Let me tell you, mom life is not for the weak. But what's really wild? Trying to hustle for money while juggling toddlers and their chaos.
I started my side hustle journey about three years ago when I discovered that my Target runs were becoming problematic. I needed cash that was actually mine.
Being a VA
Here's what happened, my initial venture was becoming a virtual assistant. And honestly? It was exactly what I needed. I was able to work during naptime, and the only requirement was a computer and internet.
I began by basic stuff like email sorting, doing social media scheduling, and data entry. Not rocket science. I started at about $20/hour, which seemed low but when you don't know what you're doing yet, you gotta begin at the bottom.
What cracked me up? Picture this: me on a client call looking like I had my life together from the waist up—blazer, makeup, the works—while sporting my rattiest leggings. Main character energy.
The Etsy Shop Adventure
Once I got comfortable, I thought I'd test out the handmade marketplace scene. Literally everyone seemed to sell stuff on Etsy, so I figured "why not join the party?"
My shop focused on making printable planners and home decor prints. The thing about selling digital stuff? Design it once, and it can sell forever. Actually, I've earned money at times when I didn't even know.
The first time someone bought something? I actually yelled. My husband thought there was an emergency. Negative—it was just me, celebrating my first five bucks. No shame in my game.
Content Creator Life
Eventually I discovered the whole influencer thing. This venture is not for instant gratification seekers, let me tell you.
I started a family lifestyle blog where I documented real mom life—the messy truth. Keeping it real. Just honest stories about surviving tantrums in Target.
Growing an audience was a test of patience. For months, I was basically talking to myself. But I persisted, and eventually, things began working.
Currently? I earn income through promoting products, collaborations, and advertisements on my site. Just last month I made over two grand from my blog alone. Wild, right?
The Social Media Management Game
After I learned my own content, local businesses started reaching out if I could run their social media.
Real talk? Many companies suck at social media. They understand they have to be on it, but they don't have time.
Enter: me. I oversee social media for three local businesses—different types of businesses. I develop content, plan their posting schedule, engage with followers, and monitor performance.
I bill between five hundred to a thousand dollars per month per account, depending on the complexity. Best part? I manage everything from my phone during soccer practice.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
For the wordy folks, freelance writing is incredibly lucrative. I'm not talking literary fiction—this is commercial writing.
Companies constantly need fresh content. I've created content about everything from the most random topics. Being an expert isn't required, you just need to know how to find information.
On average earn fifty to one hundred fifty bucks per piece, depending on length and complexity. When I'm hustling hard I'll create ten to fifteen pieces and pull in a couple thousand dollars.
The funny thing is: I'm the same person who barely passed English class. These days I'm earning a living writing. Talk about character development.
Tutoring Online
After lockdown started, this resource tutoring went digital. As a former educator, so this was perfect for me.
I joined VIPKid and Tutor.com. It's super flexible, which is absolutely necessary when you have unpredictable little ones.
I mostly tutor elementary school stuff. The pay ranges from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on which site you use.
Here's what's weird? Occasionally my kids 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 get it.
Flipping Items for Profit
Here me out, this side gig wasn't planned. While organizing my kids' things and put some things on copyright.
Things sold instantly. Lightbulb moment: people will buy anything.
Currently I hit up secondhand stores and sales, hunting for name brands. I purchase something for $3 and sell it for $30.
It's definitely work? Absolutely. There's photographing, listing, and shipping. But I find it rewarding about finding a gem at Goodwill and making money.
Additionally: my kids are impressed when I score cool vintage stuff. Just last week I found a rare action figure that my son freaked out about. Made $45 on it. Victory for mom.
The Honest Reality
Truth bomb incoming: this stuff requires effort. The word 'hustle' is there for a reason.
Some days when I'm running on empty, asking myself what I'm doing. I wake up early hustling before the chaos starts, then being a full-time parent, then working again after everyone's in bed.
But this is what's real? I earned this money. I don't have to ask permission to splurge on something nice. I'm adding to my family's finances. My kids see that you can be both.
Advice for New Mom Hustlers
If you're considering a mom hustle, this is what I've learned:
Begin with something manageable. Don't attempt to juggle ten things. Choose one hustle and become proficient before starting something else.
Be realistic about time. If you only have evenings, that's okay. Whatever time you can dedicate is more than enough to start.
Avoid comparing yourself to the highlight reels. Everyone you're comparing yourself to? They've been at it for years and has help. Focus on your own journey.
Invest in yourself, but strategically. Free information exists. Don't waste $5,000 on a coaching program until you've validated your idea.
Do similar tasks together. This saved my sanity. Use time blocks for different things. Use Monday for making stuff day. Use Wednesday for administrative work.
Let's Talk Mom Guilt
I'm not gonna lie—mom guilt is a thing. Sometimes when I'm on my laptop and they want to play, and I struggle with it.
But then I think about that I'm demonstrating to them that hard work matters. I'm proving to them that moms can have businesses.
And honestly? Having my own income has improved my mental health. I'm more fulfilled, which makes me more patient.
The Numbers
My actual income? Most months, combining everything, I earn $3K-5K. It varies, it fluctuates.
Is this getting-rich money? Nope. But this money covers so many things we needed that would've been impossible otherwise. Plus it's developing my career and expertise that could become a full-time thing.
Wrapping This Up
At the end of the day, combining motherhood and entrepreneurship is hard. It's not a magic formula. A lot of days I'm improvising everything, surviving on coffee, and doing my best.
But I wouldn't change it. Every single bit of income is a testament to my hustle. It demonstrates that I'm more than just mom.
If you're on the fence about starting a side hustle? Go for it. Start messy. You in six months will thank you.
Don't forget: You're not just enduring—you're growing something incredible. Even when there's likely Goldfish crackers stuck to your laptop.
Not even kidding. It's where it's at, complete with all the chaos.
Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom
Here's the truth—single motherhood wasn't on my vision board. I also didn't plan on making money from my phone. But fast forward to now, years into this crazy ride, making a living by being vulnerable on the internet while handling everything by myself. And I'll be real? It's been the most terrifying, empowering, and unexpected blessing of my life.
The Beginning: When Everything Came Crashing Down
It was three years ago when my relationship fell apart. I remember sitting in my half-empty apartment (he took the couch, I got the kids' art projects), unable to sleep at 2am while my kids were asleep. I had $847 in my account, two humans depending on me, and a income that didn't cut it. The fear was overwhelming, y'all.
I was scrolling social media to numb the pain—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when our lives are falling apart, right?—when I came across this divorced mom discussing how she changed her life through content creation. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."
But desperation makes you brave. Or crazy. Often 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' school lunches. I shared it and felt sick. Why would anyone care about this disaster?
Apparently, a lot of people.
That video got nearly 50,000 views. Nearly fifty thousand people watched me get emotional over $12 worth of food. The comments section turned into this incredible community—people who got it, folks in the trenches, all saying "same." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted authentic.
Discovering My Voice: The Hot Mess Single Mom Brand
Here's what they don't say about content creation: niche is crucial. And my niche? I stumbled into it. I became the single mom who keeps it brutally honest.
I started filming the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I wore the same leggings all week because I couldn't handle laundry. Or the time I served cereal as a meal three nights in a row and called it "breakfast for dinner week." Or that moment when my daughter asked about the divorce, and I had to explain adult stuff to a kid who believes in magic.
My content was raw. My lighting was trash. I filmed on a ancient iPhone. But it was real, and apparently, that's what hit.
Within two months, I hit 10K. 90 days in, 50,000. By six months, I'd crossed 100K. Each milestone blew my mind. People who wanted to listen to me. Little old me—a barely surviving single mom who had to figure this out from zero not long ago.
The Actual Schedule: Content Creation Meets Real Life
Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is not at all like those aesthetic "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm sounds. I do absolutely not want to wake up, but this is my work time. I make coffee that I'll forget about, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a GRWM sharing about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while discussing custody stuff. The lighting is whatever natural light comes through my kitchen window.
7:00am: Kids are awake. Content creation stops. Now I'm in survival mode—pouring cereal, finding the missing shoe (where do they go), throwing food in bags, mediating arguments. The chaos is overwhelming.
8:30am: Getting them to school. I'm that mom making videos while driving when stopped. I know, I know, but the grind never stops.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my hustle time. House is quiet. I'm in editing mode, being social, planning content, pitching brands, checking analytics. Everyone assumes content creation is simple. Wrong. It's a real job.
I usually create multiple videos on certain days. That means shooting multiple videos in one go. I'll change shirts between videos so it looks like different days. Hot tip: Keep different outfits accessible for outfit changes. My neighbors think I've lost it, making videos in public in the backyard.
3:00pm: Pickup time. Mom mode activated. But plot twist—often my top performing content come from these after-school moments. Just last week, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I wouldn't buy a expensive toy. I filmed a video in the vehicle afterward about managing big emotions as a single mom. It got 2.3M views.
Evening: Dinner through bedtime. I'm usually too exhausted to create content, but I'll schedule content, respond to DMs, or plan tomorrow's content. Certain nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll edit for hours because a deadline is coming.
The truth? No such thing as balance. It's just organized chaos with moments of success.
Income Breakdown: How I Generate Income
Alright, let's talk dollars because this is what people ask about. Can you legitimately profit as a content creator? 100%. Is it simple? Absolutely not.
My first month, I made nothing. Second month? Also nothing. Third month, I got my first paid partnership—a hundred and fifty bucks to feature a meal box. I cried real tears. That one-fifty covered food.
Today, three years in, here's how I monetize:
Collaborations: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that fit my niche—things that help, mom products, children's products. I get paid anywhere from five hundred to several thousand per campaign, depending on what they need. Last month, I did four brand deals and made $8K.
Platform Payments: Creator fund pays not much—a few hundred dollars per month for millions of views. YouTube revenue is actually decent. I make about fifteen hundred a month from YouTube, but that took forever.
Affiliate Income: I share affiliate links to items I love—ranging from my favorite coffee maker to the bunk beds in their room. If anyone buys, I get a kickback. This brings in about $1K monthly.
Digital Products: I created a financial planner and a meal prep guide. They're $15 each, and I sell maybe 50-100 per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.
Teaching Others: People wanting to start pay me to show them how. I offer 1:1 sessions for $200/hour. I do about 5-10 of these monthly.
Total monthly income: Generally, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month at this point. Certain months are better, some are less. It's up and down, which is terrifying when there's no backup. But it's triple what I made at my 9-5, and I'm present.
The Dark Side Nobody Talks About
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're sobbing alone because a post tanked, or handling cruel messages from strangers who think they know your life.
The hate comments are real. I've been told I'm a terrible parent, told I'm using my children, accused of lying about being a solo parent. Someone once commented, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one stung for days.
The algorithm changes constantly. One month you're getting millions of views. The next, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income fluctuates. You're constantly creating, 24/7, afraid to pause, you'll lose relevance.
The mom guilt is worse to the extreme. Each post, I wonder: Is this too much? Are my kids safe? Will they regret this when they're grown? I have non-negotiables—protected identities, no discussing their personal struggles, protecting their dignity. But the line is fuzzy.
The burnout is real. Sometimes when I don't want to film anything. When I'm depleted, talked out, and at my limit. But life doesn't stop. So I create anyway.
The Beautiful Parts
But here's what's real—through it all, this journey has created things I never expected.
Financial freedom for the first time in my life. I'm not a millionaire, but I paid off $18,000 in debt. I have an savings. We took a real vacation last summer—Disney World, which was a dream a couple years back. I don't check my bank account with anxiety anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my son got sick last month, I didn't have to ask permission or worry about money. I handled business at urgent care. When there's a class party, I attend. I'm present in my kids' lives in ways I wasn't with a regular job.
My people that saved me. The fellow creators I've connected with, especially other single parents, have become my people. We support each other, help each other, have each other's backs. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They support me, encourage me through rough patches, and show me I'm not alone.
Identity beyond "mom". For the first time since having kids, I have something that's mine. I'm more than an ex or just a mom. I'm a business owner. A content creator. Someone who built something from nothing.
My Best Tips
If you're a single parent curious about this, listen up:
Begin now. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. Everyone starts there. You get better, not by waiting until everything is perfect.
Keep it real. People can spot fake. Share your actual life—the mess. That's the magic.
Guard their privacy. Establish boundaries. Be intentional. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I don't use their names, protect their faces, and keep private things private.
Build multiple income streams. Don't rely on just one platform or one revenue source. The algorithm is unpredictable. Diversification = security.
Create in batches. When you have quiet time, create multiple pieces. Future you will appreciate it when you're burnt out.
Interact. Engage. Reply to messages. Connect authentically. Your community is crucial.
Track metrics. Time is money. If something requires tons of time and flops while something else takes very little time and gets 200,000 views, pivot.
Prioritize yourself. You matter too. Rest. Guard your energy. Your sanity matters most.
Stay patient. This is a marathon. It took me ages to make any real money. My first year, I made maybe $15,000 total. Year 2, eighty grand. This year, I'm hitting six figures. It's a journey.
Know your why. On bad days—and they happen—remember your reason. For me, it's supporting my kids, time with my children, and proving to myself that I'm capable of more than I thought possible.
The Honest Truth
Look, I'm keeping it 100. This life is challenging. Really hard. You're managing a business while being the lone caretaker of kids who need everything.
Some days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the negativity get to me. Days when I'm drained and wondering if I should go back to corporate with consistent income.
But but then my daughter tells me she's happy I'm here. Or I look at my savings. Or I receive a comment from a follower saying my content inspired her. And I understand the impact.
What's Next
Years ago, I was terrified and clueless what to do. Now, I'm a full-time creator making more money than I ever did in my old job, and I'm present for everything.
My goals going forward? Hit 500,000 followers by end of year. Launch a podcast for single moms. Write a book eventually. Expand this business that makes everything possible.
Being a creator gave me a second chance when I had nothing. It gave me a way to support my kids, show up, and create something meaningful. It's not the path I expected, but it's perfect.
To every single mom out there considering this: You absolutely can. It will be challenging. You'll struggle. But you're managing the most difficult thing—raising humans alone. You're tougher than you realize.
Jump in messy. Keep showing up. Protect your peace. And remember, you're beyond survival mode—you're building an empire.
BRB, I need to go make a video about another last-minute project and I'm just now hearing about it. Because that's the reality—making content from chaos, one TikTok at a time.
No cap. This life? It's the best decision. Despite there's probably crushed cheerios all over my desk. No regrets, imperfectly perfect.