While you’re dedicated to nurturing your family, you might also be exploring ways to contribute to your household’s financial well-being without sacrificing invaluable time spent with your loved ones.

When my daughter was born, I wanted nothing more than to stay home with her. Unfortunately, living on a single income wasn’t going to work for our family. Debt and other fixed expenses meant that we had to be a two-income household.

If you’re similarly on the lookout for flexible, fulfilling work that aligns with your skillset, schedule, and financial goals, you’re in the right place.

This guide is tailored specifically for stay-at-home moms like you, aiming to uncover a variety of job opportunities that not only offer the flexibility you need but also tap into your unique talents and interests.

Online Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms

If you prefer to work while your kids sleep or during odd hours, these virtual stay-at-home mom job ideas are great options to consider.

1. Proofreader 

Do you have a good eye for detail and a knack for spotting spelling and punctuation errors? Becoming a freelance proofreader might be the perfect work-from-home opportunity.

Proofreaders check over documents and transcripts to ensure there are no mistakes. Many proofreaders are self-employed and have the freedom to choose when and how much to work. You can work anywhere from a few hours per week to full-time by working as a general proofreader or in a specific industry.

Veteran proofreader and entrepreneur Caitlin Pyle offers a free workshop for those considering proofreading as a career. Her workshop covers five signs proofreading could be a good fit for you and how to start booking clients.

Related: How to Become a Proofreader in 5 Easy Steps (Beginner’s Guide)

2. E-commerce store owner

For stay-at-home moms, launching an e-commerce store on platforms like Shopify or Etsy allows for the selling of handmade jewelry, vintage finds, or curated products directly to consumers.

Key steps include choosing a niche, such as jewelry, home decor, or eco-friendly products, and sourcing items through wholesale suppliers, dropshipping services, or creating them yourself. Success hinges on understanding your market, optimizing your online store for search engines, and leveraging social media for marketing.

This approach provides a practical, high-ceiling avenue for financial contribution that looks and feels like running a real business, all while accommodating the demands of family life.

Related:

• How One Recent Grad Started a $2,000 a Month Shopify Side Gig
• How to Start a Dropshipping Business in 8 Simple Steps
• How to Start an Online Thrift Store in 7 Simple Steps

3. Blogger

By starting your own blog, you control how much work you do and what kind of content you create.

You can write about what you’re passionate or knowledgeable about including cooking, travel, personal finance, parenting, or books. Focus on creating useful, helpful, and well-written posts regularly.

You can earn money blogging through affiliate marketing, display advertising, and sponsored posts or ads. 

• Potential Earnings: Earnings can be quite variable; some make $100 – $10,000+ per month through ads, affiliate marketing, and sponsored content.
• How to Get Started: Choose a niche you’re passionate about, start a blog using platforms like WordPress, and create high-quality content to attract readers and advertisers.

Related:

• How This “Mom Blogger” Makes Nearly $2,000 per Month From Her Blog
• These 5 Millennials Make Over $1,000 per Month Blogging. Here’s How
• Blog Income Report: How We Made $347,675 Blogging in 2 Months

4. Transcriptionist 

For stay-at-home moms with strong typing skills and a good ear, transcription offers flexible, home-based work. Transcriptionists convert audio recordings into written documents, serving various sectors like legal, medical, and media.

To start, familiarize yourself with transcription software and practice to increase typing speed and accuracy. Certification through a transcription training course, while not always required, can be beneficial, especially for specialized fields. Finding work can be as straightforward as signing up on transcription platforms or freelancing sites. 

• Potential Earnings: $10 – $25 per hour, with specialized fields like legal or medical transcription paying more.
• How to Get Started: Improve your typing speed and accuracy, familiarize yourself with transcription software, and apply for positions on transcription service websites.

Related: 9 Legitimate Places to Find Transcription Jobs

5. Bookkeeper 

Bookkeeping is an ideal profession for SAHMs with a penchant for numbers and organization, offering a high degree of flexibility and the option to work remotely for various clients.

With the advent of cloud-based accounting software, moms can easily manage clients’ finances, from invoicing and payroll to reporting and reconciliation. The ability to take on as many or as few clients as desired allows for a customizable workload, making bookkeeping a lucrative and fulfilling career choice.

• Potential Earnings: $20 – $50 per hour, varies with client size and task complexity.
• How to Get Started: Learn bookkeeping basics online and begin pitching services to small businesses.

6. Virtual assistant

An increasing number of business owners are hiring virtual assistants or VAs to complete tasks like booking travel, answering customer emails, sending invoices, or editing website content.

Their value shows, too. VA work has quickly become one of the most profitable jobs for stay-at-home moms in America, with gross incomes hitting $5,227 per month according to Indeed._[1] 

Most VAs work as freelancers, giving them the flexibility to earn money while staying home with their kids. How much you earn depends on your rates, the hours you work, and how many clients you’re able to take on. Better yet, you don’t need a degree or certification to work as a VA. 

• Potential Earnings: $10 – $30 per hour, with specialized skills commanding higher rates.
• How to Get Started: Gain familiarity with common online business tools, consider a VA training course, create a detailed LinkedIn profile or a listing on freelance platforms, and offer your services to potential clients.

Related: How One Woman Makes $3,000 per Month as a Virtual Assistant

7. Freelance writer

Freelance writing is a great way to earn money while working from home. There are tons of jobs available, and you have the opportunity to use your unique skills and experience to find the right niche for you.

If you become a freelance writer, you’ll create original, creative, and informative content for online and print publications. This can include blog or website content, newsletters, email marketing campaigns, white papers, or marketing copy.

The more versatile you are with the type of content you can write will help expand your opportunities to make money, but if you’re just beginning, it’s best to stick with one topic.

• Potential Earnings: $15 – $100+ per hour, depending on experience and niche.
• How to Get Started: Create a portfolio of any past writing, consider a freelance writing course, set up a profile on freelance job platforms, and start pitching to potential clients or responding to job postings related to your interests and expertise.

Related: Meet the Journalism Dropout Making Six Figures as a Freelance Writer

8. Social media manager

It’s more important than ever for brands to have a strong social media presence, and they need people to manage it. Many companies hire social media managers to run their social media pages or to help them build their brand online. And there’s a lot more to establishing an online presence than just creating a Facebook page.

A social media manager ensures brands have up-to-date posts that engage fans and consumers. They create online profiles, post pictures on Instagram, curate collections on Pinterest, and respond to questions on Twitter. They can even moderate comments, edit videos, or manage Facebook ads.

Since the tasks are so varied, many find the skills acquired from social media management translate well when it comes to paid influencer work as well. 

• Potential Earnings: $15 – $50 per hour, based on experience and client base.
• How to Get Started: Build a strong personal social media presence to showcase your skills, and offer your services on freelance websites or directly contact businesses you’re interested in working for.

9. Graphic designer

If you have an eye for design and color, are creative, and can put together eye-catching logos or other graphics, working as a graphic designer is a great stay-at-home mom job to consider.

The hours are flexible, you can set your own rates, and then decide how many clients you want. It also has a low start-up cost, with many graphic design programs offering free options. You can also deduct at-home work-related expenses on your taxes.

You can also use these design skills to earn money creating websites for clients. While there are free themes and designs for website owners to choose from, many still opt for custom designs. You would work with your clients on unique layouts and color schemes along with logos and other images, as well as provide website maintenance.

• Potential Earnings: $20 – $75 per hour, with rates varying by project complexity and designer’s experience.
• How to Get Started: Develop a strong portfolio showcasing your design work, and create profiles on freelance platforms or your own website to attract clients.

10. Freelance photographer 

Photography offers stay-at-home moms a flexible and creative outlet to express themselves while also capturing life’s precious moments. It’s also a profession that can easily adapt to a mom’s schedule, allowing for work during odd hours or around family commitments. 

Additionally, there are websites that will pay you to use your photos as stock photos. It’s easy to get started with these sites – just upload your photos. When an individual or company selects your photo, you get paid.

You have less control over how much you make because the site you’re using is responsible for promoting your pictures. It also depends on the type of photo licenses you’re selling, and the commission or royalties structure of the site. Some of the most popular places to sell your photos include Shutterstock, iStock Photo, and Etsy.

• Potential Earnings: $25 – $200+ per hour for shoots; selling photos online can yield variable income based on sales.
• How to Get Started: Build a portfolio of your photography, set up a professional website, and offer your services for events or sell your photos on stock photography sites.

Related: How One Photographer’s Side Hustle Became a $330K a Year Business

11. Online tutor

Online tutoring jobs have seen a remarkable surge in demand since the onset of the pandemic, transforming it into a highly sought-after profession for stay-at-home moms.

With schools having moved to more remote-focused learning, parents have increasingly sought out additional academic support for their children — specifically the need for personalized, one-on-one tutoring.

This shift has not only opened up new avenues for those skilled in specific subjects but also highlighted the invaluable role online tutors play in the educational landscape today. The flexibility to work from anywhere, coupled with the increased demand, makes online tutoring an even more attractive and viable career path for stay-at-home moms looking to contribute financially while supporting their family’s educational needs.

• Potential Earnings: $15 – $50 per hour, varying by subject and level of expertise.
• How to Get Started: Acquire certification if necessary for specialized subjects, sign up with online tutoring platforms or create your own website to offer your services.

Related: This ESL Tutor Makes $2,000 per Month Online. Here’s How

12. Customer service representative 

As a way to manage overhead and provide 24-hour support, more companies are moving toward hiring work-from-home customer service representatives.

This position is great for stay-at-home moms because it allows you the ability to work overnight when your kids are sleeping or during the day when they’re at school. You can also work part-time or full-time hours, giving you the flexibility you need.

You can work as an online chat agent, call center agent, or with technical assistance.

• Potential Earnings: $10 – $20 per hour, depending on the company and complexity of support.
• How to Get Started: Develop strong communication skills, familiarize yourself with customer service software, and apply for remote positions on job boards.

13. Health coach

Health and wellness coaching is a growing industry. With more people looking for ways to get healthy and fit, there’s a need for coaches who can help guide them on their fitness journey.

An online health coach gives advice, checks in with clients, and provides encouragement. In most cases, all you need to get started is a passion for health and a desire to help others. Check with your local laws and regulations to make sure you don’t need any certifications or licenses to work as a health coach.

As a health coach, you can choose to work for a company or on a freelance basis. There are several companies that offer health coaching services online. On the other hand, you may want to work as a freelance health coach so you can have more freedom in setting your own hours.

• Potential Earnings: $20 – $70 per hour for virtual sessions, depending on certifications and specialties.
• How to Get Started: Obtain certification from a reputable organization, set up a website or profile on fitness platforms, and offer virtual training sessions or personalized workout plans.

Related: How to Start a Personal Trainer Side Hustle (Up to $75,000 per Year)

14. Language translator

Language translators offer a critical service, bridging communication gaps between cultures and industries. For stay-at-home moms fluent in more than one language, this career path provides an opportunity to work flexibly from home, translating documents, websites, or video content. Starting involves identifying your language pairs and specialization areas, such as legal, medical, or technical translation.

Building a portfolio and gaining certification, if available, can enhance credibility. Freelance translators typically find work through online platforms, direct client outreach, or translation agencies. This role not only capitalizes on linguistic skills but also contributes significantly to global communication, all while maintaining the work-life balance essential for parenting.

• Potential Earnings: $0.10 – $0.50 per word or $20 – $50 per hour for freelance translators.
• How to Get Started: Become fluent in at least two languages, earn certification if possible, and apply for gigs on translation websites or offer services directly to businesses.

Offline Jobs for Stay-At-Home Moms

If you have the opportunity to get out of the house for short bursts or you want to include your children in your work, consider one of these legitimate gigs.

15. Child care provider 

If you stay home with your kids, you can earn income by watching other people’s children at the same time. You can offer before or after-school care for older kids or full-time hours for parents with young kids. Extra services can include transportation to and from school or weekend hours for parents who do shift work or want some kid-free time for date night.

You can advertise your services on Facebook, community bulletin boards, or by signing up with a service like Care.com. Make sure you check with local and state regulations that might apply to watching kids in your home.

• Potential Earnings: $10 – $25 per hour, depending on location and number of children.
• How to Get Started: Meet any local licensing requirements, create a safe and engaging space in your home, and advertise your services to local parents or through online platforms.

Related: How Gennifer Rose Earns $5,000 per Month as a Surrogate Mother 

16. Pet sitter

People need someone to care for their pets when they’re away from home. If you’re looking for an easy work-from-home job you can do with kids in tow, starting a pet-sitting business is a solid option.

You can offer dog walking or boarding services, cat feeding and litter box changing services, or even small rodent care. It’s up to you what services you provide and to what kinds of animals. Use a website like Rover.com to find clients or you can advertise your pet care services locally or through social media.

What makes this stay-at-home mom job great is that you’ll earn money and teach your kids how to care for pets and grow a business at the same time.

• Potential Earnings: $15 to $25 per visit, $50 to $75 overnight. Rates vary by location and services offered.
• How to Get Started: Gain pet care experience, create a profile on platforms like Rover, get pet first aid certified, and use testimonials to build trust.

17. Laundry service provider

Most people don’t like to do laundry or have the time to do it as often as they’d like. You can provide a valuable service by washing, drying, and folding their laundry for them. You can even offer alterations and ironing to earn additional income.

This works as a great in-home job, especially if you don’t have a car or limited access to public transportation as you can have your customers drop their laundry off (and pick it up) directly at your house. You can do the work at any time, and you can have your kids help you with the task.

Word-of-mouth is best for advertising this kind of service, but you can use social media, Care.com, or other job boards to promote your washing and folding business.

• Potential Earnings: $15 – $30 per hour, depending on services offered and local demand.
• How to Get Started: Learn laundry care techniques, market locally and online, and set competitive rates based on services like washing, folding, and ironing.

18. Craft seller

Selling homemade crafts like quilts, picture frames, T-shirts, and jewelry is a fun way to make money as a stay-at-home mom. There are a number of places to sell your wares such as Etsy, craft shows, or your own Facebook business page. You control everything from inventory and price, to how many hours you spend working.

If you want to make it easier and don’t want to manage any inventory, you can use a dropshipping site like Shopify to host your store and send products to your customers.

You can have your kids help you make your crafts or give them their own section to sell their crafts. It’s a great way to spend time together and make money at the same time.

• Potential Earnings: Earnings vary widely; profit margins depend on product, pricing, and sales channels.
• How to Get Started: Create unique items or curate a collection, then set up a shop on platforms like Etsy, eBay, or Shopify to sell your crafts.

19. Data entry clerk

Data entry clerks input information into databases, a role well-suited for stay-at-home moms looking for flexible work they can pick up and put down at a moment’s notice. These jobs require basic computer skills and attention to detail.

To get started, proficiency in typing and familiarity with spreadsheet and word processing software are essential. Opportunities for data entry jobs can be found on various online job boards and freelance platforms. It’s an ideal position for those seeking to work at their own pace, offering the ability to balance work with family commitments while contributing financially from home.

• Potential Earnings: $10 – $20 per hour, based on the speed and complexity of the data being entered.
• How to Get Started: Practice typing and data entry skills, familiarize yourself with common data management systems, and look for data entry job postings online.

Stay-at-Home Mom Side Hustles

The careers we’ve listed here are great stay-at-home mom jobs for those who want or need a full-time setup. But what about moms who just want to earn a little extra money on the side?

There are plenty of good side hustles for stay-at-home moms to make money without the commitment of a new career. You won’t make as much money, but these ideas can help you get extra cash.

Market researcher

Market research companies need to know what consumers think and they find out by conducting research through paid online surveys. You can sign up to take these surveys and earn cash and rewards. It’s a quick and easy way to make money from home.

There are lots of sites that claim to pay you for taking surveys, but many offer very low pay or are just plain scams. Freecash, Survey Junkie, and Swagbucks are reliable companies that pay you to take surveys.

Food delivery driver

If you have kids in school and access to a car, you might be able to make some money during those hours by delivering food for companies like DoorDash and Uber Eats, or by shopping for groceries with Instacart.

The money you earn depends on how many orders you accept, any tips you receive, and the hours you work (i.e. peak delivery times pay more than off-peak). Make sure you read the requirements and payment schedule for each program before you apply, and factor in expenses like gas and car maintenance.

Flipper

By selling items you no longer need or sourcing undervalued goods to sell at a profit, you can tap into the growing market for pre-owned items.

This approach not only helps in decluttering and organizing your home but remains one of the precious few income ideas that require minimal upfront investment. 

Source items on places like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, local thrift stores, or flea markets, and refurbish or resell on niche marketplaces like Decluttr (tech), Etsy (handmade), and thredUP (clothing). 

Balancing Work and Family Life

Balancing work and family life as a stay-at-home mom involves strategic planning and setting clear boundaries. If you’re finding it difficult to juggle both, these tips may help: 

1. Create a Schedule: Designate specific work hours that fit around your family’s routine. Early mornings, nap times, or evenings can be productive times for work without interrupting family time.
2. Set Up a Dedicated Workspace: Having a specific area for work helps in mentally separating work from home life, making it easier to focus during work hours and step away when it’s family time.
3. Prioritize Tasks: Identify your most important tasks for the day, both for work and family. This helps in managing your time effectively and ensures that you’re not overcommitting yourself.
4. Communicate with Your Family: Share your schedule with your family so they understand your work commitments. This helps in setting realistic expectations and supports in managing interruptions.
5. Take Breaks and Self-Care: Regular breaks and self-care are vital. They prevent burnout and ensure you have the energy to enjoy time with your family and be productive in your work.

Tax Considerations  

Firstly, It’s important to determine if you’re classified as an independent contractor or an employee, as this affects your tax liabilities and deductions.

Independent contractors need to set aside a portion of their income for taxes, as they’re responsible for both income tax and self-employment tax.

“Make sure you set aside 20% – 35% of your side hustle income to cover your tax obligations to the federal government, your state, and even your local government,” says Ben Watson, CPA and vCFO at DollarSprout. 

Keeping meticulous records of income and work-related expenses is vital, as many costs, such as home office setup, internet, and even a portion of your utilities, can be deductible. It’s also wise to make estimated tax payments quarterly to avoid a large tax bill at the end of the year.

Consulting with a tax professional can provide personalized advice, helping navigate the complexities of tax laws and maximizing potential deductions, ensuring that your financial contributions from home-based jobs are as efficient and beneficial as possible.

Related: 6 Tips to Avoid an Unexpected Tax Bill from Your Side Hustle

Child Care Options

Diving into childcare options can make a huge difference for stay-at-home moms juggling work and kids.

Whether it’s part-time daycare, a trusted nanny, playdates, or a shared care co-op, these strategies offer the breathing room needed to focus on work tasks. It’s all about finding the right balance that allows you to be present as a parent while also meeting your professional goals.

The post 19 Flexible Stay-At-Home Jobs for Moms That Pay Well appeared first on DollarSprout.

The information he wanted, which included my annual income, my mortgage amount and interest rate, and how much I had in savings, had nothing to do with the work I was providing as a writer; rather, he wanted to use it for his own purposes.

He told me I had a responsibility, as a personal finance writer and editor, to be transparent. If I didn’t share those details, he’d use his investigative journalism resources and contacts to find it anyway.

Needless to say, I terminated that relationship and never looked back.

Firing a client isn’t always as clear-cut as that experience. Often, it’s hard to tell when it’s time to fire a client. And when you decide it is, it’s a difficult conversation to have. One that most freelancers would avoid.

However, if you approach firing a client professionally and courteously, you can protect your professional reputation and still get paid.

Signs It’s Time to Fire a Client

Sometimes it’s difficult to know when to let a client go. Maybe you’re quitting freelancing for a full-time job. Maybe you just want to reduce your workload to spend time on other hobbies and pursuits.

Sometimes you just want to stop working together, but you’re worried about losing money or risking them badmouthing you to other people.

It’s not always obvious when it’s time to fire a client, but there are some warning signs to consider.

• Scope creep. This happens when a client incrementally increases the amount of work, regardless of how the project was outlined in your contract, without increasing your pay. Scope creep is one of the biggest problems in the client/freelancer relationship, and is a primary cause for terminating contracts. If you’ve asked for a rate increase due to scope creep and were denied, it may be time to let go.
• Time-consuming. Sometimes you might wind up taking on a client who takes up more time than you allotted or planned. This could be for a variety of reasons including scope creep, constant emails or texts, or unnecessary phone calls. If this happens frequently, it might be time to consider letting the client go.
• Lack of respect for boundaries. A client should respect limits you put on the relationship, whether that’s communicating with you only during your established working hours, only asking you to perform tasks you’re comfortable with, or not sharing excessively personal details. If you find they’re crossing a line, you probably need to end the project.
• Poor communication. Without clear communication, a freelance project can’t succeed. If you have a client who frequently changes their mind about what they want and doesn’t tell you, fails to answer your questions directly, or disappears for days at a time with no contact, it’s likely indicative of a larger problem.
• Chronically missing deadlines. A key part of effective freelancing relationships is both parties meeting deadlines. If your client fails to provide you with documents but still insists on the same deadline, or fails to pay you on time, it’s best to terminate the relationship. Someone who doesn’t respect your time isn’t worthy of it.
• Ignores all recommendations. Depending on the nature of your freelancing project, you might find yourself making strategic recommendations to the client. If they constantly question your suggestions, blatantly ignore them, or insist that what you’ve suggested is wrong, that client might not be worth keeping around.
• Makes unreasonable demands. Unlike the other warning signs, this is one you can generally pick up on in the beginning stages of a project. If a client wants a 100,000-word book edited in two days or a house built in a week, you’ll know this upfront and can say no before you even get started. But sometimes clients start off reasonable and progressively increase their demands. When those demands become unreasonable, whether it’s setting impossible-to-meet revised deadlines or wanting you to offer a discount, it’s probably time to fire them.

Depending on the client, you might be able to fix most of the problems on this list without ending the relationship. Sometimes you just have to stand up for yourself and assert your boundaries.

However, there are three circumstances in which you should almost always fire a client immediately: if they’re abusive, sexually harassing you, or asking you to do something illegal, unethical, or potentially harmful to another person or business.

The long-term consequences and harm done by abuse, harassment, and breaking the law aren’t worth it.

Related: How to Negotiate Your Starting Salary

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Firing a Client

If you’ve established that there’s cause to fire your client, you should have an honest conversation with yourself about why, how, and any potential consequences to terminating your professional relationship.

Some questions to ask include:

• Why am I firing this client?
• How will this impact my business financially?
• How will this impact my business’s reputation?
• In what ways will this impact the client?
• Are there any legal consequences? Do I need to consult a lawyer first?
• Are there steps I can take to fix the relationship?
• Can I have an open conversation with the client, revise the contract, raise my rates, or establish stricter boundaries?

Make sure you thoroughly answer these questions. Your responses responses will inform how you approach your client. It’s also a way to work through your concerns about firing them as well as provide a foundation for your termination letter.

If you have a mastermind group, partner, or friend in the same business, talk through the questions with them as well. They might provide a perspective you hadn’t thought about or give advice on what to do next.

You might even find that, after answering these questions and talking them through with others, you can approach your client with an open and honest conversation and implement some solutions without having to fire them.

Related: What to Do When You Hate Your Job and Want to Quit

6 Tips for Professionally Firing a Client

If you’ve tried to fix the freelancer/client relationship and nothing has changed, or you’ve decided the relationship isn’t worth salvaging, you need to fire your client professionally. You don’t want to burn any bridges, and you still want to get paid.

To make sure that happens, here are a few steps to follow.

1. Set a meeting time and method.

Once you’ve made up your mind to fire a client, it’s best to get an appointment with them on your calendar as soon as possible so you don’t lose your nerve.

If you’re going to meet with them face to face, make it somewhere neutral and quiet. Your office or theirs is a good choice, but if that’s not an option, you can always try a public library, co-working space, or another public location that offers meeting rooms.

For online conversations, make sure you have a reliable internet connection and your laptop or phone is fully charged. That way your connection doesn’t go out in the middle of the conversation.

If a face-to-face meeting isn’t possible, you can terminate your client relationship via email. Before sending the message, take some time to proofread it. Make sure it’s free from spelling errors, ambiguous statements, and emotionally-charged language. You can also send it to a friend beforehand to see if they agree with the tone and content.

While it might make you feel better to say exactly how you feel, once it’s been received in writing, you can’t take it back.

Related: How to Maximize Your Productivity and Increase Your Earnings as a Freelancer

2. Create a plan and timeline.

Just like you would when quitting your job, give the client a detailed plan for ending the relationship. Spell out details including:

• Revised timeline for project completion
• Final payment schedule
• Securing a reference or recommendation

Out of professional courtesy, you can work with your client to formulate a plan that benefits both of you, but it’s a good idea to have your details worked out ahead of time. For instance, if you want to end the project in two weeks and get paid one week after submitting your final deliverable, bring that timeline to the meeting.

Even if your client doesn’t agree with your timeframe, it gives you a starting point for negotiations.

It also shows that you’re the kind of freelancer who respects your clients enough not to quit in the middle of a project. Bethany McCamish, freelance writer and owner at Bethany Works LLC, makes sure to see her contracts through until the end.

“Contracts that are ongoing (like writing work) are a bit different and can be ended at any time by either the client or myself, but I always make sure to complete the assigned articles first,” she said.

Seeing a contract through to the end helps protect your professional reputation, and you might even be able to secure a good reference from your former client.

Related: 5 Steps to Sell Your Services Online and Fill Your Freelance Schedule

3. Make it clear it’s not personal.

Even if you’re firing a client because you can’t stand them or working with them feels immoral, you want to make sure you refrain from telling them that. You want to communicate that the reasons you’re terminating the relationship are purely professional; that it’s a business decision, not a personal one.

Some reasons you can give:

• You’re raising rates
• You’re no longer providing that service
• They’ve violated the terms of your contract
• You haven’t been paid for any work

Freelance writer and best-selling author Emily Guy Birken uses a creative strategy when she lets a client go. Rather than completely quitting, she raises her rates.

“I choose an amount that would make it worthwhile for me to keep working under the same conditions, but I generally suspect that my new rate will deter the client from asking me to take on more work,” she said.

This puts it in the client’s hands whether or not they want to keep working with her, and she’s typically found that the ones she’d like to fire are the ones who don’t accept her rate increase.

While you generally want to let the client know this is a business decision, in cases of abuse or harassment, if you feel comfortable, you should address this directly with the client. Tell them that their behavior is unacceptable and won’t be tolerated, and you’re ending the project as a result.

Related: How to Ask for a Raise: The Advice No One Ever Gave You

4. Reach out to other freelancers.

When you decide to fire a client, do your due diligence and reach out to your network to see if there are any other freelancers who might be willing to take them on.

This frequently happens in a Facebook group I belong to. When one person can’t work for a client for whatever reason — they don’t have time in their schedule, the subject matter is beyond their expertise, the pay is too low — they present the opportunity to the rest of the group. Those who are interested let the original freelancer know, and that person brings the list of options to the client.

Presenting options to your clients makes it feel like they’re not being hung out to dry, and that they’ll have someone to complete the unfinished work or assist with future projects. It shows that you care about your clients and are willing to go the extra mile to help them, even when you’re no longer under contract.

It also helps your fellow freelancers, as McCamish found. “I think it’s essential as a freelancer to pass on work and help out my colleagues this way,” she said.

Paying it forward is a great way to set yourself apart and ensure that one day, someone in a similar position might do the same for you.

Remember, if a client is particularly challenging, and you can’t in good faith recommend them to someone else, don’t. You don’t want to compromise your relationships with others in your network over one bad client.

5. Write a script.

Even if you think you’ll never need to fire a client, it’s a good idea to have a script on hand just in case. There might be that one situation or project you just can’t do, and you’ll need to let the client know.

A good format for your termination script starts and ends your letter with positives and keeps the negative information — the reason you’re ending the professional relationship – in the middle.

McCamish follows this format and says it’s helped preserve her professional relationships.

“Whenever I ‘fire’ a client…I will always thank them for their business and personalize exactly how they helped me grow,” she said. “Then I give the reason for leaving. And sandwich this again with another thank you/how we can stay connected.”

Here’s a sample script that follows this format:

[Name],

Thanks for meeting with me today. While I’ve appreciated the opportunity to work with you, I’ve decided that as of [date], I will no longer be able to work on this project.

After evaluating my goals, I have decided to take my business in a different direction, with a focus on new services and more work-life balance.

You can expect me to finish all the outstanding work, and I’m happy to connect you with other freelancers who might be a better fit for your needs and budget.

If you’d like, we can schedule an additional time to outline a plan going forward, including deciding which deliverables are a priority to complete and revising the payment schedule.

When using a script, it should be concise, direct, and respectful. Tailor it to your specific client and circumstances, taking care to not just copy and paste in an email.

You might also want to create different scripts for the various reasons you might fire a client, whether it’s personal reasons, raising your rates, changing the scope of your services, or something specific to your industry.

6. Trust your instincts.

Firing a client is never easy. But you know what you’re willing to deal with, and how much someone needs to pay you to put up with increasing demands or unreasonable expectations. If you’ve reached a point in your client relationship that it’s become toxic to you, and you can’t handle it anymore, it’s time to fire the client.

Although you might question your decision now, over time you’ll realize letting this client go was best for your business, your mental health, and your self-esteem.

It’s OK to Fire a Client

Whether it’s for financial reasons, worried that they’ll never find another client, or needing to build a portfolio, many freelancers feel that they need to keep working with clients who are difficult, unreasonable, or even abusive.

But that’s not the case.

If you do quality work, are professional and reliable, and have reasonable rates, there will be clients who want to use your services. And if you need to fire a client at some point, and do it respectfully, timely, and thoughtfully, it shouldn’t hurt you in the long run.

The post How to Fire a Client: 6 Tips for a Polite Breakup (with Script) appeared first on DollarSprout.

While big-box stores and well-known brands have managed to survive, it’s been particularly challenging for traditionally in-person service businesses. After all, how do you provide personal training or therapy or dog grooming online? And how do you earn money doing it?

It seems challenging, but there are steps you can follow to move your offline business online.

Why You Should Have an Online Plan for Your Offline Business

Having an online plan for your business isn’t necessary, but it can provide a few things:

• Visibility. When you’re providing services online, it makes it easier for potential clients to find and connect with you.
• Marketing. Sharing videos or tutorials or posting on social media is free advertising that highlights what you do and offer.
• Income. Having a business that’s online means that even if you have to close your in-person location, you can still earn money.
• Focus. Moving from offline to online can help you make your business more efficient by narrowing the scope of your services or expanding to include more in-demand, lucrative ones.

Most of all, having a plan makes it easier should you need to move your business online. Like a personal emergency fund, it’s better to have it and not need it than not have one at all.

11 Steps to Take Your In-Person Business Online

If you’re considering moving your offline business online, you might be unsure of what to do if you’ve never worked online before. These steps offer a framework for creating an online business plan and strategy.

1. Evaluate your clients’ needs.

When you open any business, you need to first determine what services you’re providing. Moving your in-person business online is no different. You need to evaluate what you offer and how you can continue to meet your clients’ needs.

The first thing to consider is your most valuable, most in-demand services. Not just the biggest income-generating ones (although you do want to make sure you include those), but the most unique ones that make people choose you over others.

If you’re a baker, it could be your gluten-free cupcakes. If you’re a hairstylist, it could be your highlighting skills. Whatever you’re known for, you need to figure out how to offer it online.

The second thing to consider is what your clients are asking for. What problem do you solve for them? When they come into your office, store, or studio, what do they most want or need? Offering what your clients need and ask for is the best way to guarantee that they still pay for your services, even if they can’t do it face to face.

Finally, consider the physical resources your clients might or might not have and adjust your offerings based on that. For instance, if you’re a gym owner, your clients might not have equipment like kettlebells or resistance bands at home, and they’ll need exercises they can do without them.

Once you figure out what you’re offering, make sure your clients have an easy way to get in contact with you and schedule appointments if they need to. You can use a scheduling app like Calendly to create a free appointment calendar, or you can have them contact you through email. Try to remove any barriers that might make them rethink making an appointment.

Make sure to have your work calendar synced to your personal calendar — you don’t want to miss any meetings. You also want to make sure you have a system in place to ship or deliver any products.

2. Consider your services.

After figuring out what services you’d like to offer, decide which ones transition best online. For instance, if you’re a dog groomer, you might not be able to groom a dog in person, but you can offer FaceTime calls, coaching your clients through clipping their dog’s nails or brushing their teeth.

That’s what Eric Thompson, tumbling coach and founder/CEO of TumbleChef, LLC, did. He knew that while cheerleaders were away from the gym, they’d still want to work on their tumbling skills, and he knew that he could help them with his one-on-one coaching. So he decided to offer virtual private lessons and virtual clinics, and they’ve become his flagship services.

Regardless of the type of business you own, there are services you can offer online, even if they need to be repackaged. If you’re not sure which ones might work online, make a list of your products or services and see what similar companies are doing. You might find some inspiration for your own business.

Related: 16 Online Business Ideas for Beginners

3. Develop your social media strategy.

Marketing an online business isn’t that much different than marketing your in-person one, but it’s even more essential that you build your online presence. Customers will vet you based on your Facebook page, Instagram profile, website, and how you use them. They’ll look at your number of followers, the kind of content you share, who they know that follows you, and how frequently you share.

You can use Facebook ads to promote your business, but being strategic about your social media profile is just as important. Thompson, who admits he didn’t initially find anything useful about social media, has used it to grow his business, brand, and reputation. He uses analytics to carefully plan what content he shares at what time of day, what hashtags he includes, and he tailors the content so he’s reaching his audience where they are.

“I use Facebook to connect with parents and Instagram to connect with the kids,” he said.

If you don’t have an online presence, you can get started with a simple blog and Facebook page to build one. Make sure what you’re sharing is useful, helpful, and curated for your target audience.

4. Use available technologies.

When moving your offline business online, it’s essential that you think about your clients’ access to technology and Wi-Fi. You want to make sure you’re reaching them not only at a price they can afford but in a way that’s accessible to them.

Although most people have smartphones, they might have unreliable internet service or data limits on their cell phone plans. That might mean you need to conduct more classes, workshops, and events over FaceTime rather than streaming on Facebook or Zoom. You might also need to record your services so people can watch the videos when they can connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot instead of using it at home.

Lauren Martinez, Director, Events for a large national nonprofit organization, had to take these types of issues into consideration when planning events for her company. She ensures that all speakers for her events can call in rather than use video and have photos or slideshows available in case the presenters have a lag.

If you’re not sure what limitations your clients might have, you can ask. Create a poll on Facebook or Instagram or contact some of your clients individually. You can also talk to other business owners to see if they have any insight.

And remember that what your clients have access to in-person might not be the same as what they have at home, so account for those deficiencies as well. For instance, they might not have professional-grade scissors (for haircuts or pet grooming) or the space to do a long tumbling pass, and you might need to tailor your lessons or services for specific or individual clients.

Related: 12 Practical Ways to Get Free Internet Access at Home and in Public

5. Set your prices.

Any business owner knows how difficult it is to price their services. Price too low and people will think you offer low-quality products (and you won’t earn any money). Price too high and customers might not be able to afford you (and you won’t earn any money). It’s a tricky compromise to earn what you’re worth, charge what clients are willing and able to afford, and turn a profit.

“Setting your online prices can be even trickier,” Thompson said.

When he was setting his prices for his virtual private lessons, he had to take his clients’ loss of income into account. He also had to consider the fact that what he’s providing from his kitchen is different than what he’d provide in the gym. It didn’t seem fair to charge the same.

After consulting with his business manager and the other coaches in his mastermind group, he reduced his rate. He set a fair and affordable price and also strategically offers some of his coaching for free on his Facebook and Instagram pages.

“Coaches need to have more than one way to teach a skill,” he said. “So I offer one way for free and if gym owners or parents want something else, they can contact me for a paid coaching session.”

This is a way for him to reach smaller gyms and lower-income families but still provide the high-quality coaching he’s known for.

When setting your prices, take all factors into consideration, including if what you’re providing online is different than what you’re providing offline. And if you need to, give something away for free. It doesn’t have to be a product; you can record a short tutorial or video or do a Facebook Live. Anything that gives potential clients a taste of what you’re offering.

Related: 37 Small Scale Business Ideas for Beginner Entrepreneurs

6. Be creative with your services and hours.

If you own a gym or dance studio, you might be used to offering different classes at varying times. Transitioning your business online is no different. To effectively reach and service the most clients possible, you need to offer your classes at varying times. Although noon on Tuesdays might be best for you, it might not work for your customers.

Martinez agrees with this, and finds it effective.

“I worked with a team who had an event at 5:30 p.m. because someone suggested that it was after the workday, but before people were totally signed off and away from their computers, and it worked well,” she said.

The great part about this is now you can get creative with your schedule. Instead of only offering after-work and after-school hours, you can incorporate some early morning or middle-of-the-day classes. Play around with scheduling until you find what works for you and your clients, but remember to keep them updated with any changes.

Related: How This Entrepreneur Created a Business From a Unique Service

7. Look for new services you can provide.

Moving your business online is the perfect time to test new ideas. It’s low-cost and low-risk, and if it doesn’t work, you can always remove it. If it does work, you’ve added new services to keep your clients interested.

You can consider doing things like opening an online store with merchandise you already had in stock, creating printables, offering one-on-one coaching, or offering new classes or products you’ve been wanting to but were hesitant due to attendance or interest concerns.

Remember that you can always include your customers in this process. You can ask them what they might want you to offer, or if they’d be interested in a new class or product. You might find there’s more interest than you thought, or they might give you an idea you hadn’t thought of.

Depending on the type of business you have, you might also want to consider partnering with brands and other companies for affiliate sales or cross-promotions as long as the products you’re promoting are relevant and beneficial to your clients.

Related: One Expert’s Advice on Why Weird Side Hustles Work (and How to Find One)

8. Use other skills you have.

Unfortunately, it might not be possible to move your offline business entirely online. If that’s the case, you might need to shift gears, and try some new things using skills you already have.

Let’s say you’re a show director or work in theater. Although you won’t be able to direct any plays or musicals, you can still give voice, instrument, or acting lessons, help with industry-specific resumes, or edit audition videos. You might be able to run dance classes, improv workshops, or try your hand at directing scripted YouTube or Instagram Live videos.

There are other in-demand skills you can use to generate income as well. If you’re fluent in another language, you can work as an interpreter or tutor kids online. If you want to use your organizational skills, consider becoming a virtual assistant. Or maybe you can put your acting skills to use and do some voiceover work.

Write down all your skills and abilities and see how you can use those to fill in the income gap until you can get back to business.

9. Play to your strengths.

Chances are your business has strengths you can use to seamlessly move from in-person to online. Your biggest strength? Your current clients.

If you’ve built up customer loyalty, they’ll follow you whether you’re online or off. They’ll take your classes, sign up for your clinics, and even promote what you’re offering. They’ll keep their appointment, continue to pay their dues or membership fees, and buy your products as long as you continue to take care of them.

Another strength you can tap into is your ability to challenge yourself and your willingness to try new ideas. For Thompson, that means learning new skills and knowledge to expand not only his brand but what services he can offer his clients.

For Martinez, that means looking at new and fresh ways to put on events that still meet the event’s objective, make sponsors happy, and make attendees or honorees feel engaged and included.

Don’t forget about the flexibility that running an online business offers. You can use that to reach clients outside of your local area, try new ways of connecting with clients, and change your hours of operation.

It might be difficult to find your strengths, but they’re there. Once you recognize them, it’ll make it that much easier to move your business online.

10. Acknowledge any challenges.

You might already know that money or access to technology and the internet might be an issue for your clients, but before you transition your offline business online, spend some time thinking about other challenges your clients might face.

Child care can be a major concern. If the majority of your clients are parents, it might be difficult for them to find child care while they take your class or workshop. And if you’re a parent, you might face the same challenge.

Another challenge is space for inventory. If you sell products like clothes, soap, or books, you might not have a place to store the items, and you might need to either reduce your inventory or move to an online dropshipping store. That might come with an added expense or loss of income for you.

It can also be challenging to host events quickly and cheaply. But Martinez cautions against compromising for ease.

“Since virtual events can be cheaper to produce, there are a lot of ideas floating around for what should be done and the desire to execute right away,” she said. “It’s a challenge to really hone in on objectives to make sure you are delivering quality to your audience, rather than just having an event because it seems easy.”

Whatever your business is, think about potential problems that might arise as you move your business online. Write them down and try to come up with a possible solution. You might not be able to solve all your problems, but you should be able to offset most of them.

11. Make it sustainable.

Even when you’re able to open your offline business again, consider keeping some of your online services available to clients, especially if you’ve acquired some who don’t live locally. You want to make sure that they still have access.

To make your online business sustainable, you can do a few things:

• Set aside certain hours a week just for online clients. For instance, if you’re a personal trainer, you can use Wednesday evenings for accountability and planning sessions with those clients.
• Continue to provide virtual access. Using the personal training example, provide a Zoom link to your virtual clients so they can “join” the in-person strength training classes.
• Create a community. Again, using the personal training example, establish a Facebook group where both in-person and online clients can talk, ask questions, and you can connect with them through live Q&A sessions and posting workouts and fitness challenges.
• Stay in contact. You can do this through newsletters, a YouTube channel, a podcast — anything that helps keep clients connected to you and your business. Adding that personal touch makes you stand out and might even connect you to new clients or customers.

This is your chance to be creative with your long-term strategic planning. If you’re unsure how to incorporate online services into your business plan, consider forming a mastermind with other business owners or joining an online networking group.

The idea behind making the online component of your business sustainable is two-fold: one, it provides additional income even when your in-person services are operational again, and two, it provides you with an immediate solution should your offline business need to close.

Online Services Can Turn into Passive Income

If you’ve spent time transitioning your business online only to find that you’re able to return to providing in-person services, you might think it was all a waste of time. It’s not.

You can use what you’ve done to create passive income or a lucrative side hustle.

For instance, if you provide live training on dog grooming, record yourself and upload the video to Teachable to sell as a class. If you’re hosting writing workshops, consider creating a guided workbook or writer’s journal you can sell on Etsy or your own Shopify store. And if you’re doing virtual personal training, you can create and sell meal and exercise plans based on ones you’ve made for your clients.

You can be as creative as you like when developing your passive income stream. And since you’ve already done the work, it’s easy to implement.

Related: 19 Digital Products You Can Sell Online to Generate Passive Income

The post How to Take Your Business Online: 11-Step Guide appeared first on DollarSprout.

I use coupons when I remember them, mostly keep to a budget, occasionally participate in no-spend challenges, and have an overall handle on what I’m doing with my money.

Plus, there’s not a whole lot I like to spend money on. Food allergies keep me eating at home, the library has all the books I need, and I’m not interested in fashion.

However, there are a few exceptions: pens, notebooks, lip balm, and all star cheerleading.

For the past seven years, my daughter has been a competitive cheerleader. I don’t want to add up all the money I’ve spent on it because, well, it’s a lot. But even though all star cheer takes up a significant part of my monthly budget, when I sit down and think about it, it’s worth it.

Why Does It Cost So Much?

There’s no one answer to why cheerleading is so expensive, but there are some explanations. You have to pay for uniforms, bows, shoes, travel, tuition, competition fees, practice gear…the list goes on. And that’s just what you’re paying the gym.

Don’t forget about personal expenses, like hair ties, bobby pins, hairspray, makeup, and gas driving to all the places.

There’s also optional stuff like cheer camp, tumbling classes, private lessons, and more. It’s not much taken separately, but it’s a lot when you put it all together. Over the years, I’ve spent anywhere from $5,000-$10,000 in a single full-year season. And there are plenty of parents who spend significantly more than that (although there are some who spend less).

Another reason, and one that’s been talked about at length in the cheer community, is that one company essentially has a monopoly on all star cheer. If you watched Cheer on Netflix, you saw the parents and friends of the Navarro athletes complaining that they couldn’t watch the Daytona competition without paying for it. And that’s completely true.

Thanks to Varsity’s stranglehold on the competitive cheer world, you can’t do anything without paying a fortune. Almost nothing is free, including watching your athlete perform. Because there’s no competition to force them to lower their prices, they can effectively do whatever they want. And they do.

The gyms have to pay, which means the families have to pay.

Related: How to Make a Budget in 7 Easy Steps

There Are Ways to Make Cheer More Affordable

Until some things change, I’ve accepted that this is an expensive sport. Complaining about the cost isn’t going to make the price go down, but there are ways I mitigate it.

Budget. Knowing how much I have to pay each month and putting it as a line item in my budget means I have the money available when I need it. I break it down into tuition, fees, clothes, tumbling, extras, one-day competitions, and two-day competitions. I also make sure to account for end-of-season competitions and start saving for those as soon as each new season begins.

Participate in fundraisers. This isn’t something I take advantage of as much as I should, but the fundraisers do help offset some of the costs.

Be creative. I look for all the possible ways you can save money. For instance, we carpool for practice. I’ve bought used uniforms, paid competition fees in full early to take advantage of pre-payment discounts, used coupons and sales to buy things like socks or hairspray. I’ve shared rooms when I travel and pack snacks and water for inside the venues. There are fees I can’t do anything about, but with a little creativity, I can control some of the costs.

Know my limits. Because I set such a strict budget, I know what extras I can and can’t afford, and I stick to that. I also know that if cheer does become a financial burden, I can do things like move her to a less-costly rec program, stop extra tumbling lessons, or talk to our gym owner about scholarships and sponsorships.

And, of course, there’s always the hope that she gets a paid bid to whatever end-of-season competition we attend. That’s a huge money-saver!

Related: Why a Zero-Based Budget Could Be Your Tool to Financial Freedom

Five Reasons I Pay for All Star Cheer Anyway

Even with the money-saving strategies I employ, it’s still costly. But as long as I can afford it, I’m going to continue to pay for all star cheerleading.

My daughter loves it

To say my child is obsessed with cheerleading is an understatement. She follows cheer the way football or baseball players follow their sport. She knows the rules, the teams (especially the Worlds-level teams), and the cheerlebrities. She’s learning the history of it. She and her best friend even have Cheerleading Worlds pools the way other people have Super Bowl pools.

Not only does she love the sport, but she loves participating in it. Her entire face and demeanor change when she gets to the gym, when she’s talking about competing or her dream of cheering in college, and the excitement when she learns a new stunt or tumbling skill. As a parent, it’s hard to ask for more than that.

The gym is her happy place, her teammates are some of her closest friends, she’s free to be herself, and all of that alone is worth the price.

Soft skills

Developing skills like responsibility, time management, self-confidence, and problem-solving isn’t unique to cheerleading. I think most sports teach them. But with cheerleading, athletes need to learn how to balance homework with practice and conditioning with chores, and how to stand up for themselves when people make fun of you for being a cheerleader.

Those comments teach her patience, tolerance, and self-control. Detention is not an option because someone doesn’t think cheerleading is a sport.

But what they’re really learning is all the skills it takes to function at work, at home, and in society. And they truly do transcend the mat. “I think cheer helps me with group projects in school,” my daughter said. “You have to trust people to do their jobs and you have to learn to work with people you might not get along with.”

It keeps her busy

My daughter is in the gym for roughly six hours each week, more when she’s doing her tumbling program. When the weather is nice, she has to run a mile every week. She also needs to condition. Between what’s required of her from cheer and school (and music lessons), there’s not a whole lot of downtime.

Don’t get me wrong. She still has plenty of time to see her friends, scroll mindlessly through Instagram, and get all of her homework done, but boredom and my daughter don’t mix. Cheer is a way to keep her physically active, off of her phone, and out of trouble.

Relationships

There’s a stereotype that cheerleaders are mean, catty, rude, and overall awful. It makes me furious when I hear that. Mean girls are everywhere, not just in cheer, despite what movies and TV want you to believe.

In our experience, some of the kindest, friendliest, and most accepting kids we’ve met, and some of my daughter’s closest friends, have come into our lives as a result of cheerleading.

These are friends she FaceTimes every single day, even when they’re planning on seeing each other in 20 minutes. These are friends who know her better than anyone, who she can count on, and who she feels completely safe and comfortable around. She can cry to them, laugh with them, and talk to them about anything.

She also participates in a tumbling program with athletes from multiple gyms who perform at varying skill levels. The nicest thing about this program is that everyone is incredibly supportive, encouraging, and it really feels like a family. These are friends who genuinely get excited for her when her team wins or she learns a new tumbling pass.

Jealousy isn’t a part of these friendships, and that’s hard to find. Since they go to different schools or live in different states, she has to work to maintain these friendships. I like that she’s learning that relationships take effort to maintain and nurture. It’s not something that everyone understands.

Her coaches

I believe that all kids need adults in their lives (besides their parents) who encourage, push, and support them. They need adults who look out for their physical and mental well-being and who have a stake in their successes and failures. These adults can come in the form of rabbis, pastors, teachers, grandparents, or neighbors.

For my daughter, those adults are her coaches. We’ve been fortunate enough to have an incredible set of coaches, especially these last two seasons, who love what they do, genuinely care about the kids on and off the mat, and have stood by her through some of the worst moments of her life. For that, I am immensely grateful.

Having coaches who believe in her and are there for her is absolutely priceless.

There’s Something In It for Me, Too

I could go on and keep talking about all the things my daughter gets out of cheer: good sportsmanship, discipline, structure, routine, and so much else. It’s been a complete asset to her life. But between us, I get something out of it, too.

I don’t just mean the ability to curl hair or get glitter off of anything or wash and dry a uniform with a moment’s notice. Or the fact that the business of cheerleading is absolutely fascinating or that I can pull bobby pins out of anywhere or even that I know my way around the greater Baltimore area better than I ever thought I would.

What I get out of being a cheer mom is that it gets me out of the house and socializing with other adults.

I am a pretty serious introvert who prefers reading books and watching true crime documentaries on Netflix. On top of that, I work exclusively from home. I can have groceries delivered, work out in my living room, and my dogs are perfectly content playing in the backyard. There’s no need for me to ever leave my house or even talk to people face-to-face.

In the winter, that’s actually preferable. Pretty ideal, in fact.

However, cheerleading is a winter sport. I have to leave my house. My daughter has practice, competitions, clinics, and various other cheer-related activities she needs to attend. Someone has to take her to those things. That someone is me.

So I use that time to talk to other parents. For someone like me, who’s pretty shy and awkward, having common ground makes it easier to start or stay involved in conversations. We’re all there at some ungodly hour sitting in uncomfortable seats listening to loud music for the same reason — to support our kids.

Being a cheer mom is like being in a sparkly sorority with a secret language that only other cheer parents understand. Instead of a handshake, we have bows and cheer hair and our hearts pound like crazy for two minutes and thirty seconds while our athletes compete. We all gasp when flyers fall, scream when our kids hit zero, and think the tiny and mini teams are just the cutest things ever.

If you’re lucky, like I’ve been, you find parents you can talk with about things other than cheer and you consider them friends.

It’s Not Perfect But It’s Ours

Please don’t misunderstand. All star cheerleading is by no means perfect. Some people feel that it’s just not worth it. It’s cost-prohibitive for many families. Parents can be mean, spiteful, hostile, and uber-competitive, oftentimes worse than the kids. You won’t always fit in at your gym and might end up feeling like an outsider.

It’s incredibly time-consuming, athletes get hurt, teams lose, and you definitely go over budget more often than you’d probably prefer. Social media can make you feel all kinds of emotions, especially when there’s gossip, bullying, or any other drama.

And driving two hours to sit in a convention center for hours at a competition that feels like it’ll never end because they’re always running late while paying $6 for a bottle of water and $20 in spectator fees is not most people’s first choice for spending a Saturday.

But we do it for our kids. We do it because we know how they beam when they hit, glow when they win, and how different they’d be without cheer. We do it because we know how much it means to them.

You can’t make a budget line item for that.

Related: Should Chores and Allowance Go Together? Here’s What Experts Say

The post All Star Cheer Costs a Fortune, but I Pay for It Anyway. Here’s Why appeared first on DollarSprout.

According to U.S. Census data, 38.1 million people were living in poverty in 2018._[1]

That doesn’t include the families living above the poverty line who struggle to pay their bills and put food on the table. That means a significant number of Americans rely on public assistance programs and free money from the government to get by.

But how do they find that money and those programs?

While the federal government provides a comprehensive list of programs, the following is a list of some common services and programs that provide free money and other resources.

How to Get Free Money From the Government

The federal government funds several programs to help U.S. citizens with basic necessities. Most of the programs and services are income-based and have other eligibility requirements; but others are available to anyone, regardless of income.

If you need financial assistance, these programs can help.

Government Assistance for Housing

Finding affordable housing is often difficult, especially if you live in a high cost of living area. These government-run housing programs can help keep you in your home.

Down payment assistance programs

If you’re interested in buying a home, but need help with the down payment, there are a number of FHA grants available. Be sure to check the eligibility requirements for each grant, as they vary from program to program and state to state.

You might also be able to get assistance from a VA loan (guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) or USDA loan (offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture) as well.

Affordable housing

There are a number of government programs that help with paying rent, as well as a number of private charities and organizations. To qualify for HUD assistance, you must meet income eligibility requirements as well as guidelines for family size and composition. The type and amount of assistance varies from state to state.

HUD is offering $112M in grants available to expand #affordablehousing for low-income persons with disabilities. AND, for the first time in nearly a decade, new grants to build more! https://t.co/cwONSrqrs4 pic.twitter.com/ykOSnuPCMp

— HUDgov (@HUDgov) October 9, 2019

The three main programs supported by HUD are:

• Privately-owned subsidized housing
• Public Housing
• Housing Choice Vouchers (formerly known as Section 8)

You can find out if you qualify for one of these programs by contacting your local housing authority. Please note that in most areas, the Section 8 waiting list is incredibly long and in some cities, the list is closed to new applicants.

Foreclosure prevention

If you’re struggling to pay your mortgage, The Homeownership Preservation Foundation is a HUD-approved free hotline you can call for help with making your mortgage payment and remaining in your home.

When you call, the hotline will connect you with a foreclosure prevention specialist who will talk with you about your options. You can also use the service if you’ve received a mortgage modification or have been a victim of a mortgage scam.

Education Assistance, Grants, and Loans

If you have student loan debt, or are looking for grants or loans to afford college, there are a number of options for you.

Student loan forgiveness

Under the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program, you’ll need to make 120 payments (10 years worth) and work full-time in an approved field, government agency, or nonprofit organization. If you meet all of the eligibility requirements and go through the lengthy application process, you might have the remaining balance of your student loans forgiven.

There are job-specific forgiveness programs for people in the medical and education fields, and some states have their own specific forgiveness programs.

Not ready to make your first student loan payment? These tips may help: https://t.co/zaRxtDFzFp pic.twitter.com/2Hb9ZkQ3Pb

— Federal Student Aid (@FAFSA) November 12, 2019

There are also organizations you can work with that will forgive some of your federal student loans (private loans are not included), and provide a stipend for future educational expenses.

Some of these organizations include:

• AmeriCorps
• Peace Corps
• National Health Service Corps
• Nurse Corps
• Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program
• Military Financial Aid

Pell Grants

If you are an income-eligible first-time undergraduate student or are enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs, you can apply for Pell Grants from the federal government. This is true free money, since it’s awarded as a grant rather than a loan and doesn’t have to be repaid, except under certain circumstances.

To be eligible for a Pell Grant, you must first complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form. In fact, if you’re interested in receiving any need-based assistance including work-study, you must complete this form.

Food Assistance Programs

If your family is struggling with access to food, and you don’t have nearby food banks or food pantries, these programs and services can help.

SNAP

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps, is the largest program offering free government money for food. Individuals and families meeting the income eligibility requirements receive a pre-loaded debit card that they can use at any grocery store, farmers market, or other retailer that accepts SNAP benefits.

Each state uses its own eligibility criteria for determining the amount of SNAP benefits a family or individual will receive.

WIC

Women, Infants, and Children is another food assistance program for low-income individuals. A bit more restrictive than SNAP, WIC provides food, nutritional education, and health care referrals to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and low-income women with children five years old and under.

The #WIC program is here for you! WIC gives parents and caregivers information, tools, and support to be the parents they want to be. #MomStrong pic.twitter.com/3tFclDoZBW

— National WIC Assoc. (@NatWICAssoc) November 6, 2019

In order to receive WIC benefits, you must meet certain eligibility requirements.

School-based programs

These are some of the food assistance programs are available to school-aged children.

Free and reduced lunch (and breakfast)

Low-income families with school-aged children attending public school or a nonprofit private school or who are in a residential childcare institution are eligible to receive free or reduced school lunches as well as free milk.

To participate in this program, as well as the free breakfast program, families must meet income requirements.

Summer Food Aid

Another government assistance program, the Summer Food Service Program provides free, healthy meals to children in low-income areas during the summer months. Since the meals are served by independent contractors and providers rather than the schools, you’ll need to find where they’re located in your area.

Backpack programs

While this isn’t a government-funded program, it is a way to get food on the weekends. Generally available in low-income areas, backpack programs provide healthy, non-perishable, and easy-to-prepare foods to kids to ensure that they have enough food when school isn’t in session.

There are no standard eligibility requirements to participate in this program, and each one is unique to the community and population it serves.

Government Assistance Programs for Utilities

One of the largest household expenses after food and housing is utilities. Keeping the lights on and heating and cooling your home can take up a huge portion of your monthly income. These programs can help offset those costs and help you save on energy bills.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

A federally-funded program designed to help low-income families with energy costs, LIHEAP provides financial assistance for paying heating and cooling bills.

#LIHEAP helps the most vulnerable American families afford their home energy bills. We urge Congress to #ProtectLIHEAP and our communities. #LIHEAPaction pic.twitter.com/PUZM3IOBy4

— National Grid US (@nationalgridus) February 28, 2019

It can also help with emergency or crisis issues, like having your heat shut off in the winter or weatherizing your home. It doesn’t provide assistance for water or sewer bills.

Weatherization Assistance Program

This is a program run by the U.S. Department of Energy that provides grants to help low-income households reduce their energy costs by improving the energy efficiency and safety of their homes. Families must meet eligibility requirements to receive this type of assistance.

You can read more about the program and eligibility requirements by visiting the Weatherization Assistance Program’s website.

Free Government Money for Healthcare Needs

Whether it’s just you or you have a spouse and dependent children, you need medical care. If you can’t afford your employer’s health insurance options, or you make below a certain income level, there are still ways to have your medical needs taken care of.

Healthcare Marketplace

If you don’t currently have health insurance, you can sign up for a plan through the federal government via The Healthcare Marketplace.

While there is no specific option for low-income families and individuals, if you make below a certain threshold, you’re eligible for a premium tax credit, which would make your medical insurance free.

The website offers a free income screening tool to determine if you’re eligible for the credit or for lower-premium plans. There are also cost-sharing reductions to help offset the costs of certain services.

Medicaid

Often confused with Medicare, Medicaid is a healthcare program intended to assist low-income, pregnant, medically needy, and disabled individuals under the age of 65 so they can receive quality medical care.

Unfortunately, there’s no uniform set of eligibility requirements for Medicaid. Even though it’s a federal program governed by federal oversight, each state is permitted to decide for itself which populations are covered and what the eligibility criteria are.

To participate in the Medicaid program, states must cover certain groups of people:

• Low-income families
• Eligible pregnant women
• Individuals receiving Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI)

In some states, other populations like children in foster care or adults needing home-based services are also eligible for Medicaid. You can learn more about the complete eligibility requirements for the Medicaid program by visiting the Medicaid website.

Millions of children & teens qualify for free or low-cost health & dental coverage through Medicaid & the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). See if it’s the right fit for your little one: https://t.co/se2cHiueFi#TuesdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/frsavsF3bB

— HealthCare.gov (@HealthCareGov) November 5, 2019

CHIP

The Children’s Health Insurance Program is another option for low-income families to obtain healthcare for their children. It provides low-cost insurance to families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but can’t afford private insurance.

Unlike Medicaid, CHIP isn’t a free program. There is a small fee associated with enrolling your child in CHIP, but it’s usually no more than 5% of your total income (the amount varies by state).

However, most routine services don’t have an associated copay, and in some states, there is a pre-pay discount. This means if you pay your annual premium in full, you might get a three-month discount. So if you pay for nine months, you can get three free.

Like Medicaid, each state determines its own eligibility criteria, so you’ll need to check with your state to find out if you qualify.

Government Assistance for Childcare

Finding quality and reliable childcare is crucial to working parents. However, in many areas, the cost of daycare is unaffordable, and parents must choose between unreliable care or not working. Fortunately, there are government assistance programs that can help.

Child Care and Development Fund

The Child Care and Development Fund is administered by the states to provide subsidies in the form of vouchers or grants and contracts with providers to low-income families for childcare.

Like many of the other assistance programs, each state sets its own eligibility requirements. You can find out what your state’s requirements are by contacting your local fund administrator.

If your family does qualify, you’re allowed to pick the provider you want, as long as the provider meets state standards (and accepts the voucher or grant).

Head Start

Head Start is a school-readiness program for children from birth through five from low-income families. In addition to preparing kids for school, it also helps with whole-family well-being and health and development.

A3.2: In addition to income-eligible families, #HeadStart serves migrant seasonal communities, children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, children in tribal communities, etc. #EarlyEdChat pic.twitter.com/aYhEGiVl62

— National Head Start Association (@NatlHeadStart) October 17, 2019

Head Start services are available to eligible families living below the federal poverty line, and are available in childcare centers, in-home daycares, and home-based services.

Foster children, children from homeless families, and children in families where other types of assistance (i.e. TANF, SSI, or others) are provided are also eligible for Head Start.

Related: Need Help Paying Bills? Here’s 22 Assistance Programs Worth Looking Into 

Free Money from Taxes and Unclaimed Funds

Free government money doesn’t always come in the form of need-based programs. Some are available to anyone, regardless of income.

Unclaimed money

While this isn’t necessarily free money, it is money that is owed to you for some reason by some entity. This money can include uncashed paychecks, apartment or utility deposits, or safety deposit box contents.

There’s no one place to check for unclaimed money, and you might have it in multiple states so make sure you’re researching all the states you’ve ever lived in. If your employer is headquartered in a different state from where you work, check that state as well.

The best places to start looking for your unclaimed funds are:

• Unclaimed.org
• Workers Owed Wages
• Unclaimed Funds
• Filling out a Destroyed U.S. Savings Bonds Claim

You might also have unclaimed money from old or forgotten tax refunds. To check for those, visit:

• IRS Refunds
• USA.gov

Old pension plans

In addition to unclaimed money or tax refunds, you might have money available to you in the form of old pension plans. If you or someone in your family worked for a company that provided a pension but hasn’t collected those benefits, you might still be eligible for that money.

You can find out if there’s money owed to you by visiting the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation and searching for your or your family member’s name.

Tax credits and deductions

An easy way to find free money is to adjust your tax withholding and deductions. If you haven’t done this recently, review the W-4 you submitted when you began your job. Figure out what you chose and then, using this list, make necessary and appropriate adjustments.

Some people are also eligible for free tax preparation via the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program or the Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program. If you qualify, you’ll receive free tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers.

Miscellaneous Government Assistance Programs

Whether you need assistance with your phone service, starting a business, or have suffered a job loss, there are programs that can help.

Lifeline

Lifeline is a discount cell phone service administered by the FCC, and is available to low-income people in every U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, and on Tribal lands. The cost is $9.25 per month.

In order to use Lifeline, you must meet certain income eligibility requirements. This means your income should be at or below 135% of the federal poverty level. You may also be eligible if you participate in certain assistance programs including:

• Medicaid
• SSI
• SNAP
• Federal Public Housing Assistance
• Certain Tribal assistance programs

Lifeline provides both cell phone and landline service and works with broadband. However, you may only use the Lifeline program for one service; FCC rules prohibit more than one Lifeline service per household.

FCC takes big step in automating Lifeline eligibility verification. For more info, visit: https://t.co/n8RaSgRhqx #ProtectingConsumers #Lifeline

— The FCC (@FCC) September 18, 2019

If you find that you need help with your phone service but don’t qualify for Lifeline, there are other ways to get free or discounted cell phone service.

Related: 8 Places to Get a Free Phone for Low-Income Earners 

Small business loans

If you’re interested in having your own business but don’t have the start-up capital, a loan from the Small Business Administration can help.

These loans aren’t free government money, but they often come with a much lower interest rate than loans from a private lender. The SBA also offers grants for select scientific and non-scientific fields and nonprofits, as well as providing low-interest loans to businesses affected by natural disasters.

You check for those grants and even apply for them from your phone by visiting Grants.gov.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, is commonly known as welfare. It’s the cash assistance program designed to help families with children when the family can’t provide the children’s basic needs.

Like Medicaid, this is a program financially supported by the federal government but administered by the states. As such, each state has its own discretion to decide eligibility requirements, time limits, and other factors affecting who receives the assistance, and how much assistance each family receives.

To determine if you’re eligible in your state, you can visit this website.

Senior benefits

BenefitsCheckUp is a free service administered by the National Council on Aging to help senior citizens find benefits that might be available to them. The searchable database contains more than 2,500 federal, state, and private programs to help improve the lives of seniors in the areas of:

• Medication
• Housing and utilities
• Health care
• Transportation
• Food and nutrition
• Income assistance
• Taxes

You can also search for veterans’ benefits and senior citizen discounts. The benefits are local to your area, which means that if you need help in Mississippi, you won’t be shown programs that are only offered in New York.

Unemployment benefits

One of the most stressful parts of losing your job is the loss of income. If you have been let go or downsized from your job, you might be eligible for unemployment benefits.

CareerOneStop, operated by the U.S. Department of Labor, is a hub for you to apply for your unemployment benefits online, and find out what else you might be eligible for. It even has resources to help you with your job search.

Getting Free Government Money Can Be Difficult

Although there are plenty of options for finding free government money, the only way to receive the money is by meeting eligibility requirements in most cases. For most programs, there’s no uniform set of requirements beyond the federal poverty guidelines, so it’s often difficult to figure out if you qualify.

Low-income families with children, disabled individuals, veterans, and the elderly typically have an easier time qualifying for benefits, but it’s not a guarantee. And if you qualify for some programs, you might not be eligible for others. It all depends on your state, the program, and other factors.

If you need any of these programs, contact your state’s Department of Health and Social Services. You can also use the screening tool available on Benefits.gov to see what programs you might qualify for. While it isn’t a determination of benefits, it’s a good place to start.

Related: 12 Places to Get a Free Car For Those in Need

The post 25 Programs to Get Free Money From the Government appeared first on DollarSprout.

My 13-year-old spends a lot of time talking about jobs she’s going to have when she’s older. What she doesn’t realize is that there’s plenty of ways for her to make money now. And that money doesn’t have to come from me giving her an allowance. It can come from her own hard work and creativity.

In fact, there are plenty of ways for most kids to earn their own cash. From selling their own handmade crafts, to starting a YouTube channel, to helping neighbors with yard work, it’s easier than ever to make money as a kid.

12 In-Person Ways to Make Money as a Kid

While it’s a lot simpler for older teenagers to make their own money, kids younger than 14 still have plenty of options.

1. Bake Sale/Lemonade Stand

The lemonade stand is a classic and one of the most popular ways for kids to make money. If you’re in a premium location or put one near a yard sale or parade route, you can expect some decent results.

Kids can expand their sales (and profits) by also offering things like baked goods, donuts, or more exotic drinks like kombucha or flavored lemonades.

Parental involvement: Low to moderate. Kids as young as five can set up a lemonade stand, but depending upon their age, you might need to supervise, help make or pour drinks, or assist with collecting money.

2. Have a Yard Sale

If your house looks anything like mine, it’s full of toys my daughter has outgrown or stopped using. Encourage your kids to set up a yard sale to get rid of their old items and make some money at the same time. They can even combine this with their lemonade or bake sale or sell homemade crafts to draw in customers.

Parental involvement: Low. You’ll need to help them organize and price their items and supervise the actual sale, but they should be able to handle customer service, collecting money, and giving change on their own.

3. Sell Crafts

An easy way for kids to make money is to sell crafts they make online, especially if they’re the more artsy type. This can include making friendship bracelets, painting, drawing, or even knitting scarves. They can make seasonal items, like warm hats for the winter, or items that sell year-round. Themed items are popular as well, as are items for pets.

This is one of the most open-ended ways to make money as a kid.

Parental involvement: Low. Although you’ll have to help them purchase the materials, drive them to the store, or possibly front some “seed” money, your kids should be able to make and sell their items, especially if they’re older and selling them at school.

4. Pet Care Services

Although you have to be 18 to get started with Rover, kids can still make money walking dogs or feeding cats.

In fact, people in your neighborhood might be more willing to hire your child to walk their dog than a stranger. You can help them get started by posting on social media or helping your child put flyers in neighbors’ mailboxes.

Kids might have to charge less than adults, but if they have a few clients at once, it can add up to some decent cash over time.

Parental involvement: Low to moderate. If your kids are taking care of pets on your block or in your neighborhood, they should be able to walk or ride their bikes to their clients’ houses. If they want to walk dogs or feed cats across town, you’ll have to drive them. You might also need to help with advertising their services or dealing with clients who don’t pay on time.

Related: 7 Cute Ways Dog Lovers Can Make Money with Their Canine Pals

5. Babysitting or Mother’s Helper

Like lemonade stands and mowing lawns, babysitting is a classic way for kids to make money. While older teens can watch younger children, younger teens, and even tweens can get in on the action by working as a mother’s helper.

Whether a mom needs extra hands at the pool or someone to keep her younger kids occupied while she works, your child can cash in on that. It’s a great way for tweens and younger teens to earn money over the summer or during school breaks when parents really need help.

Parental involvement: Low. You might have to drive your child to their client’s home if they live far away or help them with finding clients, but that’s about it.

Related: 20 Summer Side Hustles for Boosting Your Income

6. Yard Work

Earning money doing yard work is something even little kids can do.

From pulling weeds, to watering plants, or raking leaves, there’s never any shortage of work that needs to be done around the house. Older kids can up their earnings by cleaning out gutters (as long as they’re not afraid of heights), shoveling snow, or mowing lawns for the neighbors.

Parental involvement: Low to moderate. Depending on the child’s age and what they’re doing, your involvement can range from a supervisory capacity to letting them do the work on their own. However, if it’s a potentially dangerous task, like being on a ladder, you might need to stay with them the entire time.

7. Tech Support

Kids are amazing at using technology. I’ve lost count of how many things my daughter has taught me to do with my phone and iPad.

If your child is good with technology, they can start a business or service helping neighbors and friends perform updates on their devices, digitize pictures and documents, and even give tutorials on how to use various apps. They can also help people set up their new devices or computers or offer to do virus scans.

This can be one of the more lucrative ventures for kids, and one with the lowest start-up costs.

Parental involvement: Low. Beyond helping them set their prices and advertise their services, there is almost nothing you need to do to help them perform this service.

Related: Should Kids Get Paid to Do Chores? Experts Think Maybe Not

8. Wash Cars

Washing cars is a cumbersome task most people would prefer to avoid or pay someone else to do for them. Your child can take advantage of this by offering car washing services around the neighborhood.

They can go door to door with a bucket of supplies or they can ask clients to come to their house. If you live in an apartment complex, check to see if there’s a car washing bay for your kid to set up shop.

If washing cars isn’t an option, or your child wants to make even more money, they can wash outdoor furniture, patios or decks, or clean front porches.

Parental involvement: Low. You might need to ask your homeowner’s association or apartment complex for permission to use certain areas, and you might have to help pay for supplies, but your kid should do all the work. Don’t forget to account for an increase in your water bill as well.

9. Farm Work

If you live in a rural area or near a farm, your kid can get a job doing farm work. Things like cleaning horse stalls, feeding animals, moving hay bales, or other non-machine related tasks are all tasks kids can do to make money.

Check your state laws and regulations to see if there are age or work-hour restrictions for kids to perform farm work.

Parental involvement: Low to moderate. If you own a farm, it’s a lot different to have your kids work for you than it is finding them to do work somewhere else. You won’t have to drive them or help them find somewhere to work. However, you do need to make sure what they are doing is legal so neither your kid nor the farm owner gets into any trouble.

10. Get a Part-Time Job

The simplest way to make money as a kid is to find a part-time job.

Most states don’t permit kids under the age of 14 to work in a traditional setting. However, it might be worth looking to see if your state makes any accommodations for jobs like dishwasher, junior camp counselor, or bagging groceries for kids younger than 14.

Parental involvement: Moderate. You’ll need to make sure you can drive your kid to and from work and be available during their work schedule (unless transportation is provided). You’ll also need to make sure their paperwork is completed and filed with the correct entities and they have a bank account to deposit their paychecks.

11. Start a Band

If your kid plays an instrument like bass or drums, you can encourage them to find others who play instruments and start a band. It can be a rock band, jazz band, or any other kind of music they like.

If they’re good, they can play at birthday parties for a flat fee or at all-ages shows in bars, where they’ll earn a cut of the profits.

Parental involvement: Moderate to high. You’ll need to provide a place for them to practice, transportation to and from gigs, act as a roadie by moving instruments and other equipment, and make sure they meet all legal requirements for performing in places like bars.

You might also need to work with other parents or restaurant owners to make sure your kid and their band aren’t getting taken advantage of.

12. Do Extra Chores

The simplest and most efficient way to make money as a kid is to do extra chores around the house. If you don’t pay for basic household chores like feeding the dog, setting the table, or folding laundry, consider finding some bigger projects for your kid to do.

Organizing the garage, painting a section of a fence, or cleaning out closets are all time-consuming tasks. Having your kid do them not only teaches them to work for their money, but it also gets those annoying tasks done.

Parental involvement: Varies. How much you need to be involved in having your kids do extra chores for money depends on what you ask them to do and how old they are.

8 Online Ways to Make Money as a Kid

If your kid spends a lot of time online, you can encourage them to use some of that time to make money.

13. Start a YouTube Channel

While earning money from a YouTube channel takes time and a lot of work, if your kid is a natural on camera or has a special talent, you can encourage them to start their own channel.

They can do anything from unboxing games and toys to sharing crafting tutorials. They can even have an interview show where they bring on guests like friends or grandparents. If they gain enough views and subscribers, they can start monetizing the channel with things like ads and sponsorships.

Parental involvement: High. Not only will you have to monitor the accounts for inappropriate comments and followers, but you might also need to do the video editing (or hire someone to do it) and camera work.

Older kids should be able to figure this out on their own, and it’s a great way for them to learn some tech skills, but you’ll need to be hands-on if this is how your kid wants to make money.

14. Use Your Instagram

One way to make money on Instagram is to become an influencer. Having a lot of followers means you can work with brands and companies to advertise their products.

You can also be an affiliate so your kid will get a part of the sales when people buy products they recommend from a link they provide. If you don’t want your kid to be an influencer, you can encourage them to use your family pet instead.

In order to have their own social media account, children must be a minimum of 13 years old.

Parental involvement: Moderate to high. When it comes to making money from social media, parents need to remain vigilant. You’ll want to monitor how your child is presenting themselves, watch for inappropriate comments or private messages, check their followers list daily, and make sure the companies they’re partnering with are legitimate.

15. Start a Podcast

Kids have a lot to say about pretty much everything. You can encourage your child to harness their words and ideas and start a podcast on a topic they love. If they’re younger, you can start one with them and use it as a fun side gig for the two of you to spend time together and make some extra cash.

As a bonus, they can learn what goes into creating a podcast, like editing and writing show notes, which helps develop marketable skills they might be able to use later on. If they’re shy but still want to share their ideas and thoughts, they can start a blog.

Parental involvement: High. You’ll most likely need to purchase the equipment and editing software, as well as work with your child to get the podcast uploaded into places like iTunes or Stitcher. You’ll also need to help with tasks like editing and promotion, as well as negotiating with any potential advertisers and sponsors.

16. Sell Old Technology and Toys

If you have old toys and technology lying around the house and you want to get rid of it now, consider using Decluttr. You can encourage your child to part with that old LeapFrog reader or box of Legos and allow them to keep the profits.

They can also sell books, video games, or board games they’ve outgrown. The best part is that kids of any age can earn money by selling their stuff with Decluttr.

Parental involvement: Moderate. You’ll have to download the app and help them scan their items, especially if your child is on the younger side, and you’ll need to make sure everything is mailed. You might also need to help them go through their things and sort them into what’s appropriate to sell and what isn’t.

17. Take Surveys

Joining Swagbucks is a great way for adults to earn extra cash in their spare time, but if your child is at least 13 years old, they can join too. The program works the same way for kids as it does adults, and it’s an easy way for your kid to monetize the time they’re already spending online.

If you’re interested in learning more about using Swagbucks for yourself or to help your kid make money, check out our Swagbucks review.

Parental involvement: Moderate. While your child will be the one answering the surveys and earning the money, you’ll need to make sure the surveys and tasks are age-appropriate. As with any online venture, you need to be cautious of any contact from unknown adults or phishing scams.

18. Become a Brand Representative

If your child is an athlete, gamer, or social media influencer, you can connect with relevant and appropriate companies for your child to work as a brand representative.

Generally, all they’ll have to do is post about the product on social media or put a logo on something like a shirt or a backpack. They might be asked to wear, use, or share certain items at specific times, like during holiday sales or big events.

For working as a representative, they’ll receive compensation in either cash or free stuff.

Parental involvement: Moderate to high. You’ll be the one negotiating with the companies, and you’ll also need to monitor the social media accounts. If your child is too young to have their own account, you’ll also need to take pictures, post them, and write the captions.

19. Sell Designs on CafePress

Is your kid interested in graphic design or do they have an eye for catchy patterns and slogans that would look great on a T-shirt? If so, Cafepress is a great place to start a custom T-shirt business. If they design something that connects with an audience or current trend, they can make big money with their design.

Parental involvement: Moderate. You will need to stay on top of orders, make sure payments are processed, and respond to customer inquiries or complaints, but your kid will be responsible for creating the designs on the site and making sure the inventory is refreshed and updated regularly.

20. Fiverr Gigs

As long as your child is at least 13, they can make money with Fiverr. Just like adults, kids can sell services starting at $5. Those services can include things like writing, graphic design, voiceovers, or animation. If they want to increase their income-earning opportunities, kids can offer packaged services as well.

Parental involvement: Moderate. Like with other online gigs, your child will be responsible for performing the tasks and services, but you’ll need to moderate inquiries and complaints, handle payment issues, and check regularly for inappropriate private messages.

Related: Should Parents Pay for Their Children’s College Education?

Making Money as a Kid Still Requires Parental Assistance

While the kids do the actual work, parents play a vital role in helping their children make money.

Put a Plan Together

Before your child starts making their own money, sit down together and help them formulate a plan. Ask them what skills they have to use to earn some cash. Find out why they want to earn money and what they plan to do with it. You can even work with them to create a business plan so they have some direction for their venture.

Open a Bank Account

Most banks require a parent or guardian to be listed on a bank account for kids under 18. Your child will also need you to drive them to the bank to open the account. On the way, you can discuss with them the different banking options they have and what might work best for your child.

There are also online banking options if transportation or finding the time to get to a brick-and-mortar bank is difficult.

Budget

Now that your child is making their own money, they need to know how to manage it. You don’t want them to spend all of their energy working only to see the profits wasted.

They need to be taught how to put some of it away for taxes, to buy more materials, to pay for advertising, and to save for their goals. While they can (and should) keep some of it for frivolous spending, it’s important they know how to budget each paycheck that comes in.

Transportation

Most of these jobs can be found in and around your immediate neighborhood, making them perfect for teaching your kids how to get themselves to work. However, some of them might require you to drive them or find alternative options for transportation. If that’s the case, you can consider charging them a fee and use it as a teachable moment for what it’s like to pay employees.

Help with Negotiating Prices

The bulk of your help will come by helping your child set their prices. Whether it’s figuring out how much to sell their crafts for or if they should get paid hourly for yard work or by the task, you’ll need to provide guidance on what they should charge their customers and clients. You can do this by researching together online or talking with them about what they think is a fair price.

Don’t forget to tell them to include the cost of materials, transportation, or anything else they need.

Advertising and Marketing

Whether you’re helping them design and distribute flyers, creating an online profile, or using your own social media account to share their services, your child will need help with advertising and marketing their business.

You can also talk with them about how to market and advertise safely, what makes a good ad campaign, and why it’s important to know who their clients are when developing their marketing plan.

Online Safety

If your child is doing anything online, especially via YouTube or Instagram, you need to talk with them about online safety.

Topics should include how to deal with negative feedback and comments, handling inappropriate direct messages, how they present themselves, and how what they do online now can affect them in the future. You should be prepared to monitor their accounts daily to check for these kinds of things.

It’s also important that you talk with them about protecting personal details like addresses and phone numbers, not sharing bank account information, and maintaining as much privacy as possible.

It Is Possible to Make Money as a Kid

Making money as a kid is definitely possible, especially if your child is motivated, entrepreneurial, and has money-related goals. Encourage your kids to try different ventures to see what they like and what they don’t, as well as what nets them the most profit for their efforts.

If your child is interested in earning their own money, make sure you talk to them about things like start-up costs, taxes, and how to handle difficult clients. You’ll also be responsible for driving them to their job and monitoring their business accounts.

You can’t take a passive role if you have a child who wants to make money. When kids work, parents work. But when done together, it can be a great learning experience for everyone.

The post 20 Safe Ways to Make Money as a Kid appeared first on DollarSprout.

From avoiding temptations, to having no support network, to decreasing motivation, losing weight is often a frustrating, lonely process.

Not to mention how expensive it can get.

What if there was a way you could find support and motivation along with financial incentives to stick to your weight loss goals and earn money at the same time?

Thanks to HealthyWage, there is.

What Is HealthyWage?

HealthyWage is a weight-loss website that encourages users to achieve their weight loss and fitness goals. It does this by providing financial incentives and cash prizes, social motivation, positive peer pressure, and competitions. Users can participate as individuals or as part of a team.

Participants can use whatever diet or fitness plan they want; HealthyWage doesn’t provide those. However, it does encourage healthy weight loss. For team challenges, it only allows up to 16.6% of their total weight as a goal to lose. Individuals can lose more if they choose, but limits are placed on how much counts toward the final goal.

Is HealthyWage Legit?

During our HealthyWage review, we came across several media sources that bolster HealthyWage’s legitimacy as a company.

Since its inception in 2009, HealthyWage has been featured on a number of national news and media sources, including Good Morning America, NPR, and NBC’s Today Show. It has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau with zero identified complaints. There are only 60 customer reviews, but most of them are positive.

How Does HealthyWage Work?

To participate with HealthyWage, you make a bet on your weight loss and then compete against others – either as an individual or as part of a team – to achieve that goal. If you reach your goal, you will win money. If you don’t, you lose and don’t get to share in the winnings.

1. Determine your prize amount by using the HealthyWage prize calculator.

The first step is to use the HealthyWage calculator to determine how much weight you want to lose (must be a minimum of 10% of your starting weight), how much money you’re willing to bet ($5 to $995 per month), and how long you need to reach your goal (6 to 18 months).

You’ll also need to provide your gender, height, and current weight. HealthyWage requires you to create a username and password before it’ll tell you the estimated prize amount. You can also use your Facebook account to log in and obtain the prize amount information.

You can play with the numbers using the HealthyWage calculator until you’re satisfied with your prize, which can be up to $10,000.

2. Sign up for an account to place your bet.

Once you’ve created an account and are satisfied with your prize amount, you can place your bet. In this step, you’ll need to provide your payment information and select if you’d like to pay in monthly installments or all at once.

Team challenges require a monthly $25 fee if you’re participating through a company, and $33 per month if you’re joining a randomly assigned team.

3. Verify your weight.

In order to begin your challenge, you’ll need to have your weight verified. In fact, you’ll need to do this at least twice — once when you place your bet and again at the end of your wager period.

The site says that you can verify your weight at your gym, with your doctor, or at a Weight Watchers meeting. If you don’t belong to a gym or Weight Watchers, you can arrange a free visit with one of its partners, with no obligation to join. You can also verify your weight by using your at-home scale and submitting a photo through its app.

4. Lose weight, win money.

If you accomplish your weight loss goal, HealthyWage will pay you in cash. But if you don’t, your monthly contributions will be used to support HealthyWage and pay future winners.

If you don’t think the money alone will be enough motivation to help you succeed, then you may want to consider joining a team. HealthyWage gives you the option to create your own team of five or be put on a random team with other users looking to lose weight.

Other Ways to Win Money with HealthyWage

In addition to the individual challenges, there are other ways to win money with HealthyWage.

Team challenges

Team Challenges comprise a big part of HealthyWage’s challenges. They encourage people to form their own team of friends, family, co-workers, or even join a random team of strangers looking to lose weight and earn money.

For team challenges, your entrance fee allows you to compete for the cash prizes, and HealthyWage states that if you lose 10% of your starting weight within six months of starting, you can get your registration fee reimbursed. The top prize awarded to teams is $10,000.

Corporate challenges

Similar to Weight Watchers at Work, HealthyWage offers a free program for employers and government contractors that work like Team Challenges.

If you’re participating through your employer and two other teams register, your registration fee can be waived. HealthyWage also mentions that “if your company is already participating in the contest, you may be eligible for a discount on registration because some companies choose to cover part of the cost for employees who participate.”

Referrals

You can increase your earnings by referring others to the program. HealthyWage will pay $40 for every friend or family member you refer who joins a challenge. If they sign up during the first ten days of your challenge, your referral bonus increases to $100.

Participate in multiple challenges

To maximize your earnings with HealthyWage, you can participate in multiple challenges at once. Users are permitted to do a Team and HealthyWager challenge simultaneously, along with step and jackpot challenges, up to ten challenges.

However, you can’t have two simultaneous individual weight-loss bets. You can only have one HealthyWager individual weight loss bet at a time.

Related: 20 New Year’s Resolution Ideas to Make 2023 Your Best Year Yet

How and Why HealthyWage Works

It’s easy to say that HealthyWage works because of the financial incentives, and while that’s true, it’s more than that. Social and accountability aspects also provide encouragement and motivation. Team Challenges foster a sense of community and positive peer pressure because the feeling of not wanting to let someone else down is a powerful motivator.

Thanks to the 40,000+ member Facebook group, you’re never really alone when you’re participating in a HealthyWage challenge.

DollarSprout’s Marketing Coordinator, Noah Riggs, found the forums especially helpful when he participated in HealthyWage challenges. He said that it’s a supportive community of really great people and that just reading the forums was motivating.

Noah, who states that he is financially motivated and feels pressure when money is on the line, participated in the main HealthyWager challenge along with four other smaller challenges.

He lost one but won four, with his total winnings adding up to $1,884 (minus monthly payments to remain in the challenge). He said that if you’re losing weight legitimately and on a schedule, then the smaller challenges are a great idea; just make sure to keep a schedule of when to weigh in. You don’t want to miss any weigh-ins and possibly forfeit your prize winnings.

HealthyWage Alternatives

If you find that you’re not incentivized by placing bets on your weight loss goals, there are some other options for you to use either independent of or in conjunction with HealthyWage.

DietBet

DietBet is another weight-loss platform that incentivizes people to reach their weight loss goals by wagering money. It works like HealthyWage in that you can join individual or team challenges, create your own, and win money.

It has different levels of challenges: Kickstarter, Transformer, and Maintainer. You can pick which one you want to join based on where you are in your weight-loss journey.

You only have to verify your weight via a photo that is uploaded on its website. There’s no option for visiting a gym, doctor’s office, or Weight Watchers location.

You can learn more about DietBet, how it prevents cheating, protects your privacy, and more by visiting its site.

Make your own weight loss bet

If you don’t want to use a website or an app, you can follow the same rules and procedures of HealthyWage by starting an in-person challenge with your friends, co-workers, neighbors, or family members. It would be up to you to set the terms, rules, conditions, time limits, and track weigh-ins and weight-loss totals. You’d also have to find a way to gather the money from everyone and store it until the challenge is over.

Related: 13 Legit Apps That Pay You to Walk by Tracking Your Steps

HealthyWage Review FAQs

If you’re new to using HealthyWage, you might have some questions about how it works, if it’s safe, and how your money is used.

How is the prize calculated?

It’s not entirely clear how your prize is calculated. The information you enter into the HealthyWage Prize Calculator, along with other variables like time of year and BMI, is run through a proprietary algorithm that determines how much you’ll win.

The algorithm is constantly being updated and improved, so two people in similar situations could receive different prize offerings. But once you commit, your prize amount is set — there’s no turning back.

Is HealthyWage safe to use?

Yes. Payment made to HealthyWage is secure and is not stored in its system. Personal information like weight isn’t shared with teammates or employers, although they can see your percentage of weight loss.

How can they afford to pay people for losing weight?

According to its site, HealthyWage is “financially supported by insurers, health systems and hospitals, food companies, and the government. Government and corporate leaders know that incentives work and are a cost-effective solution”.

And although money is a great motivational tool, not everyone wins their bet. For non-winners, HealthyWage keeps the monthly wager set at the beginning of the challenge.

How much money can I win with HealthyWage?

The most you can win during a team challenge is your share of a $10,000 prize.

For individual challenges, your prize depends on your wager, personal data, and other variables. However, once you make a bet, your prize amount is guaranteed and won’t change.

Is HealthyWage effective for helping me lose weight?

Yes. HealthyWage is effective in helping people lose weight. While it doesn’t provide pre-made meals or fitness plans, it offers financial incentives, social accountability, and other tools to keep people motivated and on track to reach their weight loss goals.

Does HealthyWage give refunds?

Once a challenge has begun, HealthyWage doesn’t issue refunds unless it is due to medical reasons or a pregnancy. Refunds can be issued prior to a challenge start date.

The App Is Legit but Don’t Get Carried Away

In review, HealthyWage offers a real, effective, and legitimate way to get paid to lose weight. Its use of financial incentives, social support, goal-setting, technology, and your own personal health and wellness record, empowers you to live a healthier life.

However, it does come with some risk. Be smart and realistic about how much you can afford to wager, as well as your chances of winning your bet. If you overextend yourself or are unrealistic about time frames, you could wind up losing money rather than winning it.

Learn More

Price Varies Customizable bet size and duration

DollarSprout Rating 4.0 out of 5 stars

The app offers a legitimate way for users to place a weight loss bet and profit from it if they succeed. Prizes can reach as high as $10,000 but are difficult to achieve. Lower weight loss bets over a longer duration offer the most realistic means of cashing in.

The post HealthyWage Review: Earn Up to $10,000 to Lose Weight appeared first on DollarSprout.