We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
Last Updated on July 18, 2024 by Samantha Flores
One of the most important goals for me to meet lately was to replace my income. I have been given such a great opportunity to stay home with my son and watch him grow.
However, I still wanted to contribute financially to my family’s needs.
I’m going to be really honest; the income that I was used to bringing home was not very much to begin with. I was working as an early childhood educator, aka a daycare teacher. The salary for this industry is low to begin with.
I wasn’t making a ton of money. Add in the the expense of daycare for my son and I was bringing home close to $1,200 a month on a good month. If I had to call in sick or be absent for whatever reason, I brought home even less.
Therefore, my goal to replace my income by working from home didn’t seem impossible. I just needed to match what I was making previously.
I am happy to say that I met this goal to replace my income in May 2019 by working from home!
Choosing to Replace My Income
Whether you are looking to stay home with your child(ren) or simply want to have a career from home, you can find a way to make it work. As long as you have the drive and determination to want to make a work-from-home career work for you, you can do it!
When I made the life changing decision to quit my full time job, it was a leap of faith and scary to say the least. I had a source of income (even if it wasn’t much). I had some sort of stability. Leaving that to follow the unknown was an uneasy feeling.
At least I was guaranteed some financial compensation by working full time. However, working from home was a whole new playing field that I was certain I could tackle.
I left my job on February 28th, 2019 and replaced my income in May 2019.
How Did I Replace My Income?
There was more than one thing that I did to replace my income. To make things work for me, my family, and my goals, I had to explore a few options and consider ways to make money working from home in order to replace my income.
I ended up utilizing three methods that helped me replace my income.
1. Blogging
I am sure you have read a hundred and one times how others make money with blogging. And it’s true! You can do it. I did it and continue to do so.
While the money I made through blogging this month was not the highest source of income, it was still an income nonetheless. It also showed me what my audience is interested in. Therefore, I can now tailor my writing towards the needs of others to assist my audience in their quest for answers.
Monetizing a blog can happen in several ways. For my experience, I made money by using affiliate advertisements.
With affiliate ads, you are paid a commission based on how many people buy products through your links. Some companies also offer to pay you based on how many impressions you receive on ads that are placed on your website.
2. Freelance Writing
Another method of obtaining an income was through my freelance writing services. Freelance writing is when you write for someone else and they publish your writing on their own site or use it for their own purposes.
You can do this as a ghostwriter (your name is not associated in the published piece) or as a partnership (your name is visible on the piece). This decision would be up to you and your client.
I found my first freelance writing client in May 2019 and began writing for this client right away. Each week during May, I submitted one post totaling four posts for the month for this one client. I was paid at an agreed upon rate per post. This client is continuing to need my writing services, so I will still be writing for them.
3. Test Scoring
Have you ever wondered who scores or grades those STAAR test essays that are submitted by students at the end of each school year? Well, there is a job for that!
I found the bulk of my May 2019 income to be from test scoring through Pearson. This position was flexible for my time, which was important for me to be able to incorporate my son’s activities between my time spent scoring.
This process allowed me to schedule 4 or 8 hour shifts each day during the week. I could work as many hours as I wanted. This led me to working about 20 hours each week. I was able to schedule shifts around my son’s nap time so that I didn’t have to miss out on engaging in activities with him!
Read more about the process of getting hired and get answers to your questions about working from home with Pearson.
Work-from-home Mom Life
When I became a mom, my entire world changed. I had spent my life preparing for a career that I thought I wanted.
This mindset that you have to have an established career with at least one degree to your name was instilled in my mind and this is what I set out to accomplish.
However, the only “job” I really wanted was to be a mom. I didn’t know this until I held my baby in my arms for the first time. Up until the day I went into labor, I was still planning on returning to work after my maternity leave was up.
When I did get back into the workforce, my son was eight months old. I quickly realized I didn’t want that kind of lifestyle right now and preferred to be home with him. Thankfully, I had the support of my husband and family to make this work for us!
Back To You!
Are you looking for ways to bring in some extra money? Have you replaced your full-time income with a work-from-home career? What methods will you use to reach this goal? I’d love to hear your stories and experiences in the comments below!
Always,
Samantha <3
You May Also Like…
- When is the Right Time To Start a Blog?
- 5 Ways I Increased My Blog Traffic… Without Posting to My Site
- Why I Chose to Start a Blog
Pin It!
Mom Hacks: Tips and Tricks for Moms with Toddlers -
July 24, 2019 at 11:22 pm[…] a mini tornado running around the house. It is especially challenging (but manageable) being that I am a work-at-home-mom. I have found ways to continue being productive while caring for a […]
Productivity Tips for Moms: Time Management Techniques with a Toddler -
July 19, 2019 at 2:35 pm[…] I found a way to do it all up to this point in my work-from-home-mom journey. I wanted to share my productivity tips for moms for those looking for a little more inspiration or […]
Letter Recognition: Language Building Activities for Toddlers -
July 3, 2019 at 5:45 pm[…] Since I am a work-from-home mom, there are times when I need my toddler to entertain himself. This magnet activity was a winner in my book! […]
monidipa51
June 21, 2019 at 5:47 pmI will love to check them out too. I’m going through all the links!
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:58 pmThank you, Monidipa51! I hope others find my post about my journey to replace my blog as helpful as you have! Click all the links and let me know how these opportunities work for you. I really strive to replace my income so that I can stay home with my son and make memories with him. He’s only little once! Plus, if we have any other children in our future, hopefully my income will be enough for my husband to get to stay home with me in the beginning and we won’t have to worry about that financial aspect so much. I hope the links you click on in my post will bring you to finding great opportunities to replace your income. Thanks so much for reading!
Hoang Vi Fessenden
June 21, 2019 at 3:32 pmI currrently work from home and am a stay at home mom! It’s still alot and you have to learn how to balance your schedule if you have kids!
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:54 pmSo glad to hear that, Hoang! I agree, it is definitely a lot to handle at times. I believe our children are close in age, too! So I can definitely sympathize with you on how active this toddler stage is. You do have to keep focus and keep on schedule to be productive as well as me be mom. Our babies aren’t going to be little for long so it has been super important for me to find a way to replace my income and be home with my son. The days can seem long, but they are worth it. Also, congratulations on your nomination for an Infinity Blog Award! You are rocking this mama thing and nurturing a successful blog!
Laithan
June 20, 2019 at 6:59 pmI had never seen anything mentioning the ability to do test scoring, I think I will have to look into that! Great to check out the Personal Finance posts of a fellow blogger 🙂
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:50 pmThank you, Laithan! I hadn’t heard of that opportunity before either to do the test scoring. However, it really worked out for me and my family to replace my income while doing the test scoring from home. And it is interesting to read the perspectives of the children who write those essays. My determination to replace my income came from the desire to want to stay home with my toddler. He isn’t going to stay this little for long so I am happy to be my own boss and watch him grow at the same time. In addition, if we have more children, perfecting my strategy to replace my income now will benefit my family’s future. And daycare is expensive! Thanks for reading!
D'ondra Howard
June 20, 2019 at 1:33 pmHow do you like freelance writing? I am trying to figure out if that’s something I should try doing.
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:48 pmI have been enjoying the freelance journey so far! It has been a challenge to find the right clients. The key is finding something you are passionate about and want to write about. It’s not about the number of clients you have, but will you enjoy writing for those clients? There has to be some sort of connection there. I like learning and expanding my writing skills though as each client has a specific style they are looking for in their content. If you decide to try freelance writing, there are many resources out there that can help you, especially in Facebook groups. I wish you the best of luck!
Bindu Thomas
June 20, 2019 at 7:25 amSuch an informative post. And very thoughtful of you to share it.
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:45 pmI am so glad you think so, Bindu! I love sharing my experience and journey to replace my income. I know there are others out there like me who desire the non-traditional route to financial stability. My determination to replace my income came from the desire to want to stay home with my toddler. He isn’t going to stay this little for long so I am happy to be my own boss and watch him grow at the same time. In addition, if we have more children, perfecting my strategy to replace my income now will benefit my family’s future. And daycare is expensive! Thanks for reading!
amayszingblogs
June 20, 2019 at 1:36 amWorking home such an great idea especially to the Moms but I love do both I’m working in the company and also I’m work my blog rest of the day after work 🙂
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:44 pmI love hearing when others love their jobs! That’s what the goal in life is, right? To find something you love doing so that it doesn’t seem like you are really working! It’s encouraging to hear that people are living their dreams while working and finding time to be creative through blogging. My determination to replace my income came from the desire to want to stay home with my toddler. He isn’t going to stay this little for long so I am happy to be my own boss and watch him grow at the same time. In addition, if we have more children, perfecting my strategy to replace my income now will benefit my family’s future. And daycare is expensive! Thanks for reading!
Marjie Mare
June 19, 2019 at 3:57 pmI am with you with that first picture, the coffee and I start to work together. Thanks for sharing such an inspirational post.
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:42 pmYes, a fellow coffee lover! Ha! It is so true, coffee helps me get into that mode of productivity. Especially when working from home, there are times when you feel less motivated to get into the swing of things. However, I know that I have to be productive in order to continue my journey to replace my income so I get myself some REALLY strong coffee to get me going. I appreciate your kind words and thank you for reading!
aisasami
June 19, 2019 at 1:41 pmI really want to quit my 9-5 job but the problem is that I need to change visas and the self-sponsored visa has a money requirement that needs to be shown in papers when I renew my visa.
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:40 pmOh no, aisasami! I did not know of the restrictions of having a visa. I am sure you will find a way to quit your 9-5 one day. There are various methods available today that helped me replace my income. I am sure there will be more opportunities in the new future that will help others replace their income instead of going to that job they dislike. Being able to replace my income made me have to think outside of the box and consider multiple avenues for income sources. I hope you are successful in finding what works for you to be able to replace that 9-5 income. Thanks for reading!
Pool Operator Talk
June 19, 2019 at 1:39 pmWho knew these opportunities existed. Way to make the hand you were dealt a winning set of cards. Congrats!
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:37 pmThank you for the encouragement, Pool Operator Talk! Some of these opportunities listed in my post were so foreign to me just two short years ago and I never saw myself trying to replace my income in such a non-traditional manner. My determination to replace my income came from the desire to want to stay home with my toddler. He isn’t going to stay this little for long so I am happy to be my own boss and watch him grow at the same time. In addition, if we have more children, perfecting my strategy to replace my income now will benefit my family’s future. Plus, daycare is expensive! Thanks for reading!
Bobby
June 19, 2019 at 1:38 pmThat is really awesome! You literally made the decision and became your own boss. I’m working towards a second income stream as we speak! Wish me luck!
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:35 pmSo great to hear, Bobby! My determination to replace my income came from the desire to want to stay home with my toddler. He isn’t going to stay this little for long so I am happy to be my own boss and watch him grow at the same time. In addition, if we have more children, perfecting my strategy to replace my income now will benefit my family’s future. Plus, daycare is expensive! Ha! I wish you luck in working towards a second income source and I look forward to hearing of your success. Thanks for reading!
The Crumby Vegan
June 19, 2019 at 9:47 amYou’re so brave to want to go the unconventional way of making an income but I love the fact that you’ve made it work for you. Very inspiring! ????
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:33 pmThank you so much for your kind works, The Crumby Vegan! It is challenging to put yourself out there and be vulnerable to the unconventional ways. Unfortunately, the traditional ways of making a living these days just don’t work for everyone. My determination to replace my income came from the desire to want to stay home with my toddler. He isn’t going to stay this little for long so I am happy to be my own boss and watch him grow at the same time. In addition, if we have more children, perfecting my strategy to replace my income now will benefit my family’s future. And daycare is expensive! Thanks for reading!
Neil Alvin Nicerio
June 19, 2019 at 6:49 amNice! I learned something useful today. Thank you for sharing.
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:31 pmThank you, Neil! I loved sharing how I was able to replace my income for the month of May. Hopefully others looking to replace their income will find value in my post as well. There are various avenues I had to explore in order to replace my income, but I am thrilled that I was able to financially contribute to my household’s income as well as watch my toddler learn and grow. He won’t be this young for long so I am doing my best to enjoy the ride now. I am glad that my post about my journey to replace my income was something you found useful!
TheKitchenDoc
June 18, 2019 at 10:06 pmI still have a full time jb that I love. My home business is my hobby
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:30 pmThat’s so good to hear, TheKitchenDoc! Hobbies are good to have after pouring your energy into a full time job. It is great that you love your full time job! My determination to replace my income came from the desire to want to stay home with my toddler. He isn’t going to stay this little for long so I am happy to be my own boss and watch him grow at the same time. In addition, if we have more children, perfecting my strategy to replace my income now will benefit my family’s future. And daycare is expensive! Thanks for reading!
Sanjota Purohit
June 18, 2019 at 8:29 pmRight now I’m doing only blogging. Not earning much but I’m happy to be my own boss 🙂
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:28 pmGood for you, Sanjota! I have found that it definitely takes time before we start seeing much of an income through blogging. There are so many things to learn! Each day I find something new that I didn’t know about for blogging. It is a great feeling to be your own boss! My determination to replace my income came from the desire to want to stay home with my toddler. He isn’t going to stay this little for long so I am happy to be my own boss and watch him grow at the same time. In addition, if we have more children, perfecting my strategy to replace my income now will benefit my family’s future. Thank you for reading!
SiennyLovesDrawing
June 18, 2019 at 1:04 pmThanks for sharing this, yet to know the ways of working from home, now I learnt from your sharing, thanks! cheers, siennylovesdrawing
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:25 pmThank you for reading, Sienny! I loved sharing how I was able to replace my income for the month of May. Hopefully others looking to replace their income will find value in my post as well. There are various avenues I had to explore in order to replace my income, but I am thrilled that I was able to financially contribute to my household’s income as well as watch my toddler learn and grow. He won’t be this young for long so I am doing my best to enjoy the ride now. I am glad that my post about my journey to replace my income was something you were able to learn from!
Megan Brown
June 17, 2019 at 9:24 pmI loved this. I am clicking through all the links to see what I can do too.
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:19 pmYes, please do! I appreciate that you found some value in my post, Megan! I really strive to replace my income so that I can stay home with my son and make memories with him. He’s only little once! Plus, if we have any other children in our future, hopefully my income will be enough for my husband to get to stay home with me in the beginning and we won’t have to worry about that financial aspect so much. I hope the links you clicked on in my post led you to finding great opportunities to replace your income. Thanks so much for reading!
Streamed TV Fan
June 17, 2019 at 7:50 pmI do freelance writing myself, mostly book reviews. However, I still find it hard to make anything like I used to before I gave up work to look after my children. But it doesn’t matter so much because I have now quality time and I do what I like.
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:17 pmI completely agree with you, Streamed TV Fan! Nothing can replace the quality time we get with our children. They are only this little once and before we know it, they are on their own. This has been my determination to replace my income so that I don’t have to miss those moments with my son. While I am not a blogger making six figures, I do enjoy being able to make some income while making memories with my son. To replace my income, I’ve needed to entertain the idea of multiple sources. Thankfully, they have worked for me and my family so far. I wish you the best in working from home and continuing your freelance venture! Thank you for reading!
Alessia Marciano
June 17, 2019 at 5:52 pmI am a blogger that start just last week so very interesting article! keep on write please 🙂
Samantha Flores
July 1, 2019 at 8:14 pmCongrats on starting your own blog, Alessia! That is a great accomplishment to finally go live with your own site. I started my blog as more of a creative outlet and then decided to try and replace my income with blogging. While I’m not one of the bloggers who makes six figures, I enjoy writing and sharing my experiences to help others. To replace my income was a perk! I’m so glad you found my post on my journey to replace my income interesting and I look forward to sharing more! Thank you for reading!