Money Makin' Mama

Everyone knows times are tough these days. Especially stay at home moms. I have seen a lot of blog posts about supplemental income for moms. Everyone seems to have ideas on how to bring in extra money while staying home with their kids. I have heard everything from selling goods on etsy to direct selling companies such as Avon to doing childcare. I have been a consultant for Arbonne which I really loved. I have been incredibly fortunate to be able to stay home with all of my children since they were born. At first it was easy because my husband had a great job with a steady income. Just as the economy was taking a downturn, he lost that job. Thankfully he found a new job very quickly but it came with a paycut. A few months before this I had begun caring for two other children in addition to my two. I have done childcare as long as I could remember so this was perfect for me. I cared for those two beautiful children for almost three years up until 3 months ago just before my son was born. Our plan was to move into an apartment for 6 months so that I could take a break from working and we could save up to buy a house. Well, one thing after another came up and quickly ate into our house fund. Including replacing the transmission in my car. Then about two months ago our former landlord called us up and asked if we would like to move back into a house we previously lived in for several years. My husband and I have moved nine times in the eight years we have been together. In all of those moves, this house is the only place we have stayed longer than a year. It is home. So we are jumping at the chance, and signing a 2 year lease! The only catch is that I will need to be bringing in some income in order for us to be comfortable there. I graduated with my BA in Child Development a year ago and my goal is to eventually work with pregnant and parenting teens. For now though I would prefer to do something part time. I need to be the one taking my kids to school and picking them up but I am not opposed to working outside of my home. I am willing to sacrifice a lot financially in order to be the primary caregiver for my babies but I need to contribute to my family too. Not to mention, it is SO satisfying for me to be making money as well! Does anyone have any clever money making ideas?

Oh, Monday.

This past weekend I braved 3 birthday parties. One for my own child, and two on my own with all three kids. Yesterday my husband had a guys day, which he rarely gets to do, so I was on my own all day. Today we had a two month checkup for the baby and a homeschool meeting for my 6 year old to get to. My goal was to leave the house by 9:30 am. My morning and afternoon went something like this: 3 year old wakes me up at 7 am wanting breakfast, I crawl over the baby like a ninja so he doesn't wake up, feed 3 year old, put in workout dvd while praying that baby sleeps for another 30 minutes, baby wakes up 5 minutes into the dvd, 6 year old wakes up asking for cartoons and breakfast, I feed her then feed the baby. I sit down with 6 year old to catch up on the three days of homeschool we didn't have time for last week. I pick out four outfits, shoes and hair accessories, put the baby in the bouncy seat, stick him in the bathroom so I can take a shower. Get out of the shower, check the time. 9:26 am. How the hell did that happen?? Dry off, throw on too big maternity jeans and shirt, do my mom hair. (You know what I'm talking about, some variation of a ponytail, bobby pins or God forbid, a butterfly clip. Oh well, at least its not a scrunchy). I manage to get the kids into the car by 9:46 and to the Dr.'s only 15 minutes late. The Dr comes in, we talk, she checks baby, I sign the form saying I am refusing vaccinations at this time and get a short lecture. We leave, go to starbucks where I ask for the food item with the least amount of calories since I never did get that workout in but I am STARVING. In case you are curious, it's the spinach and feta wrap. Yep, tastes like feet. After that, I drive through Mcd's for the kids (save the lectures please). Hop on the freeway and realize the gas gauge is on E. Praying again that I don't run out of gas on the freeway because it is now in the 80's outside and I just might die if I have to walk somewhere. I make it to the next exit, find a gas station which of course does not accept debit cards outside and I am not getting all three kids out and going inside so I put the $10 in cash I have in my wallet. Get back in, start the car, and the needle doesn't move off E. Whatever. Get to the homeschool meeting and the 3 year old has to pee and baby has to eat. Beg the teacher to give us a light load for the next two weeks and ask her three times when the last day of school is all while nursing the baby. 3 year old has to pee again so I take her. Thankful that baby loves his Moby wrap because that is his home today. Get back to the meeting, finish it up. Now 3 year old has to pee AND poo. Again. I cannot make this up. Drive home, check email, see that the mom's group has a meetup tonight. Hooray, sign me up! Hubby calls and says Sorry, I am in Stockton and won't be home until at least 7. Sigh.

This is what makes it worthwhile.