Let me spill, being a mom is absolutely wild. But here's the thing? Attempting to secure the bag while juggling kids, laundry, and approximately 47 snack requests per day.
My hustle life began about a few years back when I discovered that my retail therapy sessions were way too frequent. I was desperate for funds I didn't have to justify spending.
Being a VA
Here's what happened, my initial venture was doing VA work. And real talk? It was chef's kiss. It let me hustle while the kids slept, and the only requirement was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.
I started with easy things like email management, posting on social media, and data entry. Pretty straightforward. My rate was about $15-20 per hour, which wasn't much but when you don't know what you're doing yet, you gotta start somewhere.
What cracked me up? Picture this: me on a video meeting looking all professional from the chest up—blazer, makeup, the works—while rocking sweatpants. Main character energy.
My Etsy Journey
After a year, I wanted to explore the whole Etsy thing. Literally everyone seemed to sell stuff on Etsy, so I was like "why not me?"
I created making downloadable organizers and digital art prints. The beauty of printables? One and done creation, and it can make money while you sleep. Actually, I've earned money at times when I didn't even know.
When I got my first order? I actually yelled. My husband thought there was an emergency. Negative—just me, cheering about my first five bucks. Judge me if you want.
Blogging and Creating
Then I discovered writing and making content. This hustle is definitely a slow burn, trust me on this.
I created a mom blog where I posted about what motherhood actually looks like—all of it, no filter. None of that Pinterest-perfect life. Only real talk about the time my kid decorated the walls with Nutella.
Growing an audience was like watching paint dry. Initially, I was basically creating content for crickets. But I stayed consistent, and slowly but surely, things started clicking.
These days? I make money through promoting products, sponsored posts, and ad revenue. Just last month I brought in over two thousand dollars from my blog alone. Insane, right?
SMM Side Hustle
Once I got decent at social media for my own stuff, brands started reaching out if I could run their social media.
Here's the thing? Most small businesses suck at social media. They recognize they need a presence, but they're clueless about the algorithm.
That's where I come in. I handle social media for several small companies—different types of businesses. I make posts, plan their posting schedule, handle community management, and analyze the metrics.
They pay me between five hundred to a thousand dollars per month per client, depending on what they need. The best thing? I can do most of it from my phone during soccer practice.
Writing for Money
For the wordy folks, freelancing the related post is seriously profitable. I'm not talking becoming Shakespeare—I mean business content.
Brands and websites always need writers. I've written everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to be able to learn quickly.
On average make $0.10-0.50 per word, depending on length and complexity. On good months I'll create ten to fifteen pieces and pull in an extra $1,000-2,000.
What's hilarious: Back in school I barely passed English class. Currently I'm making money from copyright. Talk about character development.
Tutoring Online
After lockdown started, online tutoring exploded. With my teaching background, so this was right up my alley.
I started working with several tutoring platforms. The scheduling is flexible, which is absolutely necessary when you have tiny humans who throw curveballs daily.
My sessions are usually elementary reading and math. Income ranges from fifteen to thirty bucks per hour depending on the company.
What's hilarious? There are times when my children will burst into the room mid-session. I've literally had to teach fractions while my toddler screamed about the wrong color cup. My clients are very sympathetic because they understand mom life.
Reselling and Flipping
Alright, this one started by accident. I was cleaning out my kids' things and put some things on Facebook Marketplace.
They sold within hours. I suddenly understood: you can sell literally anything.
Now I visit anywhere with deals, looking for name brands. I'll buy something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
It's labor-intensive? For sure. It's a whole process. But it's strangely fulfilling about finding a gem at the thrift store and making profit.
Additionally: my children are fascinated when I find unique items. Last week I discovered a rare action figure that my son went crazy for. Made $45 on it. Mom win.
Real Talk Time
Real talk moment: this stuff requires effort. It's called hustling because you're hustling.
There are moments when I'm surviving on caffeine and spite, asking myself what I'm doing. I wake up early working before my kids wake up, then handling mom duties, then working again after bedtime.
But here's what matters? This income is mine. I'm not asking anyone to buy the fancy coffee. I'm supporting the family budget. My kids see that moms can do anything.
Advice for New Mom Hustlers
If you're thinking about a side hustle, here's my advice:
Start with one thing. Avoid trying to launch everything simultaneously. Focus on one and master it before expanding.
Honor your limits. Your available hours, that's fine. Whatever time you can dedicate is valuable.
Stop comparing to Instagram moms. Those people with massive success? She's been grinding forever and doesn't do it alone. Focus on your own journey.
Invest in yourself, but wisely. There are tons of free resources. Be careful about spending $5,000 on a coaching program until you've proven the concept.
Do similar tasks together. This saved my sanity. Use certain times for certain work. Monday might be making stuff day. Make Wednesday admin and emails.
The Mom Guilt is Real
I'm not gonna lie—mom guilt is a thing. There are days when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I hate it.
But I remind myself that I'm modeling for them work ethic. I'm demonstrating to my children that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.
Also? Financial independence has improved my mental health. I'm more content, which makes me a better parent.
The Numbers
How much do I earn? Generally, total from all sources, I pull in $3K-5K. Some months are lower, some are slower.
Will this make you wealthy? Nope. But it's paid for family trips and unexpected expenses that would've been really hard. It's building my skills and knowledge that could turn into something bigger.
Wrapping This Up
At the end of the day, combining motherhood and entrepreneurship is hard. You won't find a secret sauce. Most days I'm flying by the seat of my pants, powered by caffeine, and crossing my fingers.
But I don't regret it. Each bit of income is evidence of my capability. It's evidence that I'm not just someone's mother.
If you're thinking about diving into this? Go for it. Begin before you're ready. You in six months will be grateful.
Don't forget: You aren't only getting by—you're growing something incredible. Even if there's probably Goldfish crackers on your keyboard.
Seriously. This mom hustle life is incredible, chaos and all.
My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom
I'm gonna be honest—becoming a single mom wasn't the dream. I also didn't plan on making money from my phone. But fast forward to now, three years into this wild journey, earning income by creating content while parenting alone. And not gonna lie? It's been the most terrifying, empowering, and unexpected blessing of my life.
The Starting Point: When Everything Imploded
It was three years ago when my divorce happened. I can still picture sitting in my new apartment (he got the furniture, I got the memories), unable to sleep at 2am while my kids were finally quiet. I had barely $850 in my checking account, two kids to support, and a job that barely covered rent. The fear was overwhelming, y'all.
I was scrolling social media to distract myself from the anxiety—because that's how we cope? when we're drowning, right?—when I came across this solo parent discussing how she became debt-free through being a creator. I remember thinking, "That's either a scam or she's incredibly lucky."
But being broke makes you bold. Or crazy. Usually both.
I grabbed the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? Raw, unfiltered, messy hair, talking about how I'd just blown my final $12 on a dinosaur nuggets and snacks for my kids' lunches. I posted it and immediately regretted it. Who gives a damn about my broke reality?
Apparently, tons of people.
That video got forty-seven thousand views. 47,000 people watched me get emotional over chicken nuggets. The comments section became this incredible community—women in similar situations, people living the same reality, all saying "me too." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted authentic.
My Brand Evolution: The Real Mom Life Brand
Here's the secret about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? It happened organically. I became the real one.
I started filming the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I lived in one outfit because I couldn't handle laundry. Or when I served cereal as a meal three nights in a row and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked about the divorce, and I had to have big conversations to a kid who thinks the tooth fairy is real.
My content was raw. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a ancient iPhone. But it was unfiltered, and turns out, that's what hit.
In just two months, I hit ten thousand followers. Three months later, fifty thousand. By six months, I'd crossed 100K. Each milestone felt surreal. People who wanted to know my story. Me—a financially unstable single mom who had to Google "what is a content creator" months before.
The Daily Grind: Juggling Everything
Here's the reality of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is not at all like those aesthetic "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm goes off. I do not want to move, but this is my hustle hours. I make coffee that I'll reheat three times, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a get-ready-with-me discussing financial reality. Sometimes it's me cooking while venting about co-parenting struggles. The lighting is whatever I can get.
7:00am: Kids get up. Content creation ends. Now I'm in mommy mode—cooking eggs, finding the missing shoe (why is it always one shoe), packing lunches, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is overwhelming.
8:30am: Drop off time. I'm that mom in the carpool line filming TikToks at red lights. Not proud of this, but I gotta post.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my hustle time. Peace and quiet. I'm editing content, replying to DMs, thinking of ideas, sending emails, analyzing metrics. They believe content creation is just making TikToks. Nope. It's a real job.
I usually batch content on specific days. That means shooting multiple videos in one session. I'll change shirts between videos so it looks like different days. Advice: Keep several shirts ready for outfit changes. My neighbors must think I'm insane, making videos in public in the yard.
3:00pm: Getting the kids. Parent time. But here's where it gets tricky—many times my biggest hits come from this time. Just last week, my daughter had a complete meltdown in Target because I said no to a toy she didn't need. I made content in the parking lot once we left about handling public tantrums as a solo parent. It got over 2 million views.
Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm completely exhausted to create content, but I'll schedule uploads, check DMs, or strategize. Certain nights, after everyone's sleeping, I'll edit for hours because a client needs content.
The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just chaos with a plan with some victories.
The Financial Reality: How I Actually Make a Living
Alright, let's get into the finances because this is what people ask about. Can you actually make money as a influencer? For sure. Is it simple? Hell no.
My first month, I made nothing. Month two? Zero. Third month, I got my first paid partnership—$150 to feature a meal kit service. I broke down. That hundred fifty dollars fed us.
Currently, three years in, here's how I earn income:
Collaborations: This is my biggest income source. I work with brands that fit my niche—practical items, mom products, kids' stuff. I get paid anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per collaboration, depending on what they need. Just last month, I did four collabs and made $8K.
Creator Fund/Ad Revenue: TikTok's creator fund pays pennies—a few hundred dollars per month for millions of views. AdSense is actually decent. I make about $1,500/month from YouTube, but that required years.
Affiliate Income: I share affiliate links to items I love—everything from my beloved coffee maker to the kids' beds. If anyone buys, I get a kickback. This brings in about $800-$1200/month.
Online Products: I created a single mom budget planner and a meal planning ebook. $15 apiece, and I sell dozens per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.
Consulting Services: Aspiring influencers pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer one-on-one coaching sessions for $200/hour. I do about five to ten per month.
Total monthly income: Generally, I'm making $10-15K per month these days. Some months I make more, some are lower. It's inconsistent, which is nerve-wracking when you're the only income source. But it's three times what I made at my old job, and I'm home when my kids need me.
The Hard Parts Nobody Talks About
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're having a breakdown because a post tanked, or dealing with vicious comments from strangers who think they know your life.
The hate comments are real. I've been told I'm a terrible parent, told I'm problematic, questioned about being a solo parent. Someone once commented, "No wonder he left." That one destroyed me.
The algorithm shifts. Certain periods you're getting insane views. Then suddenly, you're getting nothing. Your income varies wildly. You're constantly creating, never resting, nervous about slowing down, you'll be forgotten.
The mom guilt is worse to the extreme. Each post, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Are my kids safe? Will they hate me for this when they're older? I have clear boundaries—minimal identifying info, nothing too personal, nothing that could embarrass them. But the line is hard to see.
The burnout hits hard. There are weeks when I don't want to film anything. When I'm depleted, talked out, and at my limit. But rent doesn't care. So I push through.
The Unexpected Blessings
But the truth is—even with the struggles, this journey has blessed me with things I never imagined.
Economic stability for once in my life. I'm not wealthy, but I cleared $18K. I have an emergency fund. We took a family trip last summer—the Mouse House, which seemed impossible not long ago. I don't dread checking my balance anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my son got sick last month, I didn't have to stress about missing work or lose income. I worked from the doctor's office. When there's a school event, I can go. I'm present in my kids' lives in ways I couldn't be with a corporate job.
Support that saved me. The creator friends I've found, especially single moms, have become real friends. We connect, share strategies, encourage each other. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They cheer for me, encourage me through rough patches, and make me feel seen.
Something that's mine. After years, I have something for me. I'm more than an ex or just a mom. I'm a CEO. A creator. A person who hustled.
Advice for Aspiring Creators
If you're a solo parent considering content creation, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. It's fine. You learn by doing, not by waiting until everything is perfect.
Keep it real. People can tell when you're fake. Share your real life—the chaos. That's what works.
Keep them safe. Set limits. Be intentional. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I keep names private, minimize face content, and never discuss anything that could embarrass them.
Build multiple income streams. Spread it out or one revenue source. The algorithm is fickle. Diversification = security.
Film multiple videos. When you have free time, film multiple videos. Next week you will be grateful when you're too exhausted to create.
Engage with your audience. Respond to comments. Reply to messages. Build real relationships. Your community is your foundation.
Monitor what works. Not all content is worth creating. If something is time-intensive and gets 200 views while another video takes very little time and gets massive views, change tactics.
Prioritize yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup. Take breaks. Set boundaries. Your wellbeing matters more than going viral.
Give it time. This is a marathon. It took me ages to make decent money. Year one, I made maybe $15,000 total. The second year, eighty thousand. Year 3, I'm projected for $100K+. It's a marathon.
Don't forget your why. On bad days—and trust me, there will be—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's supporting my kids, flexibility with my kids, and showing myself that I'm capable of anything.
The Reality Check
Listen, I'm being honest. This journey is hard. Incredibly hard. You're running a whole business while being the lone caretaker of tiny humans who need you constantly.
Some days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the negativity affect me. Days when I'm drained and asking myself if I should get a regular job with insurance.
But then my daughter says she loves that I'm home. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I receive a comment from a follower saying my content changed her life. And I know it's worth it.
What's Next
Years ago, I was broke, scared, and had no idea how I'd survive as a single mom. Fast forward, I'm a full-time creator making more than I imagined in traditional work, and I'm there for my kids.
My goals going forward? Hit 500,000 followers by December. Begin podcasting for single parents. Write a book eventually. Expand this business that changed my life.
Being a creator gave me a lifeline when I needed it most. It gave me a way to feed my babies, be present in their lives, and create something meaningful. It's a surprise, but it's perfect.
To every single mom out there on the fence: Yes you can. It will be challenging. You'll doubt yourself. But you're managing the hardest job—parenting solo. You're powerful.
Begin messy. Stay consistent. Guard your peace. And remember, you're beyond survival mode—you're building an empire.
BRB, I need to go make a video about homework I forgot about and I just learned about it. Because that's the reality—turning chaos into content, one video at a time.
Honestly. Being a single mom creator? It's everything. Even though there might be old snacks everywhere. Dream life, one messy video at a time.