I'm gonna be honest with you, being a mom is a whole vibe. But plot twist? Attempting to get that bread while dealing with toddlers and their chaos.
I entered the side gig world about a few years back when I discovered that my retail therapy sessions were reaching dangerous levels. I needed funds I didn't have to justify spending.
Being a VA
Here's what happened, my initial venture was becoming a virtual assistant. And I'll be real? It was perfect. I was able to work during naptime, and literally all it took was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.
Initially I was doing easy things like handling emails, managing social content, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. My rate was about fifteen dollars an hour, which seemed low but when you don't know what you're doing yet, you gotta start somewhere.
What cracked me up? I would be on a video meeting looking completely put together from the shoulders up—business casual vibes—while rocking my rattiest leggings. That's the dream honestly.
My Etsy Journey
Once I got comfortable, I wanted to explore the whole Etsy thing. Every mom I knew seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I thought "why not get in on this?"
My shop focused on making digital planners and home decor prints. The beauty of printables? Design it once, and it can generate passive income forever. Genuinely, I've gotten orders at midnight when I'm unconscious.
The first time someone bought something? I literally screamed. My husband thought there was an emergency. Negative—just me, cheering about my five dollar sale. Don't judge me.
The Content Creation Grind
After that I discovered creating content online. This particular side gig is not for instant gratification seekers, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
I launched a mom blog where I posted about the chaos of parenting—everything unfiltered. Not the highlight reel. Simply real talk about finding mystery stains on everything I own.
Growing an audience was a test of patience. Initially, it was basically talking to myself. But I didn't give up, and over time, things began working.
Currently? I generate revenue through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and display ads. This past month I made over $2,000 from my blog alone. Insane, right?
SMM Side Hustle
When I became good with managing my blog's social media, brands started reaching out if I could do the same for them.
And honestly? Most small businesses suck at social media. They know they should be posting, but they're clueless about the algorithm.
I swoop in. I oversee social media for three local businesses—different types of businesses. I plan their content, schedule posts, respond to comments, and analyze the metrics.
They pay me between five hundred to fifteen hundred monthly per account, depending on the complexity. What I love? I do this work from my phone while sitting in the carpool line.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
For the wordy folks, writing gigs is incredibly lucrative. Not like literary fiction—I'm talking about content writing for businesses.
Websites and businesses need content constantly. My assignments have included everything from dental hygiene to copyright. Being an expert isn't required, you just need to be able to learn quickly.
Generally earn between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on how complex it is. On good months I'll crank out ten to fifteen pieces and pull in a couple thousand dollars.
The funny thing is: I'm the same person who struggled with essays. These days I'm making money from copyright. Talk about character development.
Virtual Tutoring
2020 changed everything, tutoring went digital. I was a teacher before kids, so this was perfect for me.
I joined VIPKid and Tutor.com. You make your own schedule, which is absolutely necessary when you have children who keep you guessing.
I mainly help with elementary reading and math. The pay ranges from $15-$25/hour depending on the company.
What's hilarious? Every now and then my kids will crash my tutoring session mid-session. I once had to maintain composure during complete chaos in the background. The parents on the other end 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' closet and tried selling some outfits on copyright.
They sold so fast. I suddenly understood: people will buy anything.
At this point I shop at anywhere with deals, searching for good brands. I'll find something for a few dollars and make serious profit.
This takes effort? Absolutely. I'm photographing items, writing descriptions, shipping packages. But it's strangely fulfilling about finding a gem at Goodwill and earning from it.
Additionally: my kids think I'm cool when I bring home interesting finds. Last week I grabbed a vintage toy that my son absolutely loved. Got forty-five dollars for it. Mom for the win.
Real Talk Time
Real talk moment: side hustles take work. It's called hustling because you're hustling.
Some days when I'm completely drained, doubting everything. I'm grinding at dawn working before my kids wake up, then all day mom-ing, then back at it after the kids are asleep.
But here's the thing? This income is mine. No permission needed to get the good coffee. I'm contributing to my family's finances. I'm teaching my children that you can be both.
What I Wish I Knew
If you're thinking about a hustle of your own, this is what I've learned:
Don't go all in immediately. Don't attempt to start five businesses. Pick one thing and nail it down before expanding.
Be realistic about time. If naptime is your only free time, that's perfectly acceptable. Two hours of focused work is valuable.
Stop comparing to the highlight reels. Those people with massive success? They put in years of work and has resources you don't see. Run your own race.
Invest in yourself, but wisely. You don't need expensive courses. Don't waste thousands on courses until you've tried things out.
Batch tasks together. I learned this the hard way. Block off days for specific hustles. Monday might be content creation day. Make Wednesday organizing and responding.
Let's Talk Mom Guilt
Real talk—the mom guilt is real. There are times when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I hate it.
But then I remind myself that I'm showing them what dedication looks like. I'm showing my daughter that women can be mothers and entrepreneurs.
And honestly? Earning independently has helped me feel more like myself. I'm more fulfilled, which makes me a better parent.
The Numbers
So what do I actually make? Generally, between all my hustles, I make three to five thousand monthly. Some months are better, others are slower.
Is it life-changing money? No. 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 experience that could become a full-time thing.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, hustling as a mom is hard. You won't find a one-size-fits-all approach. Most days I'm making it up as I go, fueled by espresso and stubbornness, and crossing my fingers.
But I wouldn't change it. Every dollar I earn is proof that I can do hard things. It demonstrates that I'm not just someone's mother.
For anyone contemplating diving into this? Take the leap. Start before it's perfect. Future you will be grateful.
Always remember: You're more than enduring—you're hustling. Even though there's probably mysterious crumbs everywhere.
No cap. This is pretty amazing, chaos and all.
My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom
Real talk—being a single parent wasn't part of my five-year plan. Neither was turning into an influencer. But here we are, three years into this wild journey, paying bills by being vulnerable on the internet while doing this mom thing solo. And real talk? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.
The Beginning: When Everything Changed
It was three years ago when my relationship fell apart. I can still picture sitting in my new apartment (I kept the kids' stuff, he took everything else), scrolling mindlessly at 2am while my kids slept. I had $847 in my account, two mouths to feed, 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 we're drowning, right?—when I found this woman sharing how she changed her life through posting online. I remember thinking, "That's either a scam or she's incredibly lucky."
But being broke makes you bold. Or crazy. Usually both.
I downloaded the TikTok creator app the next morning. My first video? Raw, unfiltered, messy hair, sharing how I'd just put my last twelve dollars on a cheap food for my kids' lunch boxes. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Who gives a damn about my mess?
Spoiler alert, a lot of people.
That video got 47K views. 47,000 people watched me nearly cry over frozen nuggets. The comments section turned into this unexpected source of support—other single moms, folks in the trenches, all saying "this is my life." That was my turning point. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted honest.
My Brand Evolution: The Unfiltered Mom Content
Here's the secret about content creation: you need a niche. And my niche? It chose me. I became the unfiltered single mom.
I started filming the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I wore the same leggings all week because laundry felt impossible. Or the time I served cereal as a meal multiple nights and called it "breakfast for dinner week." Or that moment when my daughter asked where daddy went, and I had to have big conversations to a kid who is six years old.
My content was rough. My lighting was terrible. I filmed on a cracked iPhone 8. But it was unfiltered, and turns out, that's what hit.
Within two months, I hit ten thousand followers. Month three, 50K. By month six, I'd crossed six figures. Each milestone blew my mind. Real accounts who wanted to follow me. Me—a broke single mom who had to figure this out from zero months before.
My Daily Reality: Content Creation Meets Real Life
Let me show you of my typical day, because this life is not at all like those perfect "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm goes off. I do NOT want to get up, but this is my precious quiet time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I get to work. Sometimes it's a get-ready-with-me sharing about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while talking about co-parenting struggles. The lighting is natural and terrible.
7:00am: Kids are awake. Content creation ends. Now I'm in full mom mode—feeding humans, finding the missing shoe (where do they go), throwing food in bags, stopping fights. The chaos is real.
8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom in the carpool line filming TikToks at red lights. Not proud of this, but bills don't care.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my power window. Kids are at school. I'm in editing mode, being social, brainstorming content ideas, reaching out to brands, reviewing performance. People think content creation is just posting videos. Absolutely not. It's a real job.
I usually batch-create content on Mondays and Wednesdays. That means creating 10-15 pieces in a few hours. I'll swap tops so it appears to be different times. Advice: Keep wardrobe options close for easy transitions. My neighbors think I've lost it, talking to my camera in the parking lot.
3:00pm: Picking them up. Mom mode activated. But plot twist—frequently my biggest hits come from these after-school moments. Just last week, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I wouldn't buy a $40 toy. I created a video in the Target parking lot afterward about dealing with meltdowns as a single mom. It got over 2 million views.
Evening: The evening routine. I'm usually too exhausted to film, but I'll plan posts, answer messages, or strategize. Some nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll work late because a partnership is due.
The truth? There's no balance. It's just controlled chaos with some victories.
The Money Talk: How I Actually Make a Living
Okay, let's get into the finances because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you make a living as a influencer? Absolutely. Is it effortless? Hell no.
My first month, I made zero dollars. Second month? Also nothing. Month three, I got my first paid partnership—$150 to feature a meal kit service. I cried real tears. That one-fifty bought groceries for two weeks.
Today, three years in, here's how I monetize:
Sponsored Content: This is my biggest income source. I work with brands that align with my audience—practical items, parenting tools, kid essentials. I get paid anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per partnership, depending on the scope. Last month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made $8,000.
Creator Fund/Ad Revenue: TikTok's creator fund pays pennies—a few hundred dollars per month for millions of views. YouTube money is better. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that was a long process.
Link Sharing: I post links to things I own—anything from my go-to coffee machine to the bunk beds I bought. If they buy using my link, I get a cut. This brings in about $800-$1200/month.
Info Products: I created a budget template and a meal planning ebook. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell maybe 50-100 per month. That's another $1-1.5K.
Coaching/Consulting: New creators pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer consulting calls for $200 hourly. I do about 5-10 each month.
Total monthly income: On average, I'm making $10-15K per month currently. Some months are higher, some are lower. It's up and down, which is stressful when there's no backup. But it's triple what I made at my corporate job, and I'm present.
The Dark Side Nobody Posts About
This sounds easy until you're losing it because a post tanked, or handling hate comments from strangers who think they know your life.
The negativity is intense. I've been mom-shamed, told I'm problematic, questioned about being a divorced parent. One person said, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one stuck with me.
The platform changes. Sometimes you're getting millions of views. The next, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income varies wildly. You're always on, never resting, nervous about slowing down, you'll be forgotten.
The mom guilt is amplified beyond normal. Every upload, I wonder: Is this appropriate? Are my kids safe? Will they regret this when they're teenagers? I have strict rules—protected identities, keeping their stories private, nothing that could embarrass them. But the line is blurry sometimes.
The burnout is real. Some weeks when I have nothing. When I'm touched out, over it, and totally spent. But life doesn't stop. So I do it anyway.
The Wins
But here's the thing—even with the struggles, this journey has created things I never imagined.
Money security for the first time in my life. I'm not loaded, but I cleared $18K. I have an safety net. We took a family trip last summer—Disney World, which felt impossible not long ago. I don't dread checking my balance anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my child had a fever last month, I didn't have to use PTO or worry about money. I worked from the doctor's office. When there's a field trip, I'm there. I'm there for them in ways I couldn't be with a normal job.
My people that saved me. The other creators I've met, especially other moms, have become actual friends. We talk, exchange tips, support each other. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They hype me up, lift me up, and validate me.
My own identity. Finally, I have my own thing. I'm more than an ex or only a parent. I'm a business owner. A creator. Someone who made it happen.
Tips for Single Moms Wanting to Start
If you're a solo parent considering content creation, here's what I'd tell you:
Just start. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. Everyone starts there. You improve over time, not by procrastinating.
Be yourself. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your honest life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That's what works.
Prioritize their privacy. Set limits. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is sacred. I keep names private, limit face shots, and keep private things private.
Build multiple income streams. Diversify or one revenue source. The algorithm is unstable. More streams = less stress.
Film multiple videos. When you have time alone, create multiple pieces. Tomorrow you will thank yourself when you're drained.
Build community. Reply to comments. Respond to DMs. Build real relationships. Your community is what matters.
Monitor what works. Time is money. If something is time-intensive and flops while another video takes 20 minutes and gets massive views, shift focus.
Prioritize yourself. You matter too. Step away. Protect your peace. Your wellbeing matters more than going viral.
Stay patient. This takes time. It took me eight months to make meaningful money. Year one, I made barely $15,000. The second year, $80,000. This year, I'm hitting six figures. It's a long game.
Remember why you started. On bad days—and they happen—remember your reason. For me, it's independence, being there, and validating that I'm more than I believed.
The Honest Truth
Here's the deal, I'm being honest. This life is tough. Like, really freaking hard. You're basically running a business while being the lone caretaker of kids who need everything.
Many days I second-guess this. Days when the nasty comments get to me. Days when I'm drained and wondering if I should quit this with stability.
But then suddenly my daughter mentions she appreciates this. Or I see my bank account actually has money in it. Or I read a message from a follower saying my content gave her courage. And I remember my purpose.
The Future
Three years ago, I was terrified and clueless how to make it work. Fast forward, I'm a full-time creator making way more than I made in my old job, and I'm there for my kids.
My goals now? Hit 500K by this year. Create a podcast for single parents. Consider writing a book. Continue building this business that changed my life.
Being a creator gave me a way out an introduction here when I had nothing. It gave me a way to provide for my family, show up, and build something I'm genuinely proud of. It's not the path I expected, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To every solo parent wondering if you can do this: You can. It isn't simple. You'll struggle. But you're already doing the toughest gig—single parenting. You're powerful.
Start messy. Stay consistent. Prioritize yourself. And don't forget, you're beyond survival mode—you're building something incredible.
BRB, I need to go film a TikTok about homework I forgot about and surprise!. Because that's this life—making content from chaos, one post at a time.
No cap. This path? It's everything. Despite there might be crumbs stuck to my laptop right now. No regrets, imperfectly perfect.