9 Low-Cost Business Ideas for Stay-at-Home Moms

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Stay-at-Home Moms Business Ideas

Did you ever dream of starting a home business so you could make money from home while raising kids?

I know I did!

After working on so many jobs in the past that I all ended up quitting without regret, I realized that working 9-5 was not for me.

I hated having a boss, working in a cubicle 8 hours a day, wasting time on the road, and not having freedom to pursue my passions. I hated earning the same income no matter how hard I worked.

I knew I couldn’t spend another 30 years of my life working in an office and with only one or two days off a week to do things that I loved.

So, I decided to pursue a different path to have the freedom that I wanted, and have not looked back!

Starting a business isn’t for everyone, but if you’re a mom like me and you want to stay home with your family while earning a living, starting the right stay-at-home moms business ideas could be the very thing that you really needed to change your life.

Starting a home business can be a fantastic way of earning a living at home while enjoying other benefits.

Benefits of Starting a Home Business

1. Work on your own time. You can work in the wee hours of the night, in between mom duties, or anytime you choose.
2. Spend more time with your family.
3. Have a creative outlet.
4. Work at home or anywhere. Depending on the type of business you choose, you may also be able to work while traveling.
5. Reach your financial goals without having to leave home.

Is Starting a Business for You?

Running a business isn’t for everyone, but it could be for you if:

1. You have an entrepreneurial spirit, which means you prefer working without a boss. You like to be your own team leader.
2. You are creative and resourceful. Starting creative home business ideas is for you if you like thinking outside the box and you are resourceful most especially at improving your craft.
3. You are willing to put in work.  Success doesn’t happen overnight and will not happen if you don’t put in work. You will encounter a lot of challenges and you might need to adapt to the changes in your industry. That said, you will need to put in a lot of work before you even start seeing success.

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Stay-at-Home Moms Business Ideas To Start with Little Money

This list of small business ideas to start from home is perfect for those who never ran a business before and are looking for low-cost business ideas.

I decided to rank each of these moms business ideas on a scale of 1-10 ( 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest) in terms of:

• TIME : How much time you will need to get started? (10 being the most time-consuming)
• INVESTMENT: How much money you will need to get started? (10 being the most costly)
• INCOME: How much money can you earn through this stay at home moms business idea? (10 being the most lucrative)
• DIFFICULTY: How easy or difficult is it to make money through this business idea?  (10 being the most difficult)

Let’s dive in!

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1. Start a Freelance Writing Business

Freelance writing is one of the best stay-at-home business ideas you could start today. There’s no shortage of writing jobs online, so if this is your cup of tea, it is possible to make six figures with a freelance writing business.

I’ve been freelance writing part-time for over six years now and it remains one of my favorites on this list because of the huge demand for content writers.

I am not even a great writer and English is not my first language, but in my first three years writing part-time, I earned over $70,000 from one “source” alone with no previous experience in web content writing.

How to Get Started?

If this is something you are interested in, I highly recommend setting up a website for your writing services. This is also a great place for you to showcase your writing skills and show your experience.

You can head over to this step-by-step tutorial to help you set up a website/blog in 15 minutes!

I also highly recommend checking out this FREE introductory workshop to learn the strategies that Holly Johnson used to grow her writing income to $200,000 per year!

TIME: 1

You can start a freelance writing business today through freelance sites like Upwork, Freelancer and Guru. While there are many downsides to using these sites, such as project fees and high competition, they offer a great starting point for those who do not have writing experience.

INVESTMENT: 1

You only need to have a computer and internet connection to get started.

INCOME: 8

If you are fully booked, you could earn six figures per year!

DIFFICULTY:  5  (Intermediate)

You don’t need to have previous experience, but you need to have good writing skills to earn a stable income with a freelance writing business.

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2. Start a Blog

Blogging is one of the more popular home business ideas for stay at home moms for a few reasons. Blogging is flexible and fun. You can blog about your passions and get to help other people by sharing your ideas, projects, recipes, and more.

The world of blogging is also vast, so you can always find a niche that you’ll enjoy writing about.

Your earning potential is also limitless with blogging and you can have multiple income sources such as display advertising, sponsored posts, brand partnerships, and affiliate marketing.

I started this blog on a whim and never thought I could turn it into a full-time business.  Now, I am making more than I ever earned from my previous full-time jobs with blogging. And the most beautiful thing about blogging that I can’t trade for anything in the world: I am with my kid full-time!

How to Get Started?

Check out the following posts where I shared the strategies I used to grow my blog into a full-time business (with proofs!):

TIME: 1

You’ll only need a few minutes to set up a blog but it can take some time to start earning a significant amount from your blog.  There’s a ton of work involved in growing a blog, from writing blog posts consistently to learning strategies on how to drive traffic to your blog.

INVESTMENT: 1

You’ll only need to pay for hosting (best price here) and a domain name to start.

INCOME: 10

Your earning potential as a blogger has no limit. You could be earning $1k a month or $100k a month like Michelle of Making Sense of Cents.

DIFFICULTY: 10 ( Challenging/ Difficult)

I’ll be honest: it takes time and a ton of effort to start making your first dollar as a blogger. However, if you love challenges, then blogging could be one of the best and most rewarding stay-at-home moms business ideas you should start!

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3. Start a Proofreading Business

This business idea is perfect for those who have eagle eyes for errors in a publication.

Caitlyn Pile (founder of Proofread Anywhere), for instance, made $43,000 in her first year proofreading part-time! Proofreading has been her primary source of income since 2012, and in 2014, she started Proofreadanywhere.com as a blog to help others start and grow their proofreading business like she did.

How to Get Started?

Prepare your resume and check out this article where I also listed sites to go to for proofreading jobs.

I also recommend checking out Caitlyn’s free 76-minute proofreading workshop to see if proofreading is for you.

TIME: 1

You can get started right away. Once you have your resume ready, create the perfect pitch and send it to potential clients.

INVESTMENT: 1

You can start a proofreading business with $0. However, investing in proofreading courses can help you market your services to land gigs faster even if you don’t have experience.

Sign up for Caitlyn’s FREE 76-minute workshop here to learn more about proofreading.

INCOME:  5-8

Proofreading online rates vary–from an average of $25 to 40 per hour. Your rates may increase considerably as you establish experience and credibility as a proofreader.

DIFFICULTY: 3 (Easy)

You don’t need previous experience; you just need to have the skills which you can also learn from Caitlyn’s proofreading courses.

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4. Become an FBA Seller

Becoming an FBA seller is for those who want to sell physical products on Amazon. There are a few ways to make money as an FBA seller: you could either shop at physical stores and sell them for a profit on Amazon; or source your own products and sell them on Amazon.

What’s great about the Amazon’s FBA program is that you can focus on finding great products and marketing, and then Amazon takes care of the logistics. That means you don’t have to store your products in your home or ship the products to your customers.

How to Get Started?

Check out The Selling Family’s Amazon Boot Camp or signing up for their FREE 7-day email course here to learn more about how to make money re-selling items on Amazon.

Jessica from The Selling Family makes six figures per year as an Amazon seller and she’s also helped a lot of stay at home moms make money on Amazon doing the same thing!

TIME:  5

This business idea can be time-consuming. You need to scour through stores to find profitable products. However, if you like shopping or finding great deals anyway, this type of business will hardly feel like work.

INVESTMENT: 7

This will require some money to start but according to The Selling Family, you can start with as little as $600.

INCOME:  5

Since this business is product-based, your income is dependent on how much money you invested and how much sales you made. You could be making a few hundred bucks a month to thousands.

DIFFICULTY: 5 (Intermediate)

Once you learn the tricks on pricing, which products to buy to make a profit, and how to get started, and where to get the products, this stay-at-home mom business should provide a nice income stream for you.

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 5. Start a YouTube Channel

For me, starting a YouTube channel is one of the best stay-at-home moms’ business ideas for those who love creating video content. YouTube is a massive platform with billions of monthly visitors, and second, you call the shots for your channel. Basically, you get to piggyback on YouTube’s super large audience and be the boss of your own channel.

If you look at the top mom YouTubers, you’ll find that most of their content revolves around parenting, family, food, health, and lifestyle. So even if you’re home most of the time, you can always think of content you can film for your audience. And as you build a more solid community around your YouTube channel, you’ll have access to more income-generating opportunities, such as getting more ads and sponsored videos. Some people have even quit their day jobs and focus on YouTube as their full-time business.

How to Get Started

Need a good head start with your YouTube business? Check out Video Making for Beginners and Become a Successful Product Reviewer on YouTube on Udemy. 

TIME: 1/10

You can start conceptualizing and filming YouTube videos whenever you like. You have total control of your time.

INVESTMENT: 3/10

Creating YouTube videos means investing in equipment, such as a camera, computer, and editing software. Some people started filming videos using smartphones with decent resolutions. Over time, you might have to invest in extra gear, such as an external microphone and lighting equipment.

INCOME: 8/10

YouTube can prove to be a lucrative business, especially if you’ve established a solid community. Your income can from various ways, such as ads, sponsored videos, affiliate videos, and more!

DIFFICULTY: 7/10

If you aren’t tech-savvy before engaging in this business, you will have to learn a specific set of skills such as filming (taking into consideration, lighting, angle, and background), video editing, and video marketing.

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6. Affiliate Marketing

I think women are the best marketers. Many women can’t stop gushing about a product that they like very much, whether it’s a baby bath, skincare, or cookware. That’s why I know affiliate marketing is one of the best business ideas for women.

Affiliate marketing is the process of promoting a product through an affiliate link or code. As an affiliate, you will promote a product through your blog, website, or video. When someone clicks on the affiliate link and purchases the product, you earn a commission. This process can go on even when you sleep or on vacation, so it’s an incredibly good way to earn some passive income.

I just want to add that if you want to be an effective affiliate marketer, you are confident with the products you are promoting. Better yet, you must have at least tried using the product yourself so you can give honest and authentic feedback.

If affiliate marketing is an entirely new ballgame for you, check out Michelle Schroeder’s Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. Michelle is one of the biggest bloggers out there who consistently make $50,000 in affiliate income every single month. I have taken this course as well and I can highly recommend it.

TIME: 3/10

Affiliate marketing has a learning curve, so it’s best to give yourself the time to study all the resources you can find. You can start by setting up a blog or website, identifying a niche or products you want to promote, and signing up for affiliate programs.

INVESTMENT: 2/10

You don’t need much investment to start earning from affiliate marketing. At the very least, you need a blog or website where you can talk about a product and promote it. It’s also helpful to invest in online courses to fully understand affiliate marketing.

INCOME: 6/10

There’s no saying how much you can earn from affiliate marketing, but there are people who make four-digit incomes a day with this business.

DIFFICULTY: 6/10

Affiliate marketing takes effort, from researching a product, generating traffic, to converting visitors into buyers. There’s a whole technical side to affiliate marketing that you have to learn to fully optimize your income potential.

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7. Print on Demand

The print on demand (POD) venture is also one of the best small business ideas for stay-at-home moms. Print on demand has low start-up costs, can be operated from home (or anywhere), and is also an excellent source of passive income.

Basically, POD is all about creating designs that can be printed on merchandise, such as shirts, mugs, caps, and bags. You will be in charge of the design, and nothing else. When someone makes an order, the order is forwarded to the supplier, prints your design on the merch, and sends the product to the customer.

So, if you have the flair to create designs, this could be one of the best business ideas for you. There’s no need to stock up on inventory (which saves up time, space, and money), you can work on your own schedule, and everything else is almost automated for you.

TIME: 3/10

Once you’ve set up a store in platforms like Printful and Printify, most of the work now falls on creating the designs. If you’re a naturally artistic and creative person, you should find designing more play than work.

INVESTMENT: 3/10

Print on demand requires minimal investment. At most, all that you’re going to need is a laptop or computer, and a reliable internet connection. There’s no need to stock up an inventory of merch products.

INCOME: 6/10

How much you earn from your print on demand business depends on a couple of things, such as demand for your design and how well you were able to market it. Some people make a few hundred dollars a month, but successful ones make enough money to quit their day jobs and work on POD full-time.

DIFFICULTY: 4/10

Most POD business owners go through a cycle of brainstorming-creating-uploading. If you’re a natural creative, coming up with designs that sell wouldn’t be too tough on you. Plus, there are plenty of ways to learn design if you don’t have the experience. Those who can’t or don’t want to create designs but still push through with POD choose to outsource the designing task to freelance graphic designers. Fiverr is where I usually go for affordable graphic designers!

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8. Host spare space on Airbnb

Hosting a spare space on Airbnb is another great option. If you have a spare room at home, you can turn it into a making-machine by renting it out to guests and tourists. Airbnb provides an excellent platform for you to earn passive income. According to Capital Counselor, the average stay for guests is 4.3 nights and hosts earn an average of $102 per booked night.

Starting up an Airbnb business involve some capital, and how much you need depends on what you want to achieve with your unit. At the very least, you’ll have to spend on repairs, maintenance, and amenities. You also need to do some market research to nail down the best price point for your rental and provide outstanding customer service to keep the bookings coming.

How to Get Started?

Simply list your space on Airbnb and check out YouTube tutorials on how to make residual income with Airbnb.

TIME: 5/10

Doing an Airbnb business has some legal aspects to it, such as registering your business name and filing for taxes, so it’s best to take your time making sure you have all the necessary paperwork before launching your business.

INVESTMENT: 6/10

Airbnb rentals come with ongoing expenses, such utility bills as repairs, maintenance, cleaning services, and restocks of amenities.

INCOME: 8/10

On average, Airbnb hosts make around $924/month, but the number may fluctuate based on your location, how busy your rental is, the quality of your unit, and the services you offer.

DIFFICULTY: 4/10

Running an Airbnb business isn’t very difficult especially if you’ve taken care of the legal side of it. The business side is an ongoing effort that you’ll get a hang of as you push through it. 

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9. Start a Craft Business

Did you always want to embark on fun, creative projects at home such as making baskets, knitting, sewing, making jewelry or making home decors? If so, you could also turn your hobby into a business!

Selling crafts is one of the best small business ideas to start with little money. It’s low-cost, fun, and rewarding!

And thanks to the internet, there are more ways than ever to sell your crafts. Use platforms such as Shopify and Etsy, or sell your products on Facebook or on your own website.

How to Get Started?

Create great products. Sign up for Shopify or Etsy and create a good marketing plan.

TIME: 7-10

You will need to dedicate a bit more time for creating your products and for marketing as well.

INVESTMENT: 1-5

Crafts are usually low-cost.

INCOME: 6

If you priced your items right, you could make a good profit and get paid for your labor, artistry and time.

DIFFICULTY: 1-5

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10. Start a Consulting Business

Do you have knowledge in an industry that may help other people? Maybe you’re a business expert, an expert in digital marketing or a culinary expert. Whatever your specialized knowledge, you can make money offering consultation services to people who need your expertise.

One of the advantages of this business idea is that you may well have an existing network of contacts who can give your new career a jump-start.

How to Get Started?

Have the qualifications necessary to get the job done, and be up to date in the knowledge department with all the trends and changes in your area of expertise.

Begin networking or contact your existing network, create a consulting website, advertise your services and start cold calling.

TIME: 5

You may need a special license or special certification before you can begin operating as a consultant.

INVESTMENT: 4

This won’t need a lot of money to start. You’ll probably just need a computer, internet connection or telephone to get started.

INCOME: 5-10

Consulting can be a very lucrative business and the overhead cost is minimal, too. You can get paid hundreds of dollars per hour and can work from home.

DIFFICULTY: 8

Depending on your area of expertise, you may need certifications, degree or certain level of experience to become a qualified consultant.

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11. Start a Virtual Assistant Business

Internet marketing is booming, so is the demand for virtual assistants (VAs). And you could never go wrong with a VA business if you like what VAs do!

Virtual assistants are remote workers who assist their clients in day-to-day tasks, from scheduling appointments, managing social media, answering customer queries, email management, producing content, designing graphics and so on.

If you’re an organized person with good attention to detail, a self-starter and willing to learn, a virtual assisting business could make one of the most lucrative stay at home moms business ideas for you!

It helps if you’re already quite savvy about social media, but don’t worry if you aren’t, almost everything can be learned online.

How to Get Started?

I wrote a post on virtual assisting here to give you an idea on how to get started.

I also recommend checking out Gina Horkey’s popular course, 30 Days to VA Success. Gina is a successful VA who earns $100 per hour online and she’s been helping many stay at home moms launch a successful VA business.

TIME:  1-2

If you already have VA skills, you are READY to start!

INVESTMENT: 1

You just need a computer and internet connection, but it is also highly recommended to start a website for you business to attract more clients.

INCOME: 7

According to Payscale, the average rate for virtual assistants is  $15.65 but it’s possible to earn $40 to $100 per hour as a VA, depending on the tasks you offer. What’s also great about this business is that you can create a team of VAs to help you manage multiple projects, thus increasing your income.

DIFFICULTY: 1-4 (EASY)

Starting a VA business should be easy due to the high demand for VAs. Plus, the skills you need to become a VA can be learned online.

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12. Start a Tutoring Business

If you are looking for easy, stress-free home business ideas for stay at home moms, offering a tutoring service is also a great option. This is especially true if you live in a neighborhood with many schoolchildren , you love children and you are a former teacher or educator.

As a private tutor, there are no formal education requirements but having a teaching experience, a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification are plusses.

You can also offer virtual tutoring. If you have a bachelor’s degree, are fluent in English, and like teaching English, you could earn $22 per hour as an ESL (English as a Second Language) online teacher.

TIME: 1

You can start teaching right away.

INVESTMENT: 2

You’ll only need a little space in your house to hold your tutoring classes.

INCOME: 4

According to Payscale, entry level tutors make an average hourly salary of $17.56.

DIFFICULTY: 3

It should be easy to start if you have relevant experience and you love teaching to kids.

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13.  Graphic Design

Graphic designers are responsible for creating various materials, such as logos, brochures, posters, flyers, and more. And now that most people turn to the internet for almost everything, businesses turn to graphic designers to create materials that communicate their brands.

If you are skilled in designing with the use of computers, starting a graphic design business might be a great idea for you. The great thing about being a graphic designer is that you hold your own hours, you can set your own rates and choose your projects. As this business can be operated entirely from home and all forms of communications can be managed online, graphic design proves to be one of the best homemade business ideas for women.

How to Get Started?

You can start offering your services at Etsy, Creative Market , Fiverr or your own website.

New to graphic designing? Need to brush up your skills? Udemy has a lot of affordable courses that only cost $9.99 each. You can check them out here.

TIME: 5/10

Putting up a graphic design business is both not too hard and too easy. First, you have to think of the legal aspects, making sure your business is duly registered. You also need to find clients or pitch to them. The time commitment for each work itself can vary, so it’s safe to set realistic expectations on how much work you would be able to handle.

INVESTMENT: 7/10

The bulk of your investment would probably go towards your graphic design gear. Since you have to ensure the quality of each graphic, not all computers would make the cut. Most graphic designers go for powerful computer systems and top-of-the-range editing software. You’ll also spend on a professional website that can double as your portfolio to show to potential clients.

INCOME: 7/10

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average income for graphic designers is around $50K per year.

DIFFICULTY: 5/10

If you’re already a creative person at heart, graphic design shouldn’t be too hard for you.

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14. Selling Online Courses

No matter who you are, what your profession is, or what you’re passionate about, you can make money selling online courses. You don’t even have to be the perfect writer to start writing and selling courses. You just need to be able to share your skills or expertise in a way that gives significant value to your audience.

Creating and selling online courses is one of the best stay at home business ideas for moms because 1). You get to decide what course you’d like to offer 2). You’ll rely heavily on what you’re already good at 3). You get to work on the course whenever you like. Selling online courses is also a great way to earn passive income. As long as people want to access your course, you’d be making money even while you sleep.

How to Get Started

You can upload your video or written course on platforms like Teachable and Thinkific. Another way to sell your course is through your own website, though this might need some technical expertise in maintaining your site.

TIME: 2/10

You have total control of your time when it comes to creating online courses. You can work on it whenever it fits your schedule, so the only deadline you have to beat is the one you set for yourself.

INVESTMENT: 3/10

Creating online courses also doesn’t need much investment. You’ll need a computer and internet connection, as well as a website where you can sell your course.

INCOME: 8/10

If you can nail down a successful and profitable online course, you stand the chance of earning quite a lucrative income. According to Online Course How, several course creators earn at least $1,000/month, while some others up to $50K/month.

DIFFICULTY: 2/10

If you’re creating a course on something that you’re most familiar with, skilled in, or passionate about, the difficulty level goes down significantly. Creating online courses is all about sharing what you already know with others, so the creation part will probably come naturally to you.

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15. Start a Baking Business at Home

Sell birthday cupcakes/ cakes, pies and other baked goods and package them into gifts. Market your business on social media and through networking, or consign your products at local cafes. The best thing about this business is that you can do it at your own time and at home, perfect for stay at home moms!

How to Get Started?

Perfect your recipes and designs, take beautiful pictures of your products and create social media profiles for your business.

TIME: 3

While a home-based baking business is quicker to start than when you have a physical bakery, there are still lots of things to work on before you can open your business. Among these things are the products you are going to offer, how much these products cost, your overhead cost, where to get your supplies at cheaper prices, and more. You may even have to alter ingredients to adjust your prices that appeal to your target market.

INVESTMENT:  5

You can start a baking business with less than $500, if you already have an oven. Once you get more orders, you might need to invest in better equipment such as a good mixer such as this one and other baking essentials.

INCOME: 3-7

It depends on how much work you put into your business. If you’re just taking special orders, you can make between $200 and $400 per month. You can earn more if you work more hours or offer specialty products, such as wedding cakes.

Your income is also dependent on the type of products you sell.  

DIFFICULTY: 1-5

It doesn’t need certification or degree to get started.

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16.  Social Media Influencer

Are you a social media person? Another great way to earn a living off social media is to become an influencer. You see people on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok all the time, promoting brands and companies on their accounts. Whether or not they are celebrities, these people are considered influencers. Their main tasks are creating content that spread brand awareness, encourage interaction and connection.

If you’d want to go this route, think of the things that you are passionate about that you’d want to promote. You can create content around makeup, baby caring, cooking, cleaning, exercise, and more. You can make money from the ads and views, as well as getting brands to sponsor your content.

How to Get Started

The course How To Become A Successful Social Media Influencer is a wonderful resource that shows you what it takes to be successful in this field.

TIME: 5/10

You can start out as an influencer right away even if you have a small following (micro-influencers have at least 1,000 followers). You have to show passion for what you do and establish some knowledge about the brand or product you are promoting. But because it takes time to build a following, it’s essential to truly make an effort to grow your following by being more real and “personal” with your viewers.

INVESTMENT: 3/10

Influencers don’t need to shell out a large amount to get started. Most of them only need a decent camera and peripheral equipment, while others spend a bit more on things like outsourced editing and web design. Travel influencers also don’t get to enjoy all their trips for free, so expect to spend out-of-the-pocket in coming up with content. 

INCOME: 7/10

Your income as an influencer can depend on a lot of things, such as the size of the following, the channel used, and the amount of effort to create the content. You can earn per post (Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook), or per video (YouTube or TikTok). According to Influencer Marketing Hub, micro-influencers can earn around $100-$500 per Instagram post, while YouTube videos can command up to $1,000 each video.

DIFFICULTY: 3/10

The great thing about being an influencer is that you are already doing what you’re already good at or passionate about (only now you’re trying to promote a brand or product). Most of the work lies in creating content that would satisfy both your audience and the brand sponsoring your content.

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Are You Ready to Work at Home?

Are you ready to make money at home? Pick a home based business idea above and get started!

Whatever small business idea you choose, also make sure that you research all the rules and regulations for your idea. Most importantly, make sure that the small business idea you pick aligns with your passions and goals and it’s something that you see yourself doing for the long term.

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