Side hustle ideas for mums (and which ones actually pay)
The side hustles that pay mums (moms in the US) best per hour are usually skill-based ones you can sell to businesses: bookkeeping, virtual assistance, tutoring and remote sales such as appointment setting. Reselling, pet sitting and freelance writing can work but vary hugely, and online surveys pay so little they rarely count as a side hustle at all. Below is an honest comparison for mums in Australia and the US, with public pay data where it exists, plus the tax basics nobody mentions until the end of the financial year.
What makes a side hustle actually worth it?
A side hustle is different from a full career change. You’re fitting it around a job, the kids, or both, so the questions that matter are a bit different:
- Startup cost: how much you have to spend before you earn anything.
- Time to first dollar: how long until real money hits your account.
- Pay per hour: what your limited hours are actually worth once it’s running.
- Flexibility: whether you can do it in nap time, after bedtime, or only at fixed times.
- Ceiling: whether it can grow into something bigger if you want it to, or stays capped at a few dollars.
If you want the broader picture of working from home (including full-time and employed roles), read our guide on how to make money from home as a mum. This article stays on side hustles: extra income on top of what you already do.
Side hustle ideas compared
Pay figures below are public data for the closest job title, with the source linked. They’re mostly for employed roles, so treat them as a reference point. Freelance and contractor rates can sit well above or below them, and they vary by location, experience and how many hours you can actually work.
| Side hustle | Startup cost | Time to first dollar | Typical pay (public data) | Flexibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual assistant | Low (laptop, internet) | A few weeks once you land a client | US$12.71 to US$29.89 an hour (Payscale US); AU$20.27 to AU$50.51 an hour (Payscale AU, small sample) | High, though some clients want set hours |
| Bookkeeping | Low to medium (software, possibly training) | Weeks to months, depending on skills | US median US$24.36 an hour for bookkeeping clerks (BLS, May 2025) | High, deadline-driven around month end |
| Tutoring | Low | Fast if you have local contacts | AU$20.01 to AU$56.38 an hour (Payscale AU) | Medium: after school and weekends |
| Appointment setting / remote sales | Low (headset, laptop) | Weeks, longer while you learn | US$12.74 to US$20.85 an hour for hourly setter roles (Payscale US); many remote roles are commission-based instead | High, but call times follow the business’s time zone |
| Freelance writing | Low | Slow: building samples and clients takes time | No reliable public range; rates vary hugely by niche | Very high |
| Reselling (op shop / thrift flips, Marketplace, eBay) | Medium (stock) | Fast for first sales, slow to be consistent | No reliable public range; profit depends on stock and your time | High, but sourcing and posting eat hours |
| Pet sitting and dog walking | Very low | Fast if you have neighbours with pets | No reliable public range; set by local demand | Low to medium: pets need you at set times |
| Online surveys | None | Slow (payout thresholds) | Low; usually small points or gift cards per survey | Very high |
The side hustles that tend to pay best
Virtual assistant
Virtual assistants handle inboxes, calendars, customer messages, social posts, data entry and admin for small business owners. If you’ve worked in an office, reception, admin or retail management, you already have most of the skills. The catch is that the bottom of the market is crowded, which is why the low end of the Payscale range sits around US$12 an hour. Specialising (podcast editing, e-commerce support, Canva design) is how VAs move up the range.
Bookkeeping
Small businesses always need their books kept, and the work is easy to batch around school hours. It does take real skill: in Australia, check the Tax Practitioners Board rules before you offer BAS services for a fee. In the US, many bookkeepers start by learning one accounting software package well. This one has one of the higher time-to-first-dollar costs but holds its value well.
Tutoring
Ex-teachers, uni students and anyone strong in a subject can tutor online or in person. As a former primary school teacher myself, I know how many teaching skills carry straight over. The limitation is timing: kids need tutoring after school and on weekends, which is exactly when your own kids need you too. Working with Children Check (AU) or background check (US) requirements may apply.
Appointment setting and remote sales
Appointment setters message or call people who have shown interest in a business’s offer and book them into a sales call. Closers run those calls. These roles suit chatty, organised people and can be done from the kitchen table in short blocks. The honest part: many remote sales roles are commission-heavy or commission-only, and it takes time to get good. My own first month in remote sales back in 2020 brought in $440. That’s my result, not a typical one, and most people build up slowly.
What makes sales different from most side hustles is the ceiling. A VA is paid for hours; a setter or closer is often paid on results, so pay grows with skill rather than with more hours. That’s also why it can pay very little at first. Read more about the role in our guide to appointment setter jobs from home, or compare the two jobs in remote closer vs appointment setter.
Curious whether remote sales could be your side hustle? Book a free call with the She Sells team and talk it through honestly.
The side hustles that often pay poorly
Online surveys
Survey sites are legitimate in the sense that many really do pay, but the pay is small: points or gift cards, with a minimum balance before you can cash out, and plenty of surveys screen you out partway through. Do them while you’re waiting at swimming lessons if you like, but don’t count them as income. And never pay a fee to join a survey site.
Reselling
Flipping op shop (thrift store) finds and clearance stock can be fun and profitable, but once you count sourcing, cleaning, photographing, listing, answering messages and posting, the hourly rate is often lower than it looks. It works best if you already love the hunt.
Freelance writing
Writing is flexible and cheap to start, but rates range from a few dollars an article on content mills to strong rates for specialists. Building a portfolio and finding clients takes time, so it’s a slow burn rather than quick cash.
Pet sitting and dog walking
Low startup cost and quick to start, but the pay is tied to your local market and the hours aren’t flexible: dogs need walking when they need walking, and overnight sits are hard with young kids at home.
Red flags to avoid
Mums looking for extra income are a big target for dodgy offers. Walk away if:
- You have to pay to start a “job” or to access work or leads. A genuine employer or client pays you.
- Your income depends mainly on recruiting other people rather than selling to real customers.
- Someone promises a set income or shows screenshots of huge pay days as the norm.
- You’re asked to buy stock or starter kits up front with no clear way to sell them.
My own first taste of sales was in network marketing back in 2014, so I know that model from the inside. Paying for training to build a skill is a separate decision from paying to get a job: be clear about which one you’re being asked to do.
Side hustle tax basics (Australia and the US)
This is general information, not tax advice, so speak to a registered tax agent or accountant about your situation.
Australia
The ATO’s guide on online selling and side hustles explains that your activity may be a business, an income-producing activity that isn’t a business, or a hobby. It’s clear that “not being in business” does not automatically mean the money is tax-free: side hustle income may still need to be declared in your tax return. If you are carrying on a business, you declare the income, keep records, and meet registration obligations such as an ABN (and GST if it applies). Genuine hobbies and casual sales of unwanted personal items are generally not assessable.
United States
The IRS says you generally have to file and pay self-employment tax if your net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. The self-employment tax rate is 15.3% (Social Security and Medicare), on top of regular income tax. Many side hustlers set aside a portion of every payment so tax time isn’t a nasty surprise.
How to pick the right side hustle for you
- Count your real hours. Five reliable hours a week after bedtime suits VA work or writing. Fixed after-school slots suit tutoring.
- Start with skills you already have. Admin, teaching, customer service and nursing skills all transfer.
- Decide if you want a ceiling. Hourly work is predictable but capped. Results-based work like sales is less predictable at first but can grow with skill.
- Test before you invest. Try a small version for a month before spending on stock, software or courses.
- Get the terms in writing. Pay rate, commission timing and whether you’re an employee or contractor.
If remote sales sounds like it might fit, see how our programs approach training, or browse more ideas in work from home jobs for mums. She Sells teaches the skill (closing and appointment setting) and, through our recruitment team, helps trained women find roles.
Want to see if remote sales could work for you? Book a free call with the She Sells team. No pressure, just a straight chat about whether it fits your life.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best side hustle for a stay-at-home mum?
The best one is the side hustle that fits the hours you really have and uses skills you already own. Virtual assistance, bookkeeping and appointment setting tend to pay more per hour than surveys or reselling, and they can be done in short blocks from home.
Do I have to declare side hustle income in Australia?
Often, yes. The ATO says side hustle income may be assessable even if it isn’t a business, and if you are carrying on a business you need to declare the income and meet registration obligations like an ABN. Genuine hobbies and casual sales of personal items are generally not assessable, so check with a registered tax agent.
When do I pay tax on a side hustle in the US?
The IRS says you generally need to file and pay self-employment tax if your net earnings from self-employment are $400 or more in a year. The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%, in addition to income tax.
Are online surveys worth it for extra money?
Usually not as real income. They pay in small amounts, often as points or gift cards with a minimum payout, and you can be screened out partway through. Never pay to join one.
Can remote sales be a part-time side hustle?
Yes, many setting and closing roles are part-time and booked around set call windows. Be aware that many are commission-heavy or commission-only and results take time, so get the pay terms in writing before you start.
Results vary. Nothing here is a promise of income. See our earnings disclaimer.
