Let me spill, motherhood is a whole vibe. But plot twist? Attempting to make some extra cash while dealing with children who have boundless energy while I'm running on fumes.
My hustle life began about several years ago when I discovered that my random shopping trips were becoming problematic. It was time to get cash that was actually mine.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
Here's what happened, my initial venture was jumping into virtual assistance. And honestly? It was ideal. I was able to hustle while the kids slept, and all I needed was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.
I began by simple tasks like handling emails, posting on social media, and entering data. Super simple stuff. I charged about fifteen dollars an hour, which seemed low but for someone with zero experience, you gotta prove yourself first.
What cracked me up? I'd be on a Zoom call looking like a real businesswoman from the chest up—business casual vibes—while sporting sweatpants. That's the dream honestly.
The Etsy Shop Adventure
After a year, I thought I'd test out the handmade marketplace scene. Every mom I knew seemed to sell stuff on Etsy, so I figured "why not start one too?"
I started making printable planners and wall art. The beauty of printables? Make it one time, and it can generate passive income forever. Actually, I've earned money at times when I didn't even know.
When I got my first order? I lost my mind. My partner was like the house was on fire. Not even close—it was just me, doing a happy dance for my $4.99 sale. Don't judge me.
Blogging and Creating
Then I discovered creating content online. This one is playing the long game, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
I created a mom blog where I wrote about real mom life—everything this breakdown unfiltered. None of that Pinterest-perfect life. Only authentic experiences about how I once found a chicken nugget in my bra.
Building up views was painfully slow. Initially, I was essentially talking to myself. But I didn't give up, and slowly but surely, things gained momentum.
Now? I earn income through affiliate links, brand partnerships, and ad revenue. Last month I generated over two thousand dollars from my blog income. Wild, right?
The Social Media Management Game
Once I got decent at social media for my own stuff, other businesses started reaching out if I could manage their accounts.
Real talk? Most small businesses suck at social media. They understand they have to be on it, but they're clueless about the algorithm.
This is my moment. I now manage social media for three local businesses—different types of businesses. I create content, plan their posting schedule, interact with their audience, and check their stats.
They pay me between $500-$1500/month per business, depending on the complexity. What I love? I manage everything from my iPhone.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
For the wordy folks, freelance writing is seriously profitable. I'm not talking writing the next Great American Novel—this is business content.
Companies constantly need fresh content. I've written everything from the most random topics. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to know how to Google effectively.
Usually bill between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on length and complexity. On good months I'll crank out fifteen articles and bring in a couple thousand dollars.
Here's what's wild: I was the person who thought writing was torture. And now I'm earning a living writing. The irony.
Tutoring Online
After lockdown started, everyone needed online help. I used to be a teacher, so this was right up my alley.
I registered on several tutoring platforms. It's super flexible, which is essential when you have kids with unpredictable schedules.
I mostly tutor basic subjects. Rates vary from $15-25 per hour depending on where you work.
The funny thing? Every now and then my kids will interrupt mid-session. I've had to be professional while chaos erupted behind me. The families I work with are very sympathetic because they understand mom life.
The Reselling Game
Here me out, this side gig I stumbled into. During a massive cleanout my kids' room and tried selling some outfits on Mercari.
Things sold immediately. That's when I realized: there's a market for everything.
At this point I visit thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, looking for name brands. I'll buy something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
It's labor-intensive? Absolutely. I'm photographing items, writing descriptions, shipping packages. But I find it rewarding about finding hidden treasures at a garage sale and making profit.
Additionally: my kids think I'm cool when I bring home interesting finds. Recently I discovered a vintage toy that my son went crazy for. Sold it for $45. Victory for mom.
Real Talk Time
Here's the thing nobody tells you: these aren't get-rich-quick schemes. It's called hustling because you're hustling.
There are days when I'm surviving on caffeine and spite, wondering why I'm doing this. I'm up at 5am being productive before the madness begins, then all day mom-ing, then back to work after bedtime.
But you know what? I earned this money. I can spend it guilt-free to splurge on something nice. I'm adding to the family budget. I'm showing my kids that you can be both.
What I Wish I Knew
If you want to start a hustle of your own, here are my tips:
Start small. You can't start five businesses. Pick one thing and nail it down before expanding.
Honor your limits. If naptime is your only free time, that's perfectly acceptable. Two hours of focused work is better than nothing.
Avoid comparing yourself to other moms. That mom with the six-figure side hustle? They put in years of work and has resources you don't see. Do your thing.
Spend money on education, but wisely. You don't need expensive courses. Avoid dropping thousands on courses until you've tested the waters.
Work in batches. I learned this the hard way. Set aside certain times for certain work. Make Monday creation day. Wednesday could be administrative work.
Dealing with Mom Guilt
I have to be real with you—the mom guilt is real. There are times when I'm hustling and my child is calling for me, and I struggle with it.
But I remember that I'm showing them what dedication looks like. I'm showing my daughter that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.
Additionally? Financial independence has been good for me. I'm more content, which makes me more patient.
Let's Talk Money
My actual income? Typically, total from all sources, I make $3,000-5,000 per month. It varies, it fluctuates.
Is it life-changing money? Nope. But this money covers vacations, home improvements, and that emergency vet bill that would've caused financial strain. It's also developing my career and experience that could evolve into something huge.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, combining motherhood and entrepreneurship is challenging. There's no such thing as a perfect balance. Most days I'm flying by the seat of my pants, surviving on coffee, and praying it all works out.
But I'm proud of this journey. Each dollar earned is evidence of my capability. It demonstrates that I'm not just someone's mother.
If you're on the fence about diving into this? Go for it. Start messy. You in six months will appreciate it.
Keep in mind: You're not merely getting by—you're building something. Despite the fact that there's probably snack crumbs everywhere.
Seriously. This is incredible, chaos and all.
My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom
Real talk—being a single parent wasn't the dream. Nor was becoming a content creator. But here I am, three years later, earning income by posting videos while handling everything by myself. And I'll be real? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.
How It Started: When Everything Came Crashing Down
It was 2022 when my divorce happened. I remember sitting in my mostly empty place (he took what he wanted, I kept what mattered), scrolling mindlessly at 2am while my kids were finally quiet. I had eight hundred forty-seven dollars in my bank account, two kids to support, and a job that barely covered rent. The stress was unbearable, y'all.
I was scrolling social media to distract myself from the anxiety—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when everything is chaos, right?—when I stumbled on this single mom talking about how she paid off $30,000 in debt through posting online. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."
But desperation makes you brave. Or crazy. Sometimes both.
I grabbed the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, venting about how I'd just put my last twelve dollars on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' lunches. I shared it and felt sick. Why would anyone care about my broke reality?
Apparently, tons of people.
That video got forty-seven thousand views. 47,000 people watched me get emotional over chicken nuggets. The comments section turned into this validation fest—women in similar situations, other people struggling, all saying "this is my life." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want perfect. They wanted authentic.
My Brand Evolution: The Hot Mess Single Mom Brand
Here's the secret about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? It chose me. I became the real one.
I started posting about the stuff nobody talks about. 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 multiple nights and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my kid 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 trash. I filmed on a busted phone. But it was real, and apparently, that's what resonated.
In just two months, I hit ten thousand followers. Month three, 50K. By six months, I'd crossed 100K. Each milestone felt impossible. These were real people who wanted to follow me. Me—a barely surviving single mom who had to ask Google what this meant six months earlier.
My Daily Reality: Content Creation Meets Real Life
Here's what it actually looks like of my typical day, because content creation as a single mom is totally different from those curated "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm sounds. I do not want to move, but this is my work time. I make coffee that I'll reheat three times, and I get to work. Sometimes it's a GRWM sharing about budgeting. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while talking about custody stuff. The lighting is not great.
7:00am: Kids emerge. Content creation pauses. Now I'm in full mom mode—pouring cereal, finding the missing shoe (seriously, always ONE), packing lunches, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is next level.
8:30am: Drop off time. I'm that mom making videos while driving at red lights. Not my proudest moment, but content waits for no one.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my productive time. Kids are at school. I'm editing content, being social, brainstorming content ideas, pitching brands, analyzing metrics. They believe content creation is simple. It's not. It's a real job.
I usually batch-create content on Monday and Wednesday. That means making a dozen videos in a few hours. I'll swap tops so it seems like separate days. Advice: Keep wardrobe options close for fast swaps. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, filming myself talking to my phone in the parking lot.
3:00pm: Getting the kids. Parent time. But here's the thing—often my biggest hits come from the chaos. Last week, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I couldn't afford a toy she didn't need. I made content in the Target parking lot after about managing big emotions as a single parent. It got 2.3 million views.
Evening: Dinner through bedtime. I'm generally wiped out to create anything, but I'll queue up posts, reply to messages, or outline content. Many nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll work late because a partnership is due.
The truth? No such thing as balance. It's just chaos with a plan with occasional wins.
The Financial Reality: How I Generate Income
Okay, let's get into the finances because this is what people ask about. Can you really earn income as a influencer? For sure. Is it simple? Nope.
My first month, I made zilch. Month two? Still nothing. Third month, I got my first paid partnership—one hundred fifty dollars to feature a meal delivery. I actually cried. That one-fifty paid for groceries.
Currently, years later, here's how I generate revenue:
Sponsored Content: This is my largest income stream. I work with brands that my followers need—practical items, single-parent resources, children's products. I bill anywhere from five hundred to several thousand per collaboration, depending on what they need. Last month, I did four partnerships and made eight thousand dollars.
TikTok Fund: The TikTok fund pays not much—two to four hundred per month for millions of views. AdSense is actually decent. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that was a long process.
Affiliate Income: I post links to items I love—everything from my go-to coffee machine to the kids' beds. If anyone buys, I get a kickback. This brings in about $800-$1200/month.
Info Products: I created a budget template and a meal planning ebook. $15 apiece, and I sell dozens per month. That's another thousand to fifteen hundred.
Coaching/Consulting: New creators pay me to mentor them. I offer private coaching for two hundred dollars. I do about five to ten per month.
Combined monthly revenue: Most months, I'm making $10-15K per month these days. It varies, some are lower. It's unpredictable, which is stressful when you're it. But it's 3x what I made at my previous job, and I'm there for them.
The Struggles Nobody Mentions
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're losing it because a video flopped, or handling hate comments from keyboard warriors.
The haters are brutal. I've been mom-shamed, told I'm using my children, accused of lying about being a solo parent. I'll never forget, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one stuck with me.
The algorithm changes constantly. One week you're getting huge numbers. Next month, you're lucky to break 1,000. Your income goes up and down. You're never off, never resting, nervous about slowing down, you'll lose momentum.
The mom guilt is worse times a thousand. Every upload, I wonder: Is this appropriate? Is this okay? Will they be angry about this when they're adults? I have clear boundaries—protected identities, no sharing their private stuff, nothing humiliating. But the line is blurry sometimes.
The burnout hits hard. Certain periods when I don't want to film anything. When I'm exhausted, talked out, and just done. But bills don't care about burnout. So I do it anyway.
What Makes It Worth It
But listen—even with the struggles, this journey has given me things I never anticipated.
Economic stability for the first time in my life. I'm not a millionaire, but I eliminated my debt. I have an savings. We took a actual vacation last summer—the Mouse House, which was a dream not long ago. I don't check my bank account with anxiety anymore.
Control that's priceless. When my child had a fever 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 thing, I'm present. I'm in their lives in ways I couldn't be with a corporate job.
Support that saved me. The other influencers I've connected with, especially solo parents, have become real friends. We support each other, help each other, lift each other up. My followers have become this family. They hype me up, encourage me through rough patches, and validate me.
Something that's mine. Finally, I have something for me. I'm not just an ex or somebody's mother. I'm a content creator. A creator. Someone who created this.
What I Wish I Knew
If you're a single mom considering content creation, here's what I'd tell you:
Just start. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. It's fine. You grow through creating, not by waiting.
Be yourself. People can spot fake. Share your honest life—the chaos. That's what connects.
Guard their privacy. Set limits. Be intentional. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I don't use their names, rarely show their faces, and never discuss anything that could embarrass them.
Multiple revenue sources. Spread it out or one way to earn. The algorithm is unreliable. More streams = less stress.
Create in batches. When you have time alone, create multiple pieces. Tomorrow you will thank present you when you're drained.
Interact. Engage. Answer DMs. Create connections. Your community is crucial.
Analyze performance. Be strategic. If something requires tons of time and tanks while a different post takes very little time and gets massive views, pivot.
Take care of yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup. Unplug. Create limits. Your wellbeing matters more than anything.
This takes time. This takes time. It took me months to make any real money. Year one, I made maybe $15,000 total. Year 2, eighty thousand. Now, I'm hitting six figures. It's a journey.
Remember why you started. On hard days—and they happen—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's independence, time with my children, and proving to myself that I'm stronger than I knew.
Real Talk Time
Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Content creation as a single mom is hard. Like, really freaking hard. You're operating a business while being the lone caretaker of tiny humans who need you constantly.
There are days I second-guess this. Days when the hate comments sting. Days when I'm completely spent and wondering if I should go back to corporate with stability.
But then suddenly my daughter shares she appreciates this. Or I see my bank account actually has money in it. Or I get a DM from a follower saying my content helped her leave an unhealthy relationship. And I remember why I do this.
My Future Plans
A few years back, I was terrified and clueless how to survive. Fast forward, I'm a full-time creator making triple what I earned in corporate America, and I'm available when they need me.
My goals moving forward? Hit 500,000 followers by end of year. Create a podcast for solo parents. Maybe write a book. Continue building this business that gives me freedom, flexibility, and financial stability.
This path gave me a lifeline when I needed it most. It gave me a way to support my kids, show up, and create something meaningful. It's unexpected, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To all the single moms considering this: Hell yes you can. It will be hard. You'll consider quitting. But you're managing the hardest job in the world—single parenting. You're powerful.
Start imperfect. Stay the course. Guard your peace. And remember, you're more than just surviving—you're creating something amazing.
BRB, I need to go create content about another last-minute project and I'm just now hearing about it. Because that's this life—content from the mess, one post at a time.
Honestly. This life? It's the best decision. Even if there's definitely old snacks in my keyboard. No regrets, mess included.