Mithu Kuna 
Having a bundle of joy also means having a bundle of expenses. You’ve probably read about ways to save money during pregnancy, but there’s another option: making a few extra bucks.
In this post, we’re highlighting 13 ways you can make money before labor.
#1 Have a Garage Sale
Having a yard sale not only earns you some extra cash, but it also makes more space for the baby. Whether you’re converting a room into a nursery or just clearing a corner to put a crib and baby supplies, the more space, the better. In addition, when your baby starts to crawl, an open space means fewer hazards—so don’t be afraid to declutter.
#2 Sell Items on Classified Sites
Garage sales aren’t your thing? Try listing items you don’t use on classified websites, such as:
- Craigslist
- Kijiji
- Facebook marketplace
- Local Facebook buying and selling groups (search your city + buy and selling)
Since it’s difficult for many people to brainstorm items they don’t use, it’s best if you reorganize your home, asking yourself the last time you used each item. If you haven’t used it in a few months to a year, is it likely that you’ll ever use it? Did you even remember it existed? Be honest with yourself.
#3 Start a Bidding War
eBay is another site you can use to sell your items. While packaging and mailing the product to the winner may take extra work, it may be worth it if you have higher priced or rare items.
#4 Online Surveys
Let’s be clear: filling out surveys won’t even replace the income of a part-time job. However, if you’re at home taking your pregnancy easy, why not fill out a few quick questions for a couple of dollars? The amount you make from each survey can range between about $3-$35.
You can check out full reviews of 13 popular survey sites here.
Tip: Before signing up, learn the minimum amount you need to make before withdrawing money. If you don’t meet this threshold, you can’t have access to anything you’ve earned.
#5 Get Cashback
If you want to mail in that rebate slip, go ahead, but we have an easier way to get rebates: apps. While getting rebates won’t make you rich, you can probably get a few dollars back for items you’re buying anyway. Now that you’re also purchasing baby products, that money could add up.
If you’ve never used a cashback app, you may be unfamiliar with how they work. The app typically tells you which specific products are offering a rebate that week. If you purchase any of the items, you can take a photo of your receipt and upload it to the app to redeem the offer. The money will be deposited into your account, which can be withdrawn after it reaches a certain threshold.
Not sure which app to check out? Read these reviews of 7 cashback apps.
Tip: Write your shopping list and then scan the app for offers. Looking at the offers first could cause you to buy things you don’t actually need, meaning that you’d actually be wasting money.
#6 Get Crafty
If you’re someone who’s always painting or making jewelry, why not start selling it? Of course, making a full-blown business out of it takes time and you probably don’t want that added stress when you’re pregnant. However, selling a few pieces here and there won’t take much extra time if it’s a hobby you do anyway. To test out whether people will buy your craft, list a few pieces on Etsy.
#7 Sell Your Random Talent
Have a super random talent you’ve never been able to use? Sites like Fiverr allow people to post “gigs” for as low as $5. These gigs can be almost anything:
- Voice overs/cartoon voices
- Singing or writing lyrics
- Recording video reviews
- Writing social media updates
- Drawing portraits of people or pets
- Coaching in different areas
- Spiritual/psychic readings
- Data entry
- Celebrity impersonations
- Creating dating profiles for singles
- Translating copy
- Offering advice— career, personal, relationship, etc.
Although there’s an endless list of services you could offer, keep in mind that sites like Fiverr are generally low paying. Although you can charge significantly more, many gigs are priced at $5 or $10. To make some extra money without an extra headache, your best bet is to pick a service you can do very easily and quickly.
#8 Freelance
Freelancing has never been a get rich quick scheme and that won’t change during pregnancy. Whatever area you freelance in, it can take years to build a solid client base. With that being said, it’s possible to make a few hundred bucks working on small projects before labor. Think about the job or skills you have and who else could benefit from them besides your employer. If you’re able to grow your freelancing, you could eventually make it into a full-time job, allowing you to work from home while taking care of your baby.
Types of freelancers include:
- Photographers
- Graphic designers
- Writers
- Marketing consultants
- Videographers
- Social media managers
- Website designers
- Programmers
- Virtual assistants
- Bookkeepers
- General contractors
- Coaches (life coach, career, fitness, relationship, etc.)
#9 Become a Transcriber
Are you a fast typer? If so, you could make some decent money transcribing audio. Most websites typically require you to pass a test and maintain a level of accuracy as you complete tasks. You can learn more about transcribing and which sites to sign up for here.
Tip: Pay attention to the amount you’re averaging an hour. If you’re slow at typing, it may not be worth your time. However, a fast worker could make $25+/hour on some platforms.
#10 Check for Local Gigs
To make some extra cash, you don’t need to commit to a part-time job. Sometimes people or companies are looking for people to complete one-off jobs. Some sites such as Craigslist have a “gig” section with people looking for things like:
- Help with a data entry project
- Help with an elderly family member
- Help with personal assistant duties
- Handyman-type services
- Flyer distribution
- Delivery drivers
- Acting services
#11 Post a Service on a Local Classified Website
Classified websites can also be used to advertise the skills you have to offer. You can post on sites like Craigslist or in local Facebook groups (many cities have employment, freelance and selling groups).
You can offer:
- Cleaning services for homes, apartments or rental Airbnbs
- Organization services
- Laundry services
- Babysitting
- Elderly care services
- Dog walking services
- Music lessons
- Language lessons
- Tutoring
- Transportation services/rideshare
Tip: You can also offer professional services if you have the necessary certifications/education. Think about what skills you use in your current or previous job.
#12 Become a Driver
With apps to deliver just about anything these days, there’s always companies looking to hire drivers. If you have your own vehicle, you may consider driving for:
- Uber
- Lyft
- Uber Eats
- Doordash
- Grubhub
- Instacart
- Shipt
#13 Babysit or Petsit
Babysitting is one of the oldest gigs in the book and for a good reason: As long as there’s babies, someone needs to take care of them. Even if you don’t have full days to dedicate to caretaking, you may be able to find quicker tasks, such as walking children to school or daycare when their parents are at work.
You can offer to:
- Walk dogs before or after work or during lunch breaks
- Watch pets in your home or their home when the pet parents are on vacation
- Watch kids in your home during the day (check state laws to learn how many children you can legally babysit without being a daycare)
- Babysit on weekends or evenings
- Be a family nanny
- Walk a child from school to daycare
- Walk a child to school in the mornings
You can spread the word by:
- Telling friends and family
- Telling coworkers and members of local groups, such as clubs or churches
- Posting on your social media that you’re looking for babysitting/petsitting gigs
- Posting in related Facebook groups. For example, if you’re offering to babysit, try posting in a local mom group (if it fits within posting rules). If you’re looking to petsit, offer the service in a local dog group.
- Posting on classified websites
Summary
While there are no get rich quick schemes you should try during pregnancy, there are some gigs you can pick up to make a few extra dollars. Whether you’re looking to work online or outside of the home, there’s opportunities available. To start, think about what’s doable. When do you have free time? What are your skills or hobbies? What do you like doing? What does your community need?
Are you taking on a side hustle while pregnant? If so, let others know in the comments below. If you have any pregnant friends or family, share this post with them, too!
Have you used a fetal doppler yet? These amazing at-home devices allow you to listen to your baby’s heartbeat while she’s still inside the womb. Get one for as low as $19.95.
