More Than Rubies

Though not everyone who is reading this is religiously affiliated, the following Bible verse is the key to the rest of this blog entry.

“She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle…She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple…She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.” Proverbs 31: 18-19, 22 & 24

To sum up these ancient, yet still valuable words, the woman is capable of being more than a homemaker, mommy, lover, and companion (although those are all incredible and honorable duties), the stay at home mom can also help provide an income for her family using natural talents.

If you are a stay at home mom, like me, you’ll find that you can be a great parent and housewife and still have this aching to do something more, be something more, and leave a legacy that doesn’t involve being a super diaper changer. You love your kids (I know I love mine) but you still feel the need to be involved in something outside of parenting like using your natural talents and learned skills to bring in an income while still raising your kids.

So what can a stay at home mom who is yearning to do more actually do to make money?

Creating Handmade Treasures

If you have a natural love for crafts, or get excited about creating beautiful things with your own two hands you may have what it takes to make and sell handmade crafts. Scrapbooking, card making, quilting, sculpting and painting figurines, jewelry making, and glass blowing are all crafts that stay at home moms have made money doing in the past.

Incredibly talented mom, Rachel Osborne, actually sculpts delicate and beautiful figurines, paints them, personalizes them to order, and successfully sells them on her Etsy store front. If you want to see what I’m talking about, feel free to visit her store front and take a gander at the wonderful things she creates and sells to help make money and put her talents to use.

Creating Content: Freelance Writing        

If you aren’t as crafty with your hands as you are with your words, you should consider taking on the mantle of the freelance writer. Freelance writing allows stay at home moms to do something their passionate about, and it provides them an outlet where they can use their intelligence and wit.

Personally, I love freelance writing. I love that I can do something I’m passionate about, and actually make money at the same time. With our mortgage, 3 kids, and pre-marital debt, any extra income I make is put to use, and though I am worn out and dragging myself to bed at the end of the day, I feel accomplished and successful.

One of my good friends, Sara K. Haley, is also a stay at home mom, but instead of making figurines, she makes SEO articles as a freelance writer. She is talented, hardworking, and making enough money to support herself and her young daughter. Visit Sara’s site to see some of the great things she’s working on, and maybe you’ll find the inspiration you need to get started in the freelance writing industry.

Creating and selling handmade items, and writing freelance aren't the only jobs out there for stay at home moms, but I will touch on the other opportunities in another blog entry.

Just because you’re a stay at home mom doesn’t mean that you can’t be more, that you can’t want something more. You aren’t the only one, and you won’t be the last. I’ve been there, and I did something about it (this blog is proof).