Surprising, Creative Ways to Make Money on the Side

Whether you are a single mom, a mom who stays home, or a working mom, if you are looking for ways to make ends meet, pay down debt, or save for retirement or college, there are some simple things you can do from home to make extra money.

While these jobs aren't likely to be the highest paying jobs you have ever had, they can bring in a nice side income stream.  Best of all, you can do them from the comfort of your home and around your family's schedule.  That beats going out and working part-time any day.

Here are some ideas for you:

Sell Coupons
If you already use coupons to save on your groceries, why not take the extra step and cut out all of the coupons to sell on eBay?  If you already have people bringing you their coupon inserts, this is a good way to make money.   Another strategy is to check with grocery stores and coffee shops to see what they do with the old papers and coupon inserts.   Some people even look through the recycling for coupons, but you will have to decide if you feel comfortable with that.

Sell Textbooks
If you have free time in the summer, pack up the kids and search garage sales for old books and textbooks.  If you have a smart phone, you can look up the books as you shop garage sales to see how much they are selling for online.  Then, list the books from the comfort of your home when you have time.  Some people make several hundred dollars per month buying old books and selling them online.

Sell Clothes Online
Kids' name brand clothing such as Gymboree, Baby Gap and Janie and Jack can sell for good price on eBay, especially if you know to sell the spring/summer clothes in March and April and the fall winter clothes in August and September.  Seasonal holiday clothes should be sold in late November.  You can find clothing to sell by scouring garage sales as well as second hand shops.  To make the most money, try to buy the clothing at second hand shops when they are on clearance because the season is ending.

Sell Crafts Online
If you are a crafty person, you can always make your own crafts and sell them on a site like Etsy.  However, Etsy is becoming increasingly competitive, so you have to have a way to make your store or your product stand out from others.  Etsy's blog suggests listing something every day and relisting your items frequently.  Often with Etsy, making your first couple of sales is hardest.  Once you have done that, if you have pleased customers, they will likely bring you word-of-mouth traffic.
If money is tight, don't despair.  There are plenty of ways to make money that you can do in your free time around your own schedule as well as your family's.  As you develop different income streams, you will find that you feel more and more financially secure.

What is your favorite way to raise money from home?

Kyle Taylor is a finance blogger that blogs about how to make extra money at The Penny Hoarder.