Real talk, being a mom is literally insane. But plot twist? Attempting to make some extra cash while handling toddlers and their chaos.
I entered the side gig world about several years ago when I realized that my retail therapy sessions were reaching dangerous levels. I needed my own money.
The Virtual Assistant Life
So, I kicked things off was doing VA work. And real talk? It was perfect. I was able to hustle while the kids slept, and literally all it took was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.
I began by basic stuff like organizing inboxes, scheduling social media posts, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. My rate was about $20/hour, which wasn't much but when you're just starting, you gotta build up your portfolio.
What cracked me up? I would be on a Zoom call looking completely put together from the waist up—looking corporate—while wearing pajama bottoms. Living my best life.
My Etsy Journey
After getting my feet wet, I wanted to explore the whole Etsy thing. Literally everyone seemed to be on Etsy, so I thought "why not join the party?"
I started designing printable planners and wall art. What's great about digital products? Make it one time, and it can keep selling indefinitely. Actually, I've earned money at midnight when I'm unconscious.
The first time someone bought something? I actually yelled. He came running thinking I'd injured myself. Nope—it was just me, cheering about my first five bucks. Don't judge me.
Content Creator Life
Then I ventured into creating content online. This hustle is a marathon not a sprint, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
I began a blog about motherhood where I wrote about my parenting journey—everything unfiltered. Not the highlight reel. Only real talk about how I once found a chicken nugget in my bra.
Building up views was a test of patience. The first few months, I was basically writing for myself and like three people. But I didn't give up, and eventually, things started clicking.
Now? I generate revenue through promoting products, collaborations, and display ads. This past month I generated over $2,000 from my blog alone. Crazy, right?
The Social Media Management Game
When I became good with my own content, small companies started asking if I could manage their accounts.
Real talk? Most small businesses don't understand social media. They understand they have to be on it, but they don't have time.
That's where I come in. I oversee social media for a handful of clients—various small businesses. I make posts, queue up posts, respond to comments, and track analytics.
They pay me between $500-1500 per month per account, depending on the scope of work. Here's what's great? I manage everything from my phone while sitting in the carpool line.
Freelance Writing Life
If writing is your thing, freelance writing is a goldmine. Not like writing the next Great American Novel—I mean business content.
Websites and businesses are desperate for content. My assignments have included everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to know how to find information.
Generally earn between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on what's involved. When I'm hustling hard I'll produce 10-15 articles and earn a couple thousand dollars.
The funny thing is: I was that student who struggled with essays. Currently I'm making money from copyright. Life's funny like that.
Virtual Tutoring
During the pandemic, virtual tutoring became huge. I used to be a teacher, so this was perfect for me.
I registered on VIPKid and Tutor.com. You make your own schedule, which is crucial when you have unpredictable little ones.
I mainly help with basic subjects. Income ranges from $15-$25/hour depending on where you work.
Here's what's weird? Occasionally my kids will crash my tutoring session mid-session. I once had to maintain composure during complete chaos in the background. Other parents are totally cool about it because they get it.
Flipping Items for Profit
So, this one I stumbled into. While organizing my kids' things and listed some clothes on various apps.
Stuff sold out instantly. I had an epiphany: people will buy anything.
Currently I hit up estate sales and thrift shops, looking for quality items. I'll find something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
It's definitely work? Absolutely. You're constantly listing and shipping. But it's strangely fulfilling about finding a gem at the thrift store and making money.
Additionally: my children are fascinated when I find unique items. Last week I discovered a vintage toy that my son absolutely loved. Got forty-five dollars for it. Mom for the win.
Real Talk Time
Real talk moment: this stuff requires effort. They're called hustles for a reason.
Some days when I'm surviving on caffeine and spite, wondering why I'm doing this. I wake up early working before my kids wake up, then all day mom-ing, then back at it after 8pm hits.
But you know what? These are my earnings. I don't have to ask permission to get the good coffee. I'm contributing to the family budget. My kids see that you can be the extended version both.
Advice for New Mom Hustlers
If you're considering a side gig, here are my tips:
Start with one thing. Avoid trying to start five businesses. Start with one venture and get good at it before taking on more.
Be realistic about time. If you only have evenings, that's perfectly acceptable. Two hours of focused work is valuable.
Avoid comparing yourself to the highlight reels. Those people with massive success? She probably started years ago and has help. Run your own race.
Spend money on education, but smartly. You don't need expensive courses. Don't spend $5,000 on a coaching program until you've tested the waters.
Batch tasks together. This is crucial. Use time blocks for different things. Monday could be writing day. Wednesday might be administrative work.
Dealing with Mom Guilt
I have to be real with you—I struggle with guilt. There are times when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I hate it.
Yet I think about that I'm modeling for them how to hustle. I'm demonstrating to my children that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.
Also? Having my own income has improved my mental health. I'm happier, which makes me a better parent.
Let's Talk Money
The real numbers? Typically, combining everything, I earn three to five thousand monthly. Some months are lower, some are slower.
Will this make you wealthy? No. But it's paid for vacations, home improvements, and that emergency vet bill that would've caused financial strain. And it's developing my career and expertise that could turn into something bigger.
Final Thoughts
Listen, being a mom with a side hustle is hard. There's no such thing as a magic formula. Most days I'm improvising everything, surviving on coffee, and doing my best.
But I wouldn't change it. Every dollar I earn is proof that I can do hard things. It's evidence that I'm a multifaceted person.
If you're on the fence about starting a side hustle? Take the leap. Begin before you're ready. Future you will thank you.
Always remember: You aren't only making it through—you're hustling. Even though you probably have snack crumbs in your workspace.
Not even kidding. The whole thing is incredible, mess included.
From Rock Bottom to Creator Success: My Journey as a Single Mom
I'm gonna be honest—becoming a single mom wasn't part of my five-year plan. Neither was building a creator business. But fast forward to now, years into this crazy ride, supporting my family by creating content while raising two kids basically solo. And honestly? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Came Crashing Down
It was three years ago when my relationship fell apart. I remember sitting in my new apartment (I kept the kids' stuff, he took everything else), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids slept. I had barely $850 in my bank account, little people counting on me, and a paycheck that wasn't enough. The anxiety was crushing, y'all.
I was scrolling social media to numb the pain—because that's the move? when we're drowning, right?—when I found this woman talking about how she made six figures through making videos. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."
But desperation makes you brave. Or stupid. Usually both.
I grabbed the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? No filter, no makeup, pure chaos, sharing how I'd just blown my final $12 on a pack of chicken nuggets and fruit snacks for my kids' lunch boxes. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Why would anyone care about someone's train wreck of a life?
Plot twist, tons of people.
That video got nearly 50,000 views. Forty-seven thousand people watched me almost lose it over chicken nuggets. The comments section was this safe space—fellow solo parents, other people struggling, all saying "same." That was my aha moment. People didn't want perfection. They wanted honest.
Finding My Niche: The Unfiltered Mom Content
Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? I stumbled into it. I became the real one.
I started sharing the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I lived in one outfit because I couldn't handle laundry. Or the time I let them eat Lucky Charms for dinner all week and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked where daddy went, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who still believes in Santa.
My content was raw. My lighting was trash. I filmed on a cracked iPhone 8. But it was real, and turns out, that's what worked.
After sixty days, I hit 10K. Month three, fifty thousand. By month six, I'd crossed 100K. Each milestone felt impossible. Actual humans who wanted to follow me. Me—a financially unstable single mom who had to figure this out from zero not long ago.
The Actual Schedule: Juggling Everything
Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because this life is nothing 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 will get cold, and I start recording. Sometimes it's a GRWM sharing about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while talking about co-parenting struggles. The lighting is natural and terrible.
7:00am: Kids emerge. Content creation pauses. Now I'm in full mom mode—cooking eggs, hunting for that one shoe (seriously, always ONE), throwing food in bags, stopping fights. The chaos is next level.
8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom creating content in traffic when stopped. Not my proudest moment, but bills don't care.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my hustle time. Kids are at school. I'm cutting clips, replying to DMs, brainstorming content ideas, sending emails, looking at stats. Folks imagine content creation is only filming. Nope. It's a whole business.
I usually film in batches on specific days. That means creating 10-15 pieces in a few hours. I'll change clothes so it seems like separate days. Life hack: Keep different outfits accessible for outfit changes. My neighbors probably think I'm unhinged, recording myself alone in the backyard.
3:00pm: School pickup. Parent time. But this is where it's complicated—sometimes my best content ideas come from real life. Recently, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I said no to a $40 toy. I filmed a video in the car once we left about surviving tantrums as a lone parent. It got 2.3 million views.
Evening: All the evening things. I'm typically drained to create anything, but I'll schedule uploads, answer messages, or strategize. Some nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll stay up editing because a deadline is coming.
The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just chaos with a plan with random wins.
Let's Talk Income: How I Really Earn Money
Alright, let's discuss money because this is what people ask about. Can you legitimately profit as a online creator? Absolutely. Is it easy? Nope.
My first month, I made $0. Second month? $0. Third month, I got my first sponsored post—a hundred and fifty bucks to promote a meal delivery. I literally cried. That one-fifty bought groceries for two weeks.
Fast forward, three years in, here's how I monetize:
Collaborations: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that my followers need—budget-friendly products, helpful services, children's products. I ask for anywhere from $500-5K per campaign, depending on what they need. Last month, I did four partnerships and made eight thousand dollars.
Platform Payments: TikTok's creator fund pays basically nothing—two to four hundred per month for millions of views. YouTube revenue is more lucrative. I make about $1.5K monthly from YouTube, but that took two years to build up.
Affiliate Links: I promote products to things I own—everything from my beloved coffee maker to the kids' beds. If someone purchases through my link, I get a kickback. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.
Info Products: I created a budget template and a cooking guide. $15 apiece, and I sell dozens per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.
One-on-One Coaching: Aspiring influencers pay me to show them how. I offer consulting calls for $200/hour. I do about 5-10 each month.
Overall monthly earnings: Typically, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month at this point. Certain months are better, some are less. It's unpredictable, which is scary when you're the only income source. But it's 3x what I made at my previous job, and I'm present.
The Hard Parts Nobody Mentions
From the outside it's great until you're losing it because a post got no views, or handling nasty DMs from random people.
The haters are brutal. I've been called a bad mom, told I'm exploiting my kids, called a liar about being a divorced parent. One person said, "I'd leave too." That one stuck with me.
The algorithm changes constantly. One week you're getting millions of views. Then suddenly, you're getting nothing. Your income fluctuates. You're always creating, never resting, worried that if you take a break, you'll fall behind.
The mom guilt is worse exponentially. Every upload, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Is this okay? Will they hate me for this when they're older? I have strict rules—protected identities, no discussing their personal struggles, no embarrassing content. But the line is hard to see.
The exhaustion is real. Some weeks when I have nothing. When I'm done, socially drained, and just done. But the mortgage is due. So I show up anyway.
The Beautiful Parts
But the truth is—despite the hard parts, this journey has given me things I never dreamed of.
Economic stability for the first damn time. I'm not wealthy, but I paid off $18,000 in debt. I have an emergency fund. We took a vacation last summer—Disney, which felt impossible not long ago. I don't stress about my account anymore.
Schedule freedom that's priceless. When my child had a fever last month, I didn't have to ask permission or stress about losing pay. I worked anywhere. When there's a field trip, I attend. I'm there for them in ways I couldn't manage with a traditional 9-5.
My people that saved me. The creator friends I've found, especially other moms, have become my people. We talk, exchange tips, lift each other up. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They celebrate my wins, send love, and remind me I'm not alone.
Me beyond motherhood. After years, I have an identity. I'm not defined by divorce or somebody's mother. I'm a entrepreneur. A content creator. Someone who made it happen.
My Best Tips
If you're a single mom considering content creation, here's my advice:
Don't wait. Your first videos will be trash. Mine did. It's fine. You improve over time, not by waiting.
Be authentic, not perfect. People can spot fake. Share your real life—the mess. That's the magic.
Prioritize their privacy. Set limits. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I protect their names, minimize face content, and respect their dignity.
Don't rely on one thing. Don't put all eggs in one basket or a single source. The algorithm is fickle. More streams = less stress.
Film multiple videos. When you have available time, record several. Future you will appreciate it when you're unable to film.
Connect with followers. Reply to comments. Answer DMs. Be real with them. Your community is your foundation.
Monitor what works. Not all content is worth creating. If something is time-intensive and flops while a different post takes 20 minutes and blows up, adjust your strategy.
Take care of yourself. Self-care isn't selfish. Take breaks. Set boundaries. Your health matters most.
Give it time. This is a marathon. It took me half a year to make meaningful money. Year one, I made fifteen thousand. Year two, eighty grand. Year 3, I'm hitting six figures. It's a marathon.
Stay connected to your purpose. On hard days—and there are many—think about your why. For me, it's financial freedom, being present, and showing myself that I'm more than I believed.
The Reality Check
Listen, I'm keeping it 100. This life is hard. So damn hard. You're running a whole business while being the lone caretaker of children who require constant attention.
Some days I question everything. Days when the trolls get to me. Days when I'm drained and questioning if I should just get a "normal" job with insurance.
But but then my daughter says she's proud that I work from home. Or I see financial progress. Or I see a message from a follower saying my content changed her life. And I remember why I do this.
My Future Plans
A few years back, I was scared and struggling what to do. Currently, I'm a full-time creator making triple what I earned in traditional work, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.
My goals moving forward? Get to half a million followers by end of year. Create a podcast for solo parents. Maybe write a book. Keep building this business that gives me freedom, flexibility, and financial stability.
Being a creator gave me a lifeline when I was desperate. It gave me a way to take care of my children, be present in their lives, and build something I'm genuinely proud of. It's unexpected, but it's perfect.
To every solo parent on the fence: You can. It won't be easy. You'll struggle. But you're managing the hardest job—raising humans alone. You're tougher than you realize.
Jump in messy. Keep showing up. Keep your boundaries. And remember, you're not just surviving—you're building something incredible.
Gotta go now, I need to go make a video about why my kid's school project is due tomorrow and I just learned about it. Because that's this life—making content from chaos, one TikTok at a time.
For real. This path? It's worth every struggle. Even when there's probably crumbs all over my desk. That's the dream, mess included.