Stay-at-home mom money-making projects right now : broken down helping moms generate flexible earnings

Let me spill, motherhood is absolutely wild. But you know what's even crazier? Working to hustle for money while juggling toddlers and their chaos.

My hustle life began about a few years back when I figured out that my random shopping trips were reaching dangerous levels. I was desperate for cash that was actually mine.

Virtual Assistant Hustle

Okay so, I started out was becoming a virtual assistant. And I'll be real? It was perfect. I could grind during those precious quiet hours, and literally all it took was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.

I began by simple tasks like email sorting, doing social media scheduling, and entering data. Not rocket science. I charged about fifteen to twenty bucks hourly, which wasn't much but for someone with zero experience, you gotta build up your portfolio.

Honestly the most hilarious thing? There I was on a Zoom call looking all professional from the shoulders up—blazer, makeup, the works—while wearing sweatpants. Peak mom life.

Selling on Etsy

Once I got comfortable, I decided to try the whole Etsy thing. Literally everyone seemed to be on Etsy, so I figured "why not me?"

I created making printable planners and home decor prints. Here's why printables are amazing? Design it once, and it can generate passive income forever. Genuinely, I've made sales at 3am while I was sleeping.

That initial sale? I actually yelled. He came running thinking the house was on fire. Not even close—I was just, cheering about my glorious $4.99. No shame in my game.

Blogging and Creating

Next I ventured into the whole influencer thing. This particular side gig is definitely a slow burn, trust me on this.

I started a family lifestyle blog where I posted about real mom life—everything unfiltered. None of that Pinterest-perfect life. Just honest stories about finding mystery stains on everything I own.

Building traffic was a test of patience. Initially, I was essentially writing for myself and like three people. But I persisted, and after a while, things gained momentum.

These days? I generate revenue through affiliate marketing, working with brands, and ad revenue. This past month I made over two grand from my blog income. Insane, right?

Managing Social Media

After I learned running my own socials, other businesses started inquiring if I could manage their accounts.

Truth bomb? Most small businesses don't understand social media. They realize they have to be on it, but they don't have time.

Enter: me. I handle social media for several small companies—different types of businesses. I create content, plan their posting schedule, engage with followers, and track analytics.

They pay me between $500-1500 per month per business, depending on the scope of work. What I love? I manage everything from my phone during soccer practice.

The Freelance Writing Hustle

For those who can string sentences together, writing gigs is where it's at. I'm not talking literary fiction—I mean blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions.

Brands and websites need content constantly. My assignments have included everything from literally everything under the sun. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to know how to find information.

Usually charge between fifty and two hundred per article, depending on the topic and length. Some months I'll write a dozen articles and bring in $1-2K.

Here's what's wild: I'm the same person who struggled with essays. Now I'm a professional writer. Talk about character development.

Virtual Tutoring

2020 changed everything, online tutoring exploded. I used to be a teacher, so this was right up my alley.

I started working with VIPKid and Tutor.com. You make your own schedule, which is absolutely necessary when you have unpredictable little ones.

My sessions are usually K-5 subjects. Rates vary from $15-$25/hour depending on where you work.

The funny thing? Occasionally my own kids will burst into the room mid-session. There was a time I teach fractions while my toddler screamed about the wrong color cup. My clients are incredibly understanding because they're living the same life.

Flipping Items for Profit

So, this particular venture happened accidentally. During a massive cleanout my kids' things and tried selling some outfits on Facebook Marketplace.

Stuff sold out instantly. Lightbulb moment: there's a market for everything.

Currently I hit up anywhere with deals, looking for good brands. I'll find something for cheap and resell at a markup.

It's definitely work? Absolutely. You're constantly listing and shipping. But it's oddly satisfying about spotting valuable items at Goodwill and making profit.

Bonus: my children are fascinated when I score cool vintage stuff. Just last week I scored a vintage toy that my son lost his mind over. Flipped it for forty-five bucks. Score one for mom.

The Truth About Side Hustles

Here's the thing nobody tells you: these aren't get-rich-quick schemes. They're called hustles for a reason.

Certain days when I'm completely drained, doubting everything. I'm up at 5am getting stuff done while it's quiet, then all day mom-ing, then working again after bedtime.

But this is what's real? This income is mine. I'm not asking anyone to get the good coffee. I'm adding to my family's finances. My kids see that moms can do anything.

What I Wish I Knew

For those contemplating a mom hustle, here are my tips:

Start with one thing. You can't start five businesses. Choose one hustle and nail it down before taking on more.

Work with your schedule. Your available hours, that's fine. Whatever time you can dedicate is valuable.

Comparison is the thief of joy to Instagram moms. Those people with massive success? They put in years of work and has resources you don't see. Stay in your lane.

Learn and grow, but carefully. Start with free stuff first. Don't waste massive amounts on training until you've tried things out.

Work in batches. This changed everything. Set aside time blocks for different things. Monday might be creation day. Wednesday might be handling business stuff.

Dealing with Mom Guilt

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

Yet I remember that I'm showing them what dedication looks like. I'm demonstrating to my children that moms can have businesses.

Also? Making my own money has been good for me. I'm more satisfied, which makes me more patient.

Income Reality Check

My actual income? Typically, from all my side gigs, I pull in $3,000-5,000 per month. Certain months are higher, some are slower.

Is this millionaire money? Not really. But we've used it to pay for so many things we needed that would've been really hard. And it's creating opportunities and skills that could evolve into something huge.

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, being a mom with a side hustle is hard. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach. Often I'm improvising everything, surviving on coffee, and hoping for the best.

But I wouldn't change it. Every single dollar earned is a testament to my hustle. It's proof that I'm a multifaceted person.

For anyone contemplating starting a side hustle? Take the leap. Start before it's perfect. Future you will appreciate it.

Always remember: You're not merely getting by—you're hustling. Even if there's probably mysterious crumbs on your keyboard.

No cap. It's the life, complete with all the chaos.

From Survival Mode to Content Creator: My Journey as a Single Mom

Real talk—becoming a single mom wasn't part of my five-year plan. Nor was making money from my phone. But fast forward to now, three years into this wild journey, paying bills by being vulnerable on the internet while doing this mom thing solo. And real talk? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.

How It Started: When Everything Fell Apart

It was a few years ago when my life exploded. 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 were passed out. I had eight hundred forty-seven dollars in my bank account, two mouths to feed, and a job that barely covered rent. The panic was real, y'all.

I'd been mindlessly scrolling to escape reality—because that's self-care at 2am, right? in crisis mode, right?—when I found this single mom sharing how she paid off $30,000 in debt through being a creator. I remember thinking, "No way that's legit."

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

I grabbed the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Completely unpolished, venting about how I'd just spent my last $12 on a dinosaur nuggets and snacks for my kids' lunch boxes. I uploaded it and wanted to delete it. Who gives a damn about my mess?

Plot twist, a lot of people.

That video got 47,000 views. Nearly fifty thousand people watched me breakdown over chicken nuggets. The comments section became this unexpected source of support—women in similar situations, people living the same reality, all saying "me too." That was my aha moment. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted real.

My Brand Evolution: The Honest Single Parent Platform

The truth is about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? It found me. I became the unfiltered single mom.

I started creating content about the stuff nobody talks about. Like how I wore the same leggings all week because I couldn't handle laundry. Or the time I fed my kids cereal for dinner multiple nights and called it "cereal week." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked about the divorce, and I had to discuss divorce to a kid who still believes in Santa.

My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a phone with a broken screen. But it was unfiltered, and apparently, that's what worked.

After sixty days, I hit ten thousand followers. 90 days in, 50,000. By six months, I'd crossed a hundred thousand. Each milestone seemed fake. Real accounts who wanted to listen to me. Little old me—a struggling single mom who had to Google "what is a content creator" months before.

A Day in the Life: Content Creation Meets Real Life

Here's the reality of my typical day, because creating content solo is nothing like those pretty "day in the life" videos you see.

5:30am: My alarm blares. I do not want to move, but this is my sacred content creation time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I start filming. Sometimes it's a getting ready video discussing budgeting. Sometimes it's me meal prepping while talking about co-parenting struggles. The lighting is whatever natural light comes through my kitchen window.

7:00am: Kids wake up. Content creation goes on hold. Now I'm in survival mode—pouring cereal, locating lost items (seriously, always ONE), prepping food, stopping fights. The chaos is next level.

8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom creating content in traffic when stopped. Not proud of this, but I gotta post.

9:00am-2:00pm: This is my work block. Kids are at school. I'm in editing mode, responding to comments, ideating, pitching brands, checking analytics. Everyone assumes content creation is just making TikToks. Wrong. It's a entire operation.

I usually batch-create content on certain days. That means shooting multiple videos in one sitting. I'll change shirts between videos so it appears to be different times. Pro tip: Keep several shirts ready for easy transitions. My neighbors definitely think I'm crazy, making videos in public in the yard.

3:00pm: School pickup. Parent time. But this is where it's complicated—sometimes my biggest hits come from this time. Just last week, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I refused to get a $40 toy. I made content in the parking lot later about handling public tantrums as a solo parent. It got 2.3 million views.

Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm usually too exhausted to make videos, but I'll schedule content, reply to messages, or plan tomorrow's content. Some nights, after they're down, I'll stay up editing because a deadline is coming.

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

Let's Talk Income: How I Really Earn Money

Okay, let's get into the finances because this is what you're wondering. Can you make a living as a content creator? 100%. Is it straightforward? Nope.

My first month, I made zero dollars. Second month? Still nothing. Month three, I got my first paid partnership—$150 to feature a meal box. I actually cried. That $150 bought groceries for two weeks.

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

Collaborations: This is my main revenue. I work with brands that make sense—things that help, mom products, family items. I bill anywhere from five hundred to five thousand dollars per collaboration, depending on the scope. Just last month, I did four brand deals and made $8,000.

Ad Money: The TikTok fund pays not much—$200-$400 per month for huge view counts. YouTube ad revenue is more lucrative. I make about $1.5K monthly from YouTube, but that required years.

Affiliate Links: I promote products to items I love—ranging from my favorite coffee maker to the beds my kids use. If they buy using my link, I get a percentage. This brings in about $800-1,200 monthly.

Downloadables: I created a single mom budget planner and a food prep planner. They sell for fifteen dollars, and I sell dozens per month. That's another thousand to fifteen hundred.

Coaching/Consulting: New creators pay me to guide them. I offer consulting calls for $200 hourly. I do about 5-10 of these monthly.

Overall monthly earnings: On average, I'm making ten to fifteen thousand per month at this point. It varies, others are slower. 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 Hard Parts Nobody Posts About

This sounds easy until you're having a breakdown because a video didn't perform, or dealing with cruel messages from internet trolls.

The negativity is intense. I've been called a bad mom, told I'm using my children, told I'm fake about being a divorced parent. One person said, "I'd leave too." That one stung for days.

The algorithm shifts. One month you're getting huge numbers. The next, you're getting nothing. Your income goes up and down. You're constantly creating, never resting, worried that if you take a break, you'll lose momentum.

The mom guilt is worse exponentially. Every upload, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they resent this when they're grown? I have firm rules—protected identities, no discussing their personal struggles, no embarrassing content. But the line is blurry sometimes.

The exhaustion is real. Sometimes when I don't want to film anything. When I'm touched out, talked out, and at my limit. But bills don't care about burnout. So I show up anyway.

The Beautiful Parts

But listen—despite everything, this journey has created things I never imagined.

Financial freedom for once in my life. I'm not wealthy, but I became debt-free. I have an emergency fund. We took a family trip last summer—Orlando, which was a dream two years ago. I don't stress about my account anymore.

Time freedom that's priceless. When my child a detailed post had a fever last month, I didn't have to ask permission or stress about losing pay. I handled business at urgent care. When there's a class party, I attend. I'm in their lives in ways I wasn't with a regular job.

Community that saved me. The fellow creators I've found, especially solo parents, have become true friends. We support each other, share strategies, encourage each other. My followers have become this beautiful community. They support me, lift me up, and make me feel seen.

Something that's mine. After years, I have my own thing. I'm not defined by divorce or just a mom. I'm a CEO. An influencer. Someone who built something from nothing.

What I Wish I Knew

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

Don't wait. Your first videos will be terrible. Mine did. Everyone starts there. You improve over time, not by waiting.

Keep it real. People can sense inauthenticity. Share your true life—the chaos. That's what works.

Protect your kids. Establish boundaries. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is everything. I don't use their names, limit face shots, and respect their dignity.

Multiple revenue sources. Diversify or one income stream. The algorithm is unpredictable. Multiple streams = safety.

Film multiple videos. When you have time alone, film multiple videos. Next week you will thank present you when you're burnt out.

Build community. Reply to comments. Answer DMs. Connect authentically. Your community is everything.

Monitor what works. Time is money. If something takes forever and flops while another video takes no time and blows up, pivot.

Prioritize yourself. You matter too. Take breaks. Guard your energy. Your mental health matters most.

This takes time. This requires patience. It took me half a year to make any real money. The first year, I made $15K total. Year 2, $80,000. Year three, I'm on track for six figures. It's a journey.

Stay connected to your purpose. On tough days—and they happen—think about your why. For me, it's independence, flexibility with my kids, and proving to myself that I'm more than I believed.

Being Real With You

Real talk, I'm telling the truth. This life is tough. Incredibly hard. You're managing a business while being the lone caretaker of tiny humans who need you constantly.

Certain days I doubt myself. Days when the hate comments sting. Days when I'm drained and wondering if I should go back to corporate with benefits and a steady paycheck.

But but then my daughter tells me she's proud that I work from home. Or I see my bank account actually has money in it. Or I receive a comment from a follower saying my content gave her courage. And I remember why I do this.

What's Next

Years ago, I was terrified and clueless how I'd survive as a single mom. Today, I'm a full-time creator making more than I imagined in traditional work, and I'm home when my kids get off the school bus.

My goals moving forward? Hit 500,000 followers by year-end. Launch a podcast for single moms. Maybe write a book. Expand this business that gives me freedom, flexibility, and financial stability.

This path gave me a way out when I was drowning. It gave me a way to provide for my family, show up, and build something real. It's not what I planned, but it's meant to be.

To every single mom out there considering this: Yes you can. It isn't simple. You'll want to quit some days. But you're handling the toughest gig—raising humans alone. You're more capable than you know.

Begin messy. Be consistent. Guard your peace. And know this, you're beyond survival mode—you're creating something amazing.

Time to go, I need to go make a video about homework I forgot about and surprise!. Because that's how it goes—turning chaos into content, one post at a time.

No cap. This journey? It's worth every struggle. Even if I'm sure there's Goldfish crackers in my keyboard. Living the dream, one messy video at a time.