Carrie Willard

putting the HER back in motherhood

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November 28, 2019 by Carrie

Cheap Homeschooling (with Several Kids)

Considering homeschooling your kids? If you worry that you’re going to spend a lot of money on educating your children properly, read on. This post shares my tips for cheap homeschooling, even with several kids. A bit of backstory if you’re new. As of late 2019, my family has two grads (21 and 18), two […]

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Filed Under: Frugality, Homeschool

September 15, 2019 by Carrie

Lowering food costs (for a family of 9)

Groceries are my family’s biggest expense. Even higher than our mortgage. Interestingly, we spend roughly what the government says is reasonable for a family of 9. So I guess it’s not terribly bad. Still, it’s a huge figure and I know I can do better. What I Won’t Do to Lower Food Costs In the […]

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Filed Under: Frugality, Homemaking

January 11, 2019 by Carrie

I KonMari’d my home (again!)

I first talked about Marie Kondo and the KonMari method (as explained in her best-selling book, The Life Changing Art of Tidying Up) back in 2015. At that time, I decluttered my entire house using her methods. And it stayed that way for the most part! I did, however, do the process again this week. […]

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Filed Under: Homemaking

June 16, 2017 by Carrie

How a homeschooling WAHM does summer (without losing it)

How a Homeschooling Work At Home MomDoes Summer

So summer is here in full swing. (I do take a break from homeschooling in the summertime, in case you’re wondering.) The kids are spending their time pursuing hobbies deeply, splashing around outside with the hose and making arrangements to meet their friends at the pool. It’s all fun and good, but what about the […]

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Filed Under: Home

May 1, 2017 by Carrie

Favorite Cleaning Tools: 4 Homemaking Tools I Can’t Live Without

Since we’re talking about spring cleaning and avoiding “tool-shaped objects” syndrome, I thought it would be a perfect time to talk about favorite cleaning tools I can’t live without. For years, in the name of frugality, I cleaned with sub-par products. I wasted time, energy and money on homemade cleaning products and homemade laundry detergent […]

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Filed Under: Homemaking

April 26, 2017 by Carrie

Spring cleaning: skip it and do this instead

Why to skip the spring cleaning - and what to do instead!

It happens every February: everyone starts talking about spring cleaning. I’m going to take a slightly contrarian position and encourage you to skip it entirely. Here’s why, and what you might do instead that’s a more profitable use of your time. Where did spring cleaning come from? “When homes were heated with wood, coal or […]

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Filed Under: Homemaking

April 10, 2017 by Carrie

Simple Healthy Cookbooks: my favorites for food on the table in record time

Simple Healthy Cookbooks

If you’re like me, you want three things. One, to feed your family healthy and delicious meals. Two, to not spend all day slaving over a hot stove. And three… self-cleaning kitchens. I can’t help you with the third thing! But I can recommend my favorite simple healthy cookbooks to help you with the first […]

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Filed Under: Books, Food, Homemaking

April 1, 2017 by Carrie

Foca Laundry Detergent: 5 Frugal Uses Beyond the Washing Machine

Frugal Uses for Foca Laundry Detergent - outside the laundry room

Preview: The Foca powdered laundry detergent I bought is incompatible with my HE washer. To avoid waste, I used it for cleaning tasks around the house instead. Last summer during my no spend challenge, I scoured the internet for the cheapest, positively-reviewed laundry detergent. I discovered Foca. It comes in enormous bags (handy for my […]

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Filed Under: Homemaking

March 6, 2017 by Carrie

Best mom sayings that will simplify disciplining kids

Best mom sayings

Disciplining our kids effectively can be exhausting at times. We want to impart our values to our kids, but we sometimes fail due to sheer overwhelm or fatigue. Here are some of my best mom sayings to memorize to make your life with kids easier. I also explain why they work so well. Read on… […]

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Filed Under: Mothering

March 2, 2017 by Carrie

Things I’m Enjoying Lately

27 weeker preemie success story

Every once in a while I post things I am enjoying. It’s a sort of product review meets gratitude list. This list is for stuff I liked in February. I moved this month, so a lot of stuff will revolve around that (I’m talking to you chocolate, comfy shoes and Epsom salts!). Lily’s chocolate – […]

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Filed Under: Homemaking

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Welcome! I'm Carrie, and I write about raising my large family frugally as a single mom, mental health, and surviving a cult. I hope you find value here! Read more about me

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