How Stay-At-Home Moms are Taking Advantage of Today’s ‘Gig’ Economy

Parents used to have to make a tough choice. Either one parent could stay home while the other went out to work, or they could go through the time and expense of finding full-time child care so that both could work. 

Factor in that weekly childcare can eat up a large portion of your weekly paycheck and the decision becomes even harder. 

The remote gig economy has changed things. Now, it is easier than ever for stay-at-home parents to find flexible and often lucrative working opportunities without ever leaving the house. 

In this article, we take a look at what the “gig economy” is and how it is having a major impact on family life all over the world. 

What is the Gig Economy

Maybe it’s the word “gig” that trips people up. It sounds unpleasant like a high-school garage band is trying to dress up the fact that they are playing in their school’s talent show. In fact, “gig” work simply means independent contracting. Freelancing, in other words. 

In many cases, gig workers are basically small business owners. They make their own schedules, seek out clients, and set their own rates. 

It’s just like anyone selling a product. To be successful they need to identify a skill and determine what the market value for that skill is. In many cases, the freelancer will find something that they are passionate about. Maybe you are familiar with someone who managed to turn their love of cross-stitching into a successful Etsy store. Or their passion for writing into a content-creation business. 

Parents who use their skills to tap into the gig economy are often able to make livable wages while working on their own terms. 

What Jobs Qualify for the Gig Economy?

It would be hard to make a complete list of jobs that can be factored into the gig economy. Where there is a will, there is a way to take yourself freelance. However, some popular freelance career paths include:

• Writing: Many websites will hire people to build out their content or create materials describing their products or services. Still others staff writers to manage their social media accounts or newsletters. 
• Graphic design: Go on Etsy, Fiverr, Upwork, or Freelancer and you will find dozens of professional graphic designers taking advantage of the opportunity to seek remote work opportunities. 
• Coders: While coders can work full-time for a team or organization, many like to remain free agents, leasing their skills out only to the highest bidder. Sounds cooler when you put it that way, right? But the possibility of finding steady work as a freelance coder is very real. 
• Hobby work: Then there are the miscellaneous hobbies that people manage to create jobs out of. From knitting to baking to voice acting work, the sky is truly the limit. 

The key is simply to figure out what your skill is and then find ways to monetize it. Of course, there are also app services that frequently fall into the “gig economy,” conversation. For example, Instacart and Uber are both significant figures in the world of freelance work. 

These jobs do provide you with the freedom to work on your own terms, though they do come with a lot of the red tape that is commonly associated with traditional employment. You aren’t exactly working for the company, but at the same time, you are subject to its rules and guidelines. 

Are There Gatekeepers?

It depends somewhat on the career path that you are trying to nose your way into. Some websites that allow you to make and promote a freelancer profile will in some way try to verify your skills. This may come in the form of a skills test, or a background check. Their goal, of course, is to make sure that they only feature talented professionals. 

That said, you usually won’t need a specific degree or certification to get started as a freelancer. Those things can certainly help you attract clients but the simple truth of the “gig economy,” is that all you really need to get started is a willing client, and enough talent to get them to recommend you to their friends. 

Are There Limits to the Gig Economy?

Of course, there are! Consistency is one of the big problems. With a salaried job, you know exactly what you will earn regardless of how busy work is. With freelancing, you only get paid when there is a steady stream of work coming in. 

Well-established freelancers will often be good at keeping themselves busy, but it can take a long time to break in. As you work to get yourself set up, you may not be able to count on a steady paycheck. That said, many people do find ways to make it work. 

The average gig-economy worker in California earned more than $50K last year. They aren’t getting rich, but in the context of choosing between a gig job and the non-existent salary of a stay-at-home parent, it’s a good figure. 

The other issue is that you most likely won’t have health insurance. Certainly, not employer-provided health insurance, at any rate. Many freelancers will either rely on their partner’s coverage or seek their own through an alternative method, like the Affordable Care Act. 

Getting Started

Once you’ve identified a skill that you think you can use to bring in cash, it’s time to begin establishing a presence for yourself. While there are many ways to find gig-economy jobs, freelancer platforms are often easiest for beginners. 

Not only do they provide you with an upfront and easy place to find work, but they also work as moderators for the transaction. Most platforms will handle the financial end of the equation and may even provide you with year-end tax documents. 

They also provide communication tools, and may even offer dispute resolution services. 

As you become more comfortable with your gig work, you can look for other ways to find jobs as well. While it may feel scary to take the plunge into freelancing, you will quickly find that it is a rewarding way to earn money from home while raising a family.