3 Ways to Earn Money Helping Others
From lending a hand with everyday to-do’s to tutoring kids and organizing homes, these women have discovered rewarding ways to earn money. Learn their secrets so you can start cashing in too!
Helping Others Around the House
“In 2015, I was in a car accident and had to take some time off. I couldn’t travel as much, so I thought about starting a new business. I had previously owned a senior care company where we were often called on to provide concierge tasks such as setting up a massage therapy session or ordering specialty linens for people in nursing homes. After conducting a lot of research, I learned that concierge services were in demand in my area. So four years ago, I founded Monogram Concierge (MonogramConcierge.com).
“To start, I looked into the type of licensure required and purchased insurance. I set up a website and attended networking events to find clients. Most of my clients are busy, active, and socially engaged women who need help with errands, chores, and everyday tasks like laundry and ironing, meal prep, pet care, gift shopping and ongoing home care maintenance. Recently, clients have hired us to help clear out spaces in their homes to make it easier for work and distance learning. We have 10 people on staff.
“Most of my clients are word-of-mouth referrals, but I use Facebook and local influencers to spread the word. Women are expert multitaskers, but I love that I get to help them feel less stressed and overwhelmed. I charge between $35 and $65 an hour, money that pays the bills, goes back into the business, and allows me to do fun extras like take pilot lessons!” — Joyce McAbee, 55, Greenville, SC
Online Tutoring and Teaching
“During my seven years as a teacher, I supplemented my income with tutoring. I helped mostly middle and high school students with math, science and writing, and worked as an academic coach for kids with learning difficulties such as ADHD and processing disorders. I loved tutoring so much and had so many students that I had to hire other people to help with the tutoring. So I left my job and started my own company, WorldWise Tutoring (WorldWiseTutoring.com).
“We offer tutoring for all ages, subjects, and abilities in-person in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, and everywhere virtually. We work with children who have learning difficulties like ADHD as well as adults who are going through career transitions. For example, we recently worked with an interior designer who wanted to learn a new programming software. We also coach parents and students in essential learning and life skills such as time management. Our goal is to make the entire family’s life easier.
“Due to the pandemic, we’ve been hired to help kids who are in learning pods. We offer group classes and live enrichment classes in acting and coding, for example. We want to help kids become independent and be confident so that they don’t need us. We make learning easy and fun!
“When parents tell me our services have been life-changing and they can just be the parent, not the teacher, it’s so rewarding! Last year, the company made $100,000, and I took a $40,000 salary. The money I make pays the bills and allows me to travel to warm places like Puerto Rico during the winter!” — Lindsey Wander, 38, Chicago
Organizing Calendars and Schedules
“I used to work as a lawyer, but as I started to think about having a family, I wanted to find a flexible way to make money. I knew that I was good at organizing my time and that I had a strong attention to detail, so I started to help family and friends declutter and organize their homes on nights and weekends. I worked for free so I could hone my skills and systems, and people gave me feedback. They were so happy with the work I did for them that I decided to offer my services professionally. So 13 years ago, I founded Rachel & Company (RachelRosenthal.co).
“To get the business off the ground, I set up a website so people could find me, but my first clients were all word of mouth referrals. Now, I use my blog, email marketing, and Instagram to market the business.
“Families are busy, so I make their homes streamlined and beautifully organized and their lives less stressful. I help them purge, declutter, and bring order to their spaces. I organize kitchens, pantries, and closets and prepare people for moves. As my business has grown, I’ve needed more help, and today I have five professional organizers who work with me.
“I love helping people in a way that changes their lives forever by doing something that comes naturally to me. I bring in over $250,000 a year — it pays the bills, goes back into the business and has allowed me to redo my home office!” — Rachel Rosenthal, 43, Bethesda, MD
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, First for Women.
