Real talk, motherhood is literally insane. But you know what's even crazier? Trying to hustle for money while juggling children who have boundless energy while I'm running on fumes.
My hustle life began about three years ago when I discovered that my retail therapy sessions were becoming problematic. It was time to get cash that was actually mine.
The Virtual Assistant Life
Here's what happened, my first gig was doing VA work. And honestly? It was perfect. I could work during naptime, and literally all it took was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.
Initially I was doing basic stuff like email management, scheduling social media posts, and data entry. Super simple stuff. I charged about $20/hour, which seemed low but when you're just starting, you gotta begin at the bottom.
Here's what was wild? Picture this: me on a client call looking completely put together from the shoulders up—blazer, makeup, the works—while rocking my rattiest leggings. Main character energy.
Selling on Etsy
After getting my feet wet, I decided to try the selling on Etsy. Literally everyone seemed to sell stuff on Etsy, so I thought "why not get in on this?"
I started crafting downloadable organizers and wall art. What's great about digital products? Design it once, and it can make money while you sleep. Actually, I've made sales at 3am while I was sleeping.
When I got my first order? I freaked out completely. My husband thought there was an emergency. Negative—I was just, cheering about my five dollar sale. Judge me if you want.
Content Creator Life
Next I got into blogging and content creation. This hustle is a marathon not a sprint, real talk.
I launched a family lifestyle blog where I documented real mom life—everything unfiltered. Not the highlight reel. Simply real talk about finding mystery stains on everything I own.
Building traffic was painfully slow. The first few months, it was basically talking to myself. But I stayed consistent, and eventually, things began working.
At this point? I generate revenue through affiliate marketing, collaborations, and advertisements on my site. Just last month I earned over two thousand dollars from my blog alone. Wild, right?
SMM Side Hustle
When I became good with running my own socials, brands started asking if I could run their social media.
And honestly? A lot of local businesses are terrible with social media. They realize they need to be there, but they don't have time.
This is my moment. I currently run social media for several small companies—a bakery, a boutique, and a fitness studio. I make posts, schedule posts, handle community management, and track analytics.
I bill between five hundred to fifteen hundred monthly per business, depending on what they need. Here's what's great? I handle this from my iPhone.
Freelance Writing Life
For those who can string sentences together, writing gigs is seriously profitable. I don't mean literary fiction—I mean business content.
Companies always need writers. I've written articles about everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to know how to find information.
Generally make $0.10-0.50 per word, depending on how complex it is. Certain months I'll produce fifteen articles and make $1-2K.
Here's what's wild: I was that student who hated writing papers. Currently I'm making money from copyright. Life is weird.
Tutoring Online
2020 changed everything, everyone needed online help. With my teaching background, so this was perfect for me.
I signed up with various tutoring services. The scheduling is flexible, which is crucial when you have tiny humans who throw curveballs daily.
My sessions are usually K-5 subjects. You can make from fifteen to thirty bucks per hour depending on the platform.
What's hilarious? Every now and then my kids will interrupt mid-session. I've literally had to educate someone's child while mine had a meltdown. The families I work with are totally cool about it because they're living the same life.
The Reselling Game
Here me out, this side gig wasn't planned. During a massive cleanout my kids' closet and tried selling some outfits on copyright.
Stuff sold out immediately. Lightbulb moment: one person's trash is another's treasure.
Now I visit thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, looking for quality items. I purchase something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
This takes effort? For sure. You're constantly listing and shipping. But there's something satisfying about spotting valuable items at the thrift store and turning a profit.
Additionally: my kids are impressed when I find unique items. Just last week I discovered a collectible item that my son absolutely loved. Flipped it for forty-five bucks. Mom win.
Real Talk Time
Let me keep it real: this stuff requires effort. They're called hustles for a reason.
Some days when I'm completely drained, questioning my life choices. I wake up early being productive before the madness begins, then being a full-time parent, then back to work after everyone's in bed.
But this is what's real? That money is MINE. I'm not asking anyone to treat myself. I'm adding to the family budget. My kids see that you can have it all—sort of.
What I Wish I Knew
For those contemplating a side hustle, here are my tips:
Begin with something manageable. Don't attempt to launch everything simultaneously. Choose one hustle and get good at it before starting something else.
Work with your schedule. If naptime is your only free time, that's totally valid. A couple of productive hours is valuable.
Stop comparing to what you see online. Those people with massive success? She probably started years ago and has resources you don't see. Stay in your lane.
Spend money on education, but strategically. Free information exists. Be careful about spending huge money on programs until you've proven the concept.
Batch your work. This is crucial. Block off time blocks for different things. Monday could be content creation day. Use Wednesday for organizing and responding.
The Mom Guilt is Real
I'm not gonna lie—guilt is part of this. Certain moments when I'm on my laptop and they want to play, and I hate it.
Yet I consider that I'm teaching them how to hustle. I'm showing my daughter that you can be both.
Additionally? Financial independence has been good for me. I'm happier, which translates to better parenting.
Income Reality Check
So what do I actually make? Most months, combining everything, I bring in $3K-5K. Certain months are higher, some are tougher.
Is it life-changing money? Not exactly. But I've used it for vacations, home improvements, and that emergency vet bill that would've stressed us out. It's developing my career and expertise that could become a full-time thing.
Wrapping This Up
Look, being a mom with a side hustle takes work. You won't find a one-size-fits-all approach. Many days I'm flying by the seat of my pants, powered by caffeine, and hoping for the best.
But I don't regret it. Every single dollar I earn is proof that I can do hard things. It's proof that I'm more than just mom.
So if you're considering launching a mom business? Go for it. Don't wait for perfect. Your future self will be so glad you did.
And remember: You're not merely surviving—you're building something. Even if you probably have snack crumbs stuck to your laptop.
Seriously. The whole thing is where it's at, mess included.
Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom
Real talk—being a single parent was never the plan. Nor was becoming a content creator. But here we are, years into this crazy ride, earning income by creating content while handling everything by myself. And honestly? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.
The Beginning: When Everything Came Crashing Down
It was a few years ago when my divorce happened. I will never forget sitting in my bare apartment (he got the furniture, I got the memories), scrolling mindlessly at 2am while my kids were passed out. I had eight hundred forty-seven dollars in my checking account, two humans depending on me, and a paycheck that wasn't enough. The panic was real, y'all.
I'd been mindlessly scrolling to escape reality—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when we're drowning, right?—when I came across this solo parent sharing how she paid off $30,000 in debt through posting online. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."
But desperation makes you brave. Maybe both. Often both.
I got the TikTok creator app the next morning. My first video? Raw, unfiltered, messy hair, explaining how I'd just put my last twelve dollars on a pack of chicken nuggets and fruit snacks for my kids' school lunches. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Who wants to watch my mess?
Spoiler alert, way more people than I expected.
That video got forty-seven thousand views. Forty-seven thousand people watched me breakdown over frozen nuggets. The comments section turned into this validation fest—fellow solo parents, people living the same reality, all saying "me too." That was my turning point. People didn't want perfect. They wanted honest.
My Brand Evolution: The Hot Mess Single Mom Brand
Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? I stumbled into it. I became the mom who tells the truth.
I started sharing the stuff nobody talks about. Like how I didn't change pants for days because I couldn't handle laundry. Or the time I fed my kids cereal for dinner multiple nights and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked about the divorce, and I had to explain adult stuff to a kid who still believes in Santa.
My content was raw. My lighting was terrible. I filmed on a phone with a broken screen. But it was honest, and evidently, that's what resonated.
Two months later, I hit 10K. Three months later, 50K. By six months, I'd crossed 100,000. Each milestone blew my mind. Actual humans who wanted to know my story. Me—a financially unstable single mom who had to figure this out from zero recently.
The Actual Schedule: Juggling Everything
Here's the reality of my typical day, because content creation as a single mom is the opposite of those curated "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm blares. I do NOT want to get up, but this is my work time. I make coffee that I'll forget about, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a getting ready video talking about financial reality. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while venting about parenting coordination. The lighting is whatever I can get.
7:00am: Kids wake up. Content creation stops. Now I'm in parent mode—feeding humans, finding the missing shoe (where do they go), packing lunches, referee duties. The chaos is intense.
8:30am: Drop off time. I'm that mom in the carpool line filming TikToks at stop signs. Don't judge me, but I gotta post.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my power window. I'm alone finally. I'm editing videos, replying to DMs, planning content, reaching out to brands, reviewing performance. They believe content creation is just making TikToks. Absolutely not. It's a full business.
I usually batch-create content on certain days. That means creating 10-15 pieces in one go. I'll change clothes so it looks like different days. Life hack: Keep multiple tops nearby for outfit changes. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, filming myself talking to my phone in the parking lot.
3:00pm: Pickup time. Transition back to mom mode. But here's where it gets tricky—many times my top performing content come from the chaos. A few days ago, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I couldn't afford a forty dollar toy. I filmed a video in the parking lot once we left about handling public tantrums as a lone parent. It got over 2 million views.
Evening: All the evening things. I'm usually too exhausted to film, but I'll queue up posts, reply to messages, or plan tomorrow's content. Certain nights, after bedtime, I'll stay up editing because a deadline is coming.
The truth? There's no balance. It's just organized chaos with random wins.
Income Breakdown: How I Support My Family
Okay, let's talk dollars because this is what everyone's curious about. Can you actually make money as a creator? Absolutely. Is it simple? Absolutely not.
My first month, I made nothing. Second month? Still nothing. Third month, I got my first brand deal—one hundred fifty dollars to post about a meal box. I broke down. That $150 fed us.
Currently, three years later, here's how I generate revenue:
Brand Deals: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that make sense—things that help, helpful services, kids' stuff. I bill anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per collaboration, depending on the scope. This past month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made $8,000.
Ad Money: TikTok's creator fund pays not much—maybe $200-400 per month for massive numbers. AdSense is better. I make about fifteen hundred a month from YouTube, but that took forever.
Link Sharing: I share links to stuff I really use—everything from my go-to coffee machine to the beds my kids use. If someone clicks and buys, I get a cut. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.
Online Products: I created a money management guide and a cooking guide. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell fifty to a hundred per month. That's another thousand to fifteen hundred.
Teaching Others: Aspiring influencers pay me to guide them. I offer private coaching for two hundred dollars. I do about five to ten a month.
Total monthly income: On average, I'm making between ten and fifteen grand per month these days. Some months I make more, some are less. It's inconsistent, which is terrifying when you're solo. But it's 3x what I made at my old job, and I'm available for my kids.
The Dark Side Nobody Posts About
This sounds easy until you're having a breakdown because a post got no views, or reading nasty DMs from strangers who think they know your life.
The negativity is intense. I've been called a bad mom, told I'm exploiting my kids, accused of lying about being a single mom. One person said, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one stung for days.
The algorithm changes constantly. Certain periods you're getting viral hits. The following week, you're getting nothing. Your income fluctuates. You're constantly creating, 24/7, nervous about slowing down, you'll lose momentum.
The mom guilt is amplified exponentially. Every upload, I wonder: Is this too much? Am this review I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they resent this when they're older? I have strict rules—minimal identifying info, keeping their stories private, no embarrassing content. But the line is not always clear.
The I get burnt out. Certain periods when I can't create. When I'm exhausted, talked out, and completely finished. But the mortgage is due. So I show up anyway.
The Beautiful Parts
But the truth is—despite everything, this journey has given me things I never imagined.
Money security for the first time ever. I'm not a millionaire, but I cleared $18K. I have an savings. We took a family trip last summer—the Mouse House, which I never thought possible not long ago. I don't panic about money anymore.
Schedule freedom that's priceless. When my boy was sick last month, I didn't have to call in to work or stress about losing pay. I worked from the pediatrician's waiting room. When there's a school event, I can go. I'm in their lives in ways I wasn't with a traditional 9-5.
Community that saved me. The other creators I've met, especially other moms, have become true friends. We talk, share strategies, lift each other up. My followers have become this family. They cheer for me, lift me up, and remind me I'm not alone.
Me beyond motherhood. For the first time since having kids, I have my own thing. I'm not defined by divorce or just a mom. I'm a entrepreneur. A content creator. Someone who made it happen.
What I Wish I Knew
If you're a solo parent thinking about this, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. That's normal. You get better, not by procrastinating.
Authenticity wins. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your true life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That's what works.
Protect your kids. Set boundaries early. Be intentional. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I don't use their names, protect their faces, and keep private things private.
Build multiple income streams. Don't put all eggs in one basket or one income stream. The algorithm is fickle. More streams = less stress.
Batch create content. When you have quiet time, record several. Future you will be grateful when you're unable to film.
Engage with your audience. Answer comments. Answer DMs. Build real relationships. Your community is crucial.
Analyze performance. Not all content is worth creating. If something takes forever and tanks while another video takes 20 minutes and goes viral, shift focus.
Take care of yourself. You matter too. Unplug. Create limits. Your wellbeing matters most.
Give it time. This takes time. It took me half a year to make decent money. My first year, I made fifteen thousand. Year 2, eighty grand. Year 3, I'm hitting six figures. It's a marathon.
Know your why. On bad days—and there will be many—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's financial freedom, time with my children, and proving to myself that I'm capable of anything.
Real Talk Time
Here's the deal, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Being a single mom creator is hard. So damn hard. You're basically running a business while being the only parent of demanding little people.
Certain days I question everything. Days when the nasty comments get to me. Days when I'm exhausted and stressed and asking myself if I should quit this with benefits and a steady paycheck.
But and then my daughter says she's proud that I work from home. Or I see my copyright actually has money in it. Or I receive a comment from a follower saying my content inspired her. And I know it's worth it.
The Future
Not long ago, I was lost and broke how to make it work. Currently, I'm a full-time content creator making way more than I made in my 9-5, and I'm present for everything.
My goals going forward? Hit 500K by end of year. Begin podcasting for solo parents. Consider writing a book. Continue building this business that changed my life.
Being a creator gave me a way out when I needed it most. It gave me a way to support my kids, be available, and create something meaningful. It's unexpected, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To every solo parent considering this: Yes you can. It won't be easy. You'll doubt yourself. But you're handling the hardest job—doing this alone. You're powerful.
Start imperfect. Keep showing up. Keep your boundaries. And don't forget, you're doing more than surviving—you're building an empire.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go create content about another last-minute project and nobody told me until now. Because that's how it goes—making content from chaos, one post at a time.
For real. This path? It's worth it. Even if there might be old snacks in my keyboard. That's the dream, one messy video at a time.