Posts by Emma Johnson
Make money and do good at the same time
Other ways to listen: iTunes ♦ Stitcher ♦ TuneIn ♦ SoundCloud ♦ Google Play Making money and serving others — these two things are NOT mutually exclusive. That you must chose one or the other is a historically female message: That it’s OK to be broke, because we’re serving others. That the corporate world is exploitive, evil, greedy, and…
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Tips for dating a single mom (12 things NOT to say)
I go out with single dads and childless men alike, and some of the latter admit (while others appear) to be uncertain about the logistics of dating a single mom. On one hand, Dude, we are just like other women! Proceed as normal! ==> See below: 12 things never to say to a single mom on…
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Lending Club Review: The best site for investors and personal loans?
Lending Club promises two things: For investors: Higher rates of return than savings accounts, or most mutual funds (because typically those are really lousy). For borrowers: Lower rates than credits cards and personal loans (which can be really lousy). What is Lending Club? Lending Club is a decade-old, publicly traded fin-tech company that promises to…
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Single mom teaches families how to travel with kids
Other ways to listen: iTunes ♦ Stitcher ♦ TuneIn ♦ SoundCloud ♦ Google Play Elmeka Henderson: Helping single moms travel with kids In this episode I interview Elmeka Henderson, creator of blog Adventures in Raising a Vagabond. When Elmeka started traveling with travel groups, she found that many didn’t allow kids. She began taking her son abroad on her own…
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Dating coach: “Single moms are hot on the successful-men market”
I don’t run many guests posts, but happened upon Elliot Scott, a dating coach who had a lot of really smart things to say about men and women and how we can relate better. And he has a lot of experience coaching — not to mention dating! — single moms. I love, love, love his…
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Ladies, please post honest pics on your online dating profile, OK?
My friend Marc — a single dad my age — and I like to share dating war stories. Recently, he giddily kept me posted on the pre-first-date chemistry he shared with a woman he met online. “Extremely promising,” he texted me. “We talk every night on the phone and it is frightening how much we…
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The one thing you can do today to help close the pay gap
I keep hearing the same story again and again from professionally successful women. Variations on: My grandma told me: “Always have your own money.” It could be a mother, aunt, neighbor, Girl Scout leader, teacher, cousin, mentor or favorite coach. What to teach girls about money An older, respected woman looked her straight in the eye,…
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SoFi Review: The Cadillac of personal loans and student loan refinancing
Landing a personal or student loan with SoFi is a little like getting into the Ivy League of personal loans: typically you have a six-figure income and credit score of at least 660, and then get invited to happy hours and other events in major cities. The real benefit to working with SoFi is very…
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15 financial steps to a rich life as a single mom
It’s no one’s Plan A. But being a single mom does not mean you’re destined for the welfare line, free school lunches for your kids, or living in your parents’ basement. The first step is to convince yourself that your new life will be one that is full, joyous and financially rich. For some people, it can…
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Why post-divorce rebound relationships hurt so damn bad
Eighteen months after my marriage ended, I jumped into a heady, sexually intense year-long relationship with a fellow writer and parent who was 20 years older than I was. In hindsight, it was no surprise it ended — his kids were grown, mine were tiny, our lives were at different points. But that did not…
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Sell your wedding dress? Yep — here’s how …
You’re divorced (or the engagement got called off). What do you do? Sell your wedding dress?! After all, it’s not like you’re going to wear it again! (Though single mom Kaytlin said she dyed hers red and made it into a cocktail dress!) The big mistake I see women make when it comes to…
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How to make cash by selling your old earrings online
Let’s do a little exercise: Picture your jewelry box, jewelry bowl, jewelry stand, box of older jewelry in your closet or safety box, wherever you keep yours. Now, try to picture each pair of earrings. When’s the last time you actually had an occasion to wear huge dangly gold hoops? Perhaps you’ve got an heirloom…
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Close the pay gap? Get dads involved? Shared visitation, no child support
In my work writing about women, money and family in the United States, there are two prevailing issues: Dads who do not live with their kids are barely involved. (Just 22% of dads who live apart from their children see them more than once weekly, per Pew.) That pay gap will. not. close. Here’s…
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Dating as a single mom is the same as dating as a teenager
Sunday morning I had brunch with my brother Josh and sister-in-law Susan. They’re in their early 30s, don’t have kids, stay out late, and sleep in on weekends. In other words: They’re normal. Susan grilled me about my date from the night before while my little brother pretended he’d lost his hearing. “We went…
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How to sell your necklace online, and questions to ask to get the most cash
Ever considered selling your necklace online? Remember that pearl necklace your ex bought you years ago as a last-minute anniversary gift? How about that diamond necklace you picked out for your 30th birthday? Whether you choose to admit it or not, jewelry often carries a strong emotional bond with it – for better or for…
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#LikeAMother: Homework hurts kids and families, just say NO to overparenting
Other ways to listen: iTunes ♦ Stitcher ♦ TuneIn ♦ SoundCloud ♦ Google Play Oh man, when I read Heather Shumaker’s essay in Salon Homework is wrecking our kids: The research is clear, let’s ban elementary homework, I reached out to her immediately. In her excellent article, Shumaker articulates exactly what I have been grumbling about (and fighting…
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How to buy your first car as a grown-ass woman
I recently read this post in my Facebook group, Millionaire Single Moms, and it made me feel all the good feels: At 40 years of age this happened today: I purchased my first car on my own — no male input, no ex-husband choosing which car, no parents weighing in on my choice… this beautiful…
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Mother’s Day: What you should REALLY be doing
Other ways to listen: iTunes ♦ Stitcher ♦ TuneIn ♦ SoundCloud ♦ Google Play In this episode, I discuss: What you should REALLY be doing for Mother’s Day. (Hint: It’s not church and brunch!) Why my Mother’s Day plans don’t involve my kids – and why that’s perfectly fine Ideas for a perfect Mother’s Day celebration of your own Define this…
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FlexJobs Review: Does this site really find high-paying work-at-home jobs?
This is what I hear from moms almost every single day: I want to work from home earning a good living, doing work that is interesting and challenging — not MLM bullshit. A real career, but where I can spend most of my time at home, in control of my hours, and therefore my life…
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7 reasons NOT to fight for money you’re owed from your ex
Money is often cited as the No. 1 thing divorcing couples fight over. Financial disagreements clog the courts and wrack up attorney bills — not to mention burn untold units of stress and misery for each party, their children and anyone within earshot. This money-related financial tension carries over after breakups and divorce. Often,…
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