When I posted a couple weeks ago that I spend $50 a week on groceries, y’all started hitting me up hard and heavy.

“Um, do share your secrets!” 

“Dang, I wish!” 

“Teach me, Tara. TEACH ME!!” 

And really, I don’t have any magic secrets. I just don’t spend the money. LOL.

But if you want something a little more specific, here it is:

1. About every six weeks or so, my husband and I go to Sam’s Club to stock up on stuff. Mostly stuff that’s cheaper when bought in bulk, like cupcakes frozen vegetables, ground turkey, pork tenderloin, chicken breasts/wings, pasta, juice and frozen fruit. I also discovered that lettuce is one of the best buys there. I get six heads of romaine for about $4. I also bought two huge containers of cooking spray for about $3. The seasonings are usually a good buy if you know what kind you like. We usually get out of there for about $125-$150. (I should add that we have a deep freezer in the basement, which makes it possible for us to buy so much frozen food.)
2. Then I go grocery shopping every week for the stuff that makes no sense to buy in bulk, like milk (we go through two half gallons a month, if that).
3. Since we stocked up on food at Sam’s Club, I don’t have to buy many of the expensive items at the grocery store. I usually go to the store to buy “special ingredients” for different meals and desserts, like artichoke hearts or ahem, Oreos. My weekly grocery list looks a little something like this:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Lunch meat
• Salad dressing
• Bread/buns
• Tomatoes
• Spaghetti sauce
• Onions
• French fries
• Cream cheese
• Apples

So I’ve been plotting and thinking and planning and prepping for 2012.

I got laid off at the end of 2010, so 2011 was a year of “yes” to anything and everything to make sure I could pay my bills and provide for my kids.

I learned a lot of lessons, business and otherwise, and I’m looking forward to putting them into practice this year.

My biggest lesson is that no one has all the answers and everyone (yes, everyone) is making it up as they go along. Folks I’ve long admired for being self-employed openly admitted to me that it gets rough. The confidence I see is really stubbornness, they said.

I’m stubborn too and I’m putting it to good use in 2012.

This is the year that we all rise together.

My goal this year is to teach you how to use your voice to support your family.

Here’s a few of the things I’ve got planned:

• MORE group ebooks for you to participate in. Here’s the deal: We pick a topic, a bunch of moms write an essay, it goes on sale and we split the profits. Pretty simple.
• Blogging workshops and associated ebook. I can’t tell you the number of emails I’ve gotten since I started this blog that begin something like this: “I’ve always wanted to write, but I don’t know how to start. Can you give me some advice?” Actually, yes, I can give you some advice, but I’d like for this to reach the masses. I’ll be hosting blogging workshops (beginning online and then eventually in-person) to help you figure out the best way to get a piece of the blogging pie.
• Young mother meet-ups. Obviously, I don’t have the resources to be attending meet-ups in every city but I want to have at least ONE hosted by the time 2013 rolls around.
• Money-making ventures. I want each of us to have more money this year. No tip-toeing around it. The recession is no joke and it’s not letting up. But instead of being scared by it, I want to take what I started with Make It Happen and expand upon it. We’ve got to be proactive in our careers, because no one is going to put money in our bank account while we’re sleeping. (I wish, though!) Let’s get it together and make sure that we’re got enough money for the bills, our savings, our tithes, our “splurge on me” account and our emergency fund.

So that’s where I am. I’m really excited for this year and I hope you are too!

I figure if I put them here, it will help keep me accountable, right?

• Save $200 per month.
• Commit to one Sunday a month making freezer meals to help cut down on eating take-out.
• Go to the rec center 3x per week for a 45-minute workout (minimum).
• Write every day. Every. Day.
• Launch series of BlogMama workshops.
• Get two speaking engagements by the end of 2012.
• Raise $500 for the YML Scholarship Fund.
• Make connections with three nonprofits.
• Work with my son to improve his fine motor skills.
• FINALLY pack up these baby/kid clothes and sell/donate them.

In the next couple weeks, I’ll be breaking these goals down into microgoals. Feel free to join me as I tackle these!

Do share: What are your goals? I’m all ears!

The most popular misconception about work-at-home moms is that we don’t work. Or rather, we work, but only for a little bit each day. They figure the rest of the day is spent watching TV or cleaning or cooking or hanging out with friends.

This could not be further from the truth. I’ve never worked as much in my life as I have in the past year. I told my husband recently that I am by far the toughest boss I’ve ever had.

My goal for this year was to 1) work on my business and 2) spend more time with the kids. I spent the first half of the year unsuccessfully balancing quality time with the kids and getting enough time to do quality work. As soon as I found that sweet spot, my daughter started school and so it’s just me and the little guy all day.

It’s so much harder having just one child at home versus two. When my daughter was home, she’d occupy her little brother and even teach him a few things while I busted out some work. But now, my son is just kind of there, with nothing to occupy him but Nick Jr. And I know I want more for my son.

So I’ve been researching some preschools in the area, trying to find some affordable center for him to go part-time, a few hours a day. It’s difficult because I was trying to make it to January having him home with me. I love him and when I’m not under a completely stressful deadline, it’s fun to just hang with him and be in his face all day. But the reality is that I have too much work to handle during the two or so hours I can wrangle throughout the day. Having him in preschool will allow him to socialize with the other kids, learn a thing or two and then come back to a mama who’s not so frazzled. At least that’s what I’m hoping. *FINGERS CROSSED*

Why are some of the most necessary decisions about motherhood also some of the most difficult to make? 

I’ve written about my life as a work-at-home mom and I just want to say – I hope I didn’t scare you off.

Yes, it takes a lot more organization and patience and drive to continue to do this day in and day out. I have to know when I can work, when I need to be paying attention to the kids (which is all the time), how I’m going to run errands and make all my deadlines without breaking a sweat.

BUT!

The payoff is huge. I love what I do and I love being able to do it on my couch in my pajamas, with crazy hair and socks with cartoons on them.

In case you want to earn money with no commute, I’ve been doing some digging to find places you can begin to look to get a work-at-home job of your own.

Wahm.com

I found my most recent job (manuscript editing) from this job board. I’ve landed two or three from here in the past and I’d say they do a consistently good job of finding worthwhile jobs to pursue. There are all sorts of jobs on here, from medical transcription to writing gigs and everything in between. Best part is that it’s FREE and updated very regularly. I’d suggest you start here. Besides the job board, there are also helpful articles on making the most of the work-at-home mom life.

Problogger

If you’ve been a blogger for a while and you’re ready to branch out beyond your own blog, check out this job board for gigs all over the web. Fashion, music, landscaping – if you can write about it, there’s someone to hire you to do it. This board is free as well.

Women For Hire

This site isn’t a job board, per se, but has articles about the work-at-home life and resources/websites sprinkled in each one. I suggest taking an hour to browse through and gain as much knowledge as you can.

The Work At Home Woman

This job board is fairly new to me, but I can tell they have a variety of jobs, which is good for those who don’t necessarily want to be a writer.

Freelance Writing Jobs

If you are a writer, START HERE. Seriously. I’ve found some pretty great offers browsing through this job board over the years.

Craigslist

Craigslist gets a sketchy reputation sometimes and hey, I don’t know if I completely disagree with that. It IS kind of sketchy. But you can usually find a work-at-home job on there that’s worth your time. I have found a couple in my lifetime. Here’s a blog post with a couple tips about job-hunting on Craigslist. I can usually tell a legit ad from a scam or a sketchy one (hint: correct spelling, punctuation, name of a real company with a real way to get in touch with someone who works there). You can search for the industry you’re interested in and then sign up for the RSS feeds after searching for “telecommute.” Then all the work-from-home jobs will go to your feed reader or email inbox once new jobs are posted.

Case-by-case basis

I got a job working for Fisher Price when I was 19, writing copy for their products. I was in college, was browsing for a friend’s baby shower and just happened to click on “Careers.” Boom! Found a job and was quite good at it. I did it from the comfort of my dorm room, never having to do much more than click send on an email and wait for the check to go to my parents’ house. If you like a product or a website, poke around and see what you find. Many times they won’t advertise on the major sites, particularly if it’s a smaller company. The fact that you’re a loyal customer/reader will give you a leg up on the competition.

Here are a few others that I’ve found but haven’t personally used:

http://allstayathome.com/

http://www.freelancemom.com/

http://hiremyparents.com/

http://www.linkup.com/

Got any other sites you’ve used? Leave ‘em in the comments! 

Today’s post comes from Jesse Mecham, founder of You Need A Budget.com. He’s showing us a little bit of what I talk about in my book in terms of taking control of your financial life. Read his tips, apply them to your life, and watch as you begin to breathe easier when it comes to paying those bills: 

BY JESSE MECHAM

Too often, we let ourselves believe we’re locked in to a certain kind of financial fate, especially when that fate doesn’t look too bright. Getting caught in never-ending overdraft fees or a paycheck to paycheck cycle certainly does feel eternal. But there IS A WAY OUT! You have more control than you realize and it doesn’t involve another loan, more credit card debt, or borrowing from family. You can break the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck and conquer the feeling that there’s never enough money to meet your needs.

It involves a plan, a goal, and a new way of thinking. Remember, you’ll stay where you are if you keep doing what you’re doing.

The plan is to put as much distance between you and the brink of financial crisis as you can. That means, you need a game changer, i.e. an influx of money. It doesn’t have to be perpetual. You need just enough to create a buffer. From there, you’ll shift your spending habits—or I should say, timing—helping you to further break away from the cycle. More on that later.

First you need that influx of money. Some methods include selling stuff, getting another (part-time) job, or starting a business (don’t laugh, I’m serious).

Selling your stuff is the fastest method for a quick money fix. With plenty of online markets such as eBay, webstore, or your local online classifieds, it’s easy to find a buyer and have that extra cash in your pocket within a few days or weeks. Better yet, throw a good old-fashioned yard sale and pocket your money by the end of the day.

If parting with your New Kids on the Block cassette tape for 25 cents seems too much to bare, take on a part-time job once or twice a week and dedicate those wages solely to the buffer. Waitresses, tutors, or at-home typists, can make a considerable chunk over a few months time with just a few hours of work a week. (Tara notes: More on that here.)

If you’d rather be your own boss and you have a marketable idea (not to mention lots of time to get it off the ground), start your own small business. Consider your strengths, passions, and interests. If you already spend countless hours of your free time playing guitar, making crafts, or giving people advice about finances, think about turning that skill into extra income. Give music lessons, sell your wares, or start a service. This, of course, is not a quick fix, but a nice way of constantly adding to that money buffer over the long run.

For the more tedious but effective suggestions (working overtime, cutting back…even more), the biggest thing to remember is: this isn’t forever. It’s just a short-term change in your daily activities to establish a permanent distance from the paycheck to paycheck lifestyle. A hard sprint. Once you generate that extra cash (preferably at least one month’s expenses) you’re ahead. Done and done.

From here, it’s time to change your way of thinking. This may be the hardest part, but you’ll thank yourself soon enough. In order to maintain that buffer (and build on it!), you need to shift the timing of your monthly spending. Normally, most people use up their paycheck the same month they get it, creating a perpetual cycle of living on the edge of financial crisis. Instead, work towards the ideal financial situation: using your current month’s paycheck on the following month’s expenses. That means if you receive $6,000 in July, you don’t use that money until August.

Use that money buffer you just created to help you transition into living on last month’s income. It may require a bit more cutting back and cinching of the belt, and for most people it takes several months.  But once you make it a whole month and you still have those pristine, untouched paychecks from last month, you’ll know it was worth it. Why? Because all that money is waiting for you now. No more timing your bills with your paychecks, or fretting about your projected wages for the month (if you work off commission). You know exactly how much money you have to cover your expenses and you’ve already earned it. Much less worrying and much more peaceful sleep. Congratulations, you’ve officially broken the cycle.

Jesse Mecham is founder of the financial software company,YouNeedaBudget.com—because you do! Based on four fail-safe rules, Jesse’s revolutionary software teaches a method that helps people break the paycheck to paycheck cycle, get out of debt, and save more money faster. You haven’t budgeted like this.

BY GERRI KIMBLE

Building a home library can be expensive, so it’s nice to have several ways your children can read all the books they want.

1. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – I learned about this organization from a pregnancy message board, and quickly signed up when my daughter was born. This is a cool way your child can get a FREE book in the mail every month until he or she turns five (regardless of income and no strings attached).  The Imagination Library works with organizations in your community to provide these books, and their purpose is to foster a love of reading early.  The books have been great:  classics like The Little Engine That Could, fun books like Roar of a Snore, and award-winning books like A House is a House for Me.  It’s always fun to open the mailbox to find that free book!
2. Sites like Zulily and Totsy – If you haven’t signed up for these sites geared toward amazingly low prices on kid’s apparel, then DO IT.  Not only do they sell clothes and shoes that are super kind to the wallet, but you can usually find a deal on books and toys, too.
3. Book Store Memberships – Purchasing a membership to a large bookstore chain could very well be worth it.  Not only do you get a percentage off purchases, but it applies when books are on sale, too.  And there are a few times a year when books are super-cheap to make room for others (especially online), and it’s worth the $20 or so to become a member.  The icing on the cake? The one I have offers members free express shipping on all orders (no minimum purchase), so that makes it even more worth it.
4. Thrift Stores, Yard Sales, and Hand-Me-Downs – I’ve found some awesome books at my local thrift store.  They were surprisingly clean and in good condition, and the selection was pretty good.  While yard and garage sales are hit or miss, finding that one house that has children that who have outgrown all their books is like finding treasure – lots of books for a little of nothing.   Then if you have friends or family whose children are older than yours, let them know that you’re there when they’re ready to get rid of those books.  They’ll be glad to pass them down to your children!
5. Public Library – This one is a no-brainer, but people sometimes forget how beautiful a place the library can be for the child’s imagination (and your wallet).  The selection is endless, and the books are all yours.  Sure you have to scan a card and can only take them home for a few weeks at a time, but they’re always there for you when you want them.  That in itself makes the public library our #1 source for books!

Books are awesome, but free and inexpensive books are even better!

I’m coming up on the eight-month mark of self-employment and have had some time to reflect on how far I’ve come since last December, when I was shaking in my boots with nothing but two months’ pay, hope and prayer.

A lot of people ask me what I do in my “real life” aka what I do outside the blog and it’s a lot: I’m a freelance writer/blogger, meaning I write articles for other sites and organizations. I’m also a social media consultant, where I manage the social media strategy and day-to-day upkeep of social media profiles for a few organizations. Now I’ve added manuscript editor to my plate, where I edit books from beginning to end, making edits on grammar, style, punctuation, tone, formatting, etc. (The manuscript on my desk right now is a 300-pager. Gulp.)

The blessing is that I get to do all of this from my couch. I generally handle most of my business through email, PayPal and regular ol’ checks in the mail, with an occasional phone call or in-person meeting. My kids are home with me and I’ve slowly turned our day-to-day life into something that fits us.

But it ain’t all good. Some days it’s downright terrifying and exhausting and I curse myself for being so stubborn about being my own boss. However, I know  it will all work out in the end. You heard it here first.

The Good:

I make my own hours. I didn’t realize how much I’d value this until this summer. My two-year-old has been asking me to take him to the beach for about a year now. I mentioned it to him last summer but since we rarely had a day below 90 (and Mama doesn’t do heat) we didn’t go. But one Friday morning this summer he asked me again. I looked at my to-do list and said, “Screw it.” Packed up the kids and we were at the beach an hour later. I have no boss looking over my shoulder, coming into my office asking for an update on a project. Now, I get assigned projects and I turn them in on deadline. Doesn’t matter when I get it done.

We save money. With my former job, I was in the car 15+ hours a week just to get to work. I would have to get gas every 3-4 days. No bueno. Recently, I realized I hadn’t filled up my tank in over a month! I went 32 days on ONE tank of gas. Praise the Lord! Also, the kids are out of daycare so we pocket the $1100 a month we used to spend there. We still eat out, but I’ve gotten better at making meals stretch so our food budget is actually lower.

I get much more time with the kids. With my former job, I saw my kids for an hour in the morning and two hours at night. Then weekends. I’d feel so guilty about not hardly seeing them during the week that our weekends would be a big blur of activity, leaving us all crabby and tired by Monday morning. Not my best plan. Now they are with me all the time. I love having them here and seeing how much they learn in a typical week. I love taking pre-lunch walks with them and exposing them to new things. It’s one of the reasons why I stick with this new path, even though Lord knows it has some downsides…

The Bad:

I make my own hours. Which means, if I don’t work, we don’t eat. When you work for someone else, you can actually afford to spend all morning on Facebook or have one day a week where you just feel blah and it takes forever to get something done. If you show up, the paycheck comes, even if the work is late. But since I make my own hours, I have to find time wherever I can to get stuff done. That means I might be up at 3 a.m. to knock out a project. Or I’m using my little bit of downtime during the day (aka the kids’ naptime) to do some research. It doesn’t leave much downtime in my life. I’m either working or sleeping. I’m in full grind-mode 24/7.

I have no babysitter. In theory, I wanted to be a work-at-home mom so I could stay home and watch the kids. But with the work I do, having a chance to actually, I dunno, focus is crucial. I can’t edit articles and papers if I’m stopping every five seconds to break up a fight or wipe someone’s butt. So my parents offered to come get the kids one day a week to give me a little bit of breathing room. Last week my dad picked up the kids and I sat at the dining room table for nine hours straight, working against the clock to turn in my first edited manuscript. By the time they got back I was a crazed mess. But I got it done. (And the pay is nice.)

The Ugly:

The stress. Like I said before, I’m in grind-mode 24/7, which means I’m always looking for another assignment, I’m always looking at my bank account and budgeting for the next month, and I’m always working overtime to please the clients I already have. I will not fail my children and I will not fail myself. Knowing that your fate is in your hands is oddly powerful, yet terrifying. I do the best I can to manage the stress, but I know that stress is part of the reason why I’ve been success so far. It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone and enabled me to land jobs I didn’t think I could.

In the end, I feel the good outweighs the bad right now. I’ve had my days where I wonder where my free time went, but I accept that this work-work-work life is the season I’m supposed to be in right now.  I love the work I do and I love making my clients happy. I love that I will be available as my daughter starts kindergarten this fall. I love that I am making enough to cover the mortgage each month. I love that my son and daughter watch me work and they are beginning to understand what I do. I love that my husband supports my dreams and is also beginning to understand all that goes into being a successful work-at-home mom.

Life…is good.

Do you have any questions about the work-at-home mom life? Any WAHMs out there have anything to add? Let me know in the comments.

by Candis Jackson

Chances are you’ve caught at least one episode of the TLC hit TV series, Extreme Couponing. And chances are, if you’re anything like me, at the conclusion of the episode you’re a tad bewildered…better yet, stupefied. At first glance, it’s hard to believe a few stacks of coupons can bring a $700 tab all the way down to a measly 72 cents. It’s even harder to figure out how to do it yourself.

Let me preface this by stating, I am in no way an “extreme couponer”…..yet! I won’t claim that title until I can walk away from the register having saved at least 75% of my money and not a moment sooner! And for those of you who have had the opportunity of tuning in to an Extreme Couponing episode, you’ve seen how much time and effort each extreme couponer puts into their “haul,” so I suspect it will be some time before I am dubbed “extreme,” just by that standard alone!

With the state of the economy, who can blame anyone for wanting to save money? When it comes to couponing, many people fall somewhere in the middle. They want to save money on the items they use, but they don’t want to (and likely can’t) allocate 40 hours each week to prepare for a trip to the grocery store. They are an equal distance away from the person who refuses to use coupons and the person who won’t go into a store without a coupon (or two) for each item on their shopping list.

I have been trying to find “reasonable” ways to cut down on spending and couponing has quickly become my favorite method! However, my attention span will not allow me to spend more than 3 hours per week on couponing; so, I’ve come up with a quick guide for those of you who want to maximize your coupon savings & minimize the hassle.

~ Be sure you know the coupon policy for each store you frequent & have a copy of it with you (you’ll likely run into a cashier who’s never really dealt with coupons)
~Take your time…be sure you read the fine print in the sales papers and on the coupons. Also, be sure you are purchasing the correct items (if you grab the wrong item, chances are you’ll feel too guilty about going back to get the right item and holding up the line even more that you’ll likely end up settling for the wrong, coupon-ineligible, item)
~ NEVER purchase items simply because you have a coupon…you aren’t saving money if you’re wasting money on items you won’t use. ONLY purchase things you and your family use (a good idea is to make a list of most frequently used items).
~ Don’t give up…it may take a moment for you to checkout and you may need to go through several separate transactions to maximize your savings…stay the course and don’t feel bad about taking more time at checkout than usual!!!
~ Organize your list BEFORE going to the store…and organize all your items BEFORE checking out…it’ll make things go by faster and will help you keep track of your money!

As previously mentioned, I am not an extreme couponer by any stretch of the imagination. The above list is simply a compilation of tips I’ve found online and things I’ve learned over time. Just remember practice makes perfect – your first haul will not be as large as what you’ve seen on tv and it may not render a 90% savings…but keep at it. If Rome couldn’t be built in one day, remember the same principle applies when you’re playing the coupon game!

Good luck & have fun!

Candis Jackson blogs at TheTeenMommy.com.

It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears (and a whole lot of cussing) to take Make It Happen from an ebook to paperback.

But it’s here. It’s finally here.

I started with the ebook because it was the fastest way to get the book out. Of course, if you don’t have an ebook reader (or an iPhone or a smartphone or an iPad, or just don’t feel like reading it on your computer) it is not the most convenient way to access the book.

So now I have it in paperback for you. To order the book, you can either buy it from my eStore or from my Amazon.com page. (Note: My eStore gives me a larger cut of the profits, but the book is the same price in both places.)

But why should you buy the book?

Because this is a book that (FINALLY!) is written just for you, the young mother who wants to get ahead in her career. Too often, our segment of the population is ignored. We read books and have to skip entire chapters because the authors make assumptions that don’t fit our life. Sometimes we don’t already have the degree, we don’t have the support system locked in place, and we don’t already know what we want to be when “we grow up.”

I wrote this book with YOU in mind. After each chapter I stopped and asked myself, “Would the junior in college be able to relate? Would the mom working two jobs be able to relate? Would the stay-at-home mom be able to relate?” I wanted you to find yourself on the page like you hadn’t been able to do with any other book.

You want more specifics? Okay. Here’s my book by numbers:

• 5 questions to ask to help you identify your true passion
• 28 tips to help you be a go-getter at work
• 3 reasons being a young mom will be a boost to your career, not a hindrance (no matter what naysayers tell you!)
• 30 tips to save some serious money this year and beyond
• 3 steps to making sure people respect your “me-time”
• 7 tips to make motherhood just a tad easier as a working mom
• 3 steps to a successful online presence
• PLUS 20 side hustles you can start TODAY

For the  next three days, you can get Make It Happen for 25% off! Purchase the book from my eStore and enter the code TX3XMNLD at checkout! You know I always keep your budget in mind!

If you get it, read it, love it – please leave a review on my Amazon page. I appreciate all the support and hope this is just the first of many things to come!

Sometimes in life we finally get a chance to get our heads above water and we realize there’s something we don’t like about our life.

Maybe it’s our job. Maybe it’s the fact that we can’t seem to go three days without an argument with our man. Maybe it’s the fact that the kids are always fussing, or money is always tight.

We want something to change but we don’t know how to start.

So we do nothing. And end up frustrated about same things day after day, week after week, month after month.

But what we don’t realize is that we are the ones driving the car. This is OUR life.

I fell in the trap of being REactive about everything after being caught off-guard with an unplanned pregnancy (okay, two unplanned pregnancies). Ever since then, I felt like I was playing catch-up, which, consequently, left me feeling out of breath, like I was racing toward a goal I a) couldn’t see and b) would never reach.

I’m finally getting the chance to be PROactive – anticipating scenarios, pushing forward at every turn, mapping out my life in a way that makes sense for me. THIS feels great.

I want you to ask yourself: What’s holding you back from doing what you truly want to do? Is it you? Your finances? Your obligations? Your attitude?

Every day, I want you to be moving forward, toward the eventual goal that is yours by definition. But it starts with you, and a promise to yourself that you won’t let anything get in the way.

When my daughter was about five or six months old, I marveled at how fast she was growing up, and how often I was busy with work and school and other stuff that always seemed to creep up.

I wanted to put her first in my life, but I also had bills to pay. I landed a decent internship that morphed into a full-time job and I snatched it with both hands. The salary was nothing to sneeze at and – finally – we would be financially stable.

I made a pledge to myself that by the time she entered kindergarten, I would be self-employed. I would be able to create my own hours and set my own schedule. I would be my own boss, spending my time on projects that actually meant something to me.

So I began blogging when I came home from my full-time job. Because I couldn’t really get started until the kids went to sleep, this meant I was up working until well after midnight most days. I had no life outside of work, this blog, and my family. Most of my friendships withered, if not solely because of my new focus, then it was definitely a contributing factor.

But I knew that I had to create some additional income, but the clock was tick-tick-ticking and kindergarten was going to be here before I knew it.

Then, I got laid off, luckily. I say luckily because instead of stepping out with no safety net, I had a bit of severance pay and unemployment benefits to tide me over ’til I could pay the mortgage on my own.

I hit it hard. Within two months of getting laid off, I had made almost $3,000 freelancing for different clients. It was a lot of work and I was bone-tired most of those days, but damn it, I was going to make it work for my lifestyle. And I have.

Whatever your goal is – whether it’s self-employment, or a satisfying career as a nurse, or a lawyer, or a corrections officer – it is up to you to take that first step. And then the second step. And then the third.

I talked earlier about doing things that scare you as a way get to the next level. But it takes more than that, obviously.

I want each of you to be happy with your career. Not just have a job and go there every day to punch a clock and count down the hours until it’s time to go home. But to be truly fulfilled with your passion.

We have every right to earn money doing something that we love. We do not need to necessarily curb our dreams and desires because kids came along. Uh-uh. We still push forward.

You might get discouraged because people might not support your goals. You say you want to go back to school and people ask, “Where are you going to get the money? Who’s going to watch the baby? When are you going to study? How in the world do you think this is possible?”

I’m telling you – it IS possible.

It is true that your priorities change, your viewpoint shifts and your life is no longer only about you once you become a mom.

But it’s also important to remember that you are still you. You are still the person who would lay in bed and think about winning a Grammy, or being in med school, or anything else that crossed your mind.

The best advice I can give you? Don’t get held down by one dream. Dreams are flexible, they adapt to different circumstances. Dreams are something that you control, that you can build. If one dream looks impossible, twist it sideways and see what you come up with. There is a way around any roadblock – whether you have to go around it, over it or even under it.

Of all the young moms I’ve met over the years, they have been determined and motivated, driven to succeed by any means necessary. They’ve overcome great obstacles and are still standing, ready to share how they did it. I want to add you to that list.

I talk more about finding your passion and getting on the path to success in my latest book, Make It Happen. Get your copy today.

I was 20 years old when I stared down that first positive pregnancy test.

The ONLY thing (and I mean the only thing) that gave me any sort of joy about the situation was that her due date was my birthday, in November. It was like a sign from the heavens that this little one was meant to be in my life. I even trotted that line out when I broke the news to my parents. “So you see, your daughter and granddaughter might have the same birthday! Think of the money we’ll save on cake!”

Eh, yeah, that didn’t work.

Up until now I’ve loved having our birthdays a few days apart. But now I’m cursing the fact that she was born in November because it puts us in the unfortunate position of having to figure out how we’re going to do this kindergarten thing.

We moved to a good public school district and pay crazy high property taxes so our kids could go to a good school for “free.” I went to private school pretty much all my life and I remember how stressed my parents were at the start of each year, paying for tuition, uniforms, school supplies and in some cases, textbooks. I did not want that to be us.

But unfortunately, as is the case in our district and most others around the country, a kid has to be 5 by September in order to go to kindergarten. My daughter (obviously) won’t be turning 5 until November but my husband and I have discussed it and we think it’s crazy to make her sit out another year just because she was born two months too late. She’s smart, she’s a social butterfly and to be honest, I don’t think staying home with me would give her the intellectual stimulation she needs.

So we began looking at private schools and found one we really like. We’re applying and most likely, they will accept her. (Why wouldn’t they? That’s my baby we’re talking about.)

The problem is: Can we really afford private school right now? Sure, I’m making decent money freelancing right now, but every freelancer knows there are ebbs and flows to this gig and some months your bank account will look pretty light.

I would do anything for my kids, but I feel either way she’ll be getting a good education, whether in public school in another year or private school this fall. I mean, in order to pay her tuition, I’m willing to give up my 2009 car, the cable, eating out, etc. But is that crazy?

We’re supposed to provide for our kids. Make those hard decisions that will shape their future.

When do you step back and say, “Damn, we really can’t afford this”? Is that something a parent should ever say? I just saw a mom on Oprah who took on six figures in loans so her three kids could go to college. Is that wise? She’ll be paying off those loans forever. Literally. Obviously if they had other options they would have taken them, but financial decisions like that are tricky for me.

I know parents want to be able to give their child anything (especially us young moms who might have lower salaries to begin with) but does that mean we need to try to give them anything?

Tell me – have you ever felt like you couldn’t afford something for your kids? Were you sad or did you feel like it’s just a part of life?

I just finished my first semester of grad school and I’m tired. Beat down mentally. But I’m pushing forward because I know getting that degree will so worth it in the end. (Plus, I get to learn about all the research that policy makers depend on, so we can all get more family-friend policies and programs.)

I think we all agree that education is important. Not just our education but our kids’ education as well. We all want our kids to grow up and be smart and have opportunities. We all know how many opportunities are easier to reach if you have that piece of paper that says, “YOU DID IT!”

But how do you even begin to think about your kids going to college? It just seems….so far away for most of us. My daughter is 4 and my son is 2. I’m really trying to think about next semester, not 14 years from now.

But we all know that college is expensive NOW and is only going to be more expensive as time goes on. The time to start saving is now, when you have more time to accumulate the funds necessary to make that tuition bill go away.

So you know I have the hook-up, right? The good folks at CollegeAdvantage contacted me and gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse. (Insert *Godfather* voice here…wait, it was the Godfather, right?)

They are offered YML readers a chance at one of THREE $100 college scholarships to place in your 529 college savings plan. {Don’t have one? It takes five minutes to set up – takes more time to buy a DVD on Amazon.}

This is an amazing opportunity to jumpstart your kids’ college savings plan. Also, if you don’t already have an existing account, you can use the promo code GETSTARTED upon account signup and $25 will automatically be deposited in your new account. Also, if you opt to sign up for the auto pay feature, you will receive an additional $25 after the third $25 deposit you make. That’s $50 right there!

So it’s simple. You don’t need to be rich to set aside money for your kids. Can you swing $10 a month? Then you can begin saving for college.

Want to win one of three scholarships? Here’s how to enter – I’ll keep it easy with two three options!

1) “Like” the Young Mommy Life fan page if you haven’t already.

2) “Tag” the Young Mommy Life in a status update:  ”The Young Mommy Life is helping young moms save for college!” {Simply type the “@” symbol and the Young Mommy Life fan page should come up in your list – it should be a link to the YML fan page so I know you did it! If you get confused, just leave a comment here. }

3) Send out the following tweet: “@TheYoungMommy is helping young moms save for college! http://bit.ly/gWnHx8″

Do all three for the best chance to win! I’ll pick the first winner on Friday at 5 p.m. Good luck!