Stay-at-home mom part-time jobs for modern moms : clearly discussed to busy moms create financial freedom

Let me spill, mom life is literally insane. But you know what's even crazier? Trying to make some extra cash while juggling tiny humans who think sleep is optional.

I started my side hustle journey about three years ago when I realized that my random shopping trips were way too frequent. I needed funds I didn't have to justify spending.

Being a VA

Here's what happened, I started out was becoming a virtual assistant. And honestly? It was perfect. It let me get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and literally all it took was my laptop and decent wifi.

I began by easy things like email sorting, posting on social media, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. I started at about fifteen dollars an hour, which felt cheap but for someone with zero experience, you gotta start somewhere.

What cracked me up? Picture this: me on a Zoom call looking like I had my life together from the shoulders up—looking corporate—while sporting my rattiest leggings. Living my best life.

Selling on Etsy

After getting my feet wet, I ventured into the Etsy world. Literally everyone seemed to sell stuff on Etsy, so I figured "why not join the party?"

I created crafting printable planners and wall art. Here's why printables are amazing? Make it one time, and it can generate passive income forever. Literally, I've made sales at times when I didn't even know.

My first sale? I lost my mind. My partner was like the house was on fire. Negative—just me, cheering about my five dollar sale. Don't judge me.

Blogging and Creating

Eventually I discovered the whole influencer thing. This hustle is definitely a slow burn, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.

I created a mom blog where I posted about real mom life—everything unfiltered. No Instagram-perfect nonsense. Only authentic experiences about surviving tantrums in Target.

Growing an audience was slow. The first few months, I was basically writing for myself and like three people. But I didn't give up, and eventually, things took off.

Now? I earn income through promoting products, collaborations, and advertisements on my site. Last month I earned over two grand from my website. Mind-blowing, right?

SMM Side Hustle

As I mastered managing my blog's social media, local businesses started asking if I could manage their accounts.

Real talk? Most small businesses suck at social media. They know they should be posting, but they're clueless about the algorithm.

Enter: me. I currently run social media for several small companies—different types of businesses. I plan their content, schedule posts, engage with followers, and check their stats.

I bill between five hundred to fifteen hundred monthly per client, depending on what they need. The best thing? I do this work from my phone during soccer practice.

Writing for Money

For those who can string sentences together, writing gigs is where it's at. I'm not talking writing the next Great American Novel—this is business content.

Brands and websites always need writers. My assignments have included everything from literally everything under the sun. Google is your best friend, you just need to be able to learn quickly.

I typically bill $0.10-0.50 per word, depending on what's involved. On good months I'll create fifteen articles and earn an extra $1,000-2,000.

What's hilarious: I'm the same person who hated writing papers. These days I'm earning a living writing. Talk about character development.

Tutoring Online

When COVID hit, tutoring went digital. I used to be a teacher, so this was an obvious choice.

I joined several tutoring platforms. You make your own schedule, which is non-negotiable when you have kids with unpredictable schedules.

I focus on basic subjects. The pay ranges from $15-$25/hour depending on which site you use.

The awkward part? Occasionally my children will interrupt mid-session. There was a time I be professional while chaos erupted behind me. My clients are totally cool about it because they're parents too.

Flipping Items for Profit

Alright, this hustle I stumbled into. I was cleaning out my kids' room and listed some clothes on copyright.

They sold so fast. I suddenly understood: you can sell literally anything.

Now I hit up anywhere with deals, on the hunt for name brands. I'll find something for a few dollars and make serious profit.

This takes effort? For sure. There's photographing, listing, and shipping. But it's strangely fulfilling about discovering a diamond in the rough at a yard sale and turning a profit.

Also: my kids think I'm cool when I discover weird treasures. Just last week I found a rare action figure that my son freaked out about. Made $45 on it. Mom win.

Real Talk Time

Truth bomb incoming: side hustles aren't passive income. There's work involved, hence the name.

Certain days when I'm exhausted, wondering why I'm doing this. I wake up early hustling before the chaos starts, then handling mom duties, then back to work after everyone's in bed.

But here's the thing? These are my earnings. I don't have to ask permission to buy the fancy coffee. I'm supporting the family budget. I'm showing my kids that you can be both.

Tips if You're Starting Out

For those contemplating a side hustle, here's my advice:

Start small. Avoid trying to start five businesses. Focus on one and become proficient before adding more.

Be realistic about time. Your available hours, that's okay. A couple of productive hours is valuable.

Avoid comparing yourself to other moms. Those people with massive success? She probably started years ago and has help. Run your own race.

Spend money on education, but smartly. Free information exists. Avoid dropping thousands on courses until you've tried things out.

Batch tasks together. This changed everything. Block off certain times for certain work. Monday could be making stuff day. Wednesday could be handling business stuff.

The Mom Guilt is Real

I have to be real with you—the mom guilt is real. There are days when I'm on my laptop and they want to play, and I hate it.

But then I remember that I'm showing them work ethic. I'm demonstrating to my children that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.

Plus? Making my own money has made me a better mom. I'm happier, which translates to better parenting.

The Numbers

The real numbers? Generally, combining everything, I bring in $3K-5K. Certain months are higher, others are slower.

Is it life-changing money? Not exactly. But I've used it for family trips and unexpected expenses that would've been impossible otherwise. And it's building my skills and experience that could grow into more.

Final Thoughts

Here's the bottom line, being a mom with a side hustle is hard. You won't find a one-size-fits-all approach. Many days I'm winging it, running on coffee and determination, and hoping for the best.

But I don't regret it. Every single dollar earned is proof that I can more info do hard things. It's evidence that I'm more than just mom.

If you're on the fence about starting a side hustle? Take the leap. Begin before you're ready. You in six months will be grateful.

Keep in mind: You're not merely getting by—you're growing something incredible. Even when there's probably Goldfish crackers stuck to your laptop.

Not even kidding. This mom hustle life is where it's at, chaos and all.

Surviving to Thriving: My Journey as a Single Mom

Here's the truth—becoming a single mom wasn't part of my five-year plan. Nor was making money from my phone. But here I am, three years into this wild journey, earning income by creating content while handling everything by myself. And not gonna lie? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.

How It Started: When Everything Fell Apart

It was three years ago when my divorce happened. I will never forget sitting in my new apartment (I kept the kids' stuff, he took everything else), unable to sleep at 2am while my kids were finally quiet. I had barely $850 in my checking account, two humans depending on me, and a paycheck that wasn't enough. The panic was real, y'all.

I'd been scrolling TikTok to numb the pain—because that's the move? when our lives are falling apart, right?—when I stumbled on this woman talking about how she changed her life through content creation. I remember thinking, "No way that's legit."

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

I downloaded the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? No filter, no makeup, pure chaos, talking about how I'd just put my last twelve dollars on a pack of chicken nuggets and fruit snacks for my kids' lunches. I shared it and felt sick. Who gives a damn about my broke reality?

Spoiler alert, tons of people.

That video got forty-seven thousand views. 47,000 people watched me nearly cry over frozen nuggets. The comments section turned into this validation fest—fellow solo parents, other people struggling, all saying "me too." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want filtered content. They wanted honest.

My Brand Evolution: The Hot Mess Single Mom Brand

Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: niche is crucial. And my niche? It found me. I became the real one.

I started creating content about the stuff nobody talks about. Like how I didn't change pants for days because laundry felt impossible. Or the time I served cereal as a meal three nights in a row and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked why daddy doesn't live here anymore, and I had to have big conversations to a kid who thinks the tooth fairy is real.

My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was awful. I filmed on a ancient iPhone. But it was unfiltered, and apparently, that's what hit.

Two months later, I hit ten thousand followers. Three months later, 50,000. By half a year, I'd crossed 100,000. Each milestone seemed fake. These were real people who wanted to hear what I had to say. Me—a barely surviving single mom who had to figure this out from zero six months earlier.

A Day in the Life: Juggling Everything

Let me show you of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is totally different from those curated "day in the life" videos you see.

5:30am: My alarm blares. I do absolutely not want to wake up, but this is my work time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I start filming. Sometimes it's a get-ready-with-me talking about budgeting. Sometimes it's me making food while sharing custody stuff. The lighting is natural and terrible.

7:00am: Kids emerge. Content creation goes on hold. Now I'm in survival mode—making breakfast, hunting for that one shoe (why is it always one shoe), prepping food, mediating arguments. The chaos is overwhelming.

8:30am: Getting them to school. I'm that mom making videos while driving at red lights. Not proud of this, but content waits for no one.

9:00am-2:00pm: This is my hustle time. Peace and quiet. I'm cutting clips, responding to comments, ideating, doing outreach, analyzing metrics. Everyone assumes content creation is just making TikToks. It's not. It's a full business.

I usually batch content on specific days. That means creating 10-15 pieces in one session. I'll switch outfits so it seems like separate days. Hot tip: Keep wardrobe options close for quick changes. My neighbors think I've lost it, filming myself talking to my phone in the driveway.

3:00pm: Pickup time. Back to parenting. But plot twist—frequently my viral videos come from this time. Recently, my daughter had a epic meltdown in Target because I refused to get a expensive toy. I created a video in the vehicle later about surviving tantrums as a solo parent. It got 2.3M views.

Evening: All the evening things. I'm usually too exhausted to make videos, but I'll plan posts, reply to messages, or strategize. Many nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll edit videos until midnight because a client needs content.

The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just controlled chaos with random wins.

The Money Talk: How I Generate Income

Alright, let's get into the finances because this is what everyone wants to know. Can you make a living as a online creator? Yes. Is it effortless? Nope.

My first month, I made zilch. Second month? Still nothing. Third month, I got my first sponsored post—a hundred and fifty bucks to post about a meal box. I cried real tears. That one-fifty paid for groceries.

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

Collaborations: This is my primary income. I work with brands that my followers need—affordable stuff, helpful services, kid essentials. I get paid anywhere from five hundred to several thousand per deal, depending on what's required. Just last month, I did four partnerships and made $8,000.

Ad Money: The TikTok fund pays not much—maybe $200-400 per month for tons of views. AdSense is better. I make about fifteen hundred a month from YouTube, but that required years.

Affiliate Income: I post links to stuff I really use—anything from my beloved coffee maker to the bunk beds I bought. If they buy using my link, I get a commission. This brings in about $800-1,200 monthly.

Info Products: I created a money management guide and a meal prep guide. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell dozens per month. That's another $1,000-1,500.

Teaching Others: People wanting to start pay me to show them how. I offer private coaching for two hundred dollars. I do about 5-10 per month.

My total income: On average, I'm making between ten and fifteen grand per month currently. It varies, some are tougher. It's unpredictable, which is stressful when you're solo. But it's 3x what I made at my previous job, and I'm present.

The Struggles Nobody Mentions

Content creation sounds glamorous until you're losing it because a post got no views, or managing nasty DMs from keyboard warriors.

The hate comments are real. I've been called a bad mom, told I'm using my children, told I'm fake about being a single mom. I'll never forget, "No wonder he left." That one hurt so bad.

The platform changes. Certain periods you're getting huge numbers. The following week, you're lucky to break 1,000. Your income varies wildly. You're always creating, always working, nervous about slowing down, you'll lose relevance.

The mom guilt is intense exponentially. Everything I share, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Are my kids safe? Will they be angry about this when they're adults? I have strict rules—protected identities, keeping their stories private, no embarrassing content. But the line is hard to see.

The burnout is real. Sometimes when I have nothing. When I'm done, talked out, and just done. But the mortgage is due. So I show up anyway.

The Unexpected Blessings

But here's what's real—through it all, this journey has given me things I never anticipated.

Money security for the first damn time. I'm not rich, but I paid off $18,000 in debt. I have an emergency fund. We took a family trip last summer—the Mouse House, which I never thought possible two years ago. I don't panic about money anymore.

Time freedom that's priceless. When my child had a fever last month, I didn't have to use PTO or stress about losing pay. I worked from the doctor's office. When there's a field trip, I'm present. I'm there for them in ways I wasn't able to be with a regular job.

My people that saved me. The fellow creators I've met, especially single moms, have become real friends. We connect, collaborate, encourage each other. My followers have become this beautiful community. They cheer for me, encourage me through rough patches, and make me feel seen.

Identity beyond "mom". After years, I have something that's mine. I'm not defined by divorce or someone's mom. I'm a business owner. A businesswoman. Someone who created this.

Advice for Aspiring Creators

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

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

Authenticity wins. People can spot fake. Share your real life—the mess. That resonates.

Keep them safe. Set boundaries early. Have standards. Their privacy is sacred. I never share their names, minimize face content, and protect their stories.

Don't rely on one thing. Don't rely on just one platform or one income stream. The algorithm is unreliable. More streams = less stress.

Film multiple videos. When you have available time, film multiple videos. Tomorrow you will be grateful when you're burnt out.

Engage with your audience. Respond to comments. Check messages. Create connections. Your community is your foundation.

Monitor what works. Not all content is worth creating. If something is time-intensive and flops while another video takes very little time and gets 200,000 views, adjust your strategy.

Self-care matters. You matter too. Unplug. Set boundaries. Your mental health matters most.

This takes time. This requires patience. It took me eight months to make decent money. My first year, I made $15K total. The second year, $80K. Now, I'm on track for six figures. It's a journey.

Remember why you started. On difficult days—and there are many—think about your why. For me, it's independence, flexibility with my kids, and showing myself that I'm stronger than I knew.

The Honest Truth

Listen, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Content creation as a single mom is difficult. So damn hard. You're running a whole business while being the lone caretaker of children who require constant attention.

There are days I second-guess this. Days when the trolls get to me. Days when I'm completely spent and wondering if I should quit this with benefits and a steady paycheck.

But and then my daughter mentions 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 inspired her. And I remember my purpose.

Where I'm Going From Here

Not long ago, I was lost and broke what to do. Today, I'm a content creator making more money than I ever did in traditional work, and I'm available when they need me.

My goals for the future? Hit 500,000 followers by December. Create a podcast for solo parents. Write a book eventually. Expand this business that changed my life.

This journey gave me a path forward when I needed it most. It gave me a way to feed my babies, show up, and accomplish something incredible. It's a surprise, but it's meant to be.

To all the single moms thinking about starting: You absolutely can. It isn't simple. You'll want to quit some days. But you're currently doing the hardest job—raising humans alone. You're stronger than you think.

Jump in messy. Be consistent. Guard your peace. And always remember, you're doing more than surviving—you're building an empire.

Gotta go now, I need to go film a TikTok about the project I just found out about and surprise!. Because that's this life—content from the mess, one TikTok at a time.

No cap. This journey? It's the best decision. Even when there's probably crumbs in my keyboard. That's the dream, imperfectly perfect.