Mother money-making projects for today – explained helping moms generate extra income

Real talk, being a mom is no joke. But plot twist? Attempting to earn extra income while dealing with children who have boundless energy while I'm running on fumes.

I started my side hustle journey about three years ago when I realized that my impulse buys were becoming problematic. It was time to get funds I didn't have to justify spending.

Virtual Assistant Hustle

Here's what happened, I started out was becoming a virtual assistant. And honestly? It was exactly what I needed. I could grind during those precious quiet hours, and literally all it took was my laptop and decent wifi.

Initially I was doing simple tasks like email sorting, posting on social media, and basic admin work. Super simple stuff. I charged about fifteen dollars an hour, which wasn't much but when you're just starting, you gotta begin at the bottom.

The funniest part? There I was on a Zoom call looking like I had my life together from the chest up—blazer, makeup, the works—while wearing sweatpants. Main character energy.

Selling on Etsy

About twelve months in, I wanted to explore the handmade marketplace scene. Literally everyone seemed to be on Etsy, so I thought "why not me?"

I began making PDF planners and wall art. The thing about selling digital stuff? You create it once, and it can generate passive income forever. Actually, I've gotten orders at 3am while I was sleeping.

That initial sale? I lost my mind. My husband thought there was an emergency. Nope—I was just, doing a happy dance for my glorious $4.99. No shame in my game.

Content Creator Life

Next I started writing and making content. This hustle is a marathon not a sprint, trust me on this.

I began a parenting blog where I shared what motherhood actually looks like—the messy truth. Keeping it real. Only real talk about how I once found a chicken nugget in my bra.

Growing an audience was slow. For months, it was basically writing for myself and like three people. But I didn't give up, and after a while, things gained momentum.

Now? I generate revenue through affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, and ad revenue. Just last month I generated over two grand from my blog alone. Crazy, right?

The Social Media Management Game

After I learned my own content, small companies started inquiring if I could do the same for them.

Real talk? A lot of local businesses are terrible with social media. They realize they need a presence, but they don't have time.

That's where I come in. I currently run social media for several small companies—different types of businesses. I develop content, schedule posts, handle community management, and monitor performance.

I charge between five hundred to a thousand dollars per month per account, depending on how much work is involved. What I love? I do this work from my phone.

Writing for Money

For the wordy folks, writing gigs is seriously profitable. I don't mean literary fiction—I'm talking about commercial writing.

Brands and websites are desperate for content. I've written everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to be good at research.

I typically make $50-150 per article, depending on how complex it is. Some months I'll produce a dozen articles and bring in $1-2K.

What's hilarious: I'm the same person who struggled with essays. And now I'm earning a living writing. Life's funny like that.

The Online Tutoring Thing

When COVID hit, tutoring went digital. As a former educator, so this was kind of a natural fit.

I registered on VIPKid and Tutor.com. You choose when you work, which is absolutely necessary when you have tiny humans who throw curveballs daily.

My sessions are usually basic subjects. You can make from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on the company.

The awkward part? There are times when my children will crash my tutoring session mid-session. I once had to be professional while chaos erupted behind me. The families I work with are incredibly understanding because they get it.

Flipping Items for Profit

Okay, this one happened accidentally. During a massive cleanout my kids' closet and listed some clothes on Mercari.

They sold instantly. I suddenly understood: one person's trash is another's treasure.

These days I hit up estate sales and thrift shops, on the hunt for name brands. I purchase something for a few dollars and make serious profit.

This takes effort? For sure. There's photographing, listing, and shipping. But I find it rewarding about finding a gem at the thrift store and making money.

Bonus: my kids are impressed when I bring home interesting finds. Recently I found a retro toy that my son lost his mind over. Sold it for $45. Score one for mom.

The Truth About Side Hustles

Let me keep it real: side hustles aren't passive income. There's work involved, hence the name.

Some days when I'm exhausted, wondering why I'm doing this. I'm working before sunrise getting stuff done while it's quiet, then doing all the mom stuff, then back to work after 8pm hits.

But you know what? That money is MINE. I can spend it guilt-free to get the good coffee. I'm contributing to the family budget. I'm showing my kids that moms can do anything.

Tips if You're Starting Out

If you're thinking about a side hustle, here's what I'd tell you:

Begin with something manageable. Don't try to launch everything simultaneously. Choose one hustle and nail it down before taking on more.

Work with your schedule. If naptime is your only free time, that's okay. Even one focused hour is a great beginning.

Stop comparing to the highlight reels. The successful ones you see? She's been grinding forever and doesn't do it alone. Focus on your own journey.

Spend money on education, but strategically. There are tons of free resources. Don't waste massive amounts on training until you've proven the concept.

Batch your work. This saved my sanity. Use time blocks for different things. Use Monday for writing day. Wednesday could be admin and emails.

Let's Talk Mom Guilt

Let me be honest—guilt is part of this. Sometimes when I'm on my laptop and they want to play, and I feel guilty.

However I remind myself that I'm teaching them work ethic. I'm demonstrating to my children that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.

And honestly? Making my own money has made me a better mom. I'm more content, which makes me a better parent.

Let's Talk Money

How much do I earn? Generally, total from all sources, I pull in $3K-5K. It varies, others are slower.

Is this getting-rich money? Nope. But we've used it to pay for family trips and unexpected expenses that would've caused financial strain. It's building my skills and knowledge that could become a full-time thing.

Wrapping This Up

At the end of the day, hustling as a mom is challenging. There's no such thing as a perfect balance. Many days I'm making it up as I go, running on coffee and determination, and hoping for the best.

But I don't regret it. Every bit of income is validation of my effort. It shows that I'm not just someone's mother.

If you're thinking about beginning your hustle journey? Take the leap. Start before it's perfect. Your future self will appreciate it.

Don't forget: You're more than getting by—you're creating something amazing. Even if there's likely mysterious crumbs in your workspace.

Not even kidding. It's pretty amazing, despite the chaos.

My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom

Let me be real with you—single motherhood wasn't part of my five-year plan. Neither was making money from my phone. But fast forward to now, three years later, making a living by creating content while handling everything by myself. And not gonna lie? It's been life-changing in every way of my life.

How It Started: When Everything Imploded

It was 2022 when my marriage ended. I remember sitting in my bare apartment (he took the couch, I got the kids' art projects), unable to sleep at 2am while my kids slept. I had barely $850 in my account, two humans depending on me, and a job that barely covered rent. The panic was real, y'all.

I was scrolling social media to escape reality—because that's self-care at 2am, right? in crisis mode, right?—when I saw this single mom talking about how she changed her life through being a creator. I remember thinking, "She's lying or got lucky."

But being broke makes you bold. Maybe both. Usually both.

I downloaded the TikTok creator app the next morning. My first video? No filter, no makeup, pure chaos, explaining how I'd just used my last twelve bucks on a dinosaur nuggets and snacks for my kids' lunch boxes. I shared it and felt sick. Why would anyone care about my broke reality?

Turns out, thousands of people.

That video got nearly 50,000 views. 47,000 people watched me breakdown over processed meat. The comments section became this incredible community—other single moms, other people struggling, all saying "same." That was my turning point. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted raw.

Building My Platform: The Hot Mess Single Mom Brand

Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: you need a niche. And my niche? It found me. I became the single mom who keeps it brutally honest.

I started sharing the stuff no one shows. Like how I didn't change pants for days because I couldn't handle laundry. Or when I let them eat Lucky Charms for dinner three nights in a row and called it "breakfast for dinner week." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked why we don't live with dad, and I had to talk about complex things to a kid who believes in magic.

My content was raw. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a cracked iPhone 8. But it was unfiltered, and evidently, that's what worked.

Two months later, I hit 10K. Month three, 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 financially unstable single mom who had to learn everything from scratch six months earlier.

The Actual Schedule: Juggling Everything

Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because this life is totally different from those aesthetic "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 precious quiet time. I make coffee that I'll forget about, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a GRWM discussing budgeting. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while talking about dealing with my ex. The lighting is whatever natural light comes through my kitchen window.

7:00am: Kids are awake. Content creation pauses. Now I'm in survival mode—feeding humans, hunting for that one shoe (it's always one shoe), making lunch boxes, referee duties. The chaos is next level.

8:30am: Getting them to school. I'm that mom making videos while driving at red lights. Not proud of this, but the grind never stops.

9:00am-2:00pm: This is my productive time. House is quiet. I'm editing content, engaging with followers, planning content, doing outreach, checking analytics. Everyone assumes content creation is simple. Wrong. It's a real job.

I usually film in batches on Monday and Wednesday. That means shooting multiple videos in one session. I'll change shirts between videos so it seems like separate days. Hot tip: Keep multiple tops nearby for quick changes. My neighbors think I've lost it, making videos in public in the yard.

3:00pm: Picking them up. Parent time. But here's the thing—many times my viral videos come from this time. Recently, my daughter had a complete meltdown in Target because I refused to get a forty dollar toy. I recorded in the Target parking lot afterward about dealing with meltdowns as a single mom. It got 2.3M views.

Evening: Dinner through bedtime. I'm usually too exhausted to film, but I'll schedule content, check DMs, or prep for tomorrow. Certain nights, after bedtime, I'll work late because a partnership is due.

The truth? Balance doesn't exist. It's just managed chaos with moments of success.

Income Breakdown: How I Really Earn Money

Okay, let's talk dollars because this is what people ask about. Can you really earn income as a creator? Absolutely. Is it effortless? Absolutely not.

My first month, I made zilch. Second month? Still nothing. Third month, I got my first brand deal—$150 to post about a meal kit service. I cried real tears. That one-fifty fed us.

Fast forward, three years in, here's how I earn income:

Sponsored Content: This is my largest income stream. I work with brands that my followers need—practical items, mom products, kid essentials. I bill anywhere from $500-5K per deal, depending on what's required. This past month, I did four collabs and made eight thousand dollars.

Creator Fund/Ad Revenue: Creator fund pays very little—a few hundred dollars per month for massive numbers. AdSense is better. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that was a long process.

Affiliate Marketing: I share links to stuff I really use—ranging from my go-to coffee machine to the beds my kids use. If someone purchases through my link, I get a commission. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.

Downloadables: I created a money management guide and a meal planning ebook. Each costs $15, and I sell maybe 50-100 per month. That's another $1,000-1,500.

Coaching/Consulting: New creators pay me to show them how. I offer 1:1 sessions for two hundred per hour. I do about 5-10 each month.

Overall monthly earnings: On average, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month currently. Certain months are better, some are lower. It's unpredictable, which is stressful when you're it. But it's triple what I made at my corporate job, and I'm present.

What They Don't Show Nobody Talks About

Content creation sounds glamorous until you're losing it because a post tanked, or reading vicious comments from internet trolls.

The haters are brutal. I've been called a bad mom, told I'm a bad influence, accused of lying about being a solo parent. Someone once commented, "No wonder he left." That one stung for days.

The algorithm is unpredictable. Sometimes you're getting viral hits. Then suddenly, you're barely hitting 1K. Your income fluctuates. You're constantly creating, always working, afraid to pause, you'll be forgotten.

The mom guilt is intense to the extreme. Everything I share, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Is this okay? Will they regret this when they're grown? I have firm rules—minimal identifying info, no sharing their private stuff, nothing that could embarrass them. But the line is blurry sometimes.

The exhaustion is real. Sometimes when I have nothing. When I'm done, talked out, and completely finished. But life doesn't stop. So I create anyway.

What Makes It Worth It

But the truth is—through it all, get more info this journey has created things I never anticipated.

Financial freedom for the first damn time. I'm not rich, but I eliminated my debt. I have an savings. We took a real vacation last summer—Disney, which felt impossible a couple years back. I don't dread checking my balance anymore.

Control that's priceless. When my child had a fever last month, I didn't have to call in to work or stress about losing pay. I handled business at urgent care. When there's a class party, I attend. I'm there for them in ways I wasn't with a corporate job.

Connection that saved me. The other creators I've found, especially solo parents, have become my people. We support each other, exchange tips, lift each other up. My followers have become this beautiful community. They cheer for me, lift me up, and make me feel seen.

Something that's mine. For the first time since having kids, I have something for me. I'm not just an ex or only a parent. I'm a CEO. A content creator. Someone who built something from nothing.

Advice for Aspiring Creators

If you're a single mom curious about this, here's my advice:

Just start. Your first videos will be awful. Mine did. That's normal. You improve over time, not by waiting.

Authenticity wins. People can smell fake from a mile away. Share your honest life—the mess. That's what connects.

Prioritize their privacy. Create rules. Be intentional. Their privacy is non-negotiable. I don't use their names, protect their faces, and never discuss anything that could embarrass them.

Diversify income streams. Don't put all eggs in one basket or a single source. The algorithm is fickle. Diversification = security.

Batch your content. When you have time alone, record several. Tomorrow you will be grateful when you're burnt out.

Connect with followers. Engage. Reply to messages. Be real with them. Your community is crucial.

Track your time and ROI. Be strategic. If something takes four hours and flops while something else takes minutes and blows up, adjust your strategy.

Don't forget yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup. Unplug. Set boundaries. Your health matters more than anything.

Give it time. This isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. It took me ages to make real income. My first year, I made $15K total. Year 2, $80K. Now, I'm making six figures. It's a journey.

Know your why. On difficult days—and there are many—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's financial freedom, flexibility with my kids, and validating that I'm stronger than I knew.

Real Talk Time

Real talk, I'm keeping it 100. This life is challenging. So damn hard. You're basically running a business while being the sole caretaker of kids who need everything.

Some days I second-guess this. Days when the nasty comments sting. Days when I'm burnt out and questioning if I should just get a "normal" job with stability.

But but then my daughter tells me she loves that I'm home. Or I see my bank account actually has money in it. Or I read a message from a follower saying my content gave her courage. And I know it's worth it.

My Future Plans

Not long ago, I was terrified and clueless how I'd survive as a single mom. Today, I'm a content creator making way more than I made in traditional work, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.

My goals for the future? Hit 500,000 followers by end of year. Launch a podcast for single moms. Write a book eventually. Keep building this business that supports my family.

This journey gave me a second chance when I had nothing. It gave me a way to provide for my family, show up, and build something I'm genuinely proud of. It's not what I planned, but it's exactly where I needed to be.

To all the single moms on the fence: You absolutely can. It isn't simple. You'll consider quitting. But you're currently doing the hardest job in the world—parenting solo. You're powerful.

Jump in messy. Be consistent. Keep your boundaries. 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 why my kid's school project is due tomorrow and nobody told me until now. Because that's the content creator single mom life—content from the mess, video by video.

Honestly. This path? It's everything. Despite there's probably crumbs all over my desk. Living the dream, one messy video at a time.