Real talk, mom life is a whole vibe. But plot twist? Attempting to hustle for money while juggling toddlers and their chaos.
I entered the side gig world about three years ago when I discovered that my impulse buys were reaching dangerous levels. It was time to get some independent income.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
Here's what happened, I kicked things off was becoming a virtual assistant. And real talk? It was chef's kiss. I could get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and all I needed was a computer and internet.
I started with easy things like email sorting, doing social media scheduling, and entering data. Super simple stuff. I started at about $20/hour, which felt cheap but when you're just starting, you gotta begin at the bottom.
What cracked me up? I would be on a client call looking all professional from the waist up—looking corporate—while wearing pants I'd owned since 2015. Peak mom life.
My Etsy Journey
Once I got comfortable, I ventured into the selling on Etsy. Everyone and their mother seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I thought "why not me?"
My shop focused on creating PDF planners and home decor prints. The beauty of printables? Make it one time, and it can make money while you sleep. Actually, I've made sales at ungodly hours.
When I got my first order? I lost my mind. He came running thinking the house was on fire. Nope—just me, doing a happy dance for my first five bucks. Don't judge me.
The Content Creation Grind
After that I discovered blogging and content creation. This hustle is playing the long game, let me tell you.
I created a mom blog where I shared my parenting journey—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Not the highlight reel. Simply honest stories about how I once found a chicken nugget in my bra.
Growing an audience was a test of patience. The first few months, I was essentially my only readers were my mom and two bots. But I didn't give up, and slowly but surely, things took off.
These days? I generate revenue through affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, and ad revenue. Recently I made over $2,000 from my blog alone. Crazy, right?
SMM Side Hustle
As I mastered social media for my own stuff, brands started reaching out if I could do the same for them.
Here's the thing? Tons of businesses suck at social media. They recognize they need a presence, but they don't know how.
This is my moment. here I handle social media for a handful of clients—a bakery, a boutique, and a fitness studio. I create content, plan their posting schedule, respond to comments, and track analytics.
My rate is between $500-$1500/month per business, depending on the scope of work. What I love? I handle this from my phone during soccer practice.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
If writing is your thing, freelancing is where it's at. I don't mean writing the next Great American Novel—this is blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.
Websites and businesses need content constantly. I've created content about everything from the most random topics. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to be good at research.
Usually make between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on how complex it is. Some months I'll produce 10-15 articles and earn one to two thousand extra.
The funny thing is: I'm the same person who barely passed English class. These days I'm a professional writer. Life is weird.
The Online Tutoring Thing
When COVID hit, everyone needed online help. As a former educator, so this was perfect for me.
I started working with a couple of online tutoring sites. The scheduling is flexible, which is crucial when you have children who keep you guessing.
I focus on elementary reading and math. The pay ranges from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on the company.
The awkward part? Sometimes my kids will interrupt mid-session. I've literally had to be professional while chaos erupted behind me. Other parents are usually super understanding because they're living the same life.
Flipping Items for Profit
Okay, this particular venture started by accident. I was decluttering my kids' room and listed some clothes on copyright.
Stuff sold out immediately. Lightbulb moment: people will buy anything.
At this point I shop at thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, searching for things that will sell. I'll find something for a few dollars and make serious profit.
Is it a lot of work? Absolutely. You're constantly listing and shipping. But it's oddly satisfying about finding hidden treasures at a yard sale and turning a profit.
Also: my kids are impressed when I bring home interesting finds. Just last week I grabbed a rare action figure that my son freaked out about. Made $45 on it. Mom win.
The Truth About Side Hustles
Here's the thing nobody tells you: this stuff requires effort. It's called hustling because you're hustling.
There are days when I'm completely drained, questioning my life choices. I'm up at 5am hustling before the chaos starts, then all day mom-ing, then more hustle time after 8pm hits.
But here's the thing? These are my earnings. I don't have to ask permission to get the good coffee. I'm supporting our financial goals. My kids see that you can be both.
Advice for New Mom Hustlers
For those contemplating a side gig, here's what I'd tell you:
Begin with something manageable. Don't attempt to do everything at once. Start with one venture and get good at it before expanding.
Honor your limits. Whatever time you have, that's totally valid. Two hours of focused work is more than enough to start.
Don't compare yourself to what you see online. That mom with the six-figure side hustle? They've been at it for years and has help. Do your thing.
Don't be afraid to invest, but strategically. Start with free stuff first. Avoid dropping thousands on courses until you've tested the waters.
Do similar tasks together. This saved my sanity. Dedicate days for specific hustles. Monday might be making stuff day. Wednesday could be organizing and responding.
Dealing with Mom Guilt
Real talk—mom guilt is a thing. Certain moments when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I struggle with it.
However I think about that I'm showing them that hard work matters. I'm teaching my kids that you can be both.
And honestly? Financial independence has helped me feel more like myself. I'm more content, which translates to better parenting.
Let's Talk Money
How much do I earn? On average, from all my side gigs, I earn $3K-5K. Some months are better, some are slower.
Is this getting-rich money? Nope. But we've used it to pay for so many things we needed that would've stressed us out. It's building my skills and experience that could turn into something bigger.
In Conclusion
Listen, doing this mom hustle thing is challenging. It's not a perfect balance. A lot of days I'm flying by the seat of my pants, fueled by espresso and stubbornness, and praying it all works out.
But I don't regret it. Every dollar I earn is proof that I can do hard things. It's evidence that I'm more than just mom.
If you're thinking about beginning your hustle journey? Start now. Start messy. Your tomorrow self will be so glad you did.
Always remember: You aren't only enduring—you're building something. Even when there's probably Goldfish crackers stuck to your laptop.
Not even kidding. It's the life, mess included.
Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom
Real talk—being a single parent wasn't the dream. I also didn't plan on building a creator business. But yet here I am, three years later, earning income by being vulnerable on the internet while handling everything by myself. And not gonna lie? It's been the most terrifying, empowering, and unexpected blessing of my life.
The Beginning: When Everything Fell Apart
It was a few years ago when my relationship fell apart. I remember sitting in my mostly empty place (he took the couch, I got the kids' art projects), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids slept. I had barely $850 in my checking account, two mouths to feed, and a paycheck that wasn't enough. The panic was real, y'all.
I'd been scrolling TikTok to numb the pain—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when our lives are falling apart, right?—when I came across this single mom talking about how she changed her life through being a creator. I remember thinking, "No way that's legit."
But when you're desperate, you try anything. Maybe both. Sometimes both.
I got the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Raw, unfiltered, messy hair, talking about how I'd just used my last twelve bucks on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' lunch boxes. I posted it and immediately regretted it. Who wants to watch my broke reality?
Plot twist, tons of people.
That video got 47K views. Nearly fifty thousand people watched me almost lose it over frozen nuggets. The comments section turned into this safe space—people who got it, people living the same reality, all saying "I feel this." That was my epiphany. People didn't want perfect. They wanted authentic.
Building My Platform: The Honest Single Parent Platform
Here's what they don't say about content creation: niche is crucial. And my niche? It happened organically. I became the single mom who keeps it brutally honest.
I started posting about the stuff people hide. Like how I lived in one outfit because executive dysfunction is real. Or when I served cereal as a meal multiple nights and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my kid asked about the divorce, and I had to talk about complex things to a kid who thinks the tooth fairy is real.
My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was awful. I filmed on a busted phone. But it was unfiltered, and apparently, that's what hit.
After sixty days, I hit ten thousand followers. Three months later, fifty thousand. By half a year, I'd crossed 100,000. Each milestone felt impossible. These were real people who wanted to know my story. Little old me—a broke single mom who had to learn everything from scratch recently.
My Daily Reality: Content Creation Meets Real Life
Here's what it actually looks like of my typical day, because content creation as a single mom is not at all like those curated "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm sounds. I do not want to move, but this is my hustle hours. I make coffee that I'll reheat three times, and I start recording. Sometimes it's a getting ready video sharing about budgeting. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while venting about custody stuff. The lighting is natural and terrible.
7:00am: Kids get up. Content creation ends. Now I'm in mommy mode—pouring cereal, finding the missing shoe (it's always one shoe), making lunch boxes, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is real.
8:30am: Getting them to school. I'm that mom creating content in traffic when stopped. Not my proudest moment, but the grind never stops.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. Peace and quiet. I'm editing content, engaging with followers, ideating, doing outreach, reviewing performance. Folks imagine content creation is only filming. Absolutely not. It's a whole business.
I usually create multiple videos on certain days. That means shooting multiple videos in a few hours. I'll change clothes so it seems like separate days. Life hack: Keep multiple tops nearby for quick changes. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, making videos in public in the yard.
3:00pm: Getting the kids. Back to parenting. But this is where it's complicated—sometimes my top performing content come from these after-school moments. Recently, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I refused to get a $40 toy. I recorded in the parking lot once we left about surviving tantrums as a lone parent. It got 2.3 million views.
Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm generally wiped out to create content, but I'll schedule content, check DMs, or outline content. Often, after bedtime, I'll edit videos until midnight because a partnership is due.
The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just managed chaos with some victories.
Let's Talk Income: How I Support My Family
Alright, let's discuss money because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you actually make money as a influencer? 100%. Is it straightforward? Hell no.
My first month, I made zero dollars. Month two? $0. Third month, I got my first paid partnership—$150 to promote a meal kit service. I broke down. That one-fifty fed us.
Fast forward, three years later, here's how I generate revenue:
Sponsored Content: This is my primary income. I work with brands that align with my audience—practical items, helpful services, children's products. I ask for anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per collaboration, depending on what's required. Just last month, I did four collabs and made $8K.
Creator Fund/Ad Revenue: The TikTok fund pays basically nothing—$200-$400 per month for massive numbers. YouTube money is actually decent. I make about $1,500/month from YouTube, but that took two years to build up.
Affiliate Income: I post links to items I love—everything from my favorite coffee maker to the kids' beds. If someone purchases through my link, I get a commission. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.
Online Products: I created a money management guide and a meal prep guide. Each costs $15, and I sell fifty to a hundred per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.
Consulting Services: Aspiring influencers pay me to guide them. I offer one-on-one coaching sessions for two hundred dollars. I do about 5-10 of these monthly.
Total monthly income: Generally, I'm making $10-15K per month at this point. Some months I make more, some are tougher. It's inconsistent, which is nerve-wracking when you're it. But it's triple what I made at my old job, and I'm there for them.
The Struggles Nobody Mentions
This sounds easy until you're sobbing alone because a post got no views, or reading hate comments from internet trolls.
The hate comments are real. I've been called a bad mom, told I'm using my children, accused of lying about being a single mom. A commenter wrote, "No wonder he left." That one stuck with me.
The algorithm is unpredictable. One month you're getting huge numbers. The next, you're lucky to break 1,000. Your income fluctuates. You're never off, always "on", scared to stop, you'll fall behind.
The mom guilt is worse exponentially. Everything I share, I wonder: Am I sharing too much? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they resent this when they're grown? I have non-negotiables—no faces of my kids without permission, no sharing their private stuff, nothing that could embarrass them. But the line is not always clear.
The I get burnt out. Some weeks when I don't want to film anything. When I'm done, socially drained, and completely finished. But life doesn't stop. So I do it anyway.
The Wins
But here's the thing—even with the struggles, this journey has blessed me with things I never imagined.
Economic stability for the first time ever. I'm not loaded, but I became debt-free. I have an savings. We took a family trip last summer—the Mouse House, which felt impossible two years ago. I don't check my bank account with anxiety anymore.
Control that's priceless. When my kid was ill last month, I didn't have to stress about missing work or lose income. I handled business at urgent care. When there's a school event, I'm present. I'm present in my kids' lives in ways I couldn't manage with a corporate job.
My people that saved me. The other creators I've befriended, especially single moms, have become actual friends. We talk, share strategies, support each other. My followers have become this family. They support me, support me, and show me I'm not alone.
Identity beyond "mom". After years, I have my own thing. I'm more than an ex or somebody's mother. I'm a CEO. A businesswoman. Someone who made it happen.
Advice for Aspiring Creators
If you're a single mom considering content creation, listen up:
Begin now. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. It's fine. You learn by doing, not by procrastinating.
Authenticity wins. People can spot fake. Share your true life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That resonates.
Prioritize their privacy. Set limits. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is sacred. I never share their names, rarely show their faces, and never discuss anything that could embarrass them.
Multiple revenue sources. Spread it out or one revenue source. The algorithm is unstable. Multiple streams = safety.
Batch create content. When you have quiet time, film multiple videos. Future you will thank present you when you're unable to film.
Interact. Reply to comments. Reply to messages. Build real relationships. Your community is everything.
Analyze performance. Not all content is worth creating. If something takes four hours and gets nothing while something else takes 20 minutes and gets massive views, adjust your strategy.
Self-care matters. Self-care isn't selfish. Unplug. Set boundaries. Your health matters more than views.
Be patient. This takes time. It took me eight months to make real income. Year one, I made fifteen thousand. Year two, $80K. Now, I'm projected for $100K+. It's a long game.
Remember why you started. On tough days—and there are many—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's money, being present, and proving to myself that I'm capable of anything.
Real Talk Time
Listen, I'm being honest. This life is challenging. Incredibly hard. You're operating a business while being the only parent of kids who need everything.
Some days I question everything. Days when the negativity affect me. Days when I'm drained and wondering if I should just get a "normal" job with stability.
But then my daughter says she's proud that I work from home. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I get a DM from a follower saying my content changed her life. And I understand the impact.
My Future Plans
Three years ago, I was lost and broke how I'd survive as a single mom. Fast forward, I'm a professional creator making way more than I made in corporate America, and I'm present for everything.
My goals for the future? Hit 500,000 followers by year-end. Start a podcast for single moms. Possibly write a book. Keep growing this business that gives me freedom, flexibility, and financial stability.
Being a creator gave me a way out when I was desperate. It gave me a way to support my kids, be present in their lives, and build something I'm genuinely proud of. It's unexpected, but it's where I belong.
To any single parent wondering if you can do this: You can. It will be challenging. You'll want to quit some days. But you're currently doing the hardest job—parenting solo. You're tougher than you realize.
Jump in messy. Keep showing up. Keep your boundaries. And always remember, you're not just surviving—you're changing your life.
BRB, I need to go create content about homework I forgot about and surprise!. Because that's this life—turning chaos into content, one post at a time.
Honestly. This life? It's the best decision. Even though there's definitely Goldfish crackers all over my desk. Dream life, chaos and all.