Let me spill, mom life is literally insane. But you know what's even crazier? Working to earn extra income while handling tiny humans who think sleep is optional.
My hustle life began about several years ago when I realized that my impulse buys were getting out of hand. I had to find my own money.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
So, my initial venture was jumping into virtual assistance. And honestly? It was exactly what I needed. I could work during naptime, and the only requirement was my laptop and decent wifi.
Initially I was doing basic stuff like handling emails, scheduling social media posts, and basic admin work. Pretty straightforward. My rate was about fifteen dollars an hour, which seemed low but as a total beginner, you gotta prove yourself first.
Here's what was wild? I'd be on a video meeting looking completely put together from the chest up—blazer, makeup, the works—while wearing sweatpants. Living my best life.
My Etsy Journey
Once I got comfortable, I decided to try the selling on Etsy. Literally everyone seemed to be on Etsy, so I was like "why not get in on this?"
I began creating printable planners and home decor prints. What's great about digital products? Make it one time, and it can make money while you sleep. For real, I've gotten orders at midnight when I'm unconscious.
That initial sale? I lost my mind. My husband thought there was an emergency. Nope—I was just, cheering about my $4.99 sale. Judge me if you want.
Content Creator Life
After that I ventured into blogging and content creation. This one is definitely a slow burn, real talk.
I started a mom blog where I wrote about what motherhood actually looks like—all of it, no filter. No Instagram-perfect nonsense. Only honest stories about surviving tantrums in Target.
Building up views was like watching paint dry. Initially, I was basically creating content for crickets. But I stayed consistent, and after a while, things took off.
Now? I generate revenue through promoting products, brand partnerships, and display ads. Last month I brought in over $2K from my blog alone. Insane, right?
Managing Social Media
After I learned social media for my own stuff, small companies started inquiring if I could do the same for them.
Truth bomb? A lot of local businesses don't understand social media. They know they have to be on it, but they don't know how.
This is my moment. I oversee social media for three local businesses—a bakery, a boutique, and a fitness studio. I plan their content, queue up posts, engage with followers, and track analytics.
My rate is between $500-1500 per month per business, depending on how much work is involved. Best part? I manage everything from my phone.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
If you can write, content writing is incredibly lucrative. I'm not talking writing the next Great American Novel—this is business content.
Companies need content constantly. I've written articles about everything from literally everything under the sun. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to be good at research.
Usually earn between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on how complex it is. When I'm hustling hard I'll crank out fifteen articles and make one to two thousand extra.
What's hilarious: I was the person who struggled with essays. Now I'm a professional writer. Life's funny like that.
Tutoring Online
2020 changed everything, online tutoring exploded. I was a teacher before kids, so this was perfect for me.
I signed up with several tutoring platforms. It's super flexible, which is non-negotiable when you have children who keep you guessing.
My sessions are usually basic subjects. Income ranges from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on the platform.
The funny thing? Occasionally my children will crash my tutoring session mid-session. I've literally had to maintain composure during complete chaos in the background. The families I work with are very sympathetic because they get it.
Reselling and Flipping
Here me out, this hustle I stumbled into. I was cleaning out my kids' things and tried selling some outfits on Mercari.
They sold so fast. That's when I realized: people will buy anything.
Currently I shop at secondhand stores and sales, on the hunt for things that will sell. I purchase something for a few dollars and make serious profit.
It's labor-intensive? For sure. It's a whole process. But there's something satisfying about spotting valuable items at Goodwill and making profit.
Bonus: my children are fascinated when I score cool vintage stuff. Just last week I discovered a vintage toy that my son lost his mind over. Made $45 on it. Mom for the win.
The Honest Reality
Truth bomb incoming: side hustles take work. They're called hustles for a reason.
Some days when I'm completely drained, wondering why I'm doing this. I'm grinding at dawn getting stuff done while it's quiet, then doing all the mom stuff, then more hustle time after everyone's in bed.
But you know what? These are my earnings. I can spend it guilt-free to buy the fancy coffee. I'm supporting the family budget. I'm teaching my children that you can be both.
What I Wish I Knew
For those contemplating a side hustle, here are my tips:
Don't go all in immediately. Don't attempt to start five businesses. Choose one hustle and get good at it before taking on more.
Honor your limits. If you only have evenings, that's totally valid. Even one focused hour is more than enough to start.
Avoid comparing yourself to the highlight reels. Those people with massive success? They put in years of work and has resources you don't see. Do your thing.
Invest in yourself, but smartly. You don't need expensive courses. Be careful about spending thousands on courses until you've proven the concept.
Batch your work. This is crucial. Set aside certain times for certain work. Make Monday creation day. Wednesday could be admin and emails.
Dealing with Mom Guilt
I have to be real with you—guilt is part of this. Certain moments when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I feel terrible.
However I remember that I'm demonstrating to them that hard work matters. I'm demonstrating to my children that moms can have businesses.
Also? Financial independence has helped me feel more like myself. I'm happier, which helps me be better.
The Numbers
My actual income? On average, between all my hustles, I earn $3K-5K. Some months are lower, it fluctuates.
Is this getting-rich money? No. But we've used it to pay for so many things we needed that would've been impossible otherwise. It's creating opportunities and skills that could grow into more.
In Conclusion
Listen, hustling as a mom is hard. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. A lot of days I'm making it up as I go, fueled by espresso and stubbornness, and hoping for the best.
But I'm proud of this journey. Every dollar earned is evidence of my capability. It demonstrates that I'm a multifaceted person.
For anyone contemplating diving into this? Go for it. Start before it's perfect. You in six months will be so glad you did.
Don't forget: You're more than surviving—you're building something. Even though there's probably mysterious crumbs everywhere.
Not even kidding. This is incredible, chaos and all.
From Rock Bottom to Creator Success: My Journey as a Single Mom
Real talk—becoming a single mom wasn't part of my five-year plan. Nor was becoming a content creator. But yet here I am, three years into this wild journey, making a living by being vulnerable on the internet while doing this mom thing solo. And real talk? It's been the best worst decision of my life.
The Starting Point: When Everything Imploded
It was three years ago when my relationship fell apart. I will never forget sitting in my bare apartment (he took what he wanted, I kept what mattered), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids were finally quiet. I had $847 in my bank account, two humans depending on me, and a salary that was a joke. The stress was unbearable, y'all.
I was scrolling social media to avoid my thoughts—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when we're drowning, right?—when I found this woman discussing how she made six figures through posting online. I remember thinking, "That can't be real."
But desperation makes you brave. Or both. Usually 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' school lunches. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Who wants to watch my broke reality?
Plot twist, a lot of people.
That video got 47K views. Nearly fifty thousand people watched me get emotional over chicken nuggets. The comments section was this incredible community—women in similar situations, other people struggling, all saying "me too." That was my aha moment. People didn't want perfect. They wanted honest.
My Brand Evolution: The Real Mom Life Brand
Here's what they don't say about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? I stumbled into it. I became the real one.
I started creating content about the stuff nobody talks about. Like how I lived in one outfit because I couldn't handle laundry. Or the time I let them eat Lucky Charms for dinner several days straight and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my child asked why we don't live with dad, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who is six years old.
My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a phone with a broken screen. But it was unfiltered, and turns out, that's what hit.
In just two months, I hit 10,000 followers. Three months later, fifty thousand. By month six, I'd crossed a hundred thousand. Each milestone blew my mind. These were real people who wanted to follow me. Me—a financially unstable single mom who had to ask Google what this meant recently.
The Daily Grind: Balancing Content and Chaos
Let me show you of my typical day, because content creation as a single mom is not at all like those perfect "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm sounds. I do not want to move, but this is my sacred content creation time. I make coffee that will get cold, and I start recording. Sometimes it's a morning routine sharing about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me cooking while discussing custody stuff. The lighting is natural and terrible.
7:00am: Kids emerge. Content creation ends. Now I'm in parent mode—feeding humans, locating lost items (why is it always one shoe), packing lunches, mediating arguments. The chaos is intense.
8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom creating content in traffic at red lights. I know, I know, but the grind never stops.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. House is quiet. I'm editing videos, being social, thinking of ideas, doing outreach, checking analytics. Folks imagine content creation is simple. Nope. It's a entire operation.
I usually batch-create content on Monday and Wednesday. That means filming 10-15 videos in one session. I'll change shirts between videos so it seems like separate days. Advice: Keep multiple tops nearby for quick changes. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, recording myself alone in the driveway.
3:00pm: Getting the kids. Mom mode activated. But here's where it gets tricky—often my best content ideas come from this time. Recently, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I refused to get a expensive toy. I filmed a video in the parking lot once we left about handling public tantrums as a single parent. It got 2.3 million views.
Evening: Dinner through bedtime. I'm completely exhausted to create content, but I'll queue up posts, reply to messages, or prep for tomorrow. Certain nights, after bedtime, I'll edit for hours because a client needs content.
The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just chaos with a plan with moments of success.
The Financial Reality: How I Actually Make a Living
Look, let's talk dollars because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you really earn income as a online creator? Yes. Is it effortless? Not even close.
My first month, I made $0. Month two? Also nothing. Third month, I got my first brand deal—$150 to promote a meal kit service. I actually cried. That one-fifty bought groceries for two weeks.
Now, three years later, here's how I earn income:
Collaborations: This is my biggest income source. I work with brands that my followers need—practical items, single-parent resources, children's products. I charge anywhere from $500-5K per deal, depending on what they need. This past month, I did four brand deals and made $8K.
Platform Payments: Creator fund pays not much—a few hundred dollars per month for millions of views. AdSense is better. I make about $1.5K monthly from YouTube, but that took two years to build up.
Link Sharing: I share links to things I own—everything from my go-to coffee machine to the kids' beds. If they buy using my link, I get a percentage. This brings in about $800-1,200 monthly.
Online Products: I created a budget template and a food prep planner. Each costs $15, and I sell 50-100 per month. That's another $1-1.5K.
Coaching/Consulting: Aspiring influencers pay me to show them how. I offer 1:1 sessions for two hundred per hour. I do about five to ten a month.
Combined monthly revenue: On average, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month these days. Some months I make more, others are slower. It's unpredictable, which is stressful when there's no backup. But it's three times what I made at my 9-5, and I'm present.
The Struggles Nobody Mentions
This sounds easy until you're sobbing alone because a video flopped, or managing cruel messages from internet trolls.
The negativity is intense. I've been told I'm a terrible parent, told I'm problematic, accused of lying about being a divorced parent. I'll never forget, "I'd leave too." That one destroyed me.
The algorithm shifts. One week you're getting viral hits. Next month, you're getting nothing. Your income varies wildly. You're constantly creating, always "on", worried that if you take a break, you'll be forgotten.
The mom guilt is amplified exponentially. Every video I post, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Are my kids safe? Will they be angry about this when they're grown? I have firm rules—protected identities, keeping their stories private, no embarrassing content. But the line is fuzzy.
The burnout hits hard. Some weeks when I have nothing. When I'm touched out, over it, and totally spent. But rent doesn't care. So I create anyway.
The Unexpected Blessings
But here's the thing—despite the hard parts, this journey has blessed me with things I never expected.
Money security for the first time in my life. I'm not a millionaire, but I became debt-free. I have an cushion. We took a real vacation last summer—Disney World, which I never thought possible a couple years back. I don't stress about my account anymore.
Schedule freedom that's priceless. When my kid was ill last month, I didn't have to use PTO or stress about losing pay. I worked from the doctor's office. When there's a school event, I'm present. I'm available in ways I wasn't able to be with a corporate job.
Community that saved me. The creator friends I've met, especially solo parents, have become actual friends. We talk, exchange tips, lift each other up. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They hype me up, send love, and make me feel seen.
My own identity. Since becoming a mom, I have an identity. I'm not defined by divorce or somebody's mother. I'm a CEO. A content creator. Someone who created this.
What I Wish I Knew
If you're a single mother wanting to start, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be trash. Mine did. Everyone starts there. You get better, not by procrastinating.
Be yourself. People can tell when you're fake. Share your real life—the mess. That resonates.
Protect your kids. Create rules. Be intentional. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I keep names private, limit face shots, and respect their dignity.
Don't rely on one thing. Diversify or a single source. The algorithm is fickle. More streams = less stress.
Create in batches. When you have time alone, make a bunch. Future you will thank yourself when you're too exhausted to create.
Build community. Answer comments. Check messages. Build real relationships. Your community is crucial.
Track metrics. Not all content is worth creating. If something takes four hours a detailed overview and tanks while something else takes no time and blows up, adjust your strategy.
Take care of yourself. Self-care isn't selfish. Take breaks. Set boundaries. Your health matters more than views.
Be patient. This takes time. It took me ages to make any real money. My first year, I made barely $15,000. The second year, eighty thousand. Year three, I'm on track for six figures. It's a journey.
Don't forget your why. On bad days—and there will be many—remember your reason. For me, it's money, being present, and validating that I'm capable of more than I thought possible.
The Reality Check
Here's the deal, I'm keeping it 100. Being a single mom creator is challenging. Like, really freaking hard. You're running a whole business while being the lone caretaker of children who require constant attention.
Some days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the hate comments hurt. Days when I'm drained and questioning if I should quit this with consistent income.
But then my daughter says she's happy I'm here. Or I see financial progress. Or I get a DM from a follower saying my content inspired her. And I know it's worth it.
What's Next
Three years ago, I was broke, scared, and had no idea what to do. Today, I'm a full-time creator making way more than I made in traditional work, and I'm present for everything.
My goals moving forward? Hit 500K by December. Launch a podcast for solo parents. Possibly write a book. Keep building this business that changed my life.
This journey gave me a second chance when I had nothing. It gave me a way to provide for my family, show up, and create something meaningful. It's not what I planned, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To every single mom out there considering this: You absolutely can. It isn't simple. You'll doubt yourself. But you're currently doing the most difficult thing—parenting solo. You're more capable than you know.
Jump in messy. Keep showing up. Keep your boundaries. And don't forget, you're doing more than surviving—you're building something incredible.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go make a video about another last-minute project and I'm just now hearing about it. Because that's the reality—making content from chaos, one post at a time.
Honestly. This life? It's everything. Despite there might be crumbs all over my desk. Living the dream, chaos and all.