Debra outlines the six steps she takes with clients who are working on making their dream a financial reality, from creating the vision, to gaining clarity about your current financial situation, to mapping out the costs of realizing the dream, to taking "radical action" and more. Most things are possible with determination, commitment, and a willingness to live differently from the norm. What are you willing to do?
For show notes, go to www.moneysmartforlife.com/podcast

Quick explanation of upcoming name change for the podcast

Learn about out-of-the-box ideas for saving significant amounts of money on the journey to single motherhood by choice, and as a single mom. Sarah Kowalski - SMC, fertility doula, life coach, and author - shares her journey and the brave moves she made.

For show notes and links, go to moneysmartforlife.com/podcast. Or copy the links below and paste into your browser:

To join Sarah's brand-new community for Single Mothers by Choice, the Motherhood Reimagined SMC Community, go to https://debrajacobs--motherhoodreimagined.thrivecart.com/premium-97/

To get a free copy of my new PDF, Ignored to Intentional: Five Essential First Steps for Moving into Money Mastery, go to https://dedicated-producer-3233.ck.page/388905443a

We all make mistakes. Looking back, it's easy to see where we could have done better - but when we're in the thick of it, we have a harder time making good decisions. This week, Debra lets you in on her own personal mess-ups: the five biggest mistakes she made when her kids were younger.
Two of these mistakes were financial, the other three were parenting mistakes.
Debra's getting up close and personal this week so you can benefit from her experience, and hopefully do better.
For show notes, go to www.moneysmartforlife.com/podcast

Reducing expenses will help you create the life you want - but bringing in more money is equally important. How can you create new income streams to save the money you need to realize your dream of becoming a single mother by choice, or to create the life you want for yourself and your kids? It's not easy, especially when you're a single mom already pressed for time. But it's possible, and you can do it. In this episode, we review ways to raise quick money, to create longer-term side businesses, and to increase your salary. For show notes, go to www.moneysmartforlife/podcast

We all have money stories - thoughts that inform the way we approach our finances.
What are your stories? Are they holding you back from facing your financial situation and from working towards achieving your dreams?
In this episode, we go over 10 common limiting money stories - from scarcity to feeling like "the poor kid" to the Cinderella Syndrome, and more - and talk about ways to face these thoughts and begin writing new stories.
Changing your thoughts won't magically change your life, but will open the path to actions that WILL result in major change.

Note: The money stories in this episode are numbered - but for some reason skipped from 6 to 8. You're not crazy - there's no number 7!
For show notes and links to resources mentioned, go to moneysmartforlife.com/podcast

After working all day and taking care of your kids, the rest of life can feel overwhelming. From paying bills to doing the dishes to making the hundreds of decisions that you have to make as a parent and simply as an adult - life can feel out of control. Often we respond by ignoring things, which we all know leads to bigger problems in the long run. In this episode, Debra offers five easy-to-implement tips for making your life run more smoothly - financially and otherwise.

For show notes, including links to resources mentioned in the episode, go to www.moneysmartforlife.com/podcast.

You really want a dog, or your kids are relentless in asking for one. As a single mom, should you do it? Can you manage it between work and parenting your kids by yourself? How much will it cost? In this episode, we go over everything you need to think about before making the decision. For show notes, go to www.moneysmartforlife.com/podcast.

Budgeting can feel scary, daunting, and time-consuming, and when you're a single mom focusing on your job and your kids, it's something you likely ignore. But budgeting can actually be freeing. It can give you a structure for financial decisions that lightens your load.

In this episode, learn how to budget in a way that will work for you. Yes, you'll have some initial set-up and leg work to do, but once you have the system in place, you won't need to track your money every day or spend hours entering every little expense.

You'll finally have an easy way to get on top of your finances!

For show notes, go to www.moneysmartforlife.com/podcast. And when you leave a review on iTunes, drop a note at [email protected] to let Debra know, so she can enter you in the drawing for a free hour of coaching.

If you have a teenager, or a younger child who will one day become a teenager, don't miss this episode! It's full of important information and strategies for relationship-based parenting through the teen years. Debra discusses:
- Ways to build and maintain strong relationships with your teen
- What to do when they lash out and say hurtful things
- The pressure of school and the crazy, toxic push towards college
- Sex, drugs, and your teenager
- When your teen lies to you
- Anxiety and teenagers
- The dangers of "rescuing" your teen
For links to resources mentioned in the episode, go to www.moneysmartforlife.com/podcast.