Real talk, motherhood is a whole vibe. But here's the thing? Working to secure the bag while handling kids, laundry, and approximately 47 snack requests per day.
This whole thing started for me about three years ago when I realized that my impulse buys were reaching dangerous levels. It was time to get some independent income.
Being a VA
Okay so, my first gig was becoming a virtual assistant. And honestly? It was ideal. I was able to get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and literally all it took was a computer and internet.
I started with easy things like handling emails, posting on social media, and basic admin work. Super simple stuff. I started at about $20/hour, which wasn't much but for someone with zero experience, you gotta start somewhere.
The funniest part? I would be on a Zoom call looking like a real businesswoman from the chest up—full professional mode—while sporting pajama bottoms. That's the dream honestly.
My Etsy Journey
After a year, I ventured into the whole Etsy thing. Every mom I knew seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I figured "why not start one too?"
I created designing printable planners and digital art prints. What's great about digital products? One and done creation, and it can generate passive income forever. Actually, I've earned money at midnight when I'm unconscious.
My first sale? I freaked out completely. He came running thinking I'd injured myself. Not even close—it was just me, celebrating my $4.99 sale. I'm not embarrassed.
Content Creator Life
Then I ventured into creating content online. This venture is definitely a slow burn, trust me on this.
I launched a mom blog where I posted about what motherhood actually looks like—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Keeping it real. Just authentic experiences about the time my kid decorated the walls with Nutella.
Getting readers was like watching paint dry. For months, it was basically my only readers were my mom and two bots. But I stayed consistent, and slowly but surely, things started clicking.
These days? I earn income through affiliate marketing, collaborations, and advertisements on my site. This past month I earned over two thousand dollars from my blog income. Insane, right?
The Social Media Management Game
Once I got decent at my own content, other businesses started inquiring if I could manage their accounts.
Real talk? Tons of businesses suck at social media. They understand they have to be on it, but they're clueless about the algorithm.
That's where I come in. I now manage social media for several small companies—different types of businesses. I create content, plan their posting schedule, respond to comments, and monitor performance.
My rate is between $500-1500 per month per business, depending on the complexity. What I love? I do this work from my phone.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
If you can write, writing gigs is incredibly lucrative. I don't mean literary fiction—this is blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.
Businesses everywhere are desperate for content. I've created content about everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to know how to find information.
Generally make $50-150 per article, depending on length and complexity. On good months I'll create a dozen articles and pull in an extra $1,000-2,000.
Here's what's wild: I was the person who hated writing papers. Now I'm getting paid for it. Life's funny like that.
The Online Tutoring Thing
When COVID hit, virtual tutoring became huge. With my teaching background, so this was right up my alley.
I joined a couple of online tutoring sites. It's super flexible, which is non-negotiable when you have tiny humans who throw curveballs daily.
I mostly tutor K-5 subjects. Rates vary from $15-$25/hour depending on which site you use.
The awkward part? There are times when my own kids will burst into the room mid-session. I've had to educate someone's child while mine had a meltdown. The families I work with are totally cool about it because they're parents too.
Reselling and Flipping
Alright, this hustle I stumbled into. While organizing my kids' stuff and put some things on copyright.
Items moved within hours. I had an epiphany: one person's trash is another's treasure.
Now I hit up thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, on the hunt for good brands. I purchase something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
Is it a lot of work? Not gonna lie. It's a whole process. But it's strangely fulfilling about finding a gem at Goodwill and turning a profit.
Additionally: my children are fascinated when I discover weird treasures. Last week I found a rare action figure that my son lost his mind over. Made $45 on it. Score one for mom.
The Honest Reality
Let me keep it real: these aren't get-rich-quick schemes. It's called hustling because you're hustling.
There are days when I'm running on empty, wondering why I'm doing this. I'm up at 5am working before my kids wake up, then all day mom-ing, then back to work after the kids are asleep.
But here's the thing? These are my earnings. I can spend it guilt-free to treat myself. I'm contributing to our household income. My kids are learning that women can hustle.
What I Wish I Knew
For those contemplating a hustle of your own, here's my advice:
Start with one thing. You can't juggle ten things. Focus on one and become proficient before adding more.
Use the time you have. If you only have evenings, that's perfectly acceptable. Even one focused hour is a great beginning.
Comparison is the thief of joy to the highlight reels. The successful ones you see? She probably started years ago and doesn't do it alone. Focus on your own journey.
Learn and grow, but wisely. You don't need expensive courses. Don't spend $5,000 on a coaching program until you've tried things out.
Batch your work. I learned this the hard way. Use certain times for certain work. Monday might be making stuff day. Wednesday could be admin and emails.
The Mom Guilt is Real
Let me be honest—I struggle with guilt. Certain moments when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I hate it.
But then I remember that I'm modeling for them that hard work matters. I'm showing my daughter that you can be both.
And honestly? Making my own money has improved my mental health. I'm more fulfilled, which translates to better parenting.
Income Reality Check
So what do I actually make? Generally, from all my side gigs, I pull in three to five thousand monthly. Some months are better, others are slower.
Will this make you wealthy? No. But I've used it for so many things we needed that would've been impossible otherwise. And it's creating opportunities and expertise that could grow into more.
Wrapping This Up
Listen, doing this mom hustle thing takes work. There's no magic formula. A lot of days I'm making it up as I go, running on coffee and determination, and praying it all works out.
But I'm glad I'm doing this. Every single penny made is validation of my effort. It's evidence that I'm not just someone's mother.
So if you're considering starting a side hustle? Do it. Begin before you're ready. Your future self will thank you.
Don't forget: You're more than getting by—you're growing something incredible. Despite the fact that there's probably mysterious crumbs in your workspace.
No cap. It's pretty amazing, chaos and all.
Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom
Here's the truth—single motherhood was never the plan. I never expected to be turning into an influencer. But yet here I am, years into this crazy ride, paying bills by creating content while raising two kids basically solo. And real talk? It's been life-changing in every way of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Imploded
It was 2022 when my marriage ended. I can still picture sitting in my half-empty apartment (he took what he wanted, I kept what mattered), wide awake at 2am while my kids were asleep. I had less than a thousand dollars in my account, little people counting on me, and a salary that was a joke. 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 found this woman discussing how she became debt-free through posting online. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."
But desperation makes you brave. Or both. Probably both.
I downloaded the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Raw, unfiltered, messy hair, sharing 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 wants to watch my mess?
Spoiler alert, a lot of people.
That video got 47K views. Forty-seven thousand people watched me almost lose it over chicken nuggets. The comments section became this safe space—other single moms, folks in the trenches, all saying "I feel this." That was my turning point. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted honest.
My Brand Evolution: The Real Mom Life Brand
Here's the secret about content creation: niche is crucial. And my niche? It found me. I became the mom who tells the truth.
I started posting about the stuff people hide. Like how I didn't change pants for days because washing clothes was too much. Or the time I let them eat Lucky Charms for dinner three nights in a row and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked where daddy went, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who is six years old.
My content wasn't polished. My lighting was trash. I filmed on a phone with a broken screen. But it was unfiltered, and turns out, that's what worked.
Two months later, I hit ten thousand followers. 90 days in, 50K. By month six, I'd crossed 100,000. Each milestone felt impossible. These were real people who wanted to follow me. Little old me—a financially unstable single mom who had to learn everything from scratch not long ago.
A Day in the Life: Balancing Content and Chaos
Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is not at all like those curated "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 recording. Sometimes it's a get-ready-with-me sharing about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me cooking while venting about dealing with my ex. The lighting is not great.
7:00am: Kids are awake. Content creation stops. Now I'm in mommy mode—cooking eggs, locating lost items (it's always one shoe), packing lunches, mediating arguments. The chaos is overwhelming.
8:30am: Drop off time. I'm that mom making videos while driving in the car. Not my proudest moment, but content waits for no one.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. Kids are at school. I'm cutting clips, replying to DMs, thinking of ideas, sending emails, analyzing metrics. Folks imagine content creation is simple. It's not. It's a real job.
I usually film in batches on Mondays and Wednesdays. That means making a dozen videos in one session. I'll change shirts between videos so it looks like different days. Advice: Keep different outfits accessible for quick changes. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, filming myself talking to my phone in the backyard.
3:00pm: Getting the kids. Parent time. But here's the thing—sometimes my biggest hits come from real life. Recently, my daughter had a complete meltdown in Target because I said no to a expensive toy. I filmed a video in the vehicle later about dealing with meltdowns as a lone parent. It got millions of views.
Evening: All the evening things. I'm usually too exhausted to film, but I'll queue up posts, respond to DMs, or strategize. Certain nights, after they're down, I'll stay up editing because a partnership is due.
The truth? No such thing as balance. It's just chaos with a plan with occasional wins.
The Money Talk: How I Really Earn Money
Alright, let's get into the finances because this is what people ask about. Can you really earn income as a creator? 100%. Is it straightforward? Not even close.
My first month, I made zilch. Month two? Still nothing. Month three, I got my first sponsored post—$150 to share a food subscription. I broke down. That $150 covered food.
Currently, three years later, here's how I earn income:
Sponsored Content: This is my largest income stream. I work with brands that align with my audience—things that help, parenting tools, kids' stuff. I bill anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per campaign, depending on deliverables. This past month, I did four brand deals and made $8K.
Creator Fund/Ad Revenue: The TikTok fund pays very little—maybe $200-400 per month for tons of views. YouTube revenue is better. I make about fifteen hundred a month from YouTube, but that took forever.
Affiliate Marketing: I share affiliate links to stuff I really use—anything from my favorite coffee maker to the bunk beds I bought. If they buy using my link, I get a commission. This brings in about $800-$1200/month.
Info Products: I created a money management guide and a meal planning ebook. They're $15 each, and I sell dozens per month. That's another thousand to fifteen hundred.
One-on-One Coaching: New creators pay me to show them how. I offer one-on-one coaching sessions for two hundred per hour. I do about several a month.
Total monthly income: On average, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month currently. It varies, others are slower. It's variable, which is terrifying when you're it. But it's three times what I made at my corporate job, and I'm present.
The Dark Side Nobody Talks About
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're crying in your car because a video flopped, or handling vicious comments from internet trolls.
The trolls are vicious. I've been called a bad mom, told I'm problematic, called a liar about being a single mom. One person said, "I'd leave too." That one destroyed me.
The algorithm changes constantly. One week you're getting insane views. Next month, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income varies wildly. You're never off, never resting, worried that if you take a break, you'll be forgotten.
The mom guilt is worse to the extreme. Each post, I wonder: Is this appropriate? Is this okay? Will they hate me for this when they're teenagers? I have strict rules—limited face shots, no sharing their private stuff, nothing that could embarrass them. But the line is fuzzy.
The burnout is real. Some weeks when I can't create. When I'm depleted, socially drained, and just done. But the mortgage is due. So I do it anyway.
The Wins
But here's what's real—through it all, this journey has blessed me with things I never expected.
Financial freedom for the first damn time. I'm not a millionaire, but I paid off $18,000 in debt. I have an savings. We took a actual vacation last summer—Orlando, which seemed impossible two years ago. I don't panic about money anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my kid was ill last month, I didn't have to use PTO or stress about losing pay. I handled business at urgent care. When there's a class party, I attend. I'm there for them in ways I wasn't with a corporate job.
Connection that saved me. The other creators I've befriended, especially solo parents, have become true friends. We talk, share strategies, encourage each other. My followers have become this family. They celebrate my wins, support me, and validate me.
Me beyond motherhood. After years, I have something for me. I'm not defined by divorce or someone's mom. I'm a CEO. A businesswoman. A person who hustled.
Tips for Single Moms Wanting to Start
If you're a single parent considering content creation, listen up:
Begin now. Your first videos will be trash. Mine did. It's fine. You improve over time, not by procrastinating.
Be authentic, not perfect. People can spot fake. Share your honest life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That resonates.
Prioritize their privacy. Set boundaries early. Be intentional. Their privacy is the priority. I protect their names, rarely show their faces, and never discuss anything that could embarrass them.
Multiple revenue sources. Diversify or one way to earn. The algorithm is fickle. Multiple streams = safety.
Create in batches. When you have time alone, record several. Future you will be grateful when you're burnt out.
Build community. Engage. Reply to messages. Connect authentically. Your community is what matters.
Track your time and ROI. Be strategic. If something is time-intensive and flops while a different post takes minutes and gets 200,000 views, shift focus.
Take care of yourself. You need to fill your cup. Rest. Set boundaries. Your health matters most.
Be patient. This takes time. It took me ages to make meaningful money. The first year, I made maybe $15,000 total. Year 2, eighty grand. Year three, I'm making six figures. It's a process.
Remember why you started. On tough days—and trust me, there will be—recall your purpose. For me, it's independence, being present, and proving to myself that I'm capable of anything.
The Reality Check
Here's the deal, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. This life is hard. Really hard. You're managing a business while being the only parent of demanding little people.
Certain days I doubt myself. Days when the nasty comments affect me. Days when I'm completely spent and questioning if I should quit this with consistent income.
But and then my daughter mentions she loves that I'm home. Or I see my bank account actually has money in it. Or I read a message from a follower saying my content inspired her. And I remember why I do this.
The Future
A few years back, I was lost and broke how to make it work. Today, I'm a content creator making way more than I made in traditional work, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.
My goals moving forward? Reach 500K by this year. Begin podcasting for solo parents. Possibly write this source a book. Expand this business that gives me freedom, flexibility, and financial stability.
Content creation gave me a path forward when I had nothing. It gave me a way to feed my babies, be available, and build something I'm genuinely proud of. It's not what I planned, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To any single parent thinking about starting: Yes you can. It will be hard. You'll struggle. But you're managing the hardest job—doing this alone. You're tougher than you realize.
Begin messy. Keep showing up. Guard your peace. And know this, you're beyond survival mode—you're building an empire.
Time to go, I need to go create content about why my kid's school project is due tomorrow and surprise!. Because that's this life—making content from chaos, one TikTok at a time.
For real. Being a single mom creator? It's worth every struggle. Even if I'm sure there's crumbs stuck to my laptop right now. That's the dream, chaos and all.