Let me tell you, motherhood is absolutely wild. But plot twist? Working to get that bread while dealing with tiny humans who think sleep is optional.
I entered the side gig world about three years ago when I figured out that my impulse buys were getting out of hand. It was time to get funds I didn't have to justify spending.
The Virtual Assistant Life
Here's what happened, my first gig was becoming a virtual assistant. And not gonna lie? It was exactly what I needed. It let me work during naptime, and all I needed was a computer and internet.
I started with basic stuff like handling emails, managing social content, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. My rate was about $20/hour, which wasn't much but as a total beginner, you gotta prove yourself first.
What cracked me up? There I was on a Zoom call looking all professional from the waist up—business casual vibes—while wearing pants I'd owned since 2015. Peak mom life.
My Etsy Journey
After a year, I wanted to explore the Etsy world. Everyone and their mother seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I figured "why not get in on this?"
I created designing PDF planners and wall art. The beauty of printables? Make it one time, and it can make money while you sleep. For real, I've gotten orders at ungodly hours.
The first time someone bought something? I literally screamed. My husband thought something was wrong. Negative—it was just me, cheering about my glorious $4.99. No shame in my game.
Content Creator Life
Eventually I discovered creating content online. This venture is definitely a slow burn, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
I launched a family lifestyle blog where I documented what motherhood actually looks like—all of it, no filter. Not the highlight reel. Only honest stories about finding mystery stains on everything I own.
Getting readers was slow. The first few months, it was basically talking to myself. But I persisted, and after a while, things took off.
These days? I make money through affiliate links, sponsored posts, and ad revenue. Last month I earned over $2,000 from my website. Wild, right?
Managing Social Media
After I learned managing my blog's social media, other businesses started asking if I could do the same for them.
Real talk? Tons of businesses are terrible with social media. They know they should be posting, but they're too busy.
This is my moment. I oversee social media for several small companies—various small businesses. I create content, schedule posts, respond more info to comments, and check their stats.
My rate is between five hundred to a thousand dollars per month per client, depending on the scope of work. What I love? I do this work from my iPhone.
Writing for Money
For those who can string sentences together, freelance writing is a goldmine. This isn't literary fiction—this is blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.
Brands and websites need content constantly. I've written everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. Google is your best friend, you just need to know how to Google effectively.
Usually make $50-150 per article, depending on what's involved. On good months I'll write fifteen articles and bring in $1-2K.
What's hilarious: I'm the same person who struggled with essays. These days I'm getting paid for it. Life's funny like that.
Virtual Tutoring
During the pandemic, tutoring went digital. With my teaching background, so this was kind of a natural fit.
I started working with VIPKid and Tutor.com. The scheduling is flexible, which is absolutely necessary when you have tiny humans who throw curveballs daily.
My sessions are usually elementary school stuff. You can make from $15-25 per hour depending on the platform.
The awkward part? There are times when my own kids will burst into the room mid-session. I've literally had to maintain composure during complete chaos in the background. The families I work with are totally cool about it because they're parents too.
The Reselling Game
Alright, this particular venture wasn't planned. While organizing my kids' room and tried selling some outfits on various apps.
Stuff sold out immediately. I suddenly understood: there's a market for everything.
These days I hit up estate sales and thrift shops, looking for name brands. I'll find something for a few dollars and make serious profit.
It's definitely work? Absolutely. I'm photographing items, writing descriptions, shipping packages. But I find it rewarding about finding hidden treasures at a yard sale and turning a profit.
Also: the kids think it's neat when I discover weird treasures. Recently I found a vintage toy that my son absolutely loved. Made $45 on it. Mom for the win.
The Truth About Side Hustles
Truth bomb incoming: these aren't get-rich-quick schemes. The word 'hustle' is there for a reason.
There are days when I'm exhausted, questioning my life choices. I'm up at 5am getting stuff done while it's quiet, then handling mom duties, then working again after bedtime.
But here's the thing? This income is mine. No permission needed to splurge on something nice. I'm contributing to our household income. My kids are learning that you can be both.
What I Wish I Knew
If you want to start a mom hustle, here's what I'd tell you:
Start small. Don't try to juggle ten things. Focus on one and get good at it before expanding.
Work with your schedule. Whatever time you have, that's totally valid. Two hours of focused work is valuable.
Comparison is the thief of joy to the highlight reels. Everyone you're comparing yourself to? She's been grinding forever and doesn't do it alone. Focus on your own journey.
Spend money on education, but strategically. You don't need expensive courses. Don't spend massive amounts on training until you've tried things out.
Work in batches. This changed everything. Use certain times for certain work. Monday might be writing day. Wednesday could be admin and emails.
The Mom Guilt is Real
I have to be real with you—I struggle with guilt. There are days when I'm on my laptop and they want to play, and I feel terrible.
But I remember that I'm demonstrating to them how to hustle. I'm proving to them that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.
Also? Financial independence has helped me feel more like myself. I'm more content, which translates to better parenting.
Let's Talk Money
So what do I actually make? Generally, from all my side gigs, I earn three to five thousand monthly. Certain months are higher, it fluctuates.
Is this millionaire money? Not really. But it's paid for vacations, home improvements, and that emergency vet bill that would've stressed us out. And it's giving me confidence and expertise that could grow into more.
Wrapping This Up
Listen, doing this mom hustle thing is challenging. There's no perfect balance. Often I'm winging it, fueled by espresso and stubbornness, and praying it all works out.
But I wouldn't change it. Every penny made is a testament to my hustle. It's evidence that I'm a multifaceted person.
So if you're considering diving into this? Take the leap. Start before it's perfect. Your future self will be grateful.
Keep in mind: You're not merely getting by—you're growing something incredible. Even if there's probably snack crumbs everywhere.
No cap. This is the life, chaos and all.
Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom
Let me be real with you—single motherhood wasn't part of my five-year plan. Nor was building a creator business. But here I am, three years later, supporting my family by creating content while handling everything by myself. And I'll be real? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Imploded
It was 2022 when my relationship fell apart. I will never forget sitting in my bare apartment (he took the couch, I got the kids' art projects), scrolling mindlessly at 2am while my kids were asleep. I had barely $850 in my bank account, little people counting on me, and a job that barely covered rent. The anxiety was crushing, y'all.
I was scrolling social media to numb the pain—because that's how we cope? when everything is chaos, right?—when I came across this solo parent sharing how she paid off $30,000 in debt through posting online. I remember thinking, "That can't be real."
But when you're desperate, you try anything. Or both. Often both.
I downloaded the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? Completely unpolished, explaining how I'd just blown my final $12 on a pack of chicken nuggets and fruit snacks for my kids' school lunches. I shared it and felt sick. Who gives a damn about this disaster?
Plot twist, tons of people.
That video got nearly 50,000 views. 47,000 people watched me almost lose it over processed meat. The comments section was this safe space—women in similar situations, other people struggling, all saying "I feel this." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want perfect. They wanted raw.
Building My Platform: The Real Mom Life Brand
Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? It chose me. I became the unfiltered single mom.
I started posting about the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I didn't change pants for days because executive dysfunction is real. Or when I gave them breakfast for dinner three nights in a row and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked about the divorce, and I had to talk about complex things to a kid who still believes in Santa.
My content was raw. My lighting was awful. I filmed on a busted phone. But it was unfiltered, and evidently, that's what connected.
Within two months, I hit 10K. 90 days in, 50,000. By half a year, I'd crossed a hundred thousand. Each milestone felt impossible. Actual humans who wanted to follow me. Little old me—a struggling single mom who had to figure this out from zero six months earlier.
The Daily Grind: Managing It All
Let me show you of my typical day, because this life is the opposite of those perfect "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm screams. I do absolutely not want to wake up, 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 talking about money struggles. Sometimes it's me cooking while talking about parenting coordination. The lighting is natural and terrible.
7:00am: Kids wake up. Content creation ends. Now I'm in parent mode—pouring cereal, locating lost items (seriously, always ONE), packing lunches, mediating arguments. The chaos is next level.
8:30am: Carpool line. I'm that mom in the carpool line filming TikToks in the car. Not my proudest moment, but bills don't care.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my power window. Kids are at school. I'm cutting clips, responding to comments, planning content, pitching brands, looking at stats. People think content creation is just making TikToks. Absolutely not. It's a real job.
I usually create multiple videos on Mondays and Wednesdays. That means making a dozen videos in one go. I'll swap tops so it appears to be different times. Pro tip: Keep wardrobe options close for quick changes. My neighbors probably think I'm unhinged, talking to my camera in the yard.
3:00pm: School pickup. Mom mode activated. But here's where it gets tricky—frequently my top performing content come from real life. Just last week, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I said no to a expensive toy. I created a video in the vehicle later about surviving tantrums as a solo parent. It got millions of views.
Evening: Dinner through bedtime. I'm typically drained to create content, but I'll schedule content, respond to DMs, or plan tomorrow's content. Often, after the kids are asleep, I'll stay up editing because a partnership is due.
The truth? There's no balance. It's just managed chaos with some victories.
Income Breakdown: How I Actually Make a Living
Look, let's talk dollars because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you actually make money as a influencer? For sure. Is it simple? Hell no.
My first month, I made zero dollars. Second month? Still nothing. Third month, I got my first sponsored post—$150 to post about a meal kit service. I literally cried. That $150 bought groceries for two weeks.
Now, three years in, here's how I earn income:
Sponsored Content: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that align with my audience—practical items, single-parent resources, family items. I bill anywhere from five hundred to five thousand dollars per deal, depending on the scope. Last month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made $8,000.
Platform Payments: Creator fund pays not much—a few hundred dollars per month for millions of views. AdSense is better. I make about $1,500/month from YouTube, but that was a long process.
Affiliate Income: I share affiliate links to products I actually use—everything from my go-to coffee machine to the bunk beds I bought. If they buy using my link, I get a kickback. This brings in about $800-1,200 monthly.
Info Products: I created a financial planner and a meal prep guide. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell maybe 50-100 per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.
Teaching Others: Other aspiring creators pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer consulting calls for two hundred per hour. I do about several of these monthly.
Overall monthly earnings: Typically, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month currently. Some months are higher, some are less. It's up and down, which is terrifying when there's no backup. But it's three times what I made at my previous job, and I'm present.
The Dark Side Nobody Posts About
This sounds easy until you're losing it because a video didn't perform, or managing vicious comments from internet trolls.
The haters are brutal. I've been accused of being a bad mother, told I'm exploiting my kids, accused of lying about being a solo parent. Someone once commented, "I'd leave too." That one destroyed me.
The platform changes. One month you're getting insane views. The following week, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income goes up and down. You're constantly creating, 24/7, worried that if you take a break, you'll fall behind.
The guilt is crushing times a thousand. Every upload, I wonder: Is this appropriate? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they regret this when they're adults? I have firm rules—no faces of my kids without permission, no discussing their personal struggles, nothing humiliating. But the line is fuzzy.
The burnout hits hard. Sometimes when I am empty. When I'm depleted, socially drained, and totally spent. But rent doesn't care. So I do it anyway.
What Makes It Worth It
But here's what's real—despite everything, this journey has blessed me with things I never expected.
Financial freedom for once in my life. I'm not a millionaire, but I paid off $18,000 in debt. I have an cushion. We took a real vacation last summer—Disney, which was a dream two years ago. I don't stress about my account anymore.
Schedule freedom that's priceless. When my kid was ill last month, I didn't have to stress about missing work or stress about losing pay. I worked from the doctor's office. When there's a class party, I attend. I'm there for them in ways I couldn't manage with a corporate job.
My people that saved me. The other influencers I've befriended, especially other single parents, have become my people. We connect, collaborate, support each other. My followers have become this family. They support me, send love, and validate me.
Identity beyond "mom". Finally, I have something for me. I'm not just someone's ex-wife or somebody's mother. I'm a content creator. A creator. Someone who created this.
Advice for Aspiring Creators
If you're a single mother considering content creation, here's my advice:
Don't wait. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. That's okay. You grow through creating, not by waiting until everything is perfect.
Keep it real. People can spot fake. Share your real life—the chaos. That resonates.
Protect your kids. Set limits. Know your limits. Their privacy is everything. I protect their names, protect their faces, and respect their dignity.
Build multiple income streams. Spread it out or one income stream. The algorithm is unstable. Multiple income streams = stability.
Batch your content. When you have quiet time, film multiple videos. Tomorrow you will appreciate it when you're too exhausted to create.
Engage with your audience. Reply to comments. Respond to DMs. Create connections. Your community is crucial.
Analyze performance. Time is money. If something is time-intensive and gets nothing while another video takes 20 minutes and gets 200,000 views, change tactics.
Prioritize yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup. Unplug. Guard your energy. Your wellbeing matters more than views.
Be patient. This takes time. It took me half a year to make meaningful money. The first year, I made $15K total. Year 2, eighty grand. Year three, I'm hitting six figures. It's a process.
Know your why. On bad days—and there are many—remember your reason. For me, it's money, being present, and validating that I'm capable of more than I thought possible.
Being Real With You
Look, I'm keeping it 100. Content creation as a single mom is difficult. Incredibly hard. You're operating a business while being the only parent of kids who need everything.
Many days I doubt myself. Days when the nasty comments sting. Days when I'm burnt out and questioning if I should just get a "normal" job with a 401k.
But and then my daughter tells me she loves that I'm home. Or I look at my savings. Or I get a DM from a follower saying my content gave her courage. And I remember why I do this.
The Future
Not long ago, I was terrified and clueless how to survive. Fast forward, I'm a full-time content creator making more money than I ever did in my 9-5, and I'm available when they need me.
My goals going forward? Hit 500K by year-end. Create a podcast for other single moms. Write a book eventually. Continue building this business that makes everything possible.
This path gave me a lifeline when I needed it most. It gave me a way to take care of my children, be available, and build something real. It's not the path I expected, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To any single parent considering this: Hell yes you can. It isn't simple. You'll struggle. But you're managing the hardest job in the world—raising humans alone. You're tougher than you realize.
Begin messy. Be consistent. Keep your boundaries. And know this, you're more than just surviving—you're creating something amazing.
BRB, I need to go film a TikTok about why my kid's school project is due tomorrow and I'm just now hearing about it. Because that's the reality—making content from chaos, video by video.
For real. This path? It's worth every struggle. Despite there's probably Goldfish crackers everywhere. Living the dream, chaos and all.