Can You Really Make Money from Surveys, Mystery Shopping, or Blogging?

I get emails every week asking about ways to make money from home.  Most of these moms haven't started a business, they are just looking to do some odd-jobs to help supplement the family income.  While I won't discourage anyone from looking for work to do from home, some of the questions Moms have are in regards to really low-paying job niches.

Here are some of the ones that seem to be most popular among moms starting out, and that pay very little in the beginning:

1.  Surveys.  I can't tell you how many moms come to me about surveys.  They've heard that they can make an extra few hundred dollars a month, and they want to know if ABC site is legit.  While you can make money taking surveys, it is literally a couple of dollars a survey, and they are few and far between.  If you hustle, sign up for every offer out there, and qualify for just about every survey that's sent to you, you'd be lucky to net$20-50 a month for hours of your time.  (And let's not forget, most of the sites you see encouraging you to take surveys are getting paid for each new mom they sign up.  It's like a pyramid scheme for many of these sites.)

Read more: Can you Really Make Money with Surveys?

2.  Mystery Shopping.  There is lots of money to be made doing mystery shops.  In fact, we often post opportunities here on the weekly job list for mystery shopping companies.  The benefits for doing shops, however, aren't as glamorous as you'd expect.  You can get a free meal, oil change, or (if you're really lucky) a hotel stay, plus $8-20 in additional fees.  If you're already out and about, this can help you with your budget; after gas, time spent running around, and effort inputting reports, however, you'll be lucky to earn minimum wage.

Read more:  Get the Truth from a Professional Mystery Shopper

3.  Blogging.  As a professional blogger, this one is hard for me to admit.  Yes, there are many people making good money from their blogs.  Yes, blogging has lead to full-time careers and successful business startups for hundreds of moms that I know.  But the road getting there is slow, and difficult.  You'll want to pick a niche that is new and fresh and expect to make nothing for your first 3-6 months (or even a year.)  Your time invested will be much; the payout will be little for quite some time.  I encourage moms to see blogging as a platform for their other business goals (a way to promote their online store, for example) rather than a cash-generating method on its own.  (Note: Blogging for other sites, however, is very lucrative.  Consider it today's version of freelance newspaper writing.)

Read more: How Do Bloggers Make Money? and Can You Really Make Money Blogging?

While I'll never discourage any mom from trying to make some extra cash at home, some will find that their time invested in the three jobs above just won't justify the time spent away from the kids, household duties, or their own endeavors.  I encourage you to dabble in them slowly at first, see if they fit your lifestyle, and consider any income earned to be a blessing!