A SAVVY mother has revealed that in just five weeks, she has made enough money to take her entire family on holiday.
So if you’re fed up with scraping together pennies after working a 9 to 5, then you’ve come to the right place and will need to listen up.
In-between the school runs, Emily, who is a Dyslexia Specialist Teacher from North Wales, has now been able to cash in thanks to her online side hustle – and no, it’s not OnlyFans.
With Emily’s online business, she doesn’t have to leave the house and anyone can do it – you don’t need any fancy qualifications.
Posting on social media, the content creator, who has two toddlers, got candid on how she’s earning money online, leaving many open-mouthed.
Eager to teach others how to follow in her footsteps, the brunette shared a clip with the caption “If I can figure this out between school runs and cold coffee, you can too!!”
She then said: “I’ve made enough money on TikTok Shop in just five weeks to be able to afford to take my whole family on a holiday and I’m here to teach you exactly how to do the same.”
Since earning an income online as a TikTok Shop Affiliate, Emily has now shared a step-by-step guide of how to create a TikTok Shop and make money on it, so others can do the same.
A TikTok Shop affiliate is a content creator who earns a commission by promoting products listed on the TikTok Shop platform through their videos and live streams.
Affiliates select products from a marketplace, create content featuring these products, and earn a percentage of sales generated when viewers purchase through the unique affiliate link embedded in their posts.
This allows creators to monetise their content without needing to hold inventory, and provides brands with a direct channel to reach engaged audiences via creators.
To become a TikTok Shop affiliate, you typically need at least 1,000 followers and must be over 18.
Emily added: “I had to do trial and error to try and work out what worked and what didn’t – if I’d have known the answers to all of these questions, I’d have made money a hell of a lot quicker, so I am here to help you do it faster than me and make more money than me.”
In follow-up clips, Emily, who earned £721 on just one product alone in September, shared her top tips and tricks on how to be successful on TikTok Shop.
How to shop safely on TikTok shop
TIKTOK shop is an e-commerce feature of the video app TikTok and officially launched in September 2023.
Popular TikTok creators often advertise products from the shop as they are given affiliate links which means they make money from referring followers.
Entrepreneurs can upload their products onto TikTok Shop for others to purchase.
However, it is important to stay vigilant when it comes to scams.
- Stick to verified sellers with good reviews—check ratings and feedback before buying.
- Avoid suspiciously low-priced items—“too good to be true” often is.
- Always pay via the in-app checkout, never off-platform.
- Avoid clicking links outside the app—especially unfamiliar domains or QR codes.
- Read product descriptions carefully and note return policies.
- Document your order—save screenshots and track delivery updates.
- Report suspicious activity through TikTok and initiate disputes if necessary.
You’ll need 1,000 followers or more to be able to set up a TikTok Shop and Emily stressed the importance of “finding your niche”, which for her, is parenting content.
As well as this, she advised people to create “engaging content that people want to come back for” so that people “buy into you as a person.”
Then, when it comes to which products you promote and sell, you should pick items that relate to you and are things you would actually use.
You just need to make an engaging video that people want to watch about the products in your house and link them on TikTok Shop and then you’ll make money on it
Emily
You can add items to your showcase, which Emily described as your own “virtual shelves.”
Emily is running a “mum superstore” and shared: “You don’t need to buy from TikTok Shop to sell on TikTok Shop.”
In fact, rather than spending money on products from TikTok, you can actually start with products you already own.
Do I need to pay tax on my side hustle income?
MANY people feeling strapped for cash are boosting their bank balance with a side hustle.
The good news is, there are plenty of simple ways to earn some additional income – but you need to know the rules.
When you’re employed the company you work for takes the tax from your earnings and pays HMRC so you don’t have to.
But anyone earning extra cash, for example from selling things online or dog walking, may have to do it themselves.
Stephen Moor, head of employment at law firm Ashfords, said: “Caution should be taken if you’re earning an additional income, as this is likely to be taxable.
“The side hustle could be treated as taxable trading income, which can include providing services or selling products.”
You can make a gross income of up to £1,000 a year tax-free via the trading allowance, but over this and you’ll usually need to pay tax.
Stephen added: “You need to register for a self-assessment at HMRC to ensure you are paying the correct amount of tax.
“The applicable tax bands and the amount of tax you need to pay will depend on your income.”
If you fail to file a tax return you could end up with a surprise bill from HMRC later on asking you to pay the tax you owe – plus extra fees on top.
She explained: “You just need to make an engaging video that people want to watch about the products in your house and link them on TikTok Shop and then you’ll make money on it, without spending a single penny.”
When it comes to filming videos, Emily recommended using your back camera.
She also advised people to film somewhere bright and keep videos “short, clear and watchable.”
Social media users react
Emily’s TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @carnage_of_motherhood, has clearly impressed many, as it has quickly racked up 31,800 views.
Social media users were thankful for Emily’s helpful advice and many eagerly raced to the comments to express this.
Buzzing for you girlie!!!! Really happy for you and thank you for sharing all your tips
TikTok user
One person said: “Thank you for sharing this!”
Another added: “Sounds like a great income stream.”
A third commented: “Appreciate your help and tips. You did it in record time.”
At the same time, another user gushed: “This is absolutely amazing. Well done Emily!!!!”
Meanwhile, someone else chimed in: “Buzzing for you girlie!!!! Really happy for you and thank you for sharing all your tips.”
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