Maternity is a wonderful time—a well-deserved few months of rest to stay home and care for your new baby. It all seems amazing until, after several months, money begins to dry up.
Government money through Employment Insurance (EI) maternity benefits can help, but it is not always enough to cover all expenses.
Fortunately, opportunities abound for you to make money from side hustles and work-from-home jobs.
Side Hustles While on Maternity Leave
| Side Hustle | Description | Platforms You Can Use | Earning Potential |
| Rent Out Your Car | Earn extra cash by renting out your car. | Turo | 65% to 90% of the renter’s payment |
| Sell Things You Don’t Need | Sell unused items online. | Amazon, Kijiji, Etsy, eBay, etc. | Varies depending on items sold |
| Investing | Save for maternity leave through investments. | High-Interest Savings Account (HISA), GIC | Depends on the investment strategy |
| Sell Handmade Goods | Sell handmade items on various platforms. | Blog, website, social media, Etsy, Handmade by Amazon | Varies depending on the product and sales |
| Become an Influencer | Use a blog to become an influencer for product promotion. | Blogging website | Compensation in products or cash |
| Rent Out Ad Space On Your Car | Earn income by renting ad space on your car. | Canawrap | Flat-rate or per mile, depending on the company |
| Pet Sitting | Earn money by pet sitting if you love animals. | Rover.com | Average of $19 per hour |
| Babysitting | Offer babysitting services to families. | Sitly, Canadian Nanny | Average of $15.85 per hour |
| Part-Time Delivery Driver | Work as a part-time delivery driver for food delivery platforms. | Uber Eats, DoorDash | Approximately $19.45 per hour |
| Take Online Surveys For Money | Earn extra money by taking online surveys. | Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, Pinecone Research, Branded Surveys | $0.25 to $3.00 per survey, up to $250 per month |
You will likely be focusing much of your time preparing for the arrival of your new baby. If you do find a job while on mat leave, you will probably work reduced hours.
There are, however, plenty of side jobs you can do even though you can only put in a few hours.
Check the list below and find a side hustle while on maternity leave that will help you make extra money during this time.
1. Rent Out Your Car
Earn extra cash by renting out your car through peer-to-peer platforms like Turo, known as the Airbnb of cars.
With Turo, you earn anywhere from 65% to 90% of what the renter paid. Your earnings will depend on the insurance plan you selected.
As host, you get to name your price, the duration of the rental, and the terms. With this side hustle, you earn passive income when you are not using your vehicle.
2. Sell Things You Don’t Need
If you have things you no longer use, sell them to make extra cash while on maternity leave. Some of the best items that will sell for money include:
- Unused clothes
- Clothes your baby has outgrown
- Electronics
- Small household appliances
- Games and gaming systems
- Power tools
- Exercise equipment
Unload these things at online marketplaces like Amazon, Kijiji, Etsy, eBay, etc.
3. Investing
Saving for your maternity leave is vital, and you may be wondering where you should put your hard-earned money. As a Canadian, there are several options at your disposal.
One primary way to save money for maternity leave is to open a high-interest savings account (HISA) and fund it before giving birth. A HISA is a high-return, low-risk type of investment that works like a traditional savings account but offers a higher interest rate.
A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) is another safe investment with a high return. This Canadian investment asset offers a guaranteed rate of return over a fixed period.
4. Sell Handmade Goods
If you have a knack for crafting handmade items and have dreamed of starting your own business, you can combine your skills and ambition to sell handmade goods.
You can sell various handmade items for profit: candles, soap, jewelry, hair accessories, soap, scarves, wall crafts, home decor, tote bags, and subscription boxes.
Sell your handmade goods via your blog or website, social media sites, and e-commerce platforms like Etsy and Handmade by Amazon.
5. Become an Influencer
If you have a blog, use it to become an influencer and receive payment for advertising products. To reach this status, your followers need to number in the thousands.
As an influencer, you post content and images that promote a particular product.
In return for the promotion, you get compensation, which can be in the form of products or cash.
Related: How to get free baby stuff and samples in Canada.
6. Rent Out Ad Space On Your Car
Earn supplemental income by renting out ad space on your car. If you use your vehicle regularly, this side hustle is for you.
Also called car wrap advertising, these are large vinyl sheets with ad campaigns applied to multiple side panels of your car’s exterior. Car advertising companies that offer this service include Canawrap.
Some companies will pay you a flat-rate every month; others will pay you per mile. So, the more miles you drive, the higher your passive income.
7. Pet Sitting
If you are passionate about animals, have knowledge about training and caring for them, and want to make money, then pet sitting would be an ideal side hustle.
Apart from pet sitting insurance and travel costs, the initial investment is low. You can set your own schedule and pick up more shifts if you need to make more money.
Pet sitters earn an average of $19 per hour. Here’s a review of Rover.com to learn more about dog walking and pet sitting.
8. Babysitting
Babysitting may be a great way to practice being around children while also earning an average of $15.85 per hour.
Visit babysitting sites like Sitly and Canadian Nanny to find babysitting jobs. You can choose to commit to one family or accept several clients.
You can also offer babysitting services to your family and friends. This would be an opportunity to babysit their kids at your home.
9. Become a Part-Time Delivery Driver
If you have a reliable car, you can be eligible to work as a part-time delivery driver for Uber Eats or DoorDash.
This job offers flexibility and gives you control over your hours, allowing you to work whenever you want, for as long as you want.
As an Uber Eats delivery driver, you can make approximately $19.45 per hour.
Become a Delivery Driver With Uber Eats
Uber Eats is one of the best food delivery platforms available in thousands of cities worldwide.
You can sign up to become a delivery driver with Uber Eats if you have a valid driver’s license, a 2- or 4-door car less than 20 years old, proof of vehicle insurance, and are at least 21 years old. You will also need to pass a background check.
You can deliver as many or as few hours as you want on your schedule and cash out earnings easily. You also keep 100% of the tips you get. This side gig is a great way to bring in extra income.
10. Take Online Surveys For Money
As you wait for your little bundle of joy, bring in extra money by taking online surveys at:
You can complete these online surveys, which cover several topics, on your smartphone or computer. Typical earnings range from $0.25 to $3.00 per online survey or up to $250 per month.
Sign up for legitimate survey sites to avail of attractive sign-up bonuses such as extra cash, a free gift card, or sweepstakes entries.
11. Sell Your Baby’s Old Clothes
Secondhand baby clothes are in demand, and you can sell them with just a little effort.
Take photos of your baby’s old clothes and post them online on Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Poshmark.
You can also sell them in storefronts like Thistle & Wren (Victoria), where you can make 50% off on items priced at $59 and below and 60% on those priced at $60 and above.
12. Use Cashback Apps
As you prepare for your baby’s arrival, you will likely spend money to buy baby clothes, diapers, and baby gear. Use cashback apps when shopping and earn back some of what you spend.
KOHO – Use your KOHO prepaid card when shopping at participating stores to earn cash back. You get 1% cashback on groceries and gas, and up to 5% cash back at partner stores.
KOHO Easy Prepaid Mastercard
$20 sign up bonus after first purchase (use CASHBACK promo code during sign-up)
Earn up to 5% unlimited cash back
3.00% savings interest on your entire balance
Free budgeting app
$0 monthly fee
Rakuten – Download the Rakuten app and get a $30 welcome bonus. When you shop at participating retailers, Rakuten will pay you back and give you more cash bonuses through its refer-a-friend program.
Rakuten
$30 sign-up bonus when you spend at least $30
Earn up to 40% cashback
Features 3,000 stores and retailers
Redeem earnings by PayPal & check
13. Write an eBook
If you are a great storyteller, consider writing and selling ebooks at Amazon. They are an outstanding addition to a passive income strategy, especially when they keep selling years after you published them.
Target profitable niches to take advantage of the existing demand. Three of Amazon’s best-selling niches are Self-Help, Religion and Spirituality, and Memoirs and Biographies.
When you create an ebook and sell it on Amazon for anywhere between $2.99 and $9.99, you can earn 70% royalties.
Work From Home Jobs While On Maternity Leave
If you are wondering how to make money to stay home longer, you will find this list of work-from-home jobs truly helpful.
14. Freelance Work
Freelance work is one of the best ways to make money while on maternity leave. It also allows you to choose what job you want and when you prefer to do it.
This side hustle can be anything from data entry, copywriting, editing, graphic design, marketing, and search engine optimization to web design and development.
As a freelancer, you can be hired as a contractor and charge hourly or daily rates for your work (often temporary). You can earn money on a per-project or per-job basis.
15. Online Tutoring
Online tutoring side hustles are in demand today. If you have teaching experience, you can earn $20.03 per hour on your own time.
There is no shortage of subjects you can teach online, whether academic or non-academic. Whatever knowledge you have, it is likely someone will want to learn it.
Some of the platforms you can teach on include Tutors.com and Magic Ears. Depending on what site you use, you may need specific eligibility requirements to become a tutor.
Related: Best online tutoring jobs hiring teachers online in Canada.
16. Teach Courses Online
Teaching courses online is another passive income generator new mothers can benefit from while taking time off work.
Create your own course and provide the knowledge through easy-to-learn steps. Sell it as a one-off program or standalone mini-modules for a higher price.
It has high income potential, since the more courses you produce, the more income you gain. Once you have completed the program, it can generate passive income over the years.
17. Start a Blog
Blogging is a great way to make money online, particularly via ads, affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts. Consider starting a mom blog to share your insights – and to make money.
Starting a blog is fairly inexpensive and only requires a domain name and hosting. WordPress, the most popular blogging platform, offers both. Plus, it allows you to create a small business website and an online store.
If you want a faster way, consider blog flipping. It involves buying an existing domain, decking it out with a new theme and fresh content, and reselling it for a profit.
18. Set Up an Online Store
Selling products online is another way to make money while on maternity leave. You can set up a store on Shopify, Amazon or Etsy.
Start with the most profitable items like beauty products, jewelry, watches, and women’s wear. Use a free tool such as Google Trends to find the best high-margin products to sell online.
To attract buyers to your online store, write optimized blog content and product descriptions and create YouTube videos about your products.Â
19. Sell Print on Demand Items
Print-on-demand dropshipping is another small business idea that lets you earn income while on maternity leave.
Create a design and upload it to a print-on-demand shop like Printful. Choose products on which to print your design. These can be t-shirts, mugs, or bags.
When a customer orders the design, the shop prints it on the buyer’s purchased product and ships it. You only pay the shop for what you have sold, so there is little to no capital risk.
20. Become an Online Proofreader
Start a side job correcting errors in written documents while you are on maternity leave. A good grasp of grammar and an eye for detail will qualify you for online proofreading work.
Other qualifications include excellent mastery of the English language, familiarity with various formatting styles, and proficiency in word processing programs like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
You can find online proofreading jobs at CACTUS Communications and Cambridge Proofreading.
Learn how to start a proofreading business with this course by Caitlyn Pyle. Here’s a review of the Proofread Anywhere Course.
Government Assistance During Maternity Leave
The government offers benefits to help you during your maternity leave. Called Employment Insurance (EI) maternity and parental benefits, these programs help to mitigate financial challenges due to taking time off work to give birth or care for a newborn.
EI maternity and parental benefits are offered to:
- Mothers who take time off from work due to pregnancy or have recently given birth; and,
- Parents who are away from work to take care of their newborn or newly adopted child.
Mothers can receive 55% of their earnings, up to a maximum of $650 per week.
They are eligible for 15 weeks of EI maternity benefits, provided they have worked a minimum of 600 hours in the 52 weeks before the start of their leave.
After receiving maternity benefits, mothers will be entitled to parental benefits.
Parental benefits, available to parents of a newborn or a newly adopted child, have two options: standard (within 52 weeks or 12 months) and extended (within 78 weeks or 18 months).
The benefit rate for the standard parental option is 55%, with a weekly maximum of up to $650. Extended parental offers a benefit rate of 33% and up to $390 a week.
To apply for EI maternity benefits:
- Choose benefits (maternity or parental).
- Gather the required information (personal information, date of birth, records of employment) and documents.
- Complete the hour-long online application.
- Provide the necessary documents.
- Wait for the benefit statement and the access code to arrive by mail.
- Check your application status.
If you are eligible for government assistance during maternity leave, you will receive your first payment about 28 days after your application and after providing the needed information.
If you do not qualify, there will be a notification explaining the decision.
How Much Can You Earn While On Maternity Leave in Canada?
Generally, the maternity leave benefit pays you approximately 55% of your earnings. This percentage depends on the length of your leave of absence. In 2023, the maximum pay is $650 a week.
FAQs
Biological (and surrogate) mothers get a maximum of 15 weeks of paid maternity leave. Biological, adoptive, or legally recognized parents get a further 35 weeks, which can be shared between the two parents.
Estonia has the best maternity leave as it grants employees 140 days of fully paid leave. After which, they can take another 435 days of paid leave or share it with a family member.
Calculate your income during maternity leave, then deduct your expenses. Divide the amount you get by the duration of your maternity leave (in months).
Most will receive at least 55% of their average insurable weekly income and as high as 80% of their typical earnings. The basic rate is 55% of your average weekly insurable income, up to a maximum of $650 a week.
Related: 35 Ways To Make Money in College.
