[2forus]

Just wondering if any SAHMs work from home or do anything to make some extra money. I had 2 maternity leaves last year and the summer off and I recently have started working again and am wishing I could stay at home. I keep going over finances in my head and what we could cut back on, but looking for other $ ideas that are acutally legit.

[hscott]

I would encourage you to find a way to stay home with your kids, especially since you desire to do so. There are lots of ways to cut back and save money. What is your profession? Is there anything related that you could do from home? (ex. teacher-tutoring,etc)

Heather

[Devora]

I'm sort of a SAHM in that I work out of my home as an evaluation consultant for non-profits. However, I find that I still have to use child care 3 days/week in order to do my work. I could get by without it, but then I would be able to do a fraction of the work and have a fraction of the income.

You can find things to do (tutoring is great; Pampered Chef rep would be easy to control scheduling on; editing if that's a skill set you have; grantwriting if that's a skill set you have). However, I personally think it's important to seriously consider what your physical, emotional, and mental energy is like at the end of the day. Unless your kids are unusually self-contained/self-entertaining, it's hard to work when they're up. So until they're in school that means working during naptimes and after bedtime. I do it when I have to, but I find it's very hard to make myself sit down at the computer and focus in an intense way at the end of the day. (Like right now when I should be working but instead popped online for a break.)

[ProspectiveSingleMom]

One of my friends who is a SAHM recently became a secret shopper. It works out well because she can take the girls along and can do her shopping while getting paid just to watch for certain things.

[TeeTee]

What is a secret shopper and how do you find out about it?? Just curious...

[mamaskoby]

Yes please pass along the secret shopper info for this SAHM too!
Thanks!

[begaines]

My husband and I actually just bought a real estate advertising magazine. So, this has become a busy job for me. I know alot of people who do ebay. If you do it all the time you can make money. Also there is a company out there I hope I can say this called west at home I believe. You actually answer the phones for toy stores, hsn, and clothing stores and you get paid by the minute. You come up with your own schedule. If you want more information I can send you the site. You can email me at beth.gaines@yahoo.com My cousin did this and she was making between 300-400 per week I know this is not alot but it makes a difference when you are staying home with your little one.

[crayolamom]

I am a SAHM and make a few extra dollars by sewing drapes, pillows,soft children's busy books, and childrens clothes. With a little one at home it's tough finding the time to sew, but my jobs seem to be coming few and far between right now. Hopefully, I'll stumble across the perfect product and things will take off. If you want to stay home, I would encourage you to do so for at least awhile if you can swing it.

[ProspectiveSingleMom]

I'm not sure where my friend heard about the job she got, but I have seen similar jobs advertised in the newspaper before, as well as in online job ads. I'll e-mail her and ask about it.

[JustBarbara]

For what it's worth I tried the secret shopper thing and it can work but it didn't for me. As I understand it there are a certain number of SSs in a given geographic area and so it can be quite difficult to snag an assignment. So if you live in a busy metropolitan area you might be out of luck.

[2forus]

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who replied. I'm still looking for something to do from home to make some extra money, but we've made the decision the we're going to make it happen. Thanks for the encouraging words.