The Sky's the Limit!

Business ideas for at-home parents.

Here are some of our ideas for businesses you could set-up and run from home (some of them are already established - therefore you know they will work!... some of them are our 'blue sky' ideas):

• Bilingual? How about tutoring children/adults in conversational practise of your language? This can be highly lucrative - contact your local Schools/Higher Education Authorities to offer your skills.
• Renting a room in your house to a lodger/student/foreign student.
• Selling clothes. If you find a good wholesaler then you could have a captive market for children's clothes at Playgroups/School. If you decide to specialise in 'older' clothes (particularly jumpers or cardigans) then there are many opportunities to go into Nursing Homes and supply clothes to elderly people who may not be able to get to the shops.
• Running a playgroup - if you live in an area where there is high demand for Mother & Toddler groups then as long as you can fund buying toys and source appropriate premises then you can charge mothers to attend.
• Ebay entreprenuer - you can offer to sell items for people with no time to list items (or perhaps for people who are not internet-savvy), charge a small commission.
• Create ready-made party packs for mothers hosting children's birthday parties. One of the real hassles of having a kids party is buying/preparing take-home party bags. Offer ready-made bags with age appropriate/gender appropriate party gifts (bought from wholesalers).
• Offer a party-venue sourcing service. Sometimes time-poor, cash-rich parents don't have time to find the perfect place for their little-ones birthday party. You could offer a one-stop solution
• Write a book! Mills & Boon are always looking for new authors. Wade Erotic fiction is another publisher who welcome new voices
• Making invites - If you are creative look at making wedding invites, christening invites, party invites etc...
• Create a 'Mum to Be' gift box or a 'New-Born' gift box and advertise/sell these at local maternity wards
• Import an unusual toy - think of the recent craze for scooters! Keep your eyes peeled when you are abroad and you may just see something new that you could be the sole supplier of in the UK