26 Profitable Home Business Ideas That Are Proven to Work
Looking for ways to make money from home? Here are 26 profitable home business ideas that I know work. Oh yeah, I also have a free guidebook to help you get started.
This guide will take you through 26 different home business ideas that are proven to make money. You’ll learn what’s involved in each and how to get started. I’ll share with your the at-home jobs and home business ideas that I did and made $25,000 from in one year.
And I’ll offer you my free guidebook that adds additional details, like crucial skills needed, pros and cons, estimated costs, and resource links to get started in each type of home business.
26 Profitable Home Business Ideas Proven to Work
Note: When you click the links in this post, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Being a stay-at-home mom can bring up mixed emotions. While you may love the ability to be home with your kids, you may also miss using your talents, skills and education to help contribute to the family financially.
Wanting to do some type of work doesn’t mean you don’t love your kids or that you aren’t a good mom. It just means you want to keep developing all of you–your mom skills as well as you business skills. And doing that helps your children see the value in being well-rounded, and they get to see the best of you.
So, is there a way to have both? Well, many work at home moms have discovered ways to be there for there kids while pursuing a home business of their dreams. It can be done. It takes a good scheduling system, determination, and a plan–but it is possible.
My story is proof that it can work. I’ve been home with my kids since 2010 and even after my husband passed away, I’ve been able to continue being home with them. My home businesses have made it possible. But I’m not alone. There are many other work at home moms who are doing it too.
And if you would like to join us, here are 26 profitable home business ideas that you can choose from:
Work at Home Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms
Before I go into the different home businesses you can start, some of you may not have an interest in running your own business from home. For whatever reason, the thought of starting and running a business from home doesn’t appeal to you, but you would like to find a way to make money from home.
For you, a work at home job might be a better option. When I first left my corporate job to come home, I found a great position through the Hire My Mom site that paid very well. And over the years, I found several good-paying jobs with top businesses through that site.
In fact, I still do contract work for a prominent business I found via Hire My Mom. There is a fee associated with the site, but you can start with a free trial to see if it’s worth it for you. The positions I found more than paid for the fee, so it was way worth it for me.
Grab your copy of the Home Business Planner and get started building your home business today!
20+ Home Business Ideas with Low Start-up Costs
These ideas can be done part-time and most are very flexible around your schedule. Just imagine if your part-time gig turns into a huge success. It can happen. Just don’t give up! Be consistent and persistent and believe that you can do it.
There are hundreds of different home business ideas, but here are 20+ ideas that have low start-up costs that you can start today.
Blogging
If you like writing and sharing information to help others, then blogging can be a great creative outlet as well as a source of money. I’ve been blogging since 2009 and have found it to be a fun way to earn some extra income.
My first blog was just a way to share my journey from corporate to at-home mom. But as it started to gain traffic, I realized it could become a source of income. I didn’t know how to make money blogging, so, after researching, I signed up for Elite Blog Academy.
I would recommend this course to everyone who wants to turn their blog from a hobby to a business. Elite Blog Academy is very thorough and it helped me start making money from my blog.
It is quite an investment, but it’s worth it. However, if you need a great course for less of an investment, my second favorite blogging course is Blog by Number. This course takes you from the beginning to making money. It’s step-by-step and easy to follow.
Freelance Writing
If writing comes easy to you and you enjoy it, you may have a future in writing for other businesses–and getting paid for it. What does it take? My friend Carol Tice has a great site and community for writers that takes you from beginner to profitable freelancer.
Virtual Assistant
A VA is someone who provides professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clients remotely from a home office.
Working as a Virtual Assistant (VA) is another one of the gigs I had within the first few years after I first left my corporate job. I mainly did social media management and writing in this role and really enjoyed the projects I worked on.
Now, it’s easier to find VA jobs. Upwork posts Virtual Assistant jobs daily on their site.
Ghostwriting
A ghostwriter is a writer for hire who gets paid but gets none of the credit for the work produced. Many businesses hire ghostwriters to produce articles, white papers, and business reports. Authors and big bloggers also hire ghostwriters to write parts of their content while taking all the credit. And though you don’t get to see your name in print, it pays well.
You can find writing jobs on Upwork too.
Graphic Design
Do you have some knowledge of how to use graphic design software such as PicMonkey, Canva, PowerPoint or Adobe? Graphic Designers create visual concepts by hand or by using computer software. They create various media like fonts, shapes, colors, images, print design, photography, animation, logos, and billboards. Find graphic design jobs on Upwork.
Web Design
A Web Designer is a person who plans and creates websites using text, images, digital media, and programming elements. The process of designing websites involves conceptualizing, planning, research, and advertising. And guess where you can find web design jobs? You guessed it! On Upwork (I promise you, I don’t get paid to advertise Upwork).
Photography
So many new moms pick up photography as a hobby once they bring their sweet baby home. Taking all those photos of your new baby gives you great practice for a photography business. It’s a great part-time job for moms because you can schedule photo shoots around your schedule.
If you take great pictures and can capture the right lighting, angle, and distance, you could build a business in photography that pays. If you already own the equipment, then startup costs include small marketing materials (i.e., business cards, flyers) which are minimal. Market your services on social media by sharing your best photos and your business will spread word of mouth.
Sell Printables
Already a blogger who’s looking to grow your email list? Or looking for a way to earn some extra cash from your blog?
One simple way I’ve grown my list and made extra money is with printables. By taking information that’s useful and valued, you can create a printable that attracts your ideal reader to your blog. And you can create a nice income doing it.
Social Media Manager
If you have a love and a knack for posting interesting, engaging content on social media, then you might want to consider a career as a Social Media Manager.
My first home business was as a Social Media Manager and I made $25,000 in my first year. I took an online Social Media Manager course, became certified, and made a good profit every year.
Sell eBooks
If you like to write and have information to share that will benefit others, then writing and selling eBooks might be a good business for you. You can sell eBooks on Amazon as well as on your website. And since it’s digital, you don’t have to worry about overhead or shipping costs.
You can easily create your own eBook from blog posts you’ve already written or from scratch using online tools like Canva.
Fiverr Gigs
Fiverr is an online marketplace for freelance services and provides a platform for freelancers to offer their services to customers around the world.
Gigs on Fiverr start at $5 and go up from there. The types of services you can offer on Fiverr are numerous, so your options are plentiful.
Proofreading
Do you find yourself pointing out each incorrect use of grammar or misspelled word when reading blog posts or articles? If you have a good grasp of the English language there are plenty of writers who could use a second pair of eyes to review their work. What’s great is that you can make a six-figure income proofreading from home.
Wedding/Event Planner
This was one of my favorite businesses that I started. I was still working full-time, but I loved weddings so much, I decided to be a wedding planner on the side.
Helping others celebrate romance can be a fun and rewarding way to make a living. Do you enjoy planning, meeting new people, and coordinating events? Are you organized? Consider learning about the wedding profession through courses and books, then get certified as a wedding planner.
Direct Sales
Are you good at convincing others of their need for a product they never even considered before? Do you have a knack for selling things? Or do you love a product so much that you can’t stop talking about it?
Direct sales is a legitimate home business and when you find the right company, you can earn a great income. Some good direct sales businesses I’ve heard about include Rodan & Fields, Ameriplan, Mary Kay, Cabi Clothes, and Stella and Dot.
Online Shop
If you are crafty and love creating products by hand, you have a future with an Etsy shop. It’s a great way to make money doing what you love, and start-up costs are low.
Data Entry
Transcriptionist jobs and data entry tasks can be done online from home. You can find legitimate transcriptionist jobs with Appen. I made an extra $600 a month very part-time doing transcription and social media work with them with the opportunity to make more.
Customer Service Rep
There are many companies that have Customer Service jobs that can be worked remotely. Many are part-time and come with benefits. I post these types of work-from-home jobs here on this site and you can find others on Hire My Mom.
Online Teacher
Online teaching jobs are great ways to help others and make money. There are thousands of sweet children who want to learn English and VIPKids pays $25 per class to teach them.
Or you can create your own online course on a platform like Teachable, Thinkific, or Udemy.
Music Teacher
Become a music teacher and earn money at home. You can even teach remotely, as many teachers have begun doing. Startup costs are minimal and can be done completely from home. And you can set up your teaching schedule around the times that are best for you.
Voice Overs
Do you get compliments on your voice? You may have the talent for doing voice overs. There are many companies looking for voice over talents. A quick search online will reveal hundreds of opportunities.
Travel Agent
The travel industry offers great opportunities to work from home. As an at-home travel agent, you’d help make the best travel arrangements for clients. No specific education is required, but you do need strong organizational skills and good attention to detail.
Learn the skills you need and the steps to take to start your own travel business.
Copywriter
A copywriter is paid to write “copy” or words that get someone to act. Copywriting helps to promote or sell a business, brand, organization, product, or service. What makes it “copy” is its intended ability to drive some type of action.
Some forms of copywriting include:
- Blog posts
- Email marketing
- Newsletters
- Lead magnets
- White papers
- Websites
- Landing pages
- Video scripts
- Headlines
Carol Tice can help you develop your copywriting skills (I’ve taken some of her courses), and you can find freelance copyrighting jobs on sites like Upwork.
Medical Transcriptionist
A Medical Transcriptionist transcribes voice-recorded medical reports that are dictated by doctors, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners. Since you’ll need to edit the transcription for grammar errors and proper usage of medical terms in a patient’s records, specialized training is recommended.
Steps to become a medical transcriptionist:
- Get at least your high school degree or GED.
- Gain some work experience through an internship or apprenticeship. This is not required but can be very helpful. Another option would be to get an Associate Degree.
- Get certified. This is one of the most important steps in becoming a medical transcriptionist. Before becoming a medical transcriptionist, you must meet experience qualifications and pass an exam.
- Apply for jobs and start working from home.
Bookkeeper
Do you enjoy working with data and numbers? Do spreadsheets make you happy? If this describes you, imagine getting paid from the comfort of your own home while playing with numbers all day.
Daily bookkeeping tasks include:
- recording income and expenses
- filing receipts
- managing payroll
- paying bills
- creating financial reports for record-keeping purposes
Online software is available to help you in your job, making it easier to handle multiple clients. An entry-level bookkeeper who works from home can make up to $69 to $82 per hour, once you gain experience.
Business Writer
I used to do business writing during my corporate career and this is one of the skills I later marketed in a home business. I offered my business writing skills to small business owners and charged $75 – $250 for white papers, customer letters, and other business content.
Life Coaching
Life coaches help people identify their goals and develop an actionable plan to achieve them. They encourage and counsel their clients on a range of professional and personal issues. Some coaches specialize in areas like health, fitness, relationships, family, money, or career.
Grab the Home Business Ideas Quick Start Guide
So there you have it–over 20 home business ideas for moms that are proven to work.
You can get the printable guide listing the top 20 at-home business ideas for moms. This digital guide also gives you links to websites, courses, and other resources to help you get started quickly in each business.
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