Mom, mum, mama, maman, mammy. No matter your mothering moniker – one thing is universal. We all wonder how to make money as a stay-at-home mum.
I certainly did. Now my eldest is eight and my youngest is five and we are in the best financial shape of our lives, due to my stay-at-home mum side hustles.
I don’t share this to toot my own horn, but I want you to know that it is truly possible for mums to make good money from home.
18+ Ways to Make Money as a Stay-at-Home Mum in Ireland
Here are some genuine ways to make money from home that works for my family (so they probably will for yours too).
1. Online Surveys
I’ve been taking paid surveys since way before I had kids, and recommend a tactical approach to online survey sites.
These are the legit survey sites we recommend:
- Swagbucks: Worldwide GPT (get paid to) site.
- Opinion World: Cash and gift cards
- Irish Opinions: Gift cards only
All pay in either cash (via PayPal) or gift cards.
We recommend checking your survey dashboard each day to see what surveys are available and try to complete them immediately.
We’ve also written some more in-depth guides to our top picks for paid surveys in Ireland here.
2. Remote admin work
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I worked in an office before leaving to have my kids.
The skills I learnt in my office job can be applied from anywhere and I was able to convince my boss to give me casual admin work from home.
The jobs weren’t especially frequent, but I received a higher hourly rate and could claim part of my home office as an expense.
I was set up as a sole trader and sent invoices when the work was done. I really loved doing this kind of work and think it’s the perfect side gig for mums.
When looking at ways for stay-at-home mums to make money you should consider the work you’ve done previously and if it can be done remotely.
Most bosses are much happier to hire an employee they know and trust for remote work so it can be a win-win.
This was my highest-paying mum job for years and I earnt between €500-€1000/month.
3. Focus groups
Focus groups are another easy way for mums to make extra cash.
The best thing is they are often run in the early evening so work great around family schedules.
Registration on the Participants Database at focusgroup.ie allows users to get invited to join paid market research and focus groups.
By filling out a signup form, users may get an invitation when their details match the research criteria. Upon completing the group, users get paid for their contribution.
4. Mystery Shopping
Mystery shopping is a great way to make extra money and provide valuable feedback to businesses.
If you’re looking to become a mystery shopper in Ireland, there are several steps you can take to get started.
First, you’ll need to find a company that offers mystery shopping services in Ireland.
There are many companies that offer these services, such as Pan Research, Customer Perceptions, Catalyst Market Research, RedC Research & Marketing, and Opinion Hero. Each of these companies has different requirements for becoming a mystery shopper, so it’s important to research each one thoroughly before signing up.
Once you’ve found the right company for you, the next step is to apply online or via email.
Once your application is approved, you’ll receive instructions on how to complete the tasks assigned by the company.
When it comes time for your first assignment as a mystery shopper in Ireland, make sure you read all of the instructions carefully and follow them closely.
It’s important that you remain professional at all times while completing your assignments and provide honest feedback about your experiences with the business or service being evaluated.
5. Blogging
Blogging is how I make the bulk of my income these days. I started a blog back when I was doing remote admin work and making most of my income from that.
As my blog income grew, I scaled back on the admin work and focused on growing my online businesses.
Blogging is something I’m really passionate about as it’s given me the option of not needing to go back to work, and if my income keeps growing, my husband will be able to give up his job and help me in the business.
I’ve written an in-depth guide to how to make money blogging for beginners here.
6. Become a Virtual Assistant
If you’ve ever Googled ‘how to earn money as a stay-at-home mum, you’ve probably read about working as a virtual assistant.
It’s a growing industry and it ain’t slowing down.
Working from home as a virtual assistant is a great online job for administrators, personal assistants, and executive assistants.
All you need is your existing skill base, a computer, and an internet connection.
I worked in this manner after my son was born, and the gig continued when we went travelling overseas.
I was earning in Australian dollars (the job was with my former Australian employer) and spending Mexican pesos which let me test out geographic arbitrage – which basically meant that my family and I could live like kings on the 20 hours a week of remote work I was putting in.
Abbey Ashley from The Virtual Savvy runs a 60-minute FREE training webinar on how to become a booked-out virtual assistant. The training includes ideas on which services to offer, finding customers, scaling your business and more.
If you want to become a VA, check out this monster guide to becoming a virtual assistant.
7. Write Articles for Blogs and Businesses
With the explosion in internet use, the demand for content – blog posts, articles, infographics, reports etc – has boomed.
If you feel comfortable with the written word, working from home as a writer is a perfect gig for a mum.
Because writing is usually paid per article, you can fit your projects in between the fits and starts of baby naps and laundry.
I used to get a lot of work through Upwork (and now hire writers from there).
You can read more here: How to Get Your First Writing Online With Upwork
8. Offer Services to Your Neighbours
Think ironing, cleaning, lawn mowing, dog walking, pet care etc.
If your kids are at creche or school and you have a few hours free each day, but not enough time to commit to a part-time job, this could be a good way to boost your income.
Print up some flyers and do a letterbox drop in your local area or mention it in a local Facebook group. You never know what people might need help with!
9. Start an Etsy Shop
Starting your own Etsy shop requires very little financial input, especially if you limit yourself to only offering digital downloads.
I was fascinated when I heard about this unique way of setting up an online business for ongoing income, so when Trina reached out to me, I begged her to write about how she does it.
You can read more about how Trina, a mum of three, makes passive income on Etsy here.
If you prefer to make physical items, setting up an Etsy shop can really help get your home business off the ground.
We were pretty interested in what actually sells on Etsy, so we compiled a list of the most popular items that you can sell on Etsy to make money.
10. Data Entry
Data entry work consists of repetitive typing and requires extreme accuracy.
It’s also frequently available at nights and weekends and can be a great work-from-home job for stay-at-home mums.
Data entry jobs can be found in loads of industries.
11. Find a Part-Time Job Out of the Home
Retail jobs are a great way to make extra money for stay-at-home mums.
Retail work is usually flexible so it can suit evenings and weekends if you have a partner who is home then.
Working a part-time temporary job over Christmas can be a great way to save for the big day.
12. Teach English Online
Teaching English online is a great way to make money as a stay-at-home mum.
You can earn up to $ 21 USD per 40-minute lesson and work as much as suits you.
You’ll need to be a native English speaker with a bachelor’s degree in any field and some teaching experience.
Check out this blog post for more on how to make money teaching English online.
13. Become a Facebook Marketplace Seller
Flipping things on Facebook Marketplace or DoneDeal can be a legit source of extra income and a great way to earn money from home.
Start with the things you have around the house.
Check what similar items sell for, take decent photographs (this is very important), write an accurate description and get selling.
As time goes by and your experience grows, you’ll get to know what sells best and which items you like working with.
The Youtube video above has some great tips!
14. Rent a Room
If you have a spare room in your home you can rent it out and qualify for tax relief under the rent-a-room scheme.
Ireland’s rent-a-room scheme allows homeowners to rent out a room in their home and earn up to €14,000 per year tax-free.
This is an ideal option for those looking to make some extra cash without having to commit to long-term tenants or leases. It also provides the flexibility of renting out the room on a short-term or long-term basis, meaning you can adjust the rental period according to your needs.
Furthermore, it allows you to benefit from the added security of knowing that you have someone occupying the space in your home, which can be especially helpful if you are away on holiday time.
15. Rent Out Your Car
If you’re anything like me, your car sits unused in your driveway for long periods of time. If you can part with your car for some time, you can earn extra money by renting it out.
Check out the Fleet app if you have a car that is less than 13 years old and you are willing to do some self-promotion.
You could be looking at hundreds of euros per month in extra income, certainly better than a car sitting in a driveway all day.
16. Sell Pictures of Your Feet
If you’ve got lovely toes and stylish feet, selling pictures of your feet can be an easy way to make money as a stay-at-home parent.
Taking photos of your feet and selling them online via dedicated websites and social media groups is quite a popular side hustle for mums.
So popular, in fact, that we had to write a dedicated guide to how to sell feet pics online.
17. Become a childminder
Becoming a childminder in Ireland is a great way for mums to make extra money from home.
Childminding Ireland, the National Body for Childminders, provides support to ensure that childminders can offer the best quality childcare in a home-from-home setting.
This allows mums to work flexible hours and still be able to look after their own children.
Childcare jobs are advertised throughout Ireland, so it’s easy for mums to find work. The MindMe.ie group is the biggest in Ireland and they provide excellent support and resources for those looking to become a childminder.
Childminding also offers parents the peace of mind that their children are being looked after by someone they know and trust.
Mums who have experience with childcare can use this knowledge to provide high-quality care while earning an income at the same time.
18. Start a Craft Selling Business
When I was little, my mum used to drag me and my brother to all the craft fairs in our city where she’d sell butterfly magnets that she made for $1 a pop.
Turns out my mum was a trailblazer. She probably hadn’t even heard the words “side hustle” (pretty sure that term didn’t exist in the mid-nineties), but there she was making crafts at night after we went to bed and selling them at craft fairs on the weekends.
Whilst butterfly magnets might not be your passion, there are plenty of other craft ideas you can make that will earn extra cash.
Think mason jars, headbands, personalised doormats etc. The potential is infinite.
Here is a list of 20 profitable craft ideas to get you started.
19. Download money-earning apps
The most common apps for earning extra cash are survey, gig work, and delivery/ridesharing platforms.
Sites like Swagbucks, Upwork and Bolt allow users to complete microtasks like polls and reviews or offer services like data entry, writing and transportation. Earnings are typically low but provide flexible supplemental income.
Payouts are made through PayPal or direct deposit once a minimum threshold is reached, usually within a week.
Other passive forms of income include teaching skills online, shopping receipts, cashback rewards and user research studies.
Preply allows people to tutor languages remotely and get paid weekly based on booked lessons.
For higher paying one-time jobs, mystery shopping, microtasks and crowdsourcing provide options. Market Force assigns secret shopper missions at various stores paying €10-50 each.
Larger user tests on sites like Respondent can earn upwards of €15-100 per hour for a one-time time commitment. Overall, these apps present convenient opportunities to generate supplemental income from Ireland.
You can read our complete guide to the best apps to make money in Ireland here.
