How to Make Money While Homeschooling: 16 Ways

The beauty of homeschooling is the extra time that you get to spend with your children and the freedom to personalise their education. However, this usually means that you have to stay at home or reduce your working hours, which therefore reduces the family income.

Fortunately, there are many ways to make money while homeschooling and we’re sharing 16 of them! Whether you’re looking for full-time work, a little side hustle, or creative ways to earn extra money, you’ll find something that fits around your homeschooling schedule and increases your income.

16 ways to make money while homeschooling

1. Freelance Writing and Blogging

Freelance writing is both popular and flexible because you can set your own hours and take on as much work as you’d like. The best thing about writing is that it can be done anywhere and at any time. You might find yourself writing in the evenings when your children have gone to bed or squeezing in a bit of work while they’re at a homeschool group or doing an activity.

You can also write in any popular niche, like travel or beauty, or one which you feel passionate about. If you love parenting, you could start a parenting blog. Or, if you love books, you could become a ghostwriter and write stories for other people.

How to Get Started:

Pick a niche: Choose to write about something you’re passionate about or a topic you’re willing to write consistently.
Create a portfolio: Start a blog or website showcasing your writing samples.
Join freelance platforms: Websites like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr allow you to find clients quickly and gain experience.
Optimise your blog for SEO: If you choose to start a blog, optimise it for search engines. Focus on keyword research, internal linking, and regularly updating your content to drive traffic.

2. Start an Online Store

There’s always money to be made with ecommerce, and starting an online store can be a great way to earn passive income while homeschooling. You can sell physical products (like crafts or homeschool supplies or something of interest) or digital products (like books and printables).

How to Get Started:

Choose a niche: Pick a product category that aligns with your skills or interests. Remember, you’ve got to be passionate about what you sell.
Use platforms like Etsy or Shopify: These are beginner-friendly platforms that make it easy to set up an online store.
Promote your products: Use social media and your homeschooling network to promote your products, offering deals to build a customer base. You could even create a blog to drive people to your ecommerce store.

3. Tutoring or Teaching Online

As a homeschooling parent, you likely have expertise in certain subjects or teaching strategies. Or you might just enjoy teaching! So why not offer tutoring services or teach classes online to start earning a bit of extra income?

How to Get Started:

Sign up on tutoring platforms: There are many platforms that allow you to teach subjects online to students all around the world.
Offer local or in-person tutoring: Market your services through homeschooling groups, community centres and on social media.
Create online courses: Use platforms like Teachable or Udemy to create and sell courses on subjects you’re passionate about.

4. Sell Homeschool Curriculum and Resources

You might have developed your own homeschooling curriculum or created your own teaching resources. If that’s the case, you could consider packaging and selling them, either physically or digitally to other homeschooling families. Many parents are always on the lookout for creative and effective materials and resources.

How to Get Started:

Create digital products: You can sell lesson plans, worksheets, or various unit studies on different resource platforms or even your own website.
Self-publish a book: Write and sell a homeschooling guide or curriculum through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
Host webinars or workshops: Offer paid training sessions for new homeschoolers on how to effectively plan a homeschooling year or teach specific subjects.

5. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a way to earn commissions by promoting other people’s products. If you have a blog or strong social media presence, you can recommend homeschooling resources, tools, or products and earn money when someone makes a purchase through your affiliate link. You don’t just have to promote homeschooling resources; it can be other products that you’ve used and are passionate about too.

How to Get Started:

Join affiliate programs: Sign up for programmes related to homeschooling, such as Amazon Associates, or affiliate networks like ShareASale and Rakuten.
Write reviews and recommendations: Create content that discusses homeschooling or any other products you use, linking to those products with your affiliate link.
Promote via email and social media: Use your email list or homeschool Facebook groups to share product recommendations and boost affiliate sales.

6. Virtual Assistant Services

If you have organisational or administrative skills, consider offering virtual assistant (VA) services to small business owners, bloggers, or entrepreneurs. VA work can include tasks like managing social media, responding to emails, or scheduling meetings. It’s often work that you can do in your own time and work around your other homeschooling commitments.

How to Get Started:

Determine your niche: Do you want to specialise in social media management, bookkeeping, or general admin tasks? Choose based on your strengths and interests.
Join VA platforms: Websites like Belay and Fiverr connect virtual assistants with clients.
Set a schedule: VA work is flexible, allowing you to fit it around your homeschooling routine.

7. Become a YouTuber or Podcaster

If you’re comfortable on camera or enjoy speaking, you can start a YouTube channel or podcast focused on homeschooling, parenting, or any topic you’re passionate about. With the right content, you can monetize your platform through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.

How to Get Started:

Choose a niche: You can focus on homeschooling advice, curriculum reviews, daily routines, or educational content for children.
Monetize with ads: Join the YouTube Partner Program to earn revenue from ads once you meet their requirements.
Attract sponsorships: As your audience grows, brands might reach out to sponsor episodes or videos.

Extra tips:

Optimise video titles, descriptions, and tags with relevant keywords like “homeschooling daily routine.”
Use engaging thumbnails and titles to increase click-through rates.
Promote your content through social media and collaborate with other creators in your niche.

8. Social Media Influencing

In this technological world, social media provides a great opportunity to make some extra money. If you’re active on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, you can leverage your audience to become a homeschooling influencer. Brands in the education, parenting, and lifestyle sectors often partner with influencers to promote their products.

How to Get Started:

Build a consistent social media presence: Post regularly about your homeschooling journey, tips, resources, and challenges.
Collaborate with brands: Reach out to companies offering homeschooling supplies, educational products, or family services.
Offer paid shout-outs: As your following grows, you can charge for product reviews or sponsored posts.

9. Online Surveys and Market Research

If you’re looking for something really easy and flexible, online surveys and participating in market research panels can offer small, consistent income streams. While it won’t replace a full-time job, it’s an easy way to make money during downtime.

How to Get Started:

Join survey sites: Websites like Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, and Pinecone Research pay for completing surveys, watching videos, or testing products.
Participate in focus groups: Companies pay for participating in higher-paying focus groups or research studies.

10. Sell Handmade Crafts or Products

If you’re an artsy crafty person and enjoy making crafts or DIY projects, you can turn your hobbies into a profitable business. Many homeschool parents sell handmade items like educational toys, art, clothing, or home decor on platforms like Etsy, eBay, or even local marketplaces.

How to Get Started:

Choose a product: What crafts or items do you enjoy making? Think about what you can produce consistently and market to your homeschool community.
Create a store on Etsy: Set up an online shop and start listing your products with detailed descriptions.
Sell at local fairs or online groups: Market your handmade items in homeschooling Facebook groups, local craft fairs, or community events.

11. Offer Childcare or Babysitting Services

The flexibility of homeschooling means you might be able to offer babysitting or after-school care services to other families. Many parents who work full-time need reliable care for their children during the day. You could even offer homeschool childcare to other homeschooling families who might want a break.

How to Get Started:

Advertise locally: Post on local Facebook groups, bulletin boards, or community centres.
Offer homeschool co-op services: Create a homeschooling co-op where you teach or care for a group of children, providing a shared learning experience.

12. Resell Used Books and Curriculum

If you have a collection of used books, curriculum or other educational materials that you no longer need, you could sell them on to other homeschooling families.

How to Get Started:

List items on eBay or Facebook marketplace: Take good photos and write descriptions for each book or resource you want to sell.
Create a homeschool resource swap: Organise a local or online swap group for homeschooling families to buy, sell, or trade used curriculum.

13. Create and Sell Printables

If you’re good with design and have some unique ideas, you can create educational printables like worksheets, planners, or learning activities and sell them on platforms like Etsy or Teachers Pay Teachers. Every homeschooling parent loves a good printable!

How to Get Started:

Create downloadable content: Design homeschool planners, unit studies, or educational worksheets that other homeschooling families can print at home.
Use Canva or Adobe InDesign: These tools help create visually appealing, professional-looking printables.

14. Pet Sitting or Dog Walking

If you love animals and have time in your homeschooling schedule, you can offer pet-sitting or dog-walking services. This can be done on a flexible schedule and doesn’t require sitting at a desk all day, giving you the chance to be active while earning.

How to Get Started:

Advertise your services: Use pet sitting and dog walking apps to find local gigs.
Market in your community: Print flyers or advertise your services in local community groups.
Grow your list of clients: As you build your list of regular clients, you’ll start getting reviews and new clients through word of mouth.

15. Virtual Event Planning

If you’re great at organising and love to do it, consider offering virtual event planning services. Many businesses, communities, and schools host virtual events and are usually in need of someone to help coordinate them.

How to Get Started:

Identify your niche: You could focus on homeschooling events, webinars, or community workshops.
Offer services through freelancing platforms: Use platforms like Upwork or Freelancer to market your virtual event planning skills.

16. Rent Out Property or Space

If you have extra space in your home, you can rent it out for additional income. This could include renting out a spare room or offering your home for homeschool groups. It’s an ideal stream of passive income!

How to Get Started:

List on platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo: Rent out an extra room or even your entire house if you travel or take breaks away.
Offer space for homeschool meetups: If you have a large space, offer it to other homeschooling families or for small co-op meetings.

Homeschooling doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice earning potential. In fact, it opens a lot of doors to various flexible, home-based streams of income. Whether you’re looking for passive income, side gigs, or more substantial earnings, the key is finding the right balance between educating your children and managing your work. By leveraging your skills, interests, and experience, you can create a successful side hustle or business that fits into your homeschooling lifestyle!