Let me tell you, being a mom is not for the weak. But you know what's even crazier? Attempting to get that bread while handling tiny humans who think sleep is optional.
This whole thing started for me about several years ago when I figured out that my Target runs were getting out of hand. I was desperate for my own money.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
Right so, my initial venture was jumping into virtual assistance. And honestly? It was ideal. I was able to grind during those precious quiet hours, and all I needed was my laptop and decent wifi.
Initially I was doing easy things like handling emails, posting on social media, and entering data. Not rocket science. I started at about fifteen dollars an hour, which seemed low but as a total beginner, you gotta begin at the bottom.
What cracked me up? I'd be on read more a video meeting looking completely put together from the waist up—blazer, makeup, the works—while wearing pajama bottoms. Main character energy.
The Etsy Shop Adventure
After a year, I wanted to explore the selling on Etsy. Literally everyone seemed to be on Etsy, so I was like "why not start one too?"
I started creating digital planners and digital art prints. Here's why printables are amazing? Design it once, and it can make money while you sleep. Actually, I've earned money at times when I didn't even know.
When I got my first order? I freaked out completely. He came running thinking something was wrong. But no—I was just, cheering about my first five bucks. I'm not embarrassed.
Content Creator Life
After that I discovered the whole influencer thing. This one is a marathon not a sprint, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
I created a family lifestyle blog where I wrote about what motherhood actually looks like—all of it, no filter. Not the highlight reel. Just the actual truth about surviving tantrums in Target.
Getting readers was slow. Initially, I was essentially creating content for crickets. But I persisted, and after a while, things took off.
These days? I make money through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and ad revenue. This past month I generated over two grand from my blog income. Crazy, right?
SMM Side Hustle
When I became good with my own content, small companies started reaching out if I could run their social media.
Truth bomb? A lot of local businesses struggle with social media. They know they have to be on it, but they can't keep up.
This is my moment. I handle social media for three local businesses—various small businesses. I plan their content, queue up posts, handle community management, and check their stats.
They pay me between $500-$1500/month per account, depending on how much work is involved. Best part? I handle this from my phone.
Writing for Money
For the wordy folks, freelance writing is seriously profitable. I don't mean writing the next Great American Novel—I mean blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.
Websites and businesses always need writers. I've written everything from literally everything under the sun. Being an expert isn't required, you just need to be able to learn quickly.
Usually earn $0.10-0.50 per word, depending on how complex it is. Certain months I'll create 10-15 articles and make an extra $1,000-2,000.
The funny thing is: I was that student who thought writing was torture. These days I'm a professional writer. The irony.
The Online Tutoring Thing
After lockdown started, online tutoring exploded. With my teaching background, so this was an obvious choice.
I joined several tutoring platforms. You choose when you work, which is crucial when you have unpredictable little ones.
I mostly tutor elementary reading and math. Rates vary from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on where you work.
What's hilarious? Occasionally my children will photobomb my lessons mid-session. I once had to teach fractions while my toddler screamed about the wrong color cup. The parents on the other end are incredibly understanding because they understand mom life.
The Reselling Game
Okay, this particular venture I stumbled into. During a massive cleanout my kids' things and put some things on copyright.
Items moved so fast. I suddenly understood: you can sell literally anything.
These days I frequent secondhand stores and sales, hunting for name brands. I'll find something for a few dollars and make serious profit.
It's labor-intensive? For sure. There's photographing, listing, and shipping. But it's strangely fulfilling about spotting valuable items at the thrift store and making money.
Bonus: my children are fascinated when I bring home interesting finds. Just last week I discovered a rare action figure that my son went crazy for. Made $45 on it. Mom win.
Real Talk Time
Real talk moment: side hustles take work. It's called hustling because you're hustling.
There are moments when I'm surviving on caffeine and spite, asking myself what I'm doing. I'm up at 5am getting stuff done while it's quiet, then handling mom duties, then more hustle time after the kids are asleep.
But here's the thing? This income is mine. No permission needed to treat myself. I'm adding to our household income. My kids see that women can hustle.
Tips if You're Starting Out
For those contemplating a side gig, here are my tips:
Start small. Don't try to start five businesses. Start with one venture and master it before starting something else.
Be realistic about time. Your available hours, that's fine. Even one focused hour is valuable.
Don't compare yourself to other moms. Everyone you're comparing yourself to? They put in years of work and has help. Stay in your lane.
Learn and grow, but carefully. You don't need expensive courses. Don't waste huge money on programs until you've proven the concept.
Work in batches. This is crucial. Use time blocks for different things. Make Monday content creation day. Wednesday might be administrative work.
The Mom Guilt is Real
Let me be honest—guilt is part of this. Certain moments when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I feel terrible.
But I remind myself that I'm demonstrating to them work ethic. I'm proving to them that women can be mothers and entrepreneurs.
Additionally? Having my own income has improved my mental health. I'm more content, which translates to better parenting.
Let's Talk Money
How much do I earn? Generally, total from all sources, I bring in $3,000-5,000 per month. It varies, it fluctuates.
Is it life-changing money? Not really. But this money covers so many things we needed that would've caused financial strain. And it's developing my career and expertise that could evolve into something huge.
Wrapping This Up
At the end of the day, being a mom with a side hustle is challenging. It's not a magic formula. Many days I'm making it up as I go, surviving on coffee, and crossing my fingers.
But I don't regret it. Every single dollar I earn is evidence of my capability. It demonstrates that I have identity beyond motherhood.
If you're thinking about beginning your hustle journey? Go for it. Don't wait for perfect. Your future self will appreciate it.
And remember: You're not merely enduring—you're creating something amazing. Even when there's likely snack crumbs on your keyboard.
No cap. This mom hustle life is the life, complete with all the chaos.
From Survival Mode to Content Creator: My Journey as a Single Mom
Real talk—being a single parent was never the plan. Neither was building a creator business. But yet here I am, years into this crazy ride, supporting my family by creating content while raising two kids basically solo. And not gonna lie? It's been the best worst decision of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Fell Apart
It was a few years ago when my life exploded. I remember sitting in my bare apartment (he got the furniture, I got the memories), unable to sleep at 2am while my kids slept. I had eight hundred forty-seven dollars in my checking account, two mouths to feed, and a job that barely covered rent. The panic was real, y'all.
I was on TikTok to escape reality—because that's the move? when our lives are falling apart, right?—when I saw this solo parent sharing how she made six figures through making videos. I remember thinking, "No way that's legit."
But when you're desperate, you try anything. Maybe both. Usually both.
I got the TikTok creator app the next morning. My first video? Completely unpolished, explaining how I'd just blown my final $12 on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' school lunches. I hit post and panicked. Who gives a damn about this disaster?
Turns out, thousands of people.
That video got forty-seven thousand views. 47,000 people watched me get emotional over $12 worth of food. The comments section was this unexpected source of support—women in similar situations, folks in the trenches, all saying "this is my life." That was my epiphany. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted honest.
Building My Platform: The Unfiltered Mom Content
Here's what they don't say about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? It happened organically. I became the single mom who keeps it brutally honest.
I started posting about the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I wore the same leggings all week because I couldn't handle laundry. Or the time I gave them breakfast for dinner several days straight and called it "breakfast for dinner week." Or that moment when my child asked why daddy doesn't live here anymore, and I had to explain adult stuff to a kid who thinks the tooth fairy is real.
My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was awful. I filmed on a ancient iPhone. But it was honest, and apparently, that's what connected.
Within two months, I hit ten thousand followers. 90 days in, fifty thousand. By half a year, I'd crossed 100K. Each milestone blew my mind. People who wanted to know my story. Me—a struggling single mom who had to figure this out from zero six months earlier.
The Actual Schedule: Content Creation Meets Real Life
Here's what it actually looks like of my typical day, because content creation as a single mom is not at all like those pretty "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm blares. I do want to throw my phone, but this is my sacred content creation time. I make coffee that will get cold, and I get to work. Sometimes it's a get-ready-with-me talking about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me cooking while venting about 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 mommy mode—feeding humans, locating lost items (where do they go), throwing food in bags, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is overwhelming.
8:30am: Carpool line. I'm that mom in the carpool line filming TikToks when stopped. Not my proudest moment, but I gotta post.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. Peace and quiet. I'm cutting clips, responding to comments, thinking of ideas, pitching brands, reviewing performance. People think content creation is simple. Absolutely not. It's a real job.
I usually film in batches on Monday and Wednesday. That means filming 10-15 videos in one session. I'll switch outfits so it seems like separate days. Hot tip: Keep several shirts ready for quick changes. My neighbors think I've lost it, recording myself alone in the yard.
3:00pm: Picking them up. Back to parenting. But here's where it gets tricky—frequently my best content ideas come from this time. Last week, my daughter had a epic meltdown in Target because I said no to a $40 toy. I made content in the parking lot afterward about surviving tantrums as a single mom. It got 2.3 million views.
Evening: The evening routine. I'm completely exhausted to film, but I'll schedule uploads, answer messages, or prep for tomorrow. Often, after they're down, I'll edit for hours because a brand deadline is looming.
The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just managed chaos with random wins.
Let's Talk Income: How I Support My Family
Alright, let's talk numbers because this is what people ask about. Can you legitimately profit as a content creator? 100%. Is it easy? Hell no.
My first month, I made $0. Month two? Still nothing. Third month, I got my first brand deal—one hundred fifty dollars to share a meal kit service. I cried real tears. That one-fifty paid for groceries.
Now, three years in, here's how I earn income:
Brand Deals: This is my biggest income source. I work with brands that make sense—affordable stuff, helpful services, kids' stuff. I charge anywhere from $500-5K per collaboration, depending on what they need. Just last month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made eight thousand dollars.
Platform Payments: The TikTok fund pays very little—two to four hundred per month for millions of views. AdSense is actually decent. I make about fifteen hundred a month from YouTube, but that was a long process.
Link Sharing: I share affiliate links to products I actually use—anything from my favorite coffee maker to the kids' beds. If someone purchases through my link, I get a commission. This brings in about $1K monthly.
Downloadables: I created a budget template and a meal planning ebook. They're $15 each, and I sell dozens per month. That's another thousand to fifteen hundred.
Coaching/Consulting: People wanting to start pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer private coaching for two hundred dollars. I do about several a month.
My total income: On average, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month now. It varies, some are less. It's variable, which is scary when you're it. But it's three times what I made at my corporate job, and I'm present.
The Hard Parts Nobody Shows You
It looks perfect online until you're sobbing alone because a post tanked, or managing nasty DMs from keyboard warriors.
The negativity is intense. I've been mom-shamed, told I'm exploiting my kids, questioned about being a single mom. I'll never forget, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one hurt so bad.
The algorithm changes constantly. One week you're getting insane views. Next month, you're lucky to break 1,000. Your income goes up and down. You're always on, always "on", afraid to pause, you'll lose relevance.
The guilt is crushing to the extreme. Each post, I wonder: Is this appropriate? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they resent this when they're grown? I have strict rules—limited face shots, no sharing their private stuff, no embarrassing content. But the line is hard to see.
The burnout hits hard. There are weeks when I don't want to film anything. When I'm touched out, over it, and totally spent. But the mortgage is due. So I push through.
What Makes It Worth It
But here's what's real—through it all, this journey has given me things I never imagined.
Economic stability for the first damn time. I'm not rich, but I cleared $18K. I have an emergency fund. We took a actual vacation last summer—Orlando, which seemed impossible two years ago. I don't stress about my account anymore.
Schedule freedom that's priceless. When my boy was sick last month, I didn't have to call in to work or lose income. I worked from the pediatrician's waiting room. When there's a school event, I'm there. I'm present in my kids' lives in ways I wasn't with a normal job.
Support that saved me. The other creators I've connected with, especially single moms, have become real friends. We vent, collaborate, encourage each other. My followers have become this family. They celebrate my wins, send love, and validate me.
Something that's mine. Since becoming a mom, I have something for me. I'm not just an ex or only a parent. I'm a CEO. A content creator. Someone who created this.
What I Wish I Knew
If you're a single parent considering content creation, here's my advice:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. That's okay. You learn by doing, not by procrastinating.
Authenticity wins. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your honest life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That's the magic.
Protect your kids. Establish boundaries. Have standards. Their privacy is everything. I never share their names, protect their faces, and respect their dignity.
Multiple revenue sources. Spread it out or one revenue source. The algorithm is fickle. More streams = less stress.
Create in batches. When you have time alone, record several. Future you will be grateful when you're burnt out.
Build community. Engage. Check messages. Build real relationships. Your community is everything.
Analyze performance. Not all content is worth creating. If something is time-intensive and tanks while another video takes 20 minutes and gets 200,000 views, adjust your strategy.
Take care of yourself. You matter too. Rest. Create limits. Your health matters most.
Give it time. 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. Year 3, I'm making six figures. It's a marathon.
Stay connected to your purpose. On tough days—and trust me, there will be—recall your purpose. For me, it's supporting my kids, being there, and demonstrating that I'm capable of more than I thought possible.
Real Talk Time
Here's the deal, I'm being honest. Being a single mom creator is challenging. Like, really freaking hard. You're operating a business while being the lone caretaker of tiny humans who need you constantly.
Many days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the trolls sting. Days when I'm completely spent and asking myself if I should get a regular job with a 401k.
But then my daughter tells me she's proud that I work from home. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I read a message from a follower saying my content helped her leave an unhealthy relationship. And I remember my purpose.
What's Next
Years ago, I was scared and struggling how to make it work. Fast forward, I'm a content creator making more than I imagined in my old job, and I'm present for everything.
My goals for the future? Hit 500,000 followers by end of year. Launch a podcast for single parents. Maybe write a book. Expand this business that gives me freedom, flexibility, and financial stability.
Being a creator gave me a way out when I was drowning. It gave me a way to take care of my children, be available, and accomplish something incredible. It's a surprise, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To all the single moms on the fence: Hell yes you can. It isn't simple. You'll want to quit some days. But you're currently doing the toughest gig—parenting solo. You're more capable than you know.
Begin messy. Stay consistent. Guard your peace. And don't forget, you're doing more than surviving—you're changing your life.
Now if you'll excuse me, 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.
No cap. Being a single mom creator? It's everything. Even when I'm sure there's Goldfish crackers all over my desk. Dream life, one messy video at a time.