We’ve come up with a list of 50+ work at home jobs that don’t suck. Want to do health and beauty from home? We’ve put together all the best jobs for Australian stay at home mums and rated them by awesomeness and suckiness so you can choose a stay at home career that suits your baby, your budget and your sanity. Let’s talk work from home beauty and personal service jobs.
See also:
Working in a “real job” from home – READ THIS FIRST!
Work at home careers – consulting jobs
Work from home tech jobs
Work from home admin jobs
Take your baby to work jobs
Start an online store, blog or website
The hard bits about doing beauty and personal service jobs from home
Unlike a lot of work at home jobs, you’re going to need to apply for a licence to practice health and beauty services from home. This can be expensive and time consuming – and can be a battle to even put a sign up outside your home if your council is hard to deal with. First step is to make sure that you can actually work in personal services from home in your council area.
Next is insurance. You’ll likely need more insurance than the average work at home mum. Professional Indemnity insurance is the most expensive of all insurances and it’s not negotiable (you won’t be able to get a council permit without it).
Other costs include setting up an area in your home to be appropriate for the service you’re providing. If you’re doing “day spa” style services, the last thing you want is the smell of nappies in the air. You may also need help with your bub while clients are in the house. Unlike remote jobs (like admin work) the client can hear when your baby cries and smell when she poops!
How we’ve assessed these stay at home jobs
We’ve given every stay at home job opportunity some rankings to help you decide if it’s really for you and if it’s going to meet your family’s needs. Here’s how we’ve rated it:
- Set up costs
- Set up time
- Earning potential
- Demand (based on number of customers searching for this service)
- Competition (based on the number of Australian mums already doing it)
- Other issues
Where to find your first personal services clients:
Whether it’s doing nails or providing remedial and sports massage in your front room, the first place to find new clients is telling friends you’re doing it! Once you’ve tapped friends and family as clients, look for local noticeboards, Facebook Groups and sites like Gumtree. These are the free and easy ways to get on local’s radars.
Work from home as a Spray Tanner – 7/10
In addition to the insurance and permits, you’ll need spray tan equipment and a place to do the tans. Spray tanners aren’t too expensive and many are portable so you can go to the client if necessary. Keep in mind that you’ll need a ventilated area as spray tanning has been linked to adverse health effects in poorly ventilated places.
- Set up costs – Moderate
- Set up time – Minimal
- Earning potential – Moderate
- Demand (based on number of customers searching for this service) – Depends on location but generally this is a fairly “in demand” service
- Competition (based on the number of Australian mums already doing it) – High
- Other issues – As this service has been linked to ill health in the past, it is a good idea to really investigate the legal implications of performing spray tanning services from home. Consider also the set up and clean up time as it’s a messy gig!
Work from home as a Hair Dresser – 8/10
If you’ve done your apprenticeship, you’ve probably got a lot of the gear you need already. You may also need to purchase a styling chair, sink and tap accessories.
- Set up costs – Moderate
- Set up time – Minimal
- Earning potential – Good
- Demand (based on number of customers searching for this service) – Depends on location
- Competition (based on the number of Australian mums already doing it) – High
- Other issues – The hair dressing industry is pretty competitive and a lot of customers are looking for the “salon experience” which you may not be able to replicate at home. You will need to target customers looking for an affordable and quick way to get their hair done. This will mean doing a little market research!
Work at home professional health services – 8/10
Psychologists, physios, occupational therapists, alternative health practitioners, doulas… if you’ve practiced in the real world and have all the qualifications, certifications, insurance and licences, this is a good area to make real money from home.
- Set up costs – Minimal depending on equipment and set up needed
- Set up time – Minimal
- Earning potential – High
- Demand (based on number of customers searching for this service) – Medium, 5000+ searches per month depending on location and service
- Competition (based on the number of Australian mums already doing it) – High
- Other issues – Finding your first clients might be tricky depending on your location and the industry.
Become a Marriage Celebrant – 6/10
Becoming a marriage celebrant is a bit harder these days, you’ll need to study the certificate four in celebrancy to practice and you’ll need to pay for your registration and do annual professional development courses. Most of the job is paperwork but it can be a lovely way to make ends meet. Most weddings take place on Friday afternoons or weekends and “couple intakes” on week nights, so it’s a good option if you have help caring for your baby during those hours.
- Set up costs – Moderate, you’ll need to complete the course (not cheap) and then purchase some wedding props such as a signing table and dressing.
- Set up time – Moderate – the certificate four can be done in class (6-12 months) or be self paced when studying remotely.
- Earning potential – Moderate
- Demand (based on number of customers searching for this service) – Moderate depending on location
- Competition (based on the number of Australian mums already doing it) – Moderate
- Other issues – Finding couples is going to be a challenge without a website or listing on expensive wedding sites. Generally each wedding will pay $400 – $800 so the earning potential is adequate if you can book a wedding or two each weekend. You’ll need a ranking website to make that happen.
Work from home doing waxing, threading, facials, manicures and pedicures – 6/10
Mani-pedis and waxes are pretty much a staple in women’s lives these days. There are nail salons in every shopping centre and you can get your eyebrows threaded at the local markets! High demand and high competition make this a higher risk pursuit.
- Set up costs – Moderate (you will need all the gear and it can be pricy to set up)
- Set up time – Minimal
- Earning potential – Low to moderate (the industry is flooded with cheap competitors)
- Demand (based on number of customers searching for this service) – High depending on location
- Competition (based on the number of Australian mums already doing it) – High depending on location
Other issues – These services can be very lucrative and a good way to make a regular income from home – if you have the right skills. It’s not just the personal service skills, it’s about selling yourself as the best provider in a busy marketplace. You may also want to provide a space that has a “spa feel’ – which can cost a little more than is in the budget to set up!
Work from home as a baby sleep consultant – 6/10
Everyone is a baby sleep specialist these days, right? The certification takes a few months and costs as little as $1500 so why wouldn’t you relaunch your career as a baby sleep consultant? The industry isn’t without controversy so you may wish to talk to a lawyer about covering yourself, especially if you have no medical qualifications.
- Set up costs – Minimal
- Set up time – Medium
- Earning potential – Moderate
- Demand (based on number of customers searching for this service) – Low to medium
- Competition (based on the number of Australian mums already doing it): Medium
- Other issues
You will be required to do work outside the home so this work at home job is best suited to mums with support around them. Most baby sleep consultants do phone and email support in addition to baby visits and overnight stays.
Do ironing, sewing and other domestic services from home
Nobody likes ironing… if you’re one of those crazy people who don’t mind it, then working from home doing ironing, clothing alterations, dressmaking and other “domestic services” might be a good option for you.
- Set up costs – Minimal
- Set up time – Minimal
- Earning potential – Low
- Demand (based on number of customers searching for this service) – Low to medium
- Competition (based on the number of Australian mums already doing it): High
- Other issues – ironing is generally charged per item or basket, which means you’re very capped at how much you can charge. The going rate isn’t much. Alterations and dressmaking pay more per hour but tend to be “one off” jobs so you can’t rely on the income to be regular. A mix of both can help create a healthier income.
Work at home jobs in Australia
Health and personal service industries are the hardest work at home jobs to set up. You’ll need to work with your local council to ensure that you’re meeting all the criteria. Most local councils will have a business portal with all the info you need as well as business support officers who can offer you advice over the phone, for free.
