Work At Home Ideas for Pregnant Women

Q. Can anyone give me ideas or information for at home jobs? My daughter is 5 1/2 months pregnant with a 2 1/2 year old boy. She is a high risk pregnancy and had to take leave of absence from work because she has been having contractions and been hospitalized several times. Her husband left her a month ago. She is left with a house payment, car payment, utilities and everyday expenses. She has applied for assistance, but it will not come close to covering her expenses. Her husband has paid some bills but he was in a car accident and will not be able to work for a couple of months. My husband and I are doing what we can, but we will have to pay for her divorce attorney. We both work full time and not able to take on a second job. I am a crafter and working hard to create items for local craft shows to help her out. I am just needing some great ideas for this young mother to work from her home. She knows she will probably loose her home, but she wants to hang on for as long as she can because she will have felt the husband took everything from her. She has no money for investing into products and because of her high risk pregnancy will not be able to work physically hard. Babysitting for others is out because she may have to go to the hospital unexpectedly. Any ideas will be truly appreciated. - D.J.

A. Can she type? If there is a college in your town post your name and phone number on the bulletin boards there offering your services to type term papers, etc.

A. I have a suggestion. Would it be possible for the pregnant mom to rent out rooms in her house to help cover the monthly payments? Advertising at colleges or in the newspaper would probably reach a large majority of renters. Think of it as only temporary, until she can get on her feet or sell the house. God Bless. - DS

A. Move in with Mom. It seems to me that Mom is willing to help since she is paying for an attorney, and concerned enough to write "The Frugal Life." But, that is not all I have to say. The kicker is. Rent out your home. Rent it out until times change and daughter is able to afford it again. Let the renter continue to make your mortgage payments and perhaps some equity. If the payment is higher than the rent would warrant, consider it anyway and making up the difference. It still would be a great investment.Being a Landlady is not that hard. There are many resources to help you learn how. On-line, library and your local bookstore.Good Luck.

A. 2 Suggestions for your daughter. Become a foster parent for a disabled child. They usually send them to a program plus school for the day so it is like a easy tax free baby sitting job in your home at night . The pay can be as much as 1-2 thousand dollars a month depending on the child's disability. Foster parents are exempt from paying federal or state taxes on the money they earn. It is hardly worth the money for a normal child but most states pay 3 times as much for a disabled child. Also respite of 60 hours or more is given a month for these children so you have a reprieve for yourself. The perfect job for a stay at home mom. Or get licensed by your state or county to do child care that is paid by the state. This way you don't depend on the parents to pay you because your money is coming from the state county or federal program. If you prepare balanced meals there is usually a 'federal food program' that can be put into place to give you a hefty allowance for feeding the children healthy and the inspections usually are only every 6 months. Your local Child Dept Welfare Dept can enlighten you on these rules and can give you information and already functioning homes in your area so you can hook up with other experienced providers Karen & Cheri

A. Have her make crafts as well. Use bottle caps and make pin cushions. Steel wool is best for the inside but cotton will also work. Then cover it with material and glue it inside the lid. She can get books from the library and make other crafts or borrow some VCR tapes on crafts to make and sell. She can take small soap pieces and make scented soaps to sell. Ask your neighbors and to save the soap pieces for her. Get some cans to use as molds. Tuna cans are great for this project. Melt the soap in an enamel pot then pour in the mold and add the scent. You will have some unique designs that should sell. Use plastic wrap to wrap the soap. She also could record stories on cassette tapes and sell these to other parents. Blind people can use this service so maybe she could barter with them for things she needs. She could do typing from her home if she has secretarial skills. Just sit in bed and type away. See if any local companies need letters or other things typed. Maybe she could start an answering service. Take messages and call people if something important occurs while they are on vacation. She could also get a roommate or so to help with her expenses. Do a credit and criminal check on any candidates. Also sell the car and get one that just runs. She needs a home more than a car payment. Use heat and electric only in the rooms being used. Her son can move to her room and play games. TV is not necessary nor is cable. Sell the home and get a trailer or something small from any profits. Or renegotiate interest and payments with the loan company. She needs a place to live that she can afford more than anything else. Why not let them move in with you or vice versa and sell the other home. When she is able to work again she can get a second shift job (if you work daylight) so she won't need a baby sitter. When both kids enter first grade she can get a better paying job or a second one to pay expenses. If she has a roommate they could share baby sitting while each work different shifts. Till she can work again she could baby sit all of the kids and have the roommate pay more of the expenses for her services. Whoever would take her boy if she went to the hospital would take the other children also. From CSinbad

A. This is in response to the expectant mother who is no longer able to work. She can try calling her creditors to have them reduce her monthly payment due to her circumstances. Legal aid may also help with divorce costs.She may also be able to receive food stamps/welfare. I know this is a hard thing to have to do but it mights save her from losing her house.For money maybe she could do home parties. I wish her the best of luck. - Debbie

A. You're looking for a magic job, one where she doesn't have to do anything. Even a home business requires some investment. Honey, you need to cut your losses and move her in with you. She can't do it on her own right now, and any money you pay out is just lost. Move her into a small apartment if you must, but stop making house payments if you're not going to be able to keep them up. It should be at least three months before they start eviction proceedings, and another month or two after that before she has to get out, depending on the law in your state. Meanwhile, she can save the money she would be paying for the mortgage so she can get a small apartment. Sell, don't pawn, anything of value now, before the husband can take it. A. A few thoughts: Don't lose the house, sell it! If the soon to be ex is cooperative, they should sell the house and if she's lucky she'll get enough to get into a smaller home, a condo, or a mobile home and have some money for her living expenses. Do the same for the car, sell it and get something smaller and paid for (unless she's really close to the end of the payments). Mom, can you take them in for a while? If so, you could be her salvation thru this hard time. As for her husband, she needs to contact the local child support agency and get a child support order ASAP. If he's on unemployment, she'll get a piece of it and once he's back to work the child support can be garnished right out of his check. Don't believe him when he says he'll pay willingly. Often said/seldom done. (Guys, I'm not picking on you, it's a fact that noncustodial moms are the WORST for paying their child support!) She should also contact all of the creditors right away to make arrangements. Check and see if they'd paid for the "disability insurance" on the credit cards, the payments may be covered. Same with the house. The bank may prefer to refinance her at a lower payment or work with them to sell the place. Contact the power, water and phone companies and get the low income discounted rates. Look into the local food coops (formerly known as SHARE) and also USDA food giveaways. Also contact the local Health and Social Services and find out about the WIC program. Vouchers for free food for pregnant moms and children under age 5. Good luck! - Ruth DeJauregui

A. I must confess I am extremely disillusioned about stay-at-home moms finding "nice" stay-at-home work especially if they are high risk pregnancy. In this person's situation I would recommend her taking in boarders who will be able to help her short and perhaps long term. Single nurses who need accommodation, students who are in university and have some money for accommodation, etc., may provide a source of income and the help she will need. Perhaps even a capable senior who has recently been widowed would consider moving in to help out long term. If this mom is seriously interested in making a stay-at-home career work, then looking into some of the companies such as USANA, Herbalife, Amway, or other such multi-level marketing opportunities will possibly be an option. However, remember, very little income is available immediately, and unless a commitment similar to a full-time job is given, often very little money is ever earned. Finding your own product and taking it to market seems to be a dream come true, but you would have to be able-bodied somewhat I suppose. To remain in her own home is going to be an immense challenge. This situation looks extremely desperate and the father of this child must be found and be part of this solution. The poorest people are divorced couples because of the need to maintain two households. This is also a fantastic opportunity for a local church to give aid in the form of money. The Bible says that true religion is caring for widows and orphans. While not a widow, her need is similar.

This scene is being played out too often in our society, but it does come down to how can we really help set this woman up to be self-sufficient for the long-term, and help her immediately short-term? A group of 50 people donating $10/month will be a definite help. This is not just charity. Obviously social service is not just something the government is responsible for. A trust fund can be set up into which people can pay and from that her mortgage can be paid, and food can be bought within a budget constraint. Only housing and food should be paid for with this trust and she can do sewing, baking, cleaning when she is physically able. Baby sitting will be an option 2 or 3 months after baby is born, and should not be ruled out because $20/day per child can be a nice income! I am just brain storming with the rest of you all! Take Care. Cast all your cares upon the Lord and He will sustain you. If you know this woman, take care of her and her kids. If a trust fund is set up, let us know on Frugal Life and people can donate. - rs

A. Just a thought to the mother-to-be that is in need of idea's to make money at home. Has she thought of sharing her home with someone with a child? Home sharing could help her financially as well as give her support of another person.

A. There is a work at home website that has "legitimate" work from home jobs. There is a lifetime "fee" of $18 to join but that enables you to search and apply for the jobs that are entirely for those wishing to work from home. It may take a while for her to find something but there are companies out there that do want to hire people who want to work from home. Any job that asks her to pay anything up front is not legitimate. If your daughter has a specific skill she can also try "contracting" out her services. There are many small businesses these days that need extra help during peak times, or they don't want the overhead of hiring on another full-time employee. - Luana

A. In regards to the lady who needed work while she was pregnant, check out the frugal sites for pay while you surf sites. Also, what about selling/bartering some items on EBAY for her baby. Maybe stuff she no longer has a use for, she can trade or sell. She may want to do a search for health benefits online, some have no preexisting guidelines. I worked for a temp while pregnant & that really helped w extra money. Work only as much as they have work/as much as you can. Also, if she has an extra $25, check out ingdirect for a savings account that accrues 2.75%. Its better than nothing. Hope these help out!! Love your newsletter, L Rush

A. I had a very similiar thing happen to me 28 years ago. I was of course devastated, as I am sure she is. He can be made to help pay for the house until other arrangements are made or it is sold. Leaving a pregnant woman makes the judge a little more sympathetic and hopefully he will also have to pay for some of the divorce. May God bless, and believe it or not, that experience was one of the most blessed in the long run. Joyce in Va.