Laura Jennings began virtual assisting as a small supplemental income and quickly worked her way up to a clientelle that replaced her 9-5 job, allowing her to work from home, control her schedule, and earn more for her family. She now offers coaching services to help women discover the skills they already have that are sought after as a virtual assistant and land that first client! Whether you want a couple hundred dollars a month extra to speed up your financial goals OR you're looking to switc...
Jul 02, 2025•39 min•Season 3Ep. 1
After a whirlwind move out of homeownership and back into renting in the summer of 2023, followed by several months of house hunting with failed offers and almost no inventory, we are currently under contract on a home in Illinois. It will mean lots of change for our family and we dive into how this house is different (but also better!) than the wishlist we had for our family. Subscribe to follow along with our process here as well as on Instagram: www.instagram.com/debtfree.mom Need a budget by...
Apr 22, 2025•41 min•Season 2Ep. 81
Today's guest is Shang Saavedra. She comes on the show to discuss her new book Wealth is a Mindset. Shang is an author, coach, and the Founder and CEO of Save My Cents. Shang's Website: www.savemycents.com Follow Shang on Instagram Purchase the book Wealth is a Mindset --------------------- Interested in the magical Little Green Machine mentioned in the episode? Check it out here! Stay in touch with Debt Free Mom by joining our newsletter list! We send emails less than 3 times per month and only...
Apr 02, 2025•46 min•Season 2Ep. 80
Today's episode kicks off our Feed the Family month! I talk about food spending and realistic meals for families all year long, but I like to take one month per year to narrow in on the mom math and realistic planning of feeding the family well! 40 Aprons Butternut Squash Chili Pinch of Yum Kale Peanut Crunch Salad Join the Care Creates Community as we hold each other accountable to feeding our family well this month! We'll be holding a Bingo challenge for creative ways to feed the family on a b...
Mar 05, 2025•18 min•Season 2Ep. 79
Kelly Stumpe aka the Car Mom takes a cheerleader approach to helping moms and families choose their next car confidently. Her enthusiasm for the car industry combined with her expertise as a car salesperson, mom of 4, and child passenger safety technician all come together to make her the voice I listen to for all things cars! You can find The Car Mom on instagram for daily stories, car tours, and the latest industry info Her website offers car buying resources as well as consultations to help y...
Feb 26, 2025•41 min•Season 2Ep. 78
A few weeks ago I shared what I'm looking for in a house. I wanted to include Kyle on that episode but he was completely out of commission sick with the flu! So this week he comes on the podcast to share his thoughts: what we are both looking for but also where we have different priorities. If you feel like you're not making the best use of your paycheck, try the Debt Free Mom Budget Template . It's a one time cost of $9, includes space for your whole year in one document, and comes with a coupl...
Feb 19, 2025•30 min•Season 2Ep. 77
When I started the Debt Free Mom instagram account, I had already been debt free for 3 years. But that doesn't mean we didn't have years of struggling to make ends meet, realizing money mistakes we made, or paying off debt while also having 3 sons in 39 months. Today's episode spans from December 2011 when we got married to April 2019 when we bought our first house. Sometimes we met our goals faster than we imagined, other times we grappled with over a year of paying our bills and nothing else. ...
Feb 12, 2025•46 min•Season 2Ep. 76
We are planning to go back to being homeowners when our current lease is up this summer. This is my stream of consciousness about what I'm looking for in our next home. Whether this is actually what we end up buying will remain unseen, but it will be fun to be able to look back on this episode and see where I was right and where I was wrong! If you're looking for a budget template that arranges all your income and expenses by pay period instead of by month, try the Debt Free Mom Budget Template ...
Feb 05, 2025•16 min•Season 2Ep. 75
On today's episode of the Debt Free Mom Podcast, Nicole Stanley is on the show to share her experience dealing with a kitchen contractor and what she wishes she had done differently. You're putting your home and your money in someone else's hands when hiring someone to complete a project - big or small. On today's episode, we'll discuss the questions to ask, the notes to keep, and the way to advocate for yourself and your money even if you're not well-versed in construction. Nicole is a financia...
Jan 29, 2025•39 min•Season 2Ep. 74
Susan Soucy is a mom of 2, farmer (how cool is that?!), and adjunct professor. In the last several years, she's taken her finances from fear-based and stressful to confident and growing. She began budgeting by pay period and few years ago and her weekly budget now gives her peace of mind that she can cover large expenses like daycare for her 2 kids. It also helps her plan out her fluctuating income and see the true impact of choosing to pick up jobs or side hustles. If you'd like to try the Debt...
Jan 22, 2025•42 min•Season 2Ep. 73
Claire Wood is a military wife, mom, writer, and teacher. Today she joins me to discuss an idea she's been pondering and applying to her life: compounding. Those small, consistent tasks and habits that lead to the large changes we're really seeking. Whether it's parenting, cooking at home, or investing: we need to allow time for the effect of compounding to truly show results. Want to start those small, consistent habits in the year with a budget by pay period? You can download the Debt Free Mom...
Jan 15, 2025•34 min•Season 2Ep. 71
In our first episode of 2025, we welcome back a DFM Podcast favorite, Tyler Moore, famously known as Tidy Dad. Tyler shares insights about his new book, 'Tidy Up Your Life,' which explores the deep connection between mental clarity and a tidy, organized living space. Tyler also shares his personal journey of balancing life in New York City with his family, the concept of 'just enough,' and practical strategies for decluttering the various areas of his life. We also discuss how responsibilities a...
Jan 08, 2025•47 min
Resources mentioned in this episode: Gifts like the little green machine, leather conditioner, etc. $7 Car Detailing Guide Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Nov 25, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 70
Click Here to find these gifts that will help you save money in the kitchen! {Amazon List} - most items mentioned in the episode are here! {Walmart List} - Air Fryer, Toaster, Griddles, Containers on the Kitchen List www.instagram.com/debtfree.mom [post contains affiliate links] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Nov 19, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 69
We usually know what goals we want to accomplish in the future, but we also need to look back on what we have already done! Today I fly through a decade of our personal finance progress in less than 30 minutes. "We overestimate what we can accomplish in one year and underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade." -Bill Gates For a more detailed story of our money including details and numbers, check out Episodes 19, 20, and 22 of the podcast! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brand...
Nov 11, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 68
Join us in this episode of the Debt Free Mom Podcast as Stacie returns to share her journey of switching from monthly to bi-weekly budgeting. We dive into the challenges and benefits of aligning budget schedules with different pay periods, managing increased incomes, and strategies for forecasting expenses accurately. She also talks with me about practical tips for utilizing savings accounts, handling car insurance payments, and setting up effective budgeting templates. Get insights on the psych...
Oct 28, 2024•39 min
Are there rules to budgeting? And if there are, do you have to follow them? In this first episode back after my summer break, I have a wonderful conversation with Jessica who shares her personal journey managing finances for her rural Michigan family of five. Jessica dives into the pros and cons she has found in using budgeting tools like EveryDollar and YNAB and why budgeting by pay period has led to more rational spending behaviors without being overwhelmed. We also dive into the importance of...
Oct 21, 2024•44 min
We're going to be taking a break from putting out new episodes for a little bit as we slow down on a few things and enjoy the rest of our family's summer break. You might see a replay of some of my favorite episodes here and there, but we're hitting pause with new episodes until the fall. If you have ideas for what you would like to hear from this show in our next season, send me an email at carly@debtfreemom.co with the subject line "podcast" and let me know what you think. Enjoy your summer, a...
Jul 08, 2024•1 min
In today's episode, Kyle and I share some of the highlights of our annual summer family vacation! We recently returned from a 10 day trip driving from Central Illinois to the beaches of Outer Banks, North Carolina. Our conversation today takes an inside look at our semi-spontaneous detour to Washington D.C. on our way home. We share some tips on planning summer trips with kids, visiting our nation's capital, and leaving room in our budget for fun! For more details on our travel planning, check o...
Jun 24, 2024•34 min
Today's episode is all about something I have never done before, moving across the world for six months and doing it all debt free! Aneisha is a freelance bookkeeper who has always described herself as a saver. She started using the Debt Free Mom Pay Period Budget Template about two years ago and used this tool to help her and her husband spend half of 2023 in Southeast Asia. We chat about how she planned their trip, how they created and stuck to a budget while traveling, and what else is possib...
Jun 17, 2024•38 min
If you've followed Debt Free Mom on Instagram, I've been sharing a lot about my recent side hustles: cleaning houses and detailing cars. There's been a lot of great conversation around that from people interested in everything from "why did you start doing that?" and "how do you get started?" and "what do I need to do in order to start my own side hustle?"In today's episode, Kyle interviews me to get all the details about taking a side hustle from an idea to actually making money from it. I hope...
Jun 10, 2024•49 min
For our first episode of June, we're kicking off the summer with a replay of one of our favorite episodes of last year. This episode is all about enjoying simple summers with kids, whether you're spending time at home or time on the road. In my efforts to make lasting memories without seeing all of my money disappear by the fourth of July, I have found that simple is best. I'm excited to share what works for our family with you! Managing your money shouldn’t be a lonely experience! The Care Crea...
Jun 03, 2024•34 min
If you've ever wondered how long it would take to see results if you switched from budgeting by month to budgeting by pay period, today's episode is for you. Kristina is a mom of four, a pastor's wife, a nurse, and a runner. And today she's here to share her story of switching to budgeting by pay period in January, and the amount of transformation she's seen, not only in her finances, but also in her mindset about her money in just three short months. Kristina shares her struggles with tradition...
May 27, 2024•58 min
Are you in a season of waiting when it comes to your money? Where you know some big change is coming in the near future, but it's not there yet. What do you do in the meantime? What do you do while you're waiting? Should you try to grow the gap between your income and expenses? Or should you just be okay with a different timeline than you maybe thought initially? Alexandrea is a single mom and a teacher's aide getting her teaching degree. In today's episode, we talk about when to be okay with sa...
May 20, 2024•50 min
Today I'm excited to share my conversation with you from my new friends Stacie & Meghan from Didn't I Just Feed You. Didn’t I Just Feed You is a weekly podcast hosted by long-time food professionals, Stacie Billis and Meghan Splawn, all about feeding our families — even for parents who hate to cook. (Because, man, kids need to eat a lot, and all the time too!) Every week, Stacie and Meghan get real about feeding kids, tweens, and teens. From how to turn nachos into dinner to making tofu deli...
May 13, 2024•55 min
As many of you know, I was diagnosed with ADHD in my early thirties. It was a major learning process for me and still is. On today's episode, Shawn comes on to share his experience having ADHD and learning to manage his finances. Shawn's been married for 23 years, has two kids ages 21 and 15, and he works as a computer programmer. Today we talk about his struggles and successes with learning to budget towards the way that his brain is uniquely wired. Managing your money shouldn’t be a lonely exp...
May 06, 2024•1 hr 3 min
What do you do when you're ready to budget and send money to goals but your spouse isn't? Today's episode is with Rachel Parker who is a wife, a mom of two, and a teacher's assistant. Rachel and her husband realized that they needed to clean up their finances in a big way. Now they're working through building a realistic budget and learning to stick to it. So what can we do when one person is more motivated than the other? Rachel and I chat about: Committing to stay on the same team even when yo...
Apr 29, 2024•55 min
Do you find yourself building budgets that look great on paper, but then once your pay period starts, you struggle to stay consistent? In this episode of the Debt Free Mom podcast, our guest Ali, a social worker, wife, and mom, delves into her personal challenges with creating budgets that work on paper but fail in practice. She discusses the additional struggles of managing finances with ADHD, offering a unique perspective on staying financially consistent while navigating the complexities of b...
Apr 22, 2024•1 hr
In today's episode of the Debt Free Mom podcast, we're talking about medical expenses. How do we get ahead with the other goals we have for our money when we constantly feel like we are paying for medical expenses that happened a long time ago? Sarah Gonzalez, a mom of two, comes on to talk about how she is going about paying off past medical expenses and reworking her budget so that she doesn't have to keep going into debt for medical bills. We talk about how to adjust your budget to make room ...
Apr 15, 2024•1 hr 4 min
It is so easy to focus on what makes our own finances the exception to the rule. Why other people can budget, but we can't. Why other people can put money in savings, but we can't. Why other people can eat food from home, but we can't . But what if we started challenging ourselves to find the positive side of our financial picture, whatever that may be? Because it is there. Today's guest has taken the challenges of variable income and learned how to plan wisely for her family, even as they face ...
Apr 08, 2024•41 min
