Really enjoyed this, and definitely relate to trying to figure out the balance of wanting to retire early, give generously and also enjoy life now. I think she's doing a great job and making lots of great choices for both herself AND how she is giving back to her community!
Original poster here - thank you for the kind words! I credit several of my very thoughtful friends (and my parents a little bit) for rubbing off on me.
I am finding that I soak up these interviews from single women. I guess it's because I went from married to divorced and now single. Kudos to you!!! I have a low income and know what it's like to watch things closely. As I read this, I found myself resonating with so much of it. My parents also paid for my college and being on this side of adulthood in my mid-40's {how did I get here so fast?!}, I am SO thankful! Thanks for sharing. It was very helpful for me as I "compare" where I am at. People always tell me I'm extremely disciplined but I was raised similar to you in the financial realm.
Most definitely!!! Life has taken so many twists and turns as I guess it does for most of us and it took me so long to find my footing after divorce and a big move from Ohio to Tennessee. I can’t imagine having to stress about paying off student loans when we had so much debt I didn’t know about until the divorce. It’s now gone but it took years & again, my parents stepped in. I told them not to and I had to provide balances for accountability. Yes, I cannot stress my thankfulness for their great help with college, debt, and my car. They said I never ask for help. I said because it’s my job, not yours! Hahaha.
Hi Joanna! I'm the original poster. I think CarePortal is a relatively new platform, and we're just getting started with it, so I might get some details wrong. Your county's social service departments have to "buy in" first so that caseworkers have access to and start posting on the platform. Then, an individual or church provides the money or the goods that are posted by the case workers, and then the closest church to the home that needs the items is "pinged" to physically fulfill the need. The company seems to be growing quickly. Check it out: https://www.careportal.org/how-careportal-works/
Just want to say wow and congrats to this writer! I'm impressed by her gumption and long-term thinking. To plan - at such a young age - for a down payment and work at the guest house says a lot about her practicality. Great post!
Original Poster here - thank you for the kind words!! I credit my incredibly thoughtful friends for influencing me toward these postures. And I've always been practical almost to a fault...here's to a little more risk taking in my next few decades. ;)
Girl - you are doing amazing! Good on you for breaking up with your boyfriend of 7 years. Those spending habits are red flags down the road, and from personal experience I can tell you, you dodged a major heartbreak.
As to having a kid as a single mom - it's difficult, but it's doable. I'm not gonna lie, being a single parent (married when I had her, divorced her dad when she was 4) is one of the hardest things to do in this country because of the lack of support from this country. Daycare was incredibly hard to find, and there's so many little things that add up - rides to and from school (my daughter goes to a private school), playdates, etc. A lot of mental load. It's really difficult and I refuse to sugar coat it for you, because that would be a disservice.
Good luck! At 34 I think you're doing beautifully :)
Hi, Original Poster here! Thank you for the kind words and insights. I think if I were to move forward having a child on my own, I would try my best to make sure I had buy-in from a whole village of people ready to enthusiastically support me, but even so, that wouldn't solve even close to every problem, especially the mental load. Thank you for not sugar-coating it!
This author seems very grounded, logical, and clear-minded about the present, the past, and a potential future! (I am envious of that property tax payment - so low! Mine is 200% more than my mortgage.) I think this Home Ec report also shows how hard it can be to find the 'Goldilocks' balance of spending, saving; being frivolous, being mindful, being purposeful. I hope the author will find some 'pleasures in spending' while also feeling really good about how well done the care-taking is. Taking care of the future, of the present, and being a little freed from some money anxieties - so well-done.
Hey, Emma! I'm the Original Poster! I think we might've been at the same writing event earlier this year with the Missouri Women Who Write group. I'll follow your substack!
As soon as I saw the amount for giving, I thought ‘She tithes!’ For me, tithing keeps away a mindset of scarcity, allowing me to focus with gratitude for what I have (abundance). 💚
I appreciated the authors honest reflections about the stock market and curiosity about ethical investing. If she or anyone else is interested… this incredible resource is an investment screening tool focused on human rights violations (prison and border surveillance industries, military occupation, ethnic cleansing etc): https://investigate.afsc.org/
Really enjoyed this, and definitely relate to trying to figure out the balance of wanting to retire early, give generously and also enjoy life now. I think she's doing a great job and making lots of great choices for both herself AND how she is giving back to her community!
Original poster here - thank you for the kind words! I credit several of my very thoughtful friends (and my parents a little bit) for rubbing off on me.
Yes! I think it's so relatable, too! It's hard to figure out how to do everything you want to do on a limited income.
I am finding that I soak up these interviews from single women. I guess it's because I went from married to divorced and now single. Kudos to you!!! I have a low income and know what it's like to watch things closely. As I read this, I found myself resonating with so much of it. My parents also paid for my college and being on this side of adulthood in my mid-40's {how did I get here so fast?!}, I am SO thankful! Thanks for sharing. It was very helpful for me as I "compare" where I am at. People always tell me I'm extremely disciplined but I was raised similar to you in the financial realm.
My parents paid for my college, too, Heidi, and it really is the most amazing gift if you can afford it for your kids.
So glad to hear this one resonated!
Most definitely!!! Life has taken so many twists and turns as I guess it does for most of us and it took me so long to find my footing after divorce and a big move from Ohio to Tennessee. I can’t imagine having to stress about paying off student loans when we had so much debt I didn’t know about until the divorce. It’s now gone but it took years & again, my parents stepped in. I told them not to and I had to provide balances for accountability. Yes, I cannot stress my thankfulness for their great help with college, debt, and my car. They said I never ask for help. I said because it’s my job, not yours! Hahaha.
I want to know more about the Care Portal she described related to the foster care ministry at her church. Sounds like a great idea!
Hi Joanna! I'm the original poster. I think CarePortal is a relatively new platform, and we're just getting started with it, so I might get some details wrong. Your county's social service departments have to "buy in" first so that caseworkers have access to and start posting on the platform. Then, an individual or church provides the money or the goods that are posted by the case workers, and then the closest church to the home that needs the items is "pinged" to physically fulfill the need. The company seems to be growing quickly. Check it out: https://www.careportal.org/how-careportal-works/
Just want to say wow and congrats to this writer! I'm impressed by her gumption and long-term thinking. To plan - at such a young age - for a down payment and work at the guest house says a lot about her practicality. Great post!
Original Poster here - thank you for the kind words!! I credit my incredibly thoughtful friends for influencing me toward these postures. And I've always been practical almost to a fault...here's to a little more risk taking in my next few decades. ;)
Girl - you are doing amazing! Good on you for breaking up with your boyfriend of 7 years. Those spending habits are red flags down the road, and from personal experience I can tell you, you dodged a major heartbreak.
As to having a kid as a single mom - it's difficult, but it's doable. I'm not gonna lie, being a single parent (married when I had her, divorced her dad when she was 4) is one of the hardest things to do in this country because of the lack of support from this country. Daycare was incredibly hard to find, and there's so many little things that add up - rides to and from school (my daughter goes to a private school), playdates, etc. A lot of mental load. It's really difficult and I refuse to sugar coat it for you, because that would be a disservice.
Good luck! At 34 I think you're doing beautifully :)
Hi, Original Poster here! Thank you for the kind words and insights. I think if I were to move forward having a child on my own, I would try my best to make sure I had buy-in from a whole village of people ready to enthusiastically support me, but even so, that wouldn't solve even close to every problem, especially the mental load. Thank you for not sugar-coating it!
All things I wish someone warned me about before I had my first kid. I don't regret having her, but man some days are really difficult!
Feel free to DM if you wanna know more, I'm an open book!
This author seems very grounded, logical, and clear-minded about the present, the past, and a potential future! (I am envious of that property tax payment - so low! Mine is 200% more than my mortgage.) I think this Home Ec report also shows how hard it can be to find the 'Goldilocks' balance of spending, saving; being frivolous, being mindful, being purposeful. I hope the author will find some 'pleasures in spending' while also feeling really good about how well done the care-taking is. Taking care of the future, of the present, and being a little freed from some money anxieties - so well-done.
Original poster here. Thank you for the kind words!! I credit the incredibly thoughtful people around me for influencing me toward these postures.
I live in Columbia, MO too and was pumped to see this feature!!
Hey, Emma! I'm the Original Poster! I think we might've been at the same writing event earlier this year with the Missouri Women Who Write group. I'll follow your substack!
As soon as I saw the amount for giving, I thought ‘She tithes!’ For me, tithing keeps away a mindset of scarcity, allowing me to focus with gratitude for what I have (abundance). 💚
Yes, Pamela, me too! It totally has shifted my mindset into knowing that good is here now, and what I have wasn't really mine to begin with. :)
As a single woman in my 30s, I loved reading this!
I appreciated the authors honest reflections about the stock market and curiosity about ethical investing. If she or anyone else is interested… this incredible resource is an investment screening tool focused on human rights violations (prison and border surveillance industries, military occupation, ethnic cleansing etc): https://investigate.afsc.org/
Original Poster here - Thank you for this resource!! I need to really spend some time with this.
I loved reading this. Great amount of savings for 34, kudos!
MIZ!
Hey, Mackenzie! I'm the original poster. Thank you! Z-O-U!
I loved the tip of paying your credit card off every week!
I loved reading this one! My dad went to Mizzou (way back when) – go tigers!
OP might like the Olive + June at-home gel kits. I got one to cut down on manicure costs.
Yes, I've been meaning to try that by Olive and June! Go Tigers!!
Super inspiring. I totally relate to the cheap clothes hook.
Happens to the best of us!
Impressive!
Thanks for sharing this! And congratulations on a life well lived!