How I Got Here

I began prowling for a side income that could help me get out from under this never-ending mountain of debt. Every morning, I wake up counting down the days until Saturday so I can sleep in, spend time with my kids, and have a little bit of freedom.

I have a really hard time swallowing the fact that, if nothing changes, I’ll be doing this same routine until my oldest child is my age. That thought alone is devastating. My kids would only have me on weekends and holidays, and that just doesn’t sit right with me.

So, like many people these days, the algorithm started noticing. Suddenly my social media feeds were filled with videos about side hustles for moms, making money from home, and building online income.

I started researching everything.

Paid surveys.
Freelancing.
Thrifting and reselling.
Affiliate marketing.
Selling digital products through Etsy.
Designing content in Canva.
Building stores on Shopify.
Using Printify for print-on-demand.
If it existed, I probably looked into it.

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The ADHD Problem
Unfortunately, I have ADHD, or I’m pretty sure I do. Don’t we all at this point? I tend to go all-in on something, learn everything I can about it, get bored, and move on to the next idea.
It’s a cycle I’ve repeated more times than I can count.
I get excited.
I figure it out.
Then I abandon it before giving it time to actually work.

But something changed when I started diving into affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing opened up an entire world I didn’t realize existed.
There are so many avenues and opportunities within it that I found myself genuinely curious and motivated to keep learning.

One of the first things I did was apply for the Amazon Affiliate Program.
At first, I hit a small roadblock. I didn’t have enough followers or content to qualify as an influencer, which meant my ability to start promoting products right away was limited.
Eventually, though, I was accepted and able to create my Amazon storefront.
That felt like a big win.
But having a storefront means actually committing to creating content, reviewing products, and sharing recommendations.
And let me tell you something…
Editing videos, filming content, and trying to find your comfort zone online is not nearly as glamorous as people make it look.

Building My First Online System
To organize everything, I created a Linktree account so I could keep all my links, storefronts, and resources in one place.
My hope is that when someone visits my page, they might find something useful, click on a product, and make a purchase through my links.
So far…
I have yet to make a dollar.
But honestly, that’s okay.
Because through this entire process I’ve learned an incredible amount about social media marketing, online income streams, and how digital businesses actually work.
One thing I realized quickly is that many of these platforms also have their own affiliate programs.
So, if you’re already using a platform, you can often apply to promote it as well.
Not every company will approve you, but some are very open to it. After all, from their perspective there’s not much to lose.

Platforms I’ve Been Exploring
Below are some of the platforms I’ve started experimenting with and learning about as I build my side hustles.
Shopify
A platform that allows you to build your own online store. Many people use it to sell physical products, digital products, or dropship items.
Printify
A print-on-demand service that lets you design items like shirts, mugs, or notebooks that get produced and shipped when someone orders them.
Etsy
A marketplace where creators sell handmade goods, vintage items, and digital products like templates, planners, and artwork.
Amazon Affiliate Program
Allows you to recommend products and earn a small commission if someone purchases through your referral link.
Canva
A design platform used to create digital products, social media content, printables, and more.
Pinterest
One of the most underrated platforms for driving traffic to blogs, stores, and affiliate links.

The Real Goal
Right now, I’m still learning.
I’m experimenting.
I’m making mistakes.
I’m figuring out what works and what doesn’t.
But the goal is simple:
To build something that eventually gives my family more freedom, more time together, and a little less financial stress.
If you’re on a similar journey, you’re definitely not alone.

Again, thank you for being here! I hope some of this information was helpful for you, I will be back soon with more posts and information. let me know in the comments if there’s anything specific you’d like me to write about!