Life changed for Kim Williams when she found herself pregnant as a sophomore in college. She pulled herself out of despair and did what she had to do to support herself and create a great life for her child. Kim finished school, got her MBA, and moved for the sake of support and then again for a job. She built community both on and off line. The creator of the Experiencing Motherhood Single and Black podcast and community, Kim has an important and inspiring story to tell.

As your kids get older, the cost of raising them increases. They eat more, they may have expensive hobbies or passions, it costs more to buy them clothes. You're more likely to overspend on older kids at the holidays, and it's more expensive to take them on vacation. In this episode, you'll find tips for cutting some of those costs without compromising the quality of your life or your relationship with your kids.

Raising children is expensive - but there ARE ways to reduce the costs. By a lot! In this episode, Debra shares ideas for saving on everything from daycare to diapers, food, toys, and more. Make sure you tune in next week for Part 2, about reducing the costs of raising older children. For links to some of the resources mentioned in the podcast, go to www.moneysmartforlife.com/podcast.

Are you considering becoming a single mother by choice? Sabiha Mustafa, single mom by choice and coach to women thinking about starting that journey, talks with Debra (also a single mom by choice) about all the ins and outs of making that decision. What are the common fears women have? What mindset shifts might be necessary? Will my kids be okay? What's the process? The challenges - and joys - of single motherhood by choice are both significant. This episode is a must-listen if you are thinking about making this leap.

If you ache to stay home more with your child, but feel stuck because as a single mom you have to put food on the table, this episode is for you.

We'll talk about ways to make that dream come true. It's absolutely possible - with some creativity, hard work, and maybe some initial sacrifice.

Your kids won't be kids for long, and their babyhood and childhood are so precious - and so fleeting. In this episode we'll talk about ways you can to work fewer hours, cut expenses, and carve out more time to spend with your kids.

None of us want to think about our own death, but planning for that possibility is SO important - especially for single moms. In this episode, Attorney Samantha Allen walks us through everything we need to do to protect our kids, from putting specific documents in place to choosing guardians to making our wishes known. Have your pen and paper or your notes app ready - you're going to need them!

Don't miss this episode! Our first ever guest, Heather Wells, has an amazing and inspiring story to tell.

Heather Wells is a single mother of three amazing children, and creator of The Single Mom Blog and Podcast. After years of struggling as a single mother on government assistance programs, she was finally able to achieve self-sufficiency by starting her own business working from home. With a thriving consultant business, she now also focuses on helping other single mothers develop the skills and mindsets to live their best lives.

Want to create peace and respect in your home, but not sure how? Do you feel like a drill sergeant - and a not very effective one - instead of a parent who is kind, loving, and firm? In this episode, we do a deep-dive into relationship-based parenting. What exactly does that mean (and what DOESN'T it mean), how can you apply it, and how can it make a difference for you and your kids? You don't want to miss this one.

Making more money is great, but saving what you have is even better! This episode offers lots of ideas for getting clothes, baby items, furniture, and more - for free (or for very little).

All kids ask difficult questions, but as single moms we get our own specific brand of questions that stab us in the heart: Why don't I have a dad? Why doesn't Daddy love me? Why didn't my birthmother keep me? In this episode, we talk about how to prepare for those questions (and others), and discuss three foundational messages to incorporate into our responses.