Mom home-based businesses this year — broken down to parents build additional revenue

Here's the tea, motherhood is literally insane. But what's really wild? Trying to hustle for money while handling kids, laundry, and approximately 47 snack requests per day.

I started my side hustle journey about several years ago when I had the epiphany that my retail therapy sessions were way too frequent. I needed some independent income.

Virtual Assistant Hustle

Okay so, my initial venture was jumping into virtual assistance. And real talk? It was chef's kiss. I could hustle while the kids slept, and all I needed was my trusty MacBook and a prayer.

My first tasks were simple tasks like organizing inboxes, scheduling social media posts, and entering data. Pretty straightforward. I charged about fifteen to twenty bucks hourly, which wasn't much but as a total beginner, you gotta begin at the bottom.

Honestly the most hilarious thing? I'd be on a client call looking completely put together from the waist up—full professional mode—while wearing pajama bottoms. Main character energy.

My Etsy Journey

Once I got comfortable, I thought I'd test out the handmade marketplace scene. Every mom I knew seemed to have an Etsy shop, so I figured "why not me?"

I started making PDF planners and home decor prints. The thing about selling digital stuff? Make it one time, and it can generate passive income forever. For real, I've gotten orders at ungodly hours.

My first sale? I actually yelled. My partner was like the house was on fire. But no—just me, doing a happy dance for my first five bucks. I'm not embarrassed.

Blogging and Creating

Then I discovered the whole influencer thing. This one is playing the long game, let me tell you.

I began a family lifestyle blog where I wrote about real mom life—the good, the bad, and the ugly. No Instagram-perfect nonsense. Only authentic experiences about the time my kid decorated the walls with Nutella.

Growing an audience was a test of patience. The first few months, I was basically creating content for crickets. But I stayed consistent, and eventually, things took off.

At this point? I generate revenue through affiliate links, brand partnerships, and display ads. Last month I earned over $2K from my website. Wild, right?

The Social Media Management Game

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

And honestly? Many companies struggle with social media. They know they need a presence, but they can't keep up.

That's where I come in. I now manage social media for several small companies—different types of businesses. I plan their content, plan their posting schedule, handle community management, and check their stats.

I bill between $500-1500 per month per client, depending on the scope of work. Here's what's great? I do this work from my iPhone.

Freelance Writing Life

If you can write, freelancing is a goldmine. This isn't writing the next Great American Novel—I mean content writing for businesses.

Businesses everywhere are desperate for content. I've written everything from dental hygiene to copyright. Being an expert isn't required, you just need to know how to Google effectively.

Generally bill $50-150 per article, depending on what's involved. On good months I'll create a dozen articles and make one to two thousand extra.

Plot twist: I'm the same person who struggled with essays. And now I'm making money from copyright. The irony.

Virtual Tutoring

When COVID hit, everyone needed online help. I was a teacher before kids, so this was kind of a natural fit.

I registered on several tutoring platforms. It's super flexible, which is absolutely necessary when you have kids with unpredictable schedules.

My sessions are usually elementary reading and math. You can make from fifteen to thirty bucks per hour depending on the platform.

What's hilarious? Every now and then my own kids will burst into the room mid-session. There was a time I educate someone's child while mine had a meltdown. The families I work with are usually super understanding because they get it.

The Reselling Game

Okay, this hustle wasn't planned. During a massive cleanout my kids' closet and posted some items on Mercari.

Stuff sold out within hours. Lightbulb moment: people will buy anything.

At this point I frequent anywhere with deals, looking for things that will sell. I grab something for cheap and resell at a markup.

It's definitely work? Not gonna lie. There's photographing, listing, and shipping. But there's something satisfying about finding hidden treasures at a garage sale and earning from it.

Plus: my kids are impressed when I score cool vintage stuff. Recently I found a retro toy that my son lost his mind over. Got forty-five dollars for it. Victory for mom.

The Truth About Side Hustles

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

Some days when I'm exhausted, doubting everything. I'm grinding at dawn being productive before an insightful piece the madness begins, then handling mom duties, then working again after 8pm hits.

But this is what's real? That money is MINE. I can spend it guilt-free to splurge on something nice. I'm helping with my family's finances. I'm teaching my children that you can have it all—sort of.

Tips if You're Starting Out

If you want to start a side hustle, this is what I've learned:

Begin with something manageable. Don't try to launch everything simultaneously. Choose one hustle and master it before starting something else.

Use the time you have. Whatever time you have, that's fine. Two hours of focused work is better than nothing.

Stop comparing to the highlight reels. Those people with massive success? They put in years of work and has resources you don't see. Do your thing.

Learn and grow, but carefully. Free information exists. Don't waste huge money on programs until you've tried things out.

Batch tasks together. This changed everything. Use specific days for specific tasks. Make Monday making stuff day. Use Wednesday for handling business stuff.

Let's Talk Mom Guilt

Real talk—the mom guilt is real. Sometimes when I'm working and my kid wants attention, and I struggle with it.

Yet I remember that I'm demonstrating to them how to hustle. I'm demonstrating to my children that you can be both.

And honestly? Making my own money has been good for me. I'm more fulfilled, which makes me a better parent.

Income Reality Check

The real numbers? Generally, from all my side gigs, I make $3,000-5,000 per month. Some months are lower, others are slower.

Is this millionaire money? Not exactly. But I've used it for so many things we needed that would've caused financial strain. And it's creating opportunities and knowledge that could turn into something bigger.

Wrapping This Up

Look, combining motherhood and entrepreneurship isn't easy. It's not a secret sauce. A lot of days I'm flying by the seat of my pants, surviving on coffee, and crossing my fingers.

But I wouldn't change it. Each dollar earned is validation of my effort. It's proof that I'm more than just mom.

If you're thinking about diving into this? Start now. Begin before you're ready. Future you will appreciate it.

Always remember: You're more than surviving—you're creating something amazing. Even if there's probably mysterious crumbs stuck to your laptop.

Seriously. This mom hustle life is the life, chaos and all.

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

I'm gonna be honest—being a single parent wasn't the dream. Neither was building a creator business. But yet here I am, three years later, supporting my family by being vulnerable on the internet while parenting alone. And not gonna lie? It's been scary AF but incredible of my life.

The Beginning: When Everything Changed

It was 2022 when my relationship fell apart. I can still picture sitting in my half-empty apartment (he got the furniture, I got the memories), staring at my phone at 2am while my kids were passed out. I had barely $850 in my bank account, two kids to support, and a salary that was a joke. The panic was real, y'all.

I'd been mindlessly scrolling to escape reality—because that's self-care at 2am, right? when everything is chaos, right?—when I came across this divorced mom talking about how she became debt-free through content creation. I remember thinking, "That can't be real."

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

I installed the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Raw, unfiltered, messy hair, venting about how I'd just blown my final $12 on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' school lunches. I hit post and panicked. Who wants to watch my broke reality?

Turns out, thousands of people.

That video got 47K views. Forty-seven thousand people watched me nearly cry over $12 worth of food. The comments section was this unexpected source of support—fellow solo parents, other people struggling, all saying "this is my life." That was my lightbulb moment. People didn't want perfect. They wanted honest.

Finding My Niche: The Real Mom Life Brand

Here's the secret about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? It happened organically. I became the single mom who keeps it brutally honest.

I started filming the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I once wore the same yoga pants for four days straight because washing clothes was too much. Or the time I fed my kids cereal for dinner multiple nights and called it "creative meal planning." Or that moment when my daughter asked why we don't live with dad, and I had to explain adult stuff to a kid who still believes in Santa.

My content wasn't pretty. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a busted phone. But it was honest, and turns out, that's what hit.

Within two months, I hit ten thousand followers. 90 days in, fifty thousand. By six months, I'd crossed six figures. Each milestone felt surreal. Actual humans who wanted to follow me. Little old me—a struggling single mom who had to ask Google what this meant six months earlier.

The Actual Schedule: Juggling Everything

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

5:30am: My alarm sounds. I do not want to move, but this is my sacred content creation time. I make coffee that I'll microwave repeatedly, and I begin creating. Sometimes it's a GRWM sharing about financial reality. Sometimes it's me prepping lunches while sharing custody stuff. The lighting is natural and terrible.

7:00am: Kids get up. Content creation goes on hold. Now I'm in full mom mode—making breakfast, the shoe hunt (why is it always one shoe), packing lunches, mediating arguments. The chaos is intense.

8:30am: School drop-off. I'm that mom in the carpool line filming TikToks at red lights. Don't judge me, but bills don't care.

9:00am-2:00pm: This is my power window. House is quiet. I'm editing content, responding to comments, thinking of ideas, doing outreach, looking at stats. Folks imagine content creation is only filming. Nope. It's a real job.

I usually film in batches on specific days. That means creating 10-15 pieces in one go. I'll change clothes so it seems like separate days. Hot tip: Keep multiple tops nearby for easy transitions. My neighbors must think I'm insane, recording myself alone in the parking lot.

3:00pm: School pickup. Transition back to mom mode. But plot twist—frequently my best content ideas come from real life. Recently, my daughter had a complete meltdown in Target because I said no to a forty dollar toy. I made content in the Target parking lot later about handling public tantrums as a single mom. It got over 2 million views.

Evening: Dinner, homework, bath time, bedtime routines. I'm usually too exhausted to create anything, but I'll plan posts, check DMs, or strategize. Certain nights, after bedtime, I'll work late because a deadline is coming.

The truth? There's no balance. It's just controlled chaos with occasional wins.

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 influencer? Absolutely. Is it simple? Not even close.

My first month, I made $0. Second month? $0. Third month, I got my first brand deal—$150 to feature a food subscription. I broke down. That one-fifty fed us.

Currently, years later, here's how I make money:

Brand Partnerships: This is my largest income stream. I work with brands that make sense—budget-friendly products, parenting tools, kid essentials. I bill anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per partnership, depending on the scope. This past month, I did four brand deals and made $8,000.

Ad Money: The TikTok fund pays very little—maybe $200-400 per month for massive numbers. YouTube ad revenue is way better. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that was a long process.

Affiliate Links: I share links to products I actually use—anything from my favorite coffee maker to the bunk beds in their room. If someone clicks and buys, I get a percentage. This brings in about $1K monthly.

Info Products: I created a budget template and a cooking guide. They're $15 each, and I sell 50-100 per month. That's another over a thousand dollars.

One-on-One Coaching: Aspiring influencers pay me to mentor them. I offer consulting calls for two hundred per hour. I do about five to ten a month.

Overall monthly earnings: Most months, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month currently. Some months I make more, others are slower. It's inconsistent, which is scary when you're the only income source. But it's 3x what I made at my previous job, and I'm there for them.

The Dark Side Nobody Talks About

This sounds easy until you're crying in your car because a video flopped, or dealing with nasty DMs from internet trolls.

The trolls are vicious. I've been told I'm a terrible parent, told I'm using my children, questioned about being a solo parent. I'll never forget, "Maybe that's why he left." That one stung for days.

The platform changes. One month you're getting huge numbers. The following week, you're getting nothing. Your income fluctuates. You're never off, 24/7, afraid to pause, you'll be forgotten.

The mom guilt is worse times a thousand. Every upload, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Is this okay? Will they regret this when they're teenagers? I have non-negotiables—no faces of my kids without permission, keeping their stories private, protecting their dignity. But the line is not always clear.

The burnout is real. Some weeks when I have nothing. When I'm touched out, talked out, and completely finished. But the mortgage is due. So I show up anyway.

The Wins

But here's what's real—even with the struggles, this journey has given me things I never dreamed of.

Money security for the first time in my life. I'm not rich, but I became debt-free. I have an emergency fund. We took a actual vacation last summer—Orlando, which seemed impossible not long ago. I don't panic about money anymore.

Time freedom that's priceless. When my kid was ill last month, I didn't have to ask permission or lose income. I worked anywhere. When there's a field trip, I attend. I'm there for them in ways I couldn't manage with a corporate job.

Connection that saved me. The creator friends I've found, especially solo parents, have become my people. We support each other, help each other, encourage each other. My followers have become this amazing support system. They celebrate my wins, support me, and validate me.

Something that's mine. For the first time since having kids, I have an identity. I'm more than an ex or someone's mom. I'm a content creator. An influencer. Someone who made it happen.

Tips for Single Moms Wanting to Start

If you're a solo parent considering content creation, here's what I'd tell you:

Begin now. Your first videos will be trash. Mine did. That's normal. You improve over time, not by waiting until everything is perfect.

Keep it real. People can sense inauthenticity. Share your real life—the messy, imperfect, chaotic reality. That's the magic.

Protect your kids. Establish boundaries. Know your limits. Their privacy is everything. I protect their names, limit face shots, and protect their stories.

Don't rely on one thing. Don't rely on just one platform or one revenue source. The algorithm is unstable. Multiple streams = safety.

Create in batches. When you have time alone, record several. Next week you will be grateful when you're too exhausted to create.

Connect with followers. Respond to comments. Answer DMs. Create connections. Your community is crucial.

Monitor what works. Be strategic. If something takes four hours and flops while a different post takes 20 minutes and blows up, shift focus.

Take care of yourself. You need to fill your cup. Unplug. Protect your peace. Your wellbeing matters more than anything.

Be patient. This takes time. It took me half a year to make real income. The first year, I made $15K total. The second year, $80K. Now, I'm hitting six figures. It's a marathon.

Stay connected to your purpose. On difficult days—and there will be many—think about your why. For me, it's financial freedom, being there, and demonstrating that I'm capable of anything.

Real Talk Time

Listen, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. This life is difficult. So damn hard. You're managing a business while being the lone caretaker of children who require constant attention.

Certain days I doubt myself. Days when the hate comments affect me. Days when I'm completely spent and asking myself if I should get a regular job with benefits and a steady paycheck.

But then suddenly my daughter shares she appreciates this. Or I check my balance and see money. Or I receive a comment from a follower saying my content inspired her. And I remember why I do this.

My Future Plans

A few years back, I was lost and broke how to survive. Fast forward, I'm a professional creator making more than I imagined in my 9-5, and I'm present for everything.

My goals for the future? Reach 500K by this year. Start a podcast for other single moms. Maybe write a book. Keep growing this business that supports my family.

Content creation gave me a second chance when I had nothing. It gave me a way to take care of my children, be available, and accomplish something incredible. It's not the path I expected, but it's meant to be.

To every solo parent thinking about starting: Yes you can. It will be challenging. You'll want to quit some days. But you're currently doing the most difficult thing—single parenting. You're tougher than you realize.

Start messy. Stay consistent. Guard your peace. And always remember, you're doing more than surviving—you're building something incredible.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go make a video about homework I forgot about and surprise!. Because that's this life—turning chaos into content, one TikTok at a time.

No cap. This life? It's everything. Even though I'm sure there's Goldfish crackers all over my desk. That's the dream, one messy video at a time.