When I told my family and friends I was considering quitting my job as a school administrator, they told me I was nuts. But I knew I couldmake money from home. After all, I’d been doing it in a small fashion since 2011. That’s the year I started my teaching blog. And then I started selling resources on Teachers Pay Teachers. I gained a lot of social media skills, blogging knowledge, and more tech skills at that point. (Who knew back then that all those hours I spentplaying on Pinterest would turn into a paying job?!)
I knew with more hours at home each day I could make enough to replace my salary. However, I also was a realist who knew it wouldn’t happen overnight. Plus I was mostly staying home to take care of our son. When I developed blood clots when he was just five hours old, I knew I wouldn’t return to work. Life is simply too short, and I couldn’t imagine him going to daycare for 50 hours each week while I helped take care of other people’s children at school.
So I took the leap. And in 2017 (roughly 16 months after quitting my job) I can officially say it’s been worthwhile! Between the money I’m making at home and the money we are saving from daycare, I’m officially earning as much at home as I would be making working. (Ok, retirement is still not entirely made back and my husband’s job now covers health insurance – but overall income each month is the same if you consider what I would be paying out to daycare. And being home with my kids is worth it to our family!)
The best part? You can make money from home too!
I truly believe that anyone can work from home and be with your children. Is it easy? No. But itis possible! You’ll have to be motivated. And you need to be a self-starter. And it can be tough to work with children underfoot. But if you want it bad enough, youcan make it work.
How exactly am I making money? Check it out!
Start a Blog
I blog. If you enjoy writing and want to share advice or pieces of your life with others – you can make a profit from it. There are literally bloggers making thousands of dollars each month. I don’t make all that much money in this way (yet!), but I like the consistent income I make from affiliate marketing and ads on my sidebar. If this is an avenue you want to pursue more, I share more information on how to get started blogging here.
Sell Materials Online
I sell on the website Teachers Pay Teachers. This is by far my favorite platform, but it’s not for everyone. As the name states, it’s mostly for teachers or parents who do educational activities with their own children. If you want to learn more about selling on the site, I’ve created an entire page with information and tips. But also consider selling things on Amazon, eBay, or Etsy. While I personally don’t make money on these platforms, I’ve heard of many who do.
Become a Virtual Assistant
Another main source of my income in through being a Virtual Assistant. This means I help other online businesses with social media, editing, and other online tasks. I’ve built a team of people who help me, so I’m able to make money even when I’m not working. If you enjoy being on Facebook, Pinterest, writing, editing, or other online tasks – there is definitely a market for making more money. I wrote an ebook about starting a virtual assistant business. You can purchase it here.
Join a Company
I started using essential oils in 2014, but I realized just how powerful they are when our son was born a few months later. Since then we just keep using them more and more in our home (think make up, dish soap, laundry detergent, bathroom items, room sprays, overall wellness, and much more!). I’m not saying that essential oils are for everyone. But if you can find a company you believe in and one that you’re going to be buying from anyway, it’s a great way to make a side income. I love getting my oils paid for and making a side income from them each month. And all I have to do is tell others how much I love my oils! (If you think oils may be for you, I’d love to have you join my team! Check it out here.)
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Regardless of the method you choose to make money from home, I truly believe it’s possible. The four methods above are working great for me. Yes, I started this process back in 2011, but there are many who have found success in less time. I’m honestly in a position where I may not be going back to a “traditional” job. Instead I hope to continue working from home, even as my children get to be school age. This way I’ll be able to stay home with them, volunteer at their school, have a better income, and hopefully reach financial independence and retire earlier. It’s hard to know what the future holds, but I’m hopeful! 🙂
