Here's the tea, mom life is absolutely wild. But plot twist? Attempting to earn extra income while dealing with kids, laundry, and approximately 47 snack requests per day.
This whole thing started for me about three years ago when I figured out that my retail therapy sessions were reaching dangerous levels. It was time to get cash that was actually mine.
Being a VA
Here's what happened, I started out was doing VA work. And not gonna lie? It was ideal. It let me get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and all I needed was a computer and internet.
I started with basic stuff like email management, doing social media scheduling, and entering data. Nothing fancy. My rate was about fifteen to twenty bucks hourly, which seemed low but as a total beginner, you gotta begin at the bottom.
Honestly the most hilarious thing? There I was on a video meeting looking all professional from the chest up—blazer, makeup, the works—while wearing pajama bottoms. Main character energy.
Selling on Etsy
After getting my feet wet, I ventured into the selling on Etsy. Every mom I knew seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I figured "why not start one too?"
I began creating digital planners and wall art. Here's why printables are amazing? Make it one time, and it can sell forever. Actually, I've gotten orders at times when I didn't even know.
That initial sale? I freaked out completely. My partner was like a detailed post there was an emergency. Nope—it was just me, doing a happy dance for my glorious $4.99. I'm not embarrassed.
Content Creator Life
After that I started creating content online. This particular side gig is definitely a slow burn, trust me on this.
I launched a parenting blog where I wrote about what motherhood actually looks like—the messy truth. No Instagram-perfect nonsense. Just the actual truth about surviving tantrums in Target.
Getting readers was slow. For months, I was basically writing for myself and like three people. But I stayed consistent, and slowly but surely, things gained momentum.
Now? I make money through affiliate marketing, working with brands, and advertisements on my site. Recently I brought in over $2K from my blog alone. Wild, right?
Managing Social Media
As I mastered running my own socials, local businesses started inquiring if I could manage their accounts.
Real talk? Tons of businesses suck at social media. They recognize they should be posting, but they're clueless about the algorithm.
This is my moment. I oversee social media for several small companies—different types of businesses. I develop content, schedule posts, handle community management, and track analytics.
My rate is between $500-1500 per month per business, depending on the complexity. What I love? I do this work from my phone while sitting in the carpool line.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
If you can write, freelance writing is seriously profitable. I don't mean writing the next Great American Novel—I'm talking about content writing for businesses.
Websites and businesses always need writers. My assignments have included everything from the most random topics. You just need to research, you just need to be good at research.
Generally charge between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on how complex it is. When I'm hustling hard I'll crank out a dozen articles and pull in one to two thousand extra.
Plot twist: I was that student who barely passed English class. Now I'm making money from copyright. The irony.
The Online Tutoring Thing
During the pandemic, online tutoring exploded. With my teaching background, so this was perfect for me.
I signed up with VIPKid and Tutor.com. You choose when you work, which is essential when you have kids with unpredictable schedules.
My sessions are usually elementary school stuff. Rates vary from $15-25 per hour depending on the platform.
The awkward part? Sometimes my children will burst into the room mid-session. I've literally had to be professional while chaos erupted behind me. The parents on the other end are very sympathetic because they understand mom life.
Reselling and Flipping
Alright, this one I stumbled into. I was cleaning out my kids' things and posted some items on Facebook Marketplace.
Things sold immediately. I suddenly understood: people will buy anything.
These days I frequent thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, on the hunt for things that will sell. I grab something for cheap and resell at a markup.
This takes effort? For sure. You're constantly listing and shipping. But I find it rewarding about spotting valuable items at a yard sale and making money.
Additionally: my kids are impressed when I discover weird treasures. Recently I scored a rare action figure that my son absolutely loved. Flipped it for forty-five bucks. Victory for mom.
The Truth About Side Hustles
Here's the thing nobody tells you: these aren't get-rich-quick schemes. They're called hustles for a reason.
There are moments when I'm completely drained, asking myself what I'm doing. I wake up early working before my kids wake up, then handling mom duties, then back at it after the kids are asleep.
But here's the thing? This income is mine. I can spend it guilt-free to get the good coffee. I'm supporting the family budget. I'm showing my kids that women can hustle.
Tips if You're Starting Out
For those contemplating a side gig, this is what I've learned:
Begin with something manageable. You can't do everything at once. Start with one venture and become proficient before adding more.
Use the time you have. If you only have evenings, that's totally valid. Two hours of focused work is more than enough to start.
Don't compare yourself to what you see online. That mom with the six-figure side hustle? They've been at it for years and has help. Focus on your own journey.
Don't be afraid to invest, but carefully. There are tons of free resources. Be careful about spending thousands on courses until you've proven the concept.
Do similar tasks together. I learned this the hard way. Block off days for specific hustles. Monday could be creation day. Wednesday could be admin and emails.
The Mom Guilt is Real
Real talk—I struggle with guilt. There are days when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I struggle with it.
But then I consider that I'm teaching them what dedication looks like. I'm proving to them that you can be both.
Also? Earning independently has helped me feel more like myself. I'm more satisfied, which makes me more patient.
The Numbers
My actual income? Generally, from all my side gigs, I earn $3,000-5,000 per month. Certain months are higher, some are tougher.
Is this getting-rich money? No. But it's paid for stuff that matters to us that would've been really hard. And it's creating opportunities and knowledge that could become a full-time thing.
Wrapping This Up
Look, being a mom with a side hustle is challenging. You won't find a perfect balance. Often I'm improvising everything, fueled by espresso and stubbornness, and praying it all works out.
But I'm glad I'm doing this. Every single dollar earned is evidence of my capability. It shows that I'm a multifaceted person.
So if you're considering launching a mom business? Do it. Begin before you're ready. Your future self will appreciate it.
Don't forget: You're not just surviving—you're growing something incredible. Despite the fact that there's probably mysterious crumbs everywhere.
No cap. This is pretty amazing, complete with all the chaos.
My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom
Let me be real with you—being a single parent wasn't the dream. Neither was turning into an influencer. But fast forward to now, years into this crazy ride, making a living by posting videos while handling everything by myself. And not gonna lie? It's been the most terrifying, empowering, and unexpected blessing of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Changed
It was three years ago when my relationship fell apart. I can still picture sitting in my half-empty apartment (I kept the kids' stuff, he took everything else), wide awake at 2am while my kids slept. I had barely $850 in my bank account, two kids to support, and a paycheck that wasn't enough. The fear was overwhelming, y'all.
I was on TikTok to numb the pain—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when we're drowning, right?—when I found this divorced mom sharing how she changed her life through content creation. I remember thinking, "No way that's legit."
But desperation makes you brave. Maybe both. Sometimes both.
I grabbed the TikTok creator app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, venting about how I'd just spent my last $12 on a pack of chicken nuggets and fruit snacks for my kids' school lunches. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Why would anyone care about my broke reality?
Plot twist, tons of people.
That video got 47,000 views. 47,000 people watched me nearly cry over $12 worth of food. The comments section became this validation fest—people who got it, folks in the trenches, all saying "I feel this." That was my aha moment. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted real.
Discovering My Voice: The Honest Single Parent Platform
Here's the secret about content creation: you need a niche. And my niche? It found me. I became the real one.
I started posting about the stuff no one shows. Like how I didn't change pants for days because washing clothes was too much. Or when I served cereal as a meal several days straight and called it "creative meal planning." Or that moment when my kid asked where daddy went, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who believes in magic.
My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a busted phone. But it was authentic, and turns out, that's what hit.
Two months later, I hit 10K. Three months later, 50,000. By six months, I'd crossed six figures. Each milestone seemed fake. These were real people who wanted to follow me. Little old me—a struggling single mom who had to ask Google what this meant not long ago.
The Actual Schedule: Balancing Content and Chaos
Let me paint you a picture 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 not want to move, but this is my hustle hours. I make coffee that I'll reheat three times, and I start recording. Sometimes it's a morning routine discussing financial reality. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while sharing dealing with my ex. The lighting is not great.
7:00am: Kids emerge. Content creation goes on hold. Now I'm in parent mode—cooking eggs, finding the missing shoe (why is it always one shoe), throwing food in bags, mediating arguments. The chaos is intense.
8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom in the carpool line filming TikToks in the car. I know, I know, but content waits for no one.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my productive time. House is quiet. I'm editing content, replying to DMs, ideating, reaching out to brands, checking analytics. Folks imagine content creation is only filming. It's not. It's a full business.
I usually batch-create content on Monday and Wednesday. That means making a dozen videos in one go. I'll swap tops so it appears to be different times. Life hack: Keep multiple tops nearby for quick changes. My neighbors must think I'm insane, filming myself talking to my phone in the parking lot.
3:00pm: Getting the kids. Mom mode activated. But here's the thing—frequently my top performing content come from these after-school moments. Just last week, my daughter had a epic meltdown in Target because I said no to a toy she didn't need. I filmed a video in the parking lot afterward about surviving tantrums as a single mom. It got 2.3 million views.
Evening: All the evening things. I'm typically drained to make videos, but I'll plan posts, reply to messages, or plan tomorrow's content. Often, after everyone's sleeping, I'll edit videos until midnight because a partnership is due.
The truth? No such thing as balance. It's just organized chaos with random wins.
Income Breakdown: How I Generate Income
Alright, let's talk dollars because this is what everyone's curious about. Can you really earn income as a creator? Absolutely. Is it simple? Nope.
My first month, I made $0. Month two? Also nothing. Third month, I got my first paid partnership—one hundred fifty dollars to feature a food subscription. I broke down. That one-fifty paid for groceries.
Currently, three years later, here's how I monetize:
Sponsored Content: This is my primary income. I work with brands that align with my audience—things that help, parenting tools, kids' stuff. I get paid anywhere from five hundred to several thousand per campaign, depending on what they need. Just last month, I did four collabs and made $8,000.
Platform Payments: Creator fund pays very little—two to four hundred per month for tons of views. YouTube ad revenue is actually decent. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that took two years to build up.
Affiliate Links: I share affiliate links to products I actually use—everything from my go-to coffee machine to the bunk beds I bought. If someone clicks and buys, I get a percentage. This brings in about $1K monthly.
Online Products: I created a budget template and a meal planning ebook. They're $15 each, and I sell fifty to a hundred per month. That's another thousand to fifteen hundred.
Teaching Others: Aspiring influencers pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer one-on-one coaching sessions for two hundred per hour. I do about several a month.
Combined monthly revenue: On average, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month now. Certain months are better, others are slower. It's unpredictable, which is stressful when you're the only income source. But it's three times what I made at my previous job, and I'm available for my kids.
The Struggles Nobody Posts About
This sounds easy until you're crying in your car because a video flopped, or dealing with cruel messages from keyboard warriors.
The negativity is intense. I've been accused of being a bad mother, told I'm exploiting my kids, called a liar about being a single mom. Someone once commented, "Maybe that's why he left." That one stung for days.
The algorithm changes constantly. Certain periods you're getting huge numbers. Then suddenly, you're struggling for views. Your income varies wildly. You're constantly creating, 24/7, worried that if you take a break, you'll lose momentum.
The mom guilt is intense times a thousand. Each post, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Am I doing right by them? Will they resent this when they're adults? I have non-negotiables—limited face shots, keeping their stories private, nothing humiliating. But the line is hard to see.
The burnout is real. There are weeks when I am empty. When I'm exhausted, over it, and completely finished. But life doesn't stop. So I push through.
The Beautiful Parts
But here's the thing—through it all, this journey has brought me things I never dreamed of.
Financial stability for once in my life. I'm not wealthy, but I cleared $18K. I have an safety net. We took a family trip last summer—Disney World, which was a dream not long ago. I don't dread checking my balance anymore.
Flexibility that's priceless. When my boy was sick last month, I didn't have to stress about missing work or stress about losing pay. I worked from the pediatrician's waiting room. When there's a school event, I'm there. I'm available in ways I wasn't able to be with a normal job.
Support that saved me. The other creators I've met, especially single moms, have become true friends. We support each other, exchange tips, support each other. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They celebrate my wins, send love, and make me feel seen.
Me beyond motherhood. Since becoming a mom, I have an identity. I'm not defined by divorce or somebody's mother. I'm a business owner. A creator. Someone who created this.
What I Wish I Knew
If you're a single parent curious about this, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Don't wait. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. That's okay. You grow through creating, not by waiting.
Be authentic, not perfect. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your real life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That's what connects.
Keep them safe. Set boundaries early. Be intentional. Their privacy is everything. I don't use their names, limit face shots, and never discuss anything that could embarrass them.
Don't rely on one thing. Don't put all eggs in one basket or one way to earn. The algorithm is unpredictable. Multiple streams = safety.
Create in batches. When you have available time, film multiple videos. Tomorrow you will thank yourself when you're too exhausted to create.
Engage with your audience. Respond to comments. Reply to messages. Be real with them. Your community is crucial.
Track your time and ROI. Be strategic. If something takes four hours and gets 200 views while another video takes no time and gets 200,000 views, shift focus.
Self-care matters. You need to fill your cup. Take breaks. Set boundaries. Your mental health matters more than going viral.
This takes time. This takes time. It took me months to make real income. The first year, I made $15K total. The second year, $80K. Year three, I'm on track for six figures. It's a long game.
Know your why. On bad days—and there are many—remember your reason. For me, it's money, time with my children, and showing myself that I'm more than I believed.
Real Talk Time
Here's the deal, I'm being honest. Being a single mom creator is hard. Really hard. You're managing a business while being the sole caretaker of kids who need everything.
Many days I question everything. Days when the negativity sting. Days when I'm burnt out and wondering if I should quit this with insurance.
But but then my daughter shares she loves that I'm home. Or I see my bank account actually has money in it. Or I get a DM from a follower saying my content inspired her. And I understand the impact.
The Future
Years ago, I was broke, scared, and had no idea how to survive. Fast forward, I'm a full-time content creator making triple what I earned in my 9-5, and I'm available when they need me.
My goals now? Reach 500K by year-end. Launch a podcast for single moms. Maybe write a book. Continue building this business that makes everything possible.
Content creation gave me a way out when I needed it most. It gave me a way to feed my babies, be available, and accomplish something incredible. It's unexpected, but it's meant to be.
To every solo parent on the fence: You can. It will be challenging. You'll consider quitting. But you're currently doing the hardest job—doing this alone. You're tougher than you realize.
Begin messy. Stay consistent. Keep your boundaries. And know this, you're doing more than surviving—you're building an empire.
Gotta go now, I need to go create content about homework I forgot about and nobody told me until now. Because that's the reality—making content from chaos, video by video.
For real. This path? It's worth every struggle. Even if there might be old snacks everywhere. Living the dream, chaos and all.