Carrie Willard

putting the HER back in motherhood

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September 13, 2023 by Carrie

Eat the Freezer Challenge

How to do an eat the freezer challenge

When my small (apartment-sized even though I live in a large house with a ton of people) freezer looks like this, it’s time for an eat the freezer challenge. Not only can I get my freezer cleaned out, but I can save some money on groceries this week too. One of the ways I’ve been […]

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Filed Under: Food, Frugality, Home

September 12, 2023 by Carrie

Five Frugal Things: mental health version

I’ve hinted at my efforts to take advantage of credit card bonus offers, aka “churning” before. This isn’t a new account, but it offers cash back bonuses all the time, not just for new customers. Here’s a recent redemption from my CapitalOne Quicksilver card. I use credit cards to pay my bills, pay them before […]

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Filed Under: Health & Well-being

September 6, 2023 by Carrie

Navel gazing and gratitude(ish)

Since I started EMDR therapy a few weeks ago, a lot of stuff has been coming up. As a result, it’s been hard for me to write here. Yesterday was a really tough day. I cried for most of it. I’m not depressed per se, but I have days where I cry a lot, as […]

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Filed Under: Health & Well-being

August 22, 2023 by Carrie

8 captivating books I’ve devoured lately

Books are one of my favorite things in the world, and it’s high time I did a post sharing my recent reads. Here are a few of the books I’ve read in July and August. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. More info here. Wired for Love: A Neuroscientist’s Journey Through Romance, Loss, and the […]

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Filed Under: Books

August 16, 2023 by Carrie

Tuesday Gratitude

I woke to a text from my daughter-in-love (my son’s girlfriend). She lives downstairs, in my basement apartment. She sweetly asked if I was up. Why? Because she awoke to several rooms underwater. There’s nothing quite like starting the day with a flood! It’s a yucky, helpless feeling, splish-splashing in my *Birkenstocks. Wading through the […]

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Filed Under: Health & Well-being

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 28, 2023 by Carrie

How I Stop Anxiety Attacks with Mindfulness

How I Stop Anxiety Attacks with Mindfulness

I’m happy to say that my anxiety has gone from an “8” to a manageable “2” intensity, in just a few months. Why? What changed? It wasn’t my life’s circumstances. I didn’t wrap myself in a cocoon and avoid all triggers. I learned how to stop anxiety attacks with mindfulness. I’ve had anxiety all my […]

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Filed Under: Health & Well-being

May 11, 2023 by Carrie

Thankful Thursday

Yesterday I cried when I heard that Heather Armstrong, the writer known as Dooce, died by suicide. She was 47, the same age as me. Dooce was the first mega-popular mom blogger I (and many other people) had ever known. Unbeknownst to her, she likely inspired thousands of other women to tell their stories online. […]

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Filed Under: Health & Well-being Tagged With: gratitude, thankful thursday

November 14, 2022 by Carrie

My solution (for now) to avoiding food waste

Recently I shared that we’ve been wasting far too much food around here. Groceries are my second-biggest monthly expense (after my mortgage). Therefore, avoiding food waste is one of the fastest ways a family can save money. I sat my two oldest still-at-home kiddos (19 and 17) down and asked them to help me brainstorm […]

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September 15, 2022 by Carrie

How to stop emotional spending

I’ve avoided taking a close look at my spending recently, and this neglect has made me anxious.The stress of the last few months has made it impossible for me to focus on the details of my budget. In addition, I’m no longer doing a weekly or monthly budget meeting with my spouse. So when I […]

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Filed Under: Health & Well-being, Money

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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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Recent Posts

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