's who are excellent with organizational skills and bookkeepping when I have too much on my plate during our busiest months. I have a great person who "trains" me with Quickbooks and she is an at home mom with fantastic accounting skills and knowledge of tax laws.

What to YOU like to do??

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L.C.

answers from Kansas City on

oh buddy, do i know all about this. lol. i have been a stay at home mom for 5 years and i have tried a plethora of stuff. i will try to break it down in order for you of what i tried and the advantages and disadvantages of all.

1) babysitting. I started babysitting my best friends son 4 days after my daughter was born. it was great for her to have a little play mate, but the hours steadily started getting longer and longer and the older he got the more money it cost for me to keep up the house. buying toys, the food, baby wipes, giving him a bath, etc. when it got to the point that i was babysitting 70 hours a week for $120 bucks, i just couldnt handle it anymore.

2) running an in-home daycare. this was a train wreck for me. I just dont have enough of a spine for it and people walked all over it. i had people constantly not paying me, not bring diapers for their kids, etc. as much as i love kids, this just wasnt worth it for me!

3) selling avon. Avon is great and has some great products. For me personally though with 2 small children, i just did not have the time for it. I hit it hard in the beginning and made maybe $200 or so. people really like their products and they work well, but they are not things that people need OFTEN. if you are like me, then some foundation and blush is going to last you 8 months-a year. so its not a high repeat business unless you have a lots of customers ordering very often. you also have to pay for the books to hand out to people. although that is tax deductible. The hardest part for me was sitting down and sorting out who bought what and then having to drive around making the deliveries to everyone.

I should also add that i looked into selling mary-kay, however they kept pushing me to buy this $250 pack and also an inventory. they even offered me a credit card to charge it on. I just couldnt afford that. avon still required an up front fee, but it much lower than mary-kay. i cannot say if that was the norm though!

3) online paid surveys. Never made a dime. and i tried for a good MONTH to make them work. i dont know what it is about me, but i never seemed to qualify for the remaining part of the survey.

4) selling crafts! i crochet and i enjoy doing it! but again, people only need so many crocheted blankets, scarfs, hats, etc. my friends and family bought a lot in the beginning, but then didnt need new stuff. I dont know how to do patterns and stuff, so i couldnt open a store on etsy. However, i do have a lot of friends who are REALLY good and have opened etsy stores and done fairly well and bring in an extra 20-30 bucks a month or so.

5) i did try to do chacha and re-phrase questions. my sister does it and brings in a little bit each month. However, the software just wouldnt work on my computer. i have no idea why.

6) google systems. (i.e. google kit, google work, etc. ) TOTAL SCAM! dont even go there. i am pissed that i even thought it was real!

7) working from home with a wellness company. Ok, i was HIGHELY skeptical of this one. But since there was a money back promise for up to 4 months, i decided, what the hey? i will try for a few months and if it doesnt work then i can quit. you never know until you try right? lol. Now, here i am over a year later. lol. is it HUGE money? no. i do it very part time, but i have still made around $2500 in the passed year and a few months. its consumer direct marketing, so i dont have to deliver or sort any products. It has really helped my families health and i have learned so much that i really enjoy and i am always eager to help other families and their health issues too. its nice, because it is all things people buy anyway, laundry detergent, cleaners, shampoo, etc. its just more cost efficient so its not an expense you arent spending anyway. that makes things easier and there is also no contract. do as much or as little as you want, quit as you want, take breaks, etc. some people have done better then me, some have done worse. but i enjoy it. ( http://www.PerfectWorkForMoms.com if you want to check it out at all )

well, there you go. those are my experiences! lol. be prepared for SOME kind of investment. basically anything you are going to do is going to require something. even working outside the home requires new clothes, uniform, special shoes, gas for driving, etc. you just want to make sure that it is reasonable! its really the "free" stuff you need to look out for. that is the stuff that ends up being a scam 99% of the time. Just be realistic about it all and you will do fine! anything from home is going to be "supplemental" its not the same at a full-time work outside the home job, or hourly pay or anything like that, but it can help make things more comfortable!

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E.P.

answers from New York on

Hi. I agree with another post - you have to find something that YOU have a passion for and then go from there. I couldn't sell make-up, candles or scrapbooking supplies because I'm not all that interested in any of those things. For me, it was cooking. I've always loved to cook and I really enjoy sharing my passion for it with others. I also have a great passion for the lost art of gathering friends and family around the table for good food and conversation. A lot of children (and adults) today don't have table manners because they never sit around the table!

I've been a Pampered Chef consultant for almost 9 years and I still love it. I average at least $200 pay from each show and often earn $250-$400 per show. I get tons of free products (which I really love) and I only work maybe 4-5 evenings per month. That gives me an extra $800-$1500 per month. The company makes it easy to run your business without putting out tons of $$ for supplies, etc. I don't have to keep stock in my house OR make deliveries which makes it nice and easy for me. I have never had to beg anyone to do a show and I always have plenty of business.

Please contact me if you have any questions. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

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T.B.

answers from Miami on

Consignment shops have given me extra cash. I have also had some success with selling on Ebay. I have friend who has made a living out of buying antiques at yard sales and selling her treasures on Ebay.

D.M.

answers from Denver on

I see this question a lot here, but not a lot of info on the Mom's education or skills. I am my family's sole financial support (my husband is a SAHD) and I recently started selling Avon and Watkins (because I use these products), but my main goal there is to break even on household & self-care costs (you are welcome to shoot me any questions about Avon and/or Watkins).

There is some comfort in creating a client base so that if I lose my job, I may be able to ramp up the other 2. But in reality, I would most likely end up having to farm out the skills I use at my job NOW in order to make decent $.

I know people can make good money with Avon and Watkins. Can I?
I don't know. But I can make good money at data evaluation and tech writing - because those skill sets I use at work that would transfer easily.

People who work from home and who don't want to work full-time are VERY valuable right now to companies, especially if they can be somewhat flexible about getting/not getting work.

If you are great at sales, outgoing, etc., Avon, Pampered Chef, Watkins, 31 Gifts, etc. may be right for you. If not, then remember the bit about working for companies.

Good luck!

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C.K.

answers from Orlando on

Dear Mom,

About 6 years ago I myself was looking but my criteria really was ethics first and still is today. I work for a Fortune 400 company my job is to completely take care of the President of that company it's a situation that requires extreme ethics ... I fit very well.

I'm also very much into the health of my family and friends and I have found a whole food supplement that is the most stringently researched nutraceutical in history worldwide. The results of that research are what leads me to know the intregity of this product is beyond reproach. Research may not be important to alot of people but if I recommend it I want some substance behind what I tell people is a healthy product.

The number one thing that is most deficient in anyones diet is fruits and vegetables. The company NSA has found a way to dehydrant fruits and vegetables put that into capsules and has named that product Juice Plus+. All the research talked about above was done on people that consumed that product (vs. research that is done on the product this is done on the people, the only way research should be done).

I have found with this amount of research behind this product it makes it very easy to talk about and share with others. I have many friends who also have found this very lucrative. I don't have to be an expert it is the research that sells itself.

Since it is third party independent research done by some of the most prestigis institutions from around the world (we are known by the company we keep) it does make it easy and fun to do this business.

Please listen to the 11 minute video on my website www.vineripejuiceplus.com (a picture is worth a thousand words).

Let's set up a time to talk ...

For better health,
C.

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M.C.

answers from La Crosse on

I sell Avon and love it. I get to set my own hours and work as little or as much as I want. Plus, I get a discount! ;) I meet all kinds of people and have made a few friends this way. It's not hard to sell at all and the start up cost is only $10. If you want more info, just message me. Good luck!

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

If you have kids, then you have kids clothing and shoes. That stuff sells like crazy on ebay OR craigslist. You'd be amazed.

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A.O.

answers from Sherman on

Love, love, love my Mary Kay business! It allows our 3 kids to attend a private preschool and me to stay at home.

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