Real talk, motherhood is no joke. But what's really wild? Attempting to earn extra income while managing toddlers and their chaos.
I entered the side gig world about several years ago when I discovered that my random shopping trips were way too frequent. It was time to get my own money.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
Right so, my first gig was jumping into virtual assistance. And real talk? It was exactly what I needed. It let me hustle while the kids slept, and all I needed was a computer and internet.
Initially I was doing simple tasks like email management, doing social media scheduling, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. I started at about $20/hour, which felt cheap but for someone with zero experience, you gotta build up your portfolio.
Honestly the most hilarious thing? There I was on a video meeting looking all professional from the chest up—blazer, makeup, the works—while wearing pants I'd owned since 2015. Peak mom life.
Selling on Etsy
About twelve months in, I decided to try the Etsy world. All my mom friends seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I was like "why not me?"
I began designing digital planners and digital art prints. What's great about digital products? One and done creation, and it can generate passive income forever. For real, I've earned money at ungodly hours.
That initial sale? I literally screamed. My partner was like the house was on fire. the extended version But no—it was just me, doing a happy dance for my $4.99 sale. Don't judge me.
Blogging and Creating
Next I discovered the whole influencer thing. This particular side gig is a marathon not a sprint, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
I launched a mom blog where I posted about my parenting journey—the messy truth. No Instagram-perfect nonsense. Simply honest stories about surviving tantrums in Target.
Building up views was slow. Initially, I was basically my only readers were my mom and two bots. But I persisted, and over time, things began working.
These days? I generate revenue through affiliate marketing, collaborations, and display ads. Last month I made over two thousand dollars from my website. Insane, right?
SMM Side Hustle
When I became good with running my own socials, brands started asking if I could run their social media.
Here's the thing? Many companies struggle with social media. They recognize they need a presence, but they're clueless about the algorithm.
This is my moment. I currently run social media for a handful of clients—a bakery, a boutique, and a fitness studio. I plan their content, queue up posts, engage with followers, and monitor performance.
My rate is between $500-1500 per month per client, depending on how much work is involved. Best part? I handle this from my iPhone.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
For those who can string sentences together, content writing is a goldmine. This isn't writing the next Great American Novel—I mean blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.
Brands and websites need content constantly. I've written articles about everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to be good at research.
On average charge between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on length and complexity. Certain months I'll produce 10-15 articles and bring in a couple thousand dollars.
What's hilarious: I was that student who hated writing papers. Now I'm earning a living writing. The irony.
The Online Tutoring Thing
After lockdown started, everyone needed online help. With my teaching background, so this was perfect for me.
I registered on various tutoring services. It's super flexible, which is crucial when you have kids with unpredictable schedules.
I mainly help with K-5 subjects. The pay ranges from fifteen to thirty bucks per hour depending on the company.
What's hilarious? There are times when my children will photobomb my lessons mid-session. I once had to be professional while chaos erupted behind me. My clients are usually super understanding because they're living the same life.
Flipping Items for Profit
Alright, this one wasn't planned. During a massive cleanout my kids' things and tried selling some outfits on Facebook Marketplace.
Stuff sold out within hours. That's when I realized: one person's trash is another's treasure.
At this point I frequent anywhere with deals, on the hunt for name brands. I purchase something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
This takes effort? Yes. I'm photographing items, writing descriptions, shipping packages. But there's something satisfying about finding a gem at the thrift store and turning a profit.
Plus: my kids think I'm cool when I bring home interesting finds. Recently I discovered a retro toy that my son lost his mind over. Made $45 on it. Mom win.
The Honest Reality
Real talk moment: side hustles aren't passive income. They're called hustles for a reason.
There are days when I'm running on empty, questioning my life choices. I'm working before sunrise getting stuff done while it's quiet, then being a full-time parent, then working again after bedtime.
But you know what? I earned this money. I'm not asking anyone to splurge on something nice. I'm contributing to our financial goals. My kids see that you can have it all—sort of.
Advice for New Mom Hustlers
If you're thinking about a hustle of your own, here's my advice:
Start with one thing. You can't do everything at once. Pick one thing and master it before adding more.
Be realistic about time. If you only have evenings, that's perfectly acceptable. Two hours of focused work is valuable.
Comparison is the thief of joy to Instagram moms. The successful ones you see? She probably started years ago and has resources you don't see. Do your thing.
Learn and grow, but strategically. There are tons of free resources. Avoid dropping $5,000 on a coaching program until you've validated your idea.
Batch tasks together. I learned this the hard way. Use days for specific hustles. Make Monday content creation day. Wednesday might be admin and emails.
Let's Talk Mom Guilt
Let me be honest—mom guilt is a thing. Certain moments when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I struggle with it.
Yet I remind myself that I'm showing them that hard work matters. I'm proving to them that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.
And honestly? Having my own income has improved my mental health. I'm happier, which helps me be better.
Let's Talk Money
The real numbers? Generally, from all my side gigs, I bring in between three and five grand. Some months are lower, it fluctuates.
Is it life-changing money? Not really. But we've used it to pay for vacations, home improvements, and that emergency vet bill that would've been really hard. And it's developing my career and skills that could become a full-time thing.
Final Thoughts
Listen, combining motherhood and entrepreneurship is hard. You won't find a secret sauce. Many days I'm improvising everything, surviving on coffee, and praying it all works out.
But I'm proud of this journey. Every single penny made is proof that I can do hard things. It's proof that I'm a multifaceted person.
If you're thinking about launching a mom business? Start now. Begin before you're ready. Future you will be so glad you did.
Keep in mind: You're not merely getting by—you're hustling. Even if you probably have old cheerios on your keyboard.
Seriously. This mom hustle life is the life, chaos and all.
Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom
I'm gonna be honest—being a single parent wasn't on my vision board. Nor was turning into an influencer. But here I am, three years into this wild journey, paying bills by being vulnerable on the internet while raising two kids basically solo. And honestly? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Changed
It was a few years ago when my life exploded. 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 were finally quiet. I had barely $850 in my checking account, two kids to support, and a paycheck that wasn't enough. The anxiety was crushing, y'all.
I was scrolling social media to avoid my thoughts—because that's how we cope? when our lives are falling apart, right?—when I saw this woman discussing how she made six figures through content creation. I remember thinking, "That's either a scam or she's incredibly lucky."
But when you're desperate, you try anything. Or crazy. Probably both.
I got the TikTok creator app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, explaining how I'd just used my last twelve bucks on a cheap food for my kids' lunches. I shared it and felt sick. Who wants to watch my mess?
Apparently, thousands of people.
That video got 47,000 views. 47,000 people watched me almost lose it over processed meat. The comments section was this incredible community—fellow solo parents, people living the same reality, all saying "me too." That was my aha moment. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted honest.
Finding My Niche: The Real Mom Life Brand
Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? It chose me. I became the mom who tells the truth.
I started sharing the stuff nobody talks about. Like how I lived in one outfit because washing clothes was too much. Or the time I served cereal as a meal multiple nights and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked about the divorce, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who thinks the tooth fairy is real.
My content was raw. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a phone with a broken screen. But it was honest, and turns out, that's what resonated.
Within two months, I hit 10K. 90 days in, fifty thousand. By month six, I'd crossed 100K. Each milestone blew my mind. Actual humans who wanted to know my story. Plain old me—a struggling single mom who had to ask Google what this meant six months earlier.
The Daily Grind: Content Creation Meets Real Life
Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is the opposite of those curated "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm sounds. I do not want to move, but this is my precious quiet time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I start filming. Sometimes it's a morning routine discussing financial reality. Sometimes it's me making food while talking about dealing with my ex. The lighting is whatever natural light comes through my kitchen window.
7:00am: Kids get up. Content creation stops. Now I'm in mommy mode—cooking eggs, the shoe hunt (it's always one shoe), throwing food in bags, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is next level.
8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom filming at red lights in the car. Don't judge me, but content waits for no one.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. I'm alone finally. I'm editing videos, replying to DMs, ideating, reaching out to brands, looking at stats. Folks imagine content creation is only filming. Wrong. It's a whole business.
I usually batch-create content on Monday and Wednesday. That means filming 10-15 videos in one sitting. I'll swap tops so it looks like different days. Advice: Keep different outfits accessible for easy transitions. My neighbors probably think I'm unhinged, talking to my camera in the driveway.
3:00pm: Pickup time. Mom mode activated. But here's where it gets tricky—frequently my best content ideas come from the chaos. Last week, my daughter had a epic meltdown in Target because I wouldn't buy a expensive toy. I made content in the Target parking lot once we left about handling public tantrums as a single parent. It got over 2 million views.
Evening: The evening routine. I'm generally wiped out to create content, but I'll plan posts, check DMs, or plan tomorrow's content. Certain nights, after everyone's sleeping, I'll stay up editing because a partnership is due.
The truth? No such thing as balance. It's just organized chaos with some victories.
The Financial Reality: How I Generate Income
Okay, let's talk numbers because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you legitimately profit as a influencer? Yes. Is it easy? Not even close.
My first month, I made zilch. Month two? Still nothing. Month three, I got my first sponsored post—a hundred and fifty bucks to share a food subscription. I actually cried. That one-fifty paid for groceries.
Currently, three years later, here's how I make money:
Collaborations: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that fit my niche—things that help, helpful services, kid essentials. I ask for anywhere from $500-5K per deal, depending on deliverables. This past month, I did four collabs and made $8,000.
Ad Money: TikTok's creator fund pays very little—$200-$400 per month for tons of views. YouTube ad revenue is actually decent. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that took two years to build up.
Affiliate Links: I post links to products I actually use—everything from my go-to coffee machine to the kids' beds. If anyone buys, I get a kickback. This brings in about $800-$1200/month.
Online Products: I created a financial planner and a cooking guide. They're $15 each, and I sell fifty to a hundred per month. That's another $1,000-1,500.
Coaching/Consulting: Other aspiring creators pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer private coaching for $200/hour. I do about several of these monthly.
Total monthly income: Typically, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month these days. Some months are higher, some are less. It's inconsistent, which is nerve-wracking when you're solo. But it's three times what I made at my 9-5, and I'm home when my kids need me.
The Struggles Nobody Posts About
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're having a breakdown because a video didn't perform, or reading cruel messages from random people.
The trolls are vicious. I've been accused of being a bad mother, told I'm a bad influence, told I'm fake about being a solo parent. A commenter wrote, "Maybe that's why he left." That one destroyed me.
The algorithm changes constantly. Sometimes you're getting insane views. Next month, you're lucky to break 1,000. Your income goes up and down. You're always creating, always working, afraid to pause, you'll lose momentum.
The mom guilt is amplified to the extreme. Every upload, I wonder: Am I sharing too much? Is this okay? Will they be angry about this when they're older? I have non-negotiables—no faces of my kids without permission, keeping their stories private, no embarrassing content. But the line is fuzzy.
The I get burnt out. Sometimes when I have nothing. When I'm exhausted, talked out, and at my limit. But rent doesn't care. So I do it anyway.
The Unexpected Blessings
But listen—despite the hard parts, this journey has given me things I never imagined.
Economic stability for the first damn time. I'm not rich, but I eliminated my debt. I have an emergency fund. We took a family trip last summer—Disney World, which was a dream not long ago. I don't panic about money anymore.
Flexibility 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 from the doctor's office. When there's a school event, I'm there. I'm in their lives in ways I couldn't be with a corporate job.
Support that saved me. The other influencers I've found, especially solo parents, have become real friends. We vent, share strategies, support each other. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They cheer for me, encourage me through rough patches, and remind me I'm not alone.
My own identity. Since becoming a mom, I have something for me. I'm not just an ex or just a mom. I'm a entrepreneur. An influencer. Someone who created this.
What I Wish I Knew
If you're a solo parent considering content creation, here's what I'd tell you:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. That's okay. You improve over time, not by procrastinating.
Authenticity wins. People can spot fake. Share your actual life—the chaos. That's what works.
Guard their privacy. Establish boundaries. Know your limits. Their privacy is the priority. I keep names private, rarely show their faces, and protect their stories.
Don't rely on one thing. Diversify or a single source. The algorithm is fickle. Multiple income streams = stability.
Batch your content. When you have available time, film multiple videos. Next week you will thank present you when you're drained.
Build community. Answer comments. Reply to messages. Create connections. Your community is what matters.
Track metrics. Some content isn't worth it. If something takes forever and tanks while another video takes minutes and goes viral, pivot.
Don't forget yourself. You need to fill your cup. Unplug. Protect your peace. Your sanity matters more than views.
Give it time. This is a marathon. It took me half a year to make real income. Year one, I made maybe $15,000 total. Year two, eighty grand. Year 3, I'm on track for six figures. It's a process.
Don't forget your why. On difficult days—and they happen—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's supporting my kids, flexibility with my kids, and proving to myself that I'm stronger than I knew.
Real Talk Time
Here's the deal, I'm telling the truth. This journey is difficult. So damn hard. You're managing a business while being the only parent of tiny humans who need you constantly.
Certain days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the trolls affect me. Days when I'm drained and questioning if I should get a regular job with a 401k.
But but then my daughter says she's happy I'm here. Or I see financial progress. Or I see a message from a follower saying my content helped her leave an unhealthy relationship. And I understand the impact.
The Future
A few years back, I was lost and broke how to make it work. Currently, I'm a content creator making more money than I ever did in my 9-5, and I'm there for my kids.
My goals moving forward? Get to half a million followers by December. Begin podcasting for single moms. Write a book eventually. Keep building this business that gives me freedom, flexibility, and financial stability.
Content creation gave me a second chance when I needed it most. It gave me a way to provide for my family, be there, and build something real. It's unexpected, but it's perfect.
To any single parent wondering if you can do this: You absolutely can. It will be challenging. You'll doubt yourself. But you're handling the hardest job in the world—doing this alone. You're powerful.
Begin messy. Stay the course. Prioritize yourself. And remember, you're doing more than surviving—you're creating something amazing.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go create content about another last-minute project and surprise!. Because that's the content creator single mom life—chaos becomes content, one post at a time.
Seriously. This path? It's worth it. Even if I'm sure there's old snacks stuck to my laptop right now. Dream life, chaos and all.