The Best Options for Parents to Make Money From Home – Starting Now!
Being a stay-at-home parent is a rewarding job, but plenty of moms AND dads discover that they can be just as happy, if not happier, as work-from-home parents. Lots of stay-at-home parents miss having a career. Not to mention, raising kids is expensive! Boosting your family’s income certainly helps, especially now that we’re all facing the added stress of COVID-19.
Option A – Entrepreneurship
The great thing about working from home in this day and age is that the options really are endless. Before the pandemic, many companies were already expanding their remote opportunities (click here), and that number has grown even more since COVID. What this means is that you could find what we’d consider a traditional job – just one that you do from home (we’ll talk about that in a minute). However, if you desire more independence, along with the potential to grow your income without limits, you may want to start your own business instead.
Before taking this step, be sure to connect with Southwest Florida Business Today to find up to date news and information, plus local contacts, that will help you get started and succeed as an entrepreneur. If you haven’t decided on a business model yet, our suggestion for busy parents is to consider e-commerce. You can build and run an e-commerce business from your own home, giving you the flexibility you need to keep up with kids’ schedules too. And because we’re all turning to the internet even more these days, there’s a huge demand for all types of e-commerce, including business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) services.
The other thing that makes e-commerce ideal for first-time entrepreneurs is that you don’t need to be a tech expert (or have a business degree) to be successful. However, you will want to brush up on the basic steps to getting started, along with the legal requirements involved. For example, many e-commerce entrepreneurs choose to register their business as an LLC (Limited Liability Company). To start a business as an LLC, you’ll first want to search business entities to make sure your name isn’t already registered. Then you’ll be ready to gather the necessary documents, pay filing fees, and complete all other requirements to establish a new business entity in your state.
Option B – Freelancing
Becoming a business owner isn’t as complicated as many people fear, but what if you want flexibility without the obligations of owning your own business? In this case, you may want to pursue freelancing. Working as a freelancer gives you the opportunity to find jobs that fit your experience and your own schedule, which is what makes this an ideal solution for lots of work-from-home parents.
Some of the most in-demand freelance skills are ones that involve web-based services, such as social media marketing, web design, web content, and photography. Along with these examples, Money Under 30 also includes proofreading, transcription, and translation among the top freelance jobs you can do from home. Freelancing isn’t limited to these examples, though. In fact, CNBC explains that high-skilled freelancers are also in demand, and these also tend to be the highest-paying freelance opportunities.
Option C – Switch Careers
The third option is to find a regular job, either part-time or full-time, that allows you to work from home. This strategy is perfect for parents who come from a field that’s less flexible, as well as anyone whose career has been negatively impacted by COVID, click here. As FlexJobs explains, some jobs are naturally more conducive to working from home than others. Just a few examples they give include customer service reps, dieticians, insurance sales and fundraising. Even if you need to gain some new skills to switch fields, making that investment in yourself is worth it for the long-term payoff.
Whatever your motivation is for making money from home, the one thing you can count on is that you DO have options. Sure, some job markets have gotten slim due to the pandemic, but many others are as strong as ever. So don’t hesitate – there’s no time like the present to seize that work-from-home opportunity!
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