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I know you’re a busy parent. I also know exactly what you’re thinking. Let me guess…you have way too many competing priorities for your paycheck. How can you possibly find the money for that big summer trip to Europe if you can’t find any extra money to fund a college account? Well, have you ever considered a side hustle? Believe it or not, there are a ton of side hustles that busy parents like you can start this weekend to earn extra income.

I know exactly what you’re thinking again. Let me guess…you have a family, a career, and children and couldn’t possibly work a second job outside the home. Trust me, I know exactly where you’re coming from. I’m not suggesting you do anything of the sort. I certainly wouldn’t. What I am suggesting is a side hustle you can do inside the comfort of your own home. That’s right! You can actually start a home-based side hustle that can help bankroll your son or daughter’s college fund. Genius, I know. 

REASONS YOU NEED A SIDE HUSTLE

The biggest reason any busy parent needs a side hustle is to earn extra income. Unless you’re willing to cut your lifestyle down to bare basics – we’re talking no cable TV (which I actually advocate, BTW), no dinners outside the home, no shopping trips for nothing in particular, and no vacations. Ever. – you need to earn more money. That’s the bottom line, like it or not.

In today’s world, incomes are stagnating and expenses are skyrocketing, especially the cost of higher education. The thought of paying for college is probably already putting a knot in your stomach. If I happened to hit the nail on the head with that one, it means you either haven’t saved enough or at all for that inevitable gargantuan expense. Gulp.

Obviously, no one is debating the fact that busy parents with careers and kids and mortgages could use a few extra bucks to check off all those obligatory boxes. Enter side hustle. But not just any side hustle – a side hustle you can start in your home! So, let’s explore some of the top side hustles for busy parents like you and me.

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7 QUICK SIDE HUSTLES BUSY PARENTS CAN START THIS WEEKEND

1. Teach English Online Through VIPKID

If you have at least a bachelor’s degree, there is a wonderful opportunity out there to teach English to children in China, ages 4 – 12, through a site called VIPKID.

VIPKID is a trusted platform that provides high-quality, 1:1 immersive English language instruction. Teachers make between $14 and $22/hour.

Simply use this link to start the application process. After getting approved, you’ll be able to list the hours you’re able to work and students can start booking your available timeslots.

It really is that easy. So, if you have a passion to teach but don’t necessarily want to be in a classroom 9 months out of the year, give VIPKID a shot.

2. Music Lessons

All kids benefit from music lessons. And that’s not just me talking – it’s SCIENCE, baby. Fortunately, there is no shortage of parents out there willing to pay a tidy sum to anyone who can teach their child how to tickle the ivories or play guitar like Slash. Ha! Remember Slash?

3. Babysitting

Now, before you get all crazy thinking that there is not a snowball’s chance in You Know Where that you want to exhaust yourself by babysitting while your own kids are in school, CALM DOWN. Although you can offer all-day babysitting, you can also offer before and/or after school care for other moms and dads in your neighborhood. By doing the before/after school route, you can maintain your main job and add a side hustle with very little effort. Just ask around. You’ll be amazed how many other parents would love to drop off their sweet little angels just a few doors down instead of taking them to a sterile daycare center.

4. Cupcake Business

If you have a shred of creativity floating around in your DNA, you might want to consider starting a cupcake business. You can’t tell me you’re not being invited to birthday parties where the cake or cupcakes were purchased from that fancy specialty bake shop down the street. Why not offer a slightly less expensive alternative! Offer your services one time and you’ll notice people starting to trickle in from all over town. Before you know it, you’re going to be setting up a Facebook page and your own website. Uh huh.

5. Pet Sitting

When I say pet sitting, I mean pet sitting in your own home. How many people do you know have pets? And how many of those people ever go out of town? My husband and I are in a situation that sometimes warrants us to take our two dogs to a kennel when we leave town. That is super expensive and very cold. I’m guessing we’re not the only family out there that doesn’t have friends or relatives willing to take on their pet responsibilities. You’d be surprised how easily you could make a few hundred bucks by hosting your co-worker’s little Shih Tzu for a week! The kids would love it! Do it for the kids.

6. Online Surveys

If you want to make extra money without leaving the comfort of your living room, you should think about online surveys. You can set up your account in just a few minutes and start earning money today. This is a quick and easy way to earn an extra few hundred bucks a month. If you’re interested, check out Swagbucks ($5 signup bonus) or try Pinecone Research they’re two of the most popular and trusted online survey sites around.

7. Start A Blog

Starting a blog is something anyone with a little passion for writing and some time can do. You can blog about anything from photography to travel to money *wink* and get paid doing it. You’ll need to get yourself up to speed with writing relevant content and monetization, but after you get going, the sky is the limit. I recommend starting a WordPress blog using Bluehost for maximum value and a professional design.

Let’s Talk About Your Net Worth

And since you’re super motivated to earn extra cash, let’s talk about your net worth. Bottom line, your net worth is a snapshot of your overall financial health – not just your wealth.

There is no doubt about it, tracking our net worth has been our single biggest motivator in building wealth. We track ours using Personal Capital. Not only is it quick, easy, and secure to sign up and link your accounts, it’s also Free. We like free.

So if you’re not yet tracking your net worth, I highly recommend giving Personal Capital a try and starting today.

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YOUR PRODUCTIVE WEEKEND AWAITS!

All of the side hustles I mentioned above are side hustles you can start with little to no start-up fees. Forget advertising costs – all you need is through word of mouth to get moving!

What are your thoughts on starting a side hustle in your home? Have you tried it? Do you have any advice to offer other busy parents who are considering the same thing? Let us have it!

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