Stay-at-Home Moms Put Talent to Work and Add to the Family Budget

Stay-at-home moms don't have to have a degree or even a certificate to make money working from home. If a mom is creative, talented, and doesn't mind a little hard work, she can find a place to contribute to their family's budget.

Provide Child Care

Perhaps the most popular way stay-at-home moms earn a little extra each month is by doing what they're already doing but for a few extra kids. It's probably safe to guess that stay-at-home moms have the skills necessary when it comes to caring for kids. Offering child care from the home won't make a mom rich, but it will provide some built-in playmates for her own kids and a little extra spending money. Rates vary, but moms will be able to charge somewhere around $150 a week for each child they take on. If moms want to get their feet wet before making a commitment, they can earn some extra income through odd hours of baby sitting.

Teach Music or Art Lessons

If stay-at-home moms are proficient on a musical instrument or talented in watercolor, pottery, or another form of art, they might consider offering lessons from your home. Teachers with an impressive resume can charge up to $30 for a half hour lesson. Moms who play an instrument but don't have the background to fill out a resume can get their experience by charging $10 or $15 per half-hour lesson. They will probably find plenty of takers at these rates.

Freelance Writing

Maybe stay-at-home moms have a background in journalism and are toying with the idea of free lance-writing. Writers with work samples and publishing credits to their name can find lucrative freelance possibilities, but there are also plenty of opportunities for moms starting out with a love of writing and a good command of the English language. Sites like content.com and Examiner.com offer quality writers a chance to build up a portfolio and make some money in the process.

Market Your Handcrafts

Many stay-at-home moms enjoy unwinding and expressing themselves through crafts. Moms in this group won't want to miss a marketable opportunity. Participating in craft shows can be a fun way for stay at home moms to bond and share a common goal. They might even try organizing their own craft event with a local moms club as the holidays put shoppers in a gift buying mood.

Make Money at Consignment Sales

For those moms with a talent for shopping and scoping out bargains for their kids clothes, toys, and decor, consigning might be a lucrative opportunity. Moms with the knack for knowing what other moms will pay for their used baby items can make a killing twice a year as the consignment sales roll around. Not only will their homes be clean and clutter free, but they'll have a semi-annual contribution for the family budget.

Make Money by Taking a Survey

Register online to take part in paid surveys. Market research organizations are always looking for people, so it can be quite a lucrative means of home working, which is especially convenient for those with a child who hasn't slept through the night. Plus, many surveys are online and can be completed during naptime.

Start a Home Business

Got professional skills? Turn them into a home based business. An accountant, for example, who was working for a large company may decide to "do the books" for some local businesses. For those who do not have professional skills that lend themselves to a home business, think more practically, like a cleaning or ironing business. The benefit of owning the business is that people can set their own hours around child care requirements.

Look for Virtual Jobs From Home

Many organizations have outsourced administrative duties to home businesses in an effort to cut down on salaries, and instead are giving these jobs to "virtual assistants." Duties vary from data entry to typing to customer service.

Using talents and skills will help stay-at-home moms hold on to those pieces of themselves that make them who they are. And why shouldn't they make some extra cash while doing it? For parents, there may never be a right decision when is comes to their family lives, but by working from home, some parents may be able to make money while achieving the work / life balance they have been striving for.