Some parents who do not work sometimes have time that can be utilized to create a source of income. Here are some ideas:
Sell Items on eBay
Drive around your neighborhood and look for goods, trinkets and other things you can sell from garage sales, second-hand stores and pawn shops. You can often find things that would sell for more money online than they do offline and you can list them on eBay for a quick profit.
You can also get a lot of things for free off Craigslist. If you live in a major city, you can make decent money just picking up free things and listing them on eBay.
If you want to take it a step further, choose something you are passionate about and create a real eBay business around it. Find wholesalers and manufacturers who produce items you want to sell and establish a relationship with them, then start selling products in bulk.
Babysitting Other Children
If you’re at home watching your children anyway, you could possibly watch a few others children as well. Many stay-at-home parents have been able to create a successful second income just by watching other people’s children along with their own.
In general, you should charge less than a babysitter would, since parents have to go through the trouble of dropping their children off at your home. Charge enough that you feel that it is worth it to you, but not so much that parents would use other options such as a day care center instead. Your clients will generally be friends, friends of friends and other personal acquaintances.
Starting a Hobby Website
If there is a hobby that you love, you can build a business out of it. Try to create the best website about whatever topic you choose. Let’s take swimming, for example.
If your passion is swimming, why not create a website that gives people tips on swim training, swimming in different kinds of waters, diets for swimming, breathing techniques, etc. At first, it will take some time for your website to build a reputation. Once the reputation has been built, however, more and more people will visit your website of their own accord. You can then make money by selling products on commission, or by putting ads up using Google AdWords.
These are a few ideas for businesses that any stay-at-home parent can start. Remember that any business you start requires some commitment and may not really be successful for the first six months. However, if you really put in the energy, the feeling you will get when your business does succeed will be absolutely amazing.
