Let me spill, mom life is not for the weak. But you know what's even crazier? Trying to earn extra income while managing children who have boundless energy while I'm running on fumes.
I entered the side gig world about several years ago when I had the epiphany that my retail therapy sessions were reaching dangerous levels. I had to find some independent income.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
Right so, my first gig was becoming a virtual assistant. And honestly? It was chef's kiss. I could grind during those precious quiet hours, and all I needed was a computer and internet.
Initially I was doing simple tasks like handling emails, scheduling social media posts, and basic admin work. Not rocket science. My rate was about fifteen dollars an hour, which seemed low but as a total beginner, you gotta prove yourself first.
What cracked me up? There I was on a client call looking like a real businesswoman from the shoulders up—full professional mode—while sporting pajama bottoms. Living my best life.
Selling on Etsy
Once I got comfortable, I wanted to explore the handmade marketplace scene. Literally everyone seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I was like "why not join the party?"
I started making digital planners and home decor prints. The beauty of printables? One and done creation, and it can sell forever. Actually, I've gotten orders at times when I didn't even know.
My first sale? I actually yelled. He came running thinking there was an emergency. But no—it was just me, celebrating my first five bucks. No shame in my game.
Blogging and Creating
Next I ventured into blogging and content creation. This venture is not for instant gratification seekers, let me tell you.
I created a parenting blog where I wrote about what motherhood actually looks like—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Not the highlight reel. Only honest stories about how I once found a chicken nugget in my bra.
Building traffic was slow. For months, it was basically writing for myself and like three people. But I didn't give up, and over time, things gained momentum.
These days? I make money through affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, and advertisements on my site. Last month I earned over $2K from my blog alone. Crazy, right?
The Social Media Management Game
As I mastered running my own socials, other businesses started asking if I could manage their accounts.
Here's the thing? Tons of businesses don't understand social media. They know they should be posting, but they're too busy.
This is my moment. I oversee social media for a handful of clients—different types of businesses. I make posts, queue up posts, handle community management, and track analytics.
I bill between five hundred to a thousand dollars per month per account, depending on what they need. The best thing? I handle this from my phone while sitting in the carpool line.
Freelance Writing Life
For the wordy folks, content writing is a goldmine. This isn't becoming Shakespeare—this is business content.
Companies constantly need fresh content. I've written articles about everything from literally everything under the sun. Google is your best friend, you just need to be able to learn quickly.
On average charge $50-150 per article, depending on length and complexity. When I'm hustling hard I'll write a dozen articles and pull in an extra $1,000-2,000.
The funny thing is: I was that student who hated writing papers. Now I'm earning a living writing. The irony.
The Online Tutoring Thing
After lockdown started, virtual tutoring became huge. With my teaching background, so this was kind of a natural fit.
I started working with various tutoring services. You choose when you work, which is crucial when you have unpredictable little ones.
My sessions are usually basic subjects. You can make from $15-25 per hour depending on which site you use.
What's hilarious? Every now and then my children will crash my tutoring session mid-session. There was a time I be professional while chaos erupted behind me. The parents on the other end are incredibly understanding because they get it.
The Reselling Game
So, this side gig wasn't planned. I was decluttering my kids' stuff and posted some items on copyright.
Things sold so fast. I suddenly understood: you can sell literally anything.
These days I shop at thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, looking for things that will sell. I grab something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
Is it a lot of work? Yes. I'm photographing items, writing descriptions, shipping packages. But it's oddly satisfying about finding a gem at a yard sale and turning a profit.
Bonus: my kids think I'm cool when I discover weird treasures. Last week I scored a collectible item that my son went crazy for. Flipped it for forty-five bucks. Score one for mom.
Real Talk Time
Real talk moment: side hustles aren't passive income. They're called hustles for a reason.
Some days when I'm surviving on caffeine and spite, doubting everything. I'm up at 5am being productive before the madness begins, then being a full-time parent, then back to work after bedtime.
But you know what? This income is mine. I can spend it guilt-free to splurge on something nice. I'm supporting our financial goals. I'm showing my kids that women can hustle.
What I Wish I Knew
If you're thinking about a side gig, here's what I'd tell you:
Begin with something manageable. Don't try to juggle ten things. Start with one venture and nail it down before taking on more.
Use the time you have. Your available hours, that's perfectly acceptable. A couple of productive hours is a great beginning.
Stop comparing to Instagram moms. Those people with massive success? They put in years of work and has support. Do your thing.
Learn and grow, but carefully. There are tons of free resources. Be careful about this post spending $5,000 on a coaching program until you've tested the waters.
Do similar tasks together. This changed everything. Use days for specific hustles. Use Monday for content creation day. Wednesday could be organizing and responding.
Let's Talk Mom Guilt
Let me be honest—I struggle with guilt. Sometimes when I'm hustling and my child is calling for me, and I struggle with it.
But I consider that I'm teaching them work ethic. I'm proving to them that women can be mothers and entrepreneurs.
And honestly? Earning independently has improved my mental health. I'm more fulfilled, which makes me more patient.
Income Reality Check
My actual income? Most months, between all my hustles, I earn $3,000-5,000 per month. Some months are lower, some are tougher.
Is it life-changing money? Not exactly. But we've used it to pay for vacations, home improvements, and that emergency vet bill that would've caused financial strain. It's also creating opportunities and experience that could turn into something bigger.
Final Thoughts
Listen, hustling as a mom takes work. It's not a perfect balance. A lot of days I'm winging it, powered by caffeine, and doing my best.
But I wouldn't change it. Each dollar I earn is proof that I can do hard things. It shows that I'm a multifaceted person.
So if you're considering diving into this? Take the leap. Don't wait for perfect. Future you will be grateful.
Always remember: You're not merely enduring—you're hustling. Even when there's likely snack crumbs everywhere.
Not even kidding. It's incredible, chaos and all.
From Survival Mode to Content Creator: My Journey as a Single Mom
Here's the truth—becoming a single mom wasn't part of my five-year plan. I never expected to be becoming a content creator. But yet here I am, three years into this wild journey, making a living by creating content while handling everything by myself. And real talk? It's been life-changing in every way of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Fell Apart
It was three years ago when my marriage ended. I remember sitting in my half-empty apartment (he took what he wanted, I kept what mattered), wide awake at 2am while my kids were finally quiet. I had $847 in my bank account, two mouths to feed, and a job that barely covered rent. The anxiety was crushing, y'all.
I'd been scrolling TikTok to escape reality—because that's what we do? in crisis mode, right?—when I stumbled on this woman talking about how she changed her life through content creation. I remember thinking, "That's either a scam or she's incredibly lucky."
But desperation makes you brave. Or stupid. Usually both.
I grabbed the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, explaining how I'd just blown my final $12 on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' lunches. I shared it and felt sick. Why would anyone care about my mess?
Spoiler alert, tons of people.
That video got 47K views. Nearly fifty thousand people watched me nearly cry over chicken nuggets. The comments section became this safe space—fellow solo parents, others barely surviving, all saying "this is my life." That was my epiphany. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted real.
Building My Platform: The Real Mom Life Brand
Here's what they don't say about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? It found me. I became the real one.
I started creating content about the stuff no one shows. Like how I lived in one outfit because executive dysfunction is real. Or the time I gave them breakfast for dinner three nights in a row and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my kid asked why daddy doesn't live here anymore, and I had to talk about complex things to a kid who thinks the tooth fairy is real.
My content was raw. My lighting was trash. I filmed on a busted phone. But it was honest, and evidently, that's what connected.
Within two months, I hit 10K. 90 days in, fifty thousand. By half a year, I'd crossed 100,000. Each milestone felt surreal. Real accounts who wanted to listen to me. Plain old me—a broke single mom who had to ask Google what this meant recently.
The Actual Schedule: Content Creation Meets Real Life
Here's the reality of my typical day, because this life is totally different from those curated "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm screams. I do NOT want to get up, but this is my precious quiet time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I start filming. Sometimes it's a morning routine sharing about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me making food while venting about dealing with my ex. The lighting is not great.
7:00am: Kids emerge. Content creation ends. Now I'm in mommy mode—feeding humans, hunting for that one shoe (where do they go), making lunch boxes, mediating arguments. The chaos is real.
8:30am: Getting them to school. I'm that mom making videos while driving in the car. I know, I know, but bills don't care.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my power window. Kids are at school. I'm editing content, being social, thinking of ideas, pitching brands, analyzing metrics. They believe content creation is just posting videos. Nope. It's a real job.
I usually batch content on Monday and Wednesday. That means filming 10-15 videos in one go. I'll swap tops so it looks varied. Life hack: Keep different outfits accessible for fast swaps. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, recording myself alone in the backyard.
3:00pm: Pickup time. Transition back to mom mode. But plot twist—sometimes my viral videos come from the chaos. A few days ago, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I wouldn't buy a $40 toy. I made content in the vehicle later about managing big emotions as a single mom. It got millions of views.
Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm usually too exhausted to film, but I'll schedule content, respond to DMs, or strategize. Often, after the kids are asleep, I'll work late because a partnership is due.
The truth? Balance doesn't exist. It's just chaos with a plan with random wins.
Let's Talk Income: How I Support My Family
Okay, let's talk numbers because this is what people ask about. Can you legitimately profit as a content creator? 100%. Is it straightforward? Not even close.
My first month, I made zero dollars. Month two? Zero. Third month, I got my first collaboration—$150 to post about a food subscription. I cried real tears. That one-fifty bought groceries for two weeks.
Today, three years in, here's how I generate revenue:
Collaborations: This is my primary income. I work with brands that make sense—things that help, parenting tools, kids' stuff. I get paid anywhere from five hundred to five thousand dollars per partnership, depending on deliverables. Last month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made eight grand.
Platform Payments: Creator fund pays pennies—maybe $200-400 per month for millions of views. YouTube money is actually decent. I make about fifteen hundred a month from YouTube, but that required years.
Affiliate Income: I share links to products I actually use—ranging from my beloved coffee maker to the bunk beds in their room. If anyone buys, I get a percentage. This brings in about $800-1,200 monthly.
Online Products: I created a money management guide and a food prep planner. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell dozens per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.
Coaching/Consulting: New creators pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer 1:1 sessions for two hundred dollars. I do about 5-10 a month.
Total monthly income: On average, I'm making between ten and fifteen grand per month now. Some months I make more, others are slower. It's inconsistent, which is scary when you're it. But it's 3x what I made at my old job, and I'm present.
The Dark Side Nobody Talks About
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're losing it because a video didn't perform, or handling vicious comments from strangers who think they know your life.
The trolls are vicious. I've been mom-shamed, told I'm a bad influence, questioned about being a divorced parent. A commenter wrote, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one stung for days.
The algorithm shifts. Certain periods you're getting insane views. Next month, 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 guilt is crushing beyond normal. Each post, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Am I doing right by them? Will they hate me for this when they're older? I have non-negotiables—no faces of my kids without permission, no sharing their private stuff, no embarrassing content. But the line is not always clear.
The I get burnt out. Some weeks when I am empty. When I'm touched out, talked out, and completely finished. But the mortgage is due. So I do it anyway.
The Unexpected Blessings
But the truth is—through it all, this journey has given me things I never expected.
Economic stability for the first damn time. I'm not loaded, but I paid off $18,000 in debt. I have an savings. We took a actual vacation last summer—Disney, which seemed impossible two years ago. I don't panic about money anymore.
Schedule freedom that's priceless. When my child had a fever last month, I didn't have to ask permission or lose income. I worked from the doctor's office. When there's a field trip, I'm present. I'm present in my kids' lives in ways I couldn't manage with a normal job.
Connection that saved me. The other creators I've found, especially solo parents, have become actual friends. We talk, help each other, lift each other up. My followers have become this amazing support system. They celebrate my wins, send love, and make me feel seen.
Identity beyond "mom". Since becoming a mom, I have an identity. I'm not just someone's ex-wife or somebody's mother. I'm a entrepreneur. A content creator. A person who hustled.
Tips for Single Moms Wanting to Start
If you're a solo parent considering content creation, listen up:
Begin now. Your first videos will be trash. Mine did. That's normal. You grow through creating, not by procrastinating.
Authenticity wins. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your true life—the chaos. That's the magic.
Keep them safe. Establish boundaries. Have standards. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I don't use their names, limit face shots, and keep private things private.
Don't rely on one thing. Don't rely on just one platform or one way to earn. The algorithm is fickle. More streams = less stress.
Batch create content. When you have time alone, make a bunch. Future you will be grateful when you're drained.
Connect with followers. Respond to comments. Reply to messages. Be real with them. Your community is crucial.
Track metrics. Some content isn't worth it. If something takes four hours and tanks while a different post takes very little time and blows up, shift focus.
Self-care matters. You need to fill your cup. Step away. Guard your energy. Your wellbeing matters more than views.
Be patient. This isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. It took me ages to make real income. The first year, I made maybe $15,000 total. Year two, $80,000. Year three, I'm hitting six figures. It's a marathon.
Remember why you started. On bad days—and there will be many—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's money, being there, and showing myself that I'm capable of anything.
Being Real With You
Real talk, I'm keeping it 100. Being a single mom creator is difficult. Really hard. You're operating a business while being the single caregiver of tiny humans who need you constantly.
There are days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the trolls affect me. Days when I'm exhausted and stressed and wondering if I should just get a "normal" job with benefits and a steady paycheck.
But then suddenly my daughter shares she's proud that I work from home. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I receive a comment from a follower saying my content helped her leave an unhealthy relationship. And I remember why I do this.
Where I'm Going From Here
Not long ago, I was scared and struggling what to do. Fast forward, I'm a full-time content creator making triple what I earned in my 9-5, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.
My goals now? Get to half a million followers by end of year. Launch a podcast for other single moms. Possibly write a book. Continue building this business that makes everything possible.
This path gave me a way out when I was desperate. It gave me a way to feed my babies, be available, and create something meaningful. It's not what I planned, but it's meant to be.
To all the single moms considering this: You absolutely can. It will be hard. You'll want to quit some days. But you're currently doing the most difficult thing—parenting solo. You're stronger than you think.
Start messy. Stay consistent. Prioritize yourself. And always remember, you're not just surviving—you're creating something amazing.
BRB, I need to go record a video about why my kid's school project is due tomorrow and surprise!. Because that's the reality—content from the mess, one TikTok at a time.
For real. Being a single mom creator? It's the best decision. Even if there's definitely crumbs in my keyboard. That's the dream, imperfectly perfect.