Listen to an audio interview with Kelly here.
Just a few years ago, Kelly Hancock was a top-performing sales rep for a Fortune 500 company. But despite her success at work, the perks, and a promising future, she felt trapped. Financially, she had to work — and after her first child was born, she didn't want to.
Feeling undeniably impressed to take a leap of faith, Kelly resigned in order to devote her full time and energy to her newborn. The decision was hardly an easy one.
"As excited as I was to stay home, I really dreaded the financial impact on our lives," says Kelly. "I was bringing home half of our income, and without it, we were barely going to get by each month."
So she started budgeting, and quickly noticed how much money was being thrown away monthly on non-essentials. Kelly became a much savvier shopper, but it wasn't until her husband was laid-off in 2009 that the cost-cutting adventure truly began. With two (unemployed) adults, a second child, a mortgage, and ever-mounting bills, it was time for quick action. Kelly became a "couponista," cutting her family's overall spending substantially, and slashing their grocery/eating-out budget by a staggering 80%.
By deftly navigating shopping sales, learning how to stock ahead, and — of course — using coupons, Kelly and her husband Bradford weren't just saving money, they were providing a model for other struggling families. Kelly began sending emails to a growing list of shoppers looking to reduce their spending amounts, and soon, those emails turned into live workshops. That's when she decided to launch FaithfulProvisions.com, also in 2009, working as a team with Bradford to turn it into a go-to savings resource.
Two years later, FaithfulProvisions.com has blossomed into one of the most popular money-savings blogs on the Internet. Its email newsletter reaches thousands, yielding a thriving social media community and even an iPhone app, featuring tips and daily deals. Now Bradford is back to working outside of the home, while she operates their new family business. Today, she shares her saving savvy on numerous radio and television programs.
As a French and International Business major at the University of Tennessee, Kelly traveled to 23 countries during her junior year. She has worked for both retail and online commerce, with a stint working at a Colorado dude ranch, before finding her niche working from home in a business she also considers a ministry — helping others save more, so they can live generously.
Kelly and her husband, Bradford, live in Nashville, Tennessee with their two children, Ainsley and Garrett.
