Here's the tea, mom life is literally insane. But what's really wild? Attempting to make some extra cash while managing tiny humans who think sleep is optional.
This whole thing started for me about a few years back when I had the epiphany that my random shopping trips were getting out of hand. I was desperate for my own money.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
Okay so, I started out was doing VA work. And real talk? It was exactly what I needed. It let me get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and all I needed was my laptop and decent wifi.
I started with simple tasks like organizing inboxes, posting on social media, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. My rate was about fifteen dollars an hour, which wasn't much but when you don't know what you're doing yet, you gotta build up your portfolio.
Honestly the most hilarious thing? I'd be on a video meeting looking like I had my life together from the shoulders up—blazer, makeup, the works—while rocking pants I'd owned since 2015. Living my best life.
The Etsy Shop Adventure
About twelve months in, I ventured into the Etsy world. Everyone and their mother seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I thought "why not start one too?"
My shop focused on creating PDF planners and digital art prints. What's great about digital products? Make it one time, and it can sell forever. Actually, I've made sales at midnight when I'm unconscious.
That initial sale? I actually yelled. My partner was like the house was on fire. Not even close—I was just, celebrating my glorious $4.99. I'm not embarrassed.
Blogging and Creating
Eventually I got into writing and making content. This one is a marathon not a sprint, trust me on this.
I created a parenting blog where I shared real mom life—the good, the bad, and the ugly. None of that Pinterest-perfect life. Simply real talk about how I once found a chicken nugget in my bra.
Building up views was slow. For months, it was basically talking to myself. But I persisted, and over time, things took off.
These days? I make money through promoting products, collaborations, and display ads. Last month I generated over $2,000 from my blog income. Wild, right?
Managing Social Media
After I learned managing my blog's social media, other businesses started reaching out if I could manage their accounts.
Truth bomb? Most small businesses don't understand social media. They know they need to be there, but they can't keep up.
Enter: me. I currently run social media for a handful of clients—various small businesses. I develop content, schedule posts, respond to comments, and check their stats.
They pay me between $500-1500 per month per client, depending on how much work is involved. Best part? I handle this from my phone.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
If you can write, freelance writing is seriously profitable. This isn't writing the next Great American Novel—I'm talking about business content.
Websites and businesses are desperate for content. I've written articles about everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. Google is your best friend, you just need to know how to Google effectively.
I typically charge fifty to one hundred fifty bucks per piece, depending on length and complexity. When I'm hustling hard I'll create a dozen articles and earn an extra $1,000-2,000.
Here's what's wild: I was the person who thought writing was torture. And now I'm making money from copyright. The irony.
Tutoring Online
2020 changed everything, tutoring went digital. I was a teacher before kids, so this was right up my alley.
I joined various tutoring services. It's super flexible, which is non-negotiable when you have tiny humans who throw curveballs daily.
I focus on elementary school stuff. The pay ranges from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on where you work.
The funny thing? Every now and then my own kids will interrupt mid-session. There was a time I maintain composure during complete chaos in the background. The families I work with are very sympathetic because they understand mom life.
The Reselling Game
So, this side gig started by accident. During a massive cleanout my kids' room and put some things on Facebook Marketplace.
Stuff sold out immediately. Lightbulb moment: there's a market for everything.
At this point I shop at secondhand stores and sales, hunting for things that will sell. I'll find something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
This takes effort? For sure. You're constantly listing and shipping. But I find it rewarding about finding a gem at Goodwill and turning a profit.
Plus: my kids think I'm cool when I discover weird treasures. Just last week I discovered a rare action figure that my son absolutely loved. Made $45 on it. Victory for mom.
Real Talk Time
Truth bomb incoming: side hustles aren't passive income. There's work involved, hence the name.
Certain days when I'm running on empty, asking myself what I'm doing. I wake up early being productive before the madness begins, then being a full-time parent, then working again after the kids are asleep.
But you know what? I earned this money. I can spend it guilt-free to get the good an informative post coffee. I'm adding to my family's finances. My kids are learning that you can be both.
What I Wish I Knew
If you want to start a hustle of your own, here's my advice:
Begin with something manageable. Avoid trying to do everything at once. Focus on one and get good at it before adding more.
Be realistic about time. If naptime is your only free time, that's perfectly acceptable. Even one focused hour is a great beginning.
Don't compare yourself to what you see online. Everyone you're comparing yourself to? She probably started years ago and has help. Stay in your lane.
Don't be afraid to invest, but strategically. Start with free stuff first. Be careful about spending $5,000 on a coaching program until you've proven the concept.
Do similar tasks together. I learned this the hard way. Set aside specific days for specific tasks. Use Monday for content creation day. Wednesday could be handling business stuff.
Let's Talk Mom Guilt
Let me be honest—guilt is part of this. There are times when I'm on my laptop and they want to play, and I struggle with it.
However I think about that I'm teaching them what dedication looks like. I'm proving to them that moms can have businesses.
Plus? Having my own income has made me a better mom. I'm more content, which makes me a better parent.
The Numbers
How much do I earn? Typically, combining everything, I earn between three and five grand. Certain months are higher, it fluctuates.
Is it life-changing money? Nope. But we've used it to pay for so many things we needed that would've caused financial strain. And it's developing my career and knowledge that could turn into something bigger.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, being a mom with a side hustle is challenging. There's no such thing as a magic formula. Most days I'm improvising everything, fueled by espresso and stubbornness, and crossing my fingers.
But I wouldn't change it. Every single dollar I earn is a testament to my hustle. It's evidence that I have identity beyond motherhood.
So if you're considering launching a mom business? Take the leap. Start before it's perfect. Future you will appreciate it.
Keep in mind: You're more than enduring—you're creating something amazing. Even when there's probably old cheerios stuck to your laptop.
No cap. This is pretty amazing, complete with all the chaos.
My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom
Real talk—becoming a single mom wasn't the dream. Neither was becoming a content creator. But here we are, three years into this wild journey, paying bills by creating content while raising two kids basically solo. And honestly? It's been the best worst decision of my life.
The Beginning: When Everything Fell Apart
It was a few years ago when my marriage ended. I will never forget sitting in my new apartment (he got the furniture, I got the memories), wide awake at 2am while my kids were passed out. I had eight hundred forty-seven dollars in my bank account, two kids to support, and a job that barely covered rent. The fear was overwhelming, y'all.
I was on TikTok to escape reality—because that's what we do? in crisis mode, right?—when I came across this single mom talking about how she made six figures through making videos. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."
But desperation makes you brave. Maybe both. Usually both.
I installed the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, talking about how I'd just blown my final $12 on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' school lunches. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Who gives a damn about this disaster?
Apparently, tons of people.
That video got 47K views. 47,000 people watched me get emotional over $12 worth of food. The comments section became this validation fest—people who got it, other people struggling, all saying "same." That was my epiphany. People didn't want perfection. They wanted raw.
Discovering My Voice: The Unfiltered Mom Content
Here's the secret about content creation: you need a niche. And my niche? It chose me. I became the unfiltered single mom.
I started sharing the stuff people hide. Like how I once wore the same yoga pants for four days straight because I couldn't handle laundry. Or the time I gave them breakfast for dinner all week and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my kid asked about the divorce, and I had to have big conversations to a kid who thinks the tooth fairy is real.
My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was trash. I filmed on a cracked iPhone 8. But it was unfiltered, and evidently, that's what worked.
After sixty days, I hit 10,000 followers. 90 days in, 50K. By month six, I'd crossed 100,000. Each milestone felt impossible. These were real people who wanted to hear what I had to say. Little old me—a financially unstable single mom who had to figure this out from zero months before.
The Daily Grind: Balancing Content and Chaos
Let me show you of my typical day, because content creation as a single mom is totally different from those pretty "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm screams. I do not want to move, but this is my precious quiet time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a getting ready video talking about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while talking about dealing with my ex. The lighting is whatever I can get.
7:00am: Kids are awake. Content creation pauses. Now I'm in survival mode—pouring cereal, the shoe hunt (it's always one shoe), making lunch boxes, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is real.
8:30am: Drop off time. I'm that mom creating content in traffic in the car. Not proud of this, but content waits for no one.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. Kids are at school. I'm editing content, responding to comments, brainstorming content ideas, reaching out to brands, checking analytics. They believe content creation is just making TikToks. Absolutely not. It's a whole business.
I usually batch content on specific days. That means creating 10-15 pieces in one session. I'll switch outfits so it appears to be different times. Life hack: Keep several shirts ready for quick changes. My neighbors think I've lost it, making videos in public in the yard.
3:00pm: Picking them up. Transition back to mom mode. But here's the thing—frequently my top performing content come from real life. Just last week, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I couldn't afford a toy she didn't need. I made content in the parking lot after about handling public tantrums as a solo parent. It got over 2 million views.
Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm generally wiped out to film, but I'll schedule content, respond to DMs, or strategize. Some nights, after they're down, I'll edit videos until midnight because a partnership is due.
The truth? No such thing as balance. It's just managed chaos with moments of success.
The Money Talk: How I Support My Family
Alright, let's talk numbers because this is what everyone's curious about. Can you legitimately profit as a creator? 100%. Is it straightforward? Hell no.
My first month, I made zilch. Second month? Still nothing. Third month, I got my first brand deal—one hundred fifty dollars to share a meal delivery. I cried real tears. That $150 paid for groceries.
Currently, years later, here's how I generate revenue:
Brand Partnerships: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that my followers need—affordable stuff, helpful services, kid essentials. I ask for anywhere from $500-5K per collaboration, depending on deliverables. Just last month, I did four collabs and made $8K.
Platform Payments: The TikTok fund pays basically nothing—$200-$400 per month for huge view counts. AdSense is more lucrative. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that took two years to build up.
Affiliate Income: I post links to stuff I really use—anything from my go-to coffee machine to the beds my kids use. If someone clicks and buys, I get a percentage. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.
Digital Products: I created a single mom budget planner and a meal planning ebook. $15 apiece, and I sell maybe 50-100 per month. That's another $1-1.5K.
Teaching Others: Aspiring influencers pay me to mentor them. I offer private coaching for $200/hour. I do about five to ten of these monthly.
Combined monthly revenue: On average, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month now. Certain months are better, some are lower. It's inconsistent, which is scary when you're the only income source. But it's three times what I made at my 9-5, and I'm there for them.
What They Don't Show Nobody Shows You
This sounds easy until you're having a breakdown because a post tanked, or managing nasty DMs from random people.
The haters are brutal. I've been accused of being a bad mother, told I'm exploiting my kids, accused of lying about being a single mom. A commenter wrote, "Maybe that's why he left." That one hurt so bad.
The platform changes. Sometimes you're getting insane views. The following week, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income is unstable. You're never off, never resting, scared to stop, you'll lose relevance.
The mom guilt is amplified times a thousand. Every upload, I wonder: Is this too much? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they regret this when they're grown? I have non-negotiables—protected identities, keeping their stories private, nothing that could embarrass them. But the line is fuzzy.
The I get burnt out. Sometimes when I can't create. When I'm touched out, socially drained, and at my limit. But the mortgage is due. So I create anyway.
What Makes It Worth It
But here's the thing—despite everything, this journey has brought me things I never anticipated.
Financial stability for the first time ever. I'm not wealthy, but I cleared $18K. I have an emergency fund. We took a vacation last summer—the Mouse House, which I never thought possible not long ago. I don't stress about my account anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my kid was ill last month, I didn't have to use PTO or lose income. I worked from the pediatrician's waiting room. When there's a class party, I can go. I'm available in ways I wasn't able to be with a corporate job.
Community that saved me. The other creators I've met, especially solo parents, have become actual friends. We talk, share strategies, support each other. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They celebrate my wins, support me, and remind me I'm not alone.
Identity beyond "mom". Since becoming a mom, I have something that's mine. I'm not defined by divorce or somebody's mother. I'm a entrepreneur. A businesswoman. Someone who made it happen.
Advice for Aspiring Creators
If you're a single parent wanting to start, listen up:
Just start. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. That's normal. You grow through creating, not by waiting.
Authenticity wins. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your real life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That's what works.
Protect your kids. Set boundaries early. Be intentional. Their privacy is the priority. I never share their names, protect their faces, and respect their dignity.
Diversify income streams. Spread it out or one revenue source. The algorithm is unstable. Multiple income streams = stability.
Create in batches. When you have quiet time, record several. Next week you will thank yourself when you're too exhausted to create.
Connect with followers. Answer comments. Answer DMs. Build real relationships. Your community is crucial.
Monitor what works. Some content isn't worth it. If something requires tons of time and gets 200 views while another video takes minutes and gets massive views, shift focus.
Prioritize yourself. You need to fill your cup. Take breaks. Protect your peace. Your health matters more than going viral.
Stay patient. This isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. It took me ages to make real income. My first year, I made barely $15,000. Year two, $80,000. This year, I'm on track for six figures. It's a process.
Remember why you started. On hard days—and there are many—think about your why. For me, it's supporting my kids, flexibility with my kids, and validating that I'm more than I believed.
The Reality Check
Look, I'm telling the truth. This life is challenging. Like, really freaking hard. You're running a whole business while being the only parent of demanding little people.
Certain days I doubt myself. Days when the negativity sting. Days when I'm completely spent and wondering if I should get a regular job with insurance.
But but then my daughter tells me she loves that I'm home. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I receive a comment from a follower saying my content changed her life. And I know it's worth it.
My Future Plans
A few years back, I was lost and broke what to do. Currently, I'm a content creator making more than I imagined in traditional work, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.
My goals for the future? Get to half a million followers by this year. Start a podcast for other single moms. Consider writing a book. Keep growing this business that supports my family.
This path gave me a second chance when I needed it most. It gave me a way to take care of my children, be present in their lives, and build something real. It's not what I planned, but it's perfect.
To all the single moms considering this: Hell yes you can. It isn't simple. You'll struggle. But you're currently doing the hardest job—single parenting. You're stronger than you think.
Jump in messy. Keep showing up. Keep your boundaries. And know this, you're doing more than surviving—you're creating something amazing.
Gotta go now, I need to go record a video about why my kid's school project is due tomorrow and I'm just now hearing about it. Because that's the reality—turning chaos into content, video by video.
For real. Being a single mom creator? It's everything. Even when there's probably crumbs all over my desk. No regrets, imperfectly perfect.