Here's the tea, motherhood is not for the weak. But here's the thing? Attempting to get that bread while dealing with kids, laundry, and approximately 47 snack requests per day.
This whole thing started for me about three years ago when I realized that my retail therapy sessions were way too frequent. I had to find cash that was actually mine.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
Right so, I kicked things off was jumping into virtual assistance. And real talk? It was chef's kiss. It let me get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and literally all it took was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.
I began by basic stuff like handling emails, managing social content, and data entry. Not rocket science. I started at about $20/hour, which wasn't much but as a total beginner, you gotta prove yourself first.
What cracked me up? There I was on a Zoom call looking like a real businesswoman from the chest up—full professional mode—while rocking sweatpants. That's the dream honestly.
My Etsy Journey
About twelve months in, I ventured into the handmade marketplace scene. All my mom friends seemed to be on Etsy, so I thought "why not me?"
I began creating downloadable organizers and wall art. What's great about digital products? You create it once, and it can sell forever. For real, I've earned money at ungodly hours.
My first sale? I lost my mind. He came running thinking there was an emergency. Negative—I was just, doing a happy dance for my first five bucks. I'm not embarrassed.
Blogging and Creating
Next I ventured into blogging and content creation. This hustle is playing the long game, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
I began a family lifestyle blog where I posted about the chaos of parenting—everything unfiltered. Not the highlight reel. Just honest stories about the time my kid decorated the walls with Nutella.
Growing an audience was a test of patience. For months, it was basically creating content for crickets. But I didn't give up, and eventually, things started clicking.
These days? I make money through promoting products, collaborations, and advertisements on my site. Recently I earned over $2,000 from my website. Mind-blowing, right?
SMM Side Hustle
As I mastered running my own socials, brands started asking if I could do the same for them.
Real talk? A lot of local businesses don't understand social media. They recognize they need to be there, but they're too busy.
I swoop in. I currently run social media for three local businesses—a bakery, a boutique, and a fitness studio. I make posts, queue up posts, interact with their audience, and monitor performance.
I bill between five hundred to fifteen hundred monthly per account, depending on the complexity. Here's what's great? I manage everything from my phone during soccer practice.
Freelance Writing Life
If you can write, content writing is seriously profitable. I'm not talking literary fiction—I'm talking about blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.
Businesses everywhere are desperate for content. I've written articles about everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. You just need to research, you just need to be good at research.
On average earn between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on what's involved. On good months I'll crank out fifteen articles and bring in a couple thousand dollars.
The funny thing is: I'm the same person who hated writing papers. And now I'm making money from copyright. Life is weird.
The Online Tutoring Thing
After lockdown started, everyone needed online help. As a former educator, so this was perfect for me.
I signed up with various tutoring services. You make your own schedule, which is essential when you have tiny humans who throw curveballs daily.
I mainly help with K-5 subjects. You can make from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on which site you use.
Here's what's weird? Every now and then my children will interrupt mid-session. I once had to be professional while chaos erupted behind me. Other parents are usually super understanding because they're living the same life.
The Reselling Game
Okay, this hustle started by accident. I was cleaning out my kids' things and put some things on various apps.
Items moved so fast. I had an epiphany: there's a market for everything.
At this point I hit up secondhand stores and sales, hunting for things that will sell. I'll buy something for cheap and resell at a markup.
Is it a lot of work? Yes. It's a whole process. But there's something satisfying about discovering a diamond in the rough at a a supporting article garage sale and making money.
Bonus: my children are fascinated when I discover weird treasures. Just last week I discovered a vintage toy that my son freaked out about. Flipped it for forty-five bucks. Mom for the win.
Real Talk Time
Truth bomb incoming: side hustles take work. It's called hustling because you're hustling.
There are moments when I'm running on empty, questioning my life choices. I wake up early getting stuff done while it's quiet, then handling mom duties, then back at it after 8pm hits.
But this is what's real? I earned this money. I'm not asking anyone to treat myself. I'm helping with our household income. I'm teaching my children that women can hustle.
Advice for New Mom Hustlers
If you're considering a side gig, here's what I'd tell you:
Begin with something manageable. Don't attempt to juggle ten things. Focus on one and nail it down before adding more.
Use the time you have. If you only have evenings, that's fine. Two hours of focused work is a great beginning.
Avoid comparing yourself to the highlight reels. That mom with the six-figure side hustle? She's been grinding forever and doesn't do it alone. Do your thing.
Invest in yourself, but strategically. Start with free stuff first. Be careful about spending huge money on programs until you've proven the concept.
Batch your work. This saved my sanity. Set aside certain times for certain work. Use Monday for creation day. Use Wednesday for handling business stuff.
The Mom Guilt is Real
Real talk—mom guilt is a thing. Sometimes when I'm working and my kid wants attention, and I feel terrible.
But then I consider that I'm showing them what dedication looks like. I'm showing my daughter that women can be mothers and entrepreneurs.
And honestly? Financial independence has helped me feel more like myself. I'm more satisfied, which helps me be better.
Let's Talk Money
So what do I actually make? On average, combining everything, I earn three to five thousand monthly. Some months are better, some are tougher.
Is this getting-rich money? Not really. But it's paid for so many things we needed that would've caused financial strain. It's building my skills and knowledge that could evolve into something huge.
Wrapping This Up
Look, doing this mom hustle thing is challenging. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. A lot of days I'm making it up as I go, surviving on coffee, and hoping for the best.
But I don't regret it. Every penny made is validation of my effort. It demonstrates that I'm a multifaceted person.
So if you're considering launching a mom business? Go for it. Start before it's perfect. Your tomorrow self will appreciate it.
Keep in mind: You're not merely enduring—you're creating something amazing. Even though there's probably Goldfish crackers stuck to your laptop.
Seriously. This is pretty amazing, mess included.
From Rock Bottom to Creator Success: My Journey as a Single Mom
Here's the truth—being a single parent wasn't on my vision board. Neither was making money from my phone. But here we are, three years into this wild journey, supporting my family by being vulnerable on the internet while raising two kids basically solo. And I'll be real? It's been the best worst decision of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Fell Apart
It was three years ago when my marriage ended. I will never forget sitting in my new apartment (I kept the kids' stuff, he took everything else), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids were finally quiet. I had less than a thousand dollars in my checking account, little people counting on me, and a paycheck that wasn't enough. The stress was unbearable, y'all.
I'd been scrolling TikTok to numb the pain—because that's how we cope? when everything is chaos, right?—when I stumbled on this solo parent talking about how she paid off $30,000 in debt through making videos. I remember thinking, "That can't be real."
But being broke makes you bold. Maybe both. Sometimes both.
I grabbed the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Completely unpolished, explaining how I'd just spent my last $12 on a pack of chicken nuggets and fruit snacks for my kids' school lunches. I posted it and immediately regretted it. Who wants to watch my broke reality?
Plot twist, thousands of people.
That video got forty-seven thousand views. Nearly fifty thousand people watched me almost lose it over frozen nuggets. The comments section was this unexpected source of support—people who got it, other people struggling, all saying "I feel this." That was my epiphany. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted real.
Discovering My Voice: The Hot Mess Single Mom Brand
Here's the secret about content creation: you need a niche. And my niche? It happened organically. I became the real one.
I started creating content about the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I once wore the same yoga pants for four days straight because laundry felt impossible. Or the time I fed my kids cereal for dinner multiple nights and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked why we don't live with dad, and I had to explain adult stuff to a kid who is six years old.
My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was awful. I filmed on a cracked iPhone 8. But it was authentic, and apparently, that's what hit.
In just two months, I hit 10,000 followers. 90 days in, 50,000. By half a year, I'd crossed a hundred thousand. Each milestone felt surreal. Real accounts who wanted to listen to me. Plain old me—a struggling single mom who had to ask Google what this meant not long ago.
The Daily Grind: Juggling Everything
Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because this life is nothing like those pretty "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm goes off. I do want to throw my phone, but this is my hustle hours. I make coffee that I'll reheat three times, and I start recording. Sometimes it's a GRWM talking about money struggles. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while talking about custody stuff. The lighting is natural and terrible.
7:00am: Kids wake up. Content creation stops. Now I'm in survival mode—feeding humans, the shoe hunt (it's always one shoe), throwing food in bags, referee duties. The chaos is real.
8:30am: Drop off time. I'm that mom creating content in traffic at stop signs. I know, I know, but the grind never stops.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my power window. Peace and quiet. I'm editing content, replying to DMs, ideating, sending emails, looking at stats. Everyone assumes content creation is simple. It's not. It's a whole business.
I usually film in batches on Monday and Wednesday. That means filming 10-15 videos in one session. I'll switch outfits so it looks like different days. Life hack: Keep multiple tops nearby for quick changes. My neighbors think I've lost it, filming myself talking to my phone in the parking lot.
3:00pm: School pickup. Mom mode activated. But here's where it gets tricky—frequently my top performing content come from this time. A few days ago, my daughter had a complete meltdown in Target because I refused to get a expensive toy. I recorded in the car later about dealing with meltdowns as a solo parent. It got 2.3 million views.
Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm completely exhausted to create content, but I'll plan posts, reply to messages, or outline content. Certain nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll work late because a brand deadline is looming.
The truth? There's no balance. It's just controlled chaos with moments of success.
Income Breakdown: How I Really Earn Money
Okay, let's get into the finances because this is what you're wondering. Can you make a living as a influencer? Yes. Is it effortless? Hell no.
My first month, I made nothing. Second month? Still nothing. Month three, I got my first paid partnership—$150 to post about a meal kit service. I broke down. That $150 paid for groceries.
Now, three years in, here's how I make money:
Sponsored Content: This is my biggest income source. I work with brands that fit my niche—practical items, helpful services, kids' stuff. I get paid anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per partnership, depending on what they need. Just last month, I did four collabs and made eight grand.
Platform Payments: The TikTok fund pays pennies—maybe $200-400 per month for huge view counts. AdSense is actually decent. I make about fifteen hundred a month from YouTube, but that took forever.
Affiliate Marketing: I share links to things I own—ranging from my favorite coffee maker to the bunk beds I bought. If someone clicks and buys, I get a percentage. This brings in about $800-1,200 monthly.
Online Products: I created a single mom budget planner and a cooking guide. They're $15 each, and I sell 50-100 per month. That's another $1,000-1,500.
Consulting Services: Other aspiring creators pay me to mentor them. I offer private coaching for $200 hourly. I do about 5-10 a month.
Combined monthly revenue: Typically, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month now. Some months I make more, others are slower. It's inconsistent, which is stressful when there's no backup. But it's 3x what I made at my 9-5, and I'm home when my kids need me.
The Struggles Nobody Talks About
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're having a breakdown because a video flopped, or managing vicious comments from keyboard warriors.
The trolls are vicious. I've been mom-shamed, told I'm problematic, questioned about being a solo parent. Someone once commented, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one stuck with me.
The algorithm changes constantly. One month you're getting insane views. The next, you're struggling for views. Your income varies wildly. You're constantly creating, never resting, worried that if you take a break, you'll fall behind.
The mom guilt is intense beyond normal. Every video I post, I wonder: Am I sharing too much? Am I doing right by them? Will they resent this when they're adults? I have clear boundaries—limited face shots, no discussing their personal struggles, nothing humiliating. But the line is hard to see.
The burnout is real. Certain periods when I have nothing. When I'm touched out, over it, and totally spent. But the mortgage is due. So I push through.
The Wins
But here's what's real—despite everything, this journey has brought me things I never dreamed of.
Financial stability for the first time ever. I'm not loaded, but I became debt-free. I have an savings. We took a vacation last summer—Orlando, which was a dream not long ago. I don't stress about my account anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my kid was ill last month, I didn't have to stress about missing work or lose income. I worked anywhere. When there's a field trip, I can go. I'm available in ways I couldn't be with a regular job.
Support that saved me. The other influencers I've befriended, especially solo parents, have become real friends. We vent, exchange tips, support each other. My followers have become this family. They support me, send love, and show me I'm not alone.
Me beyond motherhood. Since becoming a mom, I have my own thing. I'm not just someone's ex-wife or only a parent. I'm a business owner. A creator. Someone who built something from nothing.
My Best Tips
If you're a single mom wanting to start, listen up:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. That's okay. You improve over time, not by waiting.
Authenticity wins. People can sense inauthenticity. Share your real life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That's what connects.
Keep them safe. Set boundaries early. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is everything. I don't use their names, minimize face content, and respect their dignity.
Don't rely on one thing. Diversify or one income stream. The algorithm is fickle. Multiple income streams = stability.
Batch your content. When you have quiet time, create multiple pieces. Future you will thank present you when you're too exhausted to create.
Interact. Engage. Respond to DMs. Be real with them. Your community is crucial.
Monitor what works. Be strategic. If something takes four hours and gets 200 views while a different post takes no time and gets 200,000 views, pivot.
Take care of yourself. Self-care isn't selfish. Take breaks. Protect your peace. Your sanity matters more than views.
Be patient. This requires patience. It took me half a year to make any real money. The first year, I made fifteen thousand. Year two, eighty grand. Year 3, I'm making six figures. It's a process.
Stay connected to your purpose. On tough days—and they happen—recall your purpose. For me, it's money, being there, and demonstrating that I'm stronger than I knew.
Being Real With You
Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. This life is challenging. Like, really freaking hard. You're managing a business while being the lone caretaker of children who require constant attention.
Many days I second-guess this. Days when the negativity sting. Days when I'm burnt out and wondering if I should just get a "normal" job with benefits and a steady paycheck.
But then suddenly my daughter shares she loves that I'm home. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I get a DM 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 terrified and clueless how I'd survive as a single mom. Today, I'm a professional creator making way more than I made in my 9-5, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.
My goals moving forward? Hit 500K by this year. Begin podcasting for solo parents. Possibly write a book. Continue building this business that supports my family.
Content creation gave me a lifeline when I was drowning. It gave me a way to provide for my family, be there, 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 considering this: You absolutely can. It will be challenging. You'll struggle. But you're currently doing the most difficult thing—raising humans alone. You're powerful.
Start imperfect. Be consistent. Keep your boundaries. And remember, you're more than just surviving—you're changing your life.
Time to go, I need to go create content about the project I just found out about and surprise!. Because that's how it goes—chaos becomes content, video by video.
Honestly. This path? It's worth every struggle. Even though there's definitely Goldfish crackers stuck to my laptop right now. That's the dream, imperfectly perfect.