Bookkeeping Side Hustle - Searle Services - Homeschool Mom Side Hustles

Kimberly Wall has many side hustles. You can read about her religious goods e-store that we have also highlighted on this site.

Right now we want to focus on the side hustle of bookkeeping. Let’s see how Kimberly does it.

How did you get into this particular side hustle?

In 2016, I began to look into other types of jobs to help transition to working from home. I actually became trained in proofreading and have been proofreading and editing for several years, which I love and still do.

It was during this training that I was introduced to bookkeeping training (as a way to run your own proofreading business).

In 2017, I purchased a rental property to help move towards the goal of staying home with my kids and needed to begin keeping books for that company. I was attracted to bookkeeping as it is basically proofreading and editing math. Previously, I was a math teacher, so anything math is pretty exciting for me. I moved forward with bookkeeping training, and here I am!

How long have you been doing this side hustle?

I started in 2017 with my own books, and as I took on more training and became certified, I have moved this to an official side hustle.

Talk about getting started (startup costs, how long it took to start making decent money (be specific if you’d like), time commitment, etc.)

I chose to start with Udemy trainings which can be bought for $10-12 a class. Then when I decided that I wanted to do more, I purchased the Bookkeeper’s Launch, which is a well-rounded curriculum. I got it on one of the best sales, but it was still pretty pricey. However, in perspective, it was still less than the cost of three college credits, and definitely more valuable than the knowledge learned in just three college credits.

The great thing about bookkeeping is that you can choose how much you want to work based on the number and complexity of clients you take on. Startup costs involve technology (computer, printer, scanner, extra monitor) which can be as cheap (if you already have basic ones) or expensive as you want.

I paid $10 for my URL and already had a hosting plan ($230 for three years, but I have this split among five of my websites), so I didn’t actually pay anything new for this business.

There are also subscriptions to make workflow management easier, but those are also not necessary, especially at the outset. I utilize both Wave and Quickbooks, neither of which cost to train or get an account in (Quickbooks offers a free overseer type of account (known as a Proadvisor) to bookkeepers).

In terms of work amount and clients, it can be as little or as much as you want. Based on the complexity of client accounts, you can work only a few hours a month, to many hours a week, and charge between a hundred and thousands of dollars a month. Knowing how to estimate the work involved lets you take on clients that will fit in with your time and income goals.

Do your kids help you with this side hustle?

My kids are younger and do not help me with this side hustle, but they loved watching the training videos with me.

I own several different types of businesses and use them to teach my kids life skills. Perhaps, when my kids are older they can start helping me.

There are teenage bookkeepers out there certified in Quickbooks that work under their parents as subcontractors.

What are the pros and cons of this side hustle?

I love numbers and figuring out problems, so I really like entering and analyzing everything.

The biggest con is trying to get the information needed from clients. Some are very responsive, and some are not.

How do you juggle homeschooling and this side hustle?

Bookkeeping is one of the easier jobs I have right now to balance with homeschooling. Other than phone calls with clients to present reports or to request information, the actual bookkeeping can be done at any time of the day in small or large chunks.

While I don’t actually do the bookkeeping while the kids are learning, I usually squeeze it in during bedtime or nap/rest time. I try to make sure that both my kids and my clients get my 100% effort and attention, as they both deserve the best.

Tell us about your homeschooling.

I have been homeschooling officially for three years. I balance Saxon and Life of Fred for math, and am pretty eclectic for other subjects, or often work without textbooks. I have a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and make education decisions in light of this. I have six children ranging from 2 to 13.

Would you recommend this particular side hustle?

I would recommend bookkeeping to anyone who enjoys working with numbers and has a knack for catching errors.

In today’s digital world, bookkeeping isn’t always just going in to the company and working at a desk all day. It can be done comfortably from home with six little ones tucked into bed for the night.