Real talk, mom life is not for the weak. But plot twist? Attempting to secure the bag while managing kids, laundry, and approximately 47 snack requests per day.
My hustle life began about three years ago when I discovered that my retail therapy sessions were way too frequent. I had to find funds I didn't have to justify spending.
Being a VA
Here's what happened, my first gig was jumping into virtual assistance. And honestly? It was exactly what I needed. It let me grind during those precious quiet hours, and literally all it took was a computer and internet.
My first tasks were basic stuff like organizing inboxes, posting on social media, and entering data. Nothing fancy. My rate was about fifteen to twenty bucks hourly, which wasn't much but for someone with zero experience, you gotta prove yourself first.
The funniest part? I'd be on a Zoom call looking like a real businesswoman from the chest up—business casual vibes—while wearing sweatpants. Living my best life.
My Etsy Journey
About twelve months in, I decided to try the handmade marketplace scene. Every mom I knew seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I was like "why not get in on this?"
My shop focused on crafting downloadable organizers and digital art prints. The thing about selling digital stuff? Design it once, and it can generate passive income forever. For real, I've earned money at times when I didn't even know.
That initial sale? I actually yelled. My partner was like the house was on fire. But no—just me, doing a happy dance for my first five bucks. Judge me if you want.
The Content Creation Grind
Then I discovered blogging and content creation. This particular side gig is a marathon not a sprint, trust me on this.
I created a mom blog where I wrote about real mom life—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Keeping it real. Just the actual truth about how I once found a chicken nugget in my bra.
Getting readers was a test of patience. The first few months, I was essentially writing for myself and like three people. But I kept at it, and over time, things gained momentum.
Now? I earn income through promoting products, brand partnerships, and ad revenue. This past month I earned over $2K from my website. Wild, right?
The Social Media Management Game
After I learned my own content, other businesses started inquiring if I could help them.
Real talk? Tons of businesses don't understand social media. They understand they need a presence, but they don't know how.
Enter: me. I currently run social media for a handful of clients—different types of businesses. I plan their content, queue up posts, handle community management, and analyze the metrics.
I bill between five hundred to fifteen hundred monthly per account, depending on how much work is involved. The best thing? I manage everything from my phone while sitting in the carpool line.
The Freelance Writing Hustle
If you can write, content writing is seriously profitable. I'm not talking writing the next Great American Novel—I mean commercial writing.
Companies always need writers. My assignments have included everything from the most random topics. You just need to research, you just need to be good at research.
Usually make between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on the topic and length. Certain months I'll crank out 10-15 articles and bring in a couple thousand dollars.
Here's what's wild: I was that student who barely passed English class. And now I'm earning a living writing. Life is weird.
The Online Tutoring Thing
When COVID hit, tutoring went digital. I used to be a teacher, so this was right up my alley.
I signed up with VIPKid and Tutor.com. It's super flexible, which is crucial when you have kids with unpredictable schedules.
I mainly help with basic subjects. You can make from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on which site you use.
What's hilarious? Every now and then my children will interrupt mid-session. There was a time I teach fractions while my toddler screamed about the wrong color cup. The families I work with are very sympathetic because they're living the same life.
Reselling and Flipping
Alright, this particular venture happened accidentally. I was decluttering my kids' things and listed some clothes on Mercari.
Things sold so fast. I had an epiphany: you can sell literally anything.
Currently I frequent thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, looking for name brands. I'll buy something for $3 and sell it for $30.
It's definitely work? Not gonna lie. It's a whole process. But it's oddly satisfying about finding hidden treasures at Goodwill and making money.
Also: my kids think I'm cool when this guide I bring home interesting finds. Just last week I scored a rare action figure that my son freaked out about. Made $45 on it. Victory for mom.
Real Talk Time
Truth bomb incoming: this stuff requires effort. They're called hustles for a reason.
There are days when I'm surviving on caffeine and spite, questioning my life choices. I'm grinding at dawn being productive before the madness begins, then being a full-time parent, then back at it after the kids are asleep.
But here's what matters? This income is mine. I'm not asking anyone to treat myself. I'm helping with our household income. My kids see that you can be both.
Tips if You're Starting Out
If you're thinking about a hustle of your own, here are my tips:
Don't go all in immediately. Don't attempt to juggle ten things. Start with one venture and master it before starting something else.
Use the time you have. Your available hours, that's okay. Two hours of focused work is better than nothing.
Avoid comparing yourself to the highlight reels. Everyone you're comparing yourself to? She's been grinding forever and has help. Focus on your own journey.
Don't be afraid to invest, but carefully. You don't need expensive courses. Avoid dropping massive amounts on training until you've tried things out.
Work in batches. This saved my sanity. Use certain times for certain work. Monday could be content creation day. Wednesday might be organizing and responding.
Dealing with Mom Guilt
Real talk—I struggle with guilt. Certain moments when I'm working and my kid wants attention, and I hate it.
But I think about that I'm demonstrating to them what dedication looks like. I'm demonstrating to my children that moms can have businesses.
And honestly? Financial independence has made me a better mom. I'm happier, which makes me a better parent.
The Numbers
The real numbers? Generally, combining everything, I earn three to five thousand monthly. Some months are better, some are slower.
Is this millionaire money? Not exactly. But it's paid for vacations, home improvements, and that emergency vet bill that would've stressed us out. And it's developing my career and experience that could grow into more.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, combining motherhood and entrepreneurship isn't easy. You won't find a perfect balance. A lot of days I'm improvising everything, fueled by espresso and stubbornness, and praying it all works out.
But I'm proud of this journey. Every single dollar I earn is a testament to my hustle. It's proof that I'm more than just mom.
So if you're considering beginning your hustle journey? Go for it. Start before it's perfect. Your tomorrow self will thank you.
And remember: You're not just getting by—you're creating something amazing. Despite the fact that there's probably old cheerios everywhere.
For real. This is pretty amazing, complete with all the chaos.
Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom
Let me be real with you—becoming a single mom was never the plan. I also didn't plan on turning into an influencer. But fast forward to now, years into this crazy ride, paying bills by sharing my life online while raising two kids basically solo. And real talk? It's been life-changing in every way of my life.
Rock Bottom: When Everything Imploded
It was 2022 when my divorce happened. I can still picture sitting in my bare apartment (I kept the kids' stuff, he took everything else), scrolling mindlessly at 2am while my kids slept. I had barely $850 in my bank account, two mouths to feed, and a job that barely covered rent. The stress was unbearable, y'all.
I was on TikTok to numb the pain—because that's how we cope? when we're drowning, right?—when I saw this solo parent discussing how she made six figures through making videos. I remember thinking, "No way that's legit."
But being broke makes you bold. Or crazy. Usually both.
I grabbed the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? No filter, no makeup, pure chaos, explaining how I'd just blown my final $12 on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' lunches. I hit post and panicked. Why would anyone care about my broke reality?
Turns out, thousands of people.
That video got 47K views. Nearly fifty thousand people watched me breakdown over $12 worth of food. The comments section was this unexpected source of support—other single moms, folks in the trenches, all saying "I feel this." That was my turning point. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted authentic.
Building My Platform: The Unfiltered Mom Content
Here's the secret about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? It found me. I became the single mom who keeps it brutally honest.
I started filming the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I lived in one outfit because executive dysfunction is real. Or when I served cereal as a meal several days straight and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my child asked where daddy went, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who still believes in Santa.
My content wasn't polished. My lighting was terrible. I filmed on a phone with a broken screen. But it was unfiltered, and apparently, that's what hit.
In just two months, I hit 10,000 followers. Three months later, fifty thousand. By half a year, I'd crossed 100K. Each milestone blew my mind. Actual humans who wanted to know my story. Little old me—a struggling single mom who had to learn everything from scratch months before.
My Daily Reality: Balancing Content and Chaos
Here's the reality of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is totally different from those aesthetic "day in the life" videos you see.
5:30am: My alarm blares. I do want to throw my phone, but this is my hustle hours. I make coffee that I'll forget about, and I get to work. Sometimes it's a GRWM discussing budgeting. Sometimes it's me making food while talking about dealing with my ex. The lighting is not great.
7:00am: Kids wake up. Content creation pauses. Now I'm in parent mode—pouring cereal, hunting for that one shoe (why is it always one shoe), making lunch boxes, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is real.
8:30am: Carpool line. I'm that mom filming at red lights in the car. Not proud of this, but I gotta post.
9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. House is quiet. I'm editing content, replying to DMs, brainstorming content ideas, doing outreach, analyzing metrics. Folks imagine content creation is just making TikToks. Absolutely not. It's a real job.
I usually create multiple videos on Monday and Wednesday. That means filming 10-15 videos in one sitting. I'll swap tops so it appears to be different times. Hot tip: Keep different outfits accessible for easy transitions. My neighbors probably think I'm unhinged, filming myself talking to my phone in the parking lot.
3:00pm: School pickup. Mom mode activated. But here's where it gets tricky—often my viral videos come from the chaos. A few days ago, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I refused to get a expensive toy. I filmed a video in the vehicle after about dealing with meltdowns as a lone parent. It got millions of views.
Evening: Dinner through bedtime. I'm generally wiped out to create content, but I'll schedule uploads, check DMs, or outline content. Some nights, after everyone's sleeping, I'll edit for hours because a brand deadline is looming.
The truth? There's no balance. It's just organized chaos with random wins.
The Money Talk: How I Really Earn Money
Look, let's talk numbers because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you really earn income as a creator? For sure. Is it effortless? Hell no.
My first month, I made zero dollars. Second month? Also nothing. Third month, I got my first collaboration—$150 to share a meal kit service. I broke down. That one-fifty covered food.
Currently, three years in, here's how I monetize:
Brand Partnerships: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that my followers need—practical items, parenting tools, kids' stuff. I bill anywhere from five hundred to several thousand per campaign, depending on deliverables. Just last month, I did four partnerships and made $8,000.
Ad Money: Creator fund pays basically nothing—two to four hundred per month for tons of views. YouTube ad revenue is actually decent. I make about $1,500/month from YouTube, but that was a long process.
Affiliate Income: I promote products to items I love—everything from my favorite coffee maker to the beds my kids use. If anyone buys, I get a commission. This brings in about $800-$1200/month.
Online Products: I created a financial planner and a meal planning ebook. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell 50-100 per month. That's another $1,000-1,500.
Teaching Others: New creators pay me to teach them the ropes. I offer 1:1 sessions for $200 hourly. I do about several each month.
Total monthly income: Typically, I'm making $10-15K per month at this point. Some months are higher, some are less. It's inconsistent, which is nerve-wracking when you're the only income source. But it's 3x what I made at my previous job, and I'm available for my kids.
The Dark Side Nobody Mentions
Content creation sounds glamorous until you're having a breakdown because a video flopped, or dealing with nasty DMs from keyboard warriors.
The negativity is intense. I've been mom-shamed, told I'm using my children, called a liar about being a single mom. Someone once commented, "No wonder he left." That one hurt so bad.
The algorithm shifts. Sometimes you're getting millions of views. Next month, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income varies wildly. You're constantly creating, never resting, afraid to pause, you'll lose momentum.
The mom guilt is worse exponentially. Each post, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Is this okay? Will they regret this when they're adults? I have strict rules—minimal identifying info, no sharing their private stuff, nothing humiliating. But the line is hard to see.
The I get burnt out. Certain periods when I have nothing. When I'm depleted, talked out, and at my limit. But rent doesn't care. So I create anyway.
The Unexpected Blessings
But the truth is—despite everything, this journey has blessed me with things I never dreamed of.
Money security for the first time in my life. I'm not rich, but I became debt-free. I have an emergency fund. We took a family trip last summer—the Mouse House, which was a dream a couple years back. I don't stress about my account anymore.
Time freedom that's priceless. When my boy was sick last month, I didn't have to use PTO 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 wasn't able to be with a regular job.
Support that saved me. The other influencers I've connected with, especially other single parents, have become real friends. We vent, exchange tips, lift each other up. My followers have become this family. They celebrate my wins, send love, and remind me I'm not alone.
My own identity. Since becoming a mom, I have something for me. I'm not just someone's ex-wife or someone's mom. I'm a business owner. A creator. A person who hustled.
My Best Tips
If you're a single mother curious about this, here's what I'd tell you:
Just start. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. It's fine. You grow through creating, not by overthinking.
Be authentic, not perfect. People can sense inauthenticity. Share your true life—the unfiltered truth. That resonates.
Guard their privacy. Create rules. Have standards. Their privacy is sacred. I don't use their names, minimize face content, and protect their stories.
Build multiple income streams. Spread it out or a single source. The algorithm is unpredictable. More streams = less stress.
Batch your content. When you have free time, film multiple videos. Future you will thank present you when you're drained.
Engage with your audience. Reply to comments. Check messages. Build real relationships. Your community is crucial.
Track your time and ROI. Some content isn't worth it. If something requires tons of time and gets nothing while something else takes 20 minutes and blows up, shift focus.
Self-care matters. You matter too. Take breaks. Set boundaries. Your mental health matters more than views.
Give it time. This takes time. It took me months to make real income. The first year, I made fifteen thousand. Year two, eighty thousand. Year 3, I'm on track for six figures. It's a journey.
Stay connected to your purpose. On difficult days—and there will be many—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's financial freedom, time with my children, and showing myself that I'm more than I believed.
The Reality Check
Real talk, I'm telling the truth. Content creation as a single mom is tough. So damn hard. You're managing a business while being the only parent of children who require constant attention.
Many days I question everything. Days when the nasty comments hurt. Days when I'm completely spent and asking myself if I should get a regular job with benefits and a steady paycheck.
But then suddenly my daughter tells me she loves that I'm home. Or I see my bank account actually has money in it. Or I see a message from a follower saying my content gave her courage. And I understand the impact.
The Future
Three years ago, I was lost and broke what to do. Currently, I'm a full-time creator making more than I imagined in my old job, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.
My goals going forward? Get to half a million followers by December. Create a podcast for other single moms. Consider writing a book. Continue building this business that supports my family.
Being a creator gave me a way out when I had nothing. It gave me a way to feed my babies, be present in their lives, and build something real. It's not the path I expected, but it's perfect.
To every solo parent thinking about starting: Hell yes you can. It will be challenging. You'll doubt yourself. But you're currently doing the hardest job in the world—raising humans alone. You're tougher than you realize.
Start imperfect. Keep showing up. Guard your peace. And remember, you're beyond survival mode—you're building an empire.
Gotta go now, I need to go record a video about why my kid's school project is due tomorrow and nobody told me until now. Because that's this life—making content from chaos, one video at a time.
For real. Being a single mom creator? It's worth every struggle. Even if there's probably crushed cheerios stuck to my laptop right now. Living the dream, one messy video at a time.