Maternity leave is such a beautiful thing for mothers-to-be. It allows you to get much-needed rest before the baby comes and it allows you to spend much-needed time at home with your baby after you give birth. Most employers provide paid maternity leave to their employees but it only lasts for a certain amount of time… Some women take 10-12 weeks of paid maternity leave (if their job offers it) while other women may take five to seven months of maternity leave… but regardless of how long you take, you’re not going to be receiving the same amount of money (if any at all) as you would if you were back in the office.
In knowing that, lots of women will use their maternity leave as a way to earn income, especially if their job doesn’t cover maternity leave. There are some women who are able to work their jobs up until the very moment they go into labor and there are some who can’t work that long and pregnant, it just depends on the pregnancy.
The great news is that just because you go on maternity leave, that doesn’t mean that you have to stop earning an income… there are several different ways to make money while you’re on maternity leave. So many women stress themselves out about finances and if they can even afford to go on maternity leave… they’ll even create a maternity leave checklist! That checklist has everything on it from important questions to ask your employer to the types of benefits you have but can you guess what the one factor is that’s on that list? If you guessed alternate ways to make money, then you’re exactly right.
Making Money While on Maternity Leave
People forget that we live in a digital age and earning money from the comfort of home is a reality to lots of people, whether they’re on maternity leave or not but the fact that you’re on maternity leave allows you to take full advantage of the earning possibilities. Take a look at some of the best ways to make money while you’re enjoying the best part of maternity leave… your baby.
Get Rid of Your “Junk”
You’ve heard the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”… well, that’s very true but in order for your “trash” to be another man’s treasure, you’re going to have to get rid of some stuff. And since you’re getting rid of it, it won’t hurt to make money off of it too!
Getting rid of stuff that you’re no longer using is actually something you can start long before you have the baby, in fact, lots of expecting mothers start this process as soon as they find out they’re pregnant. It’s a great way to make money and it’s also a great way to make room for the baby too! So, if your closets are full of clothes you no longer wear or if you have old furniture in your garage collecting dust, your earning potential is infinite! There are people who specifically shop for second-hand items, so there is definitely a market for it, you just have to find your place!
Sell Your Crafts
Maybe crafting was something you really enjoyed doing but with your busy work schedule, you never had time to do it. Being on maternity leave gives you all the time in the world to get back to doing the things you used to enjoy. Let’s say you love to knit and crochet, and now that you have a baby boy, you’re able to make those little baby hats and booties that look so adorable on babies!
The fact that you know how to knit those types of things means that you have been sitting on a gold mine of your own talents for a very long time! People shop online for baby accessories like that all the time! You can create your own online store and sell your knitted creations online! You can even give visitors to your site the option of customized creations… Just imagine how cute a knitted baby bowtie would look! The great thing is that you can use your own baby as the model for all your beautiful works!
Babysit for Friends or Family
While you’re on maternity leave, why not make a few extra bucks helping a friend or family member by watching their kids for them? You’re already at home so this is what some would call “easy money!”
This isn’t necessarily something you have to regularly do while you’re on maternity leave but it could be something you do once a week to help your friend or family member… it’s a win-win type of deal; You’re making money and your friend or family member isn’t having to spend as much on childcare services.
Do you even know how much childcare costs these days? According to The Atlantic, the price of childcare is the equivalent of buying a Hyundai Elantra every year! On average, families spend around $16,000 or more in childcare. So, if you make the kind gesture to babysit for your friends or family members, they’re much more willing to pay you what you’re asking for rather than pay towards the $16,000! Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated!
Become a Virtual Assistant
If you are skilled in a particular area, whether it be accounting or data entry, you have the potential to become a virtual assistant! Again, you don’t have to leave your home for this type of work, hence the word virtual.
As a virtual assistant, you’ll be providing your services to small business owners to help them in the daily operations of their business. The services you provide are totally up to you, you just have to make sure that your capabilities are in line with what your client is asking of you. The services you provide to a small business owner is going to help that business owner get to the more important aspect of running their business.
