Carrie Willard

putting the HER back in motherhood

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August 30, 2023 by Carrie

Five Frugal Things

FFT is a roundup of frugal activities I share – both to inspire you (I love reading these posts from other frugal bloggers!) and to keep myself accountable. This post contains affiliate links. This is my second FFT post in a row. I guess I’m on a roll! šŸ˜‰ I got a $150 bonus from […]

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August 28, 2023 by Carrie

Five Frugal Things

I got 80,000 bonus points on my credit card. I sometimes open a new card with a really sexy opening bonus. This time it was the Chase Sapphire Preferred Rewards card. I used it for automated bill payments and was rewarded with 80,000 bonus points (value: $800). Credit card “churning” is a fun option for […]

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August 24, 2023 by Carrie

Single mom budgeting: How to power up your money and experience financial peace

How I do budget meeting as a single mom

Preview: How I do a monthly budget meeting with myself as a single mom to empower myself financially and enjoy a sense of peace around money. Despite not having any coffee that day, my heart beat so fast I felt light-headed. The mortgage papers stacked on my desk begged to be signed so the marital […]

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Filed Under: Money

August 21, 2023 by Carrie

How to pack a personal item for Spirit airlines

How to pack a personal item for Spirit airlines

To save the most money on your Spirit flight, only bring a bag on board that’s 18x14x8 or smaller. Called a ā€œpersonal itemā€, it’s the only bag you can fly with for free. Here’s how I packed my personal item for Spirit airlines for a recent 3 day weekend trip. What frugal person doesn’t respect […]

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August 20, 2023 by Carrie

Five Frugal Things

I like to share how I’m saving money. It inspires me to read these posts by other frugal bloggers, and keeps me accountable. I got a $7 Starbucks gift card and a cute glass water bottle from Women in Money, a FinCon conference. Of course, my ticket wasn’t free. But since the information and networking […]

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August 14, 2023 by Carrie

The One Question That Will Change Your Life (and Finances)

(Post contains affiliate links. More info here.) One of the most important, life-changing books I’ve read is Playing with Fire: (Financial Independence Retire Early). There’s a simple exercise in the book, where you’re challenged to answer this question: What are the top 10 things that make you happiest on a weekly basis? Pretty simple. 10 […]

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Filed Under: Health & Well-being, Money, Time

July 31, 2023 by Carrie

Five Frugal Things, Fun Edition

When it comes to my finances, I ask myself two crucial questions. One, “what do I need (housing, food, healthcare) and how do I pay less for that?” and two, “what do I want (travel, fun, books) and how do I pay less for that?”. That’s my frugality philosophy in a nutshell. Even a frugalista […]

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June 29, 2023 by Carrie

Five Frugal Things, Travel Edition

For the first time in 14 years, I got a tax refund rather than a tax bill this year. I would not recommend giving the government interest-free use of my money, and will make adjustments this year so I don’t get a refund. But it was unexpected, so I decided to use it to treat […]

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May 23, 2023 by Carrie

Dumb Reasons I Spend Money (and how I plan to fix it)

dumb reasons I spend money and how to fix it

If you’re like me, most of your purchases consist of necessities: housing, transportation, food. Those feel good because they mean I’m caring for my loved ones. Even the fun expenditures are meaningful because they’re intentional and create memories. But every month as I look over my spending, I notice silly purchases that add little or […]

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May 19, 2023 by Carrie

Five Frugal Things

I love finding ways to save money. Not because I want to live an ascetic lifestyle, but so I can budget my money in alignment with my values. As an example, I bought tickets to an upcoming Liz Phair show for myself and my two oldest daughters. Experiences and making memories gives me more happiness […]

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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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