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The Budget Mom Talks About Online Negativity And The Importance Of Giving Back!

The Budget Mom Gives Back is a new initiative which will see a portion of every sale in 2019 being donated to charity - we are very happy to announce that we have been chosen to benefit from this fantastic campaign for the entire year!

You are the founder and owner of The Budget Mom, can you tell us a bit more about what you do and how it started?

My journey started out with me wanting to get a grip on my finances. After a couple of years, I decided to start a blog so that I could share not only the financial tips that I had learned, but also share the emotional struggles that I personally faced and provide a platform for moms who are going through the same thing to feel like they aren’t alone in this journey.

After navigating through the waters of figuring out my finances, I just kept thinking about how I wish I had known all of this information sooner. I wish I had known what I know now when I was sitting at the kitchen table, trying to figure out how I was going to pay those bills. The Budget Mom is a place to learn how to get your finances under control but it’s also about sharing all of the psychological and mental effects that money has on our lives.

I want the women reading the blog to know she’s not alone. I also want her to feel justified and comfortable with every financial decision she makes.

So tell us about Budget Mom Gives Back and why supporting non-profits is important to you?

The Budget Mom Gives Back is a new campaign that I am so excited about for this year. A portion of every sale in 2019 is going back to charity. This campaign is important to me because up until this point in my life, I was never financially stable enough to be able to give back to things that I think are important. There are so many wonderful people out there that just need a little support to get to their full potential and I want to help them. Now that I have finally reached a place in my life that I am able to give back.

Why did you choose to support Cybersmile?

As my brand got bigger, I was reaching more and more people but with that came more negative comments. When I decided to start my YouTube channel, I found that the negativity was so much greater on that platform than the community I had built on Instagram. After receiving one particularly nasty comment, I decided that enough was enough. I decided to turn these negative experiences into a positive one.

I started researching ways to support victims of cyberbullying and that’s when I found Cybersmile. It became a priority for me to support Cybersmile because I have personally experienced that negativity that comes from online bullying and I don’t want anyone to feel that pain. These victims need to know that they aren’t alone, it’s happening to other people, and we need to support each other.

How do you personally deal with online negativity?

With my brand being so visible on social media, I am constantly encountering cyberbullies. It can be really easy for people to tear you apart because of your appearance, your clothing choices or the lifestyle you live. In the past, I used to quickly delete any negative comments on my social media. Now I have learned how to deal with this online bullying and I talk about how I dealt with it in my YouTube video, “How Negativity is Inspiring Me to Give Back.”

What advice would you give to anybody anxious about following their dreams due to negativity online or fear of ridicule?

I would tell them that you have to let your passion be bigger than your fear of negativity. It took me a year to overcome my problems with self-esteem and to build back up my confidence after receiving negative feedback online. Once I realized that my passion for helping people was bigger than any negativity that I could face online, I was unstoppable.

You have to look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that “you are worth it.” If you can believe in yourself, the passion that you have for your work will allow you to overcome any fear of facing negativity.

Do you think social media is a blessing or a curse?

A blessing. From a business standpoint, I have been able to reach so many people and truly change people’s lives with social media. It’s amazing. To be honest, I don’t use my personal accounts that often, but when I do I love it because it connects me with friends and family who are near to my heart but far away geographically.

What plans does The Budget Mom have for 2019? Are there any activities that we should be aware of?

We are releasing some exciting new products this year! We are debuting a physical version of the Budget-by-Paycheck Workbook & a new version of the Live Rich Planner. All of these items are going to help moms stay on track with their financial goals.

We also have some really exciting stuff coming soon that I can’t share right now so stayed tuned for that announcement!

Do you have a positive mantra that you use to self-motivate or deal with negative situations?

“I am enough.” That’s the one thing I tell myself every day when I have a moment of doubt or when I am trying to move past self-confidence issues.

In 10 words or less, why is kindness so important?

Kindness can change somebody’s day.

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to The Budget Mom for choosing to support Cybersmile and also for such an amazing interview! For further information about Cybersmile and the work we do, please explore the recommendations below. Click here to learn more about The Budget Mom.

What are your thoughts about The Budget Mom giving back to Cybersmile for 2019? Let us know by contacting us or tweet us @CybersmileHQ.