Cleaning for Dollars: Endless Options for Single Mom Financial Independence
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79While searching a few single mom forums recently, there were questions like, “how can I make money from home?” and “anybody know of any work at home jobs?” Off course there were people there recommending multi-level marketing programs of all kinds and get rich quick schemes. I feel saddened when I see people, especially single moms like me who get sucked in by all the hype. I have always thought that the best way to make money is to do something you are good at or have the ability to do with no extra effort or need to sign up a million people to make money. Now if you believe in the product, good for you, go right ahead, but for the majority of people that is not the case and they soon become discouraged, give up, and end up back at square one.
So what can a single mom do to earn money from home or at home? The first step is to take inventory of your basic skills. Can you clean really well? Are there certain things you like to clean? Windows? Garages? Refrigerators? Closets? Attics? Offices? There are many ways to make cleaning a money making business! With a few cleaning supplies from the dollar store and a lot of flyers distributed to your target homes or offices your phone could be ringing off the hook. The good thing about a cleaning service is that you can bring your kids along to help or hang out (depending on the time of day and owner permission). Once you get your schedule and routine in place, the jobs go by quickly and you could get in 2-3 homes a day. The hours are flexible so you have the option to work a few days a week with days off to do other things or expand your business.
Please be sure to get proper licenses and talk to the state tax revenue office about quarterly taxes. This information is free and they will assist you with the paperwork. Also, you can get free business cards online at vistaprint.com. There is only a small shipping fee, but it is well worth it for nice business cards.
Now that you have decided to start a cleaning service you will want to decide on a niche. Specializing is the key to earning more money because you become known for providing a certain type of service. I remember one lady who specialized in cleaning out refrigerators. She did the job that most people hate to do and made very good money at it. Other people just do windows, indoors and/or out, and then expand into pressure washing services. The sky is the limit because there will always be dirty windows and homes for that matter. You have nothing to lose and can even do it on a trial basis to see if it works for you.
Another niche is apartment move in/move out cleaning. Apartment managers need this service once a tenant leaves and are not always staffed to do this on their own. Turn over can be high so they are always on the look out for a back up service and it could be yours. Apartment cleaning can morph into a painting service for those apartments that need touch-up painting and even a carpet cleaning or removal service depending on the level of damage.
Construction clean up services are also needed for new home and apartment constructions. The debris left by contractors has to be cleaned up and the new space will need a thorough cleaning and vacuuming. I moved into a new construction once and there was sheet rock dust all over my bathroom counters, floors and showers. I had to spend time cleaning those surfaces when I would rather be decorating.
Cleaning offices is also quite lucrative for the single mom. You may think that large cleaning services have cornered the market on offices but that is far from the truth. There are probably small offices all around you that need your services. Think doctor, dentist, and insurance offices. They are typically one or two man operations that can’t afford a larger service. You may already know people like this who would be happy to use you when and if their current service becomes unavailable. The worst you can do is ask and they say no. Most offices already have their own cleaning supplies so the most you would have to do is show up. Since most of the cleaning will be done after hours you can more than likely bring your child along to play quietly or not so quietly while you clean.
Your options are endless and it just takes some creativity on your part to make it work for you. Once the cleaning bug hits you try out other cleaning options such as window cleaning, computer cleaning, garage cleaning (take the junk and sell it on ebay), dog poop clean-up, carpet cleaning, mobile car detailing, and much more.
Samantha Gregory
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My really good friend (who has also been a single mom for 5 years) cleans for a living and she loves it!
Thanks for starting this blog, I think its going to be so great! good for you! =)
I prolonged leaving my alcoholic husband because of this very reason… what could I possibly do to earn a decent living from home. I have always loved photography and while planning for our separation, I equally planned for the launch of my photo biz. I don’t have incredible technical knowledge, but I do have a good eye and a knack for making people comfortable on the other side of the lens. I have been keeping relatively busy with my hobby-turned-job and I am LOVING it!