Are you the spouse of someone in the military? In this article, I’m going to go over the best jobs for military spouses. These jobs are portable, work-from-home jobs you can do from anywhere.
If you want to bring in some extra cash, it’s harder for you than most people.
You could be required to up and move at the drop of a hat, so you can’t pick up a part-time job in a store or do a few hours waiting on tables every week.
Because of this, it’s hard to find work that you can keep doing, no matter where you are. That’s why you need to look into portable work-from-home jobs.
This list will give you lots of different options, so you can find a job that suits you, no matter where your skills lie. Read on to see what you could do to bring in that cash.
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What is a portable job?
Firstly, we need to define exactly what a ‘portable’ job is. What does that mean for you?
Essentially, a portable job is one you can take with you wherever you go. If you have to move, you won’t need to worry about relocating, as you already have everything you need.
Most portable jobs don’t need more than a laptop and internet connection, so you can do your job wherever you are. If you move, your income won’t be interrupted.
That’s why more military spouses are looking into these kinds of jobs. While they can’t take on more traditional work, they can take a portable job.
Plus, they can take on more than one if they have the time to do so. They are very flexible, so you should look into them if you haven’t already.
13 portable work-from-home jobs for military spouses
So, what kind of jobs for military spouses are out there? If you have the imagination and drive, you’re going to have plenty of options to choose from.
1. Selling items on Amazon
Like most people around the world, you’ve used Amazon to pick up daily essentials. It’s a site many can’t do without, and that’s why you can make a great living selling items on it.
You can use Fulfilment By Amazon to sell products that you’ve designed and make money. It’s not all that complicated once you see how it works.
If you have an idea for a product to sell, you can find a manufacturer to make it. Once they’re made, you ship the items to Amazon’s warehouses, and they ship the items out to customers who buy them.
Once the product has been bought, you’ll get the money. It’s as easy as that.
You’ll be able to get it up and running quicker than you’d think. Plus, as you won’t be handling the product yourself, there are no worries about boxes and boxes of items taking up space in your home.
2. Become a dropshipper
This is a similar process to selling items through Amazon. Instead of using their site, you create your own e-commerce site to sell items.
When someone orders the item from your site, you’ll send the details to the supplier. They send the item to the customer, and then you’ll get the profit.
Many people like to do this before they get started on Amazon, as they want to test out the concept and see how it suits them.
3. Be a virtual assistant
Do you have experience being a personal assistant? While you can’t do it in person, you can actually do the job from the comfort of your own home.
Thanks to the internet, you can be a virtual assistant no matter where you are. You’ll do jobs like booking meetings, customer support, admin tasks, and so on.
You don’t even need experience to get started. You can simply find a client and start working with them. The joy of this work is that you can have several clients at once and bring in more cash if you have the time for it.
Plus, if you do have to move, it isn’t a problem. You’ll keep doing the same job, no matter where you are. If admin work is your strength, this is perfect for you.
4. Audio transcription
Are you good at multitasking, and are you a good typist? Then you should look into audio transcription.
When you work in this field, you’ll be sent audio files that you’ll need to type up and send back to the client. This may be lectures, meetings, videos, and so on.
This is another job you need no prior qualifications or experience to do. You can always practice by transcribing a video online to see if you’re good at it.
If so, you can go through several different sites to make cash by transcribing. For example, you can use Rev, TranscribeMe, or SpeechPad to find work.
5. Be a mechanical turk
What’s a Mechanical Turk? It’s the name of the Amazon tasks platform, where you can complete tasks and make some cash.
All the tasks you’ll do will be via a computer, so you can do them no matter where you are. These include things like data entry, research, identifying objects in pictures, and so on.
It’s a viable option, as some people are making $1,000 or more a month just on this platform. If you need something that will bring in a little extra cash every month, this could be it.
Plus, the work is always flexible and different, day-to-day. If you want to do something new and interesting every time you log on, this could be for you.
6. Drive for Uber
You’ll have no doubt heard of Uber, the ride-sharing service. If you have the right car and some free time, you can make some money through them as a driver.
It’s not hard to sign up, and once you do, you have the ability to set your own hours as a driver. It’s great if you have kids, as you can drive around their schedule.
You can drive in the city you’re living in and make good money. If you ever have to move, you can just start driving in your new city.
If you like to drive and have some free time, this may be the option for you.
7. Get into copywriting
If you’re someone who loves to write, you can turn that skill into cash. Copywriting is creating articles, just like this one, that aim to convince the reader to take a specific action.
Most writers can start making money in copywriting right away. It’s something you can do anywhere if you have a laptop and an internet connection.
Lots of businesses need copywriters to create website content for them. It helps drive traffic to their site and get more potential sales.
If you think this is something you could do, you can check out websites like Upwork and Fiverr to find your first clients and get started.
8. Do odd jobs
If you’re quite handy, then working through TaskRabbit could be for you. This puts you in touch with people in your area that may need some extra help.
They may be asking for help putting furniture together, moving items from one place to another, or even some personal assistance. The scope for work is quite wide here.
When you take on a task, you can make anywhere from $45 to $120 an hour. There are certainly people out there who are making a full living on the site.
You’ll be working in your local area, but if you need to move, it’s not a problem. Just change your location on the site, and you can start working where you are now.
9. Test websites and apps
Think about all the sites and apps you use on a typical day. Most of the time, they’ll work perfectly, and you won’t even think about it.
To get the best out of a site, site designers need testers. That’s where you come in.
You can make money testing out apps and websites to ensure they’re working as intended. There are sites such as UserTesting and Appen looking for people to do the testing and get paid for it.
You can sign up and take on jobs as they come in. You’ll usually be asked to visit a certain page and carry out specific actions, such as searching for specific terms online.
You’ll report back on what you found, and site designers will use your input to improve their sites. You can do this pretty much anywhere, so you can make money wherever you are.
10. Tutor students online
Did you ever do any tutoring when you were in school or college? If you’re good at helping others, you can do the same thing online.
To get started, you’ll need to either be currently enrolled in college or have a college degree. If you meet that requirement, you can teach whichever subjects you’re comfortable with.
You’ll do all your teaching through video chat and your computer. You can be anywhere in the world and still work with your student.
If you’re interested in trying this, you can sign up with sites like Varsity Tutors and Tutor.com to get started.
11. Translate documents
If you’re bilingual, then you already have a highly valuable skill. You can create a portable job with your skills by translating documents online.
Sites like Gengo or Language Line are looking for people who can speak multiple languages. If you sign up with them, you’ll be asked to translate or interpret audio for their clients.
If you speak multiple languages, you’ll be able to get more pay, as there will be more opportunities available to you.
It’s an easy job to do, and you can do it no matter where you are. If you’re bilingual, you should check this out.
12. Get into blogging
Now, this isn’t a job that’s going to make you money right away. However, if you stick to it, you can make an excellent living from blogging.
There are people out there that have made blogging their job through some hard work and determination, and you can too. The best part is, it costs next to nothing to get started.
If you have an interest in something, you can start a blog about it. Create posts that are interesting, informative, and exciting to read.
The more people reading your blog, the more opportunities will come your way. Advertising and brand deals are where most bloggers get their earnings from.
If you love to write and have something to say, then this is something you should try. You could be making money sooner than you’d think.
13. Do online surveys
There are lots of survey sites out there that are looking to get your opinion. You can make some good cash on the side when you sign up with them.
These sites will ask you to take surveys so marketers can get your opinion on all kinds of different things. You’ll get points for each survey you complete, which you can swap for either gift cards or cash.
Many like to do this in their spare time, as it’s a great way to accumulate gift cards for holiday shopping. Some take it one step further and earn up to $500 a month on these sites.
You can sign up to as many sites as you like, and there usually isn’t a limit on how much you can earn. If you want to make money in your spare time, this is the easiest way to do it.
Try sites like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie to get started here.
These are just a few portable jobs for military spouses you can do – no matter where you are in the world. As a military spouse, you can do any of these jobs even if you have to pick up and move!
Whatever your skill set, I’m sure one of these jobs for military spouses is going to be perfect for you. Pick one up now, and start bringing in that cash as soon as possible.
