Financial Expert Spotlight - Carrie Smith

We are talking to financial experts about their experiences with debt.  These experts have been in your shoes and are sharing their stories and how their personal experiences with debt have shaped their relationship with money and led them to what they are doing today, helping others.

Today we are talking with Carrie Smith, owner of Careful Cents.

How have you been personally affected by debt?

Being in debt has negatively affected my life in two main areas, my relationships and my health. The biggest reason I found myself divorced at the age of 25, was because of money fights. We couldn't get on the same page about our finances and became enemies, because we were drowning in debt. This situation forced me to work more and more hours at my job to compensate for the bills. This stressed me out, and I was constantly getting migraines while having weight loss/gain issues.

How did you manage to get out of debt?

I got to the point where I was so tired of debt (and payments) controlling my life. So I created a 6 step plan to get out of debt faster. It implemented simple strategies (I share the entire series on my blog) like starting a small business on the side, bartering for services and selling stuff. I've had amazing results and within the next 2 months, I'll be completely debt free!

What is your blog about?

My blog is about balancing my life, money and career. Lots of experts will tell you to separate your business life from your personal life. But I love my job and like many people, my business IS my life. I'm on a journey to make cents of it all. To use money to fund my dreams instead of debt.

Does your blog give you the opportunity to give back to others dealing with debt?

Yes, my blog is a window into my life, including all the mistakes and failures I've overcome. I'm an Accountant on a mission, to help other young people change their financial future, one bank account at a time. My blog is where I share simple and uncluttered financial advice with real world applications. No confusing financial jargon here!

What is your best piece of financial advice?

My motto is "never underestimate the power of small change (cha-ching)". This is a fun play on words of course, between making seemingly insignificant changes and only having a small amount of money to work with. I'm also a small person (5ft2in) who wants to make a difference. Maybe you can only make small changes, or have a small amount of money, you should never sell yourself (or your finances) short.

At CareOne we believe personal experiences are what make an expert. Please visit Carrie at her blog, Careful Cents to follow her journey.