20 Ways to Make Money as a Stay at Home Mum in New Zealand

Do you ever feel like being a stay-at-home mum is like having a full-time job but without the pay?

Well, what if I told you there are ways to make money without even leaving your house (or putting on pants)?

That’s right; you can earn cash while still being the boss of your own household (and the queen of your own couch).

In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best ways for stay-at-home mums in New Zealand to make money from home, so you can finally afford that fancy bottle of wine you’ve been eyeing up at the supermarket.

So, let’s get started and turn your stay-at-home gig into a stay-at-home money-making machine!

20 Ways to Make Money A Stay at Home Mum

Here are some genuine ways to make money from home that works for my family (so they probably will for yours too).

1. Online Surveys

I’ve been taking paid surveys since way before I had kids, and I recommend a tactical approach to online survey sites.

These are the legit survey sites we recommend:

Octopus Group: New player on the scene – high pay (around $16/hr).
Pureprofile: Great rewards, including cash and Countdown vouchers.
Opinion World: Solid and reliable global survey player and New Zealand.

All pay cash (via PayPal) or gift cards.

We recommend checking your survey dashboard daily to see what surveys are available. I try to complete them immediately as they are not always available when I log in later in the day.

We’ve also written some more in-depth guides to our top picks for paid surveys in New Zealand here.

2. Share Your Internet Usage

The Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel is an entirely hands-off way to boost your budget.

Making money ideas for stay-at-home mums doesn’t come any easier than this.

That means you’re not going to earn heaps of money, but you only need to install the app and keep it installed in order to earn.

By installing this app on your mobile or desktop (or both, you earn more for multiple registered devices), allowing them to track your internet usage; they can identify trends and predict future internet usage patterns.

Register here for Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel New Zealand

3. Remote Admin Work

I worked in an office before leaving to have my kids.

The skills I learned in my office job can be applied from anywhere, and I was able to convince my boss to give me casual admin work from home.

The jobs weren’t especially frequent, but I received a higher hourly rate and could claim part of my home office as an expense.

I was set up as a sole trader and sent invoices when the work was done. I really loved doing this kind of work and think it’s the perfect side gig for mums.

When looking at ways for stay-at-home mums to make money, you should consider the work you’ve done previously and if it can be done remotely.

Most bosses are much happier to hire an employee they know and trust for remote work, so it can be a win-win.

This was my highest-paying mum job for years, and I earnt between $500-$1000/month.

4. Focus Groups

Focus groups are another easy way for mums to make extra cash.

The best thing is they are often run in the early evening so I feel like I get a bit of a night out (is that sad?!?! – haha) while getting paid and eating their food (a lot of the focus groups are catered) and don’t have to worry about babysitting because their dad is home from work.

You can earn anything from $80 to $150 a month from focus groups.

I’m registered with almost every panel in my city.

5. Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping is a great way for mums to make some money and shop simultaneously.

A mystery shopper (sometimes called a secret shopper), is paid to use shops and services as a customer and report on their experiences.

This might mean you must go to a specific shop and ask for an item.

You’ll then complete the transaction as usual and write a simple report after leaving the store.

Sometimes, you can even bring your kids, although I try not to.

The assignments are usually pretty short, so I can get someone to look after the kids or just take assignments on preschool days.

Pay ranges from $20-$50, plus compensation for products purchased.

Read more: Mystery shopper jobs in New Zealand

6. Blogging

Blogging is how I make the bulk of my income these days.

I started a blog when I was doing remote admin work and making most of my income from that.

As my blog income grew, I scaled back on the admin work and focused on growing my online businesses.

I now run three blogs (this one included) and make between $7 and $15k a month from all my sites.

Blogging is something I’m passionate about as it’s given me the option of not needing to go back to work, and if my income keeps growing, my husband will be able to give up his job and help me in the business.

I’ve written an in-depth guide to how to make money blogging for beginners as I really think it’s a great way for mums to earn more money – and that money is usually US dollars, so it’s extra sweet if you’re converting to NZD!

7. Become a Virtual Assistant

If you’ve ever Googled ‘how to earn money as a stay-at-home mum’, you’ve probably read about working as a virtual assistant.

It’s a growing industry, and it ain’t slowing down (this is where I would be focusing if I wasn’t blogging).

Working from home as a virtual assistant is a great online job for administrators, personal assistants, and executive assistants.

All you need is your existing skill base, a computer and an internet connection.

I worked in this manner after my son was born, and the gig continued after we left New Zealand to go travelling.

I was earning in Australian dollars (the job was with my former Australian employer) and spending Mexican pesos which let me test out geographic arbitrage – which basically meant that my family and I could live like kings on the 20 hours a week of remote work I was putting in.

Abbey Ashley from The Virtual Savvy runs a 60-minute FREE training webinar on becoming a booked-out virtual assistant. The training includes ideas on which services to offer, finding customers, scaling your business and more.

If you want to become a VA, check out this monster guide to becoming a virtual assistant.

8. Write Articles for Blogs and Businesses

With the explosion in internet use, the demand for content – blog posts, articles, infographics, reports, etc – has boomed.

If you feel comfortable with the written word, working from home as a writer is a perfect gig for a mum. Because writing is usually paid per article, you can fit your projects between the fits and starts of baby naps and laundry.

I used to get a lot of work through Upwork (and now hire writers from there).

You can read more here: How to Get Your First Writing Online With Upwork

9. Offer Services to Your Neighbours

Think ironing, cleaning, lawn mowing, dog walking, pet care, etc.

If your kids are at childcare or school and you have a few hours free each day, but not enough time to commit to a part-time job, this could be a good way to boost your income.

Print up some flyers and do a letterbox drop in your local area. You never know what people might need help with!

10. Start an Etsy Shop

Starting your own Etsy shop requires very little financial input, especially if you limit yourself to only offering digital downloads.

I was fascinated when I heard about this unique way of setting up an online business for ongoing income, so when Trina reached out to me, I begged her to write about how she does it.

You can read more about how Trina, a mum of three, makes passive income on Etsy here.

If you prefer to make physical items, setting up an Etsy shop can really help get your home business off the ground.

We were pretty interested in what actually sells on Etsy, so we compiled a list of the most popular items that you can sell on Etsy to make money. Check out the guide here.

11. Data Entry

Data entry work consists of repetitive typing and requires extreme accuracy. It’s also frequently available at nights and weekends and can be a great work-from-home job for stay-at-home mums.

Data entry jobs can be found in loads of industries. You’ll find hundreds of opportunities on Seek.

Want to upskill for that perfect work-from-home job?

Check out these free work-from-home courses – including options for VA training, data entry, transcription, blogging and loads more.

12. Find a Part-Time Job Out of the Home

Retail jobs are a great way to make extra money for stay-at-home mums.

Retail work is usually flexible so it can suit evenings and weekends if you have a partner who is home then.

13. Teach English Online

Teaching English online is a great way to make money as a stay-at-home mum.

Until now, it’s been hard to find companies that’d hire Kiwis (because many countries prefer American English speakers), but there are options for non-Americans with the right experience and qualifications.

You can earn up to $21USD per 40-minute lesson and work as much as suits you.

During the week, lessons are mainly at night so you’ll need to be a night owl for this job but it might suit you if your kids sleep through the night.

The weekend lessons run all day long so you could make more money then.

You must be a native English speaker with a bachelor’s degree in any field and some teaching experience.

Check out this blog post for more on how to make money teaching English online.

14. Become a Trademe or Facebook Marketplace seller

Flipping things on Trademe or Facebook Marketplace can be a legitimate source of extra income and a great way to earn money from home.

Start with the things you have around the house.

Check what similar items sell for, take decent photographs (very important), write an accurate description, and get selling.

As time goes by and your experience grows, you’ll get to know what sells best and which items you like working with.

The YouTube video above has some great tips, and David (an experienced Trademe seller) wrote an excellent article here: 10 Trade Me Selling Tips That Will Get You More Money

15. Rent Out Your Car Space

If you have a spare car space and live centrally, you can make up to $400 per month renting your spare car space with Parkable.

The Parkable app makes it easy to add your car space and receive bookings.

Learn more about making money with Parkable here.

16. Rent Out Your Car

If you’re anything like me, your car sits unused in your driveway for long periods of time (now more so as I bike to school with the kids and work from home).

If you can part with your car for some time, you can earn extra money by renting it out on sites like MyCarYourRental.

You could be looking at hundreds of dollars a month in extra income, certainly better than a car sitting in a driveway all day.

17. Sell Pictures of Your Feet

If you’ve got lovely toes and stylish feet, selling pictures of your feet can be an easy way to make money as a stay-at-home parent.

Taking photos of your feet and selling them online via dedicated websites and social media groups is quite a popular side hustle for mums.

So popular, in fact, that we had to write a dedicated guide to how to sell feet pics online.

18. Start a Home Childcare Business

Starting a home-based childcare service may be an option if you have kids at home.

In New Zealand, more companies offer support for qualified ECE teachers to start their home childcare business.

Check out Barnardos and Nurtured At Home.

There is a lot to consider regarding compliance and the qualifications and certifications you’ll need.

That said, it’s a legitimate way to earn an income while staying home with your kids.

19. Become a Professional Organiser

If helping other people get organised sounds like your idea of fun, you could consider becoming a professional organiser.

Jen trains people who are interested in starting a business as an organiser (well actually an organiZer as she’s American) and she wrote a blog post showing how you can get started.

Although it’s not technically a stay-at-home job, you can choose your own hours so it can work around childcare or other family commitments. You can read Jen’s blog post here to find out more.

20. Start a Craft Selling Business

When I was little, my mum used to drag me and my brother to all the craft fairs in Christchurch, where she’d sell butterfly magnets that she made for $1 a pop.

Turns out my mum was a trailblazer.

She probably hadn’t even heard the words “side hustle” (I’m pretty sure that term didn’t exist in the mid-nineties), but she made crafts at night after we went to bed and sold them at craft fairs on the weekends.

Whilst butterfly magnets might not be your passion, plenty of other craft ideas you can make will earn extra cash.

Think mason jars, headbands, personalised doormats, etc. The potential is unlimited.

Here is a list of 20 profitable craft ideas to get you started.

My Stay-at-Home Mum Income Story

Before my kids came along, I worked full-time and earned a healthy salary. As did my husband. That means we went from two incomes down to one almost instantly.

We planned for this change in our finances by saving one income and living on the other (best tip ever) and were prepared for what lay ahead.

Our plan was always for me to stay home with the kids until they went to school unless I wanted to return to work, which was quite likely to happen as I loved working.

So long as our finances allowed, I was going to remain a stay-at-home mum.

When I was first trying to figure out how to make money as a stay-at-home mum, we had just moved back to New Zealand (and New Zealand wages), and more than ever, I needed to make money from home.

Now my eldest is ten, and my youngest is seven, and we are in the best financial shape of our lives, due to my stay-at-home mum side hustles. Many of them are mentioned above.

I don’t share this to toot my own horn, but I want you to know that it is genuinely possible for mums to make good money from home.

20 Ways Make Money as a Stay at Home Mum in New Zealand