Let me tell you, mom life is no joke. But what's really wild? Attempting to make some extra cash while juggling tiny humans who think sleep is optional.
This whole thing started for me about several years ago when I figured out that my retail therapy sessions were becoming problematic. I had to find my own money.
The Virtual Assistant Life
Here's what happened, my initial venture was jumping into virtual assistance. And not gonna lie? It was chef's kiss. I was able to get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and literally all it took was my laptop and decent wifi.
Initially I was doing simple tasks like organizing inboxes, managing social content, and basic admin work. Nothing fancy. I charged about fifteen dollars an hour, which wasn't much but when you don't know what you're doing yet, you gotta begin at the bottom.
The funniest part? Picture this: me on a client call looking all professional from the chest up—business casual vibes—while wearing my rattiest leggings. Living my best life.
My Etsy Journey
Once I got comfortable, I thought I'd test out the whole Etsy thing. All my mom friends seemed to sell stuff on Etsy, so I was like "why not me?"
I created crafting printable planners and digital art prints. Here's why printables are amazing? Make it one time, and it can sell forever. Actually, I've gotten orders at midnight when I'm unconscious.
My first sale? I freaked out completely. My husband thought something was wrong. Negative—I was just, doing a happy dance for my $4.99 sale. Don't judge me.
Blogging and Creating
Next I ventured into creating content online. This particular side gig is definitely a slow burn, let me tell you.
I started a parenting blog where I posted about real mom life—all of it, no filter. Not the highlight reel. Only real talk about surviving tantrums in Target.
Getting readers was a test of patience. At the beginning, it was basically talking to myself. But I kept at it, and over time, things began working.
At this point? I generate revenue through affiliate marketing, working with brands, and display ads. Recently I earned over $2,000 from my blog alone. Mind-blowing, right?
Managing Social Media
After I learned running my own socials, brands started reaching out if I could help them.
Here's the thing? Many companies suck at social media. They understand they need a presence, but they don't have time.
That's where I come in. I handle social media for three local businesses—various small businesses. I plan their content, plan their posting schedule, handle community management, and monitor performance.
They pay me between $500-$1500/month per business, depending on the complexity. The best thing? I do this work from my phone.
Writing for Money
If writing is your thing, content writing is seriously profitable. I'm not talking writing the next Great American Novel—this is business content.
Websites and businesses need content constantly. I've written articles about everything from dental hygiene to copyright. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to know how to Google effectively.
I typically charge $0.10-0.50 per word, depending on what's involved. Some months I'll create ten to fifteen pieces and pull in one to two thousand extra.
The funny thing is: I was that student who barely passed English class. These days I'm getting paid for it. The irony.
The Online Tutoring Thing
After lockdown started, virtual tutoring became huge. I was a teacher before kids, so this was kind of a natural fit.
I registered on several tutoring platforms. It's super flexible, which is absolutely necessary when you have children who keep you guessing.
My sessions are usually basic subjects. You can make from $15-25 per hour depending on which site you use.
The awkward part? Every now and then my children will interrupt mid-session. There was a time I be professional while chaos erupted behind me. Other parents are totally cool about it because they're parents too.
The Reselling Game
So, this one I stumbled into. While organizing my kids' stuff and put some things on copyright.
They sold immediately. That's when I realized: people will buy anything.
These days I visit anywhere with deals, looking for name brands. I'll buy something for $3 and sell it for $30.
This takes effort? Yes. There's photographing, listing, and shipping. But it's oddly satisfying about spotting valuable items at Goodwill and making profit.
Additionally: my kids are impressed when I find unique items. Last week I found a retro toy that my son went crazy for. Made $45 on it. Victory for mom.
Real Talk Time
Real talk moment: side hustles take work. They're called hustles for a reason.
There are moments when I'm completely drained, doubting everything. I'm up at 5am hustling before the chaos starts, then doing all the mom stuff, then back to work after 8pm hits.
But here's what matters? That money is MINE. I'm not asking anyone to get the good coffee. I'm supporting the family budget. My kids see that moms can do anything.
Tips if You're Starting Out
If you're considering a side hustle, this is what I've learned:
Begin with something manageable. Don't attempt to start five businesses. Pick one thing and nail it down before adding more.
Be realistic about time. Your available hours, that's fine. Two hours of focused work is valuable.
Don't compare yourself to Instagram moms. That mom with the six-figure side hustle? They've been at it for years and has help. Focus on your own journey.
Invest in yourself, but smartly. Start with free stuff first. Avoid dropping $5,000 on a coaching program until you've validated your idea.
Work in batches. This saved my sanity. Dedicate days for specific hustles. Make Monday creation day. Use Wednesday for admin and emails.
The Mom Guilt is Real
I have to be real with you—I struggle with guilt. Sometimes when I'm hustling and my child is calling for me, and I struggle with it.
However I think about that I'm demonstrating to them how to hustle. I'm showing my daughter that you can be both.
And honestly? Having my own income has improved my mental health. I'm more content, which helps me be better.
Income Reality Check
How much do I earn? Generally, total from all sources, I make between three and five grand. Some months are better, some are tougher.
Is this millionaire money? No. But this money covers stuff that matters to us that would've stressed us out. And it's giving me confidence and knowledge that could evolve into something huge.
Final Thoughts
Look, being a mom with a side hustle takes work. It's not a magic formula. Many days I'm making it up as I go, running on coffee and determination, and doing my best.
But I'm glad I'm doing this. Every dollar earned is a testament to my hustle. It's evidence that I have identity beyond motherhood.
If you're on the fence about beginning your hustle journey? Take the leap. Start before it's perfect. Future you will appreciate it.
And remember: You aren't only making it through—you're growing something incredible. Even if you probably have old cheerios on your keyboard.
For real. This is incredible, mess included.
My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom
Real talk—being a single parent wasn't part of my five-year plan. I never expected to be making money from my phone. But here I am, years into this crazy ride, making a living by sharing my life online while parenting alone. And I'll be real? It's been the best worst decision of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Changed
It was 2022 when my life exploded. I can still picture sitting in my bare apartment (he got the furniture, I got the memories), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids were passed out. I had less than a thousand dollars in my checking account, two kids to support, and a income that didn't cut it. The panic was real, y'all.
I'd been scrolling TikTok to escape reality—because that's self-care at 2am, right? in crisis mode, right?—when I stumbled on this woman discussing how she paid off $30,000 in debt through posting online. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."
But being broke makes you bold. Maybe both. Often both.
I installed the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? Raw, unfiltered, messy hair, explaining how I'd just spent my last $12 on a dinosaur nuggets and snacks for my kids' lunch boxes. I hit post and panicked. Who gives a damn about my mess?
Apparently, way more people than I expected.
That video got nearly 50,000 views. 47,000 people watched me breakdown over frozen nuggets. The comments section turned into this unexpected source of support—people who got it, others barely surviving, all saying "same." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted raw.
Finding My Niche: The Hot Mess Single Mom Brand
Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? It happened organically. I became the unfiltered single mom.
I started posting about the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I lived in one outfit because I couldn't handle laundry. Or the time I gave them breakfast for dinner three nights in a row and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked about the divorce, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who is six years old.
My content wasn't polished. My lighting was awful. I filmed on a ancient iPhone. But it was authentic, and turns out, that's what worked.
After sixty days, I hit 10K. Month three, 50K. By month six, I'd crossed 100K. Each milestone felt surreal. Actual humans who wanted to know my story. Me—a struggling single mom who had to Google "what is a content creator" recently.
The Actual Schedule: Juggling Everything
Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is the opposite of those aesthetic "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm screams. I do absolutely not want to wake up, but this is my hustle hours. I make coffee that will get cold, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a getting ready video sharing about budgeting. Sometimes it's me cooking while venting about custody stuff. The lighting is natural and terrible.
7:00am: Kids emerge. Content creation ends. Now I'm in mommy mode—cooking eggs, locating lost items (it's always one shoe), prepping food, referee duties. The chaos is overwhelming.
8:30am: Carpool line. I'm that mom in the carpool line filming TikToks in the car. Not my proudest moment, but the grind never stops.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. House is quiet. I'm editing videos, responding to comments, planning content, reaching out to brands, analyzing metrics. People think content creation is only filming. Nope. It's a entire operation.
I usually batch-create content on Mondays and Wednesdays. That means making a dozen videos in one sitting. I'll change clothes so it looks varied. Advice: Keep multiple tops nearby for easy transitions. My neighbors think I've lost it, recording myself alone in the backyard.
3:00pm: Pickup time. Back to parenting. But plot twist—frequently my best content ideas come from these after-school moments. Last week, my daughter had a epic meltdown in Target because I refused to get a $40 toy. I created a video in the vehicle after about handling public tantrums as a single parent. It got millions of views.
Evening: All the evening things. I'm generally wiped out to create content, but I'll schedule content, check DMs, or outline content. Often, after they're down, I'll edit for hours because a deadline is coming.
The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just managed chaos with occasional wins.
The Financial Reality: How I Actually Make a Living
Okay, let's talk dollars because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you legitimately profit as a influencer? Absolutely. Is it easy? Absolutely not.
My first month, I made zilch. Second month? Zero. Month three, I got my first collaboration—$150 to share a meal box. I broke down. That hundred fifty dollars bought groceries for two weeks.
Today, three years later, here's how I monetize:
Sponsored Content: This is my biggest income source. I work with brands that align with my audience—affordable stuff, helpful services, kids' stuff. I get paid anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per campaign, depending on what they need. Last month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made eight grand.
Platform Payments: The TikTok fund pays pennies—$200-$400 per month for huge view counts. AdSense is way better. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that took forever.
Affiliate Marketing: I share links to products I actually use—everything from my go-to coffee machine to the bunk beds in their room. If anyone buys, I get a kickback. This brings in about $800-1,200 monthly.
Digital Products: I created a money management guide and a cooking guide. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell fifty to a hundred per month. That's another $1-1.5K.
One-on-One Coaching: New creators pay me to show them how. I offer 1:1 sessions for $200 hourly. I do about 5-10 each month.
Total monthly income: Typically, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month at this point. Some months are higher, some are tougher. It's unpredictable, which is nerve-wracking when you're the only income source. But it's 3x what I made at my old job, and I'm home when my kids need me.
The Dark Side Nobody Posts About
From the outside it's great until you're having a breakdown because a post tanked, or handling cruel messages from strangers who think they know your life.
The negativity is intense. I've been told I'm a terrible parent, told I'm exploiting my kids, called a liar about being a solo parent. One person said, "No wonder he left." That one stung for days.
The platform changes. One week you're getting millions of views. Then suddenly, you're lucky to break 1,000. Your income varies wildly. You're never off, never resting, nervous about slowing down, you'll be forgotten.
The guilt is crushing to the extreme. Each post, I wonder: Is this too much? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they resent this when they're teenagers? I have firm rules—minimal identifying info, no discussing their personal struggles, nothing that could embarrass them. But the line is fuzzy.
The burnout hits hard. There are weeks when I can't create. When I'm depleted, talked out, and at my limit. But bills don't care about burnout. So I do it anyway.
What Makes It Worth It
But listen—through it all, this journey has given me things I never expected.
Financial stability for once in my life. I'm not wealthy, but I paid off $18,000 in debt. I have an savings. We took a real vacation last summer—Orlando, which was a dream a couple years back. 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 doctor's office. When there's a school thing, I'm there. I'm in their lives in ways I couldn't manage with a traditional 9-5.
Connection that saved me. The creator friends I've connected with, especially solo parents, have become my people. We support each other, collaborate, encourage each other. My followers have become this beautiful community. They cheer for me, lift me up, and validate me.
Identity beyond "mom". Since becoming a mom, I have something for me. I'm not just an ex or someone's mom. I'm a CEO. A creator. A person who hustled.
Advice for Aspiring Creators
If you're a solo parent thinking about this, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will suck. Mine did. That's normal. You learn by doing, not by waiting until everything is perfect.
Be yourself. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your true life—the chaos. That's the magic.
Protect your kids. Establish boundaries. Know your limits. Their privacy is everything. I protect their names, minimize face content, and protect their stories.
Don't rely on one thing. Diversify or one way to earn. The algorithm is unreliable. Diversification = security.
Batch your content. When you have quiet time, record several. Tomorrow you will be grateful when you're drained.
Build community. Reply to comments. Answer DMs. Connect authentically. Your community is what matters.
Track your time and ROI. Not all content is worth creating. If something takes four hours and gets 200 views while something else takes 20 minutes and gets massive views, shift focus.
Prioritize yourself. You need to fill your cup. Step away. Protect your peace. Your sanity matters more than going viral.
Give it time. This isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. It took me eight months this report to make real income. My first year, I made barely $15,000. The second year, eighty grand. Year three, I'm projected for $100K+. It's a long game.
Don't forget your why. On difficult days—and there will be many—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's money, flexibility with my kids, and proving to myself that I'm capable of anything.
The Reality Check
Real talk, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Being a single mom creator is challenging. Incredibly hard. You're managing a business while being the lone caretaker of kids who need everything.
Certain days I second-guess this. Days when the nasty comments affect me. Days when I'm exhausted and stressed and asking myself if I should just get a "normal" job with stability.
But but then my daughter shares she's happy I'm here. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I read a message from a follower saying my content inspired her. And I understand the impact.
Where I'm Going From Here
A few years back, I was terrified and clueless what to do. Currently, I'm a full-time content creator making more than I imagined in my old job, and I'm there for my kids.
My goals for the future? Get to half a million followers by year-end. Launch a podcast for single parents. Write a book eventually. Continue building this business that changed my life.
Content creation gave me a path forward when I was desperate. It gave me a way to feed my babies, be there, and create something meaningful. It's a surprise, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To all the single moms thinking about starting: You absolutely can. It won't be easy. You'll consider quitting. But you're already doing the most difficult thing—raising humans alone. You're tougher than you realize.
Begin messy. Keep showing up. Protect your peace. And know this, you're beyond survival mode—you're building something incredible.
Time to go, I need to go film a TikTok about why my kid's school project is due tomorrow and surprise!. Because that's the reality—chaos becomes content, one TikTok at a time.
Seriously. Being a single mom creator? It's the best decision. Even if there might be old snacks in my keyboard. That's the dream, one messy video at a time.