Childminding is not for everyone. You need the support of your hubby & child(ren) who will have to share both you and their home.
You need to consider the extra wear & tear on your home (I'm on my fourth settee in 5 years and I don't allow jumping/climbing or eating on any of them) and extra cleaning (potty training, spilled drinks etc on your carpets).
You need to provide a safe environment for all the children - they don't need access to the whole house but you need to ensure sufficient space for play, eating, naps etc.
You need to buy books, toys & equipment for the age-range you intend to care for and these will get lost/damaged/worn out & need replacing more often than you might imagine.
You need to register with Ofsted, do a first aid course & an introductory course in Childminding. There are lots of other optional workshops/courses you can take.
Income is irregular - parents can give notice to quit at any time eg, change or loss of job, maternity leave etc. If you (or your family) are sick or have to go to a funeral, for example, you don't usually get paid.
You need to put in a lot of time, in addition to the childminding hours, for book-keeping & doing your tax return (or get an accountant), administration & contracts, training, planning activities/meals etc, cleaning up & preparation.
You need to cope with children from different families who may have very different ideas on how their child should be raised.
That said, I love being my own boss. I can choose which families to work with. I can plan my own day & change my plans as it suits me. I have been able to take forgotten homework/violin etc into school for my dd. I have met & worked with families from all walks of life, people from Scotland, Ireland, Russia, Lithuania and China. I love helping the children learn new skills & making them laugh.
I've worked in retail & administration where backstabbing & gossip was all the rage and there were no thank yous for hard work & dedication. I find my working day as a childminder much more enjoyable & satisfying. There's nothing so rewarding as a child's smile & laughter.
But if its not for you, other things people do to make ends meet are: typing/secretarial, website design, ironing, sewing/tailoring, evening babysitting, cooking (eg birthday cakes), selling home made veg, jam etc, hand crafted greeting cards, book-keeping/accountancy, dog walking, ebay/car boot sales.
As well as usborne books, avon, betterware, kleeneze, chocoholics, tupperware etc.