This mom made $5,000 in October by doing side hustles during the government shutdown

A mom from Ohio whose husband has temporarily stopped receiving pay because of the federal government shutdown has stepped up in style, earning more than $5,000 in October.

Making ends meet during the shutdown

Natalie Folino, who runs the Instagram account @natalie_mom_making_ends_meet, explained on social media that her husband is an essential federal employee. That means he has been going to work without pay since the government shut down on Oct. 1. Folino said the situation has been a “huge problem” for the couple and their three daughters.

“I could take to the internet and complain about it, or I could just do something about it,” Folino, the self-described “hustle queen,” said in a video posted last month. With two and a half years of side-hustle experience behind her, she decided it was her “time to shine.”

From side hustles to a $5,000 goal

Folino set herself a goal of earning $5,000 through side hustles in October, which worked out to $160 a day. Her jobs were focused on helping others, such as doing laundry and walking dogs.

On Instagram, she shared daily video updates tracking her progress. Although she didn’t always meet her $160 daily target, she surpassed her overall goal for the month on Oct. 29, finishing with $5,547.

Giving back to the community

Folino pledged the money she made from social media on Oct. 30 and 31 to buy Thanksgiving dinners for families in need in her community.

With the government still shut down, she’s continuing her side-hustle challenge in November, raising her target to $6,000.

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