Working mom part-time jobs for modern moms – broken down helping mothers seeking flexibility build additional revenue

Let me tell you, motherhood is not for the weak. But plot twist? Trying to hustle for money while handling tiny humans who think sleep is optional.

My hustle life began about three years ago when I realized that my Target runs were getting out of hand. I needed cash that was actually mine.

The Virtual Assistant Life

Okay so, my initial venture was becoming a virtual assistant. And I'll be real? It was chef's kiss. I could hustle while the kids slept, and literally all it took was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.

Initially I was doing easy things like email sorting, posting on social media, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. I charged about $20/hour, which felt cheap but when you're just starting, you gotta start somewhere.

Here's what was wild? I'd be on a client call looking like a real businesswoman from the shoulders up—business casual vibes—while rocking pajama bottoms. Living my best life.

Selling on Etsy

Once I got comfortable, I wanted to explore the selling on Etsy. All my mom friends seemed to be on Etsy, so I figured "why not join the party?"

I began crafting digital planners and home decor prints. Here's why printables are amazing? Design it once, and it can make money while you sleep. Literally, I've made sales at 3am while I was sleeping.

When I got my first order? I lost my mind. My husband thought there was an emergency. Nope—I was just, doing a happy dance for my glorious $4.99. Judge me if you want.

Blogging and Creating

After that I ventured into the whole influencer thing. This particular side gig is playing the long game, trust me on this.

I launched a parenting blog where I shared real mom life—everything unfiltered. None of that Pinterest-perfect life. Simply honest stories about the time my kid decorated the walls with Nutella.

Building traffic was a test of patience. At the beginning, I was basically writing for myself and like three people. But I didn't give up, and eventually, things began working.

Currently? I earn income through affiliate marketing, collaborations, and ad revenue. Last month I made over two grand from my blog alone. Mind-blowing, right?

SMM Side Hustle

After I learned running my own socials, brands started asking if I could run their social media.

Real talk? Most small businesses don't understand social media. They realize they have to be on it, but they're too busy.

This is my moment. I currently run social media for three local businesses—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 five hundred to fifteen hundred monthly per business, depending on what they need. What I love? I manage everything from my phone.

The Freelance Writing Hustle

If writing is your thing, freelancing is a goldmine. This isn't becoming Shakespeare—this is blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.

Companies constantly need fresh content. I've created content about everything from literally everything under the sun. You just need to research, you just need to be good at research.

Usually earn $0.10-0.50 per word, depending on length and complexity. Some months I'll crank out ten to fifteen pieces and make a couple thousand dollars.

Plot twist: I was the person who barely passed English class. Currently I'm getting paid for it. Life is weird.

Tutoring Online

After lockdown started, tutoring went digital. With my teaching background, so this was kind of a natural fit.

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

I mainly help with elementary school stuff. You can make from fifteen to twenty-five hourly depending on the company.

The funny thing? Occasionally my children will photobomb my lessons mid-session. I once had to maintain composure during complete chaos in the background. The families I work with are incredibly understanding because they understand mom life.

Reselling and Flipping

Okay, this one started by accident. I was decluttering my kids' room and put some things on Facebook Marketplace.

Things sold within hours. I had an epiphany: people will buy anything.

Currently I frequent thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, looking for things that will sell. I grab something for a few dollars and make serious profit.

This takes effort? For sure. You're constantly listing and shipping. But it's strangely fulfilling about finding a gem at the thrift store and making profit.

Additionally: the kids think it's neat when I discover weird treasures. Recently I discovered a retro toy that my son freaked out about. Got forty-five dollars for it. Victory for mom.

Real Talk Time

Real talk moment: these aren't get-rich-quick schemes. It's called hustling because you're hustling.

Certain days when I'm running on empty, wondering why I'm doing this. I'm grinding at dawn hustling before the chaos starts, then being a full-time parent, then back at it after 8pm hits.

But here's the thing? I earned this money. I'm not asking anyone to treat myself. I'm adding to our household income. My kids are learning that you can be both.

What I Wish I Knew

For those contemplating a side gig, here's what I'd tell you:

Start small. You can't juggle ten things. Start with one venture and nail it down before starting something else.

Be realistic about time. Your available hours, that's fine. Whatever time you can dedicate is a great beginning.

Avoid comparing yourself to the highlight reels. The successful ones you see? She probably started years ago and has resources you don't see. Focus on your own journey.

Learn and grow, but carefully. You don't need expensive courses. Avoid dropping huge money on programs until you've tested the waters.

Do similar tasks together. This is crucial. Dedicate days for specific hustles. Make Monday writing day. Wednesday could be organizing and responding.

Dealing with Mom Guilt

Let me be honest—mom guilt is a thing. Sometimes when I'm hustling and my child is calling for me, and I feel guilty.

But I consider that I'm teaching them what dedication looks like. I'm teaching my kids that moms can have businesses.

And honestly? Making my own money has improved my mental health. I'm more fulfilled, which helps me be better.

The Numbers

My actual income? Typically, from all my side gigs, I make $3K-5K. Some months are lower, it fluctuates.

Is this getting-rich money? No. But it's paid for so many things we needed that would've been really hard. It's creating opportunities and experience that could evolve into something huge.

Wrapping This Up

Look, being a mom with a side hustle is challenging. There's no such thing as a secret sauce. Many days I'm improvising everything, surviving on coffee, and doing my best.

But I'm proud of this journey. Every single dollar earned is a testament to my hustle. It's proof that I'm more than just mom.

If you're on the fence about beginning your hustle journey? Do it. Don't wait for perfect. You in six months will be grateful.

And remember: You're more than making it through—you're hustling. Even when you probably have Goldfish crackers everywhere.

Seriously. The whole thing is incredible, despite the chaos.

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

Real talk—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, earning income by being vulnerable on the internet while doing this mom thing solo. And honestly? It's been the most terrifying, empowering, and unexpected blessing of my life.

How It Started: When Everything Imploded

It was three years ago when my relationship fell apart. I will never forget sitting in my half-empty apartment (he took the couch, I got the kids' art projects), scrolling mindlessly at 2am while my kids slept. I had eight hundred forty-seven dollars in my checking account, two humans depending on me, and a paycheck that wasn't enough. The fear was overwhelming, y'all.

I'd been mindlessly scrolling to distract myself from the anxiety—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when we're drowning, right?—when I saw this single mom sharing how she paid off $30,000 in debt through posting online. I remember thinking, "That's either a scam or she's incredibly lucky."

But rock bottom gives you courage. Maybe both. Often both.

I grabbed the TikTok studio app the next morning. My first video? Completely unpolished, explaining how I'd just spent my last $12 on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' lunches. I shared it and felt sick. Who gives a damn about someone's train wreck of a life?

Turns out, tons of people.

That video got forty-seven thousand views. 47,000 people watched me get emotional over frozen nuggets. The comments section was this incredible community—fellow solo parents, others barely surviving, all saying "me too." That was my turning point. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted raw.

My Brand Evolution: The Real Mom Life Brand

Here's what they don't say about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? It found me. I became the single mom who keeps it brutally honest.

I started creating content about the stuff no one shows. Like how I wore the same leggings all week because executive dysfunction is real. Or when I gave them breakfast for dinner several days straight and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my daughter asked about the divorce, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who thinks the tooth fairy is real.

My content wasn't polished. My lighting was awful. I filmed on a cracked iPhone 8. But it was authentic, and turns out, that's what connected.

Two months later, I hit 10,000 followers. Three months later, 50,000. By month six, I'd crossed 100K. Each milestone seemed fake. People who wanted to hear what I had to say. Me—a broke single mom who had to Google "what is a content creator" months before.

My Daily Reality: Balancing Content and Chaos

Let me paint you a picture of my typical day, because creating content solo is totally different from those perfect "day in the life" videos you see.

5:30am: My alarm blares. I do not want to move, but this is my hustle hours. I make coffee that I'll reheat three times, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a morning routine talking about money struggles. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while talking about co-parenting struggles. The lighting is not great.

7:00am: Kids wake up. Content creation ends. Now I'm in mommy mode—pouring cereal, locating lost items (where do they go), packing lunches, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is real.

8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom creating content in traffic at red lights. Not proud of this, but the grind never stops.

9:00am-2:00pm: This is my hustle time. I'm alone finally. I'm editing videos, responding to comments, ideating, pitching brands, looking at stats. People think content creation is simple. Nope. It's a real job.

I usually batch content on Monday and Wednesday. That means making a dozen videos in one session. I'll switch outfits so it seems like separate days. Hot tip: Keep different outfits accessible for fast swaps. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, talking to my camera in the backyard.

3:00pm: Getting the kids. Transition back to mom mode. But plot twist—sometimes my biggest hits come from the chaos. Recently, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I refused to get a expensive toy. I made content in the parking lot once we left about handling public tantrums as a single parent. It got over 2 million views.

Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm generally wiped out to make videos, but I'll plan posts, answer messages, or strategize. Certain nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll edit for hours because a deadline is coming.

The truth? Balance is a myth. It's just controlled chaos with moments of success.

The Financial Reality: How I Really Earn Money

Alright, let's talk dollars because this is what everyone's curious about. Can you make a living as a online creator? Absolutely. Is it simple? Nope.

My first month, I made zilch. Month two? $0. Month three, I got my first sponsored post—one hundred fifty dollars to promote a food subscription. I literally cried. That $150 bought groceries for two weeks.

Today, years later, here's how I generate revenue:

Brand Deals: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that fit my niche—things that help, mom products, kid essentials. I get paid anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per campaign, depending on what they need. This past month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made eight thousand dollars.

Platform Payments: The TikTok fund pays not much—maybe $200-400 per month for massive numbers. YouTube ad revenue is better. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that was a long process.

Link Sharing: I promote products to things I own—anything from my beloved coffee maker to the kids' beds. If anyone buys, I get a cut. This brings in about eight hundred to twelve hundred.

Online Products: I created a single mom budget planner and a meal prep guide. They're $15 each, and I sell maybe 50-100 per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.

Teaching Others: People wanting to start pay me to show them how. I offer private coaching for two hundred dollars. I do about five to ten a month.

My total income: Generally, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month at this point. Certain months are better, others are slower. It's inconsistent, which is nerve-wracking when there's no backup. But it's triple what I made at my previous job, and I'm present.

The Struggles Nobody Posts About

It looks perfect online until you're crying in your car because a post got no views, or managing nasty DMs from random people.

The haters are brutal. I've been told I'm a terrible parent, told I'm using my children, accused of lying about being a single mom. A commenter wrote, "I'd leave too." That one stung for days.

The algorithm changes constantly. One week you're getting insane views. Next month, an original article you're struggling for views. Your income is unstable. You're always on, never resting, nervous about slowing down, you'll lose relevance.

The mom guilt is worse exponentially. Everything I share, I wonder: Am I sharing too much? Are my kids safe? Will they regret this when they're grown? I have firm rules—no faces of my kids without permission, nothing too personal, no embarrassing content. But the line is not always clear.

The burnout is real. There are weeks when I don't want to film anything. When I'm done, socially drained, and just done. But rent doesn't care. So I show up anyway.

The Unexpected Blessings

But listen—through it all, this journey has given me things I never dreamed of.

Financial stability for once in my life. I'm not loaded, but I cleared $18K. I have an savings. We took a vacation last summer—Orlando, which was a dream not long ago. I don't stress about my account anymore.

Control that's priceless. When my child had a fever last month, I didn't have to ask permission or panic. I handled business at urgent care. When there's a class party, I can go. I'm present in my kids' lives in ways I wasn't with a corporate job.

Support that saved me. The other influencers I've met, especially solo parents, have become actual friends. We vent, share strategies, support each other. My followers have become this incredible cheerleading squad. They cheer for me, send love, and show me I'm not alone.

Me beyond motherhood. 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 entrepreneur. An influencer. Someone who built something from nothing.

What I Wish I Knew

If you're a solo parent thinking about this, here's my advice:

Just start. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. That's okay. You improve over time, not by waiting until everything is perfect.

Authenticity wins. People can tell when you're fake. Share your honest life—the chaos. That's the magic.

Keep them safe. Establish boundaries. Know your limits. Their privacy is everything. I protect their names, protect their faces, and keep private things private.

Diversify income streams. Spread it out or one revenue source. The algorithm is fickle. More streams = less stress.

Film multiple videos. When you have time alone, make a bunch. Next week you will appreciate it when you're drained.

Engage with your audience. Engage. Check messages. Connect authentically. Your community is your foundation.

Monitor what works. Time is money. If something requires tons of time and tanks while something else takes no time and gets massive views, shift focus.

Self-care matters. You need to fill your cup. Step away. Protect your peace. Your health matters most.

Be patient. This requires patience. It took me ages to make any real money. My first year, I made maybe $15,000 total. The second year, eighty grand. Year 3, I'm on track for six figures. It's a process.

Don't forget your why. On difficult days—and they happen—remember your reason. For me, it's independence, time with my children, and validating that I'm capable of anything.

Real Talk Time

Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Being a single mom creator is difficult. Incredibly hard. You're basically running a business while being the sole caretaker of kids who need everything.

Some days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the negativity sting. Days when I'm exhausted and stressed and wondering if I should go back to corporate with benefits and a steady paycheck.

But but then my daughter tells me she's happy I'm here. 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 why I do this.

My Future Plans

Three years ago, I was lost and broke how I'd survive as a single mom. Today, I'm a professional creator making more money than I ever did 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 this year. Start a podcast for single moms. Possibly write a book. Continue building this business that supports my family.

Being a creator gave me a way out when I was drowning. It gave me a way to feed my babies, show up, and accomplish something incredible. It's a surprise, but it's perfect.

To all the single moms considering this: You absolutely can. It will be hard. You'll struggle. But you're handling the hardest job in the world—parenting solo. You're more capable than you know.

Begin messy. Be consistent. Prioritize yourself. And don't forget, you're beyond survival mode—you're building an empire.

Time to go, I need to go create content about another last-minute project and surprise!. Because that's the content creator single mom life—chaos becomes content, one post at a time.

No cap. This life? It's worth every struggle. Even when there's definitely Goldfish crackers everywhere. That's the dream, imperfectly perfect.