Real talk, mom life is a whole vibe. But what's really wild? Trying to get that bread while dealing with children who have boundless energy while I'm running on fumes.
My hustle life began about three years ago when I realized that my retail therapy sessions were way too frequent. I was desperate for my own money.
Virtual Assistant Hustle
Okay so, my first gig was doing VA work. And not gonna lie? It was ideal. I was able to get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and literally all it took was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.
I began by simple tasks like email management, managing social content, and data entry. Pretty straightforward. I started at about $20/hour, which felt cheap but for someone with zero experience, you gotta begin at the bottom.
What cracked me up? Picture this: me on a Zoom call looking all professional from the waist up—blazer, makeup, the works—while sporting my rattiest leggings. Living my best life.
Selling on Etsy
After a year, I thought I'd test out the Etsy world. Everyone and their mother seemed to sell stuff on Etsy, so I was like "why not me?"
My shop focused on crafting digital planners and digital art prints. The thing about selling digital stuff? One and done creation, and it can keep selling indefinitely. Actually, I've earned money at ungodly hours.
The first time someone bought something? I lost my mind. My husband thought there was an emergency. But no—just me, doing a happy dance for my five dollar sale. Judge me if you want.
Content Creator Life
Then I got into writing and making content. This venture is a marathon not a sprint, let me tell you.
I launched a mom blog where I posted about real mom life—the messy truth. Not the highlight reel. Only the actual truth about the time my kid decorated the walls with Nutella.
Growing an audience was painfully slow. At the beginning, I was basically talking to myself. But I stayed consistent, and over time, things began working.
Now? I earn income through affiliate marketing, collaborations, and display ads. Recently I earned over two grand from my blog alone. Crazy, right?
Managing Social Media
As I mastered social media for my own stuff, other businesses started inquiring if I could help them.
Real talk? Many companies don't understand social media. They recognize they should be posting, but they don't have time.
This is my moment. I handle social media for three local businesses—various small businesses. I create content, plan their posting schedule, handle community management, and track analytics.
My rate is between five hundred to fifteen hundred monthly per business, depending on the article mentioned the complexity. Best part? I do this work from my phone.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
If you can write, freelance writing is where it's at. I'm not talking writing the next Great American Novel—I'm talking about commercial writing.
Websites and businesses are desperate for content. I've written everything from dental hygiene to copyright. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to be good at research.
Generally earn between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on what's involved. When I'm hustling hard I'll write ten to fifteen pieces and pull in $1-2K.
What's hilarious: I'm the same person who struggled with essays. Now I'm getting paid for it. Life is weird.
Virtual Tutoring
When COVID hit, virtual tutoring became huge. I used to be a teacher, so this was an obvious choice.
I signed up with VIPKid and Tutor.com. The scheduling is flexible, which is essential when you have kids with unpredictable schedules.
My sessions are usually K-5 subjects. You can make from $15-$25/hour depending on the company.
The funny thing? Sometimes my own kids will interrupt mid-session. I once had to educate someone's child while mine had a meltdown. My clients are very sympathetic because they're living the same life.
Flipping Items for Profit
Okay, this side gig wasn't planned. I was decluttering my kids' stuff and tried selling some outfits on Mercari.
Things sold immediately. Lightbulb moment: people will buy anything.
Now I frequent anywhere with deals, on the hunt for quality items. I grab something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.
Is it a lot of work? Absolutely. There's photographing, listing, and shipping. But I find it rewarding about spotting valuable items at a yard sale and making profit.
Plus: the kids think it's neat when I score cool vintage stuff. Last week I discovered a collectible item that my son absolutely loved. Made $45 on it. Score one for mom.
Real Talk Time
Let me keep it real: these aren't get-rich-quick schemes. They're called hustles for a reason.
There are days when I'm surviving on caffeine and spite, wondering why I'm doing this. I'm up at 5am getting stuff done while it's quiet, then doing all the mom stuff, then back at it after bedtime.
But you know what? This income is mine. I'm not asking anyone to get the good coffee. I'm helping with our financial goals. I'm showing my kids that moms can do anything.
Advice for New Mom Hustlers
If you're thinking about a hustle of your own, here's what I'd tell you:
Start with one thing. Don't try to launch everything simultaneously. Choose one hustle and master it before starting something else.
Honor your limits. Whatever time you have, that's perfectly acceptable. Two hours of focused work is valuable.
Stop comparing to other moms. That mom with the six-figure side hustle? She's been grinding forever and has resources you don't see. Run your own race.
Invest in yourself, but strategically. There are tons of free resources. Avoid dropping thousands on courses until you've validated your idea.
Batch your work. This saved my sanity. Use days for specific hustles. Monday might be content creation day. Wednesday might be handling business stuff.
The Mom Guilt is Real
I have to be real with you—guilt is part of this. Sometimes when I'm on my laptop and they want to play, and I feel terrible.
But I consider that I'm showing them what dedication looks like. I'm demonstrating to my children that you can be both.
Also? Earning independently has improved my mental health. I'm more content, which translates to better parenting.
Income Reality Check
How much do I earn? Generally, combining everything, I pull in three to five thousand monthly. Some months are better, some are slower.
Is this getting-rich money? Not exactly. But I've used it for stuff that matters to us that would've stressed us out. Plus it's building my skills and knowledge that could become a full-time thing.
Final Thoughts
Look, doing this mom hustle thing isn't easy. There's no secret sauce. Many days I'm making it up as I go, running on coffee and determination, and praying it all works out.
But I wouldn't change it. Each dollar I earn is a testament to my hustle. It's evidence that I have identity beyond motherhood.
For anyone contemplating launching a mom business? Take the leap. Begin before you're ready. Future you will thank you.
Keep in mind: You're not merely making it through—you're growing something incredible. Even if there's probably old cheerios in your workspace.
Seriously. It's incredible, despite the chaos.
Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom
Here's the truth—single motherhood wasn't the dream. I never expected to be becoming a content creator. But fast forward to now, three years later, supporting my family by being vulnerable on the internet while doing this mom thing solo. And I'll be real? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.
The Starting Point: When Everything Imploded
It was 2022 when my life exploded. I remember sitting in my mostly empty place (he got the furniture, I got the memories), scrolling mindlessly at 2am while my kids were passed out. I had barely $850 in my account, two mouths to feed, and a job that barely covered rent. The fear was overwhelming, y'all.
I'd been scrolling TikTok to avoid my thoughts—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when we're drowning, right?—when I stumbled on this woman talking about how she became debt-free through content creation. I remember thinking, "No way that's legit."
But when you're desperate, you try anything. Or stupid. Often both.
I got the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, explaining how I'd just put my last twelve dollars on a cheap food for my kids' lunch boxes. I posted it and immediately regretted it. Who wants to watch this disaster?
Spoiler alert, thousands of people.
That video got 47K views. 47,000 people watched me almost lose it over $12 worth of food. The comments section was this incredible community—women in similar situations, folks in the trenches, all saying "same." That was my turning point. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted raw.
My Brand Evolution: The Real Mom Life Brand
Here's the secret about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? It chose me. I became the unfiltered single mom.
I started posting about the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I once wore the same yoga pants for four days straight because washing clothes was too much. Or when I fed my kids cereal for dinner all week and called it "creative meal planning." Or that moment when my kid asked about the divorce, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who believes in magic.
My content was raw. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a ancient iPhone. But it was unfiltered, and evidently, that's what connected.
After sixty days, I hit 10K. Three months later, 50,000. By month six, I'd crossed a hundred thousand. Each milestone seemed fake. Actual humans who wanted to follow me. Me—a broke single mom who had to ask Google what this meant six months earlier.
A Day in the Life: Balancing Content and Chaos
Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is totally different from those pretty "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm goes off. I do NOT want to get up, but this is my sacred content creation time. I make coffee that I'll reheat three times, and I start recording. Sometimes it's a get-ready-with-me talking about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while sharing custody stuff. The lighting is whatever natural light comes through my kitchen window.
7:00am: Kids wake up. Content creation stops. Now I'm in full mom mode—pouring cereal, the shoe hunt (why is it always one shoe), packing lunches, referee duties. The chaos is next level.
8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom making videos while driving at stop signs. I know, I know, but bills don't care.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. Peace and quiet. I'm editing content, replying to DMs, brainstorming content ideas, pitching brands, looking at stats. People think content creation is only filming. Wrong. It's a entire operation.
I usually batch content on Monday and Wednesday. That means shooting multiple videos in one session. I'll swap tops so it seems like separate days. Hot tip: Keep several shirts ready for easy transitions. My neighbors think I've lost it, talking to my camera in the parking lot.
3:00pm: Getting the kids. Back to parenting. But here's where it gets tricky—many times my viral videos come from this time. Just last week, my daughter had a full tantrum in Target because I said no to a forty dollar toy. I created a video in the vehicle afterward about surviving tantrums as a lone parent. It got over 2 million views.
Evening: Dinner through bedtime. I'm generally wiped out to create content, but I'll queue up posts, reply to messages, or strategize. Many nights, after bedtime, I'll edit for hours because a client needs content.
The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just managed chaos with occasional wins.
The Financial Reality: How I Support My Family
Look, let's talk dollars because this is what you're wondering. Can you really earn income as a creator? 100%. Is it straightforward? Absolutely not.
My first month, I made $0. Second month? $0. Third month, I got my first collaboration—$150 to promote a meal delivery. I cried real tears. That hundred fifty dollars paid for groceries.
Now, years later, here's how I earn income:
Brand Deals: This is my biggest income source. I work with brands that my followers need—budget-friendly products, mom products, kid essentials. I get paid anywhere from five hundred to several thousand per deal, depending on what they need. Last month, I did four collabs and made $8,000.
Platform Payments: The TikTok fund pays basically nothing—a few hundred dollars per month for massive numbers. YouTube revenue is more lucrative. I make about $1.5K monthly from YouTube, but that required years.
Affiliate Income: I share affiliate links to items I love—ranging from my go-to coffee machine to the bunk beds in their room. If someone clicks and buys, I get a cut. This brings in about $1K monthly.
Online Products: I created a financial planner and a cooking guide. They're $15 each, and I sell maybe 50-100 per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.
Consulting Services: People wanting to start pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer private coaching for $200 hourly. I do about 5-10 of these monthly.
My total income: Typically, I'm making between ten and fifteen grand per month now. Some months are higher, some are less. It's inconsistent, which is terrifying when there's no backup. But it's 3x what I made at my corporate job, and I'm home when my kids need me.
The Hard Parts Nobody Posts About
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're crying in your car because a post got no views, or reading cruel messages from keyboard warriors.
The hate comments are real. I've been mom-shamed, told I'm a bad influence, questioned about being a divorced parent. Someone once commented, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one stuck with me.
The platform changes. Sometimes you're getting insane views. The next, you're getting nothing. Your income varies wildly. You're never off, always working, scared to stop, you'll fall behind.
The mom guilt is intense exponentially. Everything I share, I wonder: Is this too much? Are my kids safe? Will they resent this when they're older? I have clear boundaries—limited face shots, nothing too personal, protecting their dignity. But the line is fuzzy.
The burnout hits hard. Some weeks when I am empty. When I'm depleted, over it, and at my limit. But rent doesn't care. So I do it anyway.
The Beautiful Parts
But the truth is—despite everything, this journey has created things I never anticipated.
Financial stability for the first damn time. I'm not rich, but I cleared $18K. I have an safety net. We took a actual vacation last summer—Disney World, which was a dream a couple years back. I don't stress about my account anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my kid was ill last month, I didn't have to call in to work or lose income. I worked from the doctor's office. When there's a school event, I'm present. I'm available in ways I couldn't be with a traditional 9-5.
My people that saved me. The other creators I've connected with, especially other moms, have become true friends. We connect, share strategies, have each other's backs. My followers have become this beautiful community. They hype me up, send love, and make me feel seen.
Something that's mine. Finally, I have something that's mine. I'm not just an ex or just a mom. I'm a content creator. A creator. Someone who built something from nothing.
My Best Tips
If you're a single parent considering content creation, listen up:
Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be trash. Mine did. That's okay. You improve over time, not by overthinking.
Be yourself. People can sense inauthenticity. Share your true life—the chaos. That's what works.
Guard their privacy. Set boundaries early. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I protect their names, limit face shots, and respect their dignity.
Multiple revenue sources. Diversify or one revenue source. The algorithm is unreliable. Multiple income streams = stability.
Batch your content. When you have free time, film multiple videos. Future you will thank present you when you're drained.
Build community. Reply to comments. Answer DMs. Connect authentically. Your community is everything.
Analyze performance. Be strategic. If something is time-intensive and flops while a different post takes no time and gets massive views, pivot.
Don't forget yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup. Unplug. Set boundaries. Your wellbeing matters more than going viral.
Give it time. This requires patience. It took me half a year to make meaningful money. Year one, I made $15K total. Year two, $80K. Year 3, I'm hitting six figures. It's a marathon.
Remember why you started. On hard days—and there are many—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's supporting my kids, flexibility with my kids, and demonstrating that I'm more than I believed.
The Honest Truth
Listen, I'm keeping it 100. This life is hard. Really hard. You're basically running a business while being the only parent of demanding little people.
Some days I question everything. Days when the hate comments hurt. Days when I'm completely spent and wondering if I should get a regular job with stability.
But then my daughter says she appreciates this. Or I see financial progress. Or I read a message from a follower saying my content inspired her. And I remember my purpose.
What's Next
Years ago, I was lost and broke what to do. Currently, I'm a content creator making triple what I earned in corporate America, and I'm available when they need me.
My goals now? Hit 500K by this year. Start a podcast for single moms. Write a book eventually. Expand this business that changed my life.
Content creation gave me a lifeline when I was drowning. It gave me a way to take care of my children, be present in their lives, and create something meaningful. It's a surprise, but it's exactly where I needed to be.
To any single parent considering this: You absolutely can. It will be challenging. You'll want to quit some days. But you're already doing the toughest gig—parenting solo. You're powerful.
Start imperfect. Stay consistent. Prioritize yourself. And know this, you're more than just surviving—you're creating something amazing.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go make a video about homework I forgot about and surprise!. Because that's how it goes—content from the mess, one video at a time.
Honestly. This journey? It's worth it. Even when I'm sure there's crushed cheerios stuck to my laptop right now. Living the dream, mess included.