I'm gonna be honest with you, being a mom is a whole vibe. But you know what's even crazier? Trying to hustle for money while juggling children who have boundless energy while I'm running on fumes.
This whole thing started for me about a few years back when I figured out that my retail therapy sessions were way too frequent. I needed funds I didn't have to justify spending.
The Virtual Assistant Life
So, I kicked things off was doing VA work. And real talk? It was chef's kiss. I could get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and the only requirement was my laptop and decent wifi.
I began by simple tasks like email management, posting on social media, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. I started at about $20/hour, which seemed low but for someone with zero experience, you gotta prove yourself first.
Honestly the most hilarious thing? I'd be on a client call looking completely put together from the chest up—full professional mode—while rocking pants I'd owned since 2015. That's the dream honestly.
Selling on Etsy
Once I got comfortable, I wanted to explore the handmade marketplace scene. Everyone and their mother seemed to be on Etsy, so I figured "why not me?"
My shop focused on creating PDF planners and wall art. What's great about digital products? Design it once, and it can make money while you sleep. For real, I've earned money at 3am while I was sleeping.
My first sale? I lost my mind. My partner was like something was wrong. Negative—just me, cheering about my glorious $4.99. Don't judge me.
The Content Creation Grind
Eventually I ventured into creating content online. This venture is not for instant gratification seekers, real talk.
I launched a blog about motherhood where I documented real mom life—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 like watching paint dry. At the beginning, it was basically writing for myself and like three people. But I didn't give up, and after a while, things started clicking.
At this point? I generate revenue through affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, and display ads. This past month I earned over two grand from my blog income. Insane, right?
SMM Side Hustle
As I mastered social media for my own stuff, local businesses started asking if I could manage their accounts.
Real talk? Many companies suck at social media. They realize they should be posting, but they don't know how.
I swoop in. I oversee social media for a handful of clients—different types of businesses. I create content, plan their posting schedule, engage with followers, and track analytics.
They pay me between $500-$1500/month per client, depending on how much work is involved. Here's what's great? I do this work from my phone.
Writing for Money
If you can write, freelancing is incredibly lucrative. I'm not talking literary fiction—I mean blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.
Websites and businesses constantly need fresh content. I've created content about everything from dental hygiene to copyright. You just need to research, you just need to be good at research.
Generally bill $50-150 per article, depending on how complex it is. Certain months I'll create fifteen articles and pull in $1-2K.
Plot twist: Back in school I thought writing was torture. Currently I'm making money from copyright. Life is weird.
The Online Tutoring Thing
When COVID hit, tutoring went digital. I was a teacher before kids, so this was perfect for me.
I joined various tutoring services. You choose when you work, which is non-negotiable when you have unpredictable little ones.
I mainly help with basic subjects. The pay ranges from $15-$25/hour depending on which site you use.
The funny thing? Every now and then my own kids will photobomb my lessons mid-session. There was a time I maintain composure during complete chaos in the background. The parents on the other end are totally cool about it because they understand mom life.
Flipping Items for Profit
Here me out, this side gig started by accident. While organizing my kids' things and posted some items on Mercari.
Items moved instantly. That's when I realized: one person's trash is another's treasure.
Now I visit thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, searching for quality items. I purchase something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
Is it a lot of work? For sure. You're constantly listing and shipping. But there's something satisfying about discovering a diamond in the rough at Goodwill and making money.
Additionally: my children are fascinated when I discover weird treasures. Recently I discovered a retro toy that my son went crazy for. Sold it for $45. Mom win.
The Truth About Side Hustles
Let me keep it real: side hustles aren't passive income. There's work involved, hence the name.
Certain days when I'm exhausted, questioning my life choices. I'm up at 5am working before my kids wake up, then handling mom duties, then back at it after 8pm hits.
But here's the thing? I earned this money. I'm not asking anyone to buy the fancy coffee. I'm helping with the family budget. I'm showing my kids that moms can do anything.
What I Wish I Knew
If you're thinking about a side gig, this is what I've learned:
Don't go all in immediately. Don't attempt to juggle ten things. Focus on one and get good at it before taking on more.
Honor your limits. If naptime is your only free time, that's fine. Even one focused hour is more than enough to start.
Avoid comparing yourself to Instagram moms. The successful ones you see? They put in years of work and has help. Do your thing.
Spend money on education, but smartly. Start with free stuff first. Don't waste massive amounts on training until you've proven the concept.
Do similar tasks together. I learned this the hard way. Block off specific days for specific tasks. Monday might be writing day. Wednesday might be admin and emails.
Let's Talk Mom Guilt
Let me be honest—I struggle with guilt. There are days when I'm working and my kid wants attention, and I feel guilty.
But then I remind myself that I'm teaching them that hard work matters. I'm demonstrating to my children that moms can have businesses.
Plus? Making my own money has improved my mental health. I'm more fulfilled, which helps me be better.
Income Reality Check
How much do I earn? Generally, total from all sources, I pull in three to five thousand monthly. Some months are better, some are slower.
Is this millionaire money? No. But I've used it for stuff that matters to us that would've been really hard. And it's creating opportunities and skills that could turn into something bigger.
Final Thoughts
Look, hustling as a mom takes work. There's no magic formula. Most days I'm winging it, running on coffee and determination, and hoping for the best.
But I wouldn't change it. Every single dollar I earn is evidence of my capability. It's evidence that I have identity beyond motherhood.
So if you're considering launching a mom business? Take the leap. Start messy. Your tomorrow self will thank you.
Always remember: You're more than enduring—you're growing something incredible. Even though there's probably mysterious crumbs in your workspace.
Not even kidding. The whole thing is where it's at, chaos and all.
My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom
I'm gonna be honest—single motherhood wasn't on my vision board. Neither was turning into an influencer. But yet here I am, three years later, earning income by posting videos while doing this mom thing solo. And I'll be real? It's been life-changing in every way of my life.
The Beginning: When Everything Came Crashing Down
It was 2022 when my life exploded. I can still picture sitting in my new apartment (he got the furniture, I got the memories), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids slept. I had barely $850 in my account, two mouths to feed, and a income that didn't cut it. The panic was real, y'all.
I was scrolling social media to numb the pain—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when everything is chaos, right?—when I saw this solo parent talking about how she changed her life through being a creator. I remember thinking, "That can't be real."
But desperation makes you brave. Maybe both. Sometimes both.
I grabbed the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? Raw, unfiltered, messy hair, venting about how I'd just spent my last $12 on a dinosaur nuggets and snacks for my kids' school lunches. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Who wants to watch someone's train wreck of a life?
Turns out, thousands of people.
That video got 47,000 views. 47,000 people watched me almost lose it over $12 worth of food. The comments section turned into this incredible community—fellow solo parents, folks in the trenches, all saying "this is my life." That was my turning point. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted raw.
Discovering My Voice: The Unfiltered Mom Content
Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: you need a niche. And my niche? It chose me. I became the mom who tells the truth.
I started creating content about the stuff people hide. Like how I lived in one outfit because washing clothes was too much. Or the time I gave them breakfast for dinner all week and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my daughter asked where daddy went, and I had to talk about complex things to a kid who is six years old.
My content was raw. My lighting was terrible. I filmed on a cracked iPhone 8. But it was honest, and turns out, that's what connected.
Within two months, I hit 10K. Three months later, fifty thousand. By month six, I'd crossed six figures. Each milestone felt surreal. Real accounts who wanted to follow me. Me—a broke single mom who had to ask Google what this meant recently.
My Daily Reality: Managing It All
Here's the reality of my typical day, because content creation as a single mom is totally different from those curated "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm goes off. I do NOT want to get up, but this is my work time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I start filming. Sometimes it's a get-ready-with-me discussing money struggles. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while discussing dealing with my ex. The lighting is not great.
7:00am: Kids are awake. Content creation pauses. Now I'm in parent mode—pouring cereal, finding the missing shoe (it's always one shoe), packing lunches, stopping fights. The chaos is next level.
8:30am: Getting them to school. I'm that mom creating content in traffic when stopped. Not my proudest moment, but content waits for no one.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my hustle time. Peace and quiet. I'm cutting clips, engaging with followers, planning content, pitching brands, reviewing performance. They believe content creation is just posting videos. Absolutely not. It's a real job.
I usually batch-create content on Monday and Wednesday. That means making a dozen videos in one go. I'll change shirts between videos so it looks like different days. Life hack: Keep several shirts ready for easy transitions. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, filming myself talking to my phone in the driveway.
3:00pm: Getting the kids. Parent time. But this is where it's complicated—many times my viral videos come from the chaos. Recently, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I wouldn't buy a forty dollar toy. I recorded in the parking lot later about handling public tantrums as a solo parent. It got 2.3M views.
Evening: The evening routine. I'm usually too exhausted to film, but I'll schedule uploads, reply to messages, or outline content. Certain nights, after bedtime, I'll work late because a partnership is due.
The truth? Balance doesn't exist. It's just chaos with a plan with some victories.
Let's Talk Income: How I Really Earn Money
Look, let's talk numbers because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you really earn income as a online creator? Absolutely. Is it straightforward? Nope.
My first month, I made $0. Second month? Zero. Month three, I got my first collaboration—one hundred fifty dollars to post about a meal kit service. I cried real tears. That $150 paid for groceries.
Today, years later, here's how I earn income:
Brand Partnerships: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that fit my niche—budget-friendly products, helpful services, kids' stuff. I ask for anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per collaboration, depending on deliverables. This past month, I did four partnerships and made eight thousand dollars.
Platform Payments: Creator fund pays basically nothing—$200-$400 per month for huge view counts. YouTube money is way better. I make about fifteen hundred a month from YouTube, but that took two years to build up.
Affiliate Marketing: I post links to items I love—anything from my favorite coffee maker to the beds my kids use. If they buy using my link, I get a kickback. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.
Downloadables: I created a budget template and a meal prep guide. Each costs $15, and I sell fifty to a hundred per month. That's another thousand to fifteen hundred.
Teaching Others: Aspiring influencers pay me to mentor them. I offer private coaching for $200/hour. I do about several per month.
Combined monthly revenue: Most months, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month currently. Some months I make more, some are lower. It's inconsistent, which is terrifying when there's no backup. But it's triple what I made at my old job, and I'm home when my kids need me.
The Struggles Nobody Talks About
It looks perfect online until you're losing it because a video didn't perform, or managing vicious comments from keyboard warriors.
The haters are brutal. I've been accused of being a bad mother, told I'm a bad influence, questioned about being a single mom. Someone once commented, "I'd leave too." That one hurt so bad.
The platform changes. Certain periods you're getting millions of views. The following week, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income fluctuates. You're always on, always working, afraid to pause, you'll be forgotten.
The guilt is crushing exponentially. Each post, I wonder: Am I sharing too much? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they resent this when they're grown? I have firm rules—minimal identifying info, no sharing their private stuff, nothing humiliating. But the line is fuzzy.
The I get burnt out. Some weeks when I can't create. When I'm done, socially drained, and totally spent. But bills don't care about burnout. So I create anyway.
The Unexpected Blessings
But here's what's real—even with the struggles, this journey has created things I never anticipated.
Money security for the first damn time. I'm not rich, but I paid off $18,000 in debt. I have an cushion. We took a vacation last summer—Disney, which I never thought possible not long ago. I don't dread checking my balance anymore.
Schedule freedom that's priceless. When my son got sick last month, I didn't have to call in to work or stress about losing pay. I handled business at urgent care. When there's a school thing, I attend. I'm in their lives in ways I wasn't with a corporate job.
My people that saved me. The other creators I've met, especially other moms, have become my people. We talk, help each other, encourage each other. My followers have become this family. They hype me up, send love, and show me I'm not alone.
Something that's mine. Since becoming a mom, I have my own thing. I'm not just an ex or someone's mom. I'm a content creator. A businesswoman. Someone who built something from nothing.
My Best Tips
If you're a single mother considering content creation, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Begin now. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. That's okay. You grow through creating, not by waiting.
Be yourself. People can tell when you're fake. Share your true life—the chaos. That's what works.
Keep them safe. Set limits. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I keep names private, limit face shots, and keep private things private.
Build multiple income streams. Spread it out or a single source. The algorithm is fickle. More streams = less stress.
Batch create content. When you have time alone, create multiple pieces. Future you will appreciate it when you're too exhausted to create.
Engage with your audience. Reply to comments. Check messages. Be real with them. Your community is what matters.
Analyze performance. Time is money. If something takes four hours and gets 200 views while another video takes no time and blows up, shift focus.
Self-care matters. You need to fill your cup. Step away. Guard your energy. Your mental health matters most.
Give it time. This is a marathon. It took me months to make real income. My first year, I made maybe $15,000 total. Year 2, $80,000. Year 3, I'm hitting six figures. It's a long game.
Don't forget your why. On bad days—and trust me, there will be—think about your why. For me, it's money, being there, and proving to myself that I'm capable of anything.
The Honest Truth
Look, I'm keeping it 100. This journey is hard. Like, really freaking hard. You're basically running a business while being the sole caretaker of kids who need everything.
Certain days I second-guess this. Days when the trolls get to me. Days when I'm drained and asking myself if I should quit this with a 401k.
But then my daughter shares she appreciates this. 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
Three years ago, I was lost and broke how to survive. Currently, I'm a full-time content creator making triple what I earned in corporate America, and I'm available when they need me.
My goals now? Get to half a million followers by this year. Create a podcast for other single moms. Write a book eventually. Keep building this business that makes everything possible.
This journey gave me a path forward when I needed it most. the original post It gave me a way to support my kids, be available, and accomplish something incredible. It's a surprise, but it's meant to be.
To every solo parent on the fence: You can. It will be challenging. You'll want to quit some days. But you're managing the hardest job—parenting solo. You're stronger than you think.
Begin messy. Keep showing up. Keep your boundaries. And remember, you're doing more than surviving—you're building something incredible.
BRB, I need to go record a video about another last-minute project and I just learned about it. Because that's the reality—content from the mess, video by video.
Seriously. Being a single mom creator? It's worth every struggle. Even when I'm sure there's crushed cheerios all over my desk. Dream life, chaos and all.