I would like to hear from stay at home moms who have found ways to make money at home without leaving their children..I will be happy to share some of my ideas and would welcome some of yours..I feel a christian woman who is a mom belongs in the home.. I have always been a home mom to my children and wouldnt have had it any other way..So if you moms out there have any ways to generate income at home, please let me hear from you. Thank, Deb

-- Deb Creech (retrievr@beldar.com), April 15, 2001

Answers

In the last 3 days i sold 42 bunnys. we are putting in a garden so we can sell our veggies this summer . this is all extra money we enjoy making together as a family.

kelly

-- kelly (milkgoats12@aol.com), April 15, 2001.

Hello Deb, Meli, (my wife) stays home and raises our daughter. The way she makes extra money is selling on Ebay! She buys items at yard sales and such and then resells them on the world's most popular online auction. In addition to yard sale items we also sell crafts. I make doll furniture cabbage patch kid size) and she makes soap. Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), April 15, 2001.

When my husband asked me to marry him he posed three questions: 1. Would I change my last name to his? (yes) 2. WOuld I agree to stay home and raise our children? (double yes) 3. Would I marry him? (triple yes). (The questions were submitted via a note in my desk draw at work. I submitted my answers via a note in his desk drawer.) That's a decision I've never regretted.

My youngest daughter now is married and has her first child. Prior to marriage, she took a second job and banked every cent for when she had a baby so she could stay home. She says her fondest memory as a child was knowing I'd be there when she came home from school and she wants the same thing for her children. She continues to add to her "stay home" account by selling things on E-bay. She attends yard sales regularly plus volunteers twice a month at a church consignment shop where she gets first pick of what comes in. Choosing primarily name brands in very good condition, she posts these things on E-bay and has been extremely successful. The baby, Ethan is now 18 months old and in addition to having an extensive wardrobe of excellent, name brand clothes bought for pennies, he has a mom who can be there with him all the time. I'm so proud of her.

-- Dianne in Mass (dianne.bone@usa.net), April 16, 2001.

I am Dianne's (response from above) daughter. Everything she said is true, (not to mention fun and easy!!) but I'd like to add another suggestion. Provide child care for one other child (two if you are brave). You don't need to be a licenced provider to watch one or two others (check your state laws). I watch another little boy only a month younger than mine three days a week. If you have any friends who have to work or are taking classes at school and need reliable, inexpensive child care, this could be great for you. Sometimes I find two are easier than one! This brings in our grocery money each week, not to mention the instant playmate my son now has. Even if you don't know anyone who needs child care, ask around. I didn't even know this family until a mutual friend mentioned we might be able to help each other. I love being able to stay home, I know it is the only choice for our family. Good luck!

-- Amy Aycock (amya@cstone.net), April 16, 2001.

Unfortunately, couldn't stay home with my daughter because I was pretty much alone. But, I do work from home - and really dread the idea that I would ever have to work for someone else.

Like Kelly, I sell rabbits. Didn't start out to do that, but I do. Better than what I was originally planning, I guess... I have done typing for people, sold extra produce from my garden (Jen loved 'helping' at Farmer's Markets!!), started plants for people, etc.

Done a lot of 'off-beat' things, too... I am a certified massage therapist, and several local chiropractors and physical therapists sent clients to me. I had a portable table, and did work in my home. I have seen hypnotherapy clients in my home as well. A little study goes a long way. Did you know that a certified hypnotist makes a minimum of $45 per hour, massage a little more.

Amy (I think???) had a brilliant idea, if you want to work with children, and provide for them the same things you wish for your own, you could take one or two for working mothers in the area. I would have given ANYTHING if I could have had another Mother watch my daughter while I was at work...

Unfortunately, she was already in school when I had the time to take all the courses required for certification, so the MOST important years were spent at a day care. Just from me personally - you would be doing such a wonderful favor to another Mom..........

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 16, 2001.

what about teaching some kind of lessons??? I taught piano lessons all the time my children were small. but you could teach how to bake a cake, how to decorate a cake, how to take photos, how to can, how to freeze, how to knit, think of something you know how to do and then arrange to teach weekly lessons or maybe teach one Sat. morning a month. maybe then your husband could watch the kids while you are doing the one or two hours of teaching so everybody wins!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), April 17, 2001.

Thankyou for all your wonderful ideas..I thank God for this site where we are able to share with one another..For a long time I thought I was the only one who believed in simple living..It is so nice to find a place where there are so many others like me..

-- Deb Creech (retrievr@beldar.com), April 17, 2001.

When I was raising my daughter, soon to be 24, I was a single Mom and always worked 1 or 2 jobs and went to school at night, lived in the city. It was tough, but we did our best. She turned out great, recently graduated college and is a wonderful person. Now I am married and we have a 4 year old son. This time I am not going to work outside the home or go to school again, unless it's a part-time when my husband can be with him. A lot of the income I generate is seasonal, veggie sales in the summer and fall. I'm a weaver and sell at several craft fairs througout the year, but don't have much time for weaving during garden season. Last fall a friend and I sold homemade breads and pies. The bread was sold at farm market festivals in addition to veggies and the pies were for Thanksgiving. We did amazingly well at that. You wouldn't believe how much people like homemade bread and pies. Next year I'd like to have a greenhouse to sell flats of flowers and veggies in the spring. I think doing it this way, seasonally, keeps you from getting burned out on any one thing, gives my life variety and if I have a failure at one thing, I've still got several other income opportunities for the year.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), April 18, 2001.

Dear Deb: I agree with you the best place for any mother,is in the home with her children. I know of several stay home mothers that have taken in one elderly person who is light care but still needs assisted living and that has provided extra income. One grandma even came to our 4-H program and went everywhere the family went. We all affectonately called her "Granny". In our area of the Northwest they are recieving $1200 to $1400 a month depending on how much care is needed. Usually they are private pay. At that rate it is a win for the elderly person and their family because the resthomes in this area are close to $3,000 a month.

-- Marie Fila (Mamafila@aol.com), April 20, 2001.

Hi Deb, Quick response(gotta leave an emergency prayer request): eBay! I've been selling odds and ends on ebay for the past couple months.Last week,(I thank the Lord for this!),I earned 280.00 off of 11 items(I listed 12).These items didn't cost me anything near that. I visit Yard sales and thrift shops(prayerfully!),and I only buy things that I find interesting.Later,I research my items on eBay,etc. I'd better get going.If you have any questions,feel free to email me. God bless, ~Tracy~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), April 22, 2001.