Many of us have been there: starting a new job at one duty station, only to hand in our two-week notice a year later because of last-minute orders. Others have taken on full-time work, only to realize that a lack of child care made it impossible to keep going. In that scenario, we were forced to take a pay cut or step away entirely to stay home with our little ones. So many military spouses put careers on hold to support our service members and the mission.
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With frequent moves and a job market that’s often difficult for military spouses to navigate, we need side hustles that move with us and are flexible and realistic for this lifestyle. No one should have to gatekeep ways to earn income and support their family, no matter where military life takes them.
Why Portable Side Hustles Are Perfect for Military Life
If there’s one thing military spouses understand deeply, it’s flexibility. We are subject matter experts in adapting on the fly. Finding work that can be done from home, on a laptop, within our community, on or off base, and from both CONUS and OCONUS locations isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.
Portable side hustles are a game-changer when it comes to frequent moves, unpredictable schedules, deployments, and child-care gaps. They allow military spouses to stay financially independent while still adapting to the realities of military life. Beyond income, these opportunities often provide creative outlets and ways to stay professionally active, all while supporting the mission and our families.
What Are Some Portable Side Hustles?
If you’ve been around the military spouse community for a while, you’ve probably seen many of these already: photography, Etsy shops, on-base child care, dog sitting, and more. Those are great options. But let’s also talk about ideas driven by real, ongoing demand in military communities.
A quick note: Every branch has different rules for operating businesses on base, and your housing office may have additional requirements. This article is meant to spark ideas and guide you, not replace official guidance.
Cleaning Services
Permanent Change of Station, or PCS, season alone creates constant demand for move-in and move-out cleaning. From deep cleans to weekly or monthly services, military families often need help fast. Rates typically range from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the job and size of the home. If you’re working on base, transportation may not be an immediate barrier, and startup costs are usually limited to basic cleaning supplies.
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School and Child Support Services
This option works especially well at installations with large populations of school-aged children. Offer tutoring, reading and math support, homework help, or after-school pickup and care. Many families, especially dual-military households, rely on this kind of support. Services can be offered one on one or in small groups, with pricing per child and sibling discounts.
Become a Virtual Assistant
Support small businesses, especially military-owned ones, by helping with scheduling, email management, invoicing, or social media. This work is fully remote and incredibly flexible. Military spouses already excel at organization, calendar management, and event coordination (hello, Family Readiness Group planning). You can find clients through community Facebook groups and get started with free tools like Gmail and Zoom. Offering trial packages is a great way to build a portfolio.
Teach a Skill
Do you crochet? Speak another language? Teach fitness, budgeting, Excel, bookkeeping, or another life or professional skill? People are willing to pay to learn something useful. Teaching can be done virtually or in small in-person groups. Choose one or two skills, decide on a format, set your rate, and start small. Offer your services to local FRG’s for “half-way nights.” You can also reach out to local businesses that would love to host a craft night or yoga class.
Digital Products
Selling digital products like planners, checklists, kids’ activities, homeschool resources, or PCS guides can create passive income. Design once and sell repeatedly on platforms like Etsy. Military life offers endless inspiration, from moving checklists to retirement announcements. Create templates that can be customized for many different needs.
The list doesn’t stop there. Other portable side hustles include:
- Meal prepping or homemade goods
- Pet sitting or house sitting
- Laundry and home organization services
- Online course creation
- Homeschool coaching or consulting
- Life coaching or military spouse mentorship
- Care package assembly
- Event planning
- Seasonal services such as holiday gift curation or light installation
- Errand services
- Elderly companion care
- Yard cleanup
- PCS packing and unpacking help
- Playground co-ops or community child-care swaps
These side hustles are about more than income. They offer military spouses independence, confidence, and a way to contribute to their household while meeting real needs in our community. Start small, build trust, and let word of mouth do its thing. Military communities are built on recommendations, and when someone asks, “Do you know anyone who does this?” your name can be the one they share.
Find a side hustle that works for you and your family, make it your own, and let it grow with you, wherever the next set of orders takes you.
