The average American spends around $172 to make Mom feel special every Mother's Day. If you have ever purchased a bouquet of flowers or box of chocolates, you've seen firsthand how costly it can be to shower Mom with gifts.
Turn the tables this year by earning money rather than spending it. Here are some unique ways you can cash in on Mother's Day. (See also: 14 Best Side Jobs For Fast Cash)
One year, a photographer friend of mine announced she was throwing mini Mother's Day photo sessions for $65. The session included 30 minutes of shooting with cute props in her backyard and a disc of five to seven edited shots on a CD a week later. She allowed families to sign up for one of 10 slots the weekend before Mother's Day.
As a customer, I was thrilled to get some affordable, wonderful shots without the hassle of planning a Pinterest-worthy photo shoot. As the photographer, she was able to generate $650 for about 10–15 hours of work. If you are a talented photographer, have great editing skills, and have a nice camera and editing software already on hand, try offering this service.
As a word of warning, if you are not experienced photographing families, especially ones with unpredictable kids and babies, you might not want to jump into this business until you are more practiced.
If you love to make crafts, think of the many ways you can offer your skills for sale for Mother's Day. You can sell general crafts, like scarves, potted succulents in unique designs, or jewelry. You can also offer customized creations that will help individuals give their mothers something extra special for the day. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
If you sew or quilt, offer to turn baby clothes or special family clothes into a beautiful blanket.
If you create jewelry, offer customized jewels to represent birthstones or personalities.
If you paint or draw, do personalized silhouettes or drawings of the family from photographs.
If you enjoy woodwork or painting, create customized signs or wood scroll art.
(See also: The 5 Best Sites to Sell Your Arts and Crafts)
Even having a small bouquet of flowers delivered will cost you around $35–$50. If you live near a flower market or have a flourishing garden to choose from, you can make your own floral arrangements and sell them locally.
Try creating one or two arrangements several weeks before Mother's Day to showcase your skills and what you will be selling. This will allow you to take orders and know exactly how much to buy when you purchase florals and containers. Offer handwritten notes to make the arrangement even more special. Add on a small fee for local delivery to cover your time and gas expenses. (See also: 7 Ways to Earn Extra Money With Your Car)
Nothing says love like a plate of homemade cookies or a tasty cake. However, not everyone has the time or desire to be in the kitchen whipping up something for their mama. If you know how to make beautiful cookies or cake pops, or have a secret cake recipe everyone raves over, why not try finding customers for the holiday weekend?
You could also sell your goods at local farmers markets or craft shows. Be sure to brush up on the laws in your state to ensure it is legal to sell food goods from your home.
If you can't think of anything to create or sell, sell other people's goods. Host a Mother's Day boutique or craft show that allows other local vendors to set up tables and sell their goods. You can host the event in your home, backyard, or a low-cost venue such as a church. Vendors should pay a small fee to set up their booths and donate one item to your show's raffle. Next, advertise the boutique through friends, acquaintances, local businesses, and social media. Create an event on Facebook and spread the word.
The goal is to help connect your community to great local vendors and to give vendors the opportunity to sell their goods. Be sure to sell raffle tickets to help cover the costs of running the boutique, as well.
Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.
Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.