Let me spill, mom life is literally insane. But plot twist? Attempting to earn extra income while handling toddlers and their chaos.
I started my side hustle journey about several years ago when I had the epiphany that my impulse buys were getting out of hand. I had to find cash that was actually mine.
Being a VA
So, my first gig was jumping into virtual assistance. And honestly? It was perfect. I could grind during those precious quiet hours, and all I needed was my laptop and decent wifi.
My first tasks were basic stuff like email management, posting on social media, and data entry. Nothing fancy. My rate was about $15-20 per hour, which felt cheap but as a total beginner, you gotta build up your portfolio.
Here's what was wild? I'd be on a client call looking all professional from the waist up—full professional mode—while sporting my rattiest leggings. Living my best life.
The Etsy Shop Adventure
After a year, I decided to try the Etsy world. All my mom friends seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I was like "why not join the party?"
My shop focused on crafting downloadable organizers and wall art. The thing about selling digital stuff? You create it once, and it can sell forever. Actually, I've gotten orders at midnight when I'm unconscious.
The first time someone bought something? I freaked out completely. My partner was like the house was on fire. Negative—it was just me, doing a happy dance for my glorious $4.99. No shame in my game.
Content Creator Life
After that I started the whole influencer thing. This hustle is a marathon not a sprint, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
I started a blog about motherhood where I documented what motherhood actually looks like—everything unfiltered. No Instagram-perfect nonsense. Only the actual truth about how I once found a chicken nugget in my bra.
Building up views was painfully slow. At the beginning, I was basically talking to myself. But I didn't give up, and slowly but surely, things gained momentum.
Now? I make money through affiliate links, sponsored posts, and ad revenue. Recently I generated over $2K from my blog alone. Wild, right?
SMM Side Hustle
As I mastered my own content, local businesses started asking if I could do the same for them.
Truth bomb? Most small businesses struggle with social media. They know they need a presence, but they're clueless about the algorithm.
I swoop in. I currently run social media for several small companies—a bakery, a boutique, and a fitness studio. I develop content, queue up posts, handle community management, and track analytics.
They pay me between $500-$1500/month per business, depending on the scope of work. What I love? I handle this from my phone while sitting in the carpool line.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
For the wordy folks, writing gigs is incredibly lucrative. I'm not talking literary fiction—this is content writing for businesses.
Brands and websites are desperate for content. I've written everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. You just need to research, you just need to know how to Google effectively.
Generally make fifty to one hundred fifty bucks per piece, depending on length and complexity. Some months I'll create a dozen articles and make a couple thousand dollars.
Plot twist: I'm the same person who hated writing papers. Now I'm making money from copyright. Life's funny like that.
Virtual Tutoring
During the pandemic, everyone needed online help. I was a teacher before kids, so this was an obvious choice.
I joined several tutoring platforms. The scheduling is flexible, which is non-negotiable when you have tiny humans who throw curveballs daily.
I focus on basic subjects. The pay ranges from $15-$25/hour depending on the platform.
Here's what's weird? Occasionally my own kids will interrupt mid-session. I once had to teach fractions while my toddler screamed about the wrong color cup. The parents on the other end are totally cool about it because they get it.
Reselling and Flipping
Alright, this side gig started by accident. I was decluttering my kids' things and posted some items on copyright.
Things sold so fast. That's when I realized: you can sell literally anything.
Currently I visit secondhand stores and sales, searching for quality items. I grab something for cheap and resell at a markup.
It's labor-intensive? For sure. There's photographing, listing, and shipping. But it's strangely fulfilling about finding hidden treasures at Goodwill and making profit.
Bonus: my kids are impressed when I score cool vintage stuff. Last week I found a vintage toy that my son absolutely loved. Flipped it for forty-five bucks. Victory for mom.
Real Talk Time
Real talk moment: these aren't get-rich-quick schemes. It's called hustling because you're hustling.
Certain days when I'm running on empty, doubting everything. I'm working before sunrise hustling before the chaos starts, then all day mom-ing, then more hustle time after everyone's in bed.
But here's what matters? That money is MINE. I don't have to ask permission to get the good coffee. I'm adding to the family budget. I'm teaching my children that you can have it all—sort of.
Advice for New Mom Hustlers
If you're thinking about a side gig, here are my tips:
Start small. Don't attempt to start five businesses. Start with one venture and master it before starting something else.
Use the time you have. Your available hours, that's okay. Whatever time you can dedicate is a great beginning.
Comparison is the thief of joy to other moms. Those people with massive success? She's been grinding forever and doesn't do it alone. Run your own race.
Spend money on education, but wisely. Free information exists. Don't waste $5,000 on a coaching program until you've validated your idea.
Batch your work. I learned this the hard way. Set aside certain times for certain work. Monday could be creation day. Wednesday could be administrative work.
Let's Talk Mom Guilt
Let me be honest—the mom guilt is real. Certain moments when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I hate it.
Yet I consider that I'm modeling for them work ethic. I'm proving to them that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.
Also? Having my own income has helped me feel more like myself. I'm more satisfied, which makes me more patient.
Let's Talk Money
So what do I actually make? On average, between all my hustles, I earn $3K-5K. It varies, it fluctuates.
Is it life-changing money? Not really. But it's paid for family trips and unexpected expenses that would've stressed us out. It's also creating opportunities and expertise that could become a full-time thing.
In Conclusion
Listen, hustling as a mom takes work. It's not a secret sauce. Most days I'm making it up as I go, running on coffee and determination, and hoping for the best.
But I'm proud of this journey. Each dollar earned is evidence of my capability. It's evidence that I have identity beyond motherhood.
If you're on the fence about beginning your hustle journey? Take the leap. Don't wait for perfect. Your tomorrow self will appreciate it.
Don't forget: You're more than getting by—you're creating something amazing. Even when there's probably snack crumbs on your keyboard.
No cap. This is where it's at, chaos and all.
From Rock Bottom to Creator Success: My Journey as a Single Mom
Here's the truth—single motherhood was never the plan. I also didn't plan on making money from my phone. But fast forward to now, three years into this wild journey, earning income by posting videos while handling everything by myself. And honestly? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.
The Beginning: When Everything Imploded
It was three years ago when my life exploded. I remember sitting in my mostly empty place (he took the couch, I got the kids' art projects), wide awake at 2am while my kids were passed out. I had barely $850 in my account, two mouths to feed, and a salary that was a joke. The fear was overwhelming, y'all.
I was scrolling social media to distract myself from the anxiety—because that's what we do? when we're drowning, right?—when I came across this single mom discussing how she became debt-free through making videos. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."
But being broke makes you bold. Or both. Sometimes both.
I got the TikTok creator app the next morning. My first video? Raw, unfiltered, messy hair, explaining how I'd just blown my final $12 on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' lunches. I hit post and panicked. Who gives a damn about someone's train wreck of a life?
Turns out, a lot of people.
That video got nearly 50,000 views. Nearly fifty thousand people watched me get emotional over $12 worth of food. The comments section was this validation fest—women in similar situations, people living the same reality, all saying "I feel this." That was my aha moment. People didn't want perfect. They wanted honest.
My Brand Evolution: The Hot Mess Single Mom Brand
Here's the secret about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? It found me. I became the single mom who keeps it brutally honest.
I started sharing the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I once wore the same yoga pants for four days straight because washing clothes was too much. Or when I served cereal as a meal several days straight and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my daughter asked about the divorce, and I had to have big conversations to a kid who is six years old.
My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a phone with a broken screen. But it was real, and turns out, that's what worked.
In just two months, I hit 10,000 followers. Month three, fifty thousand. By half a year, I'd crossed 100,000. Each milestone seemed fake. These were real people who wanted to hear what I had to say. Me—a financially unstable single mom who had to figure this out from zero six months earlier.
The Daily Grind: Content Creation Meets Real Life
Let me show you of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is not at all like those pretty "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm blares. I do want to throw my phone, but this is my work time. I make coffee that I'll reheat three times, and I start filming. Sometimes it's a getting ready video talking about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while venting about custody stuff. The lighting is not great.
7:00am: Kids get up. Content creation pauses. Now I'm in mommy mode—pouring cereal, hunting for that one shoe (why is it always one shoe), prepping food, stopping fights. The chaos is overwhelming.
8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom creating content in traffic in the car. Not my proudest moment, but I gotta post.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my power window. Peace and quiet. I'm in editing mode, being social, planning content, reaching out to brands, looking at stats. Everyone assumes content creation is only filming. Absolutely not. It's a whole business.
I usually batch content on Mondays and Wednesdays. That means making a dozen videos in one go. I'll swap tops so it seems like separate days. Life hack: Keep several shirts ready for outfit changes. My neighbors probably think I'm unhinged, recording myself alone in the yard.
3:00pm: Getting the kids. Mom mode activated. But here's the thing—often my top performing content come from these after-school moments. A few days ago, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I refused to get a expensive toy. I created a video in the Target parking lot after about handling public tantrums as a single parent. It got 2.3M views.
Evening: Dinner through bedtime. I'm usually too exhausted to create content, but I'll plan posts, check DMs, or strategize. Many nights, after everyone's sleeping, I'll work late because a deadline is coming.
The truth? No such thing as balance. It's just organized chaos with some victories.
Income Breakdown: How I Actually Make a Living
Okay, let's discuss money because this is what people ask about. Can you actually make money as a content creator? Absolutely. Is it effortless? Not even close.
My first month, I made zilch. Month two? $0. Third month, I got my first paid partnership—one hundred fifty dollars to share a meal kit service. I cried real tears. That $150 fed us.
Now, three years in, here's how I earn income:
Collaborations: This is my primary income. I work with brands that my followers need—affordable stuff, single-parent resources, children's products. I bill anywhere from five hundred to five thousand dollars per campaign, depending on deliverables. Last month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made $8,000.
TikTok Fund: The TikTok fund pays pennies—a few hundred dollars per month for massive numbers. AdSense is more lucrative. I make about $1.5K monthly from YouTube, but that took two years to build up.
Link Sharing: I promote products to stuff I really use—everything from my favorite coffee maker to the beds my kids use. If someone purchases through my link, I get a cut. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.
Info Products: I created a single mom budget planner and a cooking guide. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell dozens per month. That's another thousand to fifteen hundred.
Consulting Services: People wanting to start pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer 1:1 sessions for $200/hour. I do about five to ten of these monthly.
Total monthly income: Generally, I'm making ten to this discussion fifteen thousand per month currently. Some months are higher, some are tougher. It's variable, which is terrifying when you're solo. But it's triple what I made at my old job, and I'm present.
The Hard Parts Nobody Talks About
This sounds easy until you're having a breakdown because a video flopped, or dealing with cruel messages from strangers who think they know your life.
The hate comments are real. I've been called a bad mom, told I'm using my children, called a liar about being a divorced parent. One person said, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one stuck with me.
The algorithm shifts. Certain periods you're getting viral hits. Next month, you're getting nothing. Your income goes up and down. You're never off, always working, scared to stop, you'll lose relevance.
The mom guilt is intense to the extreme. Each post, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Is this okay? Will they be angry about this when they're older? I have firm rules—minimal identifying info, keeping their stories private, no embarrassing content. But the line is not always clear.
The I get burnt out. Some weeks when I have nothing. When I'm touched out, socially drained, and completely finished. But bills don't care about burnout. So I create anyway.
The Unexpected Blessings
But here's what's real—despite everything, this journey has given me things I never anticipated.
Financial stability for once in my life. I'm not wealthy, but I became debt-free. I have an emergency fund. We took a real vacation last summer—Disney World, which I never thought possible a couple years back. I don't panic about money anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my child had a fever last month, I didn't have to stress about missing work or lose income. I worked from the doctor's office. When there's a field trip, I'm there. I'm in their lives in ways I couldn't manage with a normal job.
Connection that saved me. The other influencers I've found, especially solo parents, have become my people. We support each other, exchange tips, support each other. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They celebrate my wins, support me, and validate me.
Something that's mine. Finally, I have my own thing. I'm not defined by divorce or only a parent. I'm a business owner. A content creator. Someone who created this.
Advice for Aspiring Creators
If you're a single mother considering content creation, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. Everyone starts there. You improve over time, not by procrastinating.
Authenticity wins. People can tell when you're fake. Share your honest life—the mess. That's what connects.
Guard their privacy. Establish boundaries. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I protect their names, rarely show their faces, and protect their stories.
Multiple revenue sources. Don't put all eggs in one basket or one revenue source. The algorithm is unstable. More streams = less stress.
Create in batches. When you have time alone, make a bunch. Future you will thank present you when you're unable to film.
Build community. Answer comments. Answer DMs. Create connections. Your community is crucial.
Track metrics. Not all content is worth creating. If something requires tons of time and gets nothing while another video takes very little time and gets 200,000 views, adjust your strategy.
Don't forget yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup. Rest. Protect your peace. Your health matters more than anything.
This takes time. This is a marathon. It took me ages to make meaningful money. My first year, I made barely $15,000. The second year, $80,000. Year 3, I'm projected for $100K+. It's a long game.
Know your why. On difficult days—and there are many—think about your why. For me, it's money, flexibility with my kids, and validating that I'm capable of more than I thought possible.
Real Talk Time
Listen, I'm keeping it 100. This journey is challenging. Really hard. You're operating a business while being the only parent of demanding little people.
Some days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the trolls sting. Days when I'm completely spent and asking myself if I should go back to corporate with stability.
But but then my daughter tells me she's happy I'm here. Or I see my bank account actually has money in it. Or I receive a comment from a follower saying my content gave her courage. And I know it's worth it.
What's Next
Years ago, I was broke, scared, and had no idea how to survive. Now, I'm a full-time content creator making more than I imagined in my 9-5, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.
My goals moving forward? Hit 500K by year-end. Start a podcast for other single moms. Write a book eventually. Expand this business that makes everything possible.
Content creation gave me a path forward when I was desperate. It gave me a way to support my kids, show up, and build something real. It's a surprise, but it's meant to be.
To any single parent thinking about starting: Hell yes you can. It will be hard. You'll struggle. But you're currently doing the hardest job in the world—doing this alone. You're tougher than you realize.
Begin messy. Keep showing up. Protect your peace. And always remember, you're beyond survival mode—you're building something incredible.
BRB, I need to go film a TikTok about why my kid's school project is due tomorrow and nobody told me until now. Because that's how it goes—turning chaos into content, one post at a time.
Seriously. This life? It's everything. Even though there's definitely old snacks stuck to my laptop right now. No regrets, mess included.