Applicant #8: Angela Fish

Angela Fish is a mom from Tacoma.

My video application:

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A bit about me:

Hi there, I’m Angela. I’m married to the best man in the world (seriously, he’s amazing) and we have 2 fabulous boys. I’m a stay at home mom and most days it requires buckets of caffeine to keep up with my kids. And, there are times when I feel like I’m one step away from a rubber room! Those are the moments when I need copious amounts of chocolate and very loud music.

My boys make my heart overflow with love and pride. They are both diagnosed on the autism spectrum and my youngest son used to be nonverbal and violent. He isn’t anymore, and I could go on for days about their collective progress. There are still many bumps in the road ahead, but the refining fire of autism in my boys and cancer in my husband has drawn our family closer together. I know it’s unlikely, but I’m hoping we’ve fulfilled our quota for life challenges!

In my spare time (a hilarious notion), I run a support group for special needs families and I blog as Caffeinated Autism Mom. I can also call myself a published author! Well, contributing author anyway… I had the wonderful experience of writing an essay featured in Hartley Steiner’s book about sensory processing disorder, “Sensational Journeys.”

I spent a good portion of last year looking for a job, but even with a Master’s degree and tons of experience I didn’t get a single interview. So, since I wanted to do something of value that I’m passionate about, I decided to start a special needs nonprofit organization. Why not, right?

Being the next Verity Mom would be a wonderful way for me to do what I love and also contribute financially to our household. Autism is expensive, let me tell you! I feel like I’ve found my niche as a “Connector,” bringing people, information, and resources together. I’m also toying with starting a speaking circuit through my nonprofit. Can you tell that I can’t sit still? It must be all the caffeine.

My blog post:

Moms and the “M word” – Money

When I was younger I hated math. I swore that I would never have a career that required number crunching. Guess what my degrees are in? Business. Guess who is a master budgeter? Me. Guess who can calculate a car payment faster with a financial calculator than the car salesman with his computer? Yep, you guessed it. Me.

Do you have a budget? Do you even know what a budget is? It’s a surprisingly foreign concept. I’m certainly no guru, but I’ve taught myself along the way. I’ve even consulted with friends and family who had no idea where to even begin setting up a proper budget, much less eliminate debt.

Most families are constantly rushed for time with the busy lives we all lead, and sitting down to balance a checkbook or create a workable budget is low on the totem pole of priorities. Moms are almost always the ones trying to juggle and make everything work. I can tell you that money management doesn’t require a degree in Astrophysics to figure out.

Wouldn’t you like to not have that sense of dread that comes when you bounce yet another check buying groceries or when you are assessed an overdraft fee because you treated yourself to a just-get-me-through-the-day Starbucks? That feeling of not really knowing where you stand with your finances can make you feel sick to your stomach and cause a lot of undue stress. With the current state of our economy, almost everyone is feeling that stress magnify. Making ends meet is getting more difficult. I think every Mom has the ability to regain control over her financial life and feel the sense of accomplishment and peace that comes with that.

I started tracking spending for my very first budget right after I got married. It was a huge shock to learn that we were spending more eating out in restaurants than on our rent! It was this financial knowledge that enabled my husband and I to purchase our first home only 11 months after we got married. It’s also made surviving more than 8 years on a single income possible.

With knowledge comes power. And stress relief, for that matter. Budgeting can be putting cash into envelopes, using a fancy financial software program, or anything in between. It should work for you and your family where you’re at. Once you figure out where your money is going and plan for all your bills, you will know how much money you have left. And, isn’t knowing “half the battle?” With a proper budget in place you’ll know for sure that the muffin you bought with your coffee this morning won’t break the bank, which will make each bite even more delicious.

Angela