Working mom side hustles this year — made simple helping moms make financial freedom

Let me tell you, motherhood is a whole vibe. But plot twist? Working to get that bread while dealing with kids, laundry, and approximately 47 snack requests per day.

I started my side hustle journey about a few years back when I realized that my impulse buys were getting out of hand. I had to find some independent income.

The Virtual Assistant Life

So, my initial venture was becoming a virtual assistant. And honestly? It was perfect. I could hustle while the kids slept, and literally all it took was my laptop and decent wifi.

I started with easy things like organizing inboxes, managing social content, and basic admin work. Not rocket science. I charged about fifteen dollars an hour, which felt cheap but when you're just starting, you gotta prove yourself first.

Here's what was wild? I'd be on a video meeting looking all professional from the shoulders up—blazer, makeup, the works—while rocking pants I'd owned since 2015. That's the dream honestly.

The Etsy Shop Adventure

After a year, I thought I'd test out the handmade marketplace scene. All my mom friends seemed to be on Etsy, so I thought "why not join the party?"

I started making printable planners and home decor prints. The thing about selling digital stuff? You create it once, and it can sell forever. Literally, I've gotten orders at times when I didn't even know.

My first sale? I literally screamed. He came running thinking there was an emergency. Not even close—it was just me, cheering about my glorious $4.99. Judge me if you want.

Blogging and Creating

After that I started creating content online. This particular side gig is definitely a slow burn, trust me on this.

I launched a mom blog where I shared my parenting journey—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Keeping it real. Just authentic experiences about how I once found a chicken nugget in my bra.

Growing an audience was slow. At the beginning, I was basically creating content for crickets. But I kept at it, and slowly but surely, things began working.

Now? I generate revenue through affiliate links, brand partnerships, and ad revenue. Just last month I brought in over two thousand dollars from my blog income. Mind-blowing, right?

The Social Media Management Game

As I mastered social media for my own stuff, other businesses started reaching out if I could run their social media.

Truth bomb? Most small businesses are terrible with social media. They know they need to be there, but they can't keep up.

This is my moment. I handle social media for a handful of clients—various small businesses. I plan their content, plan their posting schedule, handle community management, and track analytics.

I bill between five hundred to a thousand dollars per month per business, depending on how much work is involved. The best thing? I manage everything from my iPhone.

The Freelance Writing Hustle

If writing is your thing, freelance writing is a goldmine. I'm not talking becoming Shakespeare—I'm talking about content writing for businesses.

Brands and websites always need writers. I've written everything from dental hygiene to copyright. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to know how to find information.

I typically charge fifty to one hundred fifty bucks per piece, depending on how complex it is. Some months I'll produce 10-15 articles and earn $1-2K.

The funny thing is: Back in school I barely passed English class. These days I'm getting paid for it. Life is weird.

The Online Tutoring Thing

2020 changed everything, everyone needed online help. As a former educator, so this was an obvious choice.

I signed up with a couple of online tutoring sites. It's super flexible, which is non-negotiable when you have kids with unpredictable schedules.

My sessions are usually elementary school stuff. You can make from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on where you work.

The funny thing? Every now and then my own kids will photobomb my lessons mid-session. I've had to educate someone's child while mine had a meltdown. The families I work with are incredibly understanding because they get it.

Reselling and Flipping

Okay, this side gig happened accidentally. I was decluttering my kids' things and listed some clothes on copyright.

They sold within hours. I had an epiphany: there's a market for everything.

Now I hit up estate sales and thrift shops, searching for name brands. I'll buy something for three bucks and flip it for thirty.

It's labor-intensive? Absolutely. It's a whole process. But there's something satisfying about discovering a diamond in the rough at the thrift store and earning from it.

Bonus: my kids think I'm cool when I find unique items. Recently I discovered a vintage toy that my son freaked out about. Sold it for $45. Victory for mom.

The Truth About Side Hustles

Truth bomb incoming: side hustles take work. It's called hustling because you're hustling.

There are moments when I'm surviving on caffeine and spite, questioning my life choices. I'm up at 5am working before my kids wake up, then doing all the mom stuff, then working again after everyone's in bed.

But this is what's real? These are my earnings. I don't have to ask permission to buy the fancy coffee. I'm adding to our financial goals. I'm teaching my children that you can have it all—sort of.

Tips if You're Starting Out

If you're thinking about a side hustle, here are my tips:

Begin with something manageable. Don't try to do everything at once. Start with one venture and nail it down before expanding.

Be realistic about time. 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 doesn't do it alone. Run your own race.

Invest in yourself, but carefully. Free information exists. Don't waste massive amounts on training until you've proven the concept.

Batch your work. I learned this the hard way. Use days for specific hustles. Use Monday for writing day. Wednesday could 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 hustling and my child is calling for me, and I feel guilty.

Yet I remind myself that I'm modeling for them what dedication looks like. I'm teaching my kids that you can be both.

Additionally? Earning independently has helped me feel more like myself. I'm more fulfilled, which makes me more patient.

Income Reality Check

The real numbers? Most months, from all my side gigs, I earn $3K-5K. Some months are better, some are tougher.

Will this make you wealthy? Not really. But I've used it for so many things we needed that would've caused financial strain. And it's building my skills and knowledge that could grow into more.

In Conclusion

Here's the bottom line, hustling as a mom is challenging. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. Many days I'm improvising everything, surviving on coffee, and praying it all works out.

But I'm proud of this journey. Each dollar I earn is evidence of my capability. It shows that I have identity beyond motherhood.

If you're on the fence about diving into this? Take the leap. Start messy. Your future self will thank you.

Don't forget: You're not merely enduring—you're hustling. Despite the fact that there's probably mysterious crumbs everywhere.

For real. This mom hustle life is where it's at, complete with all the chaos.

Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom

Real talk—becoming a single mom wasn't on my vision board. I never expected to be making money from my phone. But here we are, three years into this wild journey, earning income by posting videos while doing this mom thing solo. And real talk? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.

How It Started: When Everything Imploded

It was three years ago when my divorce happened. I can still picture sitting in my bare apartment (he took the couch, I got the kids' art projects), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids were finally quiet. I had less than a thousand dollars in my account, little people counting on me, and a income that didn't cut it. The fear was overwhelming, y'all.

I was on TikTok to avoid my thoughts—because that's the move? when everything is chaos, right?—when I came across this divorced mom sharing how she paid off $30,000 in debt through making videos. I remember thinking, "That's either a scam or she's incredibly lucky."

But being broke makes you bold. Or stupid. Usually both.

I got 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 pack of chicken nuggets and fruit snacks for my kids' school lunches. I shared it and felt sick. Who gives a damn about my mess?

Plot twist, tons of people.

That video got 47K views. Forty-seven thousand people watched me get emotional over chicken nuggets. The comments section became this incredible community—fellow solo parents, others barely surviving, all saying "me too." That was my epiphany. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted raw.

My Brand Evolution: The Unfiltered Mom Content

Here's the secret about content creation: finding your niche is everything. And my niche? It chose me. I became the mom who tells the truth.

I started filming the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I lived in one outfit because executive dysfunction is real. Or when I let them eat Lucky Charms for dinner three nights in a row 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 believes in magic.

My content wasn't polished. My lighting was awful. I filmed on a phone with a broken screen. But it was real, and apparently, that's what resonated.

After sixty days, I hit 10,000 followers. 90 days in, 50K. By half a year, I'd crossed a hundred thousand. Each milestone blew my mind. People who wanted to follow me. Plain old me—a struggling single mom who had to figure this out from zero six months earlier.

The Daily Grind: Juggling Everything

Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because content creation as a single mom is totally different from those pretty "day in the life" videos you see.

5:30am: My alarm sounds. I do not want to move, but this is my work time. I make coffee that I'll reheat three times, and I get to work. Sometimes it's a GRWM sharing about single mom finances. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while talking about parenting coordination. The lighting is whatever I can get.

7:00am: Kids are awake. Content creation ends. Now I'm in mommy mode—cooking eggs, locating lost items (it's always one shoe), packing lunches, stopping fights. The chaos is next level.

8:30am: Drop off time. I'm that mom filming at red lights at red lights. Not my proudest moment, but content waits for no one.

9:00am-2:00pm: This is my hustle time. House is quiet. I'm in editing mode, engaging with followers, brainstorming content ideas, reaching out to brands, looking at stats. Folks imagine content creation is simple. Absolutely not. It's a full business.

I usually create multiple videos on Mondays and Wednesdays. That means creating 10-15 pieces in a few hours. I'll swap tops so it seems like separate days. Pro tip: Keep several shirts ready for easy transitions. My neighbors think I've lost it, making videos in public in the yard.

3:00pm: Getting the kids. Mom mode activated. But plot twist—many times my viral videos come from the chaos. A few days ago, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I said no to a forty dollar toy. I created a video in the car afterward about surviving tantrums as a solo parent. It got over 2 million views.

Evening: All the evening things. I'm completely exhausted to create content, but I'll plan posts, answer messages, or plan tomorrow's content. Some nights, after they're down, 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.

Income Breakdown: How I Generate Income

Okay, let's talk numbers because this is what you're wondering. Can you legitimately profit as a content creator? 100%. Is it simple? Not even close.

My first month, I made $0. Second month? Also nothing. Month three, I got my first paid partnership—$150 to feature a meal box. I actually cried. That $150 paid for groceries.

Today, three years in, here's how I monetize:

Brand Deals: This is my biggest income source. I work with brands that align with my audience—affordable stuff, single-parent resources, family items. I get paid anywhere from five hundred to several thousand per partnership, depending on what's required. Last month, I did four partnerships and made $8,000.

Creator Fund/Ad Revenue: TikTok's creator fund pays basically nothing—maybe $200-400 per month for millions of views. YouTube ad revenue is way better. I make about $1,500/month from YouTube, but that was a long process.

Link Sharing: I share links to items I love—anything from my go-to coffee machine to the kids' beds. If someone purchases through my link, I get a commission. This brings in about $800-1,200 monthly.

Online Products: I created a financial planner and a food prep planner. $15 apiece, and I sell fifty to a hundred per month. That's another $1,000-1,500.

One-on-One Coaching: Other aspiring creators pay me to show them how. I offer one-on-one coaching sessions for two hundred per hour. I do about several per month.

Combined monthly revenue: On average, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month these days. It varies, some are tougher. It's inconsistent, which is scary when you're solo. But it's triple what I made at my 9-5, and I'm present.

The Struggles Nobody Talks About

This sounds easy until you're sobbing alone because a video flopped, or dealing with cruel more info messages from random people.

The trolls are vicious. I've been accused of being a bad mother, told I'm exploiting my kids, accused of lying about being a single mom. I'll never forget, "Maybe that's why he left." That one stuck with me.

The algorithm is unpredictable. Sometimes you're getting huge numbers. The next, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income is unstable. You're never off, always "on", scared to stop, you'll lose relevance.

The mom guilt is amplified times a thousand. Everything I share, I wonder: Is this too much? Am I doing right by them? Will they regret this when they're older? I have strict rules—limited face shots, no discussing their personal struggles, nothing humiliating. But the line is blurry sometimes.

The burnout is real. Some weeks when I can't create. When I'm done, over it, and at my limit. But rent doesn't care. So I show up anyway.

The Beautiful Parts

But here's what's real—despite the hard parts, this journey has created things I never anticipated.

Economic stability for the first time in my life. I'm not wealthy, but I eliminated my debt. I have an safety net. We took a family trip last summer—Disney World, which felt impossible not long ago. I don't panic about money anymore.

Schedule freedom that's priceless. When my child had a fever last month, I didn't have to use PTO or lose income. I handled business at urgent care. When there's a school thing, I'm there. I'm available in ways I couldn't manage with a regular job.

My people that saved me. The other creators I've found, especially single moms, have become real friends. We support each other, collaborate, lift each other up. My followers have become this amazing support system. They cheer for me, send love, and remind me I'm not alone.

My own identity. After years, I have my own thing. I'm not just someone's ex-wife or only a parent. I'm a content creator. A businesswoman. Someone who built something from nothing.

Advice for Aspiring Creators

If you're a single mom curious about this, listen up:

Don't wait. Your first videos will suck. Mine did. That's normal. You improve over time, not by procrastinating.

Be yourself. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your true life—the mess. That resonates.

Keep them safe. Set boundaries early. Be intentional. Their privacy is the priority. I keep names private, protect their faces, and respect their dignity.

Diversify income streams. Spread it out or a single source. The algorithm is unstable. Multiple income streams = stability.

Film multiple videos. When you have available time, create multiple pieces. Tomorrow you will appreciate it when you're burnt out.

Build community. Reply to comments. Check messages. Create connections. Your community is everything.

Monitor what works. Be strategic. If something requires tons of time and tanks while another video takes no time and blows up, adjust your strategy.

Don't forget yourself. Self-care isn't selfish. Unplug. Guard your energy. Your sanity matters more than going viral.

This takes time. This takes time. It took me half a year to make real income. Year one, I made barely $15,000. Year two, $80,000. This year, I'm on track for six figures. It's a journey.

Don't forget your why. On bad days—and trust me, there will be—remember your reason. For me, it's independence, being there, and proving to myself that I'm capable of more than I thought possible.

The Reality Check

Listen, I'm being honest. This journey is hard. Really hard. You're operating a business while being the only parent of demanding little people.

There are days I second-guess this. Days when the hate comments affect me. Days when I'm exhausted and stressed and wondering if I should go back to corporate with benefits and a steady paycheck.

But then suddenly my daughter tells me she's proud that I work from home. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I get a DM from a follower saying my content gave her courage. And I remember my purpose.

The Future

A few years back, I was scared and struggling how I'd survive as a single mom. Today, I'm a full-time content creator making way more than I made in my 9-5, and I'm available when they need me.

My goals for the future? Reach 500K by end of year. Create a podcast for single moms. Possibly write a book. Keep building this business that makes everything possible.

Being a creator gave me a path forward when I was drowning. It gave me a way to feed my babies, be present in their lives, and create something meaningful. It's not the path I expected, but it's meant to be.

To every solo parent on the fence: You can. It isn't simple. You'll consider quitting. But you're handling the most difficult thing—single parenting. You're tougher than you realize.

Begin messy. Stay the course. Guard your peace. And always remember, you're beyond survival mode—you're building something incredible.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go film a TikTok about homework I forgot about and surprise!. Because that's the reality—making content from chaos, one video at a time.

For real. This path? It's worth it. Even when I'm sure there's crumbs everywhere. Dream life, chaos and all.