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Pocket Money for the Mom-to-be

Hobbies to Consider for Fun and Profit

By I.J. Schecter

Janes advises that new mommies need not assume they're consigned to typical mommy-at-home jobs. "If you're taking a leave from a certain career, sometimes it's worth trying to connect with a company in the same industry to ask whether you might be able to help out from home," she says. "Also, don't assume it's impossible to work into your schedule until you try. After Emma was born, I wasn't sure I would be able to continue teaching piano, but then I realized that it was something I looked forward to after being with a baby all day, so I made it work. And once she was about a year old, it actually became quite enjoyable because she was able to play with some of the siblings who accompanied my students to their lessons. Now Emma is 3 1/2 and Tyler 16 months, and I've returned to full-time work in my normal career, but you know what? I still want to keep teaching piano."

These examples are only a few among possibilities limited only by your imagination and desire. Not only can such pursuits bring in some dollars on the side, but they can keep you connected to a business or professional network while helping you stay in touch with that industrious, creative, intellectual part of yourself that inevitably takes a temporary backseat during the exhilarating journey of motherhood.

Want to see more?

• One Family, One Income: Making It Work Today
• Cash Not Clutter: How to Make Coupons Work for You
• A Mom's Guide to Working from Home
• Talk about it!