Stay-at-home mom home-based businesses this year : made simple aimed at moms generate income from home

Let me tell you, mom life is a whole vibe. But here's the thing? Working to secure the bag while managing tiny humans who think sleep is optional.

My hustle life began about several years ago when I discovered that my random shopping trips were way too frequent. It was time to get some independent income.

Being a VA

Right so, I kicked things off was becoming a virtual assistant. And not gonna lie? It was perfect. It let me get stuff done when the house was finally peaceful, and the only requirement was a computer and internet.

My first tasks were basic stuff like handling emails, managing social content, and data entry. Pretty straightforward. My rate was about $20/hour, which felt cheap but as a total beginner, you gotta build up your portfolio.

The funniest part? I'd be on a client call looking all professional from the shoulders up—looking corporate—while wearing pants I'd owned since 2015. Peak mom life.

Selling on Etsy

After a year, I decided to try the Etsy world. All my mom friends seemed to sell stuff on Etsy, so I was like "why not join the party?"

I started making downloadable organizers and home decor prints. The thing about selling digital stuff? One and done creation, and it can make money while you sleep. For real, I've gotten orders at midnight when I'm unconscious.

The first time someone bought something? I literally screamed. My husband thought something was wrong. Nope—it was just me, doing a happy dance for my five dollar sale. I'm not embarrassed.

The Content Creation Grind

Then I discovered writing and making content. This hustle is definitely a slow burn, real talk.

I created a family lifestyle blog where I documented the chaos of parenting—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Not the highlight reel. Just authentic experiences about the time my kid decorated the walls with Nutella.

Getting readers was painfully slow. Initially, I was essentially my only readers were my mom and two bots. But I persisted, and over time, things started clicking.

These days? I earn income through affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, and display ads. Just last month I generated over $2K from my blog alone. Crazy, right?

The Social Media Management Game

Once I got decent at running my own socials, small companies started reaching out if I could run their social media.

Here's the thing? Many companies struggle with social media. They realize they need a presence, but they're clueless about the algorithm.

Enter: me. I currently run social media for three local businesses—various small businesses. I plan their content, schedule posts, handle community management, and check their stats.

I charge between $500-$1500/month per business, depending on how much work is involved. What I love? I can do most of it from my phone during soccer practice.

The Freelance Writing Hustle

If writing is your thing, freelancing is seriously profitable. I'm not talking becoming Shakespeare—this is commercial writing.

Companies constantly need fresh content. I've written everything from subjects I knew nothing about before Googling. Being an expert isn't required, you just need to know how to Google effectively.

On average charge $50-150 per article, depending on what's involved. Certain months I'll produce a dozen articles and pull in one to two thousand extra.

What's hilarious: I'm the same person who struggled with essays. Now I'm earning a living writing. Talk about character development.

Virtual Tutoring

During the pandemic, online tutoring exploded. I was a teacher before kids, so this was perfect for me.

I registered on a couple of online tutoring sites. You choose when you work, which is essential when you have children who keep you guessing.

My sessions are usually K-5 subjects. Income ranges from $15-$25/hour depending on the platform.

What's hilarious? Sometimes my children will interrupt mid-session. I've had to teach fractions while my toddler screamed about the wrong color cup. My clients are totally cool about it because they understand mom life.

The Reselling Game

Okay, this side gig happened accidentally. While organizing my kids' things and listed some clothes on Mercari.

They sold so fast. I had an epiphany: one person's trash is another's treasure.

Now I frequent thrift stores, garage sales, and clearance sections, searching for things that will sell. I'll buy something for cheap and resell at a markup.

This takes effort? Yes. It's a whole process. But I find it rewarding about spotting valuable items at Goodwill and making money.

Bonus: my children are fascinated when I discover weird treasures. Last week I found a collectible item that my son went crazy for. Got forty-five dollars for it. Mom for the win.

Real Talk Time

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

Some days when I'm completely drained, wondering why I'm doing this. I wake up early being productive before the madness begins, then all day mom-ing, then back to work after everyone's in bed.

But you know what? These are my earnings. I'm not asking anyone to get the good coffee. I'm contributing to our financial goals. I'm teaching my children that moms can do anything.

Advice for New Mom Hustlers

For those contemplating a hustle of your own, here are my tips:

Start small. Don't try to do everything at once. Start with one venture and become proficient before taking on more.

Work with your schedule. If naptime is your only free time, that's fine. A couple of productive hours is a great beginning.

Avoid comparing yourself to the highlight reels. Those people with massive success? They put in years of work and doesn't do it alone. Stay in your lane.

Spend money on education, but smartly. There are tons of free resources. Don't spend thousands on courses until you've validated your idea.

Batch tasks together. I learned this the hard way. Use days for specific hustles. Monday could be content creation day. Use Wednesday for organizing and responding.

The Mom Guilt is Real

I'm not gonna lie—I struggle with guilt. There are times when I'm hustling and my child is calling for me, and I struggle with it.

Yet I remember that I'm modeling for them that hard work matters. I'm teaching my kids that motherhood doesn't mean giving up your identity.

Also? Making my own money has been good for me. I'm more satisfied, which helps me be better.

Let's Talk Money

The real numbers? Generally, from all my side gigs, I earn $3,000-5,000 per month. It varies, others are slower.

Will this make you wealthy? Nope. But it's paid for family trips and unexpected expenses that would've caused financial strain. It's also building my skills and skills that could become a full-time thing.

Final Thoughts

Here's the bottom line, doing this mom hustle thing is challenging. It's not a perfect balance. A lot of days I'm making it up as I go, fueled by espresso and stubbornness, and praying it all works out.

But I wouldn't change it. Every dollar I a related article earn is a testament to my hustle. It shows that I have identity beyond motherhood.

If you're on the fence about launching a mom business? Go for it. Start messy. Your future self will be grateful.

Always remember: You're not just getting by—you're building something. Even though there's probably Goldfish crackers in your workspace.

For real. This mom hustle life is where it's at, chaos and all.

My Content Creator Journey: My Journey as a Single Mom

Real talk—being a single parent was never the plan. Nor was making money from my phone. But here I am, years into this crazy ride, paying bills by being vulnerable on the internet while handling everything by myself. And I'll be real? It's been life-changing in every way of my life.

The Starting Point: When Everything Changed

It was 2022 when my divorce happened. I can still picture sitting in my mostly empty place (he got the furniture, I got the memories), unable to sleep at 2am while my kids were passed out. I had less than a thousand dollars in my checking account, little people counting on me, and a income that didn't cut it. The stress was unbearable, y'all.

I'd been scrolling TikTok to distract myself from the anxiety—because that's what we do? when we're drowning, right?—when I came across this single mom talking about how she changed her life through content creation. I remember thinking, "That's either a scam or she's incredibly lucky."

But when you're desperate, you try anything. Or both. Usually both.

I installed the TikTok app the next morning. My first video? Me, no makeup, messy bun, sharing how I'd just spent my last $12 on a frozen nuggets and juice boxes for my kids' lunches. I hit post and panicked. Who wants to watch 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 was this unexpected source of support—women in similar situations, other people struggling, all saying "I feel this." That was my turning point. People didn't want the highlight reel. They wanted authentic.

Discovering My Voice: The Hot Mess Single Mom Brand

Here's what nobody tells you about content creation: your niche matters. And my niche? I stumbled into it. I became the single mom who keeps it brutally honest.

I started filming the stuff everyone keeps private. Like how I wore the same leggings all week because washing clothes was too much. Or when I let them eat Lucky Charms for dinner three nights in a row and called it "survival mode." Or that moment when my six-year-old asked where daddy went, and I had to explain adult stuff to a kid who still believes in Santa.

My content wasn't polished. My lighting was non-existent. I filmed on a cracked iPhone 8. But it was unfiltered, and evidently, that's what resonated.

After sixty days, I hit ten thousand followers. Month three, 50,000. By half a year, I'd crossed a hundred thousand. Each milestone blew my mind. These were real people who wanted to listen to me. Plain old me—a barely surviving single mom who had to learn everything from scratch recently.

A Day in the Life: Juggling Everything

Here's the reality of my typical day, because being a single mom creator is the opposite of those perfect "day in the life" videos you see.

5:30am: My alarm screams. I do not want to move, but this is my work time. I make coffee that will get cold, and I start recording. Sometimes it's a getting ready video discussing financial reality. Sometimes it's me cooking while discussing custody stuff. The lighting is whatever natural light comes through my kitchen window.

7:00am: Kids get up. Content creation ends. Now I'm in parent mode—feeding humans, the shoe hunt (seriously, always ONE), throwing food in bags, breaking up sibling fights. The chaos is real.

8:30am: Getting them to school. I'm that mom filming at red lights at stop signs. Don't judge me, but bills don't care.

9:00am-2:00pm: This is my power window. I'm alone finally. I'm editing videos, responding to comments, ideating, pitching brands, reviewing performance. Folks imagine content creation is simple. Absolutely not. It's a whole business.

I usually create multiple videos on certain days. That means making a dozen videos in one sitting. I'll change clothes so it looks varied. Advice: Keep multiple tops nearby for quick changes. My neighbors must think I'm insane, making videos in public in the driveway.

3:00pm: Pickup time. Back to parenting. But here's where it gets tricky—sometimes my best content ideas come from real life. Recently, my daughter had a massive breakdown in Target because I said no to a toy she didn't need. I made content in the Target parking lot later about surviving tantrums as a lone parent. It got 2.3 million views.

Evening: The evening routine. I'm typically drained to make videos, but I'll queue up posts, respond to DMs, or outline content. Certain nights, after the kids are asleep, I'll work late because a client needs content.

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

The Financial Reality: How I Really Earn Money

Look, let's talk dollars because this is what everyone's curious about. Can you legitimately profit as a online creator? For sure. Is it straightforward? Nope.

My first month, I made $0. Month two? Zero. Month three, I got my first collaboration—$150 to share a meal box. I broke down. That $150 paid for groceries.

Currently, three years in, here's how I generate revenue:

Brand Partnerships: This is my primary income. I work with brands that align with my audience—practical items, helpful services, children's products. I get paid anywhere from five hundred to five thousand dollars per campaign, depending on what they need. This past month, I did 4 sponsored posts and made $8K.

Platform Payments: The TikTok fund pays pennies—two to four hundred per month for millions of views. AdSense is more lucrative. I make about $1,500 monthly from YouTube, but that was a long process.

Link Sharing: I post links to things I own—everything from my go-to coffee machine to the kids' beds. If someone purchases through my link, I get a percentage. This brings in about $1K monthly.

Online Products: I created a single mom budget planner and a food prep planner. $15 apiece, and I sell dozens per month. That's another $1,000-1,500.

Coaching/Consulting: Aspiring influencers pay me to guide them. I offer 1:1 sessions for $200/hour. I do about 5-10 a month.

Overall monthly earnings: Generally, I'm making $10,000-15,000 per month at this point. Some months I make more, others are slower. It's variable, which is scary when you're solo. But it's 3x what I made at my 9-5, and I'm home when my kids need me.

The Dark Side Nobody Talks About

Content creation sounds glamorous until you're sobbing alone because a video didn't perform, or reading hate comments from internet trolls.

The trolls are vicious. I've been called a bad mom, told I'm exploiting my kids, questioned about being a single mom. Someone once commented, "Maybe your husband left because you're annoying." That one stuck with me.

The platform changes. One week you're getting millions of views. The following week, 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 amplified to the extreme. Every video I post, I wonder: Am I oversharing? Am I protecting my kids' privacy? Will they hate me for this when they're grown? I have strict rules—limited face shots, nothing too personal, nothing humiliating. But the line is blurry sometimes.

The burnout hits hard. Some weeks when I am empty. When I'm done, over it, and completely finished. But bills don't care about burnout. So I do it anyway.

The Unexpected Blessings

But here's the thing—even with the struggles, this journey has brought me things I never imagined.

Financial freedom for the first damn time. I'm not a millionaire, but I eliminated my debt. I have an emergency fund. We took a real vacation last summer—Orlando, which seemed impossible two years ago. I don't check my bank account with anxiety anymore.

Control that's priceless. When my son got sick last month, I didn't have to use PTO or stress about losing pay. I worked from the pediatrician's waiting room. When there's a school event, I attend. I'm there for them in ways I couldn't manage with a normal job.

Community that saved me. The creator friends I've connected with, especially other moms, have become real friends. We support each other, help each other, support each other. My followers have become this family. They hype me up, support me, and remind me I'm not alone.

Me beyond motherhood. Finally, I have an identity. I'm more than an ex or only a parent. I'm a entrepreneur. A creator. A person who hustled.

Tips for Single Moms Wanting to Start

If you're a single mother wanting to start, here's what I wish someone had told me:

Start before you're ready. Your first videos will suck. Mine did. That's normal. You learn by doing, not by overthinking.

Keep it real. People can sense inauthenticity. Share your real life—the chaos. That resonates.

Prioritize their privacy. Establish boundaries. Decide what you will and won't share. Their privacy is everything. I never share their names, protect their faces, and protect their stories.

Multiple revenue sources. Don't rely on just one platform or one income stream. The algorithm is unreliable. Multiple income streams = stability.

Film multiple videos. When you have time alone, make a bunch. Future you will thank present you when you're too exhausted to create.

Connect with followers. Respond to comments. Answer DMs. Be real with them. Your community is what matters.

Monitor what works. Time is money. If something takes forever and gets nothing while a different post takes very little time and goes viral, change tactics.

Prioritize yourself. Self-care isn't selfish. Unplug. Set boundaries. Your health matters most.

Be patient. This isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. It took me months to make real income. My first year, I made $15K total. Year 2, eighty grand. This year, I'm hitting six figures. It's a journey.

Don't forget your why. On bad days—and there are many—remember why you're doing this. For me, it's supporting my kids, time with my children, and showing myself that I'm more than I believed.

The Honest Truth

Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Being a single mom creator is hard. Like, really freaking hard. You're running a whole business while being the lone caretaker of children who require constant attention.

There are days I wonder what I'm doing. Days when the nasty comments hurt. Days when I'm exhausted and stressed and asking myself if I should quit this with consistent income.

But but then my daughter mentions she loves that I'm home. Or I look at my savings. Or I see a message from a follower saying my content helped her leave an unhealthy relationship. And I understand the impact.

What's Next

Not long ago, I was broke, scared, and had no idea how I'd survive as a single mom. Fast forward, I'm a professional creator making more than I imagined in my 9-5, and I'm available when they need me.

My goals for the future? Hit 500K by end of year. Launch a podcast for single parents. Possibly write a book. Keep growing this business that gives me freedom, flexibility, and financial stability.

Being a creator gave me a way out when I was drowning. It gave me a way to support my kids, be available, and build something real. It's unexpected, but it's meant to be.

To every solo parent on the fence: You absolutely can. It will be challenging. You'll want to quit some days. But you're handling the most difficult thing—raising humans alone. You're powerful.

Begin messy. Stay the course. Guard your peace. And always remember, you're more than just surviving—you're building an empire.

Gotta go now, I need to go make a video about the project I just found out about and I just learned about it. Because that's this life—making content from chaos, one TikTok at a time.

Seriously. This journey? It's worth every struggle. Even if I'm sure there's crumbs everywhere. That's the dream, chaos and all.