Mom home-based businesses for today — made simple that helps parents create extra income

Let me tell you, motherhood is absolutely wild. But plot twist? Attempting to make some extra cash while handling toddlers and their chaos.

This whole thing started for me about several years ago when I discovered that my retail therapy sessions were way too frequent. It was time to get funds I didn't have to justify spending.

The Virtual Assistant Life

So, I started out was becoming a virtual assistant. And I'll be real? It was ideal. It let me grind during those precious quiet hours, and literally all it took was my laptop and decent wifi.

I started with simple tasks like organizing inboxes, doing social media scheduling, and data entry. Not rocket science. My rate was about fifteen to twenty bucks hourly, which seemed low but when you're just starting, you gotta prove yourself first.

Here's what was wild? I'd be on a video meeting looking completely put together from the shoulders up—blazer, makeup, the works—while wearing my rattiest leggings. Living my best life.

The Etsy Shop Adventure

About twelve months in, I ventured into the handmade marketplace scene. Everyone and their mother seemed to be on Etsy, so I thought "why not get in on this?"

I began creating digital planners and digital art prints. What's great about digital products? Design it once, and it can keep selling indefinitely. Genuinely, I've earned money at ungodly hours.

When I got my first order? I lost my mind. My husband thought there was an emergency. Negative—just me, celebrating my five dollar sale. No shame in my game.

Content Creator Life

Next I started writing and making content. This one is not for instant gratification seekers, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.

I created a family lifestyle blog where I posted about what motherhood actually looks like—the messy truth. None of that Pinterest-perfect life. Just authentic experiences about surviving tantrums in Target.

Getting readers was a test of patience. For months, I was basically my only readers were my mom and two bots. But I kept at it, and slowly but surely, things gained momentum.

These days? I generate revenue through affiliate links, sponsored posts, and advertisements on my site. Recently I generated over two thousand dollars from my blog alone. Mind-blowing, right?

Managing Social Media

After I learned managing my blog's social media, local businesses started inquiring if I could manage their accounts.

Real talk? A lot of local businesses suck at social media. They understand they should be posting, but they don't know how.

This is my moment. I handle social media for a handful of clients—a bakery, a boutique, and a fitness studio. I develop content, plan their posting schedule, handle community management, and monitor performance.

My rate is between $500-1500 per month per client, depending on the complexity. Here's what's great? I manage everything from my iPhone.

Freelance Writing Life

For the wordy folks, freelance writing is where it's at. This isn't literary fiction—I'm talking about business content.

Businesses everywhere need content constantly. My assignments have included everything from dental hygiene to copyright. You just need to research, you just need to be good at research.

Generally charge $50-150 per article, depending on the topic and length. When I'm hustling hard I'll crank out ten to fifteen pieces and pull in $1-2K.

Here's what's wild: I was the person who thought writing was torture. These days I'm making money from copyright. Life is weird.

The Online Tutoring Thing

During the pandemic, online tutoring exploded. With my teaching background, so this was kind of a natural fit.

I joined a couple of online tutoring sites. The scheduling is flexible, which is non-negotiable when you have children who keep you guessing.

I mainly help with basic subjects. The pay ranges from fifteen to thirty bucks per hour depending on where you work.

What's hilarious? Every now and then my own kids will crash my tutoring session mid-session. I've had to teach fractions while my toddler screamed about the wrong color cup. Other parents are incredibly understanding because they're parents too.

Flipping Items for Profit

So, this hustle started by accident. While organizing my kids' room and listed some clothes on copyright.

They sold instantly. I had an epiphany: one person's trash is another's treasure.

Now I hit up thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, hunting for things that will sell. I purchase something for $3 and sell it for $30.

Is it a lot of work? For sure. I'm photographing items, writing descriptions, shipping packages. But it's oddly satisfying about finding a gem at Goodwill and making money.

Also: my kids are impressed when I discover weird treasures. Last week I found a rare action figure that my son absolutely loved. Sold it for $45. Mom for the win.

The Truth About Side Hustles

Real talk moment: side hustles take work. They're called hustles for a reason.

There are days when I'm completely drained, wondering why I'm doing this. I'm up at 5am being productive before the madness begins, then all day mom-ing, then working again after the kids are asleep.

But this is what's real? This income is mine. I don't have to ask permission to buy the fancy coffee. I'm contributing to our financial goals. I'm showing my kids that moms can do anything.

What I Wish I Knew

If you're thinking about a side hustle, here's my advice:

Start with one thing. Don't attempt to start five businesses. Start with one venture and become proficient before adding more.

Be realistic about time. Your available hours, that's perfectly acceptable. Two hours of focused work is better than nothing.

Avoid comparing yourself to the highlight reels. Everyone you're comparing yourself to? They've been at it for years and has resources you don't see. Focus on your own journey.

Spend money on education, but wisely. There are tons of free resources. Avoid dropping $5,000 on a coaching program until you've tested the waters.

Batch your work. This saved my sanity. Dedicate specific days for specific tasks. Use Monday for creation day. Wednesday could be handling business stuff.

Dealing with Mom Guilt

Real talk—I struggle with guilt. Certain moments when I'm focused on work while my kids need me, and I feel guilty.

But then I remind myself that I'm teaching them that hard work matters. I'm teaching my kids that you can be both.

Plus? Having my own income has improved my mental health. I'm more satisfied, which makes me more patient.

Let's Talk Money

So what do I actually make? Most months, combining everything, I earn $3,000-5,000 per month. Certain months are higher, it fluctuates.

Is this getting-rich money? Not really. But I've used it for stuff that matters to us that would've caused financial strain. It's developing my career and experience that could become a full-time thing.

Wrapping This Up

Here's the bottom line, hustling as a mom is hard. There's no such thing as a perfect balance. Many days I'm flying by the seat of my pants, surviving on coffee, and doing my best.

But I'm proud of this journey. Every single bit of income is a testament to my hustle. It shows that I'm not just someone's mother.

So if you're considering beginning your hustle journey? Start now. Start before it's perfect. Your future self will be so glad you did.

Always remember: You're more than getting by—you're growing something incredible. Even if there's likely snack crumbs on your keyboard.

For real. This is the life, mess included.

From Rock Bottom to Creator Success: My Journey as a Single Mom

Let me be real with you—single motherhood wasn't part of my five-year plan. I also didn't plan on becoming a content creator. But here we are, years into this crazy ride, paying bills by creating content while doing this mom thing solo. And real talk? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.

The Starting Point: When Everything Imploded

It was three years ago when my relationship fell apart. I can still picture sitting in my half-empty apartment (he took what he wanted, I kept what mattered), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids slept. I had eight hundred forty-seven dollars in my checking account, little people counting on me, and a income that didn't cut it. The stress was unbearable, 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 sharing how she became debt-free through content creation. I remember thinking, "No way that's legit."

But being broke makes you bold. Or both. Sometimes both.

I grabbed the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, talking about how I'd just spent my last $12 on a cheap food for my kids' lunches. I hit post and panicked. Who wants to watch someone's train wreck of a life?

Spoiler alert, tons of people.

That video got nearly 50,000 views. 47,000 people watched me nearly cry over frozen nuggets. The comments section became this safe space—other single moms, people living the same reality, all saying "this is my life." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted raw.

My Brand Evolution: The Honest Single Parent Platform

Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: you need a niche. And my niche? I stumbled into it. I became the mom who tells the truth.

I started filming the stuff people hide. Like how I lived in one outfit because washing clothes was too much. Or when I fed my kids cereal for dinner multiple nights and called it "breakfast for dinner week." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked about the divorce, and I had to explain adult stuff to a kid who thinks the tooth fairy is real.

My content was raw. My lighting was terrible. I filmed on a busted phone. But it was unfiltered, and evidently, that's what hit.

In just two months, I hit 10K. Month three, 50K. By half a year, I'd crossed a hundred thousand. Each milestone felt impossible. Actual humans who wanted to listen to me. Little old me—a barely surviving single mom who had to learn everything from scratch recently.

A Day in the Life: Juggling Everything

Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because creating content solo is nothing like those pretty "day in the life" videos you see.

5:30am: My alarm goes off. I do absolutely not want to wake up, but this is my sacred content creation time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I start filming. Sometimes it's a get-ready-with-me talking about money struggles. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while sharing custody stuff. The lighting is natural and terrible.

7:00am: Kids wake up. Content creation pauses. Now I'm in parent mode—making breakfast, the shoe hunt (seriously, always ONE), throwing food in bags, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is real.

8:30am: Carpool line. I'm that mom creating content in traffic when stopped. Don't judge me, but content waits for no one.

9:00am-2:00pm: This is my productive time. Kids are at school. I'm cutting clips, being social, planning content, doing outreach, analyzing metrics. They believe content creation is just making TikToks. It's not. It's a whole business.

I usually batch content on certain days. That means filming 10-15 videos in one go. I'll switch outfits so it appears to be different times. Hot tip: Keep wardrobe options close for quick changes. My neighbors think I've lost it, talking to my camera in the backyard.

3:00pm: Picking them up. Parent time. But plot twist—many times my biggest hits come from real life. Recently, my daughter had a complete meltdown in Target because I couldn't afford a toy she didn't need. I filmed a video in the car later about surviving tantrums as a lone parent. It got 2.3 million views.

Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm typically drained to create anything, but I'll schedule uploads, answer messages, or prep for tomorrow. Some nights, after bedtime, I'll edit for hours because a deadline is coming.

The truth? There's no balance. It's just organized chaos with moments of success.

The Financial Reality: How I Actually Make a Living

Alright, let's talk numbers because this is what you're wondering. Can you actually make money as a creator? Absolutely. Is it easy? Hell no.

My first month, I made zero dollars. Month two? Zero. Month three, I got my first paid partnership—$150 to share a food subscription. I actually cried. That one-fifty covered food.

Fast forward, 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, kids' stuff. I bill anywhere from five hundred to five thousand dollars per partnership, depending on what's required. This past month, I did four collabs and made $8K.

TikTok Fund: The TikTok fund pays very little—a few hundred dollars per month for huge view counts. YouTube revenue is better. I make about $1.5K monthly from YouTube, but that was a long process.

Affiliate Marketing: I post links to items I love—ranging from my beloved coffee maker to the beds my kids use. If someone purchases through my link, I get a kickback. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.

Info Products: I created a money management guide and a cooking guide. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell dozens per month. That's another $1-1.5K.

Teaching Others: New creators pay me to show them how. I offer consulting calls for $200 hourly. I do about five to ten per month.

Overall monthly earnings: Typically, I'm making between ten and fifteen grand per month now. Certain months are better, some are tougher. It's inconsistent, which is scary 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 Dark Side Nobody Talks About

It looks perfect online until you're crying in your car because a post tanked, or managing vicious comments from strangers who think they know your life.

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 solo parent. One person said, "I'd leave too." That one stung for days.

The algorithm shifts. Sometimes you're getting insane views. The following week, you're getting nothing. Your income is unstable. You're constantly creating, 24/7, nervous about slowing down, you'll lose momentum.

The mom guilt is worse times a thousand. Each post, I wonder: Is this appropriate? Am I doing right by them? Will they regret this when they're adults? I have strict rules—protected identities, keeping their stories private, protecting their dignity. But the line is hard to see.

The exhaustion is real. Sometimes when I don't want to film anything. When I'm touched out, talked out, and completely finished. But life doesn't stop. So I push through.

The Unexpected Blessings

But listen—despite the hard parts, this journey has blessed me with things I never dreamed of.

Financial stability for the first time in my life. I'm not wealthy, but I eliminated my debt. I have an emergency fund. We took a real vacation last summer—Disney, which felt impossible not long ago. I don't check my bank account with anxiety anymore.

Time freedom that's priceless. When my boy was sick last month, I didn't have to stress about missing work or panic. I worked from the doctor's office. When there's a class party, I'm present. I'm in their lives in ways I wasn't able to be with a normal job.

Community that saved me. The other creators I've befriended, especially single moms, have become actual friends. We support each other, exchange tips, have each other's backs. My followers have become this beautiful community. They hype me up, encourage me through rough patches, and validate me.

Something that's mine. After years, I have an identity. I'm more than an ex or just a mom. I'm a content creator. A creator. Someone who created this.

My Best Tips

If you're a single mom curious about this, here's what I'd tell you:

Start before you're ready. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. Everyone starts there. You learn by doing, not by overthinking.

Authenticity wins. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your true life—the chaos. That's the magic.

Protect your kids. Create rules. Know your limits. Their privacy is the priority. I protect their names, protect their faces, and never discuss anything that could embarrass them.

Diversify income streams. Spread it out or one way to earn. The algorithm is unstable. More streams = less stress.

Create in batches. When you have free time, make a bunch. Tomorrow you will thank present you when you're burnt out.

Build community. Respond to comments. Answer DMs. Create connections. Your community is what matters.

Analyze performance. Some content isn't worth it. If something is time-intensive and tanks while a different post takes very little time and gets 200,000 views, adjust your strategy.

Take care of yourself. You matter too. Rest. Protect your peace. Your mental health matters more than anything.

Be patient. This takes time. It took me ages to make decent money. The first year, I made barely $15,000. The second year, eighty grand. Year three, I'm on track for six figures. It's a process.

Remember why you started. On hard days—and they happen—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's financial freedom, being there, and demonstrating that I'm more than I believed.

The Reality Check

Here's the deal, I'm telling the truth. Being a single mom creator is challenging. Really hard. You're basically running a business while being the only parent of kids who need everything.

Some days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the negativity affect me. Days when I'm burnt out and asking myself if I should quit this with a 401k.

But but then my daughter tells me she loves that I'm home. Or I look at my savings. Or I get a DM from a follower saying my content changed her life. And I remember why I do this.

The Future

Three years ago, I was terrified and clueless how I'd survive as a single mom. Now, I'm a professional creator making more money than I ever did in corporate America, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.

My goals for the future? Get to half a million followers by end of year. Create a podcast for single moms. Possibly write a book. Keep growing this business that supports my family.

This journey gave me a path forward when I was drowning. It gave me a way to provide for my family, show up, and create something meaningful. It's a surprise, but it's perfect.

To every solo parent wondering if you can do this: You can. this explanation It will be challenging. You'll doubt yourself. But you're already doing the toughest gig—parenting solo. You're powerful.

Jump in messy. Stay the course. Protect your peace. And always remember, you're more than just surviving—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 this life—turning chaos into content, one post at a time.

For real. This journey? It's everything. Even though I'm sure there's crumbs all over my desk. Dream life, chaos and all.