How to Make Money With a Chronic Illness

Living with chronic illness often comes with financial stress, as managing your health can make it difficult to maintain traditional employment. But there’s good news, too: with creativity and planning, it’s entirely possible to earn an income while taking care of yourself. Whether you’re looking for a flexible full-time job, a side hustle, or passive income opportunities, there are plenty of ways to make money with a chronic illness.

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The information in this blog post is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read online. The author of this post is not a licensed medical professional and does not assume any liability for any actions taken based on the information contained in this post.

A Disclaimer

Before diving into these ways to make money with a chronic illness, it’s important to address a common misconception: none of these options are “easy money” or guaranteed income streams. Each one requires time, effort, and a learning curve, especially in the beginning. Heck, I’m three years and hundreds of posts into An Ideal Life and am not yet making even a part-time stable income!

Success often comes from persistence, adaptability, and finding the right fit for our unique situation. Sometimes it might not come at all! Even so, you’ll never know if a particular method will work for you if you don’t give it a try.

While these opportunities to make money with a chronic illness offer flexibility and the potential for financial growth, they should not be viewed as quick fixes or effortless ways to make money. Like any other endeavor, you’ll need to invest thought and energy into finding what works best for you.

Remote Work and Freelancing

Even before COVID-19 brought it front-and-center, remote work has revolutionized the job market, making it easier than ever for people to work from the comfort of their homes or wherever they feel best. This flexibility is particularly valuable for spoonies, as you can structure your day around medical appointments, rest breaks, and fluctuating energy levels.

Benefits of Remote Work for Chronic Illness

• Control over your environment: Whether you need a quiet space, ergonomic setup, or easy access to medical supplies, remote work allows you to create a workspace that supports your well-being—-even if that’s working from bed.
• Flexible hours: Many remote roles, particularly if you’re freelancing, allow you to set your own schedule, making it easier to manage “good” and “bad” health days.
• Eliminating the commute: Commuting can drain your energy and exacerbate symptoms. Remote work eliminates this trigger completely!

Popular Freelancing Careers

• Freelance writing: If you have a talent for storytelling or technical writing, you could use freelance writing to make money with a chronic illness. Networking or dedicated platforms like Upwork and Fiverr offer opportunities to write articles, blog posts, website copy, and more.
• Graphic design: This ones for our artistic spoonies! Visual artists can find contract-based work in design, creating everything from logos to marketing materials for businesses.
• Virtual assistant: Help businesses or entrepreneurs with tasks like email management, scheduling, and customer service, all from your home.
• Online tutoring: If you have expertise in a subject, tutoring online can be a rewarding and flexible way to make money with a chronic illness.

Getting Started

1. Build a portfolio: Showcase your skills through sample work or previous projcts.
2. Start small: Take on one or two clients at a time to avoid overwhelming yourself.
3. Prioritize your health: Be realistic about how much you can take on. It’s easy to overcommit in the excitement of finding freelance opportunities (especially if you need the money), but protecting your energy is key.

Passive Income Streams

Passive income refers to revenue that requires little to no ongoing effort to maintain. Once set up, this is an accessible way to make money with chronic illness, even during times when your health prevents you from working actively. While passive income often requires an upfront investment of time and energy (and, in some cases, money), it can pay off in long-term financial rewards.

Types of Passive Income Streams

• Start a blog or YouTube channel: Choose a topic you’re passionate about, talk about it, and monetize that content through ads, sponsored content, or affiliate marketing.
• Digital products: Do you have a skill or knowledge that others would benefit from? Create digital products like e-books, courses, templates, or printables. Once created, these can be sold indefinitely with little to no additional effort.
• Affiliate marketing: By promoting products and services that align with your blog, website, or social media presence (like in our affiliate shop!), you can earn a commission for each sale generated through your unique referral link.
• Stock dividends: If you happen to have the means to invest, consider buying dividend-paying stocks, which generate regular payouts regardless of market performance.

Getting Started

• Focus on creating content or products with lasting value that people will want to purchase over time.
• Use platforms like Etsy, TPT, or Creative Fabrica for digital downloads, Teachable or Thinkific for online courses, or Amazon KDP for self-published ebooks.
• Promote your products or services through social media, email newsletters, or blogging to grow your audience.

Coaching or Consulting

Coaching and consulting offer you the ability to work one-on-one (or in small groups) with clients, guiding them through challenges or helping them achieve specific goals. If you’re looking to make money with a chronic illness, this type of work can be especially meaningful, as you may have personal insights that are valuable to others facing similar struggles.

Possible Niches

• Chronic illness or disability coaching: Use your lived experience to help others navigate the emotional and practical aspects of chronic illness ,such as managing medical appointments, handling flare-ups, or advocating for oneself.
• Health and wellness coaching: If you’ve developed effective self-care routines or strategies for managing your health, you can help others achieve balance and wellness.
• Business consulting: Leverage your professional experience to advise entrepreneurs or small businesses in areas like marketing, strategy, or operations. This may be a particularly good fit if you’re no longer able to work your full-time job due to chronic illness.

Getting Started

1. Establish yourself as an expert by sharing your story, tips, and insights on social media or through a blog.
2. Create a professional website that outlines your services, rates, and availability.
3. Consider offering group coaching sessions or workshops in addition to one-on-one services to reach a larger audience.

Creative Pursuits

Many of us with chronic illnesses find solace in creative passions like crafting, writing, or photography. What if you could use these same interests to make money with a chronic illness? E-commerce platforms like Etsy, Amazon Handmade, and Shopify make it easy to sell your creations to a global audience.

Examples of Creative Side hustles

• Sell handmade goods: Whether it’s knitting, jewelry making, or painting, handmade products have a thriving market no platforms like Etsy.
• Write and self-publish a book: Share your experiences, knowledge, or fiction by self-publishing a book through Amazon KDP. This option offers great flexibility in terms of writing and publishing timelines.
• Photography: Selling your photography on stock photo websites like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock can generate passive income.

Tips for Success

• Set realistic goals: Decide how much time and energy you can commit to creating and sellig your products.
• Market your work: Use oscial media, email newsletters, and partnerships with influencers to promote your shop or services.
• Pace yourself: Break large projects into smaller, manageable tasks to avoid burnout.

Part-Time or Contract-Based Work

Full-time jobs aren’t always feasible ways to make money with chronic illness, but part-time or contract work can offer a balance between earning an income and maintaining your health. These roles often allow for flexibility, and you can take on projects when your health permits.

Potential Flexible Roles:

• Customer service: Many customer service jobs are now remote and offer flexible shifts.
• Administrative support: Data entry, scheduling, and other administrative tasks can often be done on a part-time basis from home.
• Project-based consulting: Offer your expertise to businesses on a contract basis for specific projects, which allows you to take breaks between assignments as needed.

Finding Part-Time Work

• Use job platforms like Indeed or LinkedIn Jobs to filter for part-time and remote roles.
• Network with local businesses or online communities to find project-based opportunities.
• Be upfront about your needs when discussing schedules with potential employers or clients to ensure a good fit.

Figuring out how to make money with a chronic illness is definitely possible with the right strategies. The key is to find work that fits your unique health needs, energy levels, and personal passions to create a work-life balance that allows you to thrive—both physically and financially.

What strategies have you found helpful in managing your health and your financial goals? Share your experiences in the comments!