Let me spill, being a mom is not for the weak. But plot twist? Working to secure the bag while managing children who have boundless energy while I'm running on fumes.
I entered the side gig world about a few years back when I had the epiphany that my Target runs were getting out of hand. I was desperate for cash that was actually mine.
Being a VA
Right so, my first gig was jumping into virtual assistance. And honestly? It was chef's kiss. I could hustle while the kids slept, and the only requirement was a computer and internet.
Initially I was doing basic stuff like handling emails, scheduling social media posts, and basic admin work. Not rocket science. I started at about fifteen dollars an hour, which felt cheap but when you don't know what you're doing yet, you gotta build up your portfolio.
Here's what was wild? I would be on a video meeting looking like a real businesswoman from the chest up—full professional mode—while sporting my rattiest leggings. That's the dream honestly.
Selling on Etsy
Once I got comfortable, I thought I'd test out the Etsy world. All my mom friends seemed to sell stuff on Etsy, so I figured "why not me?"
My shop focused on creating printable planners and home decor prints. Here's why printables are amazing? Make it one time, and it can sell forever. For real, I've gotten orders at ungodly hours.
My first sale? I lost my mind. My partner was like I'd injured myself. But no—it was just me, doing a happy dance for my $4.99 sale. Judge me if you want.
Content Creator Life
Eventually I discovered writing and making content. This hustle is playing the long game, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
I began a parenting blog where I wrote about what motherhood actually looks like—the good, the bad, and the ugly. None of that Pinterest-perfect life. Just authentic experiences about finding mystery stains on everything I own.
Building up views was painfully slow. At the beginning, I was basically my only readers were my mom and two bots. But I kept at it, and after a while, things took off.
Now? I generate revenue through promoting products, collaborations, and ad revenue. Recently I brought in over two thousand dollars from my blog alone. Insane, right?
Managing Social Media
Once I got decent at my own content, brands started asking if I could do the same for them.
Here's the thing? Most small businesses are terrible with social media. They understand they need to be there, but they more info don't know how.
Enter: me. I now manage social media for several small companies—various small businesses. I plan their content, plan their posting schedule, interact with their audience, and check their stats.
I bill between five hundred to a thousand dollars per month per account, depending on the complexity. What I love? I can do most of it from my phone.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
If writing is your thing, writing gigs is seriously profitable. I'm not talking literary fiction—this is content writing for businesses.
Businesses everywhere constantly need fresh content. I've created content about everything from dental hygiene to copyright. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to be able to learn quickly.
On average bill $0.10-0.50 per word, depending on length and complexity. When I'm hustling hard I'll produce a dozen articles and earn one to two thousand extra.
Plot twist: I'm the same person who struggled with essays. These days I'm making money from copyright. Talk about character development.
Virtual Tutoring
After lockdown started, everyone needed online help. With my teaching background, so this was an obvious choice.
I joined VIPKid and Tutor.com. You choose when you work, which is non-negotiable 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.
What's hilarious? Every now and then my kids will photobomb my lessons mid-session. There was a time I be professional while chaos erupted behind me. The parents on the other end are very sympathetic because they're living the same life.
Reselling and Flipping
Alright, this side gig started by accident. I was decluttering my kids' things and posted some items on Facebook Marketplace.
Items moved immediately. That's when I realized: there's a market for everything.
These days I visit anywhere with deals, looking for name brands. I'll find something for cheap and resell at a markup.
This takes effort? Absolutely. It's a whole process. But there's something satisfying about spotting valuable items at the thrift store and earning from it.
Also: the kids think it's neat when I find unique items. Just last week I found a vintage toy that my son freaked out about. Made $45 on it. Victory for mom.
The Honest Reality
Truth bomb incoming: this stuff requires effort. They're called hustles for a reason.
Some days when I'm running on empty, doubting everything. I'm up at 5am getting stuff done while it's quiet, then handling mom duties, then back at it after bedtime.
But here's what matters? I earned this money. I'm not asking anyone to splurge on something nice. I'm contributing to our financial goals. I'm showing my kids that you can have it all—sort of.
Tips if You're Starting Out
If you want to start a side gig, here's what I'd tell you:
Don't go all in immediately. Don't try to do everything at once. Choose one hustle and get good at it before expanding.
Use the time you have. If you only have evenings, that's perfectly acceptable. Whatever time you can dedicate is valuable.
Stop comparing to what you see online. Everyone you're comparing yourself to? They've been at it for years and has help. Run your own race.
Invest in yourself, but smartly. You don't need expensive courses. Be careful about spending $5,000 on a coaching program until you've tested the waters.
Batch tasks together. I learned this the hard way. Dedicate time blocks for different things. Monday could be making stuff day. Use Wednesday for handling business stuff.
Dealing with Mom Guilt
I have to be real with you—guilt is part of this. Certain moments when I'm hustling and my child is calling for me, and I feel guilty.
But then I remind myself that I'm demonstrating to them what dedication looks like. I'm teaching my kids that you can be both.
Additionally? Having my own income has been good for me. I'm happier, which translates to better parenting.
Income Reality Check
So what do I actually make? Most months, between all my hustles, I make $3,000-5,000 per month. Certain months are higher, some are slower.
Is this millionaire money? Not exactly. But we've used it to pay for vacations, home improvements, and that emergency vet bill that would've been impossible otherwise. It's also developing my career and knowledge that could become a full-time thing.
Wrapping This Up
Here's the bottom line, being a mom with a side hustle is hard. There's no perfect balance. A lot of days I'm winging it, surviving on coffee, and hoping for the best.
But I don't regret it. Each dollar I earn is evidence of my capability. It shows that I'm a multifaceted person.
For anyone contemplating beginning your hustle journey? Do it. Begin before you're ready. Your future self will be so glad you did.
And remember: You're more than enduring—you're hustling. Even if there's likely snack crumbs stuck to your laptop.
Not even kidding. It's the life, despite the chaos.
My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom
Let me be real with you—single motherhood wasn't on my vision board. I also didn't plan on turning into an influencer. But here I am, three years into this wild journey, making a living by creating content while raising two kids basically solo. And real talk? It's been the most terrifying, empowering, and unexpected blessing of my life.
The Starting Point: When Everything Came Crashing Down
It was a few years ago when my divorce happened. I can still picture sitting in my new apartment (he got the furniture, I got the memories), scrolling mindlessly at 2am while my kids were asleep. I had less than a thousand dollars in my bank account, little people counting on me, and a paycheck that wasn't enough. The panic was real, y'all.
I was on TikTok to escape reality—because that's what we do? when our lives are falling apart, right?—when I came across this divorced mom sharing how she changed her life through being a creator. I remember thinking, "That can't be real."
But desperation makes you brave. Or stupid. Probably both.
I grabbed the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, sharing how I'd just put my last twelve dollars on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' school lunches. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Why would anyone care about my mess?
Spoiler alert, thousands of people.
That video got nearly 50,000 views. 47,000 people watched me get emotional over chicken nuggets. The comments section turned into this incredible community—fellow solo parents, other people struggling, all saying "same." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted real.
My Brand Evolution: The Honest Single Parent Platform
The truth is about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? It chose me. I became the real one.
I started filming the stuff nobody talks about. Like how I wore the same leggings all week because laundry felt impossible. Or when I fed my kids cereal for dinner all week and called it "breakfast for dinner week." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked why daddy doesn't live here anymore, and I had to talk about complex things to a kid who believes in magic.
My content was raw. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a phone with a broken screen. But it was authentic, and turns out, that's what hit.
In just two months, I hit 10,000 followers. 90 days in, fifty thousand. By six months, I'd crossed 100,000. Each milestone blew my mind. These were real people who wanted to listen to me. Plain old me—a barely surviving single mom who had to Google "what is a content creator" months before.
A Day in the Life: Juggling Everything
Let me show you of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is totally different from those pretty "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm sounds. I do NOT want to get up, but this is my sacred content creation time. I make coffee that will get cold, and I get to work. Sometimes it's a GRWM talking about financial reality. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while sharing co-parenting struggles. The lighting is not great.
7:00am: Kids are awake. Content creation goes on hold. Now I'm in survival mode—cooking eggs, locating lost items (it's always one shoe), making lunch boxes, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is next level.
8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom creating content in traffic when stopped. Not my proudest moment, but content waits for no one.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my hustle time. I'm alone finally. I'm cutting clips, replying to DMs, brainstorming content ideas, doing outreach, analyzing metrics. Everyone assumes content creation is only filming. Absolutely not. It's a full business.
I usually batch content on certain days. That means creating 10-15 pieces in a few hours. I'll change shirts between videos so it looks varied. Pro tip: Keep several shirts ready for outfit changes. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, recording myself alone in the parking lot.
3:00pm: School pickup. Back to parenting. But this is where it's complicated—sometimes my top performing content come from real life. Recently, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I refused to get a expensive toy. I recorded in the Target parking lot later about managing big emotions as a lone parent. It got millions of views.
Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm generally wiped out to film, but I'll queue up posts, check DMs, or outline content. Some nights, after everyone's sleeping, I'll edit videos until midnight because a deadline is coming.
The truth? There's no balance. It's just controlled chaos with random wins.
Let's Talk Income: How I Really Earn Money
Look, let's get into the finances because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you legitimately profit as a creator? Yes. Is it straightforward? Not even close.
My first month, I made $0. Month two? Zero. Third month, I got my first sponsored post—$150 to promote a meal kit service. I actually cried. That hundred fifty dollars paid for groceries.
Fast forward, years later, here's how I monetize:
Brand Partnerships: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that align with my audience—practical items, helpful services, kids' stuff. I charge anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per deal, depending on what's required. This past month, I did four partnerships and made $8,000.
Platform Payments: TikTok's creator fund pays very little—$200-$400 per month for millions of views. YouTube money is actually decent. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that required years.
Affiliate Marketing: I post links to things I own—anything from my favorite coffee maker to the kids' beds. If they buy using my link, I get a percentage. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.
Digital Products: I created a financial planner and a meal prep guide. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell 50-100 per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.
Consulting Services: Other aspiring creators pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer 1:1 sessions for two hundred per hour. I do about 5-10 a month.
My total income: On average, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month these days. Some months I make more, some are lower. It's unpredictable, which is nerve-wracking when there's no backup. But it's three times what I made at my old job, and I'm available for my kids.
The Hard Parts Nobody Mentions
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're having a breakdown because a video flopped, or dealing with vicious comments from random people.
The negativity is intense. I've been told I'm a terrible parent, told I'm problematic, called a liar about being a single mom. A commenter wrote, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one hurt so bad.
The algorithm is unpredictable. Sometimes you're getting huge numbers. Then suddenly, you're getting nothing. Your income fluctuates. You're never off, always "on", worried that if you take a break, you'll lose momentum.
The mom guilt is amplified times a thousand. Everything I share, I wonder: Am I sharing too much? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they be angry about this when they're older? I have strict rules—protected identities, no sharing their private stuff, nothing that could embarrass them. But the line is fuzzy.
The burnout is real. Sometimes when I don't want to film anything. When I'm done, talked out, and completely finished. But rent doesn't care. So I create anyway.
The Unexpected Blessings
But listen—even with the struggles, this journey has brought me things I never dreamed of.
Financial freedom for the first damn time. I'm not wealthy, but I cleared $18K. I have an emergency fund. We took a family trip last summer—Orlando, which seemed impossible two years ago. I don't check my bank account with anxiety anymore.
Control that's priceless. When my son got sick last month, I didn't have to ask permission or stress about losing pay. I worked from the pediatrician's waiting room. When there's a field trip, I can go. I'm available in ways I couldn't be with a normal job.
My people that saved me. The creator friends I've found, especially other moms, have become actual friends. We vent, help each other, support each other. My followers have become this amazing support system. They support me, lift me up, and show me I'm not alone.
Identity beyond "mom". Finally, I have my own thing. I'm not just someone's ex-wife or somebody's mother. I'm a business owner. A businesswoman. Someone who created this.
Tips for Single Moms Wanting to Start
If you're a single mother thinking about this, here's my advice:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. Everyone starts there. You improve over time, not by procrastinating.
Keep it real. People can sense inauthenticity. Share your true life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That's what works.
Guard their privacy. Create rules. Know your limits. Their privacy is the priority. I protect their names, limit face shots, and respect their dignity.
Multiple revenue sources. Don't rely on just one platform or one way to earn. The algorithm is unreliable. Multiple streams = safety.
Create in batches. When you have time alone, make a bunch. Tomorrow you will appreciate it when you're too exhausted to create.
Build community. Answer comments. Answer DMs. Create connections. Your community is what matters.
Track metrics. Not all content is worth creating. If something is time-intensive and flops while another video takes no time and blows up, change tactics.
Don't forget yourself. Self-care isn't selfish. Take breaks. Guard your energy. Your sanity matters more than anything.
This takes time. This takes time. It took me eight months to make meaningful money. The first year, I made $15K total. Year 2, eighty thousand. Year 3, I'm hitting six figures. It's a journey.
Know your why. On hard days—and trust me, there will be—think about your why. For me, it's independence, being there, and validating that I'm more than I believed.
The Reality Check
Here's the deal, I'm being honest. Content creation as a single mom is hard. Incredibly hard. You're managing a business while being the sole caretaker of tiny humans who need you constantly.
Certain days I question everything. Days when the negativity hurt. Days when I'm drained and questioning if I should just get a "normal" job with a 401k.
But and then my daughter says she appreciates this. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I see a message from a follower saying my content helped her leave an unhealthy relationship. And I understand the impact.
The Future
Not long ago, I was terrified and clueless what to do. Today, I'm a content creator making triple what I earned in my old job, and I'm present for everything.
My goals now? Hit 500,000 followers by year-end. Create a podcast for solo parents. Write a book eventually. Continue building this business that supports my family.
Content creation gave me a way out when I needed it most. It gave me a way to take care of my children, show up, and accomplish something incredible. It's not what I planned, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To every single mom out there on the fence: You can. It won't be easy. You'll consider quitting. But you're handling the most difficult thing—raising humans alone. You're stronger than you think.
Jump in messy. Keep showing up. Prioritize yourself. And know this, you're more than just surviving—you're building an empire.
BRB, I need to go record a video about homework I forgot about and I'm just now hearing about it. Because that's the reality—turning chaos into content, one TikTok at a time.
No cap. This path? It's worth every struggle. Even when I'm sure there's crushed cheerios everywhere. That's the dream, one messy video at a time.