Real talk, mom life is not for the weak. But what's really wild? Trying to secure the bag 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 discovered that my impulse buys were becoming problematic. I had to find cash that was actually mine.
Being a VA
Right so, my first gig was becoming a virtual assistant. And real talk? It was chef's kiss. I could work during naptime, and all I needed was a computer and internet.
My first tasks were basic stuff like handling emails, scheduling social media posts, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. I charged about $15-20 per hour, which wasn't much but for someone with zero experience, you gotta build up your portfolio.
Here's what was wild? I would be on a Zoom call looking completely put together from the shoulders up—business casual vibes—while wearing sweatpants. That's the dream honestly.
My Etsy Journey
After getting my feet wet, I thought I'd test out the selling on Etsy. Every mom I knew seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I figured "why not me?"
My shop focused on crafting printable planners and digital art prints. Here's why printables are amazing? Design it once, and it can make money while you sleep. Literally, I've gotten orders at midnight when I'm unconscious.
That initial sale? I literally screamed. He came running thinking there was an emergency. Nope—just me, celebrating my five dollar sale. Judge me if you want.
The Content Creation Grind
Then I ventured into creating content online. This venture is playing the long the related discussion game, trust me on this.
I started a parenting blog where I wrote about what motherhood actually looks like—everything unfiltered. None of that Pinterest-perfect life. Only authentic experiences about surviving tantrums in Target.
Building traffic was a test of patience. The first few months, I was basically writing for myself and like three people. But I stayed consistent, and eventually, things started clicking.
Currently? I make money through promoting products, working with brands, and advertisements on my site. Last month I made over two grand from my blog alone. Mind-blowing, right?
SMM Side Hustle
Once I got decent at my own content, brands started reaching out if I could help them.
Truth bomb? A lot of local businesses suck at social media. They know they have to be on it, but they don't know how.
That's where I come in. I now manage social media for three local businesses—a bakery, a boutique, and a fitness studio. I create content, plan their posting schedule, interact with their audience, and check their stats.
My rate is between $500-1500 per month per client, depending on what they need. What I love? I handle this from my iPhone.
Freelance Writing Life
For the wordy folks, freelance writing is seriously profitable. This isn't becoming Shakespeare—I mean blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.
Websites and businesses always need writers. I've created content about everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. Being an expert isn't required, you just need to be good at research.
Usually earn between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on length and complexity. Some months I'll create 10-15 articles and earn a couple thousand dollars.
Plot twist: I was the person who struggled with essays. Now I'm a professional writer. Life's funny like that.
The Online Tutoring Thing
After lockdown started, everyone needed online help. With my teaching background, so this was perfect for me.
I joined VIPKid and Tutor.com. The scheduling is flexible, which is non-negotiable when you have kids with unpredictable schedules.
I mostly tutor elementary reading and math. The pay ranges from fifteen to thirty bucks per hour depending on the company.
The funny thing? Every now and then my kids will burst into the room mid-session. I've had to educate someone's child while mine had a meltdown. My clients are incredibly understanding because they're parents too.
Flipping Items for Profit
Alright, this hustle wasn't planned. During a massive cleanout my kids' closet and put some things on copyright.
Items moved immediately. I suddenly understood: one person's trash is another's treasure.
These days I visit secondhand stores and sales, searching for things that will sell. I'll buy something for a few dollars and make serious profit.
It's definitely work? Absolutely. It's a whole process. But I find it rewarding about discovering a diamond in the rough at Goodwill and turning a profit.
Plus: the kids think it's neat when I bring home interesting finds. Last week I scored a collectible item that my son lost his mind over. Flipped it for forty-five bucks. Score one for mom.
The Truth About Side Hustles
Here's the thing nobody tells you: this stuff requires effort. There's work involved, hence the name.
Some days when I'm completely drained, asking myself what I'm doing. I'm up at 5am hustling before the chaos starts, then doing all the mom stuff, then back to work after everyone's in bed.
But this is what's real? I earned this money. I'm not asking anyone to get the good coffee. I'm supporting my family's finances. My kids are learning that you can be both.
Tips if You're Starting Out
For those contemplating a mom hustle, here's what I'd tell you:
Start with one thing. Avoid trying to start five businesses. Focus on one and get good at it before expanding.
Honor your limits. Whatever time you have, that's perfectly acceptable. Even one focused hour is a great beginning.
Comparison is the thief of joy to what you see online. That mom with the six-figure side hustle? She probably started years ago and doesn't do it alone. Do your thing.
Learn and grow, but strategically. Free information exists. Avoid dropping thousands on courses until you've tested the waters.
Batch tasks together. I learned this the hard way. Block off certain times for certain work. Monday might be making stuff day. Wednesday might be 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 feel guilty.
Yet I remember that I'm demonstrating to them what dedication looks like. I'm demonstrating to my children that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.
Plus? Having my own income has been good for me. I'm more content, which translates to better parenting.
Income Reality Check
The real numbers? Most months, combining everything, I pull in between three and five grand. Some months are lower, it fluctuates.
Is this millionaire money? Not really. But it's paid for stuff that matters to us that would've been impossible otherwise. It's also giving me confidence and expertise that could become a full-time thing.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, being a mom with a side hustle is challenging. You won't find a magic formula. Often I'm flying by the seat of my pants, surviving on coffee, and doing my best.
But I'm proud of this journey. Every bit of income is a testament to my hustle. It demonstrates that I'm more than just mom.
For anyone contemplating beginning your hustle journey? Go for it. Don't wait for perfect. Future you will be so glad you did.
Keep in mind: You're not just getting by—you're building something. Even when you probably have mysterious crumbs on your keyboard.
No cap. This is pretty amazing, despite the chaos.
From Survival Mode to Content Creator: My Journey as a Single Mom
Here's the truth—becoming a single mom wasn't on my vision board. Nor was building a creator business. But fast forward to now, years into this crazy ride, supporting my family by posting videos while doing this mom thing solo. And I'll be real? It's been the most terrifying, empowering, and unexpected blessing of my life.
The Beginning: When Everything Fell Apart
It was a few years ago when my relationship fell apart. I will never forget sitting in my new apartment (I kept the kids' stuff, he took everything else), unable to sleep at 2am while my kids were passed out. I had eight hundred forty-seven dollars in my account, two kids to support, and a job that barely covered rent. The panic was real, y'all.
I was on TikTok to distract myself from the anxiety—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when we're drowning, right?—when I came across this woman discussing how she changed her life through content creation. I remember thinking, "That's either a scam or she's incredibly lucky."
But when you're desperate, you try anything. Maybe both. Probably both.
I grabbed the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? Completely unpolished, venting about how I'd just used my last twelve bucks on a cheap food for my kids' lunches. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Why would anyone care about this disaster?
Spoiler alert, way more people than I expected.
That video got 47K views. Nearly fifty thousand people watched me almost lose it over chicken nuggets. The comments section turned into this unexpected source of support—other single moms, people living the same reality, all saying "me too." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want perfection. They wanted authentic.
My Brand Evolution: The Real Mom Life Brand
The truth is about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? It found me. I became the real one.
I started sharing the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I once wore the same yoga pants for four days straight because executive dysfunction is real. Or when I let them eat Lucky Charms for dinner several days straight and called it "creative meal planning." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked where daddy went, and I had to have big conversations to a kid who is six years old.
My content was rough. My lighting was trash. I filmed on a ancient iPhone. But it was unfiltered, and turns out, that's what hit.
After sixty days, I hit 10,000 followers. Three months later, 50,000. By six months, I'd crossed 100,000. Each milestone felt impossible. Real accounts who wanted to hear what I had to say. Me—a broke single mom who had to ask Google what this meant six months earlier.
A Day in the Life: Managing It All
Here's what it actually looks like 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 screams. I do NOT want to get up, but this is my work time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a GRWM discussing single mom finances. Sometimes it's me cooking while talking about custody stuff. The lighting is whatever I can get.
7:00am: Kids wake up. Content creation goes on hold. Now I'm in mommy mode—pouring cereal, finding the missing shoe (why is it always one shoe), making lunch boxes, stopping fights. The chaos is intense.
8:30am: Carpool line. I'm that mom filming at red lights at stop signs. Don't judge me, but content waits for no one.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my hustle time. I'm alone finally. I'm cutting clips, replying to DMs, planning content, reaching out to brands, checking analytics. People think content creation is only filming. Wrong. It's a whole business.
I usually batch-create content on Mondays and Wednesdays. That means creating 10-15 pieces in one session. I'll switch outfits so it seems like separate days. Advice: Keep wardrobe options close for outfit changes. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, making videos in public in the backyard.
3:00pm: School pickup. Parent time. But this is where it's complicated—sometimes my biggest hits come from the chaos. Recently, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I wouldn't buy a toy she didn't need. I created a video in the car once we left about dealing with meltdowns as a lone parent. It got over 2 million views.
Evening: Dinner through bedtime. I'm generally wiped out to make videos, but I'll schedule content, answer messages, or prep for tomorrow. Some nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll work late because a brand deadline is looming.
The truth? There's no balance. It's just chaos with a plan with occasional wins.
Income Breakdown: How I Actually Make a Living
Okay, let's get into the finances because this is what you're wondering. Can you make a living as a online creator? Absolutely. Is it effortless? Absolutely not.
My first month, I made zilch. Month two? Also nothing. Third month, I got my first paid partnership—a hundred and fifty bucks to share a food subscription. I literally cried. That one-fifty fed us.
Now, three years later, here's how I monetize:
Brand Partnerships: This is my biggest income source. I work with brands that align with my audience—affordable stuff, parenting tools, kids' stuff. I ask for anywhere from five hundred to five thousand dollars per deal, depending on deliverables. This past month, I did four collabs and made eight grand.
Creator Fund/Ad Revenue: TikTok's creator fund pays very little—a few hundred dollars per month for massive numbers. YouTube ad revenue is way better. I make about $1,500/month from YouTube, but that took forever.
Affiliate Marketing: I post links to items I love—ranging from my favorite coffee maker to the beds my kids use. If anyone buys, I get a cut. This brings in about $1K monthly.
Digital Products: I created a single mom budget planner and a food prep planner. $15 apiece, and I sell fifty to a hundred per month. That's another $1-1.5K.
Consulting Services: People wanting to start pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer one-on-one coaching sessions for $200 hourly. I do about five to ten of these monthly.
Combined monthly revenue: Most months, I'm making between ten and fifteen grand per month currently. Some months are higher, some are less. It's up and down, which is nerve-wracking when you're it. But it's 3x what I made at my corporate job, and I'm home when my kids need me.
The Struggles Nobody Mentions
From the outside it's great until you're losing it because a video didn't perform, or dealing with nasty DMs from keyboard warriors.
The trolls are vicious. I've been mom-shamed, told I'm using my children, told I'm fake about being a solo parent. I'll never forget, "I'd leave too." That one stung for days.
The platform changes. Certain periods you're getting viral hits. Then suddenly, you're lucky to break 1,000. Your income varies wildly. You're always on, always working, scared to stop, you'll lose relevance.
The guilt is crushing beyond normal. Every upload, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they be angry about this when they're teenagers? I have strict rules—limited face shots, no sharing their private stuff, no embarrassing content. But the line is not always clear.
The I get burnt out. There are weeks when I don't want to film anything. When I'm exhausted, over it, and totally spent. But life doesn't stop. So I do it anyway.
The Beautiful Parts
But listen—despite the hard parts, this journey has created things I never anticipated.
Economic stability for once in my life. I'm not wealthy, but I eliminated my debt. I have an emergency fund. We took a vacation last summer—Disney, which felt impossible not long ago. I don't dread checking my balance anymore.
Schedule freedom that's priceless. When my kid was ill last month, I didn't have to call in to work or worry about money. I worked anywhere. When there's a school thing, I can go. I'm present in my kids' lives in ways I couldn't be with a normal job.
Connection that saved me. The other creators 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 hype me up, support me, and show me I'm not alone.
Identity beyond "mom". 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 CEO. A content creator. A person who hustled.
Tips for Single Moms Wanting to Start
If you're a single mother wanting to start, listen up:
Begin now. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. It's fine. You learn by doing, not by overthinking.
Keep it real. People can spot fake. Share your actual life—the chaos. That's what works.
Keep them safe. Set limits. Have standards. Their privacy is everything. I never share their names, limit face shots, and respect their dignity.
Don't rely on one thing. Spread it out or a single source. The algorithm is fickle. More streams = less stress.
Film multiple videos. When you have quiet time, make a bunch. Future you will be grateful when you're drained.
Engage with your audience. Answer comments. Answer DMs. Create connections. Your community is what matters.
Track metrics. Time is money. If something takes four hours and tanks while a different post takes 20 minutes and gets massive views, change tactics.
Self-care matters. You can't pour from an empty cup. Take breaks. Set boundaries. Your mental health matters more than going viral.
This takes time. This takes time. It took me half a year to make any real money. My first year, I made maybe $15,000 total. Year 2, $80K. Year three, I'm hitting six figures. It's a journey.
Don't forget your why. On bad days—and they happen—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's financial freedom, flexibility with my kids, and proving to myself that I'm more than I believed.
The Reality Check
Here's the deal, I'm being honest. Content creation as a single mom is difficult. Like, really freaking hard. You're running a whole business while being the sole caretaker of tiny humans who need you constantly.
Some days I doubt myself. Days when the trolls sting. Days when I'm completely spent and asking myself if I should get a regular job with stability.
But then my daughter mentions she's proud that I work from home. Or I look at my savings. Or I read a message from a follower saying my content changed her life. And I remember why I do this.
My Future Plans
Not long ago, I was lost and broke how to survive. Fast forward, I'm a full-time content creator making triple what I earned in my old job, and I'm there for my kids.
My goals moving forward? Reach 500K by end of year. Start a podcast for single parents. Write a book eventually. Keep growing this business that makes everything possible.
Content creation gave me a second chance when I was drowning. It gave me a way to provide for my family, be available, and accomplish something incredible. It's not the path I expected, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To every solo parent considering this: Yes you can. It will be challenging. You'll consider quitting. But you're managing the hardest job in the world—parenting solo. You're tougher than you realize.
Start imperfect. Stay consistent. Protect your peace. And remember, you're not just surviving—you're creating something amazing.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go create content about homework I forgot about and surprise!. Because that's the content creator single mom life—making content from chaos, one TikTok at a time.
Seriously. This path? It's worth it. Even though I'm sure there's Goldfish crackers stuck to my laptop right now. No regrets, chaos and all.