I was made redundant and joined OnlyFans to make money fast. I made $10K in three months but regret signing up. Here’s what everyone should know

When Ainslie Gardiner was made redundant last year, she turned to OnlyFans thinking she could make some quick money.

And although the 32-year-old from Sydney made $10,000 in three months, she deeply regrets using the X-rated platform because of the “creepy” content she was required to create.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Ainslie said she felt “constantly uncomfortable” and “made myself sick” by promoting herself on social media to gain subscribers.

While hundreds of successful OnlyFans stars brag about the money and freedom they’ve gained, Ainslie warned others to think twice when considering signing up.

‘My job became redundant, so I went traveling and saw how many people work online. “I struggled to think of something I could do that would transfer my skills,” she said.

‘Once home and back in the rat race, I created an OnlyFans account and booked a one-way flight.

“When I joined I really thought it was just going to be a few PG photos, but pretty soon you’re trying to keep up with the rest and doing things you’re not comfortable with. I don’t think I realized what I signed up for.”

According to Ainslie, people who use OnlyFans also have to constantly promote themselves on social media platforms to make money, such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter) and even Reddit.

But the 32-year-old from Sydney soon felt out of tune with herself and the “cringe-inducing” content she was tasked with creating. She warned other women who are considering signing up as well

“Honestly, during that time, I felt constantly uncomfortable and sick posting on these sites every day for fear that someone I knew would see it,” she added.

She admitted that making $10,000 in three months isn’t a lot of money these days.

‘If you’re considering OnlyFans, don’t get carried away by the glamorous lifestyle you see online and resist the temptation for a quick fix. Take time to consider your decisions carefully,” she warned.

Ainslie also decided to post a detailed TikTok video to share her experience. This has now been viewed more than 114,000 times.

“A lot of young girls think, ‘It’s going to be so easy to make money,’ but in reality it’s a tough job if you don’t have any followers,” she said in the clip.

“When I joined I really thought it would just be some PG photos, but pretty soon you’re trying to keep up with the rest and doing things you’re not comfortable with,” she said

Ainslie quickly realised that creating and selling explicit content online ‘didn’t fit’ with who she was as a person or how she wanted to portray herself online.

‘It’s a full-time job in itself… I think you have to take time out of the morning or afternoon to talk to people, because you want to make money. But then it gets out of hand when you’re talking to people all day.’

Ainslie quickly realised that creating and selling explicit content online was ‘not in line’ with who she is as a person or how she wanted to portray herself online.

One of the biggest misconceptions about OnlyFans is the number of followers a creator has.

‘Girls can give each other free subscriptions. This makes it look like the account has a lot of subscribers and likes, which gets people signing up,” Ainslie said.

‘Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.’