ON hit TV show Margo’s Got Money Troubles, a struggling mum turns to OnlyFans to provide for her family – and she is far from alone.
The site, famed for its , has approximately 4.6million creators, and figures suggest that more than 18 per cent — 837,000 — are single mums.
Single mum Ember Reign has turned to OnlyFans to make money after spotting the earning potential Credit: Damien McFadden – Commissioned by The Sun Glasgow
Emerald Barwise has warned that she found OnlyFans was not the quick fix she hoped for Credit: The Sun
, who plays the title role in the TV series, said: “The show is really about and what a mother will do to provide for her child.
“It’s also about Margo finding her own voice and her own power, even if it’s in a way she never expected.”
Some creators do make a fortune on the subscription-based platform, founded in 2016, charging fans for access to photos, videos and interactions — but others admit they struggle to make enough to get by.
We spoke to two women in a similar position to Margo, who had very different reactions to joining the site.
Ember says that her earnings from the site allow her to spend more quality time with her daughter Credit: Damien McFadden – Commissioned by The Sun Glasgow
OnlyFans is famed for its adult content and has approximately 4.6million creators Credit:
Single mum Ember Reign, from South West London, saw the earning potential in and has made £17,000 since December “working just a few hours here and there”.
She is delighted that it gives her more time with her five-year-old daughter.
The 32-year-old told The Sun on Sunday: “My daughter’s dad and I split up just before she turned two.
“I was working part-time, often doing 7am to 3pm in a secretarial office job, rushing around getting her to and from places, sometimes working Saturdays, too.
Figures suggest that more than 18 per cent of creators — 837,000 — are single mums (picture posed by model) Credit: Getty
The platform allows creators to charge fans for access to photos, videos and interactions (stock image) Credit: Getty
“It was exhausting and you bring that stress home.”
At the end of last year, a friend of Ember’s who does OnlyFans suggested she cash in, too. And she reckoned her looks might work in her favour.
Ember reveals: “I was nervous at first, but I’d already been thinking of joining the adult industry to make .
“I was earning about £75 a day. It wasn’t enough to live on or give my little girl the life I wanted for her. is real, so I thought, ‘Why not use it?’.”
Ember then realised it was the job for her. “I love what I do,” she says.
“What I love most is the flexibility. I can film content and still be there for my daughter.”
Recalling some of her more unusual requests, she continues: “I’ve been paid £25 for a selfie and even sold my £1 knickers for over £100. It’s crazy what people will pay.
“People don’t want overly posed content, they want something more real and relatable. But some men do get very emotionally invested, which can be a bit scary.”
New Apple TV show Margot’s Got Money Troubles features a single mum turning to OnlyFans Credit: Copyrighted
The show features Elle Fanning as the lead – with her character showing what a mother will do to provide for her child Credit:
Ember says she has regulars who keep coming back for more.
“My niche is my long red hair and the ‘Milf’ vibe, but I keep boundaries,” she insists.
“I don’t get fully naked and I only do solo content. I will show parts of my body, but I will never be fully naked.
“Men will send requests and I decide if I want to do it or not. But I won’t do anything I don’t want to. I enjoy what I do.
“Friends know, but my family don’t — and no one at the school gates has a clue. For now, I want to keep it that way.”
Elsewhere, OnlyFans was not such a success for Emerald Barwise.
The 36-year-old — a single mum to a 13-year-old girl — says it is not the “quick fix” people think it is, as she struggled to make cash.
She explains: “It’s hard to afford the extras that two-parent families can — like days out and .
Ember says she has regulars who keep coming back for more and has earned thousands Credit: Damien McFadden – Commissioned by The Sun Glasgow
Emerald said she was not prepared for the constant stream of requests Credit: The Sun
“So when the OnlyFans boom started in 2022, it felt like the perfect way to earn extra money.
“Without a man to rely on, I had to provide for my daughter myself.
“The stress of whether I’d be able to pay my and rent would keep me up at night. Unless you’ve been in our situation, don’t judge.
“And with so many people saying you didn’t have to do anything explicit to make good money, I believed it.
“So I signed up and was waiting for the big payday. But that wasn’t how it worked out for me.
“Some people think they can sign up, take a photo of their feet and earn thousands a month. But it isn’t that simple.”
The mum was already a vintage and pin-up model and had done nude shoots, so was happy to continue with those.
But she says: “I don’t do anything explicit and I never will. I don’t want to change my boundaries or morals just for money.
“At the time, I had over 60,000 followers across social media, so I assumed making money would be easy. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Since setting up an account, the most I ever made in a month was around £300 — and that was uploading full frontal naked content and messaging people every single day.
“I wasn’t prepared for the constant stream of requests.
“Almost daily, I’d get messages asking for very explicit things, despite me making it clear in my bio that I didn’t offer that kind of content. It started to feel degrading.
“It made me realise that while OnlyFans can be sold as an easy way to make money, the reality can be very different.
“It just didn’t align with who I am.
“I’m proud of the work I do as a model and I’d rather stay true to that than compromise myself for more money.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
