29 Great Business Ideas For Housewives Looking To Earn From Home!

Today we're going to be looking at some of the best business ideas for housewives. All of these business ideas can be run from your home and, best of all, most of them require very little startup cash.

Thanks to the internet, more people than ever are able to work remotely. In fact, around 50% of all businesses in the U.S. are now based from home. This is great news for anyone who wants to create an additional source of income for their family from the comfort of their own home.

Whether you are looking for a side hustle you can do in your free time, or something you can turn into a full-time business, there will be something here for you.

Best Business Ideas for Housewives

If you're a stay-at-home mom, you will want a business that's flexible, and more importantly, earns you some decent money.

We recognize there might be other important factors as well:

• Low start-up costs
• Able to stay small or grow large
• Satisfying and fulfilling work

These home-based business ideas for housewives can all be done in whatever free time you have,  evenings, weekends, or at 5 am. If you have young children, you can still use most of these business ideas for housewives as well!

Start a Blog

There's a good reason this business idea is first on the list. Starting a blog is one of the best business ideas for housewives or anyone else who wants to make money online.

It's very easy to start your own blog, and there are lots of different opportunities to make money once you get going.

You can blog on any subject, but it is a good idea to narrow your focus slightly and choose a niche. Having a defined niche for your blog will enable you to build up a loyal audience of dedicated readers who want to know what you have to say.

Examples of popular blogging niches include:

• Health and Fitness
• Fashion
• Gardening
• Interior Design
• Making Money
• Gaming
• Books
• Digital Marketing

Once you have chosen your niche, you can start building your blog using Bluehost for just $2.95/month.

There are lots of ways for bloggers to make money, including affiliate marketing, display ads, and sponsored content.

The earning possibilities are limitless when it comes to blogging. The important thing to remember is you will get out what you put in. Blogging isn't a get-rich-quick solution, but if you put in the time and effort, there's some serious money to be made.

Amazon FBA

Amazon FBA has made it possible for anyone to get into eCommerce, without having to deals with storing, shipping, and handling your goods.

FBA stands for ‘Fulfilled by Amazon', and it basically allows you to become an eCommerce business owner without the hassle.

Here's how it works:

When it comes to sourcing products for your business, you have a few options. Firstly, you can try retail arbitrage. This is when you buy new products from a retail store at a discounted price, and sell them for a profit on Amazon.

Retail arbitrage is a great option for anyone who's getting started with a small budget. There is no minimum to the amount of items you have to buy, so you can just focus on finding items with a high-profit margin (and don't miss our list of other low cost business ideas with high profit margins).

The other option is to source your own products wholesale and create your own brand. There's huge money to be made here, but you will need to invest a bit of cash upfront for your first order.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online for anyone whole doesn't want to invest any money upfront. With affiliate marketing, you are making money by promoting other people's products in return for a commission on the sale.

Here's how it works:

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be a blogger to make money with affiliate marketing.

While blogging is a great place to start, there are lots of other places online where you can promote your affiliate links.

For example, you can share affiliate links on:

• YouTube
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter

So you don't necessarily need to be a blogger to make money from affiliate marketing. You can even combine more than one, or even all of these ideas together to get as many clicks on your affiliate links as possible.

Start a YouTube Channel

Anyone can start their own YouTube channel and start making money from it, even if you're a complete beginner.

Startup costs are low too – It's free to start your channel, and you can record your videos using an HD camera or smartphone.

There are a few different ways to make money with a YouTube channel, including:

• Ads (Adsense)
• Affiliate marketing
• Brand sponsorships

As your YouTube channel grows, brands might even start to send you products for free, in the hopes that you will mention or review them on your channel!

The top earners on YouTube are making between $15-$30 million dollars a year from their channels. That's a lot of money for making videos!

The amount of money you make will grow as your subscribers grow and your watch time goes up.

On Average, YouTubers earn around $7.60 per thousand views. If you want to be earning $1,000 per month from YouTube you will need to be getting around 131,000 views each month.

Here's a great YouTube earnings calculator you can use to see how much you could earn with your own YouTube channel.

Sell Essential Oils Online

When you hear the words ‘selling essential oils' your mind probably jumps straight to the notorious MLM schemes. Don't worry, there's a much better way.

The use of essential oils dates back thousands of years, and these days they are as popular as ever. Many people are choosing to use these natural oils instead of harmful synthetic fragrances.

The essential oils market is huge, with the value of the worldwide essential oils market expected to reach 27 billion dollars by 2022. So, if you want a piece of that pie, there's no better time to get started than now.

There are two great ways to make money selling essential oils:

Both of these methods have very low start-up costs, and you don't need to handle any inventory or ship any products yourself. These are great business models for anyone who needs flexibility.

Reselling Sneakers

You might be surprised to know that there's some serious money to be made by reselling sneakers.

Sneaker culture is huge, and there's nothing sneakerheads want more than to get their hands on the latest pair of kicks.

Limited edition sneakers can sell out quickly in retail stores, leaving people no choice but to buy them online. You can cash in on this demand by getting to the retail stores early to make sure you get your hands on popular sneakers before they sell out.

A quick search of the sold listings on eBay for ‘limited edition sneakers' will shows just how much people are willing to pay!

Selling on eBay

Selling on eBay is one of my favorite ways to make money online.

The great thing about selling on eBay is that absolutely anyone can do it, and you don't even need to invest anything upfront.

You can list an item for sale and have the money in your PayPal account in a week, sometimes even sooner.

Start by looking around your house for items you no longer want or use. Once you have some items to sell you can start creating your listings on eBay.

When you're creating your listings, remember to take lots of clear photos of each item. Use important keywords in the title and description of your item to help it sell.

Once you have made some money by selling items from your own home, you can reinvest this money in buying new inventory from thrift stores to resell for a profit.

Many people make a full-time living out of flipping items from thrift stores and selling them on eBay. If you want to know more about what to look out for, check out our guide on the 15 easiest things to sell on eBay.

Start a Podcast

Starting a podcast is a great way to earn money from home. Anyone can start a podcast using free podcasting software like Buzzsprout.

There are lots of different ways to make money from a podcast, but the most popular ways are:

• Affiliate Marketing
• Adverts
• Sponsored content
• Merchandise
• Promoting your own products or courses
• Charging a fee for access to premium content

You can create a podcast about anything you are passionate about. Remember to choose a subject which you know a lot about, or are very interested in so you don't run out of things to talk about!

Become a Virtual Assistant

Becoming a virtual assistant or ‘VA' is one of the best small business ideas for housewives (and there are lots of websites dedicated to virtual assistants). It's the perfect online business to start from home, and you can choose your own working hours to fit your lifestyle.

Start-up costs are low (all you need is a website) making this a great low investment home-based business idea.

Virtual assistants are in high demand, with many small businesses realizing that it's more economical for them to hire a VA rather than a full-time employee.

Services you could offer as a virtual assistant include:

• Social media management
• Data entry
• Diary management
• Inbox management
• Blog writing
• Pinterest management
• Proofreading
• Transcription
• Event organizing
• Bookkeeping

Virtual assistants can earn anything from $25-$50 per hour, and sometimes even more for those with specialist skills. You can find clients for your virtual assistant business on freelance job boards like Upwork and PeoplePerHour.

A Daycare Business

Childminding is the perfect business idea for housewives who already have children at home. You can offer your daycare services locally to mothers who have children of a similar age to yours, and you can look after all the children together.

Aside from the fact that you can make plenty of extra income from this business idea, if you have your own children, they will be delighted to spend time with other kids their age.

You may even want to take this idea further and start a preschool. Here are some smart ideas for playful and caring preschool names.

Starting your own Daycare business will require special licenses, so check with your state which ones you will need. You will also need a first aid qualification if you are looking after other people's children.

Selling on Etsy

Selling on Etsy is a great way to make money from your creative talents. Etsy is a legit online marketplace for unique handmade goods.

Things you can sell on Etsy include:

• Original art
• Art prints (get the full list of great websites to sell art prints)
• Jewelry
• Clothing
• Sweets
• Home decor items
• Digital art (fonts, logos, etc)
• Printable Planners

Etsy is a great place to start if you've ever thought about selling your handmade items online (as are Etsy alternatives). It's free to sign up for a seller account, and it just costs $0.20 for each item you list. This makes it a great business idea for anyone who's strapped for cash.

Candle Making

Candle making is a really fun way to make money from home.

A candle making business will allow you to let your creative side shine through, as you can experiment with different scents, colors, and shapes for your creations (and we made a helpful step-by-step guide for how to start a candle business).

You can sell your candles on online marketplaces such as Etsy, or create your own website using Bluehost.

Coaching

Are you are good at listening, helping people, and sharing your advice and knowledge?

If so, then starting a coaching business from home could be a great way to earn extra money in your free time.

You don't need any formal qualifications to become a coach, but there are coaching certifications you can do online. This may build your confidence and teach you how to help your clients in the best possible way.

If you had a business background before becoming a housewife, you could become a business coach and help others who are just getting started. You can share your knowledge, and help them avoid any pitfalls that come with running a business.

People also hire life coaches to help them through challenges, as well as to help them reach life goals. Either way, coaching can be a great way to make money by helping others.

Cake-Making

Do you have a talent for baking?

If so then starting a cake-making business from home could be the perfect small business idea for you!

People always need cakes for different events happening in their lives, so there will be a huge market of people in your local area who need a bespoke cake-making service.

Examples of different cakes you could offer include:

• Wedding cakes
• Baby shower cakes
• Cupcakes
• Birthday cakes
• Anniversary cakes
• Retirement cakes

This is one of the best business ideas for housewives, as you can bake and decorate your cakes in whatever free time you have. Many people prefer buying cakes from a cake maker over a supermarket for the personal touch.

Check out our post on cake business name ideas for inspiration on naming your new sweet venture.

Tutoring

If you have an academic background, then starting a tutoring business could be a great way for you to make money from home in your free time.

With the rise of online software services like Zoom and Skype, you can tutor your students from the comfort of your own home.

Depending on which academic level you are tutoring, you should be able to earn between $35 – $55 per hour, making this a very lucrative side hustle.

Interior Design

Do you have a beautifully designed home, and love sharing your design knowledge and skills with others?

You could make money from your passion for interiors by becoming an Interior designer or decorator – don't miss our list of iconic interior design company names. You can take pictures of your own home to use as your portfolio if you are new to this, and create a brochure or flyer to hand out in your local area.

Another way you can make money through your interior design skills is by starting an interior design blog. You can start your own blog for just $2.95/month with Bluehost.

There are lots of different ways interior design blogs can make money, but the most common ways are affiliate marketing, brand sponsorships, and display ads.

Farmhouse On Boone is one example of a site that started with a focus on interior design and home renovation. Lisa now covers a wider range of topics from gardening to blogging, and has monetized the site in many different ways.

Dog Walking

If you're a housewife with a few hours to spare each day, you could make money and keep fit at the same time by starting a dog walking business.

63.4 million households in the U.S. are dog owners. I mean, who doesn't love dogs??

This means there's a huge market out there for pet-related services. You can advertise your dog walking services on local Facebook groups (and if you want, can check out these dog walking business name ideas to help), or simply let your neighbors know that you are available if they need your services.

Soap Making

Much like candle-making, soap-making is a really fun way to make some extra money from home.

Anyone can start a small business making soap from home, and you can buy all the kit you need to get started on Amazon.

Here are some great easy soap-making recipes to get you started!

Once you have made some beautiful soaps, you can sell them online on Etsy, or create your own online store. You can use Instagram to market your products and build up a fanbase of repeat customers.

Publish an Ebook and Sell it on Amazon

Writing and publishing your own ebook is easier than you think. Thanks to Amazon you can easily sell your book to readers around the world.

You can write your e-book on anything you are knowledgeable about. Non-fiction books are a great way for beginners to get into self-publishing. Examples of book you could write include:

• Recipe books
• How-to books
• Business advice
• Humor
• Travel guides
• Crafts
• Health and fitness

The great news is you don't even need to have an audience. Check out how Spencer is making $100 a DAY with a brand new e-book under a pen name!

Dropshipping Business

Dropshipping is the perfect home-based business for anyone who wants to get into eCommerce, without the huge upfront investment.

If you haven't heard of dropshipping before, here's how it works:

Because you are ordering directly from the manufacturer, you don't need to pay anything until the customer has paid you for the product. This means no upfront investment in inventory, no shipping, and no storing products.

This is a great business model for housewives, as well as anyone else who wants to run an eCommerce business from home.

Teach English Online

Teaching English online is a great home business idea for housewives. You can choose your own hours, and just work when it suits you.

It's very easy to get into, too. If you're new to teaching English, you may need a  TEFL or TESOL qualification. This can be obtained online.

Some of the most well know online English schools where you can find work are:

• VIPkid
• GoGoKid
• DaDa
• QKids

There are lots more out there too. You can sign up with one or more of these companies, and teach as little or as much as you want. Online English teachers typically make between $15-$25 per hour. Not bad form something you can do in your free time.

Cooking Classes

If you love cooking, and you're always getting compliments on the delicious food you make, you could cash in on this by offering evening cooking classes in your home.

From chocolate making to baking the perfect pie, there will be someone who wants to learn the skills you have by taking a cooking class.

As well as making a bit of extra money in your events and weekends, this is a great way to meet new people in your local area! You can advertise your cooking classes on local community Facebook groups, as well as in local community centers in your area.

Wedding Planning

Do you love planning parties? If so, you can make extra money by marketing your skills as a wedding and event planner.

There are lots of people out there who need to plan events but don't have the time or expertise to do it themselves. This is where you come in!

There are lots of different types of events you can offer as part of your services, including:

• Weddings
• Baby showers
• Bridal showers
• Birthdays
• Corporate events
• Christmas parties

And the list goes on. A wedding planner will typically charge between $3,500 to $10,000 per wedding, so this can be a great way to make extra money working from home.

Check out our list of party planning business names for inspiration.

Online Surveys

If you only have a few minutes spare each day, you can still make a bit of extra cash by taking online surveys.

The great thing about making money with surveys is you can do them in literally any free time you have. Even if it's just 5 minutes in a commercial break while you are watching TV in the evening!

Swagbucks is one of the best apps for taking surveys. You get points for each survey you complete, which you can exchange for Amazon gift cards and PayPal cash.

Transcription

If you're good at listening and quick at typing, you can easily make extra money in your free time by doing transcription work. Transcription work involves listening to an audio file or watching a video, and typing out what each person is saying.

There's a high demand for transcription work at the moment. You can easily find work on dedicated transcription sites like Rev.com, as well as freelance job boards like Upwork.

Start an Online Boutique

If you've always wanted to get into eCommerce, then starting an online boutique could be the perfect business idea for you.

The eCommerce industry is growing each year, with no signs of slowing down, so now is a great time to get started.

It could be easier than you think to start a boutique clothing business. Even if you don't have much start-up cash available you can start dropshipping and earning money straight away.

Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is one of the easiest ways to make money working from home. You can work at any time of day, so freelancing is a great business if you need something to fit around your existing schedule.

No experience is needed to become a freelance writer, but you do need to love writing, have a good grasp of spelling and grammar, and know the best sites for freelance writers to find work.

You can find freelance writing jobs on job boards like Upwork and Problogger.

Writing on Medium

This is a great one for anyone who loves to write but doesn't want to work for clients.

Medium is a blogging platform that anyone can sign up to and write for. Writers on medium have the chance to sign up for Medium's partner program and earn money from their writing.

Medium writers get paid by the number of people who have read their stories each month. This makes it a great source of passive income, as you can earn money from articles you wrote months ago – as long as they are still being read!

Website Flipping

If you're already into blogging, then flipping websites could be the perfect home-based business idea for you.

It's no surprise that some people have been comparing websites to real estate. And it's kind of true – websites ARE online real estate. Much like flipping houses, you can buy a website, fix any issues, make it more profitable, and resell it for a healthy profit.

There's a big market for buying and selling websites.

Some of the best places to buy and sell websites include:

• MotionInvest.com – A great place to buy and sell small and large content sites.
• Flippa – One of the most well-known sites for buying websites. There are so many sites listed here that you will have to look carefully to find one worth investing in.
• Empire Flippers – This is generally for larger sites that are already making a fair bit of money. You will find Amazon FBA, Dropshipping, and affiliate sites here.

If you don't have much startup cash, you can start by creating your own blog, building up an income, and selling it on one of these sites. Once you have made some money, you can continue to invest it in larger sites and work your way up that way.

Home Based Businesses For Housewives

The best thing about these business ideas for housewives is the freedom they will give you. You can make money working the hours you choose, around your existing commitments.

As a women entrepreneur, there's a lot of options when it comes to starting a profitable business. Many of these ideas require little to no start-up cash, which means that absolutely anyone can start their own business, and change their lives.

So, if you have been thinking about starting your own business… Take the leap and do it. You could have some extra cash for your groceries each month, or maybe even grow a six-figure business!

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