Extra income can make a significant difference for single mums, and in many cases it's less a bonus than a necessity. The options below are all flexible enough to fit around childcare, and most can be done entirely from home. For a broader look at flexible earning, working from home without investment covers the most accessible starting points.
Earn as a Freelance Writer — $15.00–$150.00 per Article
Freelance writing is flexible, requires no upfront cost, and rewards subject knowledge over formal qualifications. Pay starts low, but writers with a strong niche and returning clients regularly earn over $100.00 per article, with corporate copywriting often paying more.
Publishing on Medium or WordPress builds a portfolio to pitch from. Listing services on Fiverr or Upwork can generate early paid work, though rates on those platforms tend to be lower than direct client relationships.
Complete Surveys for Extra Cash — $1.00–$3.00 per Hour
Surveys are one of the most flexible side hustles available, with no skills required and tasks completable in spare minutes throughout the day. Platforms like Freecash and YouGov are reliable starting points.
Signing up across multiple survey platforms increases the volume of available tasks and makes it easier to compare time-to-earnings across different surveys.
Play Mobile Games for Rewards — $5.00–$15.00 per Hour
For those who want more variety than surveys, getting paid to play mobile games on Freecash offers higher earning potential with the same flexibility. The game library is broad, so finding something worth playing isn't difficult. Getting started takes under a minute:
- Go to Freecash.com
- Sign up with an email, Google, or Facebook account
- Pick a game offer
- Start playing and earning
Freecash pays out via PayPal, crypto, gift cards, and bank transfer, so earnings are accessible quickly once a threshold is reached.
Sell Baked Goods at Local Events — $30.00–$150.00 per Event
Baking skills translate directly into income through local bake sales, school events, and community markets. Contacting local schools, community groups, and neighbours is the fastest way to find upcoming events or organise one.
Facebook groups for local areas often surface opportunities not advertised elsewhere. Pay per event varies, but the side hustle builds community connections that can lead to repeat orders and catering requests over time.
Work as a Virtual Assistant — $15.00–$35.00 per Hour
Virtual assistant work covers admin, email management, calendar organisation, and similar tasks, all done remotely on a schedule that can flex around childcare. The role is scalable, meaning hours can increase or decrease based on what's manageable each week.
Setting out services in a clear rate sheet and listing on Fiverr are practical first steps. Contacting local businesses directly often produces faster results than waiting for platform leads to arrive.
Offer Pet Sitting Services — $10.00–$25.00 per Day
Pet sitting pays modestly but requires minimal setup and suits homes where children would enjoy having animals around. Platform listings on Rover provide a starting point, though reaching out to pet owners in the local area directly tends to convert better when a personal connection already exists.
Existing neighbours and local Facebook groups are reliable sources of first clients. Repeat bookings are common once trust is established with a pet owner.
Sell Clothing and Second-Hand Items — $2.00–$20.00 per Item
Listing unwanted clothing and household items on platforms like eBay and Vinted converts clutter into extra monthly income. For single mums with children who regularly grow out of clothes, the supply of sellable items is rarely a problem.
Vinted handles much of the shipping admin automatically, and some parcel carriers don't require a printer. Good photos and accurate descriptions are the main variables that affect how quickly items sell.
Record Voiceovers for Brands — $30.00–$150.00+ per Gig
Voiceover work requires a quiet recording space and a decent microphone, but the setup cost is low. A mid-range USB mic paired with free editing software like Audacity is enough to produce professional-quality audio for most client projects.
Platforms like Voices.com and Voice123 list briefs regularly. Rates increase with a growing portfolio, and completed projects compound into higher-paying opportunities over time.
Sell Handmade Crafts on Etsy — $5.00–$500.00+ per Item
Knitting, crochet, painting, candle-making, and food products all have active markets on Etsy. Unique products with a clear niche tend to perform better than generic items, and pricing should account for the time spent on each piece.
The main trade-off is that production time doesn't always scale with earnings early on. That said, a distinctive product can generate repeat buyers and word-of-mouth referrals without additional marketing spend.
Offer Translation Services — $15.00–$30.00 per Hour
Multilingual skills are consistently in demand across legal, commercial, and editorial sectors. Demand for translation work is high across most language pairings, and most projects are completed remotely on a project basis.
Platforms including Upwork, Gengo, TranslatorsCafe, and ProZ connect translators with clients directly. Deadlines can be tight, so this works best for those with predictable blocks of focused time available each week.
