part time works at home

Make Full-Time Money Working Part-Time

These determined moms found flexible schedules without sacrificing their family finances. You can too.

By Elaine Pofeldt

Photo by: Courtesy of Debra Cohen

Debra Cohen

Related Links

5 Most Common Money Mistakes Money Lessons for Kids How to Deal with Recession 5 Overlooked Sources for Scholarships Marriage and Money Issues: The New Rules for Couples

Imagine having an extra 10 hours a week to spend with your kids, get chores done, even squeeze in a few long walks — while you still make good money. It's a fantasy for many women. While only 24 percent of employed women work part-time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, six out of 10 working women said part-time hours are ideal in a 2007 Pew Research Center study.

For most women, going part-time means accepting the obvious trade-offs. They often make less money, lose benefits, and risk putting their career off track.

But there are women who avoid the pitfalls and manage to have it all: These five women, all moms, work 30 or fewer hours a week on flexible schedules and still earn more than $32,500 (the median full-time salary for a woman in this country). Some of them make much, much more. Read on for their stories — and some valuable lessons you can learn from their success.