Hi, I'm Meredith. I live in Decatur, Alabama, in a 1956 brick ranch on the southeast side of town, with my husband Ben, our daughter Harper and a beagle mix named Moose who believes every lunch box is his.
I spent fourteen years in human resources, first at a manufacturing plant here in Decatur and then at a hospital, where I sat on the other side of a lot of hiring decisions, raise conversations and exit interviews. In 2022 I studied for my project management certification at the kitchen table after Harper's bedtime, and in January 2024 I switched careers. These days I'm a project manager for an engineering company in Huntsville, in the office Tuesday through Thursday and at home on Mondays and Fridays.
What you'll find here
This blog is what I wish someone had handed me in my twenties: how raises and promotions actually get decided, how to change careers without starting over, what to wear to work without spending a fortune, and how a two-career family keeps the money and the calendar running. I write down the real numbers, including the parts that didn't go to plan.
Ben is a physical therapist and coaches Harper's fall soccer team. Harper started middle school in August 2026 and has opinions about all of it. Weekends we try to get out somewhere in North Alabama that doesn't cost much.
I'm not a financial advisor, an attorney or a tax professional, and nothing here is personal advice. It's one working mom's experience, written down as honestly as I can.
If you'd like to say hello, my e-mail address is on the contact page.