7 of The Best Side Hustles for Single Moms

Today’s post on side hustles for single moms comes straight from our very own Kat. She’s a side hustling single mom who’s part of Laptop Empires family. Girl knows how to hustle and what she’s talking about. Enjoy!

It wasn’t too long ago that I got divorced from my husband of eight years. It was messy and emotionally taxing, most of all because he didn’t want any custody of our two kids. They were 4 and 2 at the time, and I agreed to take sole custody of them (duh, right?). They were my babies and I knew they would be safe with me.

But without a partner, what’s a girl to do for income?

My girls were too young to be in school full-time, and I didn’t have anyone who could take them during your standard “work hours.” So, full-time work was not going to be an option, and I knew that from the get-go. If I could just… survive, I would be alright until my littles got into school.

To bring in some cash, I made a leap and took Mike and Bobby’s FB side hustle course and boom baby, I was in business. And now, I’m earning an average of $6,000/month.

As far as side hustles for single moms, running Facebook ads has been pretty fabulous for me. My side hustle is the only work I do – it’s part-time work, we make ends meet, and even have some fun every once and awhile. I’m not relying on friends or expensive daycare to help with my girls.

Want to know the best part? I work around my family instead of the other way around.

This list is actual side hustles, people

I wanted to make sure this list had acceptable side hustles for single moms with basic time commitments and decent pay.

I didn’t want to tell you about things that completely steal all of the time you have with your kids. At the same time, these needed to be ideas that paid well for the work done. Because really, who wants to work for three bucks an hour? My morning Starbucks costs more than that.

What it takes to get on this single mom’s list of side hustles

A side hustle is meant to bring in supplemental income, and some people work a few side hustles to make a full-time income. So, considering how time-consuming parenting is (especially if you’re going at it along) and that you may have additional time constraints, I was very picky with what went on my list.

Here are my criteria for what gets put on this list:

Flexible
Profitable
Not fake
Good for single moms or stay-at-home moms
Sorta fun, or at least could be fun if you enjoy that line of work
Kid-friendly

Here are 7 of the best side hustles for single moms

1. Blogging

Time commitment: 10-15 hours a week with commitment going up over time

Earn approximately: Varies wildly, $10 to well over a $100k a month

Blogging is a pretty straightforward thing, but a lot of people think it’s just for those who want to get their thoughts out in the world. You, my friend, are from the days of Livejournal, am I right?

Blogging has evolved significantly over time, and the best thing about it is that you can make money in pretty much any sector or niche. There is potential for income across the board. You like food? Blog about it. You like fashion? Blog about it. You like food fashion? Blog about that too.

Blogging starts very slowly, and builds over time. It starts simply by choosing a niche, coming up with a topic to write about, then actually learning how to start a blog. After that, you’ll want to learn about different ways to monetize your blog, like:

2. Social media manager and/or expert

Time commitment: 5-40 hours
Earn approximately: $500-$4000 a month

First, let me be SUPER clear about this one… there are lots of ways to be a social media manager.

There are people who literally just post things for companies and make a few bucks, and there are people who are more inclusive and not only manage social media pages but manage a brand’s reputation across social media as a whole.

This is one of the reasons that becoming a social media manager and/or expert is so powerful for single moms: you can choose where you want to stake a claim. You can start small and as you gain confidence, you can do more and more.

Another reason is that you can choose your social media channel, and two of the best platforms for social media management are Pinterest and Facebook.

Side hustles for single moms on Pinterest

Working as a Pinterest VA is an in-demand side hustle option as online business owners, from bloggers to ecommerce store owners, are using the site to increase their traffic.

Pinterest VAs help them do so by doing things like:

Designing pins
Doing keyword research
Creating a pinning schedule

You can read more about the job and how to get started at Pinterest Virtual Assistant Course Review.

Side hustling on Facebook

What I do, running Facebook ads for small businesses, is one of the top social media management jobs for side hustlers. I meet with small business owners, explain how a good ad strategy can increase their revenue, and then run ads for them.

The reason this one works so well is that there is a high need for ads management. Big companies have used Facebook’s platform for years, but small business owners can’t compete on the same level.

This is where digital marketers come in, and with the right training (hello, Facebook Side Hustle Course!), you can learn:

How to create ads
How to target the right audience for your client
How to test those ads
Building sales funnels
The course also helps you find and land clients

3. Photography

Time commitment: 1-10 hours a week shooting, 5-10 hours editing
Earn approximately: $500-$1000 a month

While there are natural photographers that are more experienced and perhaps more trained than you, anyone that has an eyeball and a decent camera can start taking photos and learn how to become a good photographer.

If you don’t want to take pictures of people and have clients and all that jazz, then you can look into selling your work to a company like Snapwire. When people pay for your work, you get paid too – no Bridezillas necessary.

If you think this side hustle might interest you, go enroll in this free course from Coursera to get your eyes trained up. It’s a REALLY good course and doesn’t cost a single penny, so check it out and see if photography might be for you.

Just so you know, I took this course before I went into Facebook ads, and it showed me I am so NOT meant to be a photographer – but hey, now I know (and it was really fun!).

4. Fitness instructor

Time commitment: 1-8 hours of teaching classes, 4 hours trying not to die afterward
Earn approximately: $200-$700 a month

Oh yes people. One of the best side hustles for single moms is dancing your way into money. And I know how that might sound, but I’m talking fitness instructor.

There are TONS of ways you can start this kind of career. I actually have a friend who has three children and teaches twelve Zumba classes a week. I think she’s absolutely insane, but she makes good money AND she loves what she does.

For many classes, you’ll just need to get a certification. Take Zumba, Pound, and Crossfit for example. All of these classes have a “Master Class” that you take to become certified. Pound, an intense workout class that uses weighted drumsticks to make beats and keep focused, has an 8-hour certification course you have to take in person. If you get through it, you get certified to teach Pound.

Zumba has several different types – Zumba Gold, Aqua Zumba, Zumba Strong – but the concept is the same: become certified, pay a fee to keep your certification current, and get dancing.

Sometimes maintaining certifications can be a little pricey – if you want to be a member of the Zumba Club, for example, it’ll cost you about fifty bucks a month – and after you’re certified, there’s always the challenge of finding a place to teach.

However, the commitment is low, the money is pretty great, and you’ll live longer as a bonus. Psst… try fitness centers, gyms, and the YMCA. Most of the time, these kinds of places welcome a new instructor. And, often they have a place your kid can hang out while you work.

5. Dog walking, cat sitting, and pet checking, oh my!

Time commitment: However long it takes to walk a dog (30 minutes minimum)
Earn approximately: $100-$400 a month

With a metric ton of two-income households, sometimes good ol’ Rover gets neglected a few days a week and needs his belly rubbed and bladder relieved. Good thing you’re ready to jump at the opportunity!

Websites like Wag ! and Rover offer a multitude of ways to make a few dollars and get a few of your steps in for the day, too. Here’s how many of these sites work:

You add yourself to a large database of dog walkers/pet sitters.
When someone in your chosen area needs a dog walked or let out, the job becomes available for you to snag.
Once you land the job, show up, do what you need to with the pooch.
You collect your payment after you’ve successfully logged the job.

A lot of the time these walks will include pretty good tips from the folks who requested you, which is always a nice little bonus.

Sites like DogVacay are websites that focus more on in-home boarding, so if you have a spare room, a nice backyard, or just a really big heart for all things furry and feathered, this is definitely something you should look into.

You can accept or turn down any job you want. And if you’re taking Fido around the block for his mid-afternoon pee, you’re kids can probably join you.

6. Online tutoring

Time commitment: 3-10 hours a week (often early, EARLY in the morning)
Earn approximately: $100-$2000 a month

There are several online tutoring platforms, but probably the most popular and well-established is VIPKid. This online platform connects Chinese and Korean students with tutors who are native English speakers.

The lessons are taught via webcam and are less that 30 minutes long. VIPKid is one of the best platforms because it pays over $20/hour in most cases and you can take as many or as few classes as you’d like.

I could go into more detail here, but it’s much easier for you to just check out their FAQ on their website and decide for yourself. You’ll have to commit to a six-month contract, so make sure you’re ready for that before taking the plunge.

PS… no, you don’t need to speak any Chinese!

7. See what you can find on Rat Race Rebellion

Time commitment: Whatever you can work
Earn approximately: Fairly unlimited

There’s a site that has been around for at least ten years that syndicates tons and TONS of work-at-home jobs. If you’re a single mom who doesn’t necessarily need your side hustle to be worked at home, I think this site is worth stalking thoroughly. It’s called Rat Race Rebellion.

They have remote jobs and new lists of jobs available every day, all the way from phone jobs to data entry to numerous other openings for a plethora of different industries. When all else fails and you just CANNOT find that gig, RRR has got your back – I promise. Grab your cup of coffee and go through those archives, people!

Final Thoughts on Side Hustles for Single Moms

Listen, I know your life isn’t easy and trying to find extra work to feed the mouths of your babes can be incredibly stressful and difficult, but I promise it will be worth it.

Hold out, work your side-hustle during the hours you can, and I know you’re going to make it through. Don’t forget, we have a training course in FB Ads that comes with a few free months of our online community which is chalk full of support, people from different walks of life, and yes – single moms.

We’ve got your back if you need us, but even if you decide not to join – I know you’re going to find exactly what you need and kick a bunch of booties.