I'm gonna be honest with you, motherhood is literally insane. But you know what's even crazier? Trying to secure the bag while dealing with toddlers and their chaos.
I entered the side gig world about three years ago when I had the epiphany that my Target runs were way too frequent. It was time to get my own money.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
Here's what happened, my initial venture was doing VA work. And I'll be real? It was chef's kiss. I could get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and all I needed was my laptop and decent wifi.
My first tasks were basic stuff like email management, posting on social media, and basic admin work. Not rocket science. I started at about $20/hour, which felt cheap but for someone with zero experience, you gotta start somewhere.
What cracked me up? Picture this: me on a video meeting looking like a real businesswoman from the waist up—full professional mode—while wearing pajama bottoms. Peak mom life.
My Etsy Journey
About twelve months in, I decided to try the Etsy world. Everyone and their mother seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I figured "why not join the party?"
I created making printable planners and digital art prints. The thing about selling digital stuff? Design it once, and it can sell forever. Genuinely, I've made sales at 3am while I was sleeping.
When I got my first order? I literally screamed. My husband thought the house was on fire. Not even close—it was just me, cheering about my five dollar sale. Don't judge me.
Content Creator Life
Eventually I started writing and making content. This one is definitely a slow burn, let me tell you.
I launched a blog about motherhood where I documented the chaos of parenting—the good, the bad, and the ugly. None of that Pinterest-perfect life. Only real talk about the time my kid decorated the walls with Nutella.
Growing an audience was a test of patience. Initially, I was essentially talking to myself. But I stayed consistent, and eventually, things took off.
Currently? I generate revenue through affiliate links, sponsored posts, and display ads. Recently I generated over two grand from my website. Crazy, right?
The Social Media Management Game
As I mastered social media for my own stuff, brands started reaching out if I could run their social media.
And honestly? A lot of local businesses struggle with social media. They realize they have to be on it, but they can't keep up.
I swoop in. I currently run social media for several small companies—various small businesses. I plan their content, plan their posting schedule, handle community management, and track analytics.
I charge between five hundred to a thousand dollars per month per client, depending on what they need. Here's what's great? I handle this from my iPhone.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
If you can write, freelancing is incredibly lucrative. This isn't becoming Shakespeare—I mean content writing for businesses.
Brands and websites need content constantly. I've written articles about everything from the most random topics. Being an expert isn't required, you just need to be good at research.
Generally earn $0.10-0.50 per word, depending on what's involved. Certain months I'll write fifteen articles and earn $1-2K.
Here's what's wild: I was that student who barely passed English class. Currently I'm getting paid for it. Talk about character development.
The Online Tutoring Thing
During the pandemic, tutoring went digital. With my teaching background, so this was an obvious choice.
I joined several tutoring platforms. You choose when you work, which is absolutely necessary when you have unpredictable little ones.
I mainly help with elementary school stuff. Income ranges from fifteen to thirty bucks per hour depending on where you work.
The funny thing? Every now and then my children will interrupt mid-session. I've literally had to maintain composure during complete chaos in the background. My clients are totally cool about it because they're parents too.
Reselling and Flipping
Alright, this one wasn't planned. During a massive cleanout my kids' closet and listed some clothes on Mercari.
Items moved within hours. Lightbulb moment: one person's trash is another's treasure.
These days I shop at anywhere with deals, on the hunt for name brands. I purchase something for $3 and sell it for $30.
It's labor-intensive? Absolutely. It's a whole process. But it's oddly satisfying about discovering a diamond in the rough at Goodwill and making money.
Plus: the kids think it's neat when I score cool vintage stuff. Just last week I scored a vintage toy that my son lost his mind over. Sold it for $45. Mom win.
The Honest Reality
Truth bomb incoming: side hustles aren't passive income. The word 'hustle' is there for a reason.
There are days when I'm completely drained, asking myself what I'm doing. I'm up at 5am hustling before the chaos starts, then doing all the mom stuff, then back at it after bedtime.
But here's what matters? I earned this money. I can spend it guilt-free to splurge on something nice. I'm contributing to the family budget. My kids are learning that women can hustle.
What I Wish I Knew
If you want to start a hustle of your own, here's what I'd tell you:
Start with one thing. Don't attempt to juggle ten things. Pick one thing and become proficient before taking on more.
Work with your schedule. Whatever time you have, that's perfectly acceptable. Even one focused hour is valuable.
Avoid comparing yourself to what you see online. That mom with the six-figure side hustle? They've been at it for years and doesn't do it alone. Focus on your own journey.
Invest in yourself, but strategically. Free information exists. Avoid dropping huge money on programs until you've tested the waters.
Do similar tasks together. This saved my sanity. Use certain times for certain work. Monday could be content creation day. Wednesday might be admin and emails.
Let's Talk Mom Guilt
I have to be real with you—guilt is part of this. There are times when I'm hustling and my child is calling for me, and I hate it.
However I think about that I'm teaching them how to hustle. I'm showing my daughter that moms can have businesses.
Plus? Earning independently has made me a better mom. I'm happier, which helps me be better.
Let's Talk Money
The real numbers? Generally, combining everything, I make $3K-5K. Certain months are higher, some are tougher.
Will this make you wealthy? Not exactly. 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 knowledge that could grow into more.
In Conclusion
Listen, hustling as a mom takes work. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach. Most days I'm making it up as I go, surviving on coffee, and hoping for the best.
But I don't regret it. Every single dollar I earn is evidence of my capability. It's evidence that I'm more than just mom.
If you're on the fence about starting a side hustle? Take the leap. Start before it's perfect. Your tomorrow self will appreciate it.
Don't forget: You're more than enduring—you're growing something incredible. Even if there's likely old cheerios stuck to your laptop.
No cap. The whole thing is where it's at, mess included.
From Survival Mode to Content Creator: My Journey as a Single Mom
Here's the truth—becoming a single mom wasn't the dream. Nor was making money from my phone. But here we are, years into this crazy ride, making a living by creating content while doing this mom thing solo. And real talk? It's been life-changing in every way of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Changed
It was 2022 when my life exploded. I can still picture sitting in my bare apartment (he got the furniture, I got the memories), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids slept. I had eight hundred forty-seven dollars in my account, two mouths to feed, and a income that didn't cut it. The stress was unbearable, y'all.
I was on TikTok to distract myself from the anxiety—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when our lives are falling apart, right?—when I came across this single mom discussing how she paid off $30,000 in debt through posting online. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."
But rock bottom gives you courage. Or stupid. Usually both.
I installed the TikTok creator app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, venting about how I'd just used my last twelve bucks on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' lunches. I hit post and panicked. Who wants to watch my broke reality?
Plot twist, tons of people.
That video got 47,000 views. 47,000 people watched me breakdown over processed meat. The comments section turned into this unexpected source of support—fellow solo parents, other people struggling, all saying "I feel this." That was my turning point. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted honest.
Finding My Niche: The Unfiltered Mom Content
Here's what they don't say about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? It chose me. I became the mom who tells the truth.
I started creating content about the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I once wore the same yoga pants for four days straight because I couldn't handle laundry. Or the time I gave them breakfast for dinner three nights in a row and called it "creative meal planning." Or that moment when my child asked why we don't live with dad, and I had to explain adult stuff to a kid who still believes in Santa.
My content was raw. My lighting was trash. I filmed on a cracked iPhone 8. But it was honest, and turns out, that's what resonated.
In just two months, I hit 10,000 followers. Month three, 50K. By month six, I'd crossed six figures. Each milestone seemed fake. Actual humans who wanted to follow me. Plain old me—a financially unstable single mom who had to learn everything from scratch recently.
The Daily Grind: Content Creation Meets Real Life
Let me show you of my typical day, because creating content solo is the opposite of those aesthetic "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm goes off. I do want to throw my phone, but this is my precious quiet time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a getting ready video discussing financial reality. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while venting about custody stuff. The lighting is natural and terrible.
7:00am: Kids get up. Content creation stops. Now I'm in parent mode—cooking eggs, hunting for that one shoe (it's always one shoe), prepping food, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is next level.
8:30am: Carpool line. I'm that mom filming at red lights at stop signs. Don't judge me, but bills don't care.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my power window. I'm alone finally. I'm cutting clips, being social, brainstorming content ideas, reaching out to brands, reviewing performance. Folks imagine content creation is only filming. Wrong. It's a full business.
I usually batch-create content on Mondays and Wednesdays. That means shooting multiple videos in one sitting. I'll switch outfits so it appears to be different times. Pro tip: Keep several shirts ready for fast swaps. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, filming myself talking to my phone in the parking lot.
3:00pm: School pickup. Parent time. But here's where it gets tricky—sometimes my best content ideas come from real life. Last week, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I couldn't afford a forty dollar toy. I recorded in the parking lot afterward about managing big emotions as a lone parent. It got over 2 million views.
Evening: All the evening things. I'm completely exhausted to make videos, but I'll plan posts, reply to messages, or plan tomorrow's content. Some nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll edit for hours because a partnership is due.
The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just controlled chaos with moments of success.
Let's Talk Income: How I Support My Family
Look, let's get into the finances because this is what you're wondering. Can you really earn income as a content creator? For sure. Is it effortless? Not even close.
My first month, I made zilch. Month two? Zero. Third month, I got my first collaboration—a hundred and fifty bucks to feature a meal box. I actually cried. That one-fifty fed us.
Today, years later, here's how I generate revenue:
Brand Partnerships: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that make sense—affordable stuff, single-parent resources, kid essentials. I get paid anywhere from five hundred to five thousand dollars per campaign, depending on what they need. Last month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made $8K.
TikTok Fund: The TikTok fund pays basically nothing—a few hundred dollars per month for tons of views. YouTube money is way better. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that required years.
Affiliate Marketing: I promote products to products I actually use—ranging from my beloved coffee maker to the bunk beds in their room. If someone purchases through my link, I get a kickback. This brings in about $800-$1200/month.
Info Products: I created a money management guide and a meal planning ebook. $15 apiece, and I sell maybe 50-100 per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.
One-on-One Coaching: People wanting to start pay me to show them how. I offer one-on-one coaching sessions for $200/hour. I do about several per month.
Combined monthly revenue: Typically, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month currently. Some months are higher, some are lower. It's unpredictable, which is scary when you're it. But it's 3x what I made at my 9-5, and I'm there for them.
The Dark Side Nobody Shows You
It looks perfect online until you're losing it because a post got no views, or handling vicious comments from random people.
The haters are brutal. I've been mom-shamed, told I'm problematic, accused of lying about being a divorced parent. Someone once commented, "Maybe that's why he left." That one stuck with me.
The platform changes. Certain periods you're getting huge numbers. The following week, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income goes up and down. You're constantly creating, 24/7, afraid to pause, you'll fall behind.
The mom guilt is amplified exponentially. Every upload, I wonder: Is this too much? Are my kids safe? Will they resent this when they're grown? I have firm rules—limited face shots, nothing too personal, nothing that could embarrass them. But the line is hard to see.
The burnout hits hard. There are weeks when I can't create. When I'm done, talked out, and completely finished. But bills don't care about burnout. So I create anyway.
What Makes It Worth It
But here's what's real—even with the struggles, this journey has blessed me with things I never anticipated.
Financial stability for once in my life. I'm not a millionaire, but I eliminated my debt. I have an safety net. We took a family trip last summer—Orlando, which felt impossible not long ago. I don't panic about money anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my son got sick last month, I didn't have to call in to work or lose income. I worked anywhere. When there's a school event, I can go. I'm present in my kids' lives in ways I couldn't be with a traditional 9-5.
Connection that saved me. The creator friends I've met, especially solo parents, have become true friends. We connect, help each other, have each other's backs. My followers have become this family. They hype me up, support me, and validate me.
Me beyond motherhood. After years, I have an identity. I'm not defined by divorce or somebody's mother. I'm a CEO. A businesswoman. Someone who created this.
Tips for Single Moms Wanting to Start
If you're a single mother curious about this, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Just start. Your first videos will be trash. Mine did. It's fine. You improve over time, not by overthinking.
Be yourself. People can tell when you're fake. Share your honest life—the mess. That resonates.
Guard their privacy. Establish boundaries. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is the priority. I don't use their names, rarely show their faces, and protect their stories.
Diversify income streams. Don't put all eggs in one basket or one way to earn. The algorithm is fickle. Diversification = security.
Film multiple videos. When you have time alone, create multiple pieces. Tomorrow you will thank present you when you're drained.
Interact. Reply to comments. Reply to messages. Connect authentically. Your community is everything.
Analyze performance. Some content isn't worth it. If something is time-intensive and tanks while a different post takes no time and goes viral, pivot.
Take care of yourself. You need to fill your cup. Take breaks. Set boundaries. Your sanity matters most.
Stay patient. This isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. It took me eight months to make decent money. My first year, I made fifteen thousand. Year two, $80,000. Now, I'm projected for $100K+. It's a journey.
Stay connected to your purpose. On hard days—and trust me, there will be—think about your why. For me, it's financial freedom, being the background info there, and proving to myself that I'm capable of more than I thought possible.
The Reality Check
Real talk, I'm being honest. Content creation as a single mom is difficult. Like, really freaking hard. You're running a whole business while being the lone caretaker of demanding little people.
There are days I question everything. Days when the negativity sting. Days when I'm completely spent and asking myself if I should quit this with benefits and a steady paycheck.
But but then my daughter tells me she's proud that I work from home. Or I look at my savings. Or I read a message from a follower saying my content changed her life. And I understand the impact.
Where I'm Going From Here
A few years back, I was broke, scared, and had no idea how I'd survive as a single mom. Fast forward, I'm a full-time content creator making more than I imagined in my 9-5, and I'm there for my kids.
My goals now? Get to half a million followers by end of year. Launch a podcast for other single moms. Write a book eventually. Keep building this business that makes everything possible.
Content creation gave me a way out when I had nothing. It gave me a way to take care of my children, be available, and create something meaningful. It's not the path I expected, but it's perfect.
To every solo parent considering this: You can. It won't be easy. You'll struggle. But you're already doing the hardest job—single parenting. You're stronger than you think.
Start imperfect. Stay the course. Protect your peace. And know this, you're beyond survival mode—you're building something incredible.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go record a video about the project I just found out about and I just learned about it. Because that's the content creator single mom life—chaos becomes content, one video at a time.
No cap. This life? It's everything. Despite there's probably crushed cheerios all over my desk. That's the dream, chaos and all.