You barely have time to microwave dinner—so who’s got hours to “start a side hustle”? I completely understand, as a busy mom myself, I’ve put together a list of the best side hustles for stay at home moms. I get it. You’ve got responsibilities. Kids, housework, group texts you haven’t replied to in three days. But here’s the deal: the right side hustle doesn’t drain your time—it multiplies your options.
This post is for people who want a good side hustle that doesn’t require mortgaging your sanity, or buying a ring light and dancing on TikTok (unless you want to).
Let’s break down five high-upside, low-barrier hustles you can start with almost no money and barely any free time.
1. Sell Digital Downloads on Etsy
Startup cost: $0–10 | Time needed: 1–3 hours/week (front-loaded)
If you can open a Google Doc, you can sell digital products on Etsy. Seriously. From planners to party games to budgeting templates, people are cashing in on this evergreen, create-it-once, sell-it-forever model.
Example:
I personally was able to start this as a side hustle and make enough to quit my full-time job. I’ve had single products make me over $1,000 in a single day!
What you can sell:
- Weekly planners
- Birthday scavenger hunts
- Budgeting spreadsheets
- Teacher resources
- Content calendars
Why it’s a good side hustle:
- Passive once published
- No shipping, inventory, or customer support
- You can design while watching Netflix
🔑 Pro Tip: Use free tools like Canva to design and test product ideas by seeing what’s trending in Etsy’s “Digital Downloads” category.
FREE WORKSHOP: Earn Money Selling Printables (this is where I started to learn all about selling digital products on Etsy).
2. Start a Paid Discord Community
Startup cost: $0 | Time needed: 1–2 hours/week
Imagine getting paid to talk about stuff you love with people who love it too. That’s what a paid Discord community is. Whether it’s budgeting, skincare, sneaker drops, or ADHD-friendly productivity, people want community—and they’ll pay for access to one that delivers value.
Example:
A creator named Brittany runs a productivity-focused Discord for working moms. She charges $7/month and has 220 members. That’s $1,540/month recurring revenue, for showing up 1–2 hours a week and moderating a community she genuinely enjoys.
Why it’s a good side hustle:
- Recurring income
- Built around your passion or expertise
- You can monetize even a small audience
🔑 Pro Tip: Launch a free version, build trust, then offer premium content or Q&A access as a paid tier.
3. Publish Low-Content Books on Amazon KDP
Startup cost: $0 | Time needed: 2–5 hours upfront per book
You don’t need to write the next Atomic Habits to publish on Amazon. You don’t need to write much at all. Enter low-content books—think journals, logbooks, and coloring books.
These are books where you provide prompts, lined pages, or activities, and Amazon prints and ships them for you.
Example:
A side hustler named Luis published a “5-Minute Gratitude Journal for Teens” using Canva and KDP. He priced it at $6.99 and sells about 250 copies/month. That’s $700–$800 in royalties for something he created over a weekend.
What you can create:
- Daily gratitude journals
- Expense trackers
- Fitness logs
- Kids’ handwriting practice books
- Mindfulness coloring books
Why it’s a good side hustle:
- You make it once, Amazon handles the rest
- You can scale with more titles over time
- Great for creative types who hate shipping
🔑 Pro Tip: Use a niche + problem formula to brainstorm titles (e.g., “Meal Planner for Busy Dads” or “Gratitude Journal for College Freshmen”).
LEARN MORE: 3 Steps to Publishing Your First Low-Content Book
4. Create UGC for Brands as a Micro-Influencer
Startup cost: $0 | Time needed: 2–4 hours/week
Forget influencer fame. Brands don’t care if you have 100K followers—they care if you can make content that converts. That’s where UGC (User-Generated Content) comes in. You create videos, photos, or reviews as a customer, and brands pay for usage rights.
Example:
Marcy, a full-time dental assistant, earns $1,200/month creating 30-second demo videos for skincare and snack brands. She’s not an influencer. She’s just relatable and knows how to film with good lighting and honesty.
What you can do:
- Unboxing videos
- “How I use this product” demos
- Testimonial clips
- TikTok-style voiceovers or reels
Why it’s a good side hustle:
- No followers needed
- High demand in niches like food, wellness, parenting, and pets
- Great creative outlet
🔑 Pro Tip: Start with your phone and natural light. Platforms like Billo or JoinBrands help beginners land paid gigs fast.
5. Teach a Niche Skill Online (Even Without a Degree)
Startup cost: $0 | Time needed: Flexible, often 1–3 hours/week
Tutoring isn’t just for algebra anymore. People are dying to learn real-world skills from relatable people. If you know how to use Canva, budget with a spreadsheet, meal prep like a boss, or organize digital files, you can tutor.
Example:
Jules offers a 3-week “Budget Your Paycheck” course over Zoom. She charges $59 for 5 live sessions, limited to 10 people. She sold out twice. That’s $1,180 for about 10 hours of total time.
Topics people will pay to learn:
- Canva basics for small business owners
- Google Sheets for budgeting
- Excel formulas for job seekers
- Time management for neurodivergent adults
- Meal planning for busy families
Why it’s a good side hustle:
- You can teach live or pre-recorded content
- It builds trust and a potential following
- You already know something someone else wants to learn
🔑 Pro Tip: Use Calendly + Zoom + Google Docs. No fancy tech needed to get started. Facebook groups and local mom groups are gold mines for finding your first students.
The Bottom Line: A Good Side Hustle Is One You’ll Actually Do
You don’t need a 5-year plan, a trust fund, or a secret hour hidden between 11 p.m. and midnight. The best side hustles for stay at home moms are the ones they enjoy that have been proven to work.
You just need a smart starting point, a pocket of time, and the confidence to try something new.
Pick one. Set a 30-minute block this week. Start ugly. Your future self will high-five you for it.
Still here? Check out this Blueprint for Passive Income
There are many ways to make money from home, but if you’re interested in learning more about how to do it with Etsy, check out The Shockingly Simple Guide to Selling Passive Income Products on Etsy. This free, in-depth guide is a deeper blueprint for passive income that will help you learn exactly how to create digital products on Etsy!
LEARN MORE:
- How to Start an Etsy Business: Insane Tips from a 6-Figure Etsy Seller
- Etsy E-Printables Side Hustle Course: Gold City Ventures Course Review
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